Pre-Game Talk: 2025 NHL Draft Thread

[Celtic Note]

You don’t mean to imply that a large swath of the population gets off on violence and negativity, do you?

Yes, that was sarcasm.

Oh never would I insinuate such things! (wink)

 

[Xerloris]

I’d love a top 5 pick and him to become the best player on the team in 3 years. Is this too much to ask? Lol

Why not in 2 years?

 

[Stealth JD]

Why not in 2 years?

If I could pick first overall in one of ‘25, ‘26 or ‘27 I’d pick 2027. Landon DuPont is going to be better than Makar.

Would suck to be down for another three years though.

 

[kimzey59]

If I could pick first overall in one of ‘25, ‘26 or ‘27 I’d pick 2027. Landon DuPont is going to be better than Makar.

Would suck to be down for another three years though.

The correct answer is 2026.
Bedard vs McKenna for the next two decades would be FAR too good to pass up; just for the comedy value.

 

[Mike Liut]

Why not in 2 years?

Even better

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Pretty good breakdown. I have to say that I am very weary of taking Hagens especially #1. When I watch him all I see is skating and puck skills, of which he is elite. He uses these to bully lesser talented players. However, I seriously question his hockey IQ and two way game are at that level. I do think he will be a successful NHL player but not a first overall talent.

Porter Martone would be my number one target. I love the aggressiveness and intent he plays with. He is a straight line player that goes to the area you need to go to. Reminds me of a much more skilled David Backes. The type of guy you can slap a C on.

The 2 I am most excited by at this point are Misa and Schaeffer. Still early and any of the 4 could end up on top, but I expect Misa in particular to rise up lists.

 

[Majorityof1]

If I could pick first overall in one of ‘25, ‘26 or ‘27 I’d pick 2027. Landon DuPont is going to be better than Makar.

Would suck to be down for another three years though.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

One week out from Thanksgiving and the Blues are currently in the 9OA draft position by points percentage. Bottom-10 in the league in almost every category 5v5 and all situations. The injury bug really kneecapped us, but so did the absolute lack of center depth.

If we can stay in that 5-10 draft range, we should be able to walk away with a center or defenseman worth writing home about.

 

[kimzey59]

One week out from Thanksgiving and the Blues are currently in the 9OA draft position by points percentage. Bottom-10 in the league in almost every category 5v5 and all situations. The injury bug really kneecapped us, but so did the absolute lack of center depth.

If we can stay in that 5-10 draft range, we should be able to walk away with a center or defenseman worth writing home about.

I'm a bit "worried" that we're going to surge once Thomas and Broberg return and still miss the PO's.
Not that there aren't some interesting prospects in the 10-16 range(I'm very intrigued by Mrtka and Desnoyers), but there's a definite drop from the top group.

 

[Mike Liut]

I'm a bit "worried" that we're going to surge once Thomas and Broberg return and still miss the PO's.
Not that there aren't some interesting prospects in the 10-16 range(I'm very intrigued by Mrtka and Desnoyers), but there's a definite drop from the top group.

I doubt we’ll be drafting in the top 10 unless either Parayko or Binner go down

 

[BlueMed]

I'm not opposed to best-player-available, but I would like to add another RHD. Maybe someone like Logan Hensler, Radim Mrtka, or Charlie Tretheway would be a solid addition.

 

[SirPaste]

Gotta take BPA, we need help all over the ice. Desperately in need of some elite talent in the system, IMO that should be the goal regardless of position.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I’ve got to see plenty of Denoyers watching Pekarcik. He definitely would be an improvement. If he didn’t reach his ceiling, then he would be an exceptional third or fourth line player. He has a gift of forechecking That he seems to be able to know ahead of time what’s going on and anticipate a mistake. Some older blues fans may remember Mike Eastwood or Larry Patey. He can also score and set up plays. I would say a ceiling of a poor mans Steve Yzerman.

 

[joe galiba]

I’ve got to see plenty of Denoyers watching Pekarcik. He definitely would be an improvement. If he didn’t reach his ceiling, then he would be an exceptional third or fourth line player. He has a gift of forechecking That he seems to be able to know ahead of time what’s going on and anticipate a mistake. Some older blues fans may remember Mike Eastwood or Larry Patey. He can also score and set up plays. I would say a ceiling of a poor mans Steve Yzerman.

Larry Patey. Now that is a name I haven’t heard in a long time. A long time.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Larry Patey. Now that is a name I haven’t heard in a long time. A long time.

Larry was a guy like Yzerman on the penalty kill that would just make you curse and throw your hat. It’s like they was everywhere.

 

[joe galiba]

Larry was a guy like Yzerman on the penalty kill that would just make you curse and throw your hat. It’s like they was everywhere.

I am 59 so I remember him well, he was my favorite non star player during his time here, he was a heck of a defensive player who could chip in a bit of offense

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Larry Patey, Blake Dunlop, Perry Turnbull, Jorgen Pettersson and of course Federko, Babych and Sutter. What a fun team!!

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

One guy I’ve got my eye on is Jake O’Brien from Brantford. Not many 6’2” right-shot centers put up 50 apples in their D-1 season

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

One guy I’ve got my eye on is Jake O’Brien from Brantford. Not many 6’2” right-shot centers put up 50 apples in their D-1 season

Good player!

 

[PocketNines]

I’ve got to see plenty of Denoyers watching Pekarcik. He definitely would be an improvement. If he didn’t reach his ceiling, then he would be an exceptional third or fourth line player. He has a gift of forechecking That he seems to be able to know ahead of time what’s going on and anticipate a mistake. Some older blues fans may remember Mike Eastwood or Larry Patey. He can also score and set up plays. I would say a ceiling of a poor mans Steve Yzerman.

I had a Larry Patey stick

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I had a Larry Patey stick

I remember those super ugly, teal California Golden Seals jerseys. I remember having a hockey card with Larry Patey on it.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

I remember those super ugly, teal California Golden Seals jerseys. I remember having a hockey card with Larry Patey on it.

A promo I got at a game from that era was a huge fold-up poster with large photos and signatures of each player on that roster. It was a cool giveaway. Besides that, I got a Denis Potvin stick. #5

 

[Mike Liut]

Losers of 6 of the past 7, the Blues jump up to #5. Keep losing you effin losers. We need a star player to add to this core when we make our run in 2 years.

 

[Memento]

Losers of 6 of the past 7, the Blues jump up to #5. Keep losing you effin losers. We need a star player to add to this core when we make our run in 2 years.

This is not the year I want to have a #1 overall, like I've mentioned, and it's honestly not that deep, in my honest opinion...but I do like a lot of the prospects in the top ten. Wouldn't mind us to keep losing.

 

[Majorityof1]

This is not the year I want to have a #1 overall, like I've mentioned, and it's honestly not that deep, in my honest opinion...but I do like a lot of the prospects in the top ten. Wouldn't mind us to keep losing.

I'll take #1 OA any year we can get it. Picking sooner is always better. Even in a weak draft. We messed up with Johnson ,but he was still a 1000 game top 4 dman. And we could have picked Toews with better scouting/forecasting.

It's not like we have a shot at a high lottery pick often to turn our noses up at one. A bird in the hand (#1 oa now) is worth more than 2 in the bush (maybe we get 1oa some future year with a stronger draft).