2025 NHL Draft: Lose a ton for Porter Martone

[coooldude]

If you guys aren't following the discourse on the Hagens or Martone prospect threads, you're missing some great entertainment.

tl;dr
- Hagens is playing well but not historically so (lower PPG in a small sample size than Celebrini)
- Martone has been racking up points but also has shown some inconsistency and has had a few bad games recently
- both threads are turning into debates about OHL vs NCAA and Canadian/American bias
- only player not catching strays so far is Schaefer

 

[matt trick]

If you guys aren't following the discourse on the Hagens or Martone prospect threads, you're missing some great entertainment.

tl;dr
- Hagens is playing well but not historically so (lower PPG in a small sample size than Celebrini)
- Martone has been racking up points but also has shown some inconsistency and has had a few bad games recently
- both threads are turning into debates about OHL vs NCAA and Canadian/American bias
- only player not catching strays so far is Schaefer

We can fix that!

I need half of you to start posting that that Schaefer is the best defensemen we've seen of the 2020s, attributing his dominance in the OHL as something we haven't seen this decade- especially any equivalent collegiate defenseman performance. For the other half, claim Schaefer is nowhere near the level of Sanderson, who benefited by playing against men while at North Dakota, proof of the OHL's decline (not sure where that guys is getting that but lots of loud noises.

Also, feel free to take both sides of the argument simultaneously, it really doesn't matter....

Also, Celebrini's complete dominance as a player- and fact he had no weaknesses in a weaker year- certainly led to him not getting enough love for how phenomenal of a prospect he is.

 

[Harbessix]

Misa is looking really good, can’t wait to see Chernyshov with Saginaw.

 

[hohosaregood]

If you guys aren't following the discourse on the Hagens or Martone prospect threads, you're missing some great entertainment.

tl;dr
- Hagens is playing well but not historically so (lower PPG in a small sample size than Celebrini)
- Martone has been racking up points but also has shown some inconsistency and has had a few bad games recently
- both threads are turning into debates about OHL vs NCAA and Canadian/American bias
- only player not catching strays so far is Schaefer

Steve is crazy riled up lmao.

 

[CanadienShark]

I think calling Bouchard and Dobson franchise #1D is aggressive

Hamilton made me laugh. He's neither under 30, nor a franchise d-man.

 

[matt trick]

Hamilton made me laugh. He's neither under 30, nor a franchise d-man.

He looks awful tonight, that said I'm counting Hamilton+Hughes as a checkmark, not both as two franchise d-men. Hamilton gives Hughes the two years he needs to become said franchise d-man.

 

[CanadienShark]

He looks awful tonight, that said I'm counting Hamilton+Hughes as a checkmark, not both as two franchise d-men. Hamilton gives Hughes the two years he needs to become said franchise d-man.

I'm confused though. Hamilton never has been, never will be one. Hughes has a long ways to go to become one.

 

[timorous me]

I'm confused though. Hamilton never has been, never will be one. Hughes has a long ways to go to become one.

There are a lot of guys on that list that I'd like the Sharks to have, that I'd like to see Dickinson become as good as, but for various reasons I wouldn't anoint as #1 defensemen yet (or ever). Like, would anyone turn down a prime Jaccob Slavin? Hell no. But that's not a guy that has enough offensive impact for me to call him a true #1 (like I wouldn't have called Vlasic that in his prime), while someone like Hamilton hasn't been healthy enough over the years--and his ability as a defensive stalwart is maybe a bit lacking, though I do generally like him a lot.

But the good thing is that with a list like that, it makes me feel more hopeful that Dickinson can eventually reach that level for the Sharks. Honestly, I'd ignored him throughout the lead-up to the draft because I figured he'd go like 4-8 and there was no way the Sharks would get him, and it was only the day/day before the draft that, in my first ever Covid isolation/stupor I started really digging in and started falling for Dickinson because he checked so many boxes as an all-around defenseman, the kind who can be a legitimate part of a top pairing (the way he was compared to Peter Angelo, just as a left shot, was highly alluring to me).

