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

[Empoleon8771]

Trouba wasn’t a bad player but his skill set of purposefully injuring players is falling out of style.

If I start running through my head of all the best defenders in the league I can’t think of any where their hitting is the main asset.

It’s just more important to be able to get the puck out of the zone and up the ice.

Hard to seriously say this when Florida just won back to back cups built clearly based on this kind of physicality.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

One of the most physical, and arguably the dirtiest player in the league just won B2B Cups and a Smythe.

I'm not in any way saying Aitcheson (or Smith) are gonna have as big an impact as Bennett, but that style is alive and well.

 

[TojoP]

Based on absolutely nothing, this is how I think the top-10 is gonna go

Isles: Schaefer
Sharks: Misa
Hawks: Frondell
Mammoth: Martone
Preds: Desoyners
Flyers: O'Brien
Bruins: Hagens
Kraken: Martin
Sabres: Aitcheson
Ducks: Mrtka
Pens: Eklund
Pens: Mcqueen

I'd love it if it fell that way. That feels like a best case scenario on my board because I don't see any of the top 7 guys there sliding to 11. Would love to be proven wrong and JOB still available, just feels less realistic than McQueen and Eklund.

 

[plaidchuck]

You do whatever it takes to win, but honestly if the strategy now is to have that one dirty player to take out other players and take the hit for it, you might as well bring back goons drop the instigator penalty and make bench clearing brawls a nightly thing again. It's the wet dream of the boomer Don Cherry's of the league, but if the league can't disincentivize that strategy, might as well allow other teams to defend themselves.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I like this.... O'Brien & Martin would be fantastic.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25209091-complete-2025-nhl-mock-draft-after-stanley-cup-final

 

[Ryder71]

This is a very weak draft regarding 1st round defenders after Schaefer. Smith gives me Pouliot vibes, Mrtka is so vanilla and raw, although he's one of the younger guys in the draft. Aitcheson is one of the oldest and most polarizing. Kyle stay away from these defensemen! Don't repeat the Shero mistake of 2012! I doubt you will but just don't do it. THIS PICK has to COUNT!

 

[Ryder71]

I like this.... O'Brien & Martin would be fantastic.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25209091-complete-2025-nhl-mock-draft-after-stanley-cup-final

Of course they would. Stay away from the defensemen!

 

[Factorial]

You do whatever it takes to win, but honestly if the strategy now is to have that one dirty player to take out other players and take the hit for it, you might as well bring back goons drop the instigator penalty and make bench clearing brawls a nightly thing again. It's the wet dream of the boomer Don Cherry's of the league, but if the league can't disincentivize that strategy, might as well allow other teams to defend themselves.

Toughness and hard checking != goons

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

I know he's the most underappreciated player in the sport, maybe ever, but the Geno comparison for McQueen is just outright disrespectful.

Maybe they mean 39 year old Geno.

 

[Jared Grayden]

This is a very weak draft regarding 1st round defenders after Schaefer. Smith gives me Pouliot vibes, Mrtka is so vanilla and raw, although he's one of the younger guys in the draft. Aitcheson is one of the oldest and most polarizing. Kyle stay away from these defensemen! Don't repeat the Shero mistake of 2012! I doubt you will but just don't do it. THIS PICK has to COUNT!

I agree on the other two but Smith is very different as a prospect compared to Pouliot. Might very well have worse hockey sense but physically he's vastly superior in every way.

 

[Ryder71]

I agree on the other two but Smith is very different as a prospect compared to Pouliot. Might very well have worse hockey sense but physically he's vastly superior in every way.

Smiths game resembles Pouliots game far more than the other two. Physically he's above him, but I'm not taking him where we're drafting. Hard pass on all three!

 

[plaidchuck]

Toughness and hard checking != goons

Sure, but from what I understood is that we were talking about the "dirty player" factor here, not just the typical hard tight forecheck that wins every year.

 

[eXile3]

Hard to seriously say this when Florida just won back to back cups built clearly based on this kind of physicality.

They won because Bennett had 15 hits a game and 15 goals. None of their players remind of Trouba at all.

 

[Jacob]

I think not being able to find many comparables to Aitcheson in the NHL right now is all the more reason to rate him highly. There’s really only 1 Bennett in the league, 1 Wilson, 1 Gudas. Aitcheson is unique.

I get it’s risky because a d-man can’t run around like a forward can. They’re the last line of defense, and Trouba has largely been an overpaid disappointment that can’t even connect right on his big hits. Aitcheson already looks like he’s more skilled at the big hit than Trouba is. He tends to get all body, and he knows a fight is coming and welcomes it, and usually wallops them. And he’s got good mobility and can bring some offense. There’s a risk there but if it works out you’ve got a throwback player, like something halfway in between Gudas and Burns. But a lefty.

I also understand the concern that his goals don’t look like the kind you’d see an NHL d-man score. He plays low on the PP as the trigger man. But assuming talented hockey players can’t adapt I think is faulty. Assume they can. A lot of the passing lanes JOB finds in the O just won’t be there in the NHL, and Schaefer won’t be able to burn guys wide or inside at this level like he does in the OHL. They’ll adapt. Let’s assume Aitcheson has at least as much chance of adapting as any of them until he proves otherwise.

