2025 NHL Draft: We got #2!

[Jargon]

Of course Misa looks more dynamic. He's playing against children while Frondell plays against professionals in their 20s and 30s.

I just disagree that taking someone other than Misa at 2 would be overthinking it. As Scott Fitzgerald said in that interview with Dan Rusanowsky, there's a half dozen players the Sharks are going to do a deep dive on. If they go through that process and decide Frondell or Martone or Desnoyers should be the pick I think they've earned the benefit of the doubt. But of course there will be a huge fan meltdown.

I think I’d be disappointed because I like Misa’s scouting report more than Frondell’s. Honestly, I’d much prefer Martone over Frondell too (Martone has an undeniably high ceiling).

But ultimately, I do trust this scouting team quite a bit, if they see something in Frondell over the other guys, I’d have to hope they were right.

 

[Grinner]

So where does Frondells game dictate he play? A slow playing scoring LWer?
Misa seems a better option to fill a LW possible need
And of course Misa seems to be the much better center project of the two.
I agree with others here
Schaefer > Misa> Martone.

 

[Hodge]

So where does Frondells game dictate he play? A slow playing scoring LWer?
Misa seems a better option to fill a LW possible need
And of course Misa seems to be the much better center project of the two.
I agree with others here
Schaefer > Misa> Martone.

I see Frondell as a potential Anton Lundell type (not just because their names are similar). That might sound underwhelming for a 2nd overall pick but Lundell's scoring numbers would be a lot higher if the Panthers weren't loaded with superstars up front crowding him out of the top six. 50-60 point center who can take on the tough matchups and free up Macklin and Will to concentrate on offense. Misa has the more exciting highlight reel but our ultimate goal is to win physical low-scoring playoff games. We already have a lot of soft skill.

 

[TheBeard]

Yeah, I think it has to be a piece that immediately makes the team better, likely a young defenseman with a high ceiling that can step in right away. In other words — a piece most teams won’t want to give.

If he can somehow move back, get an additional forward (which may be easier to pry), use the Dallas pick and their own to move up and grab one of the second tier D-men that wouldn't be a bad coup. Say Frondell, An A forward prospect and someone like Aitcheson or Jackson Smith, that's not bad.

 

[Grinner]

I see Frondell as a potential Anton Lundell type (not just because their names are similar). That might sound underwhelming for a 2nd overall pick but Lundell's scoring numbers would be a lot higher if the Panthers weren't loaded with superstars up front crowding him out of the top six. 50-60 point center who can take on the tough matchups and free up Macklin and Will to concentrate on offense. Misa has the more exciting highlight reel but our ultimate goal is to win physical low-scoring playoff games. We already have a lot of soft skill.

I'm a big proponent of bigger grittier players.
Only Martone fits that bill of the top tier prospects
Of course neither Misa nor Schaefer are small. Of the top tier prospects, Frondell is the one I like the least.

 

[anthonyyy]

I'm a big proponent of bigger grittier players.
Only Martone fits that bill of the top tier prospects
Of course neither Misa nor Schaefer are small. Of the top tier prospects, Frondell is the one I like the least.

Martone isn't really gritty though. He's like a taller Will Smith.

 

[Hodge]

I'm a big proponent of bigger grittier players.
Only Martone fits that bill of the top tier prospects
Of course neither Misa nor Schaefer are small. Of the top tier prospects, Frondell is the one I like the least.

I'm with you on Martone. Hoping he's our pick unless the Isles pass on Schaefer.

The biggest thing Frondell has going for him is that he's already proven he can score against men in a pro league. His numbers are not too dissimilar from Elias Pettersson's draft year in the same league. Seems relatively safe to pencil him in as a Cup caliber 3C at worst.

 

[Grinner]

Martone isn't really gritty though. He's like a taller Will Smith.

I've seen some vids of him clearing people out and getting into fights. Now, he didn't do all rhat well fighting, but he was a willing participant

 

[SJS1991]

I'm a big proponent of bigger grittier players.
Only Martone fits that bill of the top tier prospects
Of course neither Misa nor Schaefer are small. Of the top tier prospects, Frondell is the one I like the least.

I have also read with Frondell that there might be concerns with the weight, given his height. He is big and you love that, but there seems to be alittle Kasper Halt in there potentially.

