HF Habs: 2025 NHL Draft: Part II

[WeThreeKings]

Martin won't be. Cootes.......might actually be between him and Spence or....TAKE BOTH!!!!

But somehow, if we keep both....does feel like it wil be 1 forward, 1 D.....

Cootes and Fiddler would make me very very happy.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Dream of a draft would be

#16 : Brady Martin
#17 : Ivan Ryabkin
#41 : Vaclav Nestrasil
#49 : Charlie Trethewey

Martin isn't making it to 16.
17 is too early for Ryabkin.
Nestrasil will go round 1.

You might get Tretheway, though.

 

[McGees]

Not a fan of Spence.
Very early birthday so if he was born a week earlier, he would have been a 2024 draft pick.
Production is kinda underwhelming. But most importantly, I do not see the progression year over year. It's too minimal for me.

I'd rather Brady Martin.

But my preferred scenario would be to use the 1st rounders to move up and try to get Desnoyers (especially if he is not picked by #8 or 9).

Everyone here would like take Martin / Desnoyers but they won't be around.
Spence nearly doubled his goal totals from last year
I'm also keen on Cootes, Lakovic and Bear.

 

[Playmaker09]

We'd all prefer Martin but so do many times drafting as of 7

I also share your concern with Spence, he might be a physical player but he seems way way more likely to peak as a third liner which is not something I'd target with my first round picks unless it's for a center in the 20s

A lot of the interest in Spence is how his game might be something you want come playoff time way more than during the NHL season, I wouldn't be opposed to the pick but wouldn't love it, if we grab a Reschny or Cootes and then get a Spence, I'd get the idea behind it

Also, as I mentioned in a previous post, he wasn't given the keys to the castle in Erie like others were. He was on the 2nd line and bumper on the PP.

Larkin, Thomas and Boldy are all examples of guys who were underrated due to playing in a secondary role, yet went on to much more when they were given more opportunity.

Just looking at EV point totals he had 53 points to O'Briens' 48, and yet the latter is seen as a top 10 pick. (+ 6 points shorthanded)

 

[Walksss]

Dream of a draft would be

#16 : Brady Martin
#17 : Ivan Ryabkin
#41 : Vaclav Nestrasil
#49 : Charlie Trethewey

Ryabkin at 17 is a nightmare, which is a kind of a dream so that's fair.

 

[Schooner Goon]

We should just try to do whatever we can to get into the late 1st to draft Ryabkin.

Yeah, there's red flags.. but he's got a lot of nasty to his game, he's got top 6 skills. Maybe getting him in the same system as Demidov might change that work ethic.

Can't see this Habs hockey ops team drafting him as he doesn't seem to fit the culture they constantly mention. Also they likely want to surround Demidov with more positive influences.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Can't see this Habs hockey ops team drafting him as he doesn't seem to fit the culture they constantly mention. Also they likely want to surround Demidov with more positive influences.

They also mentioned building a culture where the overwhelming positive influence can help guys like that get on track. If the opportunity cost is right, like moving one of our thirds with the Pittsburgh 2nd to get into the late 1st.. then it's totally a worthwhile swing.

His issue is really around taking his conditioning seriously. He's a pretty nasty piece of business on the ice with a surplus of skill. These guys are currently all over the Florida Panthers roster.

 

[montreal]

Dream of a draft would be

#16 : Brady Martin
#17 : Ivan Ryabkin
#41 : Vaclav Nestrasil
#49 : Charlie Trethewey

I like Martin but the U-18's seem to have inflated his stock, the skating is a bit of a concern but he works hard and hits. I am interested in Ryabkin depending on his interviews and what is really being said about him amongst scouts. Nestrasil I have seen a little of as well, he's somewhat interesting, he's got the frame but not sure how skilled he is. Have no interest in Trethewey, in the little I've seen him from he did next to nothing.

 

[Doublechin]

Also, as I mentioned in a previous post, he wasn't given the keys to the castle in Erie like others were. He was on the 2nd line and bumper on the PP.

Larkin, Thomas and Boldy are all examples of guys who were underrated due to playing in a secondary role, yet went on to much more when they were given more opportunity.

Just looking at EV point totals he had 53 points to O'Briens' 48, and yet the latter is seen as a top 10 pick. (+ 6 points shorthanded)

Nice post

Gives me more will into grabbing Spence, I didn't track him at all this year up close

 

[Draft]

Cootes and Fiddler would make me very very happy.

I’m surprised you’re high on Cootes, doesn’t seem like the kind of prospect you’re usually in for.

