Pre-Game Talk: 2025 NHL Draft Thread

[BadgersandBlues]

Buch-Thomas-Marner would be something

Too much passing.

The only way I'm moving Kyrou is for a sure-fire #1 D (Preferably RH) who's a bit younger and either on a similar contract or an ELC. So basically no one.

 

[DatDude44]

Too much passing.

The only way I'm moving Kyrou is for a sure-fire #1 D (Preferably RH) who's a bit younger and either on a similar contract or an ELC. So basically no one.

Werenski is my personal target with this idea

 

[sfvega]

Marner is an incredible hockey player. He's insanely elusive with the puck, makes some unbelievable passes, and is highly competitive. Leafs fans are out to lunch when they complain about him. He's one of the most complete players in the league. He just doesn't run guys through the boards so he gets shit on like ROR did in Buffalo, when we all saw what a huge impact he had here defensively without being ultra physical. Like yeah, he scores a bit less in the playoffs, but the playoffs are against the best teams in the league. Almost everyone scores less in the playoffs.

Very good points. I think Toronto's problem is timing. When Marner is on, Matthews disappears. When Auston is scoring, Nylander disappears. We had the same problem in Oshie, who played great in the regular season and disappeared every playoffs. Went to Washington and had a superb Cup run. Sometimes guys choke and sometimes it's just the situation. Especially with a team that had mediocre goaltending and defense; they can't afford any of their Big 3 to have a bad series.

 

[BadgersandBlues]

Werenski is my personal target with this idea

I think Werenski is a great player, but he doesn't fit our timeline at all. I think we're really looking at our competitive window opening at best in 26/27, when he's 29 and with only two years on his deal. Getting only two competitive years out of him before having to resign him to likely a much higher number isn't really what I have in mind.

I'd much rather target a Power, Byram, Faber, or Sanderson. Again, it'll never happen, but that's really the only guy I'm pulling the trigger on a Kyrou trade for - or a guy that we're 95% sure hits his ceiling like a Nikishin.

 

[BlueMed]

Marner is an incredible hockey player. He's insanely elusive with the puck, makes some unbelievable passes, and is highly competitive. Leafs fans are out to lunch when they complain about him. He's one of the most complete players in the league. He just doesn't run guys through the boards so he gets shit on like ROR did in Buffalo, when we all saw what a huge impact he had here defensively without being ultra physical. Like yeah, he scores a bit less in the playoffs, but the playoffs are against the best teams in the league. Almost everyone scores less in the playoffs.

I don't follow. There's a strong case that his impact decreases markedly as a playoff series goes on. Looking at his numbers more closely, you can see that he has only scored 1 goal past 4 game and only 3 assists past game 5.

Mitch Marner
11 career playoff games in 57 games
-4 goals in game 1s
-4 goals in game 2s
-0 goals in game 3s
-2 goals in game 4s
-0 goals in game 5s
-1 goal game 6s
-0 goals game 7s

39 career playoff assists in 57 games
-5 assists in game 1s
-7 assists in game 2s
-9 assists in game 3s
-10 assists in game 4s
-5 assists in game 5s
-1 assist in game 6s
-2 assists in game 7s

From 2008 to 2021, the average number of goals per game in the regular season is 5.67 compared to the playoffs 5.42. That’s a drop of only 4.4%. In games 5, 6, and 7’s the average number of goals was 5.35, 5.58, and 5.07, respectively. His career regular season points per game is 1.12 compared to his post season points per game as 0.85. For comparison sake, Mackinnon's PPG rises from 1.14 to 1.29, Rantanen's PPG rises from 1.09 to 1.24, McDavid's PPG rises from 1.52 to 1.58, Draisaitl's PPG rises from 1.18 to 1.45, Point's PPG's rises from 0.95 to 1.00, Kucherov's PPG only falls from 1.21 to 1.13, and Tkachuk's PPG falls only from 0.98 to 0.85. We're talking about a player who demanded to be paid the 7th highest AAV in the league (5th among forwards) in 2019 when a bridge deal was perfectly reasonable. Toronto fans are correct when they state: that's not good enough.

 

[AyeBah]

Forget Marner, lets sign Rantanen from those guys out west. Imagine how satisfying it would be to take him from the Avs

 

[DatDude44]

I think Werenski is a great player, but he doesn't fit our timeline at all. I think we're really looking at our competitive window opening at best in 26/27, when he's 29 and with only two years on his deal. Getting only two competitive years out of him before having to resign him to likely a much higher number isn't really what I have in mind.

I'd much rather target a Power, Byram, Faber, or Sanderson. Again, it'll never happen, but that's really the only guy I'm pulling the trigger on a Kyrou trade for - or a guy that we're 95% sure hits his ceiling like a Nikishin.

None of those guys will be available. Werenski will still be really good when he’s 31 man. D that play his style age like fine wine. If he was 34, then what you’re saying would make sense.

 

[Stealth JD]

Since he's actually a real prospect and committed to Boston U for next year(Haoxi Wang - Stats, Contract, Salary & More), I'm going to assume this wasn't an attempt at humor and give a quick shoot out to two other Chinesse born prospects that look to have some upside: Xiang Wen(solidly built Offensive D at Shawnigan Lake Prep) and Louis Gu(goalie at Kelowna U18 Prep).


Chinese hockey is growing slowly, but it is starting to grow. Good for the game.

Good article profiling Wang from Wheeler.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5891569/2024/12/04/nhl-draft-2025-haoxi-simon-wang/

Kid didn't start playing hockey until he was 14. Lots of upside.
I'd still rather have Broberg for next year's second than Wang...but I'd love to somehow grab a pick between 25 & 45 and draft this kid.