Prospect Info: Draft 2025 - Everyone is trading up, but no one seems to be trading down edition

[The Old Master]

idk man. I moreso feel like the game is moving towards big mobile guys who are stoppers and can move the puck a little. Rather than point scoring D.

i like that but my viewpoint might be tainted from watching our de shoot wide or into the goalie's chest for the last 15 years.
edit; most of the point scoring d need a guy that can/will cover for them anyway.

 

[Jacob]

Mrtka and Smith had similar production on similar teams. I think it's pretty clear that Smith has the mobility you'd expect to translate into offensive production but it doesn't seem like Mrtka is Cory Cross, either.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Watching the finals I could see Smith having a similar impact/style in the pros to Seth Jones

 

[deakka]

I 100% want a forward. I'd even swing for a homerun and take Carbonneau (who seems very hit or miss) rather than a "safe" pick like Mrtka.

Yeah. as i said a few days ago. I dont want any of the D-men after Scahefer with neiter the 11 or 12 (if we get it) pick.

 

[Kasperi kapanen]

Jackson Smith taking the NCAA route is huge imo, he’s going to develop more strength and better habits.

I mean he’s already 6’4 200lbs, skates like the wind and has game breaking skill. If even becomes an average defensive player your looking at a STUD.

Too bad he’s going to be gone by our pick.

 

[Ulf5]

Jackson Smith taking the NCAA route is huge imo, he’s going to develop more strength and better habits.

I mean he’s already 6’4 200lbs, skates like the wind and has game breaking skill. If even becomes an average defensive player your looking at a STUD.

Too bad he’s going to be gone by our pick.

Good maybe we can get JO'B and a Frondell.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Forget about where the game is headed. Our prospects will be ready when the worm will turn in the NHL yet again. This Florida model that everybody and their mother wants to emulate this summer has a shelf life.

The Penguins need to get back to their own identity...the one before the ex-coach let his ego get in the way.

 

[eXile3]

idk man. I moreso feel like the game is moving towards big mobile guys who are stoppers and can move the puck a little. Rather than point scoring D.

I’m mean that’s what Florida has done but I feel like that’s out of necessity. If you can’t get someone who can drive offense you look for someone who can take up a lot of ice.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I’m mean that’s what Florida has done but I feel like that’s out of necessity. If you can’t get someone who can drive offense you look for someone who can take up a lot of ice.

Vegas, St. Louis, Tampa (just had some more pop) I think are also good examples

I dont think there is one way to win (Colorado) but I do think guys like Mrtka are unicorn-ish if they hit.

 

[Jacob]

2 picks would be good. Since we're not picking very high and there aren't going to be any can't-miss, extreme-upside types, it's best to go for volume and take 2 guys. Between the 2 at least 1 should hit most of their potential unless we get really unlucky.

O'Brien + Mrtka or Eklund + Reschny or McQueen + Smith just seems like a way more successful day than just 1 of them.

 

[eXile3]

Vegas, St. Louis, Tampa (just had some more pop) I think are also good examples

I dont think there is one way to win (Colorado) but I do think guys like Mrtka are unicorn-ish if they hit.

That’s true and a lot of it depends on opportunity. Florida would love to have a Makar but they don’t so they built a system that’s effective given their personnel. What a novel concept.

 

[Mr. T]

I don't think we've got any great prospects in any position. It's like we're looking at a farm team full of Scuderis and Acciari's. I'll be happy with whomever we draft in the 1st as long as it's not some absolutely stupid pick.

 

[Ryder71]

I'm at the point where I'd feel satisfied with any of the sort-of consensus top-13. My personal ranking

Schaefer
Misa
Martone
Hagens
O'Brien
Desnoyers
Martin
Eklund
Frondell
Aitcheson
McQueen
Smith
Mrtka

I'd prefer a forward, but the only situation where I'm not happy is if they reach for a Reschny/Bear/Lakovic tier guy

I'd much rather have Reschny than any of those defensemen not named Schaefer.

 

[Ryder71]

All we need to try and do is move up to 8th. We should have been picking there to begin with if Sully didn't insist on winning meaningless games and Dumbass didn't call up the kids to give this team a spark late in the season! That was just an awful serious of events that helps us in no way possible! NOW we'll have to pay a premium to get back to where we should have been in the 1st place! Ridiculous the manner in which we shot ourselves in the foot! Having the lottery go in the way it did didn't help either. What a shitshow!

 

[Ryder71]

Plain and simple we MUST hit on our 1st rounders each of the next three to four drafts. Can't have any duds like Pouliot! We should undoubtedly be picking high enough where we're almost guaranteed a good player at that draft position. MAKE EM COUNT you fat pigs!

 

[HandshakeLine]

That’s true and a lot of it depends on opportunity. Florida would love to have a Makar but they don’t so they built a system that’s effective given their personnel. What a novel concept.

Yeah, I don’t get why this team has been so in denial about what kind of system it can run for years. I’m hoping that we’re finally into the “cold hard look in the mirror” stage of things but… I remain skeptical.

That’s why I’m also completely unconvinced we need to draft by need. Honestly, we build around whatever the next franchise piece turns out to be.

 

[SEALBound]

Forget about where the game is headed. Our prospects will be ready when the worm will turn in the NHL yet again. This Florida model that everybody and their mother wants to emulate this summer has a shelf life.

The Penguins need to get back to their own identity...the one before the ex-coach let his ego get in the way.

Can you elaborate on that a little more?

In my view, I'm not sure you can progress much better than Florida (realistically). They have a very well balanced and deep team. They have speed, skill, and a lot of grit. Their defense is well-balanced. They have an elite goalie. Most importantly, they have guys built for playoff hockey - Bennett, Tkachuk, Marchand...

