2025 NHL Draft: Lose a ton for Porter Martone

[Hodge]

I'd pass on the smurf when there's a big power winger and potential #1D available.

 

[spintops]

We are going to debate what to do with the #1 pick 300 times before actually getting the #3 pick in the draft. And I'm honestly here for it.

 

[Saskatoon]

I'm fine thinking we got last place again but the odds are still we don't get the #1 pick

 

[Gecklund]

I really want Schaefer. Theres a part of me that is getting my hopes up because he has mono and that I’ve seen a lot of players slip because of mono. Couture dropped because of mono, timo was affected the entire D+1 (or maybe 2 can’t remember) season because of it.

 

[sharski]

We are going to debate what to do with the #1 pick 300 times before actually getting the #3 pick in the draft. And I'm honestly here for it.

The league definitely made sure the sharks got the #1 pick in 2024 and are also DEFINITELY going to make sure they don't get the #1 pick in 2025 no matter how bad the team is

#sanjosescrewjob

 

[Juxtaposer]

We are going to debate what to do with the #1 pick 300 times before actually getting the #3 pick in the draft. And I'm honestly here for it.

The cool thing is that there are three players whom I like almost equally as much in Hagens, Martone, and Schaefer. So long as we finish last, and we are going to, I'm happy however the ping pong balls fall. There are no bad options in the top-3 this year, unlike last year where it truly was Celebrini or bust.

 

[Hodge]

The cool thing is that there are three players whom I like almost equally as much in Hagens, Martone, and Schaefer. So long as we finish last, and we are going to, I'm happy however the ping pong balls fall. There are no bad options in the top-3 this year, unlike last year where it truly was Celebrini or bust.

I'm not convinced we will finish last again. Montreal, Columbus, Chicago, Calgary, even Anaheim are all within striking distance.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I'm not convinced we will finish last again. Montreal, Columbus, Chicago, Calgary, even Anaheim are all within striking distance.

I guess if guys like Bedard/Vlasic, Carlsson/McTavish/Mintyukov, or Fantilli/Werenski have major injuries like they'd did last year and we stay healthy, it's possible. I think Columbus is the most likely other than us to finish last.

It also depends on how good Celebrini and Smith are out of the gate. If Celebrini scores 70 and Smith scores 50, then this team has legs. Or if Blackwood wins a Vezina, I suppose. I don't think any of that is likely, but it's not impossible.

It's just hard to look at a team with average goaltending, an average top-9 forward age of like 22, and a top pairing of Jake Walman and Jan Rutta and see anything but the worst team in the league. I'd put money on it if I were a betting person.

 

[Hodge]

I guess if guys like Bedard/Vlasic, Carlsson/McTavish/Mintyukov, or Fantilli/Werenski have major injuries like they'd did last year and we stay healthy, it's possible. I think Columbus is the most likely other than us to finish last.

It also depends on how good Celebrini and Smith are out of the gate. If Celebrini scores 70 and Smith scores 50, then this team has legs. Or if Blackwood wins a Vezina, I suppose. I don't think any of that is likely, but it's not impossible.

It's just hard to look at a team with average goaltending, an average top-9 forward age of like 22, and a top pairing of Jake Walman and Jan Rutta and see anything but the worst team in the league. I'd put money on it if I were a betting person.

Habs have a similarly weak roster to ours. Suzuki and Caufield probably won't be that much better than Granlund and Toffoli in 2024-25 but we should get more out of our young core of Celebrini, Eklund and Smith than they do out of Slaf, Dach and Newhook. Neither team has a legit top pair defenseman or starting goalie.

We have respectable forward depth and 6 NHL defensemen. If Blackwood or Askarov has a good season, or Warsofsky's system helps limit chances against, we could finish 29th or 30th. I'm not expecting much higher than that.

 

[coooldude]

I'll be v surprised if we're not bottom 3 and picking top 5, which puts us in striking distance of a lot of exciting players that we could absolutely use in the pipeline. Any of (in my current very rough order) Martone, Schaefer, Hagens, Ryabkin, McQueen, and a glut of others would be amazing adds and probably immediately a Smith-level prospect.

