HF Habs: 2025 NHL Draft: Part II

[WinterLion]

Pacioretty was always a much heavier player than Lakovic was. Funny thing is Pacioretty was drafted as a playmaker and added the sniper element later in his development.

Pacioretty was a very good player, got under appreciated here because he had to carry the offense by himself and eventually just got content shooting a lot and from the perimeter.

If Lakovic had that defensive ability that Patches had, you could live with some of the more perimeter stuff, but he doesn't.. so it's very polarizing.

Yeah he was such a great playmaker... it's funny how that works sometimes...

I agree that learning and engaging on the D side is what will make or break Lakovic...

 

[Andrei79]

Martin I see as a lesser-skilled but more physical/better agitator Ryan Leonard, and that to me is a borderline top-10 pick.

But I have other prospects ranked higher that have a lot more potential than Martin, whom I'd say is one of the "safest" prospects in this draft but far from having the highest ceiling.

I sincerely think Martin is currently being a bit overrated by scouting outlets.

I don't think that's how scouts are going to judge Martins ceiling though. I think they'll see someone who's 33 goals and 72 points come from more translatable plays than his peers. He also has the type of game that he'll be able to carve out a role anywhere in the lineup, but he has top 6 potential on top of the skills, physical tools, IQ and a work ethic. He has less to do to reach that level and the more you have to add to a players game, the less likely it will happen, hence why I feel the higher ceiling tag is often a misnomer.

 

[WinterLion]

Was on that bandwagon earlier on in the year, but having recently watched multiple games of his in a row I am currently more doubtful about Carbonneau's hockey sense and attitude on/off the ice than I ever was before.

I had Carbonneau at #15-16 through most of the year but he's now #22 on my final list, which I will put here for clarity's sake.

1. Schaefer	9. Eklund	17. Cootes	25. Potter
2. Misa	10. Mrtka	18. Reschny	26. Schmidt
3. Hagens	11. Lakovic	19. Reid	27. Zonnon
4. Martone	12. McQueen	20. Kindel	28. Murtagh
5. Desnoyers	13. Martin	21. Gastrin	29. West
6. Frondell	14. Bear	22. Carbonneau	30. Vansaghi
7. Smith	15. Aitcheson	23. Fiddler	31. McKinney
8. O'Brien	16. Hensler	24. Nesbitt	32. Nestrasil

West not fully commiting to hockey next year made me drop him a bit although he's still way higher than I put him in earlier lists.

And I re-watched a lot of Cameron Schmidt games of late which made me realize that I was over-ranking him earlier on when I was putting him close to the top-10. His shot isn't as elite as I thought it was, and neither are his defender-manipulation skills and overall reads.

All of which to say that Schmidt is a riskier prospect to project than I initially thought but I am not ready to move him off the first-round list even then, his potential is too high.

Oh, and having watched some more footatge of Gastrin's recently he jumped-up quite a bit on my list, and actually has some very real top-6 upside in my opinion nevermind the "middle-6" designation he gets from a lot of scouting outlets.

One player that I soured a lot on (even more than Carbonneau and Schmidt) though is Ravensbergen. He went from a late-first pick in April/May to a mid-2nd for me after having watched him more closely.

And the reason for that is that although I like Ravensbergen's size, reflexes, and raw athleticism, I also saw a lot of inconsistency in his positioning and reads from game-to-game when watching more closely. I also saw Ravensbergen "panic" quite a bit, lose his technique completely at times, struggle with tracking the puck East-West on the penalty kill for his team, elements to Ravensbergen's game that changed how I perceived him quite a bit.

I now have Semyon Frolov as the #1 goalie in this draft, and Andreyanov #3 (not in my top-50, Ivankovic #4), as the russian system for developing goalies continues to be the world's best in my opinion (a system which I think has been the single-best since the late 2000s/early 2010s, having watched a lot of MHL since that span).

Here is the rest of my top-50 that I tracked/ranked this year for more detail.

