2025 NHL DRAFT Thread

[bwanajamba]

The CHL produces some insane talent. Undoubtedly. A 28 year old man that has been paid to play hockey for a decade is going to beat the brakes off of the the very good Canadian seventeen year old.

Look no further than the NCAA where teams led by 22-24 year olds with no NHL future routinely win the title over teams stacked with some of the most talented 19-20 year olds in the world, many of whom step into the NHL and hold their own days after their team is eliminated. Talent is easily overcome by physicality and structure. Crazy that this is even a debate

 

[Mjul Qvist]

Paywall but I can reveal that they have Anton Frondell to Blackhawks. Could you believe it!?

 

[Kevin Musto]

Paywall but I can reveal that they have Anton Frondell to Blackhawks. Could you believe it!?

all that matters is the inevitable Scott Powers leak next month

 

[CallMeShaft]

Paywall but I can reveal that they have Anton Frondell to Blackhawks. Could you believe it!?

They also have Bill Zonnan going to the Hawks, but that is with the Leafs pick still at 29, not 25 like it's now at.

 

[ColbyChaos]

He's 34, and there are a lot of really talented children playing in the CHL, some that could be playing in the NHL this year, something Kruger couldn't do.

There are draft busts who don’t even make the league that put up PPG stats in the CHL and you’d think Kruger would struggle there? Come on bruh lmao

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I'm not sure who the 28 year old is, I dont think I was questioning what a 28 year old Marcus Kruger would do.

Lol own it or don't. My goodness.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I can't believe Kruger is still skating after the routine beatings his body would take while he was with us. That guy went through a lot.

 

[Darkstar]

Meh, don't see much there. Bottom 6 forward for sure.

I see him as a middle 6. I think he could be the 3rd wheel in the top 2 lines. Skates well, defensively aware and great forechecker. I still think his offensive game can get better.

 

[BHawk21]

A lot of Frondell smoke

Anton Frondell – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile - The Hockey Writers NHL Entry Draft Latest News, Analysis & More

Anton Frondell's strength lies in his ability to combine his strong awareness, drive and hockey IQ with his 200-foot game.

thehockeywriters.com

His profile is like exactly what they need except the upside on offense.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Lol own it or don't. My goodness.

I am simply questioning a league where a 34 year old Marcus Kruger, who couldn't do anything in the AHL 7-8 years ago, is one of the top scorers.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I am simply questioning a league where a 34 year old Marcus Kruger, who couldn't do anything in the AHL 7-8 years ago, is one of the top scorers.

I am simply questioning whether or not your hockey opinion is worthwhile because everyone else is agreeing with me for a reason.

 

[Hawkaholic]

I am simply questioning whether or not your hockey opinion is worthwhile because everyone else is agreeing with me for a reason.

Of course its not worthwhile, I've never watched an SWE-1 game in my life.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Aren't Frondell numbers better than draft year Pasta and Willy Nylander?

 

[WarriorofTime]

I dont see it happening, he struggled to take a shift in the NHL 5+ years ago. The best CHL players would be capable to good NHLers right now.

I don't think there's a single kid that played CHL last year that was able to jump full time into the NHL without needing some in the AHL this year. Feel free to fact check me, but glancing through the 20 and Unders that played fulltime in NHL, I think all of them were either already in NHL last year (like Bedard) or came from outside the CHL Umbrella.

Back-to-back years, the CHL Superteam with the Hockey Canada pick of every player participating in junior hockey finished 5th, with neither looking like a fluke result.

Needless to say you're just kinda saying stuff.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Aren't Frondell numbers better than draft year Pasta and Willy Nylander?

They're around the same.

But Frondell is the same size as Pasta and Nylander today. Those guys had so much more room to grow at 18.

Pasta also led his team in points. Frondell is 9th.

 

[Crow]

None of those players, except McQueen, is ranked ahead of Frondell on my board

So not much of a "gotcha" moment, is it?

Your hyperbole sometimes leads people to believe what you actually say here sometimes. If you feel misunderstood, start saying what you mean instead of blowing it way out of proportion.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

They're around the same.

But Frondell is the same size as Pasta and Nylander today. Those guys had so much more room to grow at 18.

Pasta also led his team in points. Frondell is 9th.

Was Frondell considered a top 5 guy a year ago? Because Hagens and Martone have maintained top 5 status for 12-18 months? now and they should be the benchmark at pick 3 for that reason imo

 

[ello]

Ugh I don’t want Frondell. Could be good match with Marner tho…..

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Marner happening is probably extremely unlikely unless Chicago is paying him top top dollar with a full NMC, they're likelier to be in the mix for the second and third tier of UFAs

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Of course its not worthwhile, I've never watched an SWE-1 game in my life.

Of course its not worthwhile, I've never watched an SWE-1 game in my life.

And yet you have opinions on the league eh? Oof.

A professional team in a respectable league has the same talent gulf as a respectable juniors team does with a woman's team.

They're playing the same game at three very different levels.

 

[Hawkaholic]

And yet you have opinions on the league eh? Oof.

A professional team in a respectable league has the same talent gulf as a respectable juniors team does with a woman's team.

They're playing the same game at three very different levels.

I just had an opinion on Kruger, which leads to questions about the league.

 

[eklund2chicago]

They're around the same.

But Frondell is the same size as Pasta and Nylander today. Those guys had so much more room to grow at 18.

Pasta also led his team in points. Frondell is 9th.

Frondell was third on his team in points per game but you really like to ignore important aspects when discussing him (or to add lies like that he’s a powerplay merchant)

He was also first on his teams in points in 2025 (20 games, almost 40% of the season)

 

[Hawkaholic]

I don't think there's a single kid that played CHL last year that was able to jump full time into the NHL without needing some in the AHL this year. Feel free to fact check me, but glancing through the 20 and Unders that played fulltime in NHL, I think all of them were either already in NHL last year (like Bedard) or came from outside the CHL Umbrella.

Back-to-back years, the CHL Superteam with the Hockey Canada pick of every player participating in junior hockey finished 5th, with neither looking like a fluke result.

Needless to say you're just kinda saying stuff.

Just because they didn't play in the NHL, doesn't mean they couldn't be capable. GM's/coaches tend to put them in the AHL to develop and learn both sides of the puck, even though they could have a bigger impact on an NHL team than Kruger could have at age 34.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I just had an opinion on Kruger, which leads to questions about the league.

I'm genuinely not trying to rub your nose in it but you're way off base about how good of a league any Canadian junior team is playing in.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Just because they didn't play in the NHL, doesn't mean they couldn't be capable. GM's/coaches tend to put them in the AHL to develop and learn both sides of the puck, even though they could have a bigger impact on an NHL team than Kruger could have at age 34.

Anyone playing in the Allsvenskan could be a contributor on a CHL team. It's literally men against boys.