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

[Ugene Magic]

Bob McKenzie's Final NHL Draft Ranking: Many attractive and diverse options after Macklin Celebrini | TSN

This year’s final ranking, from No. 2 on, is much more challenging to assemble because of two factors - many more divergent opinions and variance on even the top 10 picks and two Russians forcing their way into the conversation in the upper echelon.

www.tsn.ca

Idk what ranking u are using but it is not accurate to McKenzie’s final poll.

Silayev polled at 4th, was drafted 10th.

Dickinson 6th, drafted 11th

Buium 7th, drafted 12th

Helenius polled top 10 (9th) on the final list.

My bad, it was a consensus draft rankings.

2024 Consensus NHL Draft Rankings

 

[Jag68Sid87]

James Hagens is going to be the best forward to come out of the top 5 in the draft and the only reason he's not getting picked 1/2 is because he didn't mesh with his college linemates and he's 5'10-11.

I tend to agree. I am not sure if he or Misa will have the better career, but that probably depends on the teams that draft them and how they develop them.

But Hagens has been talked about WAY too much as a declining prospect, which is absurd. Nobody at that age is declining anything. People expected MORE last season. OK, maybe they get more NEXT season. This is nothing new, really. Maybe he failed to meet expectations. Maybe he felt the weight of replacing Will Smith on the most famous line in the NCAA.

Even if any of that is true, who cares? It means nothing. He is 17-18. There is a long road ahead. And personally, I would absolutely draft a forward over a defenseman first overall. Yeah, you need a No. 1 defenseman. Everybody does. The odds of you hitting on a No. 1 overall forward is so much higher, though.

If I were Darche, I know what I would do...take the local kid who was a STRONG first overall candidate 12 months ago.

The only thing I have heard that separates Schaefer from the rest is his skating. Fantastic. Mike Matheson also separates himself in the skating department. Owen Power does, as well. And he was a failed first overall pick because teams are always looking for a No. 1 defenseman. But No. 1 defensemen are drafted and then they are developed.

When you pick first overall, you should not miss. Forwards give you the best chance of not missing. IMHO.

 

[JackFr]

I am now team Eklund. Based on how his brother plays + the scouting reports he could be a Jarvis-type and that's the kind of player I want next to our future star(s)

 

[HandshakeLine]

I want us to draft an enforcer.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I want us to draft an enforcer.

 

[Gurglesons]

I am now team Eklund. Based on how his brother plays + the scouting reports he could be a Jarvis-type and that's the kind of player I want next to our future star(s)

If he falls to us that’d be great.

 

[Zirakzigil]

I want us to draft an enforcer.

Hiring one as our coach, good enough.

2-3 of the "top 10" will fall out of the top 10, happens every year. I think Hagens could go between 1st or 5th this year, really depends on the Islanders. He really should be top 3 though. Seems like Seth Jones or Sean Wright type drop for no reason.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

If there's ever a year to make a "f*** it" pick at 1st overall it's probably this one. I think Hagens going 1st to the Isles would be a mistake but eh. Not like you're missing out on a bona fide building block this year.

 

[Empoleon8771]

New Athletic mock here:

NHL Mock Draft 2025: Pronman, Wheeler and Bultman play GM and pick Round 1

Here’s how Corey Pronman, Scott Wheeler and Max Bultman would run the draft if they were in charge of each team’s board.

www.nytimes.com

Has Martin falling to the Penguins at #11 and Eklund going at #12. If the Rangers give the pick this year and the Penguins can get both Martin and Eklund, I’ll be over the moon happy.

Entire top-15 is:

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

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

New Athletic mock here:

NHL Mock Draft 2025: Pronman, Wheeler and Bultman play GM and pick Round 1

Here’s how Corey Pronman, Scott Wheeler and Max Bultman would run the draft if they were in charge of each team’s board.

www.nytimes.com

Has Martin falling to the Penguins at #11 and Eklund going at #12. If the Rangers give the pick this year and the Penguins can get both Martin and Eklund, I’ll be over the moon happy.

Entire top-15 is:

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

Yeah, outside of Hagens or Martone falling into this team's lap, Martin + Eklund is my ideal outcome. Would be f***in' killer.

 

[Epic Neal Time]

A huge caveat in that list from the Athletic is that it's based on their own personal lists and doesn't consider how each team would draft in that spot. Hence Martin falling. They've done mocks both ways now.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

I'm not seeing it with Desnoyers but what do I know

 

[The Old Master]

I am now team Eklund. Based on how his brother plays + the scouting reports he could be a Jarvis-type and that's the kind of player I want next to our future star(s)

and who needs to not drop for that to happen?

