He’s not making it out of the top 5. He’s having a Sennecke type rise.
Prospect Info: 2025 DRAFT Discussion
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- Aug 12, 2012
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At this point it feels like the draft could be pretty unpredictable after the first two picks. Schaefer and Misa going 1-2 feels pretty set in stone but after that it's wide open.
CheckingLineCenter
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Empoleon8771
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I'd love it if a team was dumb enough to take O'Brien in the top-5, makes it more likely that the Penguins will get Frondell or Eklund at their 1st.
Obviously I'm hoping for a lottery win to get Schaefer, but I'm mainly hoping for Frondell or Eklund with the Penguins 1st. Desnoyers would be fine but I like him less than Eklund and Frondell.
Obviously I'm hoping for a lottery win to get Schaefer, but I'm mainly hoping for Frondell or Eklund with the Penguins 1st. Desnoyers would be fine but I like him less than Eklund and Frondell.
Jesse
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FWIW, I am doing mixtapes for my top 40 this year. That's my goal, anyway. O'Brien's was the most fun I've had watching video so far. Some skating concerns, but nothing too crazy. Definitely one of the deepest offensive toolboxes in the class even if he over-relies on dangling at times.
CheckingLineCenter
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CheckingLineCenter
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Empoleon8771
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I'd want to get a longer look at O'Brien before I comment on Desnoyers vs him, but I do have Eklund and Frondell over O'Brien.
In the 6-10 range, I like Eklund and Frondell more than any of the CHL guys that would realistically be available in that range (Desnoyers, O'Brien, McQueen, Mrtka and Smith).
Le Magnifique 66
Let's Go Pens
I'll be honest, never watched him play. Thank you for those videos. Looks like a solid player, big body and capable of moving the puck very well. Good IQ. I wish he would have stayed closer to 17-20 like he was originally ranked and we could have gotten with the rags pick
Jesse
Registered User
I'm not done with mine yet but I think O'Brien will be 9th or 10th. I am really struggling with where I want to put Desnoyers. I just can't get a good beat on him. The Q is objectively bad, and there are things he does that leave me wanting more from him. He doesn't drive middle enough and his shot selection is something maddening at times, which is also a product of his feeling like he needs to do it all. But you can also see the core skills in there that have him top-ten in the first place.
CheckingLineCenter
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I think I am here right now. Not sure who to put next.
1. Schaefer
2. Misa
3. Martone
4. Hagens
5. Eklund
6. Frondell
7. O’Brien
Subject to change. Tbh I may have O’Brien 5th or 6th when it’s said and done. Or maybe 11th. I don’t even like him that much right now, but I think you gotta draft for potential and he’s got a lot of it. I can easily see him being an invaluable low pace scoring F in the NHL that gets outskated/outmuscled. Maybe he’s only putting up ~100 pts because he is playing with 70 goal guy in Lardis and a 1st rounder in Vanacker.
But the flip side is if he fills out you could have 6’2-6’3 215-225 lb RHC who is very responsible and can create a ton of offense. Could very easily be in 10 years that Lardis scored 70 goals largely bc of O’Briens playmaking…
Le Magnifique 66
Let's Go Pens
Agreed, I think a player like McGroarty could benefit big time from a player like him. I think it could be a hell of a duo down the road for us. Now don't get me wrong, I still want Misa, Hagens or Frondell at Center before him
Jesse
Registered User
I see your point, and I agree that one of the reasons Lardis has 70 goals is he's getting absolute platters from O'Brien. I mean a handful of those goals are just O'Brien banking the puck in off of him. I didn't even include all the ridiculous playmaking because the mixtape would've been 30 minutes long. I view O'Brien as having the same sort of vision/game understanding as a Guentzel. You align him with someone that can hunt space and shoot and he's gonna feed them like crazy and they'll work off of each other super well.
The skating thing is mostly about power to me. He spends too much time taking staccato little steps to the point that he feels like he needs to do it even when he's in dangle-mode. But I don't think he's a guy that will struggle at future levels. Just needs a touch more strength.
I am also the conductor of the "Eklund over Frondell" train. For the simple reason that Eklund is creating *a lot* of space for Frondell to operate. He is a human missile. Very Kunitz-like in his behavior. I feel seen having people in this thread that align with me on that.
I do not have McQueen in my top ten. I do not have Logan Hensler in my top 32. There are a few things I will be a gross outlier on and I am fine with that.
Empoleon8771
Registered User
Would you consider O'Brien to be stylistically similar to Leo Carlsson at all? Frondell has been the one getting more of the Leo Carlsson comparisons, which is a big reason I like Frondell as a pick (I think Carlsson's upside is massive), but I can see some similarities with O'Brien's size and skill that makes me curious how appropriate of a comparison that is.
I've read this a few times about Eklund as well, he's not as skilled as his brother but he's an absolute gnat of a player that throws his weight around a ton.
Le Magnifique 66
Let's Go Pens
The 2 players ahead are also 20 and 19 years old compared to him being only 17. The - part I agree, would need more info from a fan of the team.
