Craig Button 2025 NHL Draft Mock

[wickedwitch]

That simply isn't going to happen even though I like Schaefer possibly at #1.

I actually could see Hagens dropping. I wouldn't agree with it, but sometimes teams get very weird about height (despite the fact that he's already 5'10.5) especially if a big team wins the Cup. Plus, his situation at BC is so unusual, I could see teams being unsure about how to evaluate him.

 

[maroon 6]

Yep. This site hates when people go against the consensus even when they haven’t watched more than a few highlights of each player. I’m not a fan of the list or Craig Button in general, but I’m sure the reaction here was the same when he ranked Virtanen outside of his 1st round.

That same year he had Brayden Point for the first round I believe

 

[Herby]

25 years on this forum, and some things never change. It's just wild to me how angry people get at guys who give their ::gasp:: opinions on hockey prospects. You would think people would want the opinion of someone who travels around the world and sees these players, but every list from any of these guys gets trashed and they are labeled "clown" and "moron" for anything that veers from the draft-sheet consensus.

I know this guy puts in the work, I've seen him around a lot of rinks in Big10 country over the years.

 

[Zarzh]

I actually could see Hagens dropping. I wouldn't agree with it, but sometimes teams get very weird about height (despite the fact that he's already 5'10.5) especially if a big team wins the Cup. Plus, his situation at BC is so unusual, I could see teams being unsure about how to evaluate him.

I do think the biggest thing protecting Hagens is that most teams are risk adverse and centers carry less immediate risk.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

25 years on this forum, and some things never change. It's just wild to me how angry people get at guys who give their ::gasp:: opinions on hockey prospects. You would think people would want the opinion of someone who travels around the world and sees these players, but every list from any of these guys gets trashed and they are labeled "clown" and "moron" for anything that veers from the draft-sheet consensus.

I know this guy puts in the work, I've seen him around a lot of rinks in Big10 country over the years.

He definitely puts in the work, but to some degree his rankings are for tv and clicks.

Craig lost a bit of credibility for me back in 2012. It was the start of the 12-13 season and I saw him in Halifax. One of the first games of the year. Mackinnon had a great game. I asked Craig who he would take between Mackinnon or Jones, his response was "Mackinnon, and it might not be close"

Fast forward 1 week and it was tsn/bob pre season draft rankings. 10/10 scouts chose Mackinnon at #1. Then comes buttons list....Jones at 1. Seems to be the network instructed or heavily hinted that they needed to drum up some "Mackinnon vs Jones " hype and having a unanimous #1 would be bad for that. Or maybe he lied to me because I was from Halifax, but I doubt it.

I don't doubt he views a lot of hockey, and he puts in the time. I maybe question his methods of evaluation sometimes, but mostly I question the authenticity of his rankings and feel they are to some level used to generate clicks. Just my opinion

 

[majormajor]

He definitely puts in the work, but to some degree his rankings are for tv and clicks.

Craig lost a bit of credibility for me back in 2012. It was the start of the 12-13 season and I saw him in Halifax. One of the first games of the year. Mackinnon had a great game. I asked Craig who he would take between Mackinnon or Jones, his response was "Mackinnon, and it might not be close"

Fast forward 1 week and it was tsn/bob pre season draft rankings. 10/10 scouts chose Mackinnon at #1. Then comes buttons list....Jones at 1. Seems to be the network instructed or heavily hinted that they needed to drum up some "Mackinnon vs Jones " hype and having a unanimous #1 would be bad for that. Or maybe he lied to me because I was from Halifax, but I doubt it.

I don't doubt he views a lot of hockey, and he puts in the time. I maybe question his methods of evaluation sometimes, but mostly I question the authenticity of his rankings and feel they are to some level used to generate clicks. Just my opinion

Alternatively, Button might just be taking advantage of his natural enthusiasm for the players. If he had a great viewing from Jones and went wild over it, then it happens to be something that he can show on tv. The Jones vs Mackinnon drama was in general very genuine that year. My memory is that things tilted towards Jones in the mid-season.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Alternatively, Button might just be taking advantage of his natural enthusiasm for the players. If he had a great viewing from Jones and went wild over it, then it happens to be something that he can show on tv. The Jones vs Mackinnon drama was in general very genuine that year. My memory is that things tilted towards Jones in the mid-season.

Definitely, but this was in September when bobs list was 10/10 Mackinnon and 1 week after Craig told me in person he had Mackinnon ahead and it wasn't close. Unless 1 week had him change his mind that drastically, it was for tv