2025 NHL DRAFT Thread

[Kevin Musto]

Hagens isn’t my favorite but some of the nit picking in that video feels like someone who has decided they don’t like Hagens but they need reasons why. I don’t agree with some of the discussions he was having.

Ultimately the biggest knock against Hagens for me is that I've seen no improvement.

Of course he started the season as a top prospect already, and hasn't gotten worse. That's still a top 5 guy.

But I don't like that he's still the same player. Whereas I can look at other guys like Misa that have clearly elevated their level of play and shown more progression.

 

[u2wojo]

I'm trying to think of who would be a goodvLW to target if you let Misa play center and Bedard play RW but yeah I can't come up with much.

Ehlers is probably the best realistic UFA option.

 

[ello]

The kid just had 134 points in 65 games. He had 30 more points than his next closest teammate and had 50 more points than the next closest forward on his team. I don't think he'll come into the NHL next year and light the world on fire but I don't think he would struggle. He has good habits, he has good size, he can keep up with the NHL pace as a skater. He can play centre or wing and has done both in the OHL.

You could be right for sure. Just a personal thing that I don't see a player thats going to say, be a 0.5 ppg player in the NHL next season and Id rather him carry the momentum from this huge season into college and continue to dominate for another season and work on those skills in a slightly more challenging environment.

 

[OldScool]

I have watched Hagens a bunch at BC and really never came away overly impressed. I think if Misa is there the Hawks would have to grab him. Schaefer looks great but the Hawks have already heavily invested in defense and need future goal scorers. Martone and McQueen are two other guys I like that bring size up front, something that the Hawks also need in the future. If the Hawks end up picking 2 then Misa probably falls into their lap.

 

[unbridledid]

I have watched Hagens a bunch at BC and really never came away overly impressed. I think if Misa is there the Hawks would have to grab him. Schaefer looks great but the Hawks have already heavily invested in defense and need future goal scorers. Martone and McQueen are two other guys I like that bring size up front, something that the Hawks also need in the future. If the Hawks end up picking 2 then Misa probably falls into their lap.

What teams would take Misa at #1 ? I would think that the Hawks would....Buffalo. Pens, Bruins, preds,
Philadelphia?

 

[TLEH]

Ultimately the biggest knock against Hagens for me is that I've seen no improvement.

Of course he started the season as a top prospect already, and hasn't gotten worse. That's still a top 5 guy.

But I don't like that he's still the same player. Whereas I can look at other guys like Misa that have clearly elevated their level of play and shown more progression.

Yep I have the same thoughts. He is the same exact player he was at the program.

 

[Muffinalt]

I'm trying to think of who would be a goodvLW to target if you let Misa play center and Bedard play RW but yeah I can't come up with much.

Marchment if Dallas wants cap space would be great.

We need a big body for those two who can play the boards and net front.

Marchment + Dumba for something small should do it.

Or I'd say Bennett, but he's clearly more comfortable at C himself, and I don't want to put Misa on the wing to start out.

 

[u2wojo]

What teams would take Misa at #1 ? I would think that the Hawks would....Buffalo. Pens, Bruins, preds,
Philadelphia?

The only teams I can see even considering Misa at #1OA are the Hawks and Buffalo and both would probably be better off packaging Korchinski and Samuelsson for forward help and take the win/upgrade with Schaefer. If the Hawks are hell bent on taking Misa, they better be calling San Jose to see what they can extract from them to moveup a spot.

 

[u2wojo]

Marchment if Dallas wants cap space would be great.

We need a big body for those two who can play the boards and net front.

Marchment + Dumba for something small should do it.

Or I'd say Bennett, but he's clearly more comfortable at C himself, and I don't want to put Misa on the wing to start out.

Dallas will need cap space, unless they are ready to walk away from BOTH Benn and Duchene. I would offer them our '26 2nd plus whatever lesser picks/prospects for Borque, Marchment and Dumba. Dumba is a cap dump that offsets most of whatever positive value Marchment has. Borque is an offersheet waiting to happen and it will happen from a team where the pick will be far lower than the Hawks if the Stars don't get it resolved first.

 

[unbridledid]

The only teams I can see even considering Misa at #1OA are the Hawks and Buffalo and both would probably be better off packaging Korchinski and Samuelsson for forward help and take the win/upgrade with Schaefer. If the Hawks are hell bent on taking Misa, they better be calling San Jose to see what they can extract from them to moveup a spot.

I would think leaving Misa on the board and taking Schaefer would be riskier than leaving Demidov
for Lev.
Of course....only time and where we land in the draft will tell.

