Prospect Info: 2025 DRAFT Discussion

The Rangers are currently #15 and in the #2 wildcard spot. They also hold the better RW and ROW over the other teams and is right there with P%.
They are all bunched up. I'm hoping they finish between 14-18 OA and we get the pick this year and no not to trade it!
 
From what I'm understanding this years draft isn't as bad as some have alleged a couple months ago. '26 appears to be stronger but it's not as big of a gap as has been suggested in the past.

That said we wanna finish as low as possible next year for a top five pick. What Kyle does this summer we'll let us know which direction that goes. Does he go after big name UFA's, offer sheet everyone under the sun? Or, just stay in house and make incremental upgrades? YES!
 
From what I'm understanding this years draft isn't as bad as some have alleged a couple months ago. '26 appears to be stronger but it's not as big of a gap as has been suggested in the past.

That said we wanna finish as low as possible next year for a top five pick. What Kyle does this summer we'll let us know which direction that goes. Does he go after big name UFA's, offer sheet everyone under the sun? Or, just stay in house and make incremental upgrades? YES!
The Rangers losing can only help us, that is why I am rooting for them to lose every game. Whether they decide to keep the pick or defer, them losing only helps us.

Ideally, they are forced to choose between giving us a top-10 pick this year or an unprotected first next year. And ideally, they choose to defer to next year and make their pick this year. That way, Dubas can do whatever he wants (as long as he keeps both of our firsts) and we could still end up in the lottery thanks to the Rangers pick.

If we are talking about ideal scenarios, that is it. We rebuild quickly, and benefit from a Rangers lottery pick in 2026.

The problem is rebuilding quickly feels far harder to achieve than the Rangers becoming a lottery team next year. Mike Sullivan and all that...
 
The Rangers losing can only help us, that is why I am rooting for them to lose every game. Whether they decide to keep the pick or defer, them losing only helps us.

Ideally, they are forced to choose between giving us a top-10 pick this year or an unprotected first next year. And ideally, they choose to defer to next year and make their pick this year. That way, Dubas can do whatever he wants (as long as he keeps both of our firsts) and we could still end up in the lottery thanks to the Rangers pick.

If we are talking about ideal scenarios, that is it. We rebuild quickly, and benefit from a Rangers lottery pick in 2026.

The problem is rebuilding quickly feels far harder to achieve than the Rangers becoming a lottery team next year. Mike Sullivan and all that...
If the pick is between 14th and 18th I'd prefer we get it this year. Although the Rags being in that kinda conundrum would be interesting. If say we drafted 6-8 and 14-17 we could really restock our prospect pool and IF we hit on both they could arguably be our two best prospects for the future. I'd prefer we get such guys in the fold more quickly. However if we have to wait who knows the Rangers do next year. My guess they'll be slightly better but that's far from certain. They could fall further from grace as we have in a better draft. We're in a pretty good position here, let's hope we capitalize on it.
 
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If the pick is between 14th and 18th I'd prefer we get it this year. Although the Rags being in that kinda conundrum would be interesting. If say we drafted 6-8 and 14-17 we could really restock our prospect pool and IF we hit on both they could arguably be our two best prospects for the future. I'd prefer we get such guys in the fold more quickly. However if we have to wait who knows the Rangers do next year. My guess they'll be slightly better but that's far from certain. They could fall further from grace as we have in a better draft. We're in a pretty good position here, let's hope we capitalize on it.
I hear you. If it is my choice, I am deferring and punting everything down the line because we can't seem to get rid of the one thing holding this team back. So as long as you know who is behind the bench, our prospects pool does not matter. They won't develop because they won't play.
 
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The Rangers losing can only help us, that is why I am rooting for them to lose every game. Whether they decide to keep the pick or defer, them losing only helps us.

Ideally, they are forced to choose between giving us a top-10 pick this year or an unprotected first next year. And ideally, they choose to defer to next year and make their pick this year. That way, Dubas can do whatever he wants (as long as he keeps both of our firsts) and we could still end up in the lottery thanks to the Rangers pick.

