Prospect Info: 2025 NHL Entry Draft

[Rasp]

The #2 prospect projects as a 2nd-line center? Horrible draft?

Lots of scouts have said its a poor draft year

We should all be hoping that McQueen gets healthy soon and has a strong finish. That would at least give the draft a decent top 5.

McQueen is a do not draft. He has a lumbar spine injury like what Lindstrom has. If he didnt have that injury he would be challenging for #1 with the package he has.

 

[tomd]

Lots of scouts have said its a poor draft year


McQueen is a do not draft. He has a lumbar spine injury like what Lindstrom has. If he didnt have that injury he would be challenging for #1 with the package he has.

I think we are saying the same thing. Healthy and a strong finish? Top 5. Doesn't play again this year? DND.

 

[Rasp]

I think we are saying the same thing. Healthy and a strong finish? Top 5. Doesn't play again this year? DND.

He is supposedly targeting to play in February but that doesnt change my position. He got this injury in 2023 and his recovery time off this year has already been pushed back from December to February.

A bulging disc injury at 17 is something I want to stay away from.

 

[tomd]

He is supposedly targeting to play in February but that doesnt change my position. He got this injury in 2023 and his recovery time off this year has already been pushed back from December to February.

A bulging disc injury at 17 is something I want to stay away from.

Fair enough...a top 4 pick and we won't have to worry about it

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Sportsnet's 2025 NHL Draft Rankings: January Edition

For the first time on his list this season, Sam Cosentino has someone unseating James Hagens at No. 1. But at least four players are making a case for the top spot, while a few other players crack the top 32 for the first time.

www.sportsnet.ca

Desnoyers up to #5 and touted as a potential top 3 pick. He belongs in that top group

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Caleb Desnoyers is pushing into the top group for me, I love everything I read and see about him. Run away top scorer on the best team in the CHL (as a 17 year old) and already a proven winner. High pace, lots of skill, works his butt off and gets the most praise for his IQ on both sides of the puck.

Caleb The Destroyer will be his nickname in Anaheim. He's French from QMJHL so Madden probably already excited about drafting him lol. Ducks are due for a Forward from Q to finally pan out for them: Morand, Comtois, Gaucher, Groulx.

 

[Rasp]

Matthew Schaefer a unanimous No. 1 in Bob McKenzie's Mid-season NHL Draft Ranking | TSN

"As far as I’m concerned,” one NHL head scout said, “[Matthew Schaefer] is No. 1 and he’s staying there - even if he never plays another game this season."

www.tsn.ca

Some interesting take aways from this.

Martone is ranked higher than draft lists are saying. Two scouts had him 2nd and three had him 3rd.

McQueen is rated 7th based on being healthy, which he isnt. One scout had him as a "no draft" if the draft was tomorrow. They seem to echo what I have been saying about him.

Pick 1-8 are "quite strong" but there is a drop off after them and another drop off between 15-20. We should have a top 8 pick which is great.

One scout went so far as to say a lot of the players who will be drafted in the bottom half of the first round would in prior years be better suited to being second-round picks. “It’s all relative of course,” the scout said, “but I’d say the second rounders this year would be third rounders in previous years where there was greater depth.”

This shows how weak the draft's depth really is. Having a late first rounder this year really isnt as valuable as you would normally think it is.

Trading that 2nd for Cutter was a great deal since the players available are 3rd round quality.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Some interesting take aways from this.

Martone is ranked higher than draft lists are saying. Two scouts had him 2nd and three had him 3rd.

McQueen is rated 7th based on being healthy, which he isnt. One scout had him as a "no draft" if the draft was tomorrow. They seem to echo what I have been saying about him.

Pick 1-8 are "quite strong" but there is a drop off after them and another drop off between 15-20. We should have a top 8 pick which is great.

One scout went so far as to say a lot of the players who will be drafted in the bottom half of the first round would in prior years be better suited to being second-round picks. “It’s all relative of course,” the scout said, “but I’d say the second rounders this year would be third rounders in previous years where there was greater depth.”

This shows how weak the draft's depth really is. Having a late first rounder this year really isnt as valuable as you would normally think it is.

Trading that 2nd for Cutter was a great deal since the players available are 3rd round quality.

