2025 NHL DRAFT

[Scoresberg]

To each their own, but it's hard to understand why people are so against taking a defenseman with the first pick especially when you're looking at our defense right now.

Skjei - Blankenburg
Statsney - Barron
Del Gaizo - Englund

I can't even begin to express how much help that group needs and will need in the future. There's a LONG road ahead in building the defense back up.

 

[PredsV82]

My take on who we need to draft is an easy one. You take the best available center with out first pick no matter what. Doesn't matter if we're 1 or 4. This franchise has had many top defenseman in their history and yet only has one cup appearance where we rode a hot goalie. I just don't believe you go far in this league without a number 1 center. I get we have holes on the defensive side so I would use those 2 out of the next 4 picks to draft defenseman. I really like fiddler. We need physical defenseman who play a better defensive game than offensive. We need our next ekholm. But that first pick has to be a center. What im really hoping is that tampa and vegas both gets beat in the 1st round and we end up with 3 top picks in top 20

The picks don't move except the 4 teams who make their conference finals move down to 29-32. Vegas will be in the top 4 before the playoffs so they could move up if the don't make the conference finals. Absolute best case for Vegas would be 25. Tampa will start around 24. Best case would be around 20 but would require a lot of massive upsets

I'd say best case for us is get a C with our pick and D with the two lower picks

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

To each their own, but it's hard to understand why people are so against taking a defenseman with the first pick especially when you're looking at our defense right now.

Skjei - Blankenburg
Statsney - Barron
Del Gaizo - Englund

I can't even begin to express how much help that group needs and will need in the future. There's a LONG road ahead in building the defense back up.

I think it just comes down to the delta we're perceiving. Other teams near the top of the draft already have their franchise 1Cs picked (Celebrini, Bedard)... we don't. So if it's really close between Schafer and the next-best prospect, obviously they'll take Schafer.

We don't have that 1C, and on top of that basically never have in the entire franchise history.

So then the question is just how close is it between Schafer and the best C available? It feels to me like it's VERY close this year. Maybe I'm underestimating Schafer, but I don't get any sense from the reviews I read that he's a slam-dunk #1D or franchise-level player himself (very very few D ever are). If you tell me today that he's going to be the next Roman Josi, then hands down I take the C in this draft. And Josi is the best player we've ever had, right?

Our odds of getting a shot at Schafer are still just 11.5% (i.e. winning the lottery, assuming we can even hold onto the #3 slot). So again, I think it's a bit of a moot point. We're not at all likely to even have the choice.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

2 players I’m really liking that could potentially be available at our later 1sts are Cam Reid and Cole Reschny. Both are a bit smaller than ideal (or they would be top 10 picks), but in a shallow draft I would love for Preds to get them with Tampa and Vegas picks. Reid in particular has been outstanding every time I watch him.

 

[Soundgarden]

Didn't we draft a Cam Reid before?

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

To each their own, but it's hard to understand why people are so against taking a defenseman with the first pick especially when you're looking at our defense right now.

Skjei - Blankenburg
Statsney - Barron
Del Gaizo - Englund

I can't even begin to express how much help that group needs and will need in the future. There's a LONG road ahead in building the defense back up.

Is it REALLY hard to understand? This board has harped on the perpetual lack of elite forwards, especially a center, and the lack of success that building the team through the back-end has brought, for well over a decade now. I doubt the current makeup of our defensive corps even registers. There is probably some lingering notion, which the last many years should have dispelledd, that this org can identify and churn out competent d-men.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

I think it just comes down to the delta we're perceiving. Other teams near the top of the draft already have their franchise 1Cs picked (Celebrini, Bedard)... we don't. So if it's really close between Schafer and the next-best prospect, obviously they'll take Schafer.

We don't have that 1C, and on top of that basically never have in the entire franchise history.

