Prospect Info: 2025 DRAFT Thread

[Longtime Local]

Top 16 based on what I've watched and read so far would be:

1. Misa
2. McQueen
3. Schaefer
4. Hagens
5. Frondell
6. Desnoyers
7. Martin
8. Eklund
9. Carbonneau
10. O'Brien
11. Hensler
12. Martone
13. Smith
14. Bear
15. Aitcheson
16. Mrtka

HM: Boumedienne, Lakovic

A Few Notes:

-I wasn't as impressed with Schaefer as many of the scouts seem to be, he looks like a guy who does everything well at a junior level but I'm concerned not everything will translate to the NHL level, specifically the offense and he winds up as a #2D. Still a great player though.

-McQueen could have had an argument for 1 OA is he didn't have injury concerns, he is very skilled and skates well while also having the size to boot.

-The IQ concerns on Carbonneau seemed a bit overblown to me, he skates well and plays with a good physical edge while having a high end shot. He made some very good plays along with some very questionable ones, but he could do better in a more structured system.

-Very little separates Hagens, Frondell, and Desnoyers, the all look like good but not great players at the NHL level.

-I was unimpressed with both Aitcheson and Mrtka, they both seem like big guys who can move pretty well but that was it. Aitcheson sometimes hits people and Mrtka was elite at being 6' 5". Hensler was boring, but in a good way. He plays with a lot more polish in his own zone than the other ones while still having good size. Smith is a bit more of a wildcard, but I liked him because he was more active than the other guys while also skating very well.

-Martone has a lot of good things in his game, but he is an incredibly soft player and a terrible skater. I was a bit surprised a lot of scouts have him so high after watching.

-As a whole, this draft looks weaker than most so we picked a good year to be a borderline playoff team. A lot of players are well rounded, but maybe not elite at anything (O'Brien, Frondell, Schaefer, Hensler) or have elite skills combined with big question marks (Carbonneau, Martone)

-Overall, I would like the CBJ to go with one of Hensler or Carbonneau at 14 OA and then trade the other pick for immediate help. I wasn't super crazy about many of the other players that will likely be available. Carbonneau has some higher upside than most, and Hensler is exactly what we need, so I would be happy with either pick.

 

[majormajor]

Top 16 based on what I've watched and read so far would be:

1. Misa
2. McQueen
3. Schaefer
4. Hagens
5. Frondell
6. Desnoyers
7. Martin
8. Eklund
9. Carbonneau
10. O'Brien
11. Hensler
12. Martone
13. Smith
14. Bear
15. Aitcheson
16. Mrtka

HM: Boumedienne, Lakovic

A Few Notes:

-I wasn't as impressed with Schaefer as many of the scouts seem to be, he looks like a guy who does everything well at a junior level but I'm concerned not everything will translate to the NHL level, specifically the offense and he winds up as a #2D. Still a great player though.

-McQueen could have had an argument for 1 OA is he didn't have injury concerns, he is very skilled and skates well while also having the size to boot.

-The IQ concerns on Carbonneau seemed a bit overblown to me, he skates well and plays with a good physical edge while having a high end shot. He made some very good plays along with some very questionable ones, but he could do better in a more structured system.

-Very little separates Hagens, Frondell, and Desnoyers, the all look like good but not great players at the NHL level.

-I was unimpressed with both Aitcheson and Mrtka, they both seem like big guys who can move pretty well but that was it. Aitcheson sometimes hits people and Mrtka was elite at being 6' 5". Hensler was boring, but in a good way. He plays with a lot more polish in his own zone than the other ones while still having good size. Smith is a bit more of a wildcard, but I liked him because he was more active than the other guys while also skating very well.

-Martone has a lot of good things in his game, but he is an incredibly soft player and a terrible skater. I was a bit surprised a lot of scouts have him so high after watching.

-As a whole, this draft looks weaker than most so we picked a good year to be a borderline playoff team. A lot of players are well rounded, but maybe not elite at anything (O'Brien, Frondell, Schaefer, Hensler) or have elite skills combined with big question marks (Carbonneau, Martone)

-Overall, I would like the CBJ to go with one of Hensler or Carbonneau at 14 OA and then trade the other pick for immediate help. I wasn't super crazy about many of the other players that will likely be available. Carbonneau has some higher upside than most, and Hensler is exactly what we need, so I would be happy with either pick.

Hensler and Carbonneau are who I had to choose from when I did my recent mock.

I went with Hensler, it's not a popular choice around here so far. I think him playing in college so early has blinded folks to his upside. I don't think there's much offensive upside but he could be a player who really controls the play from the backend.

Carbonneau has a bit of J.T. Miller in him, the intense physicality, the boneheaded plays, and he scores a lot. I'd love to see how he looks when he isn't "the guy" on his team, and see how he works with others. Right now he is a selfish player so there is an unknown there.

 

[stevo61]

Hensler and Carbonneau are who I had to choose from when I did my recent mock.

I went with Hensler, it's not a popular choice around here so far. I think him playing in college so early has blinded folks to his upside. I don't think there's much offensive upside but he could be a player who really controls the play from the backend.