 

[matt trick]

The cool thing is that there are three players whom I like almost equally as much in Hagens, Martone, and Schaefer. So long as we finish last, and we are going to, I'm happy however the ping pong balls fall. There are no bad options in the top-3 this year, unlike last year where it truly was Celebrini or bust.

Think we’re still the worst on balance but unlike last year far from a guarantee, as Columbus, Anaheim, Chicago, Montreal, Philly, a post sell-off Calgary, and a Doughty-less Kings all could be rough. I don’t see us being better than 4 of those teams, but I could see us being better than any 2-3 based on injuries and luck.

Martone, Schaefer, or Hagens would all be a major prize, ahead of Smith, and second only to Celebrini in the rebuild. Martone and Schaefer each bring something we lack in our u23 pool.

Think I’d take all three over Levshunov who was my #2 this year. Finishing a better version of last and guaranteeing one of those three would be great. It’s early but I’d be less enthused about Frondell, McQueen, Rybakin, or Hensler though they’d also be good pickups. It’s just right now, the top three look great.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Habs have a similarly weak roster to ours. Suzuki and Caufield probably won't be that much better than Granlund and Toffoli in 2024-25 but we should get more out of our young core of Celebrini, Eklund and Smith than they do out of Slaf, Dach and Newhook. Neither team has a legit top pair defenseman or starting goalie.

We have respectable forward depth and 6 NHL defensemen. If Blackwood or Askarov has a good season, or Warsofsky's system helps limit chances against, we could finish 29th or 30th. I'm not expecting much higher than that.

I'll give you Toffoli over Caufield but I don't agree with the rest. Suzuki is a legit low-end 1C whom I like a lot and would comfortably take over two Granlunds. I like Celebrini/Smith/Eklund over Slafkovsky/Dach/Newhook long-term, obviously, but I don't think they're better next season. And even if they don't have a legit top pairing, they at least have several top-4 guys between Matheson, Guhle, and maybe even Hutson. We have maaaybe one top-4 guy in Walman and that's not for sure.

Montreal had like twenty more points in the standings than us last year and that was with Guhle and Dach out the whole season.

 

[LilLeeroy]

I'd pass on the smurf when there's a big power winger and potential #1D available.

A smurf who just set the record for most points ever in the U18s

 

[StanleyCup2035]

2025 NHL Draft Rankings: Preseason top 40

James Hagens, Porter Martone and Matthew Schaefer are among the top names hoping to get selected next June.

www.dailyfaceoff.com

Nothing earth shattering. I do disagree that Hagens would have had a chance to go #1 if he was born a few months earlier. I think Celebrini is better...

 

[Juxtaposer]

2025 NHL Draft Rankings: Preseason top 40

James Hagens, Porter Martone and Matthew Schaefer are among the top names hoping to get selected next June.

www.dailyfaceoff.com

Nothing earth shattering. I do disagree that Hagens would have had a chance to go #1 if he was born a few months earlier. I think Celebrini is better...

Why?

 

[TheBeard]

Habs have a similarly weak roster to ours. Suzuki and Caufield probably won't be that much better than Granlund and Toffoli in 2024-25 but we should get more out of our young core of Celebrini, Eklund and Smith than they do out of Slaf, Dach and Newhook. Neither team has a legit top pair defenseman or starting goalie.

We have respectable forward depth and 6 NHL defensemen. If Blackwood or Askarov has a good season, or Warsofsky's system helps limit chances against, we could finish 29th or 30th. I'm not expecting much higher than that.

Suzuki and Cole are miles ahead of Granlund and Toffoli not to mention they're JUST entering their primes now. Tyler has only had one season greater than the seasons Nick and Cole had last year and Granlund only two. Slaf will out produce Eklund and Celebrini while Newhook may very well double what Smith does. They have a core of players already in their early twenties while the guys mentioned are either in their teens or in their thirties (With the exception of Eklund). I expect those Montreal players to outperform but that's not a talent thing, but an age and experience thing.

