2025 NHL DRAFT

[Armourboy]

Unless we are getting a high-end prospect or a high-level pick, I would prefer to keep ROR. He'd be nice to have around if we are bringing along a young C.

Unless we change coaches and GM he probably won't be around him anyways.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

If the organization hasn't learned not to draft a goalie in the 1st after the Askarov case, it surely never will.

So, yeah, I'm 100% on the camp of "no goalies in the 1st OR 2nd round".

I think teams have learned something since the days of Pickards and Finleys? At least in the last several drafts, it has been very uncommon to draft goalies in the 1st round... Askarov, Cossa, and Wallstedt... all 3 have turned out very well and are on track for NHL careers. I would happily add either of the 2nd rounders from last year (Nabokov and Yegorov) to our prospect pool. I think there have been a pretty decent smattering of goalies taken in the 2nd round recently who are also well on track... Blomqvist and Commesso have played NHL games this year, Augustine is tracking very well.

Anyway, I don't think it's quite the voodoo it used to be? It's still a long development path, and it's also true that good goalie prospects can also be found in later rounds as well. Although we might have to spend 3 or 4 later round picks to get the same odds as a single 1st or 2nd rounder. I don't mean any disrespect whatsoever to Haider, Milota, or Jatkola... but I don't see anybody giving them attention as potential future NHLers yet. Maybe as they continue to grind their way up the ranks, with a little Korn magic sprinkled in, one will emerge? But I think the timeline is such that we can afford to draft another 18-year old goalie prospect, and let them percolate for 5 or 6 years too.

If somebody knows a hidden gem who is just as good as Ravensbergen or has a smart scouting perspective on why he's overrated and there's a guy in a later round who is secretly just as good, then hey, I'm all for waiting for later for that guy. But I don't have that kind of info, so I can only go by the consensus.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

If someone offers you a 1st for anyone that's over 30 not named Josi you take it and run. ROR ain't important enough to this team to be getting all huffy about whether its a good or bad draft year. He could blow a knee out next year and you get nothing, take it while you can.

I don't think there's any huffiness about keeping ROR. It's more sad resignation? Trotz isn't trading him for a 1st this year, we know that. Good or bad draft year.

My worry isn't so much that he'll blow out a knee, but rather that he'll just keep declining... and that decline will become increasingly obvious to teams who might be interested in trading for him. He's getting force-fed a lot of prime icetime THIS season to put up maybe a total of 50 pts by the end of the year (and be -25 or whatever). I'm worried about what that will look like next season, and how that might affect his trade value.

I guess we'll find out.

 

[Flgatorguy87]

I am anti-stat watching, but damn, what Misa is doing is eye popping and can't be ignored. It's hard not to see the names he's outscoring, the success rate of comparable scoring numbers in the NHL, and then not think it's a high probability of success at the NHL.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I am anti-stat watching, but damn, what Misa is doing is eye popping and can't be ignored. It's hard not to see the names he's outscoring, the success rate of comparable scoring numbers in the NHL, and then not think it's a high probability of success at the NHL.

I wonder if Saginaw regrets trading Willis a little early? With the mega-stars Misa and Parekh there, and the way Chernyshov has come on since his return, they really have some eye-popping talent at the top end of their roster right now.

Everybody used to mention "Rob Schremp" types of OHL scorers in the past (there are many other examples) but I think for Misa the key is leading the league like this as a 17-year old? That's not common. And it's not even that close a race... he has 102 pts now, and the next closest guys who are already drafted have 86. The top scorer in the Q has 78 pts, and next year's phenom Gavin McKenna leads the WHL with 96. So Misa is leading the whole CHL as a 17-year old. It's definitely an eye-opener.

Sorry to fantasize for just a minute here... but imagine we tanked out successfully this season and drafted Misa, then got McKenna next year? It would be a massive franchise-altering stroke of luck. (Of course that means there is no way we get them - but just saying, we're at least in play for that miracle atm - Trotz might not have planned this, but this is actually probably the closest he can ever get to turning the Preds into a major Contender!)