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I'm not seeing it with Desnoyers but what do I know

I was watching highlights of the game against McKenna's team and yeah, I dunno. Definitely doesn't seem like a dude who would be vying for a top 5 spot.

But he did hit a smaller guy into the bench.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Speculation he's injured atm, but we'll see.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I think Martin is going to be a fascinating guy to watch in the draft, he was mostly mocked in the 14-16 range at the end of the year but is now getting a massive boost due to his performance at the WJC. That said, the hype has seemed to cool off a bit since then and he's not really being consistently mocked in the top-10 in the draft yet. He was 11th in Central Scouting's NA skaters ranking to end the year and 12th on McKenzie's board from the same time. Button has him crazy high at 6th but he's about the only guy that has him there right now.

The hype around him seems to suggest that he's a guarantee to go around #6, but I think there is also a real chance that the media is way overreacting to a weaker tournament and Martin ends up being available at #11.

 

[tomd]

I think Martin is going to be a fascinating guy to watch in the draft, he was mostly mocked in the 14-16 range at the end of the year but is now getting a massive boost due to his performance at the WJC. That said, the hype has seemed to cool off a bit since then and he's not really being consistently mocked in the top-10 in the draft yet. He was 11th in Central Scouting's NA skaters ranking to end the year and 12th on McKenzie's board from the same time. Button has him crazy high at 6th but he's about the only guy that has him there right now.

The hype around him seems to suggest that he's a guarantee to go around #6, but I think there is also a real chance that the media is way overreacting to a weaker tournament and Martin ends up being available at #11.

Not to spoil the party but I think Pat "the little ball of hate" Verbeek would legally adopt Martin as his long lost son if he were available when the Ducks pick at 10.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I'm not seeing it with Desnoyers but what do I know

Same. I just don’t get it with him

(He will probably be the second coming of Bergeron)

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Also that mock is what the writers would do… not what they think will happen.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Not to spoil the party but I think Pat "the little ball of hate" Verbeek would legally adopt Martin as his long lost son if he were available when the Ducks pick at 10.

Eh I think Mrtka makes a ton of sense for them as well with the undersized puck movers they have on that defense.

Zellweger (5'10" and 187 lbs) is especially small while LaCombe (6'2" and 205 lbs) and Mintyukov (6'1" and 200 lbs) are probably undersized for western conference standards. Those three are also all LHD so I think Mrtka being a bigger, defensive RHD would complement that group really well. Zellweger and Mrtka as a pair makes a ton of sense for them to run with in the future if they'd take Mrtka.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Anaheim seems like they’d love Eklund too

 

[Randy Butternubs]

I think Martin is going to be a fascinating guy to watch in the draft, he was mostly mocked in the 14-16 range at the end of the year but is now getting a massive boost due to his performance at the WJC. That said, the hype has seemed to cool off a bit since then and he's not really being consistently mocked in the top-10 in the draft yet. He was 11th in Central Scouting's NA skaters ranking to end the year and 12th on McKenzie's board from the same time. Button has him crazy high at 6th but he's about the only guy that has him there right now.

The hype around him seems to suggest that he's a guarantee to go around #6, but I think there is also a real chance that the media is way overreacting to a weaker tournament and Martin ends up being available at #11.

NHL execs have massive boners for these types of players so I do suspect he'll be drafted fairly high.

 

[Empoleon8771]

NHL execs have massive boners for these types of players so I do suspect he'll be drafted fairly high.

I generally agree but I think he's more likely to fall in the 8-11 range than be taken at like 6. I wouldn't bet on him being available at 11 but I think he's going to be closer to 11 than what a lot of people are thinking right now.

 

[tomd]

Eh I think Mrtka makes a ton of sense for them as well with the undersized puck movers they have on that defense.

Zellweger (5'10" and 187 lbs) is especially small while LaCombe (6'2" and 205 lbs) and Mintyukov (6'1" and 200 lbs) are probably undersized for western conference standards. Those three are also all LHD so I think Mrtka being a bigger, defensive RHD would complement that group really well. Zellweger and Mrtka as a pair makes a ton of sense for them to run with in the future if they'd take Mrtka.

Yes, I can see your logic in a vacuum but just like the Ducks moved up to get Solberg last year even though their left defense side was already fully loaded with prospects (as you pointed out), most Ducks fans believe that if Martin falls to 10 he won't fall any lower. Martin fits the Sam Bennett type player that Verbeek craves far more than a big RD (as valuable as they are). My personal feeling is that Martin won't make it to 10 but I'm 99.9% positive that if he does, he won't make it to 11.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

If we get Rags pick my dream is OB+Eklund