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

[The Old Master]

They have interviews with at least that many. Pretty sure there's only five nights where the staff can have a "dinner date" with a prospect. But maybe they do what I used to try doing and stacking multiple dinner dates. Usually one would flake anyway.

they split up the staff.

 

[DesertPenguin]

I think Mrtka’s upside is basically Vancouver Chris Tanev but if you made him 6’6. I think you can argue if that’s a #2 or #3, but it’s an elite DFD that’s a perfect partner for an OFD.

Byram - Mrtka
Pickering Brunicke
Pienniemi Harding

In a few years works for me

Draft a C with the other pick if NYR give it up.

 

[SEALBound]

I only ever remember them reporting they had dinner with Yager...and they took Yager. I would 100% be preparing for a Mrtka pick unless he's taken before 11.

 

[Andy99]

Mrtka is like taking Cody Ceci and passing on Tom Wilson and Tomas Hertl…no thanks…he’s likely going to just be a big third pairing D man with limited offense…best case second pairing…too high for a #11 pick…I know everyone gets enamored with size, but it doesn’t actually cover for actual skills lol…other than Schaefer there’s not a D man worth taking in this draft’s top 15 picks quite honestly…Pens need to take the best available forward at #11 because that’s the value in the draft

 

[Andy99]

It’s ridiculous…at this stage of the draft take the best available player! You can look for size or some other specific traits in later picks…

 

[Randy Butternubs]

It’s ridiculous…at this stage of the draft take the best available player! You can look for size or some other specific traits in later picks…

Probably a number of factors and not just size went into this.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I think if Hagens gets thru Boston there’s a small chance he gets to us.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

It’s ridiculous…at this stage of the draft take the best available player! You can look for size or some other specific traits in later picks…

lol this is the dumbest tweet ever. They interviewed two top 10 prospects.

 

[Andy99]

lol this is the dumbest tweet ever. They interviewed two top 10 prospects.

Neither of those guys would be taken in a normal top 10…this draft’s is god awful if you’re not in the top five lol

 

[Turin]

Neither of those guys would be taken in a normal top 10…this draft’s is god awful if you’re not in the top five lol

Then you shouldn’t care if they take one

 

[Andy99]

Then you shouldn’t care if they take one

I think they’ll get the Rags pick and I want Dubas to use it and move up…

 

[chethejet]

Even drafts that lack top talent or depth do offer players that outperform projections. I don't consider O'Brien or Martin or other centers all that underwhelming. Pens can get a solid center to help with the rebuild. Dubas is scouting everywhere it seems so he must believe there are real talents to be had. Get the Rangers pick and make a deal or two to add to the system. In a perfect world I take O'brien and Martin. But the wing Ekland or maybe McQueen is not the worst grab.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Eklund’s weight up a bit from that 162 lbs value earlier in the year, but you’d hope he’d be at 175 lbs. Either way he’ll need to bulk up for sure.

That Hagens size is also looking pretty good, he’s still small but he’s not tiny like he seen some people suggest. He’s bulkier than Misa.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Hagens is my height but 40 pounds heavier. Always a nice reminder about how much bigger and stronger these athletes are.

 

[Ulf5]

It’s ridiculous…at this stage of the draft take the best available player! You can look for size or some other specific traits in later picks…

Relax, it's just due diligence. As reported, they also took Martin to dinner. Taylor Haase said Dubas met with Frondell in Sweden then again at the combine. I'm sure other meetings/dinner engagements will surface.

 

[JackFr]

Very difficult to track this stuff because I was dead sure we were going to try to get a Jarvis/Hagel/Bennett type (like Eklund or Bear or Martin) but now I'm getting the vibe that Dubas wants McQueen as a high-upside shot in the dark to get a #2 centre.

 

[HandshakeLine]

Well, every Pens GM needs to pick a Pouliot, I guess?

 

[Empoleon8771]

Very difficult to track this stuff because I was dead sure we were going to try to get a Jarvis/Hagel/Bennett type (like Eklund or Bear or Martin) but now I'm getting the vibe that Dubas wants McQueen as a high-upside shot in the dark to get a #2 centre.

The Penguins taking McQueen wouldn't be all that surprising and I wouldn't have any issues with the pick. I get a feeling that the #1 guy they want is O'Brien for the same reason, to get a high upside center to fill the 2C spot.

That said, I'm pretty doubtful that either McQueen or O'Brien lasts until #11. I think Dubas may need to trade up to about #8 to ensure he gets one of those two. Which if I had to pick, I'd prefer to trade up to get O'Brien.

 

[DesertPenguin]

I only ever remember them reporting they had dinner with Yager...and they took Yager. I would 100% be preparing for a Mrtka pick unless he's taken before 11.

They had dinner with O'brien too I believe. O'brien and Mrtka back to back would be just fine with me.

Edit: I take it back. Just a meeting and he said he grew up a Pens fan in Toronto area. They did have dinner with Aicheson though

 

[DesertPenguin]

Hagens is my height but 40 pounds heavier. Always a nice reminder about how much bigger and stronger these athletes are.

I have the opposite reaction. I'm 6'5" 210 and I look at guys coming in at my height and 180 like

I was 175 in college when I was. Running track and was built like a greyhound dog. Nhl players would have snapped me in half. (Still would but beside the point).

 

[Mr. T]

He took Cameron Schmidt out to dinner and let him choose something from the kid's menu

 

[chethejet]

No question pens are in the rebuild now and see what happens. But this is a multi year process and I am now leaning on taking the pick next year if possible to get a top 5 pick. O'Brien, Martin, McQueen then the what ever add in 2026 draft.

 

[DesertPenguin]

No question pens are in the rebuild now and see what happens. But this is a multi year process and I am now leaning on taking the pick next year if possible to get a top 5 pick. O'Brien, Martin, McQueen then the what ever add in 2026 draft.

I've decided I don't care either way. Pick this year is cool because help in the system a year earlier is good for the Sid farewell tour. Next year, Rangers pick could be McKenna, and they could get their shit together and it could be high 20s. That team did go to the ECF two years ago, so I think it stands to reason they regress to the mean and at least end up in a battle for a wold card. No way to know though. Just wait and see.

 

[Empoleon8771]

At this point, I think the goal should be to attach one of their 2026 2nds on top of #11 and see if you can move up to #8 with Seattle. It’s pretty much a guarantee that either McQueen or O’Brien would be available at #8, and if both guys are gone it means that someone else ranked higher slid a bit.

I think you may need to add another 3rd/4th to even out the value there, but I’d be pretty fine with #11, one of their 2026 2nds and one of their 2025 3rds for #8 to make sure I got O’Brien.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I don't get it. Why spend resources to draft McQueen or O'Brien?