 

[originalpredfan]

I wonder if Saginaw regrets trading Willis a little early? With the mega-stars Misa and Parekh there, and the way Chernyshov has come on since his return, they really have some eye-popping talent at the top end of their roster right now.

Everybody used to mention "Rob Schremp" types of OHL scorers in the past (there are many other examples) but I think for Misa the key is leading the league like this as a 17-year old? That's not common. And it's not even that close a race... he has 102 pts now, and the next closest guys who are already drafted have 86. The top scorer in the Q has 78 pts, and next year's phenom Gavin McKenna leads the WHL with 96. So Misa is leading the whole CHL as a 17-year old. It's definitely an eye-opener.

Sorry to fantasize for just a minute here... but imagine we tanked out successfully this season and drafted Misa, then got McKenna next year? It would be a massive franchise-altering stroke of luck. (Of course that means there is no way we get them - but just saying, we're at least in play for that miracle atm - Trotz might not have planned this, but this is actually probably the closest he can ever get to turning the Preds into a major Contender!)

Blind squirrel (Trotz) acorn (Misa). You have a lot more faith in Trotz finding the acorn than I do.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Blind squirrel (Trotz) acorn (Misa). You have a lot more faith in Trotz finding the acorn than I do.

Alas, I don't actually have any faith. Just wishful thinking.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

The WHL scoring leaders are a bit weird. Cristall and Catton are already-drafted top NHL prospects. McKenna is the mega-stud for the 2026 draft. But it's interesting they also have Kindel and Bear as prospects for this year's draft.

We'll probably sign Ozzy's brother Oasiz to a minor league contract for Milwaukee, given how much the organization seems to love Ozzy. Even though he's a small overager, he is obviously an agitator and putting up great numbers.

Tulk is tiny and heading to the NCAA under the new rule. Chyzowski and Van Olm are overagers. I don't generally trust those stats for orveragers. Mistelbacher is still eligible for this year's draft I think after having been passed over in previous ones.

But anyway, just "as usual" it's not like all the top scoring junior players necessarily project as NHL prospects. FWIW.

I do think it's going to be "intriguing" now that some of these undrafted junior stars are going to be able to play in the NCAA for 4 more years. I think that's great... it really stretches out the prospect window for guys. It's going to make it a little more interesting to watch those guys as potential free agent signings later on.

 

[Flgatorguy87]

Misa would be the absolute fancy topping to our current bowl of good, but not amazing, vanilla ice cream prospect pool.

 

[Viqsi]

Y'all talking like we are gonna pick top 3.

I guarantee either we will start winning meaningless games in garbage time of the season or else the lottery will screw us and we will end up picking 6th, our historically accursed spot.

I'll admit I regularly think this but I tamp down on it because the "lottery is guaranteed to screw us" thought is one I have for the Jackets, not the Preds, and in the Jackets' case you can mathematically prove they're a statistical outlier w/r/t the number of times the lottery has f***ed the team over. The Preds haven't had nearly as many shots at the lottery and so a similar analysis isn't possible. yet

 

[AintLifeGrand]

The WHL scoring leaders are a bit weird. Cristall and Catton are already-drafted top NHL prospects. McKenna is the mega-stud for the 2026 draft. But it's interesting they also have Kindel and Bear as prospects for this year's draft.

We'll probably sign Ozzy's brother Oasiz to a minor league contract for Milwaukee, given how much the organization seems to love Ozzy. Even though he's a small overager, he is obviously an agitator and putting up great numbers.

Tulk is tiny and heading to the NCAA under the new rule. Chyzowski and Van Olm are overagers. I don't generally trust those stats for orveragers. Mistelbacher is still eligible for this year's draft I think after having been passed over in previous ones.

But anyway, just "as usual" it's not like all the top scoring junior players necessarily project as NHL prospects. FWIW.

I do think it's going to be "intriguing" now that some of these undrafted junior stars are going to be able to play in the NCAA for 4 more years. I think that's great... it really stretches out the prospect window for guys. It's going to make it a little more interesting to watch those guys as potential free agent signings later on.

