2025 NHL Draft: Lose a ton for Porter Martone

[landshark]

While it would be cool to have a brother duo and Eklund would be decent value in the projected VGK range (15-25), I think the Sharks should look to add their blue chip goaltender prospect with Joshua Ravensbergen or Gabriel D'Aigle. Like any goalie though, they are hard to get an exact read on. They could play themselves right before that range or fall out of the first altogether.

It should be noted this draft class has some all time goalie names:

The aforementioned Ravensbergen and D'Aigle
Mans Goos
Massimo Urbani
Jester Rossi
Koen Cleaver
William Forsberg (anything Forsberg I relate to world class)
Love Harenstam

Those names are soooo good!!! So many opportunities for old ass references to what is now obscure media/fashion:

Mans 'Riki Tiki Tavi' Goos (alt could be 'I ain't afraid of no Goos', not sure on pronunciation)
Massimo 'I can't believe it's not Stüssy" Urbani
Jester 'I like to talk about hockey, but I'd rather play it' Rossi
Koen 'The Beave' Cleaver
William 'It's Swedish for "save"' Forsberg (I had some trouble with this one)
Love 'Could you be Love(d)?' Harenstam

 

[LadyStanley]

And how has that been working out for them?

Historically okay. The last ten years, not so much.

Kiprusoff, Nabokov are probably at the top.

 

[Patty Ice]

Historically okay. The last ten years, not so much.

Kiprusoff, Nabokov are probably at the top.

The last goalie of note they drafted was Greiss...20 years ago.

And probably?

 

[one2gamble]

Remind me of the last homegrown goaltender they've drafted of note.

why does homegrown matter

 

[Patty Ice]

why does homegrown matter

Jonathan Quick, Corey Crawford, Marc-Andre Fluery, Braden Holtby, Jordan Bennington, and Andrei Vasilevsky.

 

[landshark]

Jonathan Quick, Corey Crawford, Marc-Andre Fluery, Braden Holtby, Jordan Bennington, and Andrei Vasilevsky.

Who are goalies that won cups with the team that drafted them?

I'll take 'Hockey Obscura' for 2000 please, Mayim.

 

[Patty Ice]

Who are goalies that won cups with the team that drafted them?

I'll take 'Hockey Obscura' for 2000 please, Mayim.

I'm sorry the question was Who are goalies that won cups with the team that drafted them within the past 10 years?

 

[Lebanezer]

How good is Matthew Schaefer?

 

[Stewie Griffin]

How good is Matthew Schaefer?

I know someone here was praising him...too lazy to look back lol.

Internationally he's been unreal, I think this is is 2nd time wearing the C for Team Canada as well. 1st overall pick in the OHL, and will be in the running for top D taken in next years draft. With a Sep 5 birthday he'll be one of the absolute youngest in the draft class...only 10 days away from being 2026 eligible. In terms of strengths, he's been solid defensively, good size, unreal skater...if Erie improves this year his point totals will sky rocket.

 

[BaileyMacTavish]

That Logan Hensler guy seems like a fit heh

 

[Juxtaposer]

How good is Matthew Schaefer?

Matthew Schaefer is him as far as I'm concerned. He's been excellent at the Hlinka and he's not even 17 yet.

 

[sampler]

yeah, I'll be watching Schaefer, Hensler, and the other top ranked D very closely. Personally, if the sharks stink next year, but do not finish in the bottom 2 or 3 (and thus not get Hagens, Martone or other cant skip guy) then I hope they go for a top D. hell if they do finish in the last three, it might be worth trading back a little to grab the top D in the draft and add a few more top picks, or even a good current NHL dman.

I feel they already have enough high end forward prospects to field two good forward lines just from in house assets. Smith and Celly and nearly sure things. Musty looks a pretty darn likely top 6 forward. haltunnen looks good, bystedt and edstrom should see NHL action. Chernyshov is better than 50/50 to make the NHL. Lund, Wetsch, Svoboda, and Rimashevsky have an outside chance. Graf has good potential. Not to mention gush, bordy, and cardwell already in house, and Eklund and zetterlund already in the NHL. Their young forward depth is already pretty stacked, and adding in a few top vets (like toffoli, and whoever they can add in summer 25 and 26) means that we dont need another top 3 pick forward.

