NHL Entry Draft: 2025 Draft Pick Watch

[kovazub94]

If they make the pick at 11 and go C/F Martin or Bear are the pick for me. They are very similar players. Both play 200’, are relentless puck hounds, have incredibly high compete levels and like to initiate contact. Both should be middle sixers at worst. Martin is a fierce hitter with the better shot and a more natural C. Bear has terrific instincts and higher offensive upside.

If they go D it’s Smith or Aitcheson for me. Smith is a great skater, with high end vision and passing. He is considered a legit top 4 prospect, but the potential is there to turn into a top pair defender. Aitcheson is a physical beast. He can hammer people and has a ripper of a shot.

I wouldn’t be surprised if one Martin/Bear and one of Smith/Aitcheson are available at 11. F or D?

Martin reminds me of Sam Bennett

After they picked D with high picks in the last drafts I hope they go with a forward this year.

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

Brady Martin would look good in a Rangers sweater at #11 assuming he doesn't go before #11 after his U18 play for Canada.

Drury gave Igor $92M and hired Sullivan in less than 4 days after he fired. The Rangers gave Sullivan probably the biggest AAV of any NHL coaching hire in NHL history. The Rangers are expecting a better than a 22nd overall finish next season. Mike Babcock got $50M and 8 years. $6.25M AAV. Sullivan beat that AAV. $7M. Maybe less than 8 years. The Rangers pick next season will be lower than #11. Pittsburgh can have that pick.

I have my serious doubts this team will be better next year, that’s not even saying the canadiens, bluejackets and other teams won’t get better either. We have locker room cancers that we have to move first. But once you move them we are hoping that we are better?

Hoping and actually being better are two different things. I see next years draft pick being top 10 to Pittsburg and it’s going to look bad for this franchise.

But then again, what do I know. I just see a bunch of p***yes who don’t play the right way, gave up on the team the city the fans, play with no structure..

 

[OriginalLimbo]

3% chance right? Hell ya

Big money! Big money!

No Whammy, No Whammy, No Whammy…STOP!

 

[Riche16]

Does anyone know EXACTLY by when we have to tell Pitt which pick we give them?

 

[eco's bones]

I have my serious doubts this team will be better next year, that’s not even saying the canadiens, bluejackets and other teams won’t get better either. We have locker room cancers that we have to move first. But once you move them we are hoping that we are better?

Hoping and actually being better are two different things. I see next years draft pick being top 10 to Pittsburg and it’s going to look bad for this franchise.

But then again, what do I know. I just see a bunch of p***yes who don’t play the right way, gave up on the team the city the fans, play with no structure..

FWIW if it had been up to me I wouldn't have given Drury an extension. He would have gone on out the same door with Laviolette and Housley. But that's not what happened. Instead Dolan gave Drury a contract extension and almost without any doubt a mandate to remake the team. How Drury uses this mandate we'll see over the next few months. My guess is some of but not all of Kreider, Zibanejad, Panarin, Lafreniere, K'Andre Miller will be moved. It could be only two, maybe three of these guys but I don't see Drury completely tearing apart the first two lines....at least not unless he already has ready replacements on the way. K'Andre might only be moved depending on his contract ask.

But really the Rangers need first and foremost to defend better. They have the goaltending but they need some real defensive structure in front of that goaltending. New coaching staff and hopefully we're not going to be doing this stupid man to man defense system. We have a decent enough offense that we should do much better next year with a new coach and better defensive structure. We pissed so many points away in the first 5 minutes and the last 5 minutes of so many games.

Kreider I think is a goner. I think Drury will seriously work on moving Mika to whoever is willing to give us a decent return and it's not going to be for Byfield. The Kings would be insane to do that. It might be a 3rd liner and a B prospect. Panarin--maybe, Lafreniere--maybe, K'Andre--maybe. I think Jones gets moved just for his and everyone else's peace of mind. JT and Trocheck are going to be the locker room leaders next year. If there's a young player who could push his way into leadership in the next year or two it's Cuylle. They should stop with the 1C and 5A's. You really don't need more than 3 guys---4 at the most.

Part of the problem last year is the coaching staff lost the collective ears of the team. It will be up to Sullivan to get their attention back. I think Igor is pissed with his year. Trocheck has stated as much. They have to prove themselves all over again. The problem wasn't our bottom 6. We have good depth. The problems were a tuned out team, a bad defensive system and not nearly enough accountability. All of this should be correctable but some players will need to be moved in and others moved out......like happens most every year anyway.

