2025 NHL Entry DRAFT Thread

[King'sPawn]

Can we still move up, or are we cemented at 24?

Only way to move up further is via trade.

Pick 32 is the cup winner
31 is cup finalist
29-30 semifinalists who lost

So 29-32 are for Edmonton, Dallas, Florida, Carolina

17-28 are reverse order of standings.

Toronto, Washington, Vegas, and Winnipeg are the only 4 teams ahead of LA who didn't make the semifinals.

Which is why the Kings are currently at 24. Any future playoff results won't have any effect on picks 17-28.

 

[BigKing]

Only way to move up further is via trade.

Pick 32 is the cup winner
31 is cup finalist
29-30 semifinalists who lost

So 29-32 are for Edmonton, Dallas, Florida, Carolina

17-28 are reverse order of standings.

Toronto, Washington, Vegas, and Winnipeg are the only 4 teams ahead of LA who didn't make the semifinals.

Which is why the Kings are currently at 24. Any future playoff results won't have any effect on picks 17-28.

105 points. Won one more playoff game AND notched a 1st round pick that is two spots higher than last season.

What a year. What a team. Luc should not have let Blake walk.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Looking at projections, Jack Murtagh reads like the type of player who would fit in the Kings' mold who is committed to Boston University next season.

 

[King'sPawn]

105 points. Won one more playoff game AND notched a 1st round pick that is two spots higher than last season.

What a year. What a team. Luc should not have let Blake walk.

There is something emblematic about Blake walking away from the organization again after making a mess.

Not that I wanted him to come back.

But the least he could have done is take Luc with him.

 

[King'sPawn]

Looking at projections, Jack Murtagh reads like the type of player who would fit in the Kings' mold who is committed to Boston University next season.

He's on my radar too.

Was debating between writing about him or Spence next. Will probably go with Murtagh first as Spence is more likely to be gone by the Kings pick.

 

[kinghock]

Looking at projections, Jack Murtagh reads like the type of player who would fit in the Kings' mold who is committed to Boston University next season.

What about this player? He is moving up on draft board.

 

[SmytheKing]

Early reads for me have these guys on the radar:

Blake Fiddler
Milton Gastrin
Jack Murtagh
Bill Zonnon (might be able to trade down and pick up some more capital)
Kashawn Aitcheson (won't be there but would be nice)

Obviously a ways out and figure some will rise and fall a little bit.

 

[Lt Dan]

Murtagh

I have seen his name posted like 10x today and the only thing I visualize is

 

[SmytheKing]

I have seen his name posted like 10x today and the only thing I visualize is
View attachment 1039581

At only 17 years old, he is definitely not getting too old for this shit.

 

[King'sPawn]

What about this player? He is moving up on draft board.

It's certainly possible but not one I'd bet on.

Kings have only drafted two players out of Russia since Blake took over (Kirsanov + Shafigullin). They just don't pick Russians a lot.

 

[kinghock]

It's certainly possible but not one I'd bet on.

Kings have only drafted two players out of Russia since Blake took over (Kirsanov + Shafigullin). They just don't pick Russians a lot.

What if he is the next Kaprisov?

 

[King'sPawn]

What if he is the next Kaprisov?

I'm not sure I'm understanding the hypothetical. If the Kings think he has Kaprizov's talent and he will for sure come to North America, I'm sure they'd pick him.

The biggest issue is there's just not a guarantee he'll come to the United States. Russian players get better contracts earlier in their lives to stay closer to home. It's hard to bring Russians over.

Looking at projections, Jack Murtagh reads like the type of player who would fit in the Kings' mold who is committed to Boston University next season.

Watched him a little bit more closely and started doing some reading on him: Meet Jack Murtagh: 2025 NHL Draft prospect, lover of scoring goals, ‘gamer’ and ‘freak athlete’

Style-wise, he actually reminds me a bit of Kevin Fiala. Skilled, good shooter. But he tends to make some high-risk decisions with the puck leading to turnovers. Also gets physical. I'd be excited if they pick him.

