Pre-Game Talk: 2025 NHL Draft Thread

[TruBlueFan1970]

Looking like a real chance to be picking at 5-7 this year, and extremely good chance in the top 10 at worst. In no particular order, I really like Desnoyers, Frondell and Eklund up front and Smith or Hensler on the back end. Unless we win a lotto pick and then my dream is Misa or Schaefer.

And even with size, not as big of fan of Mrtka, Martone, Lakovic or McQueen.

 

[SirPaste]

I need to be watching more Everett Silvertips games. The hype for Landon DuPont (in ‘27 draft) is real. He’s going to be a McDavid-esque caliber of prospect by the time that draft rolls around.



He’s already 5’11”, 180lbs as a 15 year old…with solid defense, surprising physicality and amazing offensive instincts. Could be the best prospect since Lemieux to enter the draft.

I will be interested to see how the next few years go when his peers catch up to him physically. I am always skeptical when a kid is so far advanced physically than his peers that they dominate but cool down once everyone else catches up. I am not knocking him or trying to diminish his value as a prospect at all just saying there have been many instances of kids that dominated at such an early age who slowed down as they get closer to their draft.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I will be interested to see how the next few years go when his peers catch up to him physically. I am always skeptical when a kid is so far advanced physically than his peers that they dominate but cool down once everyone else catches up. I am not knocking him or trying to diminish his value as a prospect at all just saying there have been many instances of kids that dominated at such an early age who slowed down as they get closer to their draft.

That’s been the position that Frondell has been put in. He is 6’1” 200#s. Not much room to grow already in a man’s body. I’m really curious what the later tourney brings. Catching stride after injuries and all the kids maturing around him.

 

[kimzey59]

Looking like a real chance to be picking at 5-7 this year, and extremely good chance in the top 10 at worst. In no particular order, I really like Desnoyers, Frondell and Eklund up front and Smith or Hensler on the back end. Unless we win a lotto pick and then my dream is Misa or Schaefer.

And even with size, not as big of fan of Mrtka, Martone, Lakovic or McQueen.

I would disagree with you on Martone.
Say what you want about his hockey sense and skating, but the guy has a pitbull mindset and we could definitely use that in our lineup.

I would agree that he’s a lot closer to Brady Tkachuk than he is to Matthew Tkachuk; but I think we need to look more at heart/compete level than we do skill and I can’t really knock Martone in that area.

 

[Mike Liut]

1) Rate these guys coming out of the draft
2) Rate these guys who will have the better career

In no particular order…

Thomas
Dvorsky
Frondell
Desnoyers
McQueen
O’Brian

The reason I ask, I think we are walking away with one of these 4 centers

 

[TruBlueFan1970]

I would disagree with you on Martone.
Say what you want about his hockey sense and skating, but the guy has a pitbull mindset and we could definitely use that in our lineup.

I would agree that he’s a lot closer to Brady Tkachuk than he is to Matthew Tkachuk; but I think we need to look more at heart/compete level than we do skill and I can’t really knock Martone in that area.

Totally agree on his compete and I like his size. His skating is what concerns me at this level. If Dvorsky is struggling in that area and it is what is holding him back at this point, then Martone will have similar issues.

 

[BlueMed]

Any interest in 6’6 RHD Mrtka?

He's been discussed quite a bit. One super helpful thing on this forum is the search function. They now updated it where you can specifically search a player everywhere, in this forum, or even in this thread without having to read everyone's post.

 

[HighNote]

NSH loses, UTA loses but gets a loser point. We're now tied with UTA but still have two games in hand. We play them next so that's a big game.

 

[LGB]

Jackson Smith looks like a #1 defenseman to me

 

[kimzey59]

Totally agree on his compete and I like his size. His skating is what concerns me at this level. If Dvorsky is struggling in that area and it is what is holding him back at this point, then Martone will have similar issues.

Not sure it's Dvorsky's skating that is holding him back right now.
It's more that the team is a dumpster fire and Army's trying to insulate him from that.

 

[BlueDream]

Excellent, one more top 10 pick for us will help a lot. If we can add that along with potentially exploring a trade for a d-man like Nemec, that should set us up with enough talent to compete in the future.

 

[Blanick]

Excellent, one more top 10 pick for us will help a lot. If we can add that along with potentially exploring a trade for a d-man like Nemec, that should set us up with enough talent to compete in the future.

Not the trade board but I would approach Buch about going a different direction and offer him to New Jersey in a heartbeat. They are a contender and have need for a top6 forward. NJ top4 RD is locked up for 3 more years and Kovacevic should be relatively cheap re-signing for them. Buch for Nemec is a strong basis for a deal IMO.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

1) Rate these guys coming out of the draft
2) Rate these guys who will have the better career

In no particular order…

Thomas
Dvorsky
Frondell
Desnoyers
McQueen
O’Brian

The reason I ask, I think we are walking away with one of these 4 centers

Draft year
Desnoyers
O’Brien
McQueen coming back 100% healthy
Dvo worried about his pace
Frondell(see McQueen)
Thomas I saw a third line center

Career
Thomas (he’s a 90-100 point center)
O’brien (I see a similar statline to Thomas but error to the side of 75 point center
Desnoyers. (If career is winning #1)
McQueen (I don’t know about the back). He could be one or done
Dvo (he ends up on the wing as a goal scorer. He's too good at it. )
Frondell (being last isn’t bad 40-60 pt center). Again I want a clean bill of health and address this again after juniors. He could be the steal if he gets entirely healthy.

 

[Mike Liut]

Draft year
Desnoyers
O’Brien
McQueen coming back 100% healthy
Dvo worried about his pace
Frondell(see McQueen)
Thomas I saw a third line center

Career
Thomas (he’s a 90-100 point center)
O’brien (I see a similar statline to Thomas but error to the side of 75 point center
Desnoyers. (If career is winning #1)
McQueen (I don’t know about the back). He could be one or done
Dvo (he ends up on the wing as a goal scorer. He's too good at it. )
Frondell (being last isn’t bad 40-60 pt center). Again I want a clean bill of health and address this again after juniors. He could be the steal if he gets entirely healthy.

My only disagreement is, I’d like to see Thomas repeat his 86 pt season last year before I call him a 90-100 pt center. He’s looking more like an 80 pt center to me. Other than that, your knowledge on prospects is MUCH greater than mine as I always look forward to your take on them.