I like Martone but I don’t know if he is a physical forward. He is big and skilled. Like Hodge mentioned, I think he has more of the soft skills. The only thing that gives you hope outside of his size, is that he does play the role of the “rat”/“agitator”. So if he has that in his game… is it easy for him to develop into just an overall gritty, physical power forward.

 

[Grinner]

I'm with you on Martone. Hoping he's our pick unless the Isles pass on Schaefer.

The biggest thing Frondell has going for him is that he's already proven he can score against men in a pro league. His numbers are not too dissimilar from Elias Pettersson's draft year in the same league. Seems relatively safe to pencil him in as a Cup caliber 3C at worst.

I'd be pissed if we spent that high a pick on that turned out a 3c

 

[Hodge]

I'd be pissed if we spent that high a pick on that turned out a 3c

Everyone would be. But the potential floor of guys like Misa, Martone and Hagens is scarier IMO. If the offense doesn't translate at a top six level are these guys even NHLers?

 

[Friday]

Martone is a perimeter player compared to Misa. Misa is much more likely to score goals in dirty areas. Martone is not a power winger, he's just big. I wouldn't be pissed to draft him but drafting a scoring winger at 2 seems like a let down

 

[coooldude]

I've seen some vids of him clearing people out and getting into fights. Now, he didn't do all rhat well fighting, but he was a willing participant

Here's a vid of Misa getting the better of him in a mediocre fight.

Everyone would be. But the potential floor of guys like Misa, Martone and Hagens is scarier IMO. If the offense doesn't translate at a top six level are these guys even NHLers?

Misa is fast, dynamic, and skilled enough that his worst outcome is probably a middle 6 winger who can PK and play on the second PP unit. Laf comes to mind? The one scouting video said a less reckless Taylor Hall.

Martone will be a middle 6 scoring winger playmaker guy at worst. Slaf comes to mind.

Hagens probably a weak 2C, definitely enough to bounce around trying to find a home.

Yes, they will (likely) be NHLers. None of those are exciting but neither is Frondell, or even Schaefer's floor.

 

[SJS1991]

Everyone would be. But the potential floor of guys like Misa, Martone and Hagens is scarier IMO. If the offense doesn't translate at a top six level are these guys even NHLers?

Let’s also not act like Misa is just Labanc… Misa is more mature when it comes to defensive assignments, positioning and compete. He isn’t “big” but he isn’t small either. Plus he has shown like Celebrini, an interest in doing well when he doesn’t have the puck. Is he going to be Scott Stevens or Corey Perry out there cleaning clocks? No. But I don’t think he is just a scorer.

Martone is forward Sam Dickinson to me. If he isn’t in the NHL it’s because he doesn’t want it. His build out is too NHL-ish and NHL GMs will give those guys all the time in bottom 6/bottom pairs in hopes they finally hit… so I don’t see him not being an NHLer.

Hagens is the one that I can see being actual concern. Size profile is the main driver… but I don’t know if his game is based on scoring either. He is a playmaker, who like Misa, is about just being a responsible defender. He thinks the game very well… it’s just the physical tools aren’t ideal.

 

[Grinner]

Here's a vid of Misa getting the better of him in a mediocre fight.



Misa is fast, dynamic, and skilled enough that his worst outcome is probably a middle 6 winger who can PK and play on the second PP unit. Laf comes to mind?

Martone will be a middle 6 scoring winger playmaker guy at worst. Slaf comes to mind.

Hagens probably a weak 2C, definitely enough to bounce around trying to find a home.

Yes, they will (likely) be NHLers.

I've seen that one.
I only want Martone, if we trade down
Even if he fills a much needed top 6 RW position
And I'm only suggesting a trade down of one or two spots

 

[Hodge]

Martone is a perimeter player compared to Misa. Misa is much more likely to score goals in dirty areas. Martone is not a power winger, he's just big. I wouldn't be pissed to draft him but drafting a scoring winger at 2 seems like a let down

Misa could end up being a scoring winger in the NHL too though. I think that's largely what the decision comes down to: are you confident enough in Misa sticking at center long term to pass up on the bigger RH wing with arguably higher offensive IQ?

 

[dmcccdmn]

I'm a little worried Grier doesn't value Schaefer or Misa the same way most people value those two. Remember when everyone on HF would have picked Buium over Dick last year and he chose Dick instead? Same thing can happen again this year. Schaefer might fall on our lap (or Misa) and he decides to pick some big dude that's not as skilled.

