2025 Draft Thread

[Xoggz22]

I'm attempting to not give a f*** about prospects until we are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

Not that I'm expecting to make the playoffs, but I hate talking prospects before the regular season/holidays are even here.

By some accounts you should be able to do that in early December as I believe some believe we won't win a game

I'm with you. I'll take a peak, but only because I really like prospects. I happen to think this team will still over perform and be some fun to watch at both ends.

 

[stevo61]

Has anyone been watching Martone to start the season? His size and stats look like a literal man amongst boys. Any chance he makes a real push to be one of the 1st names off the board or possibly even the 1st?

 

[ThirdPeriodTurtle]

Wasn't there already some kind of a "suck hard for Martone" thread with a cleverer title? So he's been in the mix for first...

San Jose still hasn't won a game. I think they're a lock for the best odds. After that it's anybody's game and we're in the mix. Might be a pretty big gap to SJ, I don't see Chicago or Anaheim being as bad as last year, and I also think we might play well as long as Johnson isn't out super long term.

 

[Xoggz22]

I still don't see this team in the bottom 5 this year. Said it before the season starts and watching a team with actual structure and drive... they will win more games than expected (see Toronto last night) and hopefully get a few players back along the way... yep... just not seeing a top 5 unless they win the lottery this year.

 

[AnonCommentary]

NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Watch List

 

[AndBoomGoesTheCannon]

If his first name was Luca, I would be all over adding Macelli. We could have

Luca Del Bel Belluz
Luca Marrelli
Luca Pinelli
Adam Fantilli’s brother Luca Fantilli

and then we would have Luca Macelli. But Macelli’s first name is Matias so we don’t want him.

This draft strategy has shown promise.

NHL central scouting list Luca's:

Luca Testa - Brantford (OHL) 2/3/5 in 9 games
Luca Romano - Kitchener (OHL) 3/5/8 in 11 games

Critical adds to watch list.

 

[koteka]

This draft strategy has shown promise.

NHL central scouting list Luca's:

Luca Testa - Brantford (OHL) 2/3/5 in 9 games
Luca Romano - Kitchener (OHL) 3/5/8 in 11 games

Critical adds to watch list.

We could mix it up a little and draft Luka Radivojevic.

 

[NotWendell]

or we could get Ludacris to sing the National Anthem. That's only one letter off.

 

[EspenK]

or we could get Ludacris to sing the National Anthem. That's only one letter off.

Well, that wuuld just be...ludicrous

 

[koteka]

I can’t wait for the team to be forced to take the ice to Suzanne Vega.

 

[AnonCommentary]

McKeens 1st 2025 Draft Rankings

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Bad news: Its November and its already time to discuss the draft. Again

Good news: the new guy at the top of the list seems like he fits Waddell's vision for the team. Big size, good speed, competitive.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856827716814712920

 

[tunnelvision]

Good news: the new guy at the top of the list seems like he fits Waddell's vision for the team. Big size, good speed, competitive.

Martone isn't known for good speed although some say it's gotten a bit better recently. I've watched him a couple times this year, in transition it doesn't look too bad when gets up to full speed but obviously will still need a lot of work. Acceleration is a clear weakness. To me it seems that most of his success so far is coming from his long reach, size, offensive instincts and solid two-way play.

My excitement for Boumedienne deflated during Hlinka and given how his college career has started it's probably unlikely I'll be hyping him up here later this season.

I'll try to study Jackson Smith more in the coming weeks.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Martone isn't known for good speed although some say it's gotten a bit better recently. I've watched him a couple times this year, in transition it doesn't look too bad when gets up to full speed but obviously will still need a lot of work. Acceleration is a clear weakness. To me it seems that most of his success so far is coming from his long reach, size, offensive instincts and solid two-way play.

My excitement for Boumedienne deflated during Hlinka and given how his college career has started it's probably unlikely I'll be hyping him up here later this season.

I'll try to study Jackson Smith more in the coming weeks.

