2025 NHL DRAFT Thread

[Darkstar]

With our 2nd round pick, I think I'd like Jakob Ihs-Wozniak. I know he didn't have the season some thought he would have but I see something there. At the very least, he could be a weapon on the PP.

 

[Kevin Musto]

With our 2nd round pick, I think I'd like Jakob Ihs-Wozniak. I know he didn't have the season some thought he would have but I see something there. At the very least, he could be a weapon on the PP.

I agree with you.

A year ago he was viewed as a potential top 10 pick.

While he's not viewed that way currently, he still put together a good season and his physical profile is a plus.

 

[hawksfan50]

Ran the Tankathon DraftxSim again for 8th Try out of 10 tries corresponding to tge fubal 10 game countdown just to see what resukts woukd be.

8th try result Hawks finally get the #2 (stood in place)...of the prior 7 tries the results were 3rd 4 tines ... 1st 1 time ...4th 2 times
So far showing a 25% chance for either a 1st or a 2nd ..and a 75% chance we get a 3rd or a 4th..

So in probability is that unless we get lucky, we are going to drop 1 or 2 spots. So really must focus on which target at #3 or #4 best fits our needs..


I still prefer O' Brien or Desnoyers over Hagens Friodell or Martone ..

..O'Brien is the best passer and playmaker in the draft . Young (June birthdate..lots of runway to develop and add mass to a a lanky 6'2 frame .rated too low..should be #3 or #4 as should Desnoyers.
Hagens: . Disagree that he has more upside...older.. smallish.. failed to meet hyped expectation as a freshman. Despite privileged situation playing for#1BC and on line with Leonard and Perreault till later in January.. any case,another shrimp forward..not a
good fit for the Hawks ...cannotb ce a team so stacked with small forwards already and more coming..
Frondell only a 6'0 Forward..not a line driver..projects more winger for the NHL than C
..not the fastest skater.
..good skills. Hands ..shot ...But no transition game..nerds others to lug puck into attack thru the neutral stone..once in the o-zone good in board battles..goodcwork ethic..Same for defense I his d-zone..but not tge best in puck cary or transition tgrough the neutral zone ti get pucks in to the opps zone . Has some flaws why I do not think he helps tge Hawks as a special difference-maker ..

Martone has some lazy games or shifts in games .. I do not think he doninates as his size should .allow him to ...sone skating issues too.

Drsnoyerdchas safest floor as a 2C...Best defensive Center in the draft..high hockey IQ makes up for lack of straight line explosive soeed but he is not slow..average goodxenough skatercwhose hogh work rate , anticipation and using closing angles to cut off attacks turns defense unto offense in transitions. That andctinunung make-up for any lacking speed concerns.High sh oting % and medium shot volume.Does so many things well including faceoff win % ..great in the details of the game ..Goodwork ethic and proper habits. EXECUTES proper checking.. So solid 2 way 2C floor Cwho can contribute offense too and scores at the needed times (led Q in GWGs . He could benefit from.his good faceoff win % too.

Or if Bedard and Nazar stay as Cs for the Hawks
at the very least you make Desnoyers a 3C to shit tgevooos top lines down but still good enough to add some offense for the team...6'2 but a lanky 172 ..needs to add mass to that frame and getveven stronger...same as for O'Brien..


I believe O'Brien helps the Hawksvin future dueto elite playmaking ..Also would make Hawks pp lethal..
His shot is good too ..but he isa low volume shooter ..so you wishbhecouldvstrike a bit more Nance and shoot more himself when chances develop in thebo-zone.
Yes...like Drsnoyers must add mass to 6'2lanky frame .get stronger ..ad more explosion in his skating..but given his June biryhdate hevhas a lot more runway to develop to an even better player..
I think Hangesand Martonev may have plateaued already ..O'Brien isc8 months youngervthan Martone and is 7 months younger than Hagens..

This is why I like the upside for O'Brien most ..

Imagine when headds that extra mass on his frame ..imagine if he learns to up hisown shot volume ...offensively I think he can impact like a Patrick Kane offensively but with a 6''2 + size and once he adds 20-30 lbs onto his frame ...and unlike Kane there is a defensive work ethic forca200 ft player too..just so much development runway before the full finished product..so I do not get why he is not top 4 ranked.
A 98 point draft year season output should not be ignored.. more impresfive because most shifts he did not Center the Brantford top line...did not play most 5x5 shifts with Lardis..only on the Brantford PO except for
shifts where they gave Lardis extra shifts ..
So unlike most 2Cs,O'Brien did get big minutes as used all situations..PP and PK and some extra shots doubled up with Lardis ..but still not given the top linec1C role most of the time in ES..

