Prospect Info: 2025 DRAFT Discussion

[SEALBound]

GMs will see his height and lose their minds but I think, at best, you're probably getting like a Bjugstad there. Maybe I'm wrong and McQueen makes me eat a ton of crow in a handful of years, but the guy seems like the poster boy for a bait pick.

This. I see a lot of parallels between him and Rasmussen.

But yeah, lol, in 10 years going back to the draft order and saying "OMG! How did we pass on him!? He had everything! Look at that size! He turned into a forward Chara! Ugh!" would suck.

 

[Mr. T]

This draft is very reminiscent of the 2006 draft where you have a #1ov dman followed by a gluttony of forwards.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

GMs will see his height and lose their minds but I think, at best, you're probably getting like a Bjugstad there. Maybe I'm wrong and McQueen makes me eat a ton of crow in a handful of years, but the guy seems like the poster boy for a bait pick.

This and he's missed a TON of hockey the last couple years. No way a pick based so purely on what could potentially be is worth it around 5-9.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

This and he's missed a TON of hockey the last couple years. No way a pick based so purely on what could potentially be is worth it around 5-9.

Yeah, I wouldn't even really throw the Rangers pick at him tbh, if it ends up being this year's. Injuries and a constant connection to serious skating problems is red flag central. But some team will ignore everything and chase the dude who is 6'7 or whatever. They always do.

I forget who said it, but smaller guys have to prove they can play in the NHL. Big guys have to prove they can't.

 

[SEALBound]

View attachment 998604

The 2025 draft interview questions should be:

"So...are you a nice guy? Do you try hard? Do you love the game? Thank you"

 

[Turin]

All this whining about not being a bottom 5 team when the Pens would have made the playoffs yet again if they didn’t suck ass at 3 on 3 and shootouts.

 

[Ryder71]

All this whining about not being a bottom 5 team when the Pens would have made the playoffs yet again if they didn’t suck ass at 3 on 3 and shootouts.

Don't kid yourself this isn't a playoff caliber team. And Unless they get a guy like Marner they'll be even worse next year as the core ages further. This is a trash team. They're winning in garbage time.

 

[Turin]

Don't kid yourself this isn't a playoff caliber team. And Unless they get a guy like Marner they'll be even worse next year as the core ages further. This is a trash team. They're winning in garbage time.

They’re not because they suck in extra time. They’re a flawed and bad team but the East is very mediocre this year. The Rangers and Canadiens are also flawed and bad yet they’re battling for the last spot.

 

[Ugene Magic]

That's why #6 is the spot to be in. Obviously #5 is better, but so much harder to attain going by current times. The closer to #10 or so, you're looking at drafting one of O'Brien/Bear and who knows with the Rangers pick? Heck, O'Brien could be gone at #9 or sooner.

Dropping significantly is really bad.... Because if everyone keeps to the board the Pens are not getting a quality player. just guys in the significant drop

I. Schaefer
2. Misa
3.Hagens
4. Martone
5. Frondell
6. Eklund
7. Desnoyers
8. O'Brien
9. McQueen
10. Smith

That's what the actual draft board should look like.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

If the Penguins maintained their .446 point% that they had prior to the deadline after the deadline, they would have gone from #6 to #5 in the draft rankings. Seattle would have jumped them in the standings but Buffalo would still be behind them.

Again, you're talking about a change in draft position by like 2 slots here. They're not playing themselves out of Schaefer with their hot streak, they're going from Frondell (#5) to Eklund (#7).

Right, but the Pens weren't the same team the entire year prior to the deadline. They traded their 3C in Eller, their most reliable defenseman in Pettersson, and depth guys in DOC, Bunting, Beau, and Glass. The roster got worse as the year progressed, so presumably a winning % that they accumulated over the course of the year wouldn't necessarily reflect the winning % we could expect down the stretch.

Further, not only is a drop from Frondell to Eklund noteworthy, there's also the potential for one of the prospective top 4 to slide to #5. If we miss out on Hagens or Martone at #5, it would put some salt in the wound.

None of this is apocalyptic, but it could change the timeline/trajectory of what we're trying to do here.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Right, but the Pens weren't the same team the entire year prior to the deadline. They traded their 3C in Eller, their most reliable defenseman in Pettersson, and depth guys in DOC, Bunting, Beau, and Glass. The roster got worse as the year progressed, so presumably a winning % that they accumulated over the course of the year wouldn't necessarily reflect the winning % we could expect down the stretch.

Further, not only is a drop from Frondell to Eklund noteworthy, there's also the potential for one of the prospective top 4 to slide to #5. If we miss out on Hagens or Martone at #5, it would put some salt in the wound.

None of this is apocalyptic, but it could change the timeline/trajectory of what we're trying to do here.

There is nothing to support the idea that there is a "noteworthy" drop from Frondell to Eklund. Jesse has Eklund ranked over Frondell himself.

