2025 NHL Draft Thread

[HawksDub89]

Schaefer seems to be creating distance between himself and everybody else in this draft . He's looking more and more like a lock for #1 . Would Davidson be tempted to give up the #1 for a boatload of picks and prospects ? Perhaps considering what the Blackhawks have already coming in on D . Let's say the Sharks offered Dickenson ,William Smith and 2 / 2nd rders .

No, you take the special D prospect and don’t think twice.

HFHawks go more than like a day without calling Levshunov a bust challenge.. difficulty impossible

It’s baffling.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I'm watching clips of guys and highlights and the usual stuff and... is anyone else noticing a significant drop in quality in the CHL? The OHL specifically. Maybe I'm just getting older or going crazy and watch too much NHL and need to recalibrate but it feels like there is literally no defense or structure at all anymore. It's like pond hockey up there. Haven't watched any USHL this year but college looks normal to me. That Misa highlight was wild for this.

It's been a thing. QMJHL especially.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

There's no such thing as too many top pairing defenseman.

 

[Taze em]

I'm telling you I think the destiny for these Hawks is to be like those ridiculous Preds teams with 4 1D but this time with a top 5 forward and his merry men along as well.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

If you have Niedermayer-Pronger and Keith-Seabrook I promise you Teuvo and whatever collection of spare parts around Bedard you're icing are gonna look just fine.

 

[Taze em]

If you have Niedermayer-Pronger and Keith-Seabrook I promise you Teuvo and whatever collection of spare parts around Bedard you're icing are gonna look just fine.

Pretty much. Gonna be fun in... checks notes... 6 years.

 

[MHO]

Who would be Niedermayer-Pronger and Keith Seabrook?

 

[x Tame Impala]

Who would be Niedermayer-Pronger and Keith Seabrook?

Schaefer-Vlassic
Korchinski-Levshunov

 

[Taze em]

Who would be Niedermayer-Pronger and Keith Seabrook?

Niedemayer Pronger is clearly
Korch-Rinzel
Keith Seabrook is
Vlasic Levshunov

and Shaeffer is just an extra Doughty thrown in for good measure.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I'm telling you I think the destiny for these Hawks is to be like those ridiculous Preds teams with 4 1D but this time with a top 5 forward and his merry men along as well.

I’m not sure there’s been a team constructed like that in the cap era to my knowledge.

Obviously these kids would have to hit their potential but having 4 top pairing Dmen under team control for 15-20 years would be phenomenal. We could have a top D pair out on the ice for 45+ minutes a game.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Who would be Niedermayer-Pronger and Keith Seabrook?

It was an example not a comp Jesus my guy you're talking about three first ballot HHOF guys.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I’m not sure there’s been a team constructed like that in the cap era to my knowledge.

Obviously these kids would have to hit their potential but having 4 top pairing Dmen under team control for 15-20 years would be phenomenal. We could have a top D pair out on the ice for 45+ minutes a game.

There's not been a team constructed like that outside of team f***ing Canada because it's insanely unrealistic.

 

[x Tame Impala]

There's not been a team constructed like that outside of team f***ing Canada because it's insanely unrealistic.

Damnit DHF let a man dream

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Damnit DHF let a man dream

My entire point is that you shouldn't be upset about drafting the next Niedermayer because you need a forward. Don't care about what's in the pipeline. Draft the best player.

I don't care if four years running it's left wings. You take the wings. Figure the rest out later.

 

[ello]

imagine if Schaefer tops out as a taller Quinn Hughes.....

Unfortunately I would say the need for a legitimate 2 way pivot with size and skill trumps everything at this point so I guess the question is how you see Misa projecting to the NHL

 

[CanadianHawks]

I'm telling you I think the destiny for these Hawks is to be like those ridiculous Preds teams with 4 1D but this time with a top 5 forward and his merry men along as well.

Been thinking the same. Much prefer chasing a winger for Bedard or a 2nd line C instead of chasing a top pair RHD like the Leafs have been forever or the Oilers were until Bouchard. SJ for example looks further along in the rebuild but they have been putting a lot of draft capital into forwards and we have been into D. Might comeback to haunt them in five years when those forwards all want to get paid and they are heavy up front and thin on the backend

 

[Muffinalt]

I'm telling you I think the destiny for these Hawks is to be like those ridiculous Preds teams with 4 1D but this time with a top 5 forward and his merry men along as well.