 

[MTU34]

Yep I have the same thoughts. He is the same exact player he was at the program.

Unironically I don’t think he’s the best fit for the Leonard/Perreault line. Won’t be shocked if he takes a huge leap next year when he gets to play with Stiga and be the guy

 

[Castle8130]

Just no Hagens please. He should not be a top 4 pick

 

[u2wojo]

Just no Hagens please. He should not be a top 4 pick

The Hagens that got the GWG in his teams first tourney game (and had an apple on their first goal)...that Hagens?

 

[Darkstar]

I would think leaving Misa on the board and taking Schaefer would be riskier than leaving Demidov
for Lev.
Of course....only time and where we land in the draft will tell.

I think Schaefer is the best prospect in this draft and has the highest upside of any in it. He's one of the best Dman prospects I've seen in a long time. If we have a chance to take him, we should.

 

[CallMeShaft]

Hagens has had a disappointing draft season and I have him just outside of my top 3 right now, but he's not a bad prospect. He's been compared to Logan Cooley for awhile now and Cooley did go 3rd overall in a slightly worse draft class. 3rd or 4th overall makes sense for him.

 

[clydesdale line]

Just no Hagens please. He should not be a top 4 pick

You are asinine to think Hagens isn't a top 4 talent in this class.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

I would think leaving Misa on the board and taking Schaefer would be riskier than leaving Demidov
for Lev.
Of course....only time and where we land in the draft will tell.

Agree just from the standpoint that positionally - Misa is a C (which are valued significantly higher than W) and Lev is a RD (which are typically more highly valued than LD).

And while I always say that BPA is the way to go - if it's close I'm hoping the Hawks take Misa unless KD thinks that he can get a really solid F prospect for KK.

 

[TLEH]

Hagens has had a disappointing draft season and I have him just outside of my top 3 right now, but he's not a bad prospect. He's been compared to Logan Cooley for awhile now and Cooley did go 3rd overall in a slightly worse draft class. 3rd or 4th overall makes sense for him.

I liked Cooley significantly more than Hagens.

 

[Kevin Musto]

I liked Cooley significantly more than Hagens.

An interesting comparison with Cooley is that he was someone who by the end of his season was almost trying to do too much.

He was trying stuff with varying degrees of success, and looked at times like he needed to be reigned in.

But the key is he was trying. I've spoken to scouts who actually like that trait in players because even if the results aren't always there, it shows a willingness to try new things and diversify their moveset.

Conversly, I don't find that Hagens has much interest in experimentation. Sticks to what works, which is fine for now. What about in the NHL when he inevitably faces more adversity? Does he hit a wall?

I don't have the answers, just something interesting to think about.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Excellent tank game tonight. Scored some goals, lose the game. Sharks have two games in hand again and the Hawks are only two points back of last place.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I think Schaefer is the best prospect in this draft and has the highest upside of any in it. He's one of the best Dman prospects I've seen in a long time. If we have a chance to take him, we should.

We 1000% will if we get to draft 1st

 

[bwana63]

I can see KD doing something similar to last year. I know a lot of people didn't care for the Sacha pick, but he's had a pretty nice Freshman year ....one would have to agree it's a better pick than originally anticipated. I think its a pretty big crapshoot though when you think about the 18th slot.....18 and and 27 ....not much diference this year..

right. in a vacuum, it's on overpay (to move up a few spots). but when you're scouting staff has ID'd kids they really, really want and you're sitting on a big pile of later picks (and your cupboard is already full), and your guy is still there, why not pull the trigger?

 

[bwana63]

next time you should run it 10000 times and report back with your findings.

need at least a million

 

[unbridledid]

We 1000% will if we get to draft 1st

So we have a young d group that is the envy of the league. What do we do about
getting that #1 center we need ? Korchinski isn't going to get you Misa, and certainly
wouldn't get you the select few established #1centerman.

Comparing value is Schaefer that far ahead of Misa at this point ? Considering the season,
progression, and ceiling Misa has ?

 

[Nazzz]

An interesting comparison with Cooley is that he was someone who by the end of his season was almost trying to do too much.

He was trying stuff with varying degrees of success, and looked at times like he needed to be reigned in.

But the key is he was trying. I've spoken to scouts who actually like that trait in players because even if the results aren't always there, it shows a willingness to try new things and diversify their moveset.

Conversly, I don't find that Hagens has much interest in experimentation. Sticks to what works, which is fine for now. What about in the NHL when he inevitably faces more adversity? Does he hit a wall?

I don't have the answers, just something interesting to think about.

Hagens will adapt to the NHL as he has done before in the USHL or the NCAA.