Dickinson is the only high end D prospect. Mukh is likely NHL but not likely a top pair. None of the other D are 1st round talents. other than Dickinson, the sharks havent picked a Defensemen in the top 40 pick since Merkley in 2018. Cagnoni, pohlcamp, LSW, Havelid, and Thompson could become solid NHLers but not all that likely. Thrun and emberson may take a big step forward, but also not that likely.

As such, id love them to land another elite Defensive prospect with top pair projection, or maybe two. I feel that would pretty much completely stack the deck. They have two st round picks, so maybe both on D?

Hopefully, they flip granlund +other UFAs for another 1st, so they can add mtuiple top D and forward prospects.

 

[sampler]

Matthew Schaefer is him as far as I'm concerned. He's been excellent at the Hlinka and he's not even 17 yet.

How cool would it be if vegas has a terrible year and the sharks get to pick in the top 3 and another in the 10-15 range (Just like this year). They could trade back from 3 to 6 or 7, then use the assets they get trading back to move up from 14 to 9 and land both Schaefer and Hensley. I would be so excited to have THREE top 10 talents on the blueline in the system, and at least THREE top 10 talents on offense too). Yum Yum!

 

[hohosaregood]

How cool would it be if vegas has a terrible year and the sharks get to pick in the top 3 and another in the 10-15 range (Just like this year). They could trade back from 3 to 6 or 7, then use the assets they get trading back to move up from 14 to 9 and land both Schaefer and Hensley. I would be so excited to have THREE top 10 talents on the blueline in the system, and at least THREE top 10 talents on offense too). Yum Yum!

My current dream is Schaefer in the top 3, Hensler/Thretheway with the VGK pick, and Ravensburgen with our 2nd round pick. The core would likely be locked in at that point.

 

[DG93]

My current dream is Schaefer in the top 3, Hensler/Thretheway with the VGK pick, and Ravensburgen with our 2nd round pick. The core would likely be locked in at that point.

Schaefer/Dickinson/Mukh/Hensler would be a sick group

 

[Juxtaposer]

My current dream is Schaefer in the top 3, Hensler/Thretheway with the VGK pick, and Ravensburgen with our 2nd round pick. The core would likely be locked in at that point.

I think I might have it 1) Hagens 2) Martone and 3) Schaefer at this point. Getting Schaefer would lock in the left side and allow us to spend the Vegas 1st on a smaller right-handed offensive D who is a true #1PPQB.

Obviously there's a whole season left to play so things can change, but Schaefer has the smell of a true #1D prospect to me, better than any D in the 2024 draft IMO. He's impressed me every time I've seen him. Average size (6'1"), gorgeous skater, extremely sound defensively, high-end thinker, but can also lead the rush and use his hands to create scoring chances.

Obviously the dream would be for Vegas to completely bomb out and end up with a top-5 pick, but the more realistic dream of Vegas barely missing the playoffs like Pittsburgh and giving us a pick in the early teens would be great. A few interesting RHD in the range like Hensler/Trethewey as you mentioned but also guys like Amico and Radivojevic could rise into that range with a good season.

I'd also obviously love Hagens or Martone, but Schaefer is my pet prospect this season. The NHL comp I have for him at this point is Jake Sanderson, whom I consider to be a true #1D. He's the kind of player who doesn't need another true top-pairing guy to be his partner.

 

[sampler]

Schaefer/Dickinson/Mukh/Hensler would be a sick group

bingo! Add in two good vet Dmen, and you got one of the best D corps in the whole league in a few years for a decade.

Then Celly, Smith, Eklund, Zetterlund ,Musty, haltunnen, Chernyshov, Edstrom, Bystedt, and maybe two more top UFA vets and you got a top end Forward lineup in a few years too for a decade.

The 2025 draft should complete the rebuild project. Obviously, the goalie is missing, but that's much more of a crap shoot anyways. A good UFA dump at the deadline should give the sharks 4 of the top 35 or so picks.

