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Craig Button just did a mock draft where he has San Jose (SJ) taking Porter Martone, who he compares to Brady Tkachuk. He says SJ has Celebrini and Smith as their two centers for the top two lines. They need big winger support for them. Yes, they have Chernyshov coming, but adding another big, physical winger to support their centers could make the most sense for them. They have San Dickinson coming, so the fact that they did not get to draft Schaefer (who will go to NYI unless they are crazy) would seem to give the Hawks Misa at #3 if it goes according to Button's latest mock.
If that’s the SJ plan, maybe they try to deal with Chicago or with Utah to move down one or two spots and still get Martone. They know Chicago wants Misa, and if Utah also wants him, maybe they can extract extra draft capital by playing off Chicago vs. Utah... and knowing Martone would still be there for them?
Maybe the Hawks are forced to give up pick #29 or whatever it is, depending on how far the Leafs go in the remaining playoffs, or maybe pick #34, to ensure they get Misa?
The point is, maybe SJ goes for positional need rather than create a three-way jam of top centers, which will eventually cost too much cap for three stars at one position, down the line, at the expense of weaker depth on the wings.
The Hawks should prioritize a center to take the 2C role if Bedard remains the top-line center. I never believed the Hawks should have two small centers running the top two lines. Either Bedard or Nazar has got to play the wing role.
Next draft... IF the Hawks are a lottery team still, and they get lucky and win the #1 overall pick, they should take LW Gavin McKenna. If not, other wingers then... The priority is to get the 2C filled now and help for Bedard via free agency.
Martone... yes, the Hawks could also use size on the wings and more physicality, but he doesn’t fit the KD priority draft profile of skating first above all else. Strong and physical, but he does not check the skating and pace boxes. Also, there are some defensive and work ethic consistency issues.
If the Hawks cannot get Misa, then Desnoyers fits the two-way 2C role, as Roumeliotis quoted one scout, a Phillip Danault, but with better offensive upside.
The Hawks could trade down a few spots and still get Brady Martin for the 2C role (but he can also play wing, as he did at U18s... but he was the #1 center in the OHL this season). He gives them uber-competitiveness, physicality, relentless forechecking, and backchecking. So, another two-way center... less intuitive, cerebral, and deceptive than Desnoyers, but much more physical and has much greater speed. Desnoyers is slower in pace than Martin but has a very high hockey IQ. Martin is more relentless in energy and will, with a power game. Straight ahead and to the net. Wins puck races, wins board battles. Good net-front presence too.
I can live with either Desnoyers or Martin as our 2C... Hagens? Out. Too small, too timid, and did not live up to the hype as a freshman at BC. Strike him off any consideration. Wrong fit.
Frondell: slow pace and slow skater. Does not fit the Hawks' profile. Some scouts think he only plays at wing in the NHL. Too slow for center unless he goes to a slow but heavy team in a different style than the Hawks with an uptempo game.
The Hawks could gamble on the longer runway for Jake O'Brien. Maybe the highest offensive ceiling of any center in this draft because he can get better as he adds weight to his frame and can take over as 1C next season in Brantford. He has not hit his junior ceiling yet because he only played 2C. Did not play with Brantford's top wingers (i.e., Lardis) except on the top power play. So, as 1C, he will need to improve his 5-on-5 production in addition to his high power-play production. Vanacker will also move up to their top line this season. O'Brien only had Vanacker back a few months into the season, and Vanacker did not regain top form until late February/early March, so he probably has a lot more than 98 points if Vanacker plays all season at top form on that second line.
So, would KD bet on further upside for O'Brien, for filling out a big 6'2 frame, getting stronger, and upping his shot volume as he assumes the go-to #1C role this season in Brantford? I think KD would rather fill that 2C role this season rather than wait.
But Desnoyers also needs to add weight and get stronger. Is he NHL-ready? Misa is ready.
Maybe Martin is ready because he plays bigger than his current 178-pound weight. Plays a physical man's game already.
So:
- Misa, if obtainable = slam dunk as the top target for our 2C role.
- Martin, maybe the only other center already ready, given his man’s game and physicality.
- Desnoyers... maybe if he can add 15 pounds to his lanky frame this summer. If not, back to juniors to develop his body for one more season.
- O'Brien definitely needs one more junior season to develop his body and to improve in some areas like shooting more to score more goals and adding a bit more explosion in his skating, which has improved since the start of the 2024/25 season but still has room to get better if he works on it. But definitely not NHL-ready.
If we can get Misa, all the alternatives go away. If not, all the other options are in play.
But Hagens and Frondell should be off the list... bad fits for what the Hawks want and need at center.
