Prospect Info: 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.

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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