Would be the biggest troll hawks ever if we pulled off the Schaefer added d-core, and then got McKenna to go along with Bedard the next year.

 

[dj Mahoney]

And again #44 continue's to be the "Rodney Dangerfield" of the young Blackhawk's D corp.

 

[pvr]

If he’s there, draft Schaefer and if possible trade Korchinski and Toronto 1st to get back into the top 4 for Martone or Misa. Hagens to me doesn’t look like a good fit.

Korchinski is redundant, and our best trade chip. Also, I just don’t see it with him yet (yes, young dman, takes time, etc… To me he looks like he will always be a relative defensive liability.) He will be tantalizing to teams as he’s closer to contributing and might fit a quicker timeline.

Vlasic is untouchable with his size, defense, burgeoning offense, and especially his killer contact. He’s a true 2D, bordering on 1D if he continues to develop offensively. Great zone exit and entry, and under appreciated breakout pass. Long reach (The Condor) and great with stick breaking up plays. His value is through the roof.

The bottom pair left dman comes from Allen, EDM, and Kaiser. Fill in a right dman when Jones is gone.

Ideally, Schaefer goes to college for a year, Rinzel goes to the AHL, and Levshunov moves up and down for a year of partial NHL seasoning. Ease Schaeffer and Rinzel in the following year.

Forwards fill in through pipeline, trades, and free agency.

 

[Chuck Testa]

Does anybody think that the Hawks have to wind up with #1 overall in order to draft Schaefer? Or does it all depend on who potentially picks before them?

I would say they definitely have to be picking within the top 3 if they want to nab him, regardless of who finishes where at the bottom of the league.

 

[BHFAN92]

I haven't commented on Schaefer because he really didn't stand out to me last season, I finally watched some of his play this season. He is special. The combination of skating, playmaking and making decisions at full speed are high end. He's also has pretty decent defensive awareness.

For me its the high end offensive skill while not becoming a liability defensively. He is way more Cale Makar than a Karlsson. He displays high end hockey IQ and play offensive/defensively at top end speed at all times. I have barely seen him play where it looks like he is gliding or puck watching

 

[BHFAN92]

Does anybody think that the Hawks have to wind up with #1 overall in order to draft Schaefer? Or does it all depend on who potentially picks before them?

I would say they definitely have to be picking within the top 3 if they want to nab him, regardless of who finishes where at the bottom of the league.

Honestly at this point I would say yes they have to land #1 ova to get him. I cant see SJ, Columbus, Nashville passing on him when they all have built through Forwards.

 

[MHO]

Honestly at this point I would say yes they have to land #1 ova to get him. I cant see SJ, Columbus, Nashville passing on him when they all have built through Forwards.

Yeah if he really is a cut about the forwards, there is no way any other team at the bottom passes on him. Of any of the rebuilds, the Hawks would be the most likely team to take a forward over him given the shape of their prospect pool but if he really is that good, they'd probably take him and look to trade one or two of their other D prospects.

I don't see it being too sad though if the Hawks end up picking 2-4 and taking one of the 3 top forwards.

 

[u2wojo]

Honestly at this point I would say yes they have to land #1 ova to get him. I cant see SJ, Columbus, Nashville passing on him when they all have built through Forwards.

Which (as brought up early) could create an interesting possibility of a really rich package to move down a spot or 2 if we end up at #1OA. At this point I would lean into just taking Schaefer, but it would be awefully tempting if say Anheim offered #2 or 3OA w/ either MacTavish

 

[Drumman44]

Honestly at this point I would say yes they have to land #1 ova to get him. I cant see SJ, Columbus, Nashville passing on him when they all have built through Forwards.

You bring up an interesting point. We hawks fans have been getting dunked on for our “bare cupboard” but we are actually sitting on a great crop of D prospects. Any one of Levshunov, Korchinski, or Vlasic would be be the best young D in those other teams’ systems.