I woukd bet on O'Brien 's upside and turning himself into an even bigger points producer for Brantford next season and to a future NHL elite 1C or a playmaking creative 1LW...
I would bet on O'Brien..but he needs to develop and add mass in his lanky frame...patience but the matured O'Brien will pay big dividends.
I think he coukd be a better top line or 2nd line fit
than Martone,or Frondell...eitgerxas a C or as a creative plamaking LW..

 

[Yummyshark]

Seems like there are two sets of minds on who to pick amongst you guys? BPA ppl want Schaefer despite having a solid LHD in Pickles 2 with a bunch of promising youngsters in Levs, Korchinski, Rinzel, heck even Del Mastro might be a legit NHLer, and don't forget about the Kaiser who looked pretty impressive as of late. The other side of course wants a premier forward talent like Misa to play along side Bedard, as Nazar is literally the only other young forward that projects as top 6 on the team, and he frankly is farrrrr from Bedard's caliber.

If you guys managed to win the lottery balls and get first, who do you think KD will draft? You think he would BPA it (assuming he even thinks Schaefer is BPA) or go for the massive need?

 

[HeisenBaez]

Seems like there are two sets of minds on who to pick amongst you guys? BPA ppl want Schaefer despite having a solid LHD in Pickles 2 with a bunch of promising youngsters in Levs, Korchinski, Rinzel, heck even Del Mastro might be a legit NHLer, and don't forget about the Kaiser who looked pretty impressive as of late. The other side of course wants a premier forward talent like Misa to play along side Bedard, as Nazar is literally the only other young forward that projects as top 6 on the team, and he frankly is farrrrr from Bedard's caliber.

If you guys managed to win the lottery balls and get first, who do you think KD will draft? You think he would BPA it (assuming he even thinks Schaefer is BPA) or go for the massive need?

If the Hawks do win lottery, they take Schafer and figure out the rest later.

 

[pvr]

Seems like there are two sets of minds on who to pick amongst you guys? BPA ppl want Schaefer despite having a solid LHD in Pickles 2 with a bunch of promising youngsters in Levs, Korchinski, Rinzel, heck even Del Mastro might be a legit NHLer, and don't forget about the Kaiser who looked pretty impressive as of late. The other side of course wants a premier forward talent like Misa to play along side Bedard, as Nazar is literally the only other young forward that projects as top 6 on the team, and he frankly is farrrrr from Bedard's caliber.

If you guys managed to win the lottery balls and get first, who do you think KD will draft? You think he would BPA it (assuming he even thinks Schaefer is BPA) or go for the massive need?

Don’t underestimate Nazar…he does things on the ice that Bedard can’t. Faster, more dangerous on the rush, more powerful, better center, better on the boards, and worlds better defensively. No slouch passing and scoring either, though Bedard is better there.

 

[TheFridge]

Don’t underestimate Nazar…he does things on the ice that Bedard can’t. Faster, more dangerous on the rush, more powerful, better center, better on the boards, and worlds better defensively. No slouch passing and scoring either, though Bedard is better there.

Bedard is a much more dangerous player off the rush. Nazar obviously has better straight line speed, but it's not pure speed that beats defenses off the rush. Bedard's ability to draw pressure, evade and find open teammates is second to none on this roster and frankly, he's already one of the better players in the league.

 

[TLEH]

Prospect wise I see it Schaefer 1, Misa 2, Frondell 3. That’s for me.

I still think this team just does not have the luxury of passing on Schaefer if we have that chance. We just need any and all good players.

 

[ello]

Prospect wise I see it Schaefer 1, Misa 2, Frondell 3. That’s for me.

I still think this team just does not have the luxury of passing on Schaefer if we have that chance. We just need any and all good players.

wasn’t there a rumour that the hawks aren’t taking a dman? Hawks Rumours have been very much on point the past few years

 

[Mrfenn92]

wasn’t there a rumour that the hawks aren’t taking a dman? Hawks Rumours have been very much on point the past few years

What site is it your referring to?

 

[bwanajamba]

I'm pretty stuck trying to untangle things after Schaefer and Misa tbh. Hagens feels like the best pure talent at 3 when trying to look at it objectively but it feels like there are plenty of scenarios where Frondell and Desnoyers turn into better all around players. If Hagens gives you more total production on the back of PP proficiency but is relegated to the perimeter at 5 on 5 and doesn't project as a great defender.. that doesn't excite me much. Especially with Bedard already in place to run the PP.