 

[Jared Grayden]

I think not being able to find many comparables to Aitcheson in the NHL right now is all the more reason to rate him highly. There’s really only 1 Bennett in the league, 1 Wilson, 1 Gudas. Aitcheson is unique.

I find Dumba, Trouba, Lindgren, Gudas are all fair comps. for Aitcheson. If you can't find a comp at all for a prospect that's probably not a good sign because rarely is a prospect so uniquely good that they don't resemble any current NHLers. It's more likely the prospect's playing style doesn't translate to the NHL at all.

 

[The Old Master]

I like this.... O'Brien & Martin would be fantastic.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25209091-complete-2025-nhl-mock-draft-after-stanley-cup-final

from your mouth to God's ear.

 

[Jacob]

I find Dumba, Trouba, Lindgren, Gudas are all fair comps. for Aitcheson. If you can't find a comp at all for a prospect that's probably not a good sign because rarely is a prospect so uniquely good that they don't resemble any current NHLers. It's more likely the prospect's playing style doesn't translate to the NHL at all.

I think of them only Trouba showed a comparable mix of offense and physicality. Dumba was closer to his offense and physical but not nearly as destructive, the others brought almost no offense at the same age.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Trouba wasn’t a bad player but his skill set of purposefully injuring players is falling out of style.

If I start running through my head of all the best defenders in the league I can’t think of any where their hitting is the main asset.

It’s just more important to be able to get the puck out of the zone and up the ice.

Uh...are the Panthers not the Cup champs with the f***in Hanson brothers on their team?

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

You do whatever it takes to win, but honestly if the strategy now is to have that one dirty player to take out other players and take the hit for it, you might as well bring back goons drop the instigator penalty and make bench clearing brawls a nightly thing again. It's the wet dream of the boomer Don Cherry's of the league, but if the league can't disincentivize that strategy, might as well allow other teams to defend themselves.

You don't need goons, but you do need players to help win wars of attrition.

 

[Empoleon8771]

This was Wheeler's quote about Aitcheson:

Aitcheson uses Charlie McAvoy as his comp, but I don’t think he rises to that No. 1 level. In terms of his physicality and hardness, he actually reminds me of players such as Radko Gudas and Tyler Tucker, but Aitcheson’s ceiling is way higher than those two, and he has shown much more offense than they ever did in junior. The two I’ve gone to are Montour and Dumba, two 6-foot-1ish D who play staunch and competitive styles (Montour has really leaned into his physical nature more in the last few years) and play firm on both sides of the puck. They have each had very productive seasons over the course of their careers, but can also just give you 30-40 points and focus on defending hard.

I don't fully agree with this Wheeler quote, I cut off a bit comparing him to Byram and Andersson because I don't agree with that. That said, I would describe Aitcheson's upside as as a middle pair defenseman that is a hybrid between Dumba and Gudas. Basically an ultra physical middle pair D with a rocket of a shot but a questionable hockey IQ. I also think "Trouba with a 1-timer" is a pretty good description too, as is the Gudas and Burns hybrid mentioned above.

Aitcheson's upside is a 20+ minute a night physical defenseman that can fight and play in all situations, both at 5v5 (both offensive and defensive roles) and on special teams (both PP and PK). He's not going to be a top contributor in any of those areas, so he won't be the best OFD, DFD, PPQB or PK defenseman, but he'll be able to provide value in all of those areas. To me, that's a pretty valuable player. His upside is an all situations middle pair D, PP2 and PK2 player that hits a ton and fights.

IMO something you can bring up to cast some doubt on Aitcheson is how similar his scouting report seems to JJ and Ristolainen. A physical and toolsy defenseman with a low hockey IQ sounds pretty damn similar to JJ, and we all know how JJ’s career has been.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I might be biased because I’ve seen him play a fair amount here: Hayden Paupanekis is a lad I would be happy for the pens to take. Big C, smart lad as well. He understands the path to get to the nhl, maturity off and on the ice and also physical maturity. That one timer is a beauty too.

Very good game too. He might be seen as a massive shutdown type but I see a lot of a Barkov type in him too offensively and his defensive game is very mature. Also very smooth stride for a large lad. Saw him a bit here and there in Spokane the last few years and then some with the Rockets. I’d be pretty happy with Dubas trading up in the second round to quickly take him. If they can draft a first line C and this lad, they’re looking good in the prospect pool even more.

What is that Caps pick? Like 59-60 range? Make it work Kyle.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I see a lot projecting the Pens taking Brady Martin.

If the first two are Martin and Paupanekis, well done. I call that a f***ing epic win of a draft. After those two just go nuts with random shit for all I care Dubas.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I think Martin is going no later than No. 7 overall.

 

[Jacob]

It seems like some teams love Martin and he’s not falling to us. Kinda sounds like the same may be true for JOB & McQueen.

 

[Andy99]

Pens won’t get any of the top centers unless they trade up…