Losing a 2nd round pick this year hurts more b/c the talent level is considerably weaker. We own two 3rd-round picks, but according to what you said, those third round picks are fourth round talents.

I'd be looking for high schoolers or USNTDP guys to stash in college to give the prospects a longer runway to develop. Could also draft a Euro too as their time to sign is also longer. The CHL guys have only two years develop to sign or go back into the draft.

 

[tomd]

Losing a 2nd round pick this year hurts more b/c the talent level is considerably weaker. We own two 3rd-round picks, but according to what you said, those third round picks are fourth round talents.

I'd be looking for high schoolers or USNTDP guys to stash in college to give the prospects a longer runway to develop. Could also draft a Euro too as their time to sign is also longer. The CHL guys have only two years develop to sign or go back into the draft.

IMO this draft is going to produce relatively few NHLers after the first 12-15 picks so I'm not at all lamenting not having a 2nd this year. In fact, I hope PV can avoid getting any more picks in this draft at the TDL and acquire 2026 picks instead.

 

[tomd]

Sportsnet's 2025 NHL Draft Rankings: January Edition

For the first time on his list this season, Sam Cosentino has someone unseating James Hagens at No. 1. But at least four players are making a case for the top spot, while a few other players crack the top 32 for the first time.

www.sportsnet.ca

Desnoyers up to #5 and touted as a potential top 3 pick. He belongs in that top group

I like Desnoyers and see him as a poor mans Patrice Bergeron with 2nd line upside/ceiling. That said, if he is a top 3-5 candidate then this is a very weak draft IMO.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

I like Desnoyers and see him as a poor mans Patrice Bergeron with 2nd line upside/ceiling. That said, if he is a top 3-5 candidate then this is a very weak draft IMO.

Yeah honestly I can't agree with anything you've just said. He's the best player on the top team in the CHL and leading the QMJHL in points per game as a seventeen year old, not really lacking for any physical tool. Not sure why you are capping him at a 2nd line ceiling. He's the caliber of center prospect that rises to the (near) top of any draft. His upside/ceiling is a franchise level center.

 

[Rasp]

Yeah honestly I can't agree with anything you've just said. He's the best player on the top team in the CHL and leading the QMJHL in points per game as a seventeen year old, not really lacking for any physical tool. Not sure why you are capping him at a 2nd line ceiling. He's the caliber of center prospect that rises to the (near) top of any draft. His upside/ceiling is a franchise level center.

Got to be careful with QMJHL players because their competition isnt as tough as OHL.

To put it in perspective over the last 3 years they have developed only two first round talents.
2022 Pick 22 Nathan Gaucher
2022 Pick 29 Maveric Lamoureux

Do we really want to take a player who is doing well on a strong team in a poor league?

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Got to be careful with QMJHL players because their competition isnt as tough as OHL.

To put it in perspective over the last 3 years they have developed only two first round talents.
2022 Pick 22 Nathan Gaucher
2022 Pick 29 Maveric Lamoureux

Do we really want to take a player who is doing well on a strong team in a poor league?

Gaucher in his draft year as a late bday third year QMJHLer (ie age 18 season) had 0.86 points per game. Desnoyers has 1.60 as a seventeen year old.... entirely different stratosphere as prospects. It's not like he's being propped up by a strong roster, he's the leading scorer on his team by seventeen points.

Some of the very best players on earth came out of the Q. Can't just dismiss it as a development league based on a stretch of down years. Clearly he's just way ahead of what they've produced in recent drafts

 

[cheesymc]

Got to be careful with QMJHL players because their competition isnt as tough as OHL.

To put it in perspective over the last 3 years they have developed only two first round talents.
2022 Pick 22 Nathan Gaucher
2022 Pick 29 Maveric Lamoureux

Do we really want to take a player who is doing well on a strong team in a poor league?

I totally agree. I looked up the past 5-8 years draft history of 1st round QMJHL picks. Its looks very bleak...