 

[Kevin Musto]

I wish Eklund was in Frondell's body. That'd be an elite player.

 

[Muffinalt]

I wish Eklund was in Frondell's body. That'd be an elite player.

Hell yeah. Eklund is going to make it work no matter what, but that would be something.

 

[Taze em]

I'm ready to trade #3/4/5 for a player. I don't like any of them. I keep trying but I can't talk myself in to them. Frondell injuries, Hagens is old and didn't have a great season. Martone is fine, he doesn't blow my skirt up. Sucks because Davidson was 100% on the right track trying to dangle this pick ++ to Columbus for Demidov.

 

[Crow]

I'm ready to trade #3/4/5 for a player. I don't like any of them. I keep trying but I can't talk myself in to them. Frondell injuries, Hagens is old and didn't have a great season. Martone is fine, he doesn't blow my skirt up. Sucks because Davidson was 100% on the right track trying to dangle this pick ++ to Columbus for Demidov.

What players do you think would be available for the pick?

 

[pvr]

Bedard is a much more dangerous player off the rush. Nazar obviously has better straight line speed, but it's not pure speed that beats defenses off the rush. Bedard's ability to draw pressure, evade and find open teammates is second to none on this roster and frankly, he's already one of the better players in the league.

Like I said…”…on the rush…”. I agree creating off the rush Bedard is better (as you said), and said as much that he is a better passer and scorer. Bedard’s current problem is that most of the time he’s being stymied at the blueline by bigger defenders who aren’t afraid he’s going to take them wide.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Hell yeah. Eklund is going to make it work no matter what, but that would be something.

He'll make it work, I just don't know to what extent.

If I could guarantee that he could add 30lbs, I'd strongly consider him top 5.

I think I'd feel better if he had a July or August birthday. Gives you much more runway.

Great high motor skillset, and embraces contact. At the very least I could see his floor being a less violent Andrew Shaw. But could he elevate to something closer to Brad Marchand?

 

[Toews2Bickell]

He'll make it work, I just don't know to what extent.

If I could guarantee that he could add 30lbs, I'd strongly consider him top 5.

I think I'd feel better if he had a July or August birthday. Gives you much more runway.

Great high motor skillset, and embraces contact. At the very least I could see his floor being a less violent Andrew Shaw. But could he elevate to something closer to Brad Marchand?

is he a potential trade up candidate? they've moved up in almost every draft under Davidson..Toronto 1st plus multiple 2s, do they try to walk away with two top 10 forwards?

 

[Taze em]

What players do you think would be available for the pick?

Don’t even want to throw names out there because it’s impossible to know who shakes loose. Maybe a stud on a team that doesn’t fit timeline for team: think David Pastrnak.

Or a great prospect that isn’t established like Simon Nemec ++.

Or guys that have weird rumors around them before like Quentin Byfield.

I’m really not sure until everyone’s dirty laundry comes out post season.

What if Quinn Hughes decided Cancouver was too toxic and you traded 2025/2026 unprotecteds with Korchinski or something.

Every proposal I’d throw out right now would seem ridiculous but there are guys that shake loose sometimes. Not counting in it tho.

 

[TLEH]

Crazy we missed out on Demidov because Columbus liked a dude with a shot back

 

[Kevin Musto]

Crazy we missed out on Demidov because Columbus liked a dude with a shot back

Yeah. I ranked Cayden one spot ahead of Demidov, with the caveat that I didn't have access to the medical files.

Columbus did, and still went ahead with the pick.

Whatever they saw which gave them confidence... it's not looking so good now.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Crazy we missed out on Demidov because Columbus liked a dude with a shot back

both teams would've been better off too...or Columbus could've just went with Demidov, was a gift scenario for MTL

 

[Kevin Musto]

is he a potential trade up candidate? they've moved up in almost every draft under Davidson..Toronto 1st plus multiple 2s, do they try to walk away with two top 10 forwards?

If they can swing it, absolutely.

I know KD would like Eklund.

Frondell with the first pick, and then moving up for Eklund would be fun since they play together (with Marcus Kruger btw).

I don't think Eklund falls past 10 though. Jumping from the Toronto pick to 8-10 seems challenging. Maybe if next year's Florida pick is involved.

 

[Darkstar]

I wish Eklund was in Frondell's body. That'd be an elite player.

If he were the size of Frondell, I'd have him over Misa. That motor, that vision, that scoring touch and them edges. I think he'll play around 180, eventually.

 

[TLEH]

I like him but I feel like he’s more flashy than his brother, but not as good.s