Grier has done a solid job ditching the long term contracts to 30+ year old players. hes done a solid job adding a lot of good guys to the prospect pool. He also gotten very very lucky...
- getting a Norris season from karlsson was pure luck. Another 50 gm, 20 or 30 point season would have made moving him harder than moving pickles or cooch. that norris year was a gift from the heavens for Grier. he did well taking advantage of it, but stilll, what a lucky gift!
- getting the #14 pick due to pitt missing the POs. If they had as good a year as expected, that pick would be mid to late 20's and dickinson couldnt happen. Grier did well trading up to 11, but he also got super lucky that dick and buium were avaialble there. So getting a top 10 talent like dick took a ton of luck that Grier had no control over.
-Winning the lottery despite only a 25% chance of doing so.

Nevertheless, his combo of luck and skill have allowed the sharks to stock the shelf very fast.

the real job by grier to build the actual NHL team begins now. He got toffoli on a good deal. Thats all skill. he traded for dyallandrea which is a low risk play and could be a steal given he is just 24 and will still be an RFA and thats all skill. Wennberg and grundstrom are not long term or highly meaningful guys, so eh..

The big roster build via signings and trades has just begun, and how grier surrounds his newly stocked shelf will be his legacy, as thats all skill.

 

[sampler]

I think I might have it 1) Hagens 2) Martone and 3) Schaefer at this point. Getting Schaefer would lock in the left side and allow us to spend the Vegas 1st on a smaller right-handed offensive D who is a true #1PPQB.

Obviously there's a whole season left to play so things can change, but Schaefer has the smell of a true #1D prospect to me, better than any D in the 2024 draft IMO. He's impressed me every time I've seen him. Average size (6'1"), gorgeous skater, extremely sound defensively, high-end thinker, but can also lead the rush and use his hands to create scoring chances.

Obviously the dream would be for Vegas to completely bomb out and end up with a top-5 pick, but the more realistic dream of Vegas barely missing the playoffs like Pittsburgh and giving us a pick in the early teens would be great. A few interesting RHD in the range like Hensler/Trethewey as you mentioned but also guys like Amico and Radivojevic could rise into that range with a good season.

I'd also obviously love Hagens or Martone, but Schaefer is my pet prospect this season. The NHL comp I have for him at this point is Jake Sanderson, whom I consider to be a true #1D. He's the kind of player who doesn't need another true top-pairing guy to be his partner.

Ive never wanted another hertl injury, but... If he, stone, theodore get hurt, Vegas could definitely tank.

they lost march, steph and amadio, their leading scorer overall and #5 scorer overall and #8 scoring forward. Also Stone is aging and missed 26 games after missing 39 and 45 the previous years. His injuries are piling up and if he goes down early, they lose their 4th leading scorer. Eichel also has a long injury history missing 82 games the last three seasons.

Yes, they added Hertl to slot into the top two lines, and hanifin as a top pairing D, but if they get even a little bad luck, I could easily imagine them missing the POs entirely. Id be shocked if they end up bottom 5, but I'd say its only maybe 65% that they make the POs. they were T-13th in league and 8th in the conference last year, and I think they got worse from last year, so if they ended up 18th or so in the league, that would make sense, and would be good for another #14 pick.

 

[DG93]

I think I might have it 1) Hagens 2) Martone and 3) Schaefer at this point. Getting Schaefer would lock in the left side and allow us to spend the Vegas 1st on a smaller right-handed offensive D who is a true #1PPQB.

Obviously there's a whole season left to play so things can change, but Schaefer has the smell of a true #1D prospect to me, better than any D in the 2024 draft IMO. He's impressed me every time I've seen him. Average size (6'1"), gorgeous skater, extremely sound defensively, high-end thinker, but can also lead the rush and use his hands to create scoring chances.

Obviously the dream would be for Vegas to completely bomb out and end up with a top-5 pick, but the more realistic dream of Vegas barely missing the playoffs like Pittsburgh and giving us a pick in the early teens would be great. A few interesting RHD in the range like Hensler/Trethewey as you mentioned but also guys like Amico and Radivojevic could rise into that range with a good season.

I'd also obviously love Hagens or Martone, but Schaefer is my pet prospect this season. The NHL comp I have for him at this point is Jake Sanderson, whom I consider to be a true #1D. He's the kind of player who doesn't need another true top-pairing guy to be his partner.