 

[FrozenKing18]

He's on my radar too.

Was debating between writing about him or Spence next. Will probably go with Murtagh first as Spence is more likely to be gone by the Kings pick.

Is the other Jack on your radar as well? I saw a couple mock drafts early on that had LA picking Jack Nesbitt, I don't know if he's still on that range or he shot up a bit.

 

[King'sPawn]

Is the other Jack on your radar as well? I saw a couple mock drafts early on that had LA picking Jack Nesbitt, I don't know if he's still on that range or he shot up a bit.

Already have an article in the queue. Hoven's a bit behind.

 

[FrozenKing18]

Already have an article in the queue. Hoven's a bit behind.

Awesome!

 

[ru4reals]

I don't get too excited about the draft every year. Although the higher the draft pick the more excited I get, but looking at where we are drafting this year it's going to be another meh day. For some odd reason I got somewhat hyped about the draft today and then realized Ken Holland is now our GM and then all the little excitement I got came crashing down. LOL.

Remember reading this on the Kings hire Ken Holland thread Yikes.

More fun... Inside the first round, Ken Holland's draft picks over the last ten years have been:

2014 - Dylan Larkin (15)
2015 - Evgeny Svechnikov (19)
2016 - Dennis Cholowski (20)
2017 - Michael Rasmussen (9)
2018 - Filip Zadina (6)
2018 - Joe Veleno (30)
2019 - Philip Broberg (8)
2020 - Dylan Holloway (14)
2021 - Xavier Bourgault (22)
2022 - Reid Schaefer (32)

Subtract Dylan Larkin and Holland's first round picks over a ten year period (9 picks) have a combined 520 points, for a 58 point career average.

 

[King'sPawn]

I don't get too excited about the draft every year. Although the higher the draft pick the more excited I get, but looking at where we are drafting this year it's going to be another meh day. For some odd reason I got somewhat hyped about the draft today and then realized Ken Holland is now our GM and then all the little excitement I got came crashing down. LOL.

Remember reading this on the Kings hire Ken Holland thread Yikes.

More fun... Inside the first round, Ken Holland's draft picks over the last ten years have been:

2014 - Dylan Larkin (15)
2015 - Evgeny Svechnikov (19)
2016 - Dennis Cholowski (20)
2017 - Michael Rasmussen (9)
2018 - Filip Zadina (6)
2018 - Joe Veleno (30)
2019 - Philip Broberg (8)
2020 - Dylan Holloway (14)
2021 - Xavier Bourgault (22)
2022 - Reid Schaefer (32)

Subtract Dylan Larkin and Holland's first round picks over a ten year period (9 picks) have a combined 520 points, for a 58 point career average.

I have addressed this before. My apologies if I'm sounding short, but this was an incredibly misleading and terrible argument from the OP.

First of all, saying "subtract their best pick to make their draft look underwhelming" is already tipping your hand that you're pushing a narrative.

Borgeault and Schaefer haven't played an NHL game yet, and both are barely able to drink in the US. And they're late firsts whose rights are owned by a team that goes deep in the playoffs.

Broberg and Choliwski are defensemen. They aren't expected to be major point producers.

Holloway had a great season, so are we going to remove him too?

Zadina and Rasmussen are definitely misses, but every team has them. What if I told you to ignore Kempe and to look at all the 1st round picks of the Kings in the same time span?

Vilardi - 175
Kupari - 38
Turcotte - 29
Bjornfot - 15
Byfield - 142
Clarke - 41

These 6 picks provide a 73 point career average. From 2014-2022. Of course, minus Kempe and his 401 points. Keep in mind Larkin has 576 points, which is a pretty substantial number. It's the same as Kempe and Vilardi combined.

So does the Kings scouting staff suddenly not know how to draft? It's a silly metric.

The other thing to keep in mind is apparently Yannetti's running this draft, because Holland wasn't scouting all season.

 

[Basilisk]

I like Nesbitt, but it's strictly due to the "you can't teach size" phenomena. Am I wrong?