Pre-Game Talk: 2025 NHL Draft Thread

[Dr Robot]

If we want to YOLO trade our first this year for a random first next year, I’m down.

 

[PocketNines]

Burns and Mayich got roughing minors against each other

Burns and Jiricek each have an assist so far

 

[LetsGoBooze]

Burns and Mayich got roughing minors against each other

Burns and Jiricek each have an assist so far

We got Rob'd.

 

[PocketNines]

We got Rob'd.

this one is an actual Robb'd

there's a technology two-step (posting while streaming) and it distracted me enough to conflate prospects thread with draft. I think I have three more robb's left this season

 

[PocketNines]

If we draft Simon Wang we will have many Chinese people scouting all his Oshawa games for us, which will lessen the viewing burden.

Even if the Blues make the playoffs their pick is going to be 17th, mayybe 18th, so we are looking at somewhere between 11-18th pick. Right around where they're talking about dropoff. If it goes down like last year it could be bitter, with all the guys we want emptying out right before we pick. On the other hand the pick value looks like it might be well above one in the 20s, at least the way other scouting groups seem to be seeing things (via McKenzie). So if there is a player at the deadline Doug is trying to add, a 1st from the Blues in the mid first will be definitely more competitive than a contender in the mid-late 20s offering their 1st would be.

Glad we were loaded with 2ds and 3ds in the recent drafts but not this one!

 

[Damian Frerker]

where would you rank Desnoyers Thomas and Dvorsky and why? tell me more about Desnoyers please. just starting to look at draft prospects. hope we get a high pick.

 

[TruBlueFan1970]

Here is my post-WJC Top 32:

1. Schaefer
2. Misa
3. Hagens - I see a top line winger
4. McQueen
5. Desnoyers
6. O'Brien
7. Frondell
8. Martone
9. Hensler
10. Bear
11. Carbonneau
12. Reid
13. Smith
14. Aitcheson
15. Spence

Guys I like not sure where to put them. Arvid Drott, Eddie Genborg, Brady Martin, Eric Nilsson, David Bedkowski, Aron Dahlqvist, Kristian Epperson, David Granberg, Gustav Hillstrom, Mason Moe, Hayden P, Julius Sumpf, Bill Zonnon

I think Mrtka is just a giraffe. What separates him from Simon Wang and Jason Rombach? Martone is overrated. Hagens is the best American and I think a bit overrated. Watch out for the Swedes at the U18s. Being a little underrated again due to their medal drought. 4-7 are interchangeable.

Every time I watch Pekarcik and Desnoyers play, there’s this guy Sumpf winning faceoffs, flying around catching guys from behind stealing pucks, throwing his weight around, scoring goals, setting up goals….who is this guy? Who owns his rights? Same with the U20s. Julius Sumpf a D+2. I think he is being overlooked bad.

Where do you see a guy like Blake Fiddler? I still think our two prospect system holes are Center and RHD.

 

[Mike Liut]

We are currently sitting at #10 with a difficult remaining schedule imo. I wouldn’t be surprised if we stayed around this spot.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Where do you see a guy like Blake Fiddler? I still think our two prospect system holes are Center and RHD.

My last viewing of him was one of the worst I have seen for a prospect. I had trouble telling which team he was on. Earlier this year I watched him and thought he played a lot like Rob Blake. Is he pressing to impress? Did I catch him on a very bad night? I follow a lot of polls and read quite a bit on prospects that tell me he is the complete tool kit with the naysayers questioning his hockey sense. He's a 6'4" RHD. Kind of like being a LHP that throws 98 mph. He will go in the first on his pedigree and resume. I like a few guys more now, but he would be a good project pick late in the first round. Any other year, he is in the 2nd round. I think at around the 12th pick that you are reaching. Hensler is a safer pick or nab one of the top 7 centers.

 

[Reality Czech]

This is my thought process too. I feel like the majority of teams below us are already exploring selling off options. We are going to compete until the last possible minute and that will likely keep us out of drafting top 10. Unless someone goes on a pretty bad losing streak I feel like the top 7 are pretty locked in the West. It's all about that last WC spot and I think the Blues will fall just short. I mean we are halfway through the year and haven't managed one 3 game winning streak.

I feel like Saad is the obvious candidate to trade away. I would also add pending UFA Faksa and Suter as a possibility. I don't imagine they will return a lot however, so I do wonder if Army opts to try and keep them for a late season surge into the playoffs if we are still close come TDL.

It wouldn't surprise me if Army told Suter when he signed that if we're not in a playoff position that he would do his best to move him to a playoff team. I fully expect him to be traded at the deadline.

With Faksa it might depend on how much he likes it here and if there is mutual interest in an extension. Either he extends before the deadline or he's also moved

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

So I decided to watch a Seattle Victoria game to get a look at Mrtka, Cootes, and Reschny. I can’t say I’m real impressed with any of them outside a 2nd round pick. Cootes looks like a 3rd line center. He passes pucks to areas not so much players if that makes sense. He’s good, but I don’t see a first rounder in a typical draft.
Reschny really didn’t do anything. He was visible on the PP. nothing dynamic. He’s good. 2nd 3rd rounder typically?
Mrtka reminds me of a non physical Dvorak from a couple years ago. Actions are slow. Not bad, but not real good either. Example. Did a PP drop pass on a breakout to no one and killed 20 seconds for the other team. Good stick. Needs to use his size as he doesn’t win many board battles.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

where would you rank Desnoyers Thomas and Dvorsky and why? tell me more about Desnoyers please. just starting to look at draft prospects. hope we get a high pick.