I was just going off the scouting report I posted. I haven’t watched anyone yet

 

[koteka]

How about we draft a big mobile Czech right D and just leave him in Europe for a few years - Radim Mrtka. He is rated in the mid teens now but he could be a riser.

(This presupposes Jiricek gets moved at some point for a forward. I also don’t think we are drafting top 5.)

So the right side in a few years could be:
Mrtka
Elick
Severson

 

[Doggy]

Bad news: Its November and its already time to discuss the draft. Again

Good news: the new guy at the top of the list seems like he fits Waddell's vision for the team. Big size, good speed, competitive.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856827716814712920

Only one player in his top fifteen is playing in the US right now (Hagens).

 

[cbjthrowaway]

martone is far and away the top guy on my wish list, but I think he goes 1st overall when it's all said and done. my assumption is that the jackets pick in the 5-10 range, and that the top four is some combination of martone, hagens, mcqueen and schaefer.

my dream haul is a forward at the top (really liking misa's game) and then using the pick from a provorov trade (or moving up from there) to get ravensbergen. wouldn't be surprised if that kid goes in the top 15 though.

I really, really like evan gardner, but getting a potential superstar goalie solves the biggest long-term issue facing this current group imo.

 

[Cowumbus]

martone is far and away the top guy on my wish list, but I think he goes 1st overall when it's all said and done. my assumption is that the jackets pick in the 5-10 range, and that the top four is some combination of martone, hagens, mcqueen and schaefer.

my dream haul is a forward at the top (really liking misa's game) and then using the pick from a provorov trade (or moving up from there) to get ravensbergen. wouldn't be surprised if that kid goes in the top 15 though.

I really, really like evan gardner, but getting a potential superstar goalie solves the biggest long-term issue facing this current group imo.

Miss has been top 2 in scoring on his team since age 15, yeah I’d take that guy.

 

[GoJackets1]

Misa, McQueen, or Hagens for me.

 

[Xoggz22]

Still too early... I'm holding out hope to be competitive and at least push this off a little longer. Although that Montreal game was a kick in the pants

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

I love what I read about Hagens. Hockey sense through the roof. I think the Blue Jackets need some playmaking in their future core. Good skater too, so he fulfills Waddell's basic requirement for his draft picks. But I highly doubt that they will have a chance to pick him. Anton Frondell might be another option.

 

[Xoggz22]

One thing I'm going to try to do this year (or as others dive in please share) is look at the depth of the draft. Actually next year's as well. Given the number of potential moves this team can make, I wouldn't be surprised if we end up with additional 2nd, 3rd and/or 4th round picks this year and next. I think Provorov nets a 1st at some point and I wonder if Waddell wouldn't push for an unprotected future 1st in lieu of a protected 25 1st. That woudl be my angle. Let the guys we have develop and back fill with future picks. Will be interesting to see the guys ranked 50-100 this year - just to read about them. I could see that being important for the CBJ and the trade deadline

 

[koteka]

I think Provorov nets a 1st at some point and I wonder if Waddell wouldn't push for an unprotected future 1st in lieu of a protected 25 1st. That woudl be my angle. Let the guys we have develop and back fill with future picks.

I wouldn’t mind getting a 26 or 27 first for Provorov. I think he’ll have to play really well to get a 25 first but he is in a contract year. Imagine actually being pretty good in 2027 and having two firsts to make a move or two to make the team better.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

I wouldn’t mind getting a 26 or 27 first for Provorov. I think he’ll have to play really well to get a 25 first but he is in a contract year. Imagine actually being pretty good in 2027 and having two firsts to make a move or two to make the team better.

wouldn't be opposed to this at all

that said… we have a weak goalie pipeline (Ivanov and greaves are fine but there's not a star in there) and that extra first could be Ivanovic or ravensbergen.

 

[Doggy]

Hagens at #3. While its not a shocker to see the long time front runner bumped from #1, I think many will be surprised he's ranked #3 and neither of the players above him is Martone. I wonder if it has less to do with how Hagens is playing and more to do with how Schaefer and Misa are playing.