2025 NHL DRAFT Thread

[Castle8130]

I want Aitcheson

I like Aitcheson as well, but that seems like a long shot. I like Reid a ton as well and see him as a guy in the 2nd tier of defensemen in the draft with Aitcheson and Mrtka. It’s likely the Hawks are looking at guys like Psenicka, Amico, and Wang where we draft in the late 1st and 2nd round

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Martone will fall to Boston and play 15 years and be their captain. That's just how it goes for them.

Very unlikely

Recent B's 1st round draft picks under Don Sweeney

C Dean Letourneau (2024) = 3 assists in 36 games at Boston College,, Yikes
RW Fabian Lysell (2021) = Has failed to establish himself as NHLer 3 years in a row despite B's need at wing
C John Beecher (2019) = A struggling 4th liner at this point
D Urho Vaakanainen (2018) = A journeyman D at this point who is playing for Rangers (His 3rd team in NHL)
D Charlie McAvoy (2016) = Home Run pick, Established top pairing #1 Dman
C Trent Frederic (2016) = Meh bottom 6 talent at this point, slow as f***
D Jakub Zboril (2015) = Complete bust, playing in Europe
LW Jake Debrusk (2015 = Good NHL middle 6 winger, streaky though
RW Zachary Senyshyn (2015) = Complete bust, playing in Europe

2015 man, brutal for B's to have back to back to back picks and walk away with that

Who are some of the players the B's passed on that went in next several picks?

C/W Matthew Barzal
LW Kyle Connor
D Thomas Chabot
C Joel Eriksson Ek
RW Brock Boeser
RW Travis Konecny

 

[clydesdale line]

No.

I have seen a Habs fan propose a Hage, #16 & #17 for #3… that is very interesting.

Hawks passed on Hage to draft Boisvert. Why would they give up a higher pick for a guy they've could've took in the draft last year? And then you are talking about trading back in a weak draft? 0 shot.

 

[Hawkaholic]

No.

I have seen a Habs fan propose a Hage, #16 & #17 for #3… that is very interesting.

No thanks

 

[Sinbad]

Absolutely not. Makes zero sense for us to trade quality for quantity.

absolutely not. I would trade the Toronto 1st and Florida 1t in 2026 for #16 though

No, the value is really bad here from the Hawks perspective. #16 and 17 would net you around picks 6 or 7 in realized value. Also, the person trading up almost always has to overpay to move up

My understanding of the proposal I saw was that Montreal would want to move up to #3 to grab the French Canadian Desnoyers, so packaging 16 & 17 wouldn’t accomplish what Montreal is trying to achieve with the proposal.

As far as the return for the Hawks, when you consider we have people on this board lobbying for the Hawks to take Hagens at 3 OA, the argument could also be made that Michael Hage had a better season in the NCAA. While Hage has already been drafted, he is only 6/7 months older than Hagens and produced at a slightly better rate than Hagens while playing with a weaker lineup.

The Hawks could then package #16 & #17 (+ perhaps 25 or 34) to a prospect starved team (Boston ?) to get back into the top 10 and select one of Hagens, Desnoyers, O’Brien, Martin, Martone, or Frondell. Or perhaps they take a home run swing and opt for McQueen.

I think that is definitely worth consideration, having said that I wouldn’t pull the trigger on any deal until I know for sure who is available at #3, if Schaefer or Misa slips to #3, I take them and run without a second thought.

 

[Sinbad]

Hawks passed on Hage to draft Boisvert. Why would they give up a higher pick for a guy they've could've took in the draft last year? And then you are talking about trading back in a weak draft? 0 shot.

Well we are 10/11 months past the last draft, so there is a ton of new information to look at, some of which I mention in my post above.

Additionally, you could argue Hage had a better season than Boisvert. I personally prefer Boisvert but again I could arguments the other way as well.

The fact that is a weaker draft with a great deal of uncertainty is exactly why you trade back, players pick later in the 1st round last year would very likely be considered better prospects than guys about to higher this year. Additionally, the proposal above gives the Hawks ammunition to bundle assets and move back up in the draft with the comfort of knowing they have already secured a very good prospect in Hage allowing them to perhaps swing for the fences on a prospect like McQueen with health concerns.

 

[kmwtrucks]

assuming MISA is gone. I would take Hage Carboneau, Lykell over 1 of DES Martone frondell or hagens. I agree hawks done want quantity but I think its just better value.

 

[ChicagoHockeyFan]

I do like Hagens but if you look at playoff teams that are left there are not a lot of sub 6 foot 200 pound forwards playing top 6 roles. We already have 2 in bedard and Nazar that will be in top 6 moving forward. There is no precedent for success with such a small team. Carolina is closest thing with Aho, Stank, and Jarvis. They also haven’t had any success past round 2. If you take Hagens he would become trade bait, his style is redundant already in the system.

That being said I like his game and think he will become a good player elsewhere.