We drafted Gaucher (who was the last 1st round forward for the past 3 years) and he appears to project as nothing more than an average bottom 6 guy. Bolduc, Bourgault, Dean, Poulin, Lapierre, Pelletier, Zadina are also having challenges adapting to the NHL or even AHL, or even busted out of the league (Zadina). The only one that established themselves as 'good' are Lafreniere and Mercer, and 'made it' is Veleno. Bourque and L'Heureux probably eventually make it as well, but thats alot of 1st round misses, and I believe Lafreniere and Zadina were the only top 10 'elite' talent. Looking back even further, it appears only super high end ones like Hischer, Dubois, Meier hit, but its because they had elite attributes likes size, skating, etc.

I see Desnoyer as a more talented brother of Eliot, which isn't much more than a great 3rd liner... maybe a Danault type. But that isn't the result that I'd want for a top 10 pick. Sure he looks above average at everything but I think for a top 10 guy there needs to be elite attributes. He is mature and smart playing as the big fish in a smaller pond but he likely encounters issues at higher levels like other previous QMJHL 1st round picks. If we go for this type of profile I'd prefer Bear who appears to be on another level in physicality/motor/compete and is similarly tearing up the WHL.

 

[tomd]

Yeah honestly I can't agree with anything you've just said. He's the best player on the top team in the CHL and leading the QMJHL in points per game as a seventeen year old, not really lacking for any physical tool. Not sure why you are capping him at a 2nd line ceiling. He's the caliber of center prospect that rises to the (near) top of any draft. His upside/ceiling is a franchise level center.

I'll say again...I like him as a player but who is projecting his upside as a franchise level center?????

 

[WhatTheDuck]

I'll say again...I like him as a player but who is projecting his upside as a franchise level center?????

Do you know what upside/ceiling refers to? Every scouting report basically calls him a lock to be a quality two way top six center. You are saying 2nd line ceiling, which means you are lower on him than the scouting reports while trying to also say you like him. It's completely contradictory.

I'll be honest here, I don't get a sense that anyone responding has really watched this player. I'm getting a lot of "well he's in the Q so he can't be that good". What if he's just the best player to come out of that loop in several years?

 

[Rasp]

Gaucher in his draft year as a late bday third year QMJHLer (ie age 18 season) had 0.86 points per game. Desnoyers has 1.60 as a seventeen year old.... entirely different stratosphere as prospects. It's not like he's being propped up by a strong roster, he's the leading scorer on his team by seventeen points.

Some of the very best players on earth came out of the Q. Can't just dismiss it as a development league based on a stretch of down years. Clearly he's just way ahead of what they've produced in recent drafts

Its not about how well his performing its about how poor the competitions he is performing against. He is doing it against bums that will never touch the NHL. The Q might have been good in the past but it hasn't been for years now.

I think he is a good player and will make the NHL but if you put him in the OHL he wouldn't be anywhere near his current point total.

 

[tomd]

Do you know what upside/ceiling refers to? Every scouting report basically calls him a lock to be a quality two way top six center. You are saying 2nd line ceiling, which means you are lower on him than the scouting reports while trying to also say you like him. It's completely contradictory.

I'll be honest here, I don't get a sense that anyone responding has really watched this player. I'm getting a lot of "well he's in the Q so he can't be that good". What if he's just the best player to come out of that loop in several years?

Again, I'm just asking the question...who has said this guy has 1st line C upside? I haven't seen it. From McKenzie:

No. 6: Caleb Desnoyers. The Moncton Wildcat is viewed as perhaps the most complete two-way centre in the draft who projects in the NHL as a second-line centre or, worst case scenario, an elite third-line shutdown centre.

“Think a Phil Danault-style player,” said one scout.

Desnoyers was ranked as high as No. 5 by one scout and no lower than No. 10. He’s viewed as a safe and secure pick. If you believe his offence will pop at the pro level, he’s a top five consideration.

That's a very nice player but top 5 in a good draft? No way. To be clear, I'm not criticizing the player at all. I'm simply pointing out that this is a sh!tty draft if Desnoyer is the third best player.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Its not about how well his performing its about how poor the competitions he is performing against. He is doing it against bums that will never touch the NHL. The Q might have been good in the past but it hasn't been for years now.

I think he is a good player and will make the NHL but if you put him in the OHL he wouldn't be anywhere near his current point total.