 

[PattyLafontaine]

Of course Misa looks more dynamic. He's playing against children while Frondell plays against professionals in their 20s and 30s.

I just disagree that taking someone other than Misa at 2 would be overthinking it. As Scott Fitzgerald said in that interview with Dan Rusanowsky, there's a half dozen players the Sharks are going to do a deep dive on. If they go through that process and decide Frondell or Martone or Desnoyers should be the pick I think they've earned the benefit of the doubt. But of course there will be a huge fan meltdown like with the Dickinson pick last year.

Was there really a fan meltdown over Dickinson? I know some people were obsessed with Buium, but it was shocking that Dickinson made it to 11.

 

[Juxtaposer]

1. Oliver Bonk isn't very good and trading down from #2 to #6 and only getting Bonk would be horrific.
2. Misa is much, much grittier than Martone, even putting their fight aside.
3. Misa's floor is incredibly high because of his skating/defensive awareness/transition play/size/finishing ability. Worst case scenario he's a second line 50 point wing with defensive and special teams utility.
4. Incidentally, Frondell's ceiling IMO is Misa's floor.
5. Frondell's "historic" Allsvenskan production is basically just from three games, in which he scored 11 of his season total 25 points. One of those four point games was captured in a shift-by-shift video posted somewhere in this thread and even at the time I commented that he didn't look very impressive despite the points.
6. I don't believe in taking pure F3's in the top-5 of the draft, unless they are literally Ovechkin. That's how you end up with Alex Holtz.
7. The only guy in our range that actually bigger than Misa is Martone, who is highly, highly skilled.
8. I really want to draft Matthew Schaefer

 

[SJS1991]

I'm a little worried Grier doesn't value Schaefer or Misa the same way most people value those two. Remember when everyone on HF would have picked Buium over Dick last year and he chose Dick instead? Same thing can happen again this year. Schaefer might fall on our lap (or Misa) and he decides to pick some big dude that's not as skilled.

2 things… I wasn’t posting on hfboards then, just lurking and reading, but I loved the Dickinson pick. He was the one defense man I wanted the most. I get the Buium love… but I wanted Sam the most and legit thought there wasn’t a path to get him.

I was worried they would need to select Parekh or Carter.

Other thing… Dickinson isn’t “not as skilled”. Dickinson is literally the traits pick… he has all the skill. His issue is his hockey IQ is questionable. Every scout is like “oh yeah, thats what you would draw up if you wanted a #1D”…. Then they see him transition out of his zone and have a brain fart and go….. oh.

 

[Hodge]

Was there really a fan meltdown over Dickinson? I know some people were obsessed with Buium, but it was shocking that Dickinson made it to 11.

Big time meltdown. Some are still mad about it.

I'm a little worried Grier doesn't value Schaefer or Misa the same way most people value those two. Remember when everyone on HF would have picked Buium over Dick last year and he chose Dick instead? Same thing can happen again this year. Schaefer might fall on our lap (or Misa) and he decides to pick some big dude that's not as skilled.

No offense but why do you think you or HF would know better than Grier and his scouting staff? We have no idea if it's even true that the Sharks don't value Schaefer or Misa the way others do but if so is it really that crazy they might be right while the fans and internet scouts are wrong?

 

[sharski]

I don't remember any real backlash to the Dickinson pick, it seemed like a toss up in terms of value... Like picking between a Camry and an Accord

If Sam Dickinson had a name as cool as Zeev Buium like say... Zarley Zalapski it would have been a controversial pick because those are generational names

 

[CHALUPA]

Misa could end up being a scoring winger in the NHL too though. I think that's largely what the decision comes down to: are you confident enough in Misa sticking at center long term to pass up on the bigger RH wing with arguably higher offensive IQ?

I think I would.

I think the fact that Martone has a perimeter player’s mentality kind of reduces the value his size brings, whereas Misa shows a willingness to go to dirty areas and he isn’t smaller small.

I understand the counter argument though

 

[Hodge]

I don't remember any real backlash to the Dickinson pick, it seemed like a toss up in terms of value... Like picking between a Camry and an Accord

If Sam Dickinson had a name as cool as Zeev Buium like say... Zarley Zalapski it would have been a controversial pick because those are generational names

Last year's tank thread was named after Buium until we won the lottery. People were pissed that he fell to 11 and we didn't take him.

 

[CHALUPA]

Big time meltdown. Some are still mad about it.

I’m still so mad that I voted Buium as our best prospect in the new threads