 

[Nazzz]

Something people really haven’t talked too much about is drafting a defenseman with 1 or multiple of the 25/34/60/67 draft picks. In the KD regime the hawks have selected 18 forwards, 3 defensemen, and 1 goalie with 22 picks in the top 100. Although are defensive prospect pool is stocked at the AHL level, we don’t have much coming in behind them and we almost have too many forward prospects to the point where we will have to let a few walk

I'm sure two or three of those picks will be defensemen because we're going to draft McKenna with the first pick next year.

 

[Sinbad]

I'm sure two or three of those picks will be defensemen because we're going to draft McKenna with the first pick next year.

I like the way you think!

 

[ColbyChaos]

Something people really haven’t talked too much about is drafting a defenseman with 1 or multiple of the 25/34/60/67 draft picks. In the KD regime the hawks have selected 18 forwards, 3 defensemen, and 1 goalie with 22 picks in the top 100. Although are defensive prospect pool is stocked at the AHL level, we don’t have much coming in behind them and we almost have too many forward prospects to the point where we will have to let a few walk

We still have a bit of a log jam at d making the whole there is nothing coming after them part irrelevant when there is nothing past Bedard in terms of a super high ceiling forward

 

[unbridledid]

Very unlikely

Recent B's 1st round draft picks under Don Sweeney

C Dean Letourneau (2024) = 3 assists in 36 games at Boston College,, Yikes
RW Fabian Lysell (2021) = Has failed to establish himself as NHLer 3 years in a row despite B's need at wing
C John Beecher (2019) = A struggling 4th liner at this point
D Urho Vaakanainen (2018) = A journeyman D at this point who is playing for Rangers (His 3rd team in NHL)
D Charlie McAvoy (2016) = Home Run pick, Established top pairing #1 Dman
C Trent Frederic (2016) = Meh bottom 6 talent at this point, slow as f***
D Jakub Zboril (2015) = Complete bust, playing in Europe
LW Jake Debrusk (2015 = Good NHL middle 6 winger, streaky though
RW Zachary Senyshyn (2015) = Complete bust, playing in Europe

2015 man, brutal for B's to have back to back to back picks and walk away with that

Who are some of the players the B's passed on that went in next several picks?

C/W Matthew Barzal
LW Kyle Connor
D Thomas Chabot
C Joel Eriksson Ek
RW Brock Boeser
RW Travis Konecny

That 2015 draft could have been a grandslam for the B's. Connor, Barzal, and Aho were there for the
taking.... Which is why I threw out the idea of trading 3 for 16 & 17.

 

[unbridledid]

I'm sure two or three of those picks will be defensemen because we're going to draft McKenna with the first pick next year.

 

[SavBigMoneyAtBedards]

Ok... Just spitballing here so ....

Would you trade #3 to the Habs for #16 & #17 if it were possible ?

no way

 

[bwanajamba]

That 2015 draft could have been a grandslam for the B's. Connor, Barzal, and Aho were there for the
taking.... Which is why I threw out the idea of trading 3 for 16 & 17.

Probably not the same value to be had this year unfortunately. 2015 was one of the best and deepest drafts of all time, 2025 by all accounts is very much not. Just pick at 3 and keep building imo

 

[RaquetPeanutSteering]

Martone sneaks into the slot so easily. The skating concerns are so overblown.

 

[Darkstar]

Martone sneaks into the slot so easily. The skating concerns are so overblown.

He reads the play very well and knows where to be.

 

[Larmer83]

He reads the play very well and knows where to be.

He has great hands and vision around the net.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Martone sneaks into the slot so easily. The skating concerns are so overblown.

Yes, very overblown. His skating is perfectly fine.

 

[RaquetPeanutSteering]

Yes, very overblown. His skating is perfectly fine.

And even that can get better, whereas I doubt any F in this draft has such a pro ready IQ.

 

[eklund2chicago]

Executive and Scout Poll: The 2025 Class is defined by its variance and that excites many

Cam Robinson reached out to 10 executives and scouts from across the NHL for their thoughts on five key questions. The answers offer insight, surprise, and plenty of disparity.

www.eliteprospects.com

Anyone that has EP premium and would like to share what the scouts thinks?

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Hawks passed on Hage to draft Boisvert. Why would they give up a higher pick for a guy they've could've took in the draft last year? And then you are talking about trading back in a weak draft? 0 shot.

Definitely don't think the Hawks would be interested in doing a 1 for 3 type of deal. They've got plenty of talent in the pipeline and future picks so agree that they're more interest in quality vs. quantity and wouldn't move back.

 

[Nazzz]

And even that can get better, whereas I doubt any F in this draft has such a pro ready IQ.

for example James Hagens, who plays in a higher league

 

[HawksDub89]

No chance Aitcheson is around at 25, right?

 

[Kevin Musto]

No chance Aitcheson is around at 25, right?

No chance. You'll have to move up.

#14 on the latest Bob list, and he's not the type of player that'll drop on draft day. Big, physical defenseman that steps up in prime time. Teams will covet that.