Prospect Info: 2025 Draft: We are #1….1

[eXile3]

Yeah the talk a around McQueen seems like he'd be a clear cut #1 if not for his back issues. But thats not it. He seems like a 2nd rounder if he were a couple inches shorter. That's not enough raw talent to justify a reach earlier in the 1st. Like, clean bill of health, is he even a top-5 player in the draft? Eh.....

That’s just a ridiculous statement.

 

[DesertPenguin]

View attachment 1037922

Using that meme pretty much cements you're pushing 40. I believe you.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think TB's using a bit of hyperbole there, but I don't disagree that if the dude was 6'0 instead of 6'5, with all of the same skill and concerns with skating/injury, he wouldn't even be in serious discussion as a top 10 pick, even in a weaker draft.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Yeah, it is a bit of hyperbole, but the point remains, what are the elite traits here? Projection is one thing, but projection PLUS health seems like the juice is just not worth the squeeze.

 

[Jdodd]

We better hope someone in the top 10 likes McQueen. Need that to happen to help w eklund or Martin to be there at 11.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Yeah, it is a bit of hyperbole, but the point remains, what are the elite traits here? Projection is one thing, but projection PLUS health seems like the juice is just not worth the squeeze.

I don't know when EP will release their draft guide but I'll be sure to post this type of stuff.

Reading some of their scouting of him it seems like he's quite good at skill chaining.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

The issue here with saying "swing for the fences" is that it disregards risk and there's a level that comes with McQueen that makes him completely untenable. The risk with McQueen's major back issues is simply not worth the upside there. If you want to go for a guy with a similar skillset, I think you go Lakovic and hope that he adjusts his playstyle to be heavier. Drafting McQueen is basically just praying that his back doesn't cause him issues.

This ignores that they’re gonna have medical staff look at him though.

If they make the pick they’re ok with it.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

I'll do my best to focus on the positives & ceiling of the player(s) picked as opposed to the negatives & floor.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Everything is relative. If this were a very deep draft, then no McQueen is probably not worth the risk. Similarly, if we were deep at the center position, a definite pass on McQueen. But neither of those things are true and we pick 11th where 10 picks look ideal for us. Dem's the breaks.

McQueen vs. Mrtka? I take McQueen. McQueen vs. J. Smith? I take McQueen. McQueen vs. any other non-center forward not named Eklund? I take McQueen.

McQueen or a trade down, trade up or trade out? That is probably the question to be asked at this point. And again, this is going on the assumption that all of Schaefer, Misa, Hagens, Martone, Frondell, Desnoyers, Martin, O'Brien and Eklund are gone by the time we draft.

Maybe we should be the aggressors and move up? We have draft capital to get something done. And we have surplus players under contract if anybody wants.

I don't know. Honestly, I am less interested in this draft than the 2026 draft at this point. Hopefully, NYR keeps this year's pick so that we can have two firsts next year in a deeper draft.

 

[The Old Master]

I'll do my best to focus on the positives & ceiling of the player(s) picked as opposed to the negatives & floor.

yeah, jaded will have that covered.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I'll do my best to focus on the positives & ceiling of the player(s) picked as opposed to the negatives & floor.

How selfish of you.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I still think if McQueen pans out you're getting like a Bjugstad as opposed to a Tage, or even a Byfield.

I dunno. I really like the idea of having a guy like Martin in the system and developing so that he's ready to go when this team's landing those top 3, franchise cornerstone-type picks. We see every post season how valuable and effective a skilled, physical little shithead can be with guys like early Kunitz, Bennett, and Marchand.

Yeah, I like Martin a lot on paper, but I'm a thuggish ruggish bone/neanderthal who likes players who play physically tough so YMMV. I hope that the Pens moving away from both the Lemieux and Crosby eras means that we get more physicality.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Yeah, I like Martin a lot on paper, but I'm a thuggish ruggish bone/neanderthal who likes players who play physically tough so YMMV. I hope that the Pens moving away from both the Lemieux and Crosby eras means that we get more physicality.

It's been so long since this team had a guy who could legitimately hit, while also contributing with the puck on his stick, that it feels like hearing a magi talk about some lost art.

I guess Zucker almost fit the bill, in the rare moments he was actually healthy here. But eh, not really. It's probably been since the 09 Cup and around there with Kunitz, before he decided no more of that stuff for me, I've got soft ice to find and points to leech.

 

[eXile3]

I would be fine with Martin or Eklund. I don’t think it’s a wrong, right answer as much as it’s a different perspective.