Q has won four of the last five Memorial Cups (CHL championships). The high end talent doesn't occur at the same rate in terms of draft prospects but the overall level of competition isn't lower to any degree where we can dismiss elite prospects when they do come along. 1.6 points per game is super impressive for a seventeen year old in any CHL league, especially one lauded for his two way game.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Again, I'm just asking the question...who has said this guy has 1st line C upside? I haven't seen it. From McKenzie:

No. 6: Caleb Desnoyers. The Moncton Wildcat is viewed as perhaps the most complete two-way centre in the draft who projects in the NHL as a second-line centre or, worst case scenario, an elite third-line shutdown centre.

“Think a Phil Danault-style player,” said one scout.

Desnoyers was ranked as high as No. 5 by one scout and no lower than No. 10. He’s viewed as a safe and secure pick. If you believe his offence will pop at the pro level, he’s a top five consideration.

That's a very nice player but top 5 in a good draft? No way. To be clear, I'm not criticizing the player at all. I'm simply pointing out that this is a sh!tty draft if Desnoyer is the third best player.

Again dude, you are confusing ceiling/upside with realistic projection. He does not state anything about ceiling there.

Again, I'm just asking the question...who has said this guy has 1st line C upside? I haven't seen it. From McKenzie:

No. 6: Caleb Desnoyers. The Moncton Wildcat is viewed as perhaps the most complete two-way centre in the draft who projects in the NHL as a second-line centre or, worst case scenario, an elite third-line shutdown centre.

“Think a Phil Danault-style player,” said one scout.

Desnoyers was ranked as high as No. 5 by one scout and no lower than No. 10. He’s viewed as a safe and secure pick. If you believe his offence will pop at the pro level, he’s a top five consideration.

That's a very nice player but top 5 in a good draft? No way. To be clear, I'm not criticizing the player at all. I'm simply pointing out that this is a sh!tty draft if Desnoyer is the third best player.

Once again, you are not understanding your own choice of words. Bob's writeup does not make any statement about "ceiling". When a player "projects as a second line center or worst case scenario an elite third line shutdown center", does that say they do not have first line upside? No, it's a statement about floor and realistic projection. You are saying his ceiling (ie best case scenario) is what they are describing as a worst case scenario. "Projects as" does not equal ceiling/upside.

But anyway, we are only at the point of the season where some mid term rankings are out. Desnoyers is one of the risers who some may not have come around to yet. I'm seeing a lot more than just 2nd line center at best. There may ultimately not be anything separating him from the likes of Misa and Martone as prospects by the time the process plays out. Centers with size and skill are never going to last long on draft day, always at a premium.

I like that his game seems almost entirely "translatable" and that's he's unquestionably going to stick at center and be quite good at it, same with Misa. I will gladly take a guy that can quickly become a quality two way C, we don't have any of those

 

[cheesymc]

Good god… I just looked at the Ducks draft history of picking out of the Q…. ALL BUSTS…. I really hope we break that curse with Luneau, Warren… or the recent picks we made… but it’s not looking good folks.

Perhaps we steer clear of the Q…

 

[tomd]

Again dude, you are confusing ceiling/upside with realistic projection. He does not state anything about ceiling there.

Once again, you are not understanding your own choice of words. Bob's writeup does not make any statement about "ceiling". When a player "projects as a second line center or worst case scenario an elite third line shutdown center", does that say they do not have first line upside? No, it's a statement about floor and realistic projection. You are saying his ceiling (ie best case scenario) is what they are describing as a worst case scenario. "Projects as" does not equal ceiling/upside.

But anyway, we are only at the point of the season where some mid term rankings are out. Desnoyers is one of the risers who some may not have come around to yet. I'm seeing a lot more than just 2nd line center at best. There may ultimately not be anything separating him from the likes of Misa and Martone as prospects by the time the process plays out. Centers with size and skill are never going to last long on draft day, always at a premium

I'm not trying to be flippant but under your definition, Nathan Gaucher had 1st line ceiling/upside when he was drafted b/c that is almost exactly the way he was described! I respect that you think Desnoyer has 1st line upside and if the Ducks draft him I hope you're right. But I've read a lot of scouting reports and you are on an island with your viewpoint. No report I've seen has said he has 1st line upside/ceiling.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

I should add - this isn't shaping up to be an overly strong draft. But I still think Desnoyers pushing up on the top five is an endorsement of him being a caliber of center prospect who would be in that range for any draft, rather than it being a sign of a weak crop

I'm not trying to be flippant but under your definition, Nathan Gaucher had 1st line ceiling/upside when he was drafted b/c that is almost exactly the way he was described! I respect that you think Desnoyer has 1st line upside and if the Ducks draft him I hope you're right. But I've read a lot of scouting reports and you are on an island with your viewpoint. No report I've seen has said he has 1st line upside/ceiling.

