Draft 2025 NHL Draft Prospects & Undrafted Free Agents

eco's bones

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Jul 21, 2005
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The assertion that it would hurt CHL teams because they'd lose a bunch of 18 years old is not all that true IMO. Division 1 NCAA players tend to start older than that. There are only so many good players to go around between college and CHL at any given time anyway and most 18 year olds would not have much of a positive impact for an average to better American college/university program as those teams are constructed today.
 

RangersFan1994

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Is he eligible for the draft??
FB_IMG_1724374134372.jpg
 

Lion Hound

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Scott Wheeler issued his top 64 list today for the Athletic. 13 Centers in his top 31 players.

Broken down by Tiers..

Tier 1
James Hagens C

Tier 2
Porter Malone RW
Matthew Schaefer LHD
Michael Misa C
Anton Frondell C
Roger McQueen C

Tier 3
Ivan Ryabin C
Logan Hensler RHD
Malcolm Spence LW
Caleb Desnoyers C
Victor Eklund LW
Cole Reschny C
Jackson Smith LHD
William Moore C

Tier 4
Cameron Schmidt RW
Kashawn Aitcheson LHD
Lynden Lakovic LW
Radim Mrtka RHD
Cullen Potter C
Justin Carbonneau RW
Blake Fiddler RHD
Jack Ivankovic C
Jakob Ihs Wozniak RW
Charlie Trethewey RHD
Kurban Limatov LHD
Brady Martin C
Joshua Ravensbergen G
Cameron Reid LHD
Jack Murtagh LW
Milton Gastrin C
Adam Benak C

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5880148/2024/11/04/nhl-draft-2025-prospects-ranking-november/
 

B17 Apricots

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May 18, 2016
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Gotta say I'm a little underwhelmed with the Russian crop this year. I've been holding out making this post because I wanted to give it some time to see who would start to rise or fall. Over there the season is about more than a third of the way in. So still plenty early for players to seperate themselves from the rest of the pack

Going into the season Ivan Ryabkin was talked about as a sure-fire top 5 pick. Close to the tier of Michkov and Demidov, maybe a small notch below. Really tough start. The reports were saying he was then heading to the USHL but that's been a month ago. So who knows whats going on now... huge question mark there.

A number of the 1st year eligible guys on the watchlist got off to shitty starts too. Many of the top producers in that group are undersized. I haven't been particularly wowed by them either.

I expected more from Mikhail Fyodorov to start the year. He's been coming into his own recently though, so he's an interesting one to watch. I noticed Kurban Limatov listed somewhat highly on a couple publications early lists. I've seen a couple uneventful games, I can't really say I have an opinion yet.

As it sits right now, unlike last year, there really aren't any 1st year players making an impact on the pro level between the KHL or the VHL.

In terms of overagers there's a few that stand out to me so far.

In the MHL you have Roman Luttsev and Vadim Dudorov. They've risen to 1 and 2 in the league in points. Luttsev has been the epitome of consistency this year. 20 games in and he's only been held off the scoresheet in 4 games so far. Dudorov I liked last year. Loko had a deep and older roster last year. Unfortunately that meant he played a backseat role on the 3rd line. That kept his numbers down. With Nashville's Surin gone, along with a few other players, Dudorov has been the go-to guy on the top line. He's taken it and ran. Both he and Luttsev are highly skilled, high motor guys.

Igor Klimovich for a few years now has been absolutely decimating the junior level. 3 straight years of domination. He spent a good chunk in the KHL last year, a few games this year. He'd be leading the league if he didn't get called up. High motor, undersized. Theres a good skill level there but his game does seem a little junior-like. You can kinda see why he hasn't been drafted despite the ungodly production. Some of the decision making... it does make you wonder though, does he have questionable hockey IQ or is it possible that some of mindless wishful plays that he tries is simply because his teams have generally been god awful. Seriously, he has pretty much had zero talented players to play with. Since his initial draft year I've thought he'd be well worth a gamble but he has absolutely nothing to gain by continuing to play in junior at this point. I dont think he's going to learn how to generate offense against pro's like this. I have no idea why he hasn't been playing in the VHL.

I still like Dontsov and some of those other guys over on Krasnaya Armiya.

..and lastly Magomed Sharakanov. His game has just constantly matured from the junior level. Just seamlessly jumped from the MHL, to the VHL, to the KHL. Everyone loves those defenders that have that mix of size, skating and puck ability. Considering he's a LHD we should be all over this guy. This season looks to be playing out similar to last year. They eased him into the VHL and as the year progressed they increased his usage and the kid really turned it on. They eased him into the KHL and the last handful of games he's been playing a bigger role. He's my dark horse pick right now
 

Lion Hound

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Manon Rheaume's son is draft eligible this year. Playing with USNDTP. Defenseman. Last year he was ranked a little higher, but seems to slipped into a 2nd rd pick.

 

bhamill

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Apr 16, 2012
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welp were def not drafting him
I mean its neat to see, but its a very low percentage play, that's why you don't see it often in the higher level leagues. It doesn't seem require so much skill as it does perfect circumstances including a lack of decent defense. I mean we used to scoop the puck and wing it all the time as kids, its not that hard, its having the opportunity around the net with sketchy coverage and a goalie looking the wrong way.
 

RangersFan1994

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Aug 20, 2019
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Is this a deep draft for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft? If so maybe this losing stresk or bad stretch isn't a bad thing
 

B17 Apricots

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May 18, 2016
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Is this a deep draft for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft? If so maybe this losing stresk or bad stretch isn't a bad thing
Just based off what I've read I think the consensus is that its kind of a weak class. There's a few high end guys fighting for that top spot. Seems like it's going to be Canada's draft for the most part right now, the CHL looks strong. But there's a few regions that look really below average.

I like to watch a lot of Russian and US hockey... luckily for me they've both been somewhat underwhelming this year. More so the Russians. The pro level over there doesn't have much going on in that aspect. The junior level there hasn't been particularly exciting either. At this point I'm more interested in some of the overagers there this season.

In the US, the USHL looks just ok right now. Maybe we were spoiled a bit last year. That was an incredible group. Trevor Connelly, Michael Hage, Matvei Gridin, Sacha Boisvert, James Reeder, John Mustard, Mac Swanson and a number of overagers. I wouldn't be surprised if that group yields a couple top line players. There's still a lot of season left but right now it doesn't look like this year's USHL group will be able to match what was available last draft. The USNTDP is also not particularly strong this year. Obviously James Hagens is the big ticket American this year, he's in college. There's a few other notable prospects in the NCAA this year as well.

The Nordic region I'm not entirely sure about. I'm just going off what I've read about them so far. A few interesting ones in Sweden. Finland is barren this year. Again, they might be another one where the overagers are the more interesting ones.

As far as I can tell there also doesn't appear to be any of those once in a blue moon guys popping out of one of the less common leagues. Like a Mo Seider from the DEL or Reinbacher from the NL.

That's a lot of regions having off-years. Obviously thats going to affect how deep or shallow this year's pool is going to be.
 

B17 Apricots

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Looks like Dudorov just got overtaken again by Igor Klimovich to lead the MHL in points. His teammate/linemate Roman Luttsev is tied with him again. Dudorov does have a few more games played than either of them.

 

Lion Hound

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Early on the draft guru's had the 2025 draft as a 1 horse race for the 1OA.

Thats changed somewhat in the last few weeks. Matthew Schafer, Porter Martone and Michael Misa have closed the gap some.

Sportsnet recently put out a peice noting Schafer as the guy who will surpass Hagens.
Sports Illustrated has Schafer.

Guess we will see where this goes after the World Jrs.
 

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