Montreal probably also has 3 D-men better than anything we're going to throw out there on the NHL roster and their D prospects are greater than ours. The goalie situation s swayed heavily in our favor although Fowler could be special.

They should be a better team than us by a wide margin, but that's mostly because they're further along in their rebuild.

 

[Jargon]

I think the Sharks will surprise everyone and be much better than we think they're going to be. Not good, by any means, but maybe like, 5th-7th worst. Then again, I thought we had good center depth last season and would be at least a miss-the-playoffs-but-kind-of-competitive team instead of a historically-terrible-stop-watching team, so it's possible I tend to be overly optimistic.

I do think we have a surprisingly balanced forward group and our defense, while very bad, at least has NHLers on it and, with a proper system, could possibly be... okay. I also like what I've been seeing from Warsofsky and the competitiveness of camp.

A lot depends on Celebrini and Smith, though. If they're very bad this year, then we're going to be near-to-historically bad again.

 

[StanleyCup2035]

Why?

Celebrini is a better all-around player, but I'm no expert. If you think Hagens is Celebrini level, that's even more exciting...

 

[Juxtaposer]

Celebrini is a better all-around player, but I'm no expert. If you think Hagens is Celebrini level, that's even more exciting...

Why do you think Celebrini is a better all-around player?

Just asking you to explain your statement.

 

[LilLeeroy]

Celebrini is a better all-around player, but I'm no expert. If you think Hagens is Celebrini level, that's even more exciting...

Hagens has outscored Celebrini at every level, while being an undeniably better skater and no slouch on defense.

Why do you think Celebrini is a better all-around player?

Just asking you to explain your statement.

Some scouts said it obviously

 

[StanleyCup2035]

Why do you think Celebrini is a better all-around player?

Just asking you to explain your statement.

I love Celebrini's effort in all 3 zones, his defensive awareness, his anticipation, his compete, and his size (6'0 vs 5'10). From what I've seen, Hagens may be more exceptional offensively, but didn't see the same 3 zone effort from him as Celebrini.

Did you see Hagens differently. You have watched much more of both players, I'm sure, so your opinion counts much more.

 

[LilLeeroy]

I love Celebrini's effort in all 3 zones, his defensive awareness, his anticipation, his compete, and his size (6'0 vs 5'10). From what I've seen, Hagens may be more exceptional offensively, but didn't see the same 3 zone effort from him as Celebrini.

Did you see Hagens differently. You have watched much more of both players, I'm sure, so your opinion counts much more.

Celebrini being 5'11.5 vs Hagens being 5'11 probably won't be that big of a deal

 

[StanleyCup2035]

Celebrini being 5'11.5 vs Hagens being 5'11 probably won't be that big of a deal

I thought Celebrini grew to full 6'0 (he was 5'11 3/4) and Hagens is 5'10? Honestly, would love to draft him or Porter Martone. Would make our offense the best in the league in 2030s.

 

[StanleyCup2035]

Hagens has outscored Celebrini at every level, while being an undeniably better skater and no slouch on defense.


Some scouts said it obviously

Do you believe Hagens is a better player than Celebrini? If so, 2025 draft would have a better #1, and then #2 and #3 that are MILES above anyone drafted after Celebrini in 2024 draft. In fact, by season's end you might be able to make an argument that McQueen (who started with 6 goals in 4 games) and a few others are better than anyone in 2024 (not named Macklin)

 

[Juxtaposer]

I love Celebrini's effort in all 3 zones, his defensive awareness, his anticipation, his compete, and his size (6'0 vs 5'10). From what I've seen, Hagens may be more exceptional offensively, but didn't see the same 3 zone effort from him as Celebrini.

Did you see Hagens differently. You have watched much more of both players, I'm sure, so your opinion counts much more.

I also prefer Celebrini to Hagens as a franchise level piece, I was just curious why you felt that way. Hagens is certainly no slouch defensively.