I'm not sure the "Florida model" has shelf life. I think if you are able to put together that roster, it will win more often than not. With a 100% healthy roster, they are hard to beat (particularly in the playoffs. I think the realistic downside of their roster is that, eventually, guys that perform well will need to get paid. Eventually they can defeated, but by the salary cap. Bennett will make double, Mikkola will need more, then they will need as good or better depth players. The cap is only so big but as of now, they are riding the coattails of extremely valuable contracts. Particularly, Verhaeghe, Bennett, Mikkola, and Marchand. They're play as remained consistently high.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Yeah, I don’t get why this team has been so in denial about what kind of system it can run for years. I’m hoping that we’re finally into the “cold hard look in the mirror” stage of things but… I remain skeptical.

That’s why I’m also completely unconvinced we need to draft by need. Honestly, we build around whatever the next franchise piece turns out to be.

Yea and for me this is BPA all day long. Who cares that we likely won't have Malkin next year (possibly). You can get a Center in FA. Will he be a franchise piece? Haha of course not, but we're supposed to suck.

The absolute worse thing this team can do is draft guys in a few weeks by position or by some sort of preconceived 3C model that has plagued this team's philosophy for 2 decades. It's almost impossible to replicate 2009 and 2016.

Edited due to fat fingers - should have been 2009

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

That's pretty wild tbh.

What's wild about it?

 

[Jared Grayden]

Can you elaborate on that a little more?

In my view, I'm not sure you can progress much better than Florida (realistically). They have a very well balanced and deep team. They have speed, skill, and a lot of grit. Their defense is well-balanced. They have an elite goalie. Most importantly, they have guys built for playoff hockey - Bennett, Tkachuk, Marchand...

I'm not sure the "Florida model" has shelf life. I think if you are able to put together that roster, it will win more often than not. With a 100% healthy roster, they are hard to beat (particularly in the playoffs. I think the realistic downside of their roster is that, eventually, guys that perform well will need to get paid. Eventually they can defeated, but by the salary cap. Bennett will make double, Mikkola will need more, then they will need as good or better depth players. The cap is only so big but as of now, they are riding the coattails of extremely valuable contracts. Particularly, Verhaeghe, Bennett, Mikkola, and Marchand. They're play as remained consistently high.

Florida is average speed and one of the smallest teams in the league. They are the most physical though and they control play very well forcing other teams to respond to them rather than being reactive themselves. And dictating play will never go out of style, but it can be achieved in many different ways. Their puck management discipline doesn't get enough credit. Rarely have unforced icings or turnovers.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Florida is average speed and one of the smallest teams in the league. They are the most physical though and they control play very well forcing other teams to respond to them rather than being reactive themselves. And dictating play will never go out of style, but it can be achieved in many different ways. Their puck management discipline doesn't get enough credit. Rarely have unforced icings or turnovers.

That...doesn't sound right.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yeah Mrtka isn't the #1 guy I want, I've been pretty clear that O'Brien and Eklund are the 2 main guys I want, but I think people are being a bit too dismissive of him. In Mrtka's first season in NA, he put up 32 points in 45 games in the WHL while being an absolute monster defensively. For a point of comparison, Maatta went from Finland in his draft year and he put up 32 points in 58 games in the OHL. I think Mrtka's offensive upside is comparable or better than the best Maatta ever showed in the NHL, while he will be bigger and better defensively.

Mrtka's best case scenario is a 6'6" Slavin. I was typing out "a 30-40 point defenseman that plays against and shuts down the top competition every night", but that's literally just Slavin.

 

[Jared Grayden]

That...doesn't sound right.

One of the lightest teams in the league. All the heavy teams failed miserably this year too. FLA threw more hits than any team in the regular season and playoffs though.

Elite Prospects - Team Comparison in NHL

Compare average height, weight and age in NHL.

www.eliteprospects.com

 

[Ryder71]

Jackson Smith taking the NCAA route is huge imo, he’s going to develop more strength and better habits.

I mean he’s already 6’4 200lbs, skates like the wind and has game breaking skill. If even becomes an average defensive player your looking at a STUD.

Too bad he’s going to be gone by our pick.

Better to go Center or forward.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Can you elaborate on that a little more?

In my view, I'm not sure you can progress much better than Florida (realistically). They have a very well balanced and deep team. They have speed, skill, and a lot of grit. Their defense is well-balanced. They have an elite goalie. Most importantly, they have guys built for playoff hockey - Bennett, Tkachuk, Marchand...

I'm not sure the "Florida model" has shelf life. I think if you are able to put together that roster, it will win more often than not. With a 100% healthy roster, they are hard to beat (particularly in the playoffs. I think the realistic downside of their roster is that, eventually, guys that perform well will need to get paid. Eventually they can defeated, but by the salary cap. Bennett will make double, Mikkola will need more, then they will need as good or better depth players. The cap is only so big but as of now, they are riding the coattails of extremely valuable contracts. Particularly, Verhaeghe, Bennett, Mikkola, and Marchand. They're play as remained consistently high.

Sure, I will. The Panthers are the modern-day Islanders. Truly COMPLETE teams. And then the Oilers came around and exposed New York and the Isles dynasty died.

Somebody is going to come along and knock Florida off their perch. I nominate Montreal (unfortunately for someone who lives here like yours truly). Mtl has already had success beating Florida during the regular season. That's a start. Now, when they get it figured out, watch out.

This Florida team is a perfect storm. And supremely difficult to duplicate and replicate. But what happens when Bob is gone? Everything has a shelf life.

Once upon a time, the Detroit Red Wings looked unstoppable. And then they stopped winning.