 

[Rudy Russo]

GMs will see his height and lose their minds but I think, at best, you're probably getting like a Bjugstad there. Maybe I'm wrong and McQueen makes me eat a ton of crow in a handful of years, but the guy seems like the poster boy for a bait pick.

Hopefully Keith Jones loves him and the flyers draft him.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

There is nothing to support the idea that there is a "noteworthy" drop from Frondell to Eklund. Jesse has Eklund ranked over Frondell himself.

That's only one small part of that post.

Most rankings have Frondell over Eklund, but regardless of that, finishing lower eliminates our ability to choose.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Lol that we lost like half of our smiles and image hotlinking is still busted. Anyhow, I was trolling before about trading down with the 8OA but I'll be damned if I didn't start talking myself into it.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Hopefully Keith Jones loves him and the flyers draft him.

I have a gut feeling they're gonna go Frondell or Desnoyers. Even if a guy like Martone or Hagens drops a few spots.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Arrested for two counts of public lewdness and frondelling.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Arrested for two counts of public lewdness and frondelling.

Sprinkle a little bit of racism on top and he's an honorary Bostonian.

 

[HandshakeLine]

All this whining about not being a bottom 5 team when the Pens would have made the playoffs yet again if they didn’t suck ass at 3 on 3 and shootouts.

Well, one thing is likely to happen-- we'll get a top 5 pick before we fire Mike Sullivan or practice potential game winning situations.

 

[Empoleon8771]

That's only one small part of that post.

Most rankings have Frondell over Eklund, but regardless of that, finishing lower eliminates our ability to choose.

The only prospect that is a clear step ahead of everyone else in this draft seems to be Schaefer, plus Misa is arguably getting to that level as well. Teams and scouts may have guys like Martone and Hagens ranked ahead of Frondell and Eklund, but that doesn't mean there is a "noteworthy" difference between them. They're all lottery tickets with top-6 upside.

I really like Martone, but Martone's production (37 goals and 98 points in 57 games) isn't significantly better than Jake O'Brien's production (32 goals and 98 points in 66 games), who's projected to be picked around #8 or #9. Frondell (11 goals and 25 points in 29 games) and Eklund (19 goals and 31 points in 42 games) aren't producing that differently and they're on the same team. Hagen's production in the NCAA this year (35 points in 35 games) is pretty pedestrian for the standards of high 1st rounders playing in college in their draft years, it's more similar to what Kent Johnson did in his freshman year.

I'm not meaning this to talk down any of the prospects, but this team's trajectory wouldn't be notably different with drafting Martone versus drafting Eklund. Their hot streak isn't causing them to miss out on Misa or Schaefer, both of who are guys I think you could argue would notably impact their trajectory. Using the 2021 draft, them winning is putting them in a position to draft William Eklund instead of Kent Johnson. Is the team really in much different of a spot with that?

 

[HandshakeLine]

I mean, BPA and all, but also, these kinds of drafts are only really about building up some supporting casts. Hence, why I started talking myself into the idea that we could conceivably trade down with a 7 or 8OA pick.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I mean, BPA and all, but also, these kinds of drafts are only really about building up some supporting casts. Hence, why I started talking myself into the idea that we could conceivably trade down with a 7 or 8OA pick.

From the McKenzie scouting report at midseason, one scout said that he felt there was a drop-off at about 8 followed by another drop-off at about 15-20. Based on their second half of season performances, it seems more like a drop-off at about 10 and 20 at this point.

The only player currently ranked in the top-10 that I don't like is McQueen, but that's mostly due to injury issues. They could pick basically anyone else ranked in the top-10 or top-11 and I'd be happy. I think Mrtka and Bear is about the point I'd go "eh I don't know about that".

 

[HandshakeLine]

Lol I talk all positive and watch us draft the next Ryan Merkley.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think my ideal-yet-semi-realistic scenario would be someone like Martone falling into the Pens' lap at 6th and then snagging someone like O'Brien or Bear with the Rangers' pick at like 12th.

-edit- That's assuming the Rangers trade their pick, but I dunno if their pride would let them publicly admit that next year might be worse.

My real ideal scenario would be the Pens leaping up to 2nd, snagging Misa, the Rangers' pick bumping to next year, Shesterkin having some season ending injury in October, with the Pens finishing bottom 3, so they'd have two shots at McKenna. But that's a whole lotta shit going right.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I'm just not really enthused about a whole lot of this year's draft class, but I don't watch them play I just read people who also don't watch them play.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Without a lottery win, I'm hoping for Frondell, O'Brien or Eklund with the Penguins 1st and Bear or Mrtka with the Rangers 1st. Would take a fair bit of good luck for that to happen, more with the Rangers pick than the Penguins pick (they have to give up probably a #11 or #12 pick plus have one of Bear or Mrtka slide to that pick), but it's not super unlikely.