But once again, Desnoyers is a birth year younger in his draft year and at nearly double the production rate in the same league. Entirely different story, they don't belong in the same conversation.

What reports can you name where they put any ceiling on Desnoyers? You say I'm on an island but I don't see anyone capping him as low as you have

 

[WhatTheDuck]

"By the time we get to the draft, he may very well end up being a top three pick. His details and compete level present a game mature beyond his years. " - Sam Cosentino


"Much of the talk about Desnoyers this year will surround his successful CV, as it should. He’s a proven winner already at multiple international tournaments with Canada, and he’s the one driving the bus most nights for Moncton. I like his physical play, even though he’s not huge. I think he’s a great playmaker and he’s one of the smarter centers in this draft. He might not be the flashiest, but at the very least, Desnoyers is going to be a middle-six center because he does so many great things away from the puck" - Steve Ellis

"Desnoyers entered the year as a lottery-pick favourite. Despite playing in the much-maligned QMJHL, Desnoyers has maintained that momentum, with his over 1.5 point-per-game production and projectable two-way game solidifying his spot in the early first round.

While not always a high-pace player, Desnoyers has poise, excellent vision, and a solid puckhandle in tight spaces. He’s a committed and typically responsible defensive player who is especially effective when he flashes the higher-level physicality he can often bring. Thanks to a hot start, Desnoyers is likely to be the first QMJHL player off the board this spring." Luke Sweeney, Dobber prospects

The Next Generation: Caleb Desnoyers - Video - TSN

The next generation of hockey players are making their mark and TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button shares his observations of Moncton Wildcats centre Caleb Desnoyers.

www.tsn.ca

These are the latest reports I can find. No one really capping his upside at anything but really just a lot of raving about how high his floor is. High floor does not equal lack of ceiling.

The video from Button - does that not sound what the Ducks are lacking?

 

[tomd]

"By the time we get to the draft, he may very well end up being a top three pick. His details and compete level present a game mature beyond his years. " - Sam Cosentino


"Much of the talk about Desnoyers this year will surround his successful CV, as it should. He’s a proven winner already at multiple international tournaments with Canada, and he’s the one driving the bus most nights for Moncton. I like his physical play, even though he’s not huge. I think he’s a great playmaker and he’s one of the smarter centers in this draft. He might not be the flashiest, but at the very least, Desnoyers is going to be a middle-six center because he does so many great things away from the puck" - Steve Ellis

"Desnoyers entered the year as a lottery-pick favourite. Despite playing in the much-maligned QMJHL, Desnoyers has maintained that momentum, with his over 1.5 point-per-game production and projectable two-way game solidifying his spot in the early first round.

While not always a high-pace player, Desnoyers has poise, excellent vision, and a solid puckhandle in tight spaces. He’s a committed and typically responsible defensive player who is especially effective when he flashes the higher-level physicality he can often bring. Thanks to a hot start, Desnoyers is likely to be the first QMJHL player off the board this spring." Luke Sweeney, Dobber prospects

The Next Generation: Caleb Desnoyers - Video - TSN

The next generation of hockey players are making their mark and TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button shares his observations of Moncton Wildcats centre Caleb Desnoyers.

www.tsn.ca

These are the latest reports I can find. No one really capping his upside at anything but really just a lot of raving about how high his floor is. High floor does not equal lack of ceiling.

The video from Button - does that not sound what the Ducks are lacking?

We're going around in circles here so we can just agree to disagree on Desnoyer and his ceiling. I will say that if the Ducks draft in the 4-7 range I could see them taking Desnoyer...especially with Madden habitually over drafting out of the Q.

More to my point regarding this draft...I don't see any sure fire top line forwards in this draft. Misa might be the closest but definitely not guaranteed. Schaeffer looks like he could be a top pairing on D. Hagen and Martone look line 2nd line players to me and I'm concerned about whether Martone can reach even that level.