View attachment 976595

damn if they go to NCAAA hockey, these guys are going to give Cam Rising a run for his money when it comes to age .... not sure I am prepared for 27 year olds playing college hockey

 

[jumb0]

The WHL scoring leaders are a bit weird. Cristall and Catton are already-drafted top NHL prospects. McKenna is the mega-stud for the 2026 draft. But it's interesting they also have Kindel and Bear as prospects for this year's draft.

We'll probably sign Ozzy's brother Oasiz to a minor league contract for Milwaukee, given how much the organization seems to love Ozzy. Even though he's a small overager, he is obviously an agitator and putting up great numbers.

Tulk is tiny and heading to the NCAA under the new rule. Chyzowski and Van Olm are overagers. I don't generally trust those stats for orveragers. Mistelbacher is still eligible for this year's draft I think after having been passed over in previous ones.

But anyway, just "as usual" it's not like all the top scoring junior players necessarily project as NHL prospects. FWIW.

I do think it's going to be "intriguing" now that some of these undrafted junior stars are going to be able to play in the NCAA for 4 more years. I think that's great... it really stretches out the prospect window for guys. It's going to make it a little more interesting to watch those guys as potential free agent signings later on.

View attachment 976595

Oasiz Wiesblatt. Man, youth hockey names might rival youth baseball names.

 

[wmupreds]

damn if they go to NCAAA hockey, these guys are going to give Cam Rising a run for his money when it comes to age .... not sure I am prepared for 27 year olds playing college hockey

It's already pretty normal for NCAA freshmen to enter at 20 or 21. Playing junior hockey until aging out and then going NCAA is very common. It's just the CHL specifically that wasn't allowed until recently.

 

[ShagDaddy]

Oasiz Wiesblatt. Man, youth hockey names might rival youth baseball names.

That’s Ozzy’s brother. Their other brother is named Orca.

 

[Kiseo]

I wonder if Saginaw regrets trading Willis a little early? With the mega-stars Misa and Parekh there, and the way Chernyshov has come on since his return, they really have some eye-popping talent at the top end of their roster right now.

Everybody used to mention "Rob Schremp" types of OHL scorers in the past (there are many other examples) but I think for Misa the key is leading the league like this as a 17-year old? That's not common. And it's not even that close a race... he has 102 pts now, and the next closest guys who are already drafted have 86. The top scorer in the Q has 78 pts, and next year's phenom Gavin McKenna leads the WHL with 96. So Misa is leading the whole CHL as a 17-year old. It's definitely an eye-opener.

Sorry to fantasize for just a minute here... but imagine we tanked out successfully this season and drafted Misa, then got McKenna next year? It would be a massive franchise-altering stroke of luck. (Of course that means there is no way we get them - but just saying, we're at least in play for that miracle atm - Trotz might not have planned this, but this is actually probably the closest he can ever get to turning the Preds into a major Contender!)

My fantasy would come true if we got one of them.
Misa’s is on pace for 138 points which would make him only the 5th 17 year old in OHL history to have that many points.
Only Tony Tanti (150 pts), Eric Lindros (149), Dan Quinn (147), and Marc Savard (139) are the others. An honorable mention goes to John Tavares who had 134 points as a 16 year old!

If his trajectory continues like it is, he may not be available to us unless we do win the lottery.

 

[Scoresberg]

Frondell's heating up over in Sweden and really building his case to be a top-five pick in the draft. Considering where they're both headed, I'm not all convinced that Hagens will go before Frondell come June.

Since Jan 27th:

7 games
6 goals
8 assists

Up to 20 points in 25 games in Allsvenskan as a 17-year-old.

And in the mini-U18 tournament they held in early-February.

4 games
2 goals
4 assists

He's looking good.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

The lay of the land with all of Hagens (dropping), Misa, and Frondell (rising) suggests that we'd be in a great position to nab a potential 1C with any of the top-5 picks?

Schaeffer and Martone will round out the top-5. With Schaeffer probably going #1? But as long as we don't totally "screw up" by dropping out of the top-5, we might be ok?