So what you're saying is that Vegas will miss the playoffs, jump up to #2 in the draft lottery bumping the Sharks to #3, and then SJ drafts Martone and Schaefer at 2 and 3 positions?

 

[Juxtaposer]

So what you're saying is that Vegas will miss the playoffs, jump up to #2 in the draft lottery bumping the Sharks to #3, and then SJ drafts Martone and Schaefer at 2 and 3 positions?

Obviously!

Not sure if anyone else was watching the Hlinka today but the commentator mentioned during the second intermission when they were discussing the WJC that "there is a rumor the Sharks might let Celebrini go to the WJC". First I'm hearing of it and frankly I think they're totally making it up, but thought it was worth mentioning.

 

[coooldude]

I think I might have it 1) Hagens 2) Martone and 3) Schaefer at this point. Getting Schaefer would lock in the left side and allow us to spend the Vegas 1st on a smaller right-handed offensive D who is a true #1PPQB.

Obviously there's a whole season left to play so things can change, but Schaefer has the smell of a true #1D prospect to me, better than any D in the 2024 draft IMO. He's impressed me every time I've seen him. Average size (6'1"), gorgeous skater, extremely sound defensively, high-end thinker, but can also lead the rush and use his hands to create scoring chances.

Obviously the dream would be for Vegas to completely bomb out and end up with a top-5 pick, but the more realistic dream of Vegas barely missing the playoffs like Pittsburgh and giving us a pick in the early teens would be great. A few interesting RHD in the range like Hensler/Trethewey as you mentioned but also guys like Amico and Radivojevic could rise into that range with a good season.

I'd also obviously love Hagens or Martone, but Schaefer is my pet prospect this season. The NHL comp I have for him at this point is Jake Sanderson, whom I consider to be a true #1D. He's the kind of player who doesn't need another true top-pairing guy to be his partner.

Exactly right & exciting, plus a few other comments
1. GermanSpitfire just said he expects Schaefer to push Hagens for 1OA.
2. @Kcoyote3 just wrote a good article that you would agree with (me too) re: draft trends and the likely focus in 2025 that we'll pick the biggest impact player we can with first pick, possibly D, probably an offensive D with the second pick.

It's wide open enough today that we could see any of these names (Trethewey, Amico, Radojevic) move quickly into the top 10. Hensler seems to have lost some shine over the summer but still a whole season for him to look great in NCAA as well. The Vegas pick will hopefully be an excellent luxury like this year's.

I'm personally hoping that the 1OA is a tight race this year so that we would be happy picking 1-3rd for Martone (who I really like in limited viewings) or Schaefer (you made the case), and the second pick is whichever of the RD's is in range. Would be an absolutely incredible haul and we'd likely still be top 3-5 in the league for prospects. I'm not yet anywhere near familiar enough with the rest of the class to have any idea which forwards might be value at 10-32 and I probably won't have opinions until May but I'm already getting excited!

EDIT: now also on the radar for VGK/2nd Rd pick is Fiddler.

 

[coooldude]

Sports books all have us at an 8 win improvement for 63 points and dead last. Feels fair. Could be better, could be worse. Even if we're 8 more wins better again, nearly doubling our wins from last year, we would still finish bottom 5.

https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/s/q1KkJh1ymB

 

[one2gamble]

seems about right,

 

[gaucholoco3]

Sports books all have us at an 8 win improvement for 63 points and dead last. Feels fair. Could be better, could be worse. Even if we're 8 more wins better again, nearly doubling our wins from last year, we would still finish bottom 5.

View attachment 900527

https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/s/q1KkJh1ymB

I don’t think I but that the Sharks are so clearly the worst team by 5 points behind the second worst team. I would take the over on 63 points from the Sharks.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Sports books all have us at an 8 win improvement for 63 points and dead last. Feels fair. Could be better, could be worse. Even if we're 8 more wins better again, nearly doubling our wins from last year, we would still finish bottom 5.

View attachment 900527

https://www.reddit.com/r/hockey/s/q1KkJh1ymB

This feels spot on.