 

[Ulf5]

For the gurus, how much of a hindrance will Horcoff's skating be in the NHL.
He'll probably be overdrafted on size alone. But from reading, he has a lot of qualities that should translate into at least a solid NHL career. Depending on development, that sounds like it can be anywhere from 2C to 4C though.
Most likely he won't be there for our 2nd anyways.

 

[HandshakeLine]

]

It's been so long since this team had a guy who could legitimately hit, while also contributing with the puck on his stick, that it feels like hearing a magi talk about some lost art.

I guess Zucker almost fit the bill, in the rare moments he was actually healthy here. But eh, not really. It's probably been since the 09 Cup and around there with Kunitz, before he decided no more of that stuff for me, I've got soft ice to find and points to leech.

I like McQueen's meanness but again, it's easy to be mean in juniors when you're that big. It's much harder when everyone is closer to your size and physically bigger. Plus the skating and injury worries. Martin's checks have solid technique, so I'd be less worried about that translating.

Again, I think the organization really penalized physical guys and I think we absolutely need them in the system. Physicality never goes out of style in the postseason.

 

[Ugene Magic]

The McQueen discussion....

 

[Empoleon8771]

This ignores that they’re gonna have medical staff look at him though.

If they make the pick they’re ok with it.

I mean yeah, I'm just saying that to me he's untenable with his back issues.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Hagens, Eklund gonna fall. Just a matter of how far.

Maybe for good reason? Jarvis is the smallest “core” guy left it would seem.

I mean yeah, I'm just saying that to me he's untenable with his back issues.

I just don’t get trying to analyze 2nd/3rd/4th hand reporting on 17-18 year olds injuries. These kids are so young and we don’t even know the full extent of injury— there’s no way from where we sit to say it may not matter at all, may matter a lot, may matter a little long term. Point being, if the Pens draft the kid they obviously feel good about his long term health and you gotta go with what they think. It’s not an appeal to authority it’s a matter of how much info they’re privy to vs us.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I would feel a lot better about our medical staff giving the okay if they hadn't had like decades of medical malpractice.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I just don’t get trying to analyze 2nd/3rd/4th hand reporting on 17-18 year olds injuries. These kids are so young and we don’t even know the full extent of injury— there’s no way from where we sit to say it may not matter at all, may matter a lot, may matter a little long term. Point being, if the Pens draft the kid they obviously feel good about his long term health and you gotta go with what they think. It’s not an appeal to authority it’s a matter of how much info they’re privy to vs us.

I mean, he missed basically all of his draft year and looked really ineffective after coming back from his injury. I don't think you need to see his in depth medicals to feel really uncomfortable about taking him.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I mean, he missed basically all of his draft year and looked really ineffective after coming back from his injury. I don't think you need to see his in depth medicals to feel really uncomfortable about taking him.

I don’t agree. You’re drafting for 5 years from now. Not about how many games you miss in your DY. Look at the top prospect. It’s not about health now it’s about can he be 100% going forward.

What if docs look at him and say “smart of you to sit out- no future issues from this”

Or it could be “this kid is f***ed”

I want an answer from the combine or even post draft. Not all this speculation and rumors and hearsay.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I don’t agree. You’re drafting for 5 years from now. Not about how many games you miss in your DY. Look at the top prospect. It’s not about health now it’s about can he be 100% going forward.

What if docs look at him and say “smart of you to sit out- no future issues from this”

Or it could be “this kid is f***ed”

I want an answer from the combine or even post draft. Not all this speculation and rumors and hearsay.

You can take a chance on a player like this in the early 20's, but not at #11 or sooner. What doctor is going to signoff on a player with a natural back condition and say it's good to go. They will say a percentage of likelihood of an issue, and pick at your own risk.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don’t agree. You’re drafting for 5 years from now. Not about how many games you miss in your DY. Look at the top prospect. It’s not about health now it’s about can he be 100% going forward.

What if docs look at him and say “smart of you to sit out- no future issues from this”

Or it could be “this kid is f***ed”

I want an answer from the combine or even post draft. Not all this speculation and rumors and hearsay.

Because doctors can't tell the future and a guy already having back issues at 18 doesn't bode well for future health.

 

[Jared Grayden]

For the gurus, how much of a hindrance will Horcoff's skating be in the NHL.
He'll probably be overdrafted on size alone. But from reading, he has a lot of qualities that should translate into at least a solid NHL career. Depending on development, that sounds like it can be anywhere from 2C to 4C though.
Most likely he won't be there for our 2nd anyways.

It's more he'll be over drafted for "pedigree" like he is a race horse. He'll be Kevin Hayes slow. Doubtful he'll be there in the mid 2nd either.