If we are talking about ideal scenarios, that is it. We rebuild quickly, and benefit from a Rangers lottery pick in 2026.

The problem is rebuilding quickly feels far harder to achieve than the Rangers becoming a lottery team next year. Mike Sullivan and all that...

“Realistically”, if we wanted to actually turn it around and compete we’d need to find a top 6 centre, sign Ekblad or trade for another #1/2 D, draft a forward that can help right away, have 3-5 of our prospects ready for the show in the middle 6, dump most of our current bottom 6 and bottom 4 D and fire Sully.

I doubt we do even one of those things this offseason. Mostly because I don’t think turning it around quickly means anything. I think we’re tanking for McKenna and DuPont and trying to be in a position to rise quickly from there instead of being buffalo or Chicago.
 
I hear you. If it is my choice, I am deferring and punting everything down the line because we can't seem to get rid of the one thing holding this team back. So as long as you know who is behind the bench, our prospects pool does not matter. They won't develop because they won't play.
By the time they are here AND part of some future core, Sullivan won't be here.
 
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Carbonneau mixtape is a wrap. I gotta be honest, I have no idea why people are ranking this kid in the 15-22 range. This is like the 11th best player in the draft for me. Dynamic hands. Unreal shot. Constantly full of energy in all three phases of the game. Hard to watch an electric player like this and then watch some of the guys ranked around him that don't have half the pop.

 
Carbonneau mixtape is a wrap. I gotta be honest, I have no idea why people are ranking this kid in the 15-22 range. This is like the 11th best player in the draft for me. Dynamic hands. Unreal shot. Constantly full of energy in all three phases of the game. Hard to watch an electric player like this and then watch some of the guys ranked around him that don't have half the pop.


This kid can score. He's certainly ranked a tad higher in more recent lists but still in that 15ov range. I was wondering if the mere fact that he's playing in the QMJHL is hurting overall value or if scouts are skeptical.

I was high on Carter Bear with the Rags pick at around 13-15ov but I've backed off him a bit after his Achilles tendon injury. Carbonneau would be a great addition with that pick provided there isn't someone who has dropped a bit, like Jack OBrien.
 
Man, I miss the 2004, 2005, and 2006 NHL draft years. Actually, I think I just miss being excited for the Pens future. This team has been in a slow death for 6+ years.
 
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On one hand, it’s nice for now that they are ruining their draft position. But it was also nice that Torts was currently ruining their young players
 
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It looks like we won't finish any higher than 8th barring a serious run of wins and the Bruins and Sabres could easily pass us as well. So 8th at worst and 5th at best, before the lottery.

Does still seem like 7th or 8th is the most likely, though.
 
I have a feeling that Desnoyers is probably gone by their pick. Eklund and O'Brien are the 2 guys that really stick out as the most likely options for the Penguins, especially with Dubas going over to Sweden to watch Eklund and Frondell himself. Would be really happy with either of those guys.

The interesting thing to watch is how the Wheat Kings and McQueen do in the playoffs. They're currently down 2-0 in the playoffs to Yager's team right now with McQueen only having 1 point in 2 games so far, and I think McQueen needs to have a strong playoff run to solidify himself in the top-8. If they lose quickly in the playoffs and McQueen has a poor playoff run, I think there's a real chance he slides in the draft and Eklund or O'Brien go earlier than anticipated.

I'm not overly worried about it though, I think they're guaranteed to get one of O'Brien or Eklund as long as they're picking #8 or higher and it seems very unlikely their pick will be lower than #8. If both of those two are gone, it means one of Desnoyers, Martone or Frondell is available at #8.

I'm personally happy with any of Schaefer, Misa, Hagens, Martone, Frondell, Desnoyers, Eklund and O'Brien with their 1st and it seems like their pick will guarantee them one of those guys.
 

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