So then the question is just how close is it between Schafer and the best C available? It feels to me like it's VERY close this year. Maybe I'm underestimating Schafer, but I don't get any sense from the reviews I read that he's a slam-dunk #1D or franchise-level player himself (very very few D ever are). If you tell me today that he's going to be the next Roman Josi, then hands down I take the C in this draft. And Josi is the best player we've ever had, right?

Our odds of getting a shot at Schafer are still just 11.5% (i.e. winning the lottery, assuming we can even hold onto the #3 slot). So again, I think it's a bit of a moot point. We're not at all likely to even have the choice.

Weber is hands down the best Dman this team has even had. Either way, both of them were second round picks. Take the f***ing 1C with this top 4 pick then spend the other 2 first rounds and all the second rounders on D and goalie if you like. But for love of all things good, take the shot at the 1C.

 

[braindead]

To each their own, but it's hard to understand why people are so against taking a defenseman with the first pick especially when you're looking at our defense right now.

Skjei - Blankenburg
Statsney - Barron
Del Gaizo - Englund

I can't even begin to express how much help that group needs and will need in the future. There's a LONG road ahead in building the defense back up.

Red herring in that Josi, Lauzon, Wilsby, Molendyk, Gibson, Ufko probably is as good as that group without even adding a UFA or picking the best 6 out of that mix.

But our prospect pool, however good or bad it is, is heavily weighted to forwards and that has to change. We need to hit some talent for the D this year in a bad way.

 

[ILikeItILoveIt]

I'm hoping we don't win the lottery. Trotz can't be trusted with the 1st overall pick. Let's pick 3rd or 4th and reduce the risk of making a grave mistake.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Red herring in that Josi, Lauzon, Wilsby, Molendyk, Gibson, Ufko probably is as good as that group without even adding a UFA or picking the best 6 out of that mix.

But our prospect pool, however good or bad it is, is heavily weighted to forwards and that has to change. We need to hit some talent for the D this year in a bad way.

We're slated to draft #25, 30, 35... also... I like our odds of getting 2 great D prospects with those picks, even while taking the 1C hopeful at the top of the draft.

Molendyk and Gibson were picked #24 and 42. We can add two more D prospects of this caliber in this draft, without giving up the shot at the 1C. (Heck, Josi and Weber were drafted 38 and 49... )

 

[predhead1]

I'm hoping we don't win the lottery. Trotz can't be trusted with the 1st overall pick. Let's pick 3rd or 4th and reduce the risk of making a grave mistake.

Is there a random Swedish center out there who is unlikely to ever come across the pond but is "hard to play against"?

 

[Gnashville]

I’m thinking at best they win 3 more games which practically guarantees them the 3rd slot in the lottery. That would be any of picks 1-5 which would be the best scenario.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I disagree, I think Hagens already excels at some of the hardest things to meaningfully improve as a prospect (vision/IQ) and his skating is excellent which is another difficult skill to play catchup on. I'm not terribly worried that he didn't totally dominate college. It's harder to put up eye-popping numbers in the NCAA than juniors to begin with, and he's 18 in a league full of 22-25 year olds. He's not a can't-miss generational prospect or anything but I'd be happy with him.

I'd be happy with Hagens if we don't pick in top 5. Given his age and statistical profile, he dramatically lags guys like Smith, Fantilli, and Celebrini. The eye test confirms this. He doesn't look to be a 1c in NHL. I suspect he slots in the 6-10 range on draft day.

 

[Weber to Josi]

I'd be happy with Hagens if we don't pick in top 5. Given his age and statistical profile, he dramatically lags guys like Smith, Fantilli, and Celebrini. The eye test confirms this. He doesn't look to be a 1c in NHL. I suspect he slots in the 6-10 range on draft day.

I can’t see Hagens not being a top 5 pick…
The only guys I can see going ahead of him are Schaefer, Misa, Martone.. possibly McQueen (the gamble is so tempting) and very small chance of frondell.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

I can’t see Hagens not being a top 5 pick…
The only guys I can see going ahead of him are Schaefer, Misa, Martone.. possibly McQueen (the gamble is so tempting) and very small chance of frondell.