I really like Desnoyers. Top 5 for me. Complete 200 ft player. Not really dynamic, but a guy that’s on the ice winning or losing at the end of a game taking the faceoff. Closest I have seen to an Yzerman comp. It’s telling with a roster of talented CHL vs US that he’s the #1 center and proves why. He may only be a 60 to 70 point player, but the opposition will know you were in a game and had to play your butt off to win it. Don’t think there is a chance he is there when we pick.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I really like Desnoyers. Top 5 for me. Complete 200 ft player. Not really dynamic, but a guy that’s on the ice winning or losing at the end of a game taking the faceoff. Closest I have seen to an Yzerman comp. It’s telling with a roster of talented CHL vs US that he’s the #1 center and proves why. He may only be a 60 to 70 point player, but the opposition will know you were in a game and had to play your butt off to win it. Don’t think there is a chance he is there when we pick.

Is it crazy that I’m liking him more than Martone at 4?

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Is it crazy that I’m liking him more than Martone at 4?

Not at all. I have Martone outside my top 5.

 

[PocketNines]

So I decided to watch a Seattle Victoria game to get a look at Mrtka, Cootes, and Reschny. I can’t say I’m real impressed with any of them outside a 2nd round pick. Cootes looks like a 3rd line center. He passes pucks to areas not so much players if that makes sense. He’s good, but I don’t see a first rounder in a typical draft.
Reschny really didn’t do anything. He was visible on the PP. nothing dynamic. He’s good. 2nd 3rd rounder typically?
Mrtka reminds me of a non physical Dvorak from a couple years ago. Actions are slow. Not bad, but not real good either. Example. Did a PP drop pass on a breakout to no one and killed 20 seconds for the other team. Good stick. Needs to use his size as he doesn’t win many board battles.

Thank you for that description of Mrtka. First and foremost if a guy is 6'6" defenseman I want him winning board battles, not losing them. Now maybe some of this is he needs more mass. But I don't see someone I think is excited to get into a situation he knows he's going to win, so he doesn't have tons of confidence.

So if he's not going to be physical then I want him driving offense but he is not great with the puck, he fumbles it he loses it and the other team kills time or worse gets a chance. In the first shift of the game I saw, Jakub Stancl had a chance on left wing because he beat Mrtka physically in the neutral zone, who fell, and suddenly Stancl was driving a scoring opportunity. That's ... not what i want if I only get one pick at #15.

Someone compared him to Tyler Myers and it's more like post-hype Myers who's highly exploitable

 

[Mike Liut]

#9 after tonight

 

[PocketNines]

San Jose Chicago and Buffalo are all wretched and have the bottom 3

Nashville is in 4th pick but sneakily playing better they are only -5 and +4 over their last 10

Anahaim Seattle and Pitt all -3

Philly and us even tied at 8/9 but us having three extra regulation wins for the tiebreaker

9th is still damn good. (Maybe one of these years our ball will hit #1)

then a really nice situation with a lot of small plusses shaping up in the East which honestly would have been real nice each of the last two years. although I swear to god if the Blues had still taken Jiricek 10th with Buium and Dickinson on the board, which it sounds like they were locked in on ...

if we can come up with a home regulation loss against fading Vancouver heading into road games in COL and UTAH before hosting the two past Cup finalists, we will be real clear on direction and should have more regulation losses than wins at the break

 

[Stealth JD]

San Jose Chicago and Buffalo are all wretched and have the bottom 3

Nashville is in 4th pick but sneakily playing better they are only -5 and +4 over their last 10

Anahaim Seattle and Pitt all -3

Philly and us even tied at 8/9 but us having three extra regulation wins for the tiebreaker

9th is still damn good. (Maybe one of these years our ball will hit #1)

then a really nice situation with a lot of small plusses shaping up in the East which honestly would have been real nice each of the last two years. although I swear to god if the Blues had still taken Jiricek 10th with Buium and Dickinson on the board, which it sounds like they were locked in on ...

if we can come up with a home regulation loss against fading Vancouver heading into road games in COL and UTAH before hosting the two past Cup finalists, we will be real clear on direction and should have more regulation losses than wins at the break

time to sink or swim.

Spoiler

(well, that time has actually passed).

so naturally, they'll continue to tread water and do nothing of meaning.

 

[PocketNines]

time to sink or swim.

Spoiler

(well, that time has actually passed).

so naturally, they'll continue to tread water and do nothing of meaning.

the players haven't given up so we are back to the same mode as the last two seasons where they are going to drive us crazy winning 2-3 extra games than would get us the player at the top of the draft we need. Dvorsky and Jiricek is really underwhelming for what they could have gotten with a few more losses as we know

 

[Blanick]

I no longer believe the Blues will make the playoffs. We are 5 points behind the Flames and while they are losing to the Jets right now they will still have 2 games in hand on us. To me you trade any pending UFA and look at potential call ups the rest of the year.

For the draft I expect us to draft anywhere from 7-12. Outside of the longshot of winning the lottery, the dream would Desnoyers but I will settle for Hensler or Bear.