HF Habs: 2025 NHL Draft: Part II

[bleuetbio]

Bryce Pickford - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Bryce Pickford, 2006-04-02 Edmonton, AB, CAN Canada. Most recently in the WHL with Medicine Hat Tigers. Complete player biography and stats.

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This dude put up most numbers, mainly goals for a d man and specifically in the post season.

Second year eligible, so at soonest a 3rd, but could be later.

I'd take a chance on him and if he improves, might be a decent trade chip in the future or worst case he's another depth piece on RD

He did a hell of a case in WHL playoffs.

-1st (+23) for + and - a way over everybody else
-4th (13) for goals , finish also 3rd for goal winning goal
-10th (24) for pts

Its gonna tough to wish a RD like him available in 3rd rd

 

[Nevins]

2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profiles: Shane Vansaghi and Ben Kevan

Shane Vansaghi Prospect Profile | 2025 NHL Draft

 

[Garbageyuk]

I do not remember what was said about Chychrun at the draft, but didn't he also start pretty high beginning of the year and got drafted mid-1st kinda like Hensler? In hindsight, he still should've went top 10.

Could that be a comparable? Cause if so, we should 100% be drafting Hensler.

Right now my top 3 picks are:
1. Carter Bear
2. Kashawn Aitcheson
3. Logan Hensler

I'm actually sad that Bear started skating recently, which means there's less chances he falls all the way down to 16. EP brass also said he'll finish in their top 10 rankings.

Regarding Chychrun, I couldn’t tell you. I didn’t follow him or that draft very closely.

Aitcheson, I wouldn’t be on board with. He’s got some great qualities, and he’s a super exciting player to watch, but I just don’t see how he fits in anytime soon. We have Hutson, Guhle, Struble, and Xhekaj at LD, and that’s not even mentioning Matheson. We’d have to trade multiple guys for Aitcheson to ever have a shot. It just doesn’t make sense. If we were talking about a guy like Schaefer, sure you take him anyway, but Aitcheson isn’t that type of prospect.

And yes, if the Habs are interested in guys like Bear and Mrtka, they’ll almost certainly have to trade up to the 8-12 range to get them, likely Hensler and Lakovic as well. One of them probably slides a bit, it happens every year, but you can’t count on that.

 

[Doublechin]

Regarding Chychrun, I couldn’t tell you. I didn’t follow him or that draft very closely.

Aitcheson, I wouldn’t be on board with. He’s got some great qualities, and he’s a super exciting player to watch, but I just don’t see how he fits in anytime soon. We have Hutson, Guhle, Struble, and Xhekaj at LD, and that’s not even mentioning Matheson. We’d have to trade multiple guys for Aitcheson to ever have a shot. It just doesn’t make sense. If we were talking about a guy like Schaefer, sure you take him anyway, but Aitcheson isn’t that type of prospect.

And yes, if the Habs are interested in guys like Bear and Mrtka, they’ll almost certainly have to trade up to the 8-12 range to get them, likely Hensler and Lakovic as well. One of them probably slides a bit, it happens every year, but you can’t count on that.

IF they keep both, I'd try and try and trade down with one of them plus a 2nd and 3rd

We've got tons of prospects and picks not to do so

If management thinks this year is weak depth wise, might as well move up with both. We have the picks to easily land two picks around 10

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

He did a hell of a case in WHL playoffs.

-1st (+23) for + and - a way over everybody else
-4th (13) for goals , finish also 3rd for goal winning goal
-10th (24) for pts

Its gonna tough to wish a RD like him available in 3rd rd

I think teams will look at him and see him as being in his draft year +1 and might attirubre some of that to McKenna he might go later. Can't see him being earlier than a late 2nd.

 

[WinterLion]

Organizational need is indeed mostly pointless now. These picks will most likely be made, but the chance that these players play for our team is minimal. They will be used as assets in trades to bulk up the Suzuki core (Suzuki, Caufield, Demidov, Slaf, Guhle, Hutson, Reinbacher (probably), Newhook (possibly), Mailloux (possibly) and Hage (possibly)). I think Hage is the last draftee that will be part of this core. The rest of the team when we will go for it will come from trades/UFAs.

That's why drafting a LD like Aitcheson, or a left-handed winger like Bear, may be the most logical thing to do, as they may be BPA on draft day, even though their positions are organizational strengths for us at the moment and for the future.

I don't think we are quite there yet... I think there is a better chance that some of the players you mentioned will be dealt eventually.

and even if we were, young players on entry level deals are a great way to boost your team and extend your "window"

 

[Goldenhands]

Marco D'Amico confirming what Ive been saying for a while, thats a weak draft and GMs picking outside of the top 7 are looking to either trade up or trade their pick for unprotected 2026 ones, some might be willing to trade down too.

Unfortunately for us,16 and 17 OV have very little value and Im not expecting the Habs to draft with those picks, they either trade up or trade them away for a young roster player.

 

[Nevins]

2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profiles: Will Moore and Logan Hensler​

2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profiles: Will Moore and Logan Hensler

 

[CHarlie]

Just an interesting stat.....We have 21 picks in the next two drafts including 3 1st....The Leafs have 9 total and 0 1st for the next 2 yrs......LMFAO.

 

[tooji]

Would not mind throwing 2 darts on center after some thought

We have a good young core of D men

Hage and our two first pick this year should boost the middle if they choose to select

the other thing is that D take generally longer to develop. And it’s hard to make a deep run without at least some veteran presence on the back end. I would be OK with taking two forwards.

 

[Kaiden Ghoul]

the other thing is that D take generally longer to develop. And it’s hard to make a deep run without at least some veteran presence on the back end. I would be OK with taking two forwards.