Am I saying he will reach these heights for the Sharks? No--but I love his profile and nothing I've seen since the Sharks got him has dissuaded me from that. He's got all the tools and if he can put it together mentally, I think the Sharks are going to have a steal on their hands. (And as much as I was pumped for Buium, the more I learned about Dickinson made me psyched when the Sharks called his name.)

 

[CanadienShark]

There are a lot of guys on that list that I'd like the Sharks to have, that I'd like to see Dickinson become as good as, but for various reasons I wouldn't anoint as #1 defensemen yet (or ever). Like, would anyone turn down a prime Jaccob Slavin? Hell no. But that's not a guy that has enough offensive impact for me to call him a true #1 (like I wouldn't have called Vlasic that in his prime), while someone like Hamilton hasn't been healthy enough over the years--and his ability as a defensive stalwart is maybe a bit lacking, though I do generally like him a lot.

But the good thing is that with a list like that, it makes me feel more hopeful that Dickinson can eventually reach that level for the Sharks. Honestly, I'd ignored him throughout the lead-up to the draft because I figured he'd go like 4-8 and there was no way the Sharks would get him, and it was only the day/day before the draft that, in my first ever Covid isolation/stupor I started really digging in and started falling for Dickinson because he checked so many boxes as an all-around defenseman, the kind who can be a legitimate part of a top pairing (the way he was compared to Peter Angelo, just as a left shot, was highly alluring to me).

Am I saying he will reach these heights for the Sharks? No--but I love his profile and nothing I've seen since the Sharks got him has dissuaded me from that. He's got all the tools and if he can put it together mentally, I think the Sharks are going to have a steal on their hands. (And as much as I was pumped for Buium, the more I learned about Dickinson made me psyched when the Sharks called his name.)

Dickinson can definitely match half those players. Will he? Maybe.

 

[Juxtaposer]

If you guys aren't following the discourse on the Hagens or Martone prospect threads, you're missing some great entertainment.

tl;dr
- Hagens is playing well but not historically so (lower PPG in a small sample size than Celebrini)
- Martone has been racking up points but also has shown some inconsistency and has had a few bad games recently
- both threads are turning into debates about OHL vs NCAA and Canadian/American bias
- only player not catching strays so far is Schaefer

Steve is obnoxious but I do get the concerns on Martone to some extent. When it comes to who is going to consistently look good every night, a guy like Misa who is high pace, plays with incredible quickness, and is very well-rounded is going to come out on top.

Often when I watch Brady Tkachuk, I start thinking that he's just not that good for a game at a time. Then he reminds me that he's pretty, pretty good.

With that said, I am on team Schaefer.

 

[coooldude]

Steve is obnoxious but I do get the concerns on Martone to some extent. When it comes to who is going to consistently look good every night, a guy like Misa who is high pace, plays with incredible quickness, and is very well-rounded is going to come out on top.

Often when I watch Brady Tkachuk, I start thinking that he's just not that good for a game at a time. Then he reminds me that he's pretty, pretty good.

With that said, I am on team Schaefer.

I'm willing to move as the year goes, but I am also on team Schaefer.

Hagens/Schaefer
Martone or Martone/Misa
Misa
Big mess with McQueen/J. Smith/others
Feeling like Frondell and Ryabkin are currently fallers for me but lots of time for them to turn it around

 

[hohosaregood]

It seems like the top 3 is gonna be more about need than BPA. They're all really good and Hagens might be the best prospect but the top 3-4 seem neck and neck right now

 

[Hodge]

It seems like the top 3 is gonna be more about need than BPA. They're all really good and Hagens might be the best prospect but the top 3-4 seem neck and neck right now

In which case we should take the defenseman who’s almost a year younger than Hagens or the right shot power forward who’s 5 inches taller. We don’t need more soft skill.