 

[I Eat Crow]

I can see a world where 4 of the top 10 are D (Schaefer, Smith, Mrkta, Aitcheson.)

Did a bit of a dive on Aicheson today and I'd almost be surprised if he doesn't go top 10 if not shortly after. It's a gamble as he's still a bit raw but he's got a ton of potential as a 2 way defender and he really brings the boom (some guys just hit people, he legit plays a very mean game.) Someone is going to want to take a shot on that because if you can smoke people and reliably play top 4 minutes, you're basically a unicorn in this league now.

Would prefer him to Mrkta at 11 if the Rangers are choosing between the 2.

The Rangers don't have to decide on whether to keep the pick or not until 48 hours before the draft. By then, they'll have intel on who is taking who. If they don't like who's left, they may either keep the pick and trade down or defer to next year.

Wishful thinking, I know. A run on defensemen from 6th overall onwards means either McQueen, Martin or O'Brien drops to 11, provided that's where the Rangers end up after tomorrow night.

 

[n8]

Does anyone know EXACTLY by when we have to tell Pitt which pick we give them?

I think I read it is like 2 weeks before the draft. We'll know the lotto results before we need to decide.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I think I read it is like 2 weeks before the draft. We'll know the lotto results before we need to decide.

I saw somewhere we have 48 hours after the lottery, which is tomorrow. Not sure if that is right either. I would think the playoffs would have to be over however so we know the entire draft order.

 

[Chalfdiggity3]

FWIW if it had been up to me I wouldn't have given Drury an extension. He would have gone on out the same door with Laviolette and Housley. But that's not what happened. Instead Dolan gave Drury a contract extension and almost without any doubt a mandate to remake the team. How Drury uses this mandate we'll see over the next few months. My guess is some of but not all of Kreider, Zibanejad, Panarin, Lafreniere, K'Andre Miller will be moved. It could be only two, maybe three of these guys but I don't see Drury completely tearing apart the first two lines....at least not unless he already has ready replacements on the way. K'Andre might only be moved depending on his contract ask.

But really the Rangers need first and foremost to defend better. They have the goaltending but they need some real defensive structure in front of that goaltending. New coaching staff and hopefully we're not going to be doing this stupid man to man defense system. We have a decent enough offense that we should do much better next year with a new coach and better defensive structure. We pissed so many points away in the first 5 minutes and the last 5 minutes of so many games.

Kreider I think is a goner. I think Drury will seriously work on moving Mika to whoever is willing to give us a decent return and it's not going to be for Byfield. The Kings would be insane to do that. It might be a 3rd liner and a B prospect. Panarin--maybe, Lafreniere--maybe, K'Andre--maybe. I think Jones gets moved just for his and everyone else's peace of mind. JT and Trocheck are going to be the locker room leaders next year. If there's a young player who could push his way into leadership in the next year or two it's Cuylle. They should stop with the 1C and 5A's. You really don't need more than 3 guys---4 at the most.

Part of the problem last year is the coaching staff lost the collective ears of the team. It will be up to Sullivan to get their attention back. I think Igor is pissed with his year. Trocheck has stated as much. They have to prove themselves all over again. The problem wasn't our bottom 6. We have good depth. The problems were a tuned out team, a bad defensive system and not nearly enough accountability. All of this should be correctable but some players will need to be moved in and others moved out......like happens most every year anyway.

Right he has the extension and the ability to remake the roster as he sees fit. The mandate to make the playoffs is what is wrong with the team. This team needs to remove all of the players you mentioned and we are going to get 3rd liners and picks in return, unless we trade bread. I’m hoping it’s to remake the team and not make the playoffs because this team isn’t going to be good enough to do so. Other teams will continue to have their young players get better and will pass us. Yes structure helps a tremendous amount and hopefully it changes how the players play but we also need good players in order to compete with top teams which we do not have. So to me it’s a remake year. I hope I’m wrong but just making the playoffs to get eliminated by Florida isn’t what I have in mind. Plus this is a crap draft with the 11th pick. My bet is we are out of the playoffs again and in this same position with our draft pick, instead we will be crying bc it’s going to Pitt in a talented a deep draft, and nothing wrong with adding late first rounders at the deadline but it’s not a lottery pick. Just my two cents of what is going to happen.