Agreed, but at the same time if they select a D it could be a bullet when it will be time to pull the trigger with a trade

 

[Garbageyuk]

Marco D'Amico confirming what Ive been saying for a while, thats a weak draft and GMs picking outside of the top 7 are looking to either trade up or trade their pick for unprotected 2026 ones, some might be willing to trade down too.

Unfortunately for us,16 and 17 OV have very little value and Im not expecting the Habs to draft with those picks, they either trade up or trade them away for a young roster player.

Trade up into the 8-12 range, imo. Try to upgrade both 16 & 17 to picks in that range, but upgrading one would suffice. Put all the redundant pieces with any value on the table to try to get it done:

•40th overall
•Beck
•Dobes
•Primeau
•Xhekaj
•1st in ‘26

I don’t think the Habs will need any high picks after this year. It’s time to build on what we have through trades and free agency after this.

If they trade up, they should be targeting O’Brien and Martin first and foremost. If those guys are gone, Bear, Mrtka, Hensler, Lakovic should be the targets.

If they cannot trade up, take anyone from the above group who may have slid, or if everyone above is gone, then it’s Reschny, Kindel, and Ryabkin for me - all centers with higher upside.

I have zero interest in safe, limited upside guys like Cootes, Nesbitt, Fiddler, Spence, Reid.

I don’t like Carbonneau, Schmidt, or Potter either for different reasons. And I’ve got no interest in any other LD we could realistically take where we are drafting (Aitcheson) - there’s just no place for them anytime soon.

For the 40th overall, if we keep it, give me Ryker Lee, William Moore, or Bill Zonnon, whichever one of them is still there.

And that’s my final take on this draft from the Habs’ perspective, should be interesting to see how it goes.

 

[rien]

Marco D'Amico confirming what Ive been saying for a while, thats a weak draft and GMs picking outside of the top 7 are looking to either trade up or trade their pick for unprotected 2026 ones, some might be willing to trade down too.

Unfortunately for us,16 and 17 OV have very little value and Im not expecting the Habs to draft with those picks, they either trade up or trade them away for a young roster player.

Every year it’s the same story in the media : next year’s draft will be better and teams are looking to trade out.

Also every year : basically no picks are traded and good players come out of the draft. Plenty of good prospects will be available at 16th and 17th. There’s even going to be good players available at the pens 2nd rounder.

 

[montreal]

Every year it’s the same story in the media : next year’s draft will be better and teams are looking to trade out.

Also every year : basically no picks are traded and good players come out of the draft. Plenty of good prospects will be available at 16th and 17th. There’s even going to be good players available at the pens 2nd rounder.

that's why people should just watch things with their own eyes and form their own opinions. Of course every year you will have all sorts of reasons why 10 years later some prospect picked in the 5th round ends up better then guys picked in the 1st round. Injuries, late bloomer, bad situation, poor development/coaching, under scouted, over scouted, etc...

 

[WeThreeKings]

I agree this draft sucks. Really only care about the top 4. Desnoyers would be a good pick in a 8-12 range of a normal draft by probably goes at 5

Really reminds me a lot of the Slaf draft. Let's find our next Hutson.

 

[TT1]

Zonnon skating is hilarious ND for me.

sadly he's going top 10 most likely, he has a lot of development room and he's a gamer

if he's available at 16 he'll be the steal of the draft, i'd move up in the teens to get him

 

[overlords]

Just an interesting stat.....We have 21 picks in the next two drafts including 3 1st....The Leafs have 9 total and 0 1st for the next 2 yrs......LMFAO.

At least they'll always have the memories

 

[Hope Of Glory]

I agree this draft sucks. Really only care about the top 4. Desnoyers would be a good pick in a 8-12 range of a normal draft by probably goes at 5

Really reminds me a lot of the Slaf draft. Let's find our next Hutson.

So an immensely talented, hard working guy with a massive flaw?

What names come to mind?

Ryabkin is one but he's got negative work ethic so I'm not sure it fits all that well.

 

[WeThreeKings]

So an immensely talented, hard working guy with a massive flaw?

What names come to mind?

Ryabkin is one but he's got negative work ethic so I'm not sure it fits all that well.

I think this draft has a lot of guys with size and bite with some flashes of skill. Like Nestrasil. I'd be inclined to swing on a lot of those guys.

 

[WinterLion]

So an immensely talented, hard working guy with a massive flaw?

What names come to mind?

Ryabkin is one but he's got negative work ethic so I'm not sure it fits all that well.

Carbo.... but sheeeiiiit

 

[WinterLion]

I think this draft has a lot of guys with size and bite with some flashes of skill. Like Nestrasil. I'd be inclined to swing on a lot of those guys.

Wang & West!! 16 & 17!!

 

[Hope Of Glory]

I think this draft has a lot of guys with size and bite with some flashes of skill. Like Nestrasil. I'd be inclined to swing on a lot of those guys.

Haven't watch much of his, how's his skating?

.67 PPG in the USHL isn't a lot but he had good playoffs. Its still much better than Svoboda's sub .5 PPG USHL season that got him drafted 71st but he's a pretty good skater at least.

 

[Hope Of Glory]

Carbo.... but sheeeiiiit

At 16 I wouldn't be mad if we tried our luck with him. Just needs to figure out if the garbage in his play is IQ, effort or trying to do too much.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Haven't watch much of his, how's his skating?

.67 PPG in the USHL isn't a lot but he had good playoffs. Its still much better than Svoboda's sub .5 PPG USHL season that got him drafted 71st but he's a pretty good skater at least.

It's not bad but he's raw physically. He wants to agitate and be mean though, so possible of a Protas level player with some bite.

 

[Seb]

I can't wait to watch the behind the scenes video this year, it will surely be interesting with all the possibilities.