He’s one of the few I’ve seen more than just highlights of this year and I came away feeling pretty mixed - underwhelmed by his offensive upside but appreciated what he can bring to a game. Limited offensive tools, decent puck skills, and average skating were my reads in the couple times I saw him live. The skating looks to have improved through the year but I don’t know if I like how heavy his feet are at times. U18s obviously looked great and I think his compete and ability to read the play are both high-end, but I’m not sold on his potential as a top-6 center without some serious development time. My worry is that the “intangibles” are carrying him more than the details or skill in his game. Looks to have grown a fair bit through the year and with more size/mass the grit and compete I’m sure will translate.

Maybe we have the team in place to help develop his offensive game? He'll likely be getting more opportunities with TC moving forward.

 

[Shutdown]

Cootes and Fiddler would make me very very happy.

love Cootes. don't love Fiddler. he closes the gap fine and his d-zone play and reads look ok positionally but his offensive zone play seems concerning for a potential 1st rounder. his passing game lacks urgency and i don't think his puckhandling does well under pressure.

 

[le_sean]

Not a fan of Spence.
Very early birthday so if he was born a week earlier, he would have been a 2024 draft pick.
Production is kinda underwhelming. But most importantly, I do not see the progression year over year. It's too minimal for me.

I'd rather Brady Martin.

But my preferred scenario would be to use the 1st rounders to move up and try to get Desnoyers (especially if he is not picked by #8 or 9).

Yeah and I’d rather Caleb Desnoyers. Neither him nor Martin will be there at 16

And how do you not see progression when his goal total nearly doubled and his playoff production was great? He learned to use his size and take it to the net more often.

 

[le_sean]

I’m surprised you’re high on Cootes, doesn’t seem like the kind of prospect you’re usually in for.

He’s one of the few I’ve seen more than just highlights of this year and I came away feeling pretty mixed - underwhelmed by his offensive upside but appreciated what he can bring to a game. Limited offensive tools, decent puck skills, and average skating were my reads in the couple times I saw him live. The skating looks to have improved through the year but I don’t know if I like how heavy his feet are at times. U18s obviously looked great and I think his compete and ability to read the play are both high-end, but I’m not sold on his potential as a top-6 center without some serious development time. My worry is that the “intangibles” are carrying him more than the details or skill in his game. Looks to have grown a fair bit through the year and with more size/mass the grit and compete I’m sure will translate.

Maybe we have the team in place to help develop his offensive game? He'll likely be getting more opportunities with TC moving forward.

Yeah I don’t get it with Cootes. Footspeed for a guy that size concerns me a bit. He's not slow but it’s not a standout trait. To me he’s just Owen Beck. A fine player to have but nothing that would excite me.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

As I have said prior if I am picking a player this would by order (not considering the consensus top 11 so no Schaeffer, Hagens, Desnoyers, Misa, Mrtka, Martin, O'brien, Frondell, Martone, Eklund, McQueen)
1. Carter Bear (He is so talented, fearless, smart you cannot miss with him, will win you a cup, Maybe a bit like Marchand at his prime)
2. Logan Hensler (very solid, untapped potential, physical, fill a huge need, McDonagh but right handed)
3. Jackson Smith (Electric, Talented, Very active, Great upside, similar to Travis Sanheim)
4. Braeden Cootes (Smart, Hard worker, top 6 potential, more of a playmaker, poor man Robert Thomas)
5. Cole Reschny (Smart, Hard worker, top 6 potential, two way, Plekanec type)
6. Justin Carbonneau (Love the tools but unsure about the toolbox, huge upside, Owen Tippett type)
7. Lynden Lakovic (Love the tools but a bit on the soft side but still a huge upside, Slafkovsky lite)

In that exact order. That being said, If I select Cootes, I would not select Reschny. Carter Bear would be my ultimate target and I would offer a 2nd round pick to move up 3 or 4 position to get him.

 

[Nicko999]

Yeah and I’d rather Caleb Desnoyers. Neither him nor Martin will be there at 16

And how do you not see progression when his goal total nearly doubled and his playoff production was great? He learned to use his size and take it to the net more often.

Goals increased but assists stagnated. Some improvement yes but not as much as I would like. In 3 years, he has improved 30 pts only. Which leads me to believe he might not have much growth ahead and once he hits the pros and does not have the size advantage, it will be hard for him to be an impactful player.

His playoffs production was on par with his regular season one.