Again we have to wait and see. The problems are everyone you mentioned. They all need to be moved bc they are cancers in a room in which we are trying to remake from the quitters they are. So unless they are moved idc what Sullivan spoouts out of his mouth, it’s going to be the same locker room as before.

Sorry I’m just so down on this team right now and the clutching to this years pick in a weak draft when nobody has a clear idea of how to make this team into a contender next year is just fools gold. Keep the lottery pick for next year.

I’m going to hate when the penguins get a top 10 pick next years to help replace Crosby and malkin

 

[eco's bones]

Right he has the extension and the ability to remake the roster as he sees fit. The mandate to make the playoffs is what is wrong with the team. This team needs to remove all of the players you mentioned and we are going to get 3rd liners and picks in return, unless we trade bread. I’m hoping it’s to remake the team and not make the playoffs because this team isn’t going to be good enough to do so. Other teams will continue to have their young players get better and will pass us. Yes structure helps a tremendous amount and hopefully it changes how the players play but we also need good players in order to compete with top teams which we do not have. So to me it’s a remake year. I hope I’m wrong but just making the playoffs to get eliminated by Florida isn’t what I have in mind. Plus this is a crap draft with the 11th pick. My bet is we are out of the playoffs again and in this same position with our draft pick, instead we will be crying bc it’s going to Pitt in a talented a deep draft, and nothing wrong with adding late first rounders at the deadline but it’s not a lottery pick. Just my two cents of what is going to happen.

Again we have to wait and see. The problems are everyone you mentioned. They all need to be moved bc they are cancers in a room in which we are trying to remake from the quitters they are. So unless they are moved idc what Sullivan spoouts out of his mouth, it’s going to be the same locker room as before.

Sorry I’m just so down on this team right now and the clutching to this years pick in a weak draft when nobody has a clear idea of how to make this team into a contender next year is just fools gold. Keep the lottery pick for next year.

I’m going to hate when the penguins get a top 10 pick next years to help replace Crosby and malkin

The thing with Drury now is he can't stay where he is and he can't go backwards. He can only go forward. I don't think he'll have a chance to hire another coach if he can't get at least 3 years out of Sullivan and whether or not this could be Sullivan's last job I expect he'll see that as a real possibility.

I don't know if we'll make the playoffs next year or not. If I were to guess I'd say yes. I think Drury will pull out all stops to make it happen. Will we be a for real contender? I don't think so. Partly the reason he will look to move some of these guys is about reallocating money to make the team more competitive. There's no point not using cap space when you already know the cap is going to significantly rise each and every year for the next 3 years. If he moves Kreider, Zibanejad, Panarin, Lafreniere he'll try to spend cap savings from that on others to replace them. You can't have just a team of ELC and second and third contracts......every team is going to need some very large contracts just to keep in contact with the cap floor.

 

[Jared Grayden]

I saw somewhere we have 48 hours after the lottery, which is tomorrow. Not sure if that is right either. I would think the playoffs would have to be over however so we know the entire draft order.

Drury has until 48 hours before the draft to make a decision. So June 25th.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Fat chance Drury/Dolan will sell vets off and enter a rebuild period after locking up the coach they’ve been soiling themselves over in Sully.

There will be changes and they will likely not be cup contenders but they won’t be a high % lottery team either

 

[RangerBoy]

I have my serious doubts this team will be better next year, that’s not even saying the canadiens, bluejackets and other teams won’t get better either. We have locker room cancers that we have to move first. But once you move them we are hoping that we are better?

Hoping and actually being better are two different things. I see next years draft pick being top 10 to Pittsburg and it’s going to look bad for this franchise.

But then again, what do I know. I just see a bunch of p***yes who don’t play the right way, gave up on the team the city the fans, play with no structure..

The eastern conference stinks. The Rangers nearly made the playoffs this season and they stunk.

 

[McRanger92]

If they dont win the lottery they are going to defer it or keep it and trade it imo. Next years pick would be unprotected but theyll be a playoff team so idk if it really matters. They arent tanking for Mckenna, sorry folks.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

Fat chance Drury/Dolan will sell vets off and enter a rebuild period after locking up the coach they’ve been soiling themselves over in Sully.

There will be changes and they will likely not be cup contenders but they won’t be a high % lottery team either

Believe this is called “the dreaded middle”