 

[Flgatorguy87]

The lay of the land with all of Hagens (dropping), Misa, and Frondell (rising) suggests that we'd be in a great position to nab a potential 1C with any of the top-5 picks?

Schaeffer and Martone will round out the top-5. With Schaeffer probably going #1? But as long as we don't totally "screw up" by dropping out of the top-5, we might be ok?

Agree, I think top 5 is still getting us a really strong prospect with upside relative to the rest of our pool. I think you can probably add a few more guys after that would be nice to have, but obviously the top 4 would be my preference.

 

[GeauxPreds1]

The lay of the land with all of Hagens (dropping), Misa, and Frondell (rising) suggests that we'd be in a great position to nab a potential 1C with any of the top-5 picks?

Schaeffer and Martone will round out the top-5. With Schaeffer probably going #1? But as long as we don't totally "screw up" by dropping out of the top-5, we might be ok?

I won't be upset with any of these options but I believe Misa will be the best out of the group. That's who I want

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

The lay of the land with all of Hagens (dropping), Misa, and Frondell (rising) suggests that we'd be in a great position to nab a potential 1C with any of the top-5 picks?

Schaeffer and Martone will round out the top-5. With Schaeffer probably going #1? But as long as we don't totally "screw up" by dropping out of the top-5, we might be ok?

The narrative that this is a weak draft is misleading. The top 6-10 stack up well against recent drafts. The softness is in the 15-30 range where you have basically 2nd round quality much earlier than usual. Assuming we don't get crazy hot and fall out of top 8, our 1st pick should slot in as our top prospect but the 2 late 1sts look to be about Stiga or Gibson quality prospects (and I like both)- good, but not on level of Svechkov or Edstrom or Molendyk.

 

[GeauxPreds1]

The narrative that this is a weak draft is misleading. The top 6-10 stack up well against recent drafts. The softness is in the 15-30 range where you have basically 2nd round quality much earlier than usual. Assuming we don't get crazy hot and fall out of top 8, our 1st pick should slot in as our top prospect but the 2 late 1sts look to be about Stiga or Gibson quality prospects (and I like both)- good, but not on level of Svechkov or Edstrom or Molendyk.

So with the tampas pick we have to pick Vernon's kid right? Just like we should of picked Yanic's kid 2 years ago. Keep it in the family. In all seriousness I think Blake Fiddler would be a solid pickup with the tampa pick

 

[Gnashville]

I’m still undecided on which one of Hagens or Misa but I would take either one of them.

Hagens is a freshman centering a #1 line for the #1 team in college hockey. Yes he is on a line with Perrault and Leonard but kudos to him for his skills and having trust from coaches to be put in this spot.

Boston College is playing Boston University in the Beanpot final on Monday night on NESN

Misa was only 5th player ever to be granted “exceptional status” in 2022 and allowed to be able to be drafted and play in the OHL as a 15 year old. (He was drafted 1st overall). The OHL age limit is 16-20 years old.

I am sure Barry can destroy the confidence and offensive skill on whoever he takes.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

So with the tampas pick we have to pick Vernon's kid right? Just like we should have picked Yanic's kid 2 years ago. Keep it in the family. In all seriousness I think Blake Fiddler would be a solid pickup with the tampa pick

Agreed. He is not without risk, but a rhd with his size and skating would be enticing by late teens.

 

[Scoresberg]

Need to start losing again.. only 1 point behind Buffalo. 3 points back from the Kraken with a game in hand. 5 points back from PIT with 2 games in hand. I think the 6th OA is now the worst possible outcome for us (or 7th OA if someone from behind wins the lottery and jumps us).

 

[AintLifeGrand]

Need to start losing again.. only 1 point behind Buffalo. 3 points back from the Kraken with a game in hand. 5 points back from PIT with 2 games in hand. I think the 6th OA is now the worst possible outcome for us (or 7th OA if someone from behind wins the lottery and jumps us).

6th puts us in Martone, Desnoyers, McQueen Eklund maybe Frondell territory