 

[vortexy]

Team Schaefer! But just give us a top 4 pick and I will be extremely happy with any of the “big 4”

 

[Pinkfloyd]

In which case we should take the defenseman who’s almost a year younger than Hagens or the right shot power forward who’s 5 inches taller. We don’t need more soft skill.

Yes we do still need more soft skill until players actualize into a productive player. When that occurs, we can generate depth and leverage in a trade to address a need we’re probably not getting any other way.

 

[gaucholoco3]

Yes we do still need more soft skill until players actualize into a productive player. When that occurs, we can generate depth and leverage in a trade to address a need we’re probably not getting any other way.

Big skilled F1 players are much harder to acquire than people realize. Most teams end up plugging a low skill big F1 into a top 6 line but it is not optimal. If you can find a big F1 who also has the skill to connect plays with the Smith and Celebrini’s then that is worth more than a third undersized skilled C.

Drafting Hagens is redundant. If Smith or Celebrini don’t hit then it will set the rebuild back anyways. If I’m getting a C in this class I want Misa or McQueen.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Big skilled F1 players are much harder to acquire than people realize. Most teams end up plugging a low skill big F1 into a top 6 line but it is not optimal. If you can find a big F1 who also has the skill to connect plays with the Smith and Celebrini’s then that is worth more than a third undersized skilled C.

Drafting Hagens is redundant. If Smith or Celebrini don’t hit then it will set the rebuild back anyways. If I’m getting a C in this class I want Misa or McQueen.

Worst case with Hagens in this context is that he becomes a massive trade chip to try and get a real top end defenseman to put with Celebrini. Center depth is never redundant.

 

[SJSharksfan39]

There is a part of me that hopes the Sharks don't get the #1 pick and have to pick the best player so they can still get a high pick and go after Defense, which should be a priority.

 

[Great Makohead Shork]

Steve is crazy riled up lmao.

I listened to a podcast with Steve a few years back, before Grier took over, just to see what he had to say about our Sharks. In his thick Brooklyn accent, he said something along the lines of, "their NHL team has no talent and somehow their AHL club is even worse. If I was a Shahrks fan walkin' down the street and somebody asked about my team I'd turn around and walk the otha way."

 

[spintops]

Martone jumps to #1 on Pronman's new rankings

 

[coooldude]

Martone jumps to #1 on Pronman's new rankings

Tier 1 - bubble elite and all star
1. Martone
2. Hagens
(Says both could keep swapping)

Tier 2 - all Star
3. Schaefer (could go 1/2 especially because of the gap between him and the next D)

Tier 3 - bubble all star and top of lineup
4. Misa
5. McQueen

Tier 4 - top of lineup
6. Frondell
7. Desnoyers

Everyone else

Ryabkin dropped all the way to 24. Other notables in the 20s because they could slip into r2 include fiddler, limatov, boumedienne, and Schmidt.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Getting any of those top-4 would just be awesome. Schaefer sets us up the most in a roster-constructing way, but if you can partner Celebrini with Martone, or have a 2nd line of Hagens/Smith or whatever...that's insane.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Tier 1 - bubble elite and all star
1. Martone
2. Hagens
(Says both could keep swapping)

Tier 2 - all Star
3. Schaefer (could go 1/2 especially because of the gap between him and the next D)

Tier 3 - bubble all star and top of lineup
4. Misa
5. McQueen

Tier 4 - top of lineup
6. Frondell
7. Desnoyers

Everyone else

Ryabkin dropped all the way to 24. Other notables in the 20s because they could slip into r2 include fiddler, limatov, boumedienne, and Schmidt.

The more I read about this draft class, the more I'm really, really okay with having moved the Vegas pick. Outside of the top-4, I'm vaguely intrigued by McQueen, J. Smith, Eklund, Frondell, and Spence, but beyond that there really isn't much going on. The RHD (Hensler, Mrtka, Fiddler) seem like bottom-pairing types, and the wingers are either grinders or tiny.