CheckingLineCenter
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Yeah I completely agree on bolded and skating. It’s a power/explosion thing
O’Brien is the easiest guy in the draft for me outside of (my) top 3 to say “imagine what this guy COULD be in 5 years” and you fall in love with the concept. But there is real downside. Say he can’t grow into his frame and add that extra power gear… then his profile is like a Wennberg almost- how valuable is that? Prob worth a late teens pick but you don’t want that top 10. He’s one of those guys where you can be aware of the risk & upside but truly only time will tell lmao.
Agree totally on Eklund vs Frondell. Eklund I think he’s got more play driving potential. I think he’s the safest guy to take early. You’re getting Konecny at worst with upside for a Nylander IMO. Frondell I struggle with getting a read on tbh. Physically developed, low pace. And I don’t love shoot first centers. But he’s playing at a high level of hockey and doing it well. So maybe he’s got a full bag of tricks we’re not seeing.
Idk if McQueen is in my top 32. Like maybe he should be? but a guy where I just don’t feel like taking him anytime before he’ll be gone lol. I wish him well just wouldn’t touch him.
for Hensler - I prob will only truly rank like 10-14 guys and he won’t be in that. But I don’t hate him late 1st. Can see why you’d bet on his skating and athleticism at some point after pick 20. Feels like a solid bet to play 400 games.
Jacob
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- Feb 27, 2002
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Yeah, and that's kind of an interesting thing. Is he feeding off those older, better players? Or is he like, going to become even better when they graduate and he has to carry an even larger scoring load.
They'll still have Vanacker so it doesn't seem like he'll be on an island next year or anything. But they will lose a lot of offense.
Desnoyers is kind of the opposite example. Significantly leading his own team in scoring.
- Jun 13, 2010
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Unless we are getting a top 5 pick, I don't believe anyone 6 through X will be with us next year. After that, I'm not sure it matters all that much. Desnoyer vs O'Brien is whatever. They'll be good but I don't know if there's a significant difference. Maybe like Glass vs Novak. Different players, maybe slightly different styles or skills but the same impact.
This draft is really top 5 or bust in terms of impact players moving forward. Otherwise, it's merely another one to add to the pot.
This draft is really top 5 or bust in terms of impact players moving forward. Otherwise, it's merely another one to add to the pot.
CheckingLineCenter
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I don’t think any of the guys in the draft are impact players next year, top 5 or not.
Dumb to assume a pick after the top 5 is gonna be a Novak or Glass level player. Some will be, some will be even worse. Some will be better.
I feel like it’s a solid top 10 tbh.
Dumb to assume a pick after the top 5 is gonna be a Novak or Glass level player. Some will be, some will be even worse. Some will be better.
I feel like it’s a solid top 10 tbh.
- Jun 13, 2010
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I wasn't equating them to Novak or Glass, I was merely comparing the idea that we don't see a big difference between those two the same way we won't see a difference between Desnoyers and O'Brien. It's been quite a while since we've had personnel like that and there aren't many current options to make the comparison to.
Maybe we could say "no difference between them just like there's little difference between McGroarty and Yager". That doesn't mean McGroarty=Yager=Desnoyers=O'Brien.
I would bet 3 of the 5 top 5 picks play in the NHL next year. "Impact" is all relative.
I like the Rh center O'brien and may be taken a little high by the Pens but Pens need RH center and He is a better prospect than the center traded to the Jets. On the main board, Sabres pick not lottery protected I send Karlsson some retention and the Pens pick to the Sabres for a top 3 or higher pick and Helenius young center who I really like. Pens address center position with potential of Misa or forward with Martone. and go from there.
Le Magnifique 66
Let's Go Pens
- Jun 13, 2010
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Damn, reads like a hit piece but overall a good analysis. You can improve overall size. He's got the height. Very tough to suddenly "get smart" when it comes to the NHL so that's a plus. His EP rankings are all over the board (granted it's tough to know when the lists were last updated). High as #9, low as #24. From what I read, I'm maybe leaning more towards hoping that NYR's pick comes in at 14 and that he falls to that pick.
Re: Frondell vs Eklund, I'm still in the Frondell camp (though it IS close. I have Eklund as my 6/7 neck and neck with Desnoyers). I know people hate using positional need as a metric in drafting, but we are nearly at that "mission-critical" stage, especially after sending Yager out for another wing.
The way I'm looking at it, I think (in general) that Frondell plus a current winger of choice (say Frondell + McGroarty or Frondell + Koivunen) would be a better duo for us than a current center plus Eklund (...Novak + Eklund? Pono + Eklund? Broz?). I just don't think we have the ponies up the middle to make any better use of any slight advantage Eklund may have over Frondell.
Now, if you have a crystal ball and can see that we get McKenna next year, sure take Eklund.
If we get the 2025 pick from the Rags, Carter Bear and Malcolm Spence are two others that I would be hunting for. Better yet, if we can snag Frondell with the first pick and O'Brien with the 2nd, that would be a great draft for us.
