2025 NHL Entry DRAFT Thread

[King'sPawn]

Thanks! I didn't know Yannetti worked for the Leafs.

I have The Athletic and Eliteprospects paid subs...and Scott Wheeler was at the combine and has some good sources. He said that 'from asking around, that his take was the Kings wanted a defenseman at 24 and also wanted size'. I think he or Pronman said with Cameron Reid gaining a 1/2" and was 6'0" 193 lbs at the combine, that he should still go before the others below. Some mocks have him sliding to where the Kings select. I think if a defenseman they like is at 24, they take them...but if a higher tier forward is there, they take them. I think there's a good chance they trade back. Who knows.

Not sure what defensemen will be there. Maybe RHD Hensler, RHD Fiddler, LHD Boumedienne, RHD Psenicka, LHD Rombach, LHD Limatov, RHD Brzustewicz, LHD Wang.

Not sure Brzustewicz counts as having size at 6-foot-1. Not sure if they'd want Limatov without commitment, either. His rights are owned by the Omaha Lancers (USHL) but who knows if he'd even come to North America for the CHL Import Draft.

And I doubt Hensler will fall to 24.

That leaves Boumedienne, Fiddler, Psenicka, Rombach, and Wang.

There seems to be quite a few reaches at 24, but they will probably all be gone by the time they pick at 88.

Of those five, I have only seen highlights of Psenicka, so I don't rank them unless I can get a full video of them. Which leaves Boumedienne, Fiddler, Rombach, and Wang. Of them, I have it ranked as Fiddler, Rombach, Boumedienne, and Wang, but I keep arguing with myself on if I like the rankings. They're all VERY different players though.

Fiddler - Probably the best shutdown defenseman of the bunch due to his mobility and size/reach.
Rombach - the most physical player. I don't think he'll put up big numbers in the NHL (I don't think he has a great shot or high-end playmaking skills), but he's very good in shutting down the opposition physically and moving the puck out
Boumedienne - Easily the best offensive player out of the bunch. He has good vision and puck moving skills. He's also a very good skater. Issue is with consistency, though.
Wang - One of the biggest players of the draft at 6-foot-7. Moves well. Has limited experience against tougher competition though, and he's still learning how to use his body well.

I think of that group, I would feel best about them taking Rombach, which has me thinking I need to redo my rankings. I'm just not convinced of Fiddler's offense translating, and I think Rombach's physical play goes a long way.

He's also committed to University of Minnesota. So, he will have more opportunity to improve his physical strength. But he may not get a whole lot of ice time his freshman year.

 

[Kingfan1967]

Who ever they pick will be a "character guy", and a "leader", and especially "we tried to move up to get him and never thought he would be there for us"

 

[Peter James Bond III]

Not sure Brzustewicz counts as having size at 6-foot-1. Not sure if they'd want Limatov without commitment, either. His rights are owned by the Omaha Lancers (USHL) but who knows if he'd even come to North America for the CHL Import Draft.

And I doubt Hensler will fall to 24.

That leaves Boumedienne, Fiddler, Psenicka, Rombach, and Wang.

There seems to be quite a few reaches at 24, but they will probably all be gone by the time they pick at 88.

Of those five, I have only seen highlights of Psenicka, so I don't rank them unless I can get a full video of them. Which leaves Boumedienne, Fiddler, Rombach, and Wang. Of them, I have it ranked as Fiddler, Rombach, Boumedienne, and Wang, but I keep arguing with myself on if I like the rankings. They're all VERY different players though.

Fiddler - Probably the best shutdown defenseman of the bunch due to his mobility and size/reach.
Rombach - the most physical player. I don't think he'll put up big numbers in the NHL (I don't think he has a great shot or high-end playmaking skills), but he's very good in shutting down the opposition physically and moving the puck out
Boumedienne - Easily the best offensive player out of the bunch. He has good vision and puck moving skills. He's also a very good skater. Issue is with consistency, though.
Wang - One of the biggest players of the draft at 6-foot-7. Moves well. Has limited experience against tougher competition though, and he's still learning how to use his body well.

I think of that group, I would feel best about them taking Rombach, which has me thinking I need to redo my rankings. I'm just not convinced of Fiddler's offense translating, and I think Rombach's physical play goes a long way.

He's also committed to University of Minnesota. So, he will have more opportunity to improve his physical strength. But he may not get a whole lot of ice time his freshman year.