 

[Quatre Vingt Treize]

As I have said prior if I am picking a player this would by order (not considering the consensus top 11 so no Schaeffer, Hagens, Desnoyers, Misa, Mrtka, Martin, O'brien, Frondell, Martone, Eklund, McQueen)
1. Carter Bear (He is so talented, fearless, smart you cannot miss with him, will win you a cup, Maybe a bit like Marchand at his prime)
2. Logan Hensler (very solid, untapped potential, physical, fill a huge need, McDonagh but right handed)
3. Jackson Smith (Electric, Talented, Very active, Great upside, similar to Travis Sanheim)
4. Braeden Cootes (Smart, Hard worker, top 6 potential, more of a playmaker, poor man Robert Thomas)
5. Cole Reschny (Smart, Hard worker, top 6 potential, two way, Plekanec type)
6. Justin Carbonneau (Love the tools but unsure about the toolbox, huge upside, Owen Tippett type)
7. Lynden Lakovic (Love the tools but a bit on the soft side but still a huge upside, Slafkovsky lite)

In that exact order. That being said, If I select Cootes, I would not select Reschny. Carter Bear would be my ultimate target and I would offer a 2nd round pick to move up 3 or 4 position to get him.

Are you concerned with Bear's injury?

 

[WeThreeKings]

I’m surprised you’re high on Cootes, doesn’t seem like the kind of prospect you’re usually in for.

He’s one of the few I’ve seen more than just highlights of this year and I came away feeling pretty mixed - underwhelmed by his offensive upside but appreciated what he can bring to a game. Limited offensive tools, decent puck skills, and average skating were my reads in the couple times I saw him live. The skating looks to have improved through the year but I don’t know if I like how heavy his feet are at times. U18s obviously looked great and I think his compete and ability to read the play are both high-end, but I’m not sold on his potential as a top-6 center without some serious development time. My worry is that the “intangibles” are carrying him more than the details or skill in his game. Looks to have grown a fair bit through the year and with more size/mass the grit and compete I’m sure will translate.

Maybe we have the team in place to help develop his offensive game? He'll likely be getting more opportunities with TC moving forward.

I actually think there's more offensive upside than he's getting credit for. He didn't play on a very strong team this year. But there's some moments of some great deception and great passes. His shot has some zip to it and he's victimized goalies throughout the year with some high level shooting.

I don't see him as a center at the next level, which is fine because he's shooting right anyways. But he's got compete, he gets in the dirty areas, and he makes plays in tight spaces. All of those things really lend itself to adding the dimensions we are missing in our forward group.

love Cootes. don't love Fiddler. he closes the gap fine and his d-zone play and reads look ok positionally but his offensive zone play seems concerning for a potential 1st rounder. his passing game lacks urgency and i don't think his puckhandling does well under pressure.

The flashes of the offensive upside are intriguing and even if he just becomes a Brandon Carlo type, that's still a great player to have on the right side in the system.

Yeah I don’t get it with Cootes. Footspeed for a guy that size concerns me a bit. He's not slow but it’s not a standout trait. To me he’s just Owen Beck. A fine player to have but nothing that would excite me.

I think the offensive tools on a whole are a level above Beck's. Obviously he doesn't have the skating or the defensive prowess of Beck.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Are you concerned with Bear's injury?

Not at all but I would assume he will be properly assed by all the proper medical specialist about the potential risk of his injury.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Another player I would easily trade up to snag him if he is there around 11 overall and it's Viktor Eklund. I just love his mix of compete and talent.

 

[Seb]

I don't see him as a center at the next level, which is fine because he's shooting right anyways. But he's got compete, he gets in the dirty areas, and he makes plays in tight spaces. All of those things really lend itself to adding the dimensions we are missing in our forward group.

This is really important because Gallagher is pretty much the only one right now doing it. We need more players like this!

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Not at all but I would assume he will be properly assed by all the proper medical specialist about the potential risk of his injury.

It's similar to the injury that pretty much derailed Kyle Chipchura's career, but he was a very different type of player. Medical science might be better at rehabbing an achilles injury now than 15 years ago, who knows.

 

[bopeep]

Not at all but I would assume he will be properly assed by all the proper medical specialist about the potential risk of his injury.

Please clarify

 

[Whitesnake]

Not going to be an earth shattering take...but Bear and McQueen falls or not will dictate the draft this year. Clearly, every single doctor or every team will assess their injuries. I have no problem with us taking them as I have confidence that if we do so, it's because we will have the okay to do so.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Please clarify

Assesed, obviously

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

What's the opinion on Simon Wang?