33. Boumedienne	39. Zharovsky	45. Ravensbergen
34. Genborg	40. Ihs-Wozniak	46. Trethewey
35. Stockselius	41. Prokhorov	47. Ryabkin
36. Horcoff	42. Frolov	48. Romano
37. Nobert	43. Czata	49. Brzustewicz
38. Lee	44. Limatov	50. Psenicka

I am way lower on Ryabkin than most others, I concede, but I really don't like his blend of lacking skating ability, poor work ethic, lackadaisical attitude, and what I consider to be an "average-adjacent hockey IQ".

On the other hand, I am possibly higher (maybe?) on Zharovsky than a lot of other people, because I think his potential is absolutely staggering if he ever develops properly.

Though Zharovsky's skating needs some work, as does his overall defensive game and his board game, without forgetting the fact that he also is uber-skinny right now on the ice (6'0, 160-some pounds) and majorly lacking in strength, I genuinely think that with his high-end hockey sense, elite puck-handling, and overall well-rounded offensive skills, that Zharovsky could become a PPG+ winger in the NHL if he develops perfectly.

But yeah, that's it from me. Cheers and have a good evening.

I mean Hensler and Cootes would fit the depth charts perfectly if they pan out...

Nice list. We gonna get 4 fun players to follow methinks...

 

[koivalev]

He has Martin real high the hype is real

Is there a single thing O'Brien does better than Kindel aside from being 6'2"? If there is I'm not sure I've seen it.

 

[Goldenhands]

I don't think that's how scouts are going to judge Martins ceiling though. I think they'll see someone who's 33 goals and 72 points come from more translatable plays than his peers. He also has the type of game that he'll be able to carve out a role anywhere in the lineup, but he has top 6 potential on top of the skills, physical tools, IQ and a work ethic. He has less to do to reach that level and the more you have to add to a players game, the less likely it will happen, hence why I feel the higher ceiling tag is often a misnomer.

I think Martin at 4 is way too generous, the feet are kinda heavy for that size and the skills arent at the same level as lets say Viktor Eklund.

I would have Martin around 10 OV in this draft if I had to dress a list.

I also think OBrien is ranked too high on lists in general, the skating is average and the frame built extremmely thinny. He also struggles a bit in tight areas and needs to develop better puck protection skills. The talent is high, especially the playmaking/vision, but there are risks for this player and the bust factor too high for me at the top of the draft.

 

[WinterLion]

I think Martin at 4 is way too generous, the feet are kinda heavy for that size and the skills arent at the same level as lets say Viktor Eklund.

I would have Martin around 10 OV in this draft if I had to dress a list.

I also think OBrien is ranked too high on lists in general, the skating is average and the frame built extremmely thinny. He also struggles a bit in tight areas and needs to develop better puck protection skills. The talent is high, especially the playmaking/vision, but there there are risks for this player and the bust factor too high for me at the top of the draft.

Martin is being overrated no doubt... it's the "playoff hockey" thing... happens every year... the problem is that the real playoff warrior will probably end up going in the 40's or be a guy that nobody expected to develop that well or find a mean streak... but I like Martin and it's hard to not want a guy like that this time of year!

If Eklund somehow falls because of all that crazy... that would be amazing!

The way things are going in the finals I could see Horcoff going #6!!

 

[koivalev]

I think Martin at 4 is way too generous, the feet are kinda heavy for that size and the skills arent at the same level as lets say Viktor Eklund.

I would have Martin around 10 OV in this draft if I had to dress a list.

I also think OBrien is ranked too high on lists in general, the skating is average and the frame built extremmely thinny. He also struggles a bit in tight areas and needs to develop better puck protection skills. The talent is high, especially the playmaking/vision, but there are risks for this player and the bust factor too high for me at the top of the draft.

Kindel vs O'Brien is just NHL scriptwriters getting lazy and copypasting Suzuki vs Glass (although Glass only put up 27 PP points)

 

[covfefe]

No one questions his talent.. they question his intensity, his physicality and desire to get in between the dots. 4 PIMs is insane with a guy of that size. So, no, I don't think the narrative changes at all if he scored more points. It doesn't answer any of his questions.