Carbonneau has a bit of J.T. Miller in him, the intense physicality, the boneheaded plays, and he scores a lot. I'd love to see how he looks when he isn't "the guy" on his team, and see how he works with others. Right now he is a selfish player so there is an unknown there.

Carbonneau certainly looks like he's not afraid to make plays and attack, regardless if its the highest percentage play or not. I'm almost always down when I hear "intense physicality" but we have a lot of young scoring guys who's playmaking isn't exactly the same level. Wouldn't be against the pick but early I don't know if it would be the one I'd want to make.

I haven't watched full games or anything though but even his highlights scream 1 man show. Does he have Josh Anderson type tunnel vision where the only play is attack the net and no other options exist?

 

[majormajor]

I'm almost always down when I hear "intense physicality" but we have a lot of young scoring guys who's playmaking isn't exactly the same level.

Are you saying our young guys often lack in the playmaking department? I can see that for many of them.

I haven't watched full games or anything though but even his highlights scream 1 man show. Does he have Josh Anderson type tunnel vision where the only play is attack the net and no other options exist?

I haven't watched enough yet. That is one thing I will try and get a sense of. But the scouting reports I've read / watched note his selfish play but seem at least a bit optimistic that he would play differently with better support around him.

 

[stevo61]

Are you saying our young guys often lack in the playmaking department? I can see that for many of them.



I haven't watched enough yet. That is one thing I will try and get a sense of. But the scouting reports I've read / watched note his selfish play but seem at least a bit optimistic that he would play differently with better support around him.

I'm saying some of them are still developing it, yeah, like our last 2 top picks. Lindstrom's was coming along and will be interesting to see how his game looks next year. Probably pure coincidence but definitely feels like a lot of our really young players favor goal scoring over playmaking.

It's not the worst and if they truly believe he projects as the best pro then by all means, make the pick, we know we won't see his potential impact for a few years anyway. Felt like yesterday it was more the other way around here in regards to playmaking vs goal scoring

Also wonder if Waddell will have any carryover with the Carolina drafting of not taking defensemen in the 1st round or if he thought it was silly and will just trust the scouts

 

[NotWendell]

We won't be drafting in the first round this year.

 

[VT]

In my opinion it would be better to trade a first rounder in a trade for a top 6 player. With exceptions, it's not that strong draft, and we need one more forward.

 

[CBJx614]

We won't be drafting in the first round this year.

This is how I'm feeling as well. Or at least projecting. Either one big move, or two to three smaller deals. Couldn't begin to tell you who though. I would imagine, as we all do, that a big focus will be the D. But if we don't add a Marner in FA I could see us trying to make a move to add another top 6 winger. Partly to add some competition but more to force having some high end depth, forcing guys like Kunin(4th line depth guys) out of the lineup entirely and allowing us to roll 4 lines more comfortably.

 

[stevo61]

Going to be a lot of picks available for trade this year and a lot of teams looking for upgrades Im assuming. Hopefully there are also a lot of teams planning the tank for McKenna because I'd also like to see ours traded

 

[majormajor]

It's not going to happen. Half the league is trying to trade their 1st for a win now piece and there's only a few sellers. And we have two picks we want to move?

What's the list of sellers who are willing to move good players for picks?

And what top six forwards are folks talking about? I only see us moving a 1st for a long term piece and I can't quite envision who would work long term there. It makes more sense to spend to upgrade the defense. We've got a lot more room for improvement back there.

 

[EspenK]

In my opinion it would be better to trade a first rounder in a trade for a top 6 player. With exceptions, it's not that strong draft, and we need one more forward.

Hey we gt 2 1sts, lets get 2 top 6 ers.

 

[punk_o_holic]

If they end up keeping the picks or at least Minnesota's, I've seen a few mock drafts have them picking Joshua Ravensbergen at 20. He's either the number 1 ranked goalie or the number 1 NA goalie. Any thoughts? I kind of don't want them to draft a goalie in the 1st round. Especially if it's their only pick.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

We won't be drafting in the first round this year.

I believe we will make one. Whether that is trading one and using the other or using both to move up for one.

 

[majormajor]

If they end up keeping the picks or at least Minnesota's, I've seen a few mock drafts have them picking Joshua Ravensbergen at 20. He's either the number 1 ranked goalie or the number 1 NA goalie. Any thoughts? I kind of don't want them to draft a goalie in the 1st round. Especially if it's their only pick.

I also don't want them to take one.

The best goalie we've had lately is undrafted. The best goalie we've ever had is undrafted.

Here's a list of top goalies and where they were picked, or not picked. There were about 300 goalies drafted across this span.

Vasilevskiy, Oettinger, 1st
Demko, 2nd
Sorokin, 3rd
Shesterkin, Swayman, Saros, 4th
Hellebuyck, 5th
Kuemper, 6th
Wolf, Ullmark, 7th
Bobrovsky, undrafted

Why spend a first, when it's just as likely you'll land a top goalie later?