Very good analysis. One thing Fiddler has, is a July BDAY. He's pretty young and growing into his frame. Was 6'4" 220 at combines. I'm not sold on any of those. I like the idea of a RHD over LHD, just because the Kings have LHD Woolley, Kirsanov, Booth and Dvorak, but only Salin and Sparkes on the right.
However, most are 1-3 yrs away and that should not matter a lot...unless the Kings have a LHD and a RHD in the same tier, as Yannetti says - then they look at other things like that.

if the Kings want a top defenseman, I think it would be ideal to move up for Hensler, Aitcheson or Reid.
Reid rated a 7.0 skater in Elitepropects and they don't even hand out any 6.0s much. Was 6'0" 193 at combines and if he even tops out at 6'1" 200, that's not small. Go for an almost sure thing second pairing level guy.

I keep seeing Horcoff getting lots of hype. It seems like he's a 30s-40 talent wise, but many are intrigued by his physical tests and being 6'4.75" 204. And he can play C or LW. Not sure who is better between him or Murtagh. At 24, if you're swinging for a homerun like Potter, Ryabkin (bad combine I heard and not the high character Kings like, yet Holland has no issues with the Kanes and Perry's lol) Schmidt, Lee, Nestrasil, Zharovsky - all high end talents with question marks - if you miss on those guys making it, that #24 is wasted. A Horcoff or Murtagh or Cole McKinney may end up being a good third liner, that can score 35-40 pts and help your team win, with physical play, forecheck, etc. It's not the worst thing, as long as they are not 4th liners. But then again, up for some calculated risk!

 

[Johnny Utah]

Kings need a C and a RHD. The only saving grace with a RHD is that Doughty, Clarke and potentially Spence will be here for years - tough for any prospect to break in for at least two years (when Doughty's deal expires). The Kings can probably kick that can down the road to either a later round pick or next years draft.

The center position is an urgency. This season could potentially be Kopitar's last and Danault is getting older and only has two seasons left on his deal.

 

[RayMartyniukTotems]

Kings need a C and a RHD. The only saving grace with a RHD is that Doughty, Clarke and potentially Spence will be here for years - tough for any prospect to break in for at least two years (when Doughty's deal expires). The Kings can probably kick that can down the road to either a later round pick or next years draft.

The center position is an urgency. This season could potentially be Kopitar's last and Danault is getting older and only has two seasons left on his deal.

I can see Kopi-Star playing another 3-4 years

 

[AnThGrt]

Unless someone drops they need to make a move like last year. There is minimal difference between the several D they are likely looking at with the pick barring none of Reid, Aicheson, Smith, Mrtaka, or Hensler drop. 2 of those are guaranteed not to be there and the rest unlikely. Would like Boumedienne if there yet the others options would all be disappointing. Similarly, not a fan of going a Nesbitt, Murtagh, Horcoff, etc. at #24.

Would be happiest using realistic picks if we ended up with in no order Subban, Potter, or Kindel. It may have been G. Button who mocked him to us yet if C. Bear somehow drops I would be ecstatic. Unless someone higher rated drops I rather move back, get a 2nd and know I will be walking away with two of the following: Wang, Fiddler, Rombach, Ryabkin, Murtagh, Horcoff, Wang, Wozniak, West, Prokhorov, West, Zonnon, etc to name a few. Would look a lot better than grabbing just one of those at #24.

 

[Johnny Utah]

I like Horcoff, Fiddler or Nesbitt.

 

[Lt Dan]

I like Horcoff, Fiddler or Nesbitt.

Are the first two Shawn and Vern's kids?

 

[kovacro]

Are the first two Shawn and Vern's kids?

They are indeed.

 

[Lt Dan]

f*** we are getting old

 

[kovacro]

f*** we are getting old

Yep.

 

[King'sPawn]

f*** we are getting old

I felt really old when I saw Thomas Vanek had a draft eligible kid.

Manon Rheaume also has a draft eligible

 

[Peter James Bond III]

Mason West ended at #27 on CSB North America. Played Minn High School hockey and joined USHL for 10 games...and had 9 pts and then had a good playoffs. 6'6" 220. RW.
But. he's a stud Football QB and colleges want him...he's decided to play his SR year HS football, but yesteday.
committed to Michigan State hockey...it's big news...he's been ranked from 30-50, but now with the commit to play Michigan State, he may go rd 1. Maybe he's a reach at 24? But Elite Prospects had his skating at 6.0 and physical play at 6.0, which are both high marks. At #46 OA...2 ahead of where they rank Nesbitt, who was #48.

"The top high school prospect in the draft, his 6-foot-6 frame,mobility, and toolsy profile are punctuated by flashes of higherend skill; an unlimited projection.
Tool Grades (1.0 to 9.0) 6.0 5.0 5.0 4.5 5.0 6.0 Skating Shooting Passing Handling Sense Physical Grade

This is a guy that just finished his JR year HS? I have a feeling the Kings interviewed him, but who knows.


Locked on Senators have him at #38...but he's going to rise.