2025 NHL Draft Thread

[Dead Meat]

lol @ a Ty Rattie sighting - cheers

 

[Muffinalt]

Is anyone concerned with Martone's feet?

 

[Mjul Qvist]

Is anyone concerned with Martone's feet?

Haven´t read anything about them that makes me concerned. Blackhawks could use some Matthew Tkachuk type of player in future?

 

[HawksDub89]

Is anyone concerned with Martone's feet?

He’s an average skater, not bad. So no.

 

[TLEH]

Guys, some of these drafts were ~<2 years ago. How has Andrew Cristall's stock skyrocketed? Or Perreault's? Or Musty's? These are players who we knew could score as juniors in their draft years who are still playing junior (or college). No one is going to care that Cristall put up 130 points in his final WHL season if he can't score in the NHL. He might as well be Ty Rattie right now.

People can proclaim the Hawks made the wrong pick(s) when these players get to the NHL and start producing -- if they ever do.



Perreault is an especially annoying name to come out because people somehow believe their view of him is vindicated because he's scored in college. No one ever doubted he would be a good college player -- especially while being glued to elite college talents like Smith, Hagens, Gauthier and Leonard.

We'll get a much better sense of what Perreault can be when he's not playing with those guys in pro hockey.

I get your point. I think the overarching thing is that guys who DON'T score in junior don't magically just score in the pros. The guys that do score in junior aren't guaranteed to do that in the pros, but they have a way better shot.

 

[HawksDub89]

Haven´t read anything about them that makes me concerned. Blackhawks could use some Matthew Tkachuk type of player in future?

Exactly. I’m kind of over the whole “needs to be an unbelievable skater to be a hawk” narrative.

There’s a massive difference between “can’t skate” and average skater.

Boisvert is proof they’ll draft an average skater if they like the other traits.

 

[TheFridge]

I get your point. I think the overarching thing is that guys who DON'T score in junior don't magically just score in the pros. The guys that do score in junior aren't guaranteed to do that in the pros, but they have a way better shot.

To me it's not a matter of a guy scoring or not scoring. Obviously players that don't score in Junior likely aren't going to score in the NHL. But it's how they score that will translate. Cristall for instance is simply more talented than 99% of WHL players. But is he going to score when the talent distribution equalizes, his perimeter play is more isolating and suddenly his athletic traits (or lack thereof) hold him back? Same thing applies to Perreault.

 

[Muffinalt]

Exactly. I’m kind of over the whole “needs to be an unbelievable skater to be a hawk” narrative.

There’s a massive difference between “can’t skate” and average skater.

Boisvert is proof they’ll draft an average skater if they like the other traits.

That wasn't point of my question, and actually share your opinion.

I'm asking only of Martone independently. Ill never forget Laf's case where I was sure he's gonna be generational but then he's heavy feet were more problematic than thought before.

 

[ello]

If in November 2024 you’re still attributing Perreaults success to his teammates you don’t watch prospects enough

 

[TLEH]

To me it's not a matter of a guy scoring or not scoring. Obviously players that don't score in Junior likely aren't going to score in the NHL. But it's how they score that will translate. Cristall for instance is simply more talented than 99% of WHL players. But is he going to score when the talent distribution equalizes, his perimeter play is more isolating and suddenly his athletic traits (or lack thereof) hold him back? Same thing applies to Perreault.

Thats my entire point. Guys that play up your lineup in the pros score at a high rate, and almost all of those guys scored at a high rate in junior. If your argument is that if Perreault doesn't score then he's in Switzerland then I'll probably agree with you but I think the risk isn't that dissimilar to a guy with a higher floor just becoming a 4th line checker. I'd rather take the bet on the scoring translating. Its not like Cristall even went that high, I'd rather have him scoring at the rate he is in the WHL than whatever a lot of the other guys in the 2nd are doing.