I think that's a convenient divergence from my point, which is that it's plainly difficult to get intense on a post Mem Cup, 15-45 team in Moose Jaw.

I think as fans we often forget that life matters in this pursuit.

And obviously, aside from that, I disagree. If he were on Spokane with a 90pt line it's unlikely that your view has legs. He would be top 10 on every list.

 

[Goldenhands]

Kindel vs O'Brien is just NHL scriptwriters getting lazy and copypasting Suzuki vs Glass (although Glass only put up 27 PP points)

Kindel is a highly talented kid with very high IQ, my only knock on him is the lack of strength, average skating and a tendency to be too cute at times, turning pucks over. He is very competitive, but the size/skating combo is why he will likely drop on draft day. If he develops more strength/power, could end up as one of the best players in a re-draft, but there is a long way to go, I see him as a poor man Helenius.

 

[koivalev]

Kindel is a highly talented kid with very high IQ, my only knock on him is the lack of strength, average skating and a tendency to be too cute at times, turning pucks over. He is very competitive, but the size/skating combo is why he will likely drop on draft day. If he develops more strength/power, could end up as one of the best players in a re-draft, but there is a long way to go, I see him as a poor man Helenius.

I know I've said it too much today but he really does remind me, almost exactly, of Suzuki as a prospect. If Kindel has that frame and that potential to add muscle down low, he's a must-draft to me.

I do recall that a poor man's Helenius to you is quite the compliment though lol

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Picking 16-17 in a weak draft, they're going to have pick a player who doesn't meet their profile unless they trade up. Reschny has a lot of qualities they like too and this includes a high upward trajectory heading into the draft.

I'm not saying Habs will take him but the current white noise means zilch especially in this year's context.

I can see them not considering Reschny. I like him, but Montreal probably considers him too small & maybe not an NHL center at next level.

They did meet with Kindel, who I like a lot too. He plays a more abrasive, two-way game while also bringing offensive talent. He profiles similar to Connor Zary, although Zary is a better overall shooter, while Kindel has much better vision and is a better skater than Zary was during his draft year.

 

[Goldenhands]

I know I've said it too much today but he really does remind me, almost exactly, of Suzuki as a prospect. If Kindel has that frame and that potential to add muscle down low, he's a must-draft to me.

I do recall that a poor man's Helenius to you is quite the compliment though lol

Yep indeed, I like Kindel as he is smart, skilled and competitive. Wish he had better physical attributes though. By comparison, Helenius was physically much stronger, initiating contacts and winning puck battles against men, was an overall better skater and I would say his game was more pro leveled.

 

[HuGo Sham]

Drafting Elite NHL Offensive Defensemen

 

[Nedved]

I keep seeing all these draft ranking lists, is there a list that is a mock draft that looks at team needs, interviews, history trends, etc.

I'm curious because I keep hoping a special player, like caufield, falls to us.

 

[Schooner Goon]

So you don’t have an example is what you’re saying because they typically target bigger, toolsy guys.

Mesar's a beast.

 

[rien]

Could Eklund be available at 16?

 

[Nevins]

Cooper Simpson: LW 6’1’’


I'm starting to hear good things about Cooper Simpson. Here's the best summary I could find on the player. Words by WhiskeyYerTheDevils from HFB.
Cooper Simpson - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

In regards to actually evaluating Simpson's game:

• He's a raw, yet highly skilled winger with good size and a nose for the net. what makes him an intriguing prospect is his shot and puck skills, which are probably top 5-10 in the draft.
• His release is quick and heavy, and he knows how to manipulate shooting angles to get pucks through defending sticks.
• His skating is pretty underdeveloped, he's a bit too upright in his skating mechanics, which effects his agility, but his mobility through traffic is pretty good.
• He sees the ice well through the neutral zone, but once he crosses the blue line he's a bit prone to tunnel vision, and isn't always able to slow the play down. Lots of 1v1 rush attempts down the left wing where he'll toe drag the puck to the middle and release it from the circles - stuff that works in HS but won't work at higher levels.
• His motor is a bit below average. He's really good at tracking pucks on the forecheck, so when he sees an opportunity, he's quick to attack. But when the pucks not in his active radius, he can become a bit disengaged.

