2025 Draft Prospects - Risers and Fallers

[LeProspector]

Big riser for me would be Jack Nesbitt. I think he’s a safe first round pick at this point, big kid who moves well, plays with an edge and is responsible at both ends, while producing well so far this season.

Moves well????? Are we watching the same player????

 

[HuGort]

Cootes isn't a guy who jumps off the page on paper in terms of his size or production but he's a very high floor player, a natural C with plus skating and plus 3-zone game and he's an easy projection to a quality middle-6 NHL C. Two highlight-reel goals in the last week, too.

Where you see Cootes going in, second round?

 

[Dempsey]

Where you see Cootes going in, second round?

EP just bumped him up to 12th in their latest rankings.

 

[Briser la glace]

EP just bumped him up to 12th in their latest rankings.

Cootes has to be a first rounder imo. I have him exactly at 12th too (had him 14th in early-November).

He has the smarts, the skating, and the intensity to be a middle-6 guy, and he has enough flashes of high-end playmaking to maybe even become a top-6 winger.

Maybe he'd be more a late first-rounder in a deeper draft class, but this year I'd draft him in the Top-20 with no hesitation.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

Cootes has to be a first rounder imo. I have him exactly at 12th too (had him 14th in early-November).

He has the smarts, the skating, and the intensity to be a middle-6 guy, and he has enough flashes of high-end playmaking to maybe even become a top-6 winger.

Maybe he'd be more a late first-rounder in a deeper draft class, but this year I'd draft him in the Top-20 with no hesitation.

completely agree. I don’t know how anyone could watch Cootes and not want to take him early. You don’t find players with that much speed and motor. He is everywhere all over the ice.

If my team doesn’t win the lottery or isn’t able to get Carter Bear, I would be extremely happy to get Cootes in the system. You’re either a dog or you’re not and Cootes is a DOG.

 

[Hrabal the Giant]

Who are we looking forward to with the upcoming WJC just around the corner? For me, it’s Schafer - I’m really high on him from the tape I’ve seen and could easily see him selected over Hagens if he continues to progress

 

[QJL]

Hagens is borderline top 5 for me right now, so him.

 

[wetcoast]

Who are we looking forward to with the upcoming WJC just around the corner? For me, it’s Schafer - I’m really high on him from the tape I’ve seen and could easily see him selected over Hagens if he continues to progress

I only caught the end of the second and then the whole 3rd period last night but Schaefer looks as advertised a guy who tilts the ice out there.

 

[Juniorhockeyguru]

Tommy Lafreniere, how is he not talked about more?

 

[Soundgarden]

I think Fiddler is gonna be a riser.

 

[Dempsey]

I think Jack Nesbitt will be a riser.

 

[LDN]

Brzustewicz

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

Brzustewicz

God bless you?

 

[Castle8130]

Risers:

Bear
Desnoyers
Limatov
Murtagh

Not a riser, but goes higher than most people expect him to:

Braedon Cootes

 

[samsagat]

Pobezal is a guy that I find intriguing.

He doesn't play top 6 minutes in the Slovak pro League but still scores at an impressive rate for a recently turned 18 yo.

If I compare his stats to pass Slovak players in their country pro League, at their DY, he's on a planet of his own...

WJC U20 will be a big test for him. If he perform well, he could put himself on a lot of NHL team's radar.