Dude McQueen isn’t going until 8 and most likely in the teens.

 

[Scoresberg]

I'd be happy with Hagens if we don't pick in top 5. Given his age and statistical profile, he dramatically lags guys like Smith, Fantilli, and Celebrini. The eye test confirms this. He doesn't look to be a 1c in NHL. I suspect he slots in the 6-10 range on draft day.

Obviously Hagens is no Celebrini or Fantilli for that matter. But in this draft class, he's easily a top-5 talent.

Also you need to keep in mind that Hagens is a late-birthday which means he's playing in the NCAA in his DY. For example, Smith or Jack Hughes didn't do that and comparing their D-1 years, Hagens is pretty close.

If you compare Hagens to say, Cutter Gauthier or Matty Beniers who were both top-5 picks, you get a much better image from him.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Obviously Hagens is no Celebrini or Fantilli for that matter. But in this draft class, he's easily a top-5 talent.

Also you need to keep in mind that Hagens is a late-birthday which means he's playing in the NCAA in his DY. For example, Smith or Jack Hughes didn't do that and comparing their D-1 years, Hagens is pretty close.

If you compare Hagens to say, Cutter Gauthier or Matty Beniers who were both top-5 picks, you get a much better image from him.

Schaefer and Misa almost certainly going ahead of him. Then you have Frondell, Desnoyers, Martone who I think will too. Add in McQueen and then maybe someone goes for Smith or Mrtka or.. if Hagens was young draft year guy maybe his season wouldn’t seem so unimpressive, but as a late birthday you would want to see more. Add in he is undersized center and I think he slips.

FWIW, if we get any of Schaefer, Misa, Frondell, or Desnoyers it would be huge for us. For all the talk of this being down draft, those guys would easily slot in as our top prospect and future franchise pillar.

 

[PredsV82]

I can’t see Hagens not being a top 5 pick…
The only guys I can see going ahead of him are Schaefer, Misa, Martone.. possibly McQueen (the gamble is so tempting) and very small chance of frondell.

If nobody has told you, welcome! This board is understandably in the shitter these days but always glad to have new blood.
(Or are you an old poster who lost their stuff with the great board glitch and are back with a new name?)

 

[hockey diva]

.

FWIW, if we get any of Schaefer, Misa, Frondell, or Desnoyers it would be huge for us. For all the talk of this being down draft, those guys would easily slot in as our top prospect and future franchise pillar.

It is rather low bar around here for top prospect/face of the franchise.

 

[101st_fan]

I'm waiting for us to get a top 5 pick then find a way to draft a 45 year old from a local beer league with it.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

I'm waiting for us to get a top 5 pick then find a way to draft a 45 year old from a local beer league with it.

With the third pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Nashville Predators select, Bob Jones… Plumbers Union 575 Bulldogs

 

[BigFatCat999]

Blake Fiddler at 25? You HOPE it’s a forward with the first pick, big two-way RHD with Preds connections. (for Christ sake, the kid was born in Nashville.)

 

[Weber to Josi]

If nobody has told you, welcome! This board is understandably in the shitter these days but always glad to have new blood.
(Or are you an old poster who lost their stuff with the great board glitch and are back with a new name?)

Thank you for the kind welcoming, very nice of you. Been watching this board for a while but I finally decided to sign up and become a member!
I guess it’s this coming draft that got me so excited I decided to finally make myself known haha.
Seems like a great crew here and I look forward to many great discussions and debates with you all

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Thank you for the kind welcoming, very nice of you. Been watching this board for a while but I finally decided to sign up and become a member!
I guess it’s this coming draft that got me so excited I decided to finally make myself known haha.
Seems like a great crew here and I look forward to many great discussions and debates with you all

Welcome to the squad! Bad timing....but whatevs. Happy to have you aboard. Please post often.