I see a lot of Daniel Sprong in the way Simpson carries and shoots the puck, but Simpson plays a more complete game and adds a net front presence that Sprong lacks. Both guys can be guilty of tunnel vision though. A more skilled, less physical Jake Debrusk is probably a better comparable.

His ceiling is probably like a Matt Boldy type of player.

I see him as a boom or bust type of pick - I think he's probably gone by the third round.

 

[BoneHutson]

Could Eklund be available at 16?

No way, but I also think that he will fall outside the top 10. If im right, I sure hope KH is ready to pay to move up to 13-11 and get him.

 

[koivalev]

Man Prokhorov is so much fun to watch. Won't be a top 6 guy, but if he hits he'll be a nightmare to play against in the playoffs.

 

[Deus ex machina]

Man Prokhorov is so much fun to watch. Won't be a top 6 guy, but if he hits he'll be a nightmare to play against in the playoffs.

Grant McCagg says he knows NHL scouts that have Prokhorov as high as 12OA on their list.
And he has him even higher than that on his list.
Maybe he'll be this year's Beckett Sennecke, to a lesser extent.

FWIW...

 

[Vachon23]

Cooper Simpson: LW 6’1’’


I'm starting to hear good things about Cooper Simpson. Here's the best summary I could find on the player. Words by WhiskeyYerTheDevils from HFB.
Cooper Simpson - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

In regards to actually evaluating Simpson's game:

• He's a raw, yet highly skilled winger with good size and a nose for the net. what makes him an intriguing prospect is his shot and puck skills, which are probably top 5-10 in the draft.
• His release is quick and heavy, and he knows how to manipulate shooting angles to get pucks through defending sticks.
• His skating is pretty underdeveloped, he's a bit too upright in his skating mechanics, which effects his agility, but his mobility through traffic is pretty good.
• He sees the ice well through the neutral zone, but once he crosses the blue line he's a bit prone to tunnel vision, and isn't always able to slow the play down. Lots of 1v1 rush attempts down the left wing where he'll toe drag the puck to the middle and release it from the circles - stuff that works in HS but won't work at higher levels.
• His motor is a bit below average. He's really good at tracking pucks on the forecheck, so when he sees an opportunity, he's quick to attack. But when the pucks not in his active radius, he can become a bit disengaged.

I see a lot of Daniel Sprong in the way Simpson carries and shoots the puck, but Simpson plays a more complete game and adds a net front presence that Sprong lacks. Both guys can be guilty of tunnel vision though. A more skilled, less physical Jake Debrusk is probably a better comparable.

His ceiling is probably like a Matt Boldy type of player.

I see him as a boom or bust type of pick - I think he's probably gone by the third round.

Someone listen Processus

 

[le_sean]

Mesar's a beast.

He’s a great skater, so he had tools. Again, you can’t find me a slow and small player.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

He’s a great skater, so he had tools. Again, you can’t find me a slow and small player.

What is your definition of 'slow' player?

 

[yianik]

Hahaha no, I've got a 9 month old. My scouting career is significantly decreased.

Awesome brother. Enjoy it, these next few years especially, into 9-10 are incredible. Sounds a long time, it isnt. And be patient.

 

[Doublechin]

I'm reasonably confident Lakovic will turn out good, FWIW. He's a fun development project at the very least and he has legit tools to work with. I definitely get the worries, though, he has yet to show he can play a complete game.

Nahh

Even if such profiles make it once the going gets tough and playoff hockey starts, they crawl and behind the shell.

The more I hear about Lakovic, between his mystery season suspension, his lack of intensity to him consulting for his lack of desire and will makes me want to slap a DND on him and just move on.

On another note, who's the last player that was drafted with such knocks that ever amounted to much and contributed on a winning team and not be tied into mediocrity and consistent lotto teams?