2025 Draft Thread

[Doggy]

Ravensbergen looked good in the CHL/USA Prospects Challenge.

Pulled this off The Hockey News:

A few weeks back, I consulted with one of my longtime scouting sources about Ravensbergen. My inquiry was: is Ravensbergen a first-round talent the likes of Jake Oettinger, Jesper Wallstedt, and Yaroslav Askarov or is his draft grade a reach?

“To me, it is [a reach],” replied the scout. He did acknowledge that Ravensbergen’s size is desirable, but his athleticism leaves much to be desired.

 

[CannonFire1]

Pulled this off The Hockey News:

A few weeks back, I consulted with one of my longtime scouting sources about Ravensbergen. My inquiry was: is Ravensbergen a first-round talent the likes of Jake Oettinger, Jesper Wallstedt, and Yaroslav Askarov or is his draft grade a reach?

“To me, it is [a reach],” replied the scout. He did acknowledge that Ravensbergen’s size is desirable, but his athleticism leaves much to be desired.

Fair enough. I've only seen him in one game, and I don't claim to be a goalie scout.

Whether it is Ravensbergen or someone else, I hope CBJ drafts another goalie this year.

 

[Doggy]

Fair enough. I've only seen him in one game, and I don't claim to be a goalie scout.

Whether it is Ravensbergen or someone else, I hope CBJ drafts another goalie this year.

Legit quality NHL goalies can come from anywhere in the draft (or perhaps undrafted). The rule should be to take one at least every other draft. I think they make a good long-shot pick in the last three rounds.

Connor Hellebuyck 5th rounder
Juuse Saros 4th rounder
Sergei Bobrovsky undrafted
Darcy Kuemper 6th rounder
Jonathan Quick 3rd rounder

 

[Doggy]

Huh. This is literally the first time I’ve heard of Matthew Schaefer.

Goal and assist in first World Juniors game.

 

[punk_o_holic]

The Score just released their 1st mock of 2025.

Had Blue Jackets picking Kashawn Aitcheson(LHD/Barrie/OHL) at 12.

Physicality and compete make Aitcheson a player that general managers will fall in love with. Though the Toronto native is on the older side of the draft class, he's produced well over the past two seasons and plays with a mean streak that makes him unique. He has 10 goals and 25 points in 33 games this season, plus 213 penalty minutes in his 120-game OHL career.

 

[alphafox]

The Score just released their 1st mock of 2025.

Had Blue Jackets picking Kashawn Aitcheson(LHD/Barrie/OHL) at 12.

Physicality and compete make Aitcheson a player that general managers will fall in love with. Though the Toronto native is on the older side of the draft class, he's produced well over the past two seasons and plays with a mean streak that makes him unique. He has 10 goals and 25 points in 33 games this season, plus 213 penalty minutes in his 120-game OHL career.

If we manage to end up outside the top 8 I would rather trade back and take one of the goalies + Assets. Between 11-20 I think you can justify Ravensbergen or even Ivankovic. Maybe if you can't, make a trade for roster help with the MN 1st you package some pieces together to move up and use that pick to grab a goalie or try to trade up if Hagens, Martone or McQueen are in range.

 

[Doggy]

For those of you interested in goalies, what about Petteri Rimpinen. I know he's only about 6'1" and is a re-draft in 2025 but he really really popped to me in the World Juniors. Was wicked impressed by him. Looked at his stats in Liiga this season and he is #2 in GAA and #1 in Save Percentage.

I guess I am not overly excited about Ravensbergen and looking for alternatives.

 

[DEF]

Get both.

 

[alphafox]

For those of you interested in goalies, what about Petteri Rimpinen. I know he's only about 6'1" and is a re-draft in 2025 but he really really popped to me in the World Juniors. Was wicked impressed by him. Looked at his stats in Liiga this season and he is #2 in GAA and #1 in Save Percentage.

I guess I am not overly excited about Ravensbergen and looking for alternatives.

I am a fan of drafting a goalie in the first 3 rounds every year. If you hit on a goalie it can turn a bad team into a good team, a good team into a great team, and a great team into an all time team. Right now we are getting adequate goaltending from Elvis but if we could replace him with a guy as good or better on an elc in the next few years we could be looking at something special.

 

[majormajor]

I am a fan of drafting a goalie in the first 3 rounds every year. If you hit on a goalie it can turn a bad team into a good team, a good team into a great team, and a great team into an all time team. Right now we are getting adequate goaltending from Elvis but if we could replace him with a guy as good or better on an elc in the next few years we could be looking at something special.

The best goalie in our franchise history wasn't even drafted, and we acquired him for a couple picks a couple years into his NHL career.

The best goalie in the NHL right now, an MVP candidate, was drafted in the 5th round.

It really is a crapshoot, and I would probably not put a lot of top 3 round picks into goalies.

It would be great to draft a great goalie on an ELC but it seems like such a rarity for that to work out for teams. They're all so up and down and very few establish a consistent high level when they're still that young. Really with drafting goalies you're talking about guys who might be good around the year 2030 or 2032.

It seems like your odds are better by trading those picks for a young goalie already in the NHL.