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

[Big Friggin Dummy]

One of the first two has potential to be a foundational player.

Value is insanely different IMO.

Hagens wouldn't be dropping like a rock from being the unanimous 1st overall pick last summer if he was a can't miss, foundational player.

I like him, I hope this team finds a way to get him, but I don't think he's a better prospect than Martone.

Unless you're talking about the "two of" thing. Then yeah, I dunno. I lean toward agreeing with you but I don't know that it's a no-brainer. I just want it to happen cuz I wanna see this team do fun shit and try to get some legit talent in the system.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Fantilli, Eichel, and Celebrini are the only NCAA forwards with better draft years.

Hagens is dropping because people want to see exponential growth every year and he was so good the previous year, him putting up a good not great draft year in the NCAA with "top talent" is used to say he wasn't good.

Nah it’s because he is on smaller end without truly elite skating or hands.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I sorta feel like the team will keep both picks and use one for a consensus guy at the slot and the other on a pet project.

 

[Gurglesons]

Nah it’s because he is on smaller end without truly elite skating or hands.

Saying Hagens isn't an elite skater is bizarre.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Hagens feels like Jack Hughes if you made him less skilled. He still looks like he'll end up a top-6 center, plus him being bulkier than Hughes really helps, but I'm not sure I see anything that that suggests his upside is higher than an undersized playmaking top-6 center.

His upside actually seems similar to what Rossi was last year, and Minnesota is currently discovering that teams don't value 5'9" centers very highly.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Saying Hagens isn't an elite skater is bizarre.

Ok well I just did.

he doesn’t project to be in the NHL imo. He didn’t separate like one in college. I would call it “very good” but he’s not Hughes or Moore or Nazar.

his IQ and vision and floor are why I like him, not his tangible tools.

I think a lot of scouts would agree and it’s why he is sliding. Time will tell if that is correct

but this is classic you dying on a hill acting like you know the future better than 99.9% of people and arguing with me about Hagens when I have the guy HIGHER than you do.

So I’m getting out of this stupid never ending semantics vortex you create.

 

[Jared Grayden]

Saying Hagens isn't an elite skater is bizarre.

I know Brad Allen from HP doesn't like his skating either. Then again, I don't trust anyone's opinion on skating including my own eye assessment and just go off of the data available. Bedard was WAY overrated as a skater for instance.

 

[Gurglesons]

Hagens feels like Jack Hughes if you made him less skilled. He still looks like he'll end up a top-6 center, plus him being bulkier than Hughes really helps, but I'm not sure I see anything that that suggests his upside is higher than an undersized playmaking top-6 center.

His upside actually seems similar to what Rossi was last year, and Minnesota is currently discovering that teams don't value 5'9" centers very highly.

So a 5'11 forward just became 5'9?

 

[Empoleon8771]

At least from the clips I've seen from him, Hagens seems very shifty and agile but doesn't have that top end burner speed. Most of his top chances were from him dangling around other players or creating open space by quickly changing direction, not from outskating other guys. His skating seems similar to Sheary in that sense, excellent change of direction and shiftiness but just good top end speed.

Like I said, he feels like a more skilled Rossi to me. Which I'm all for drafting for sure, but not at the cost of trading 2 1sts for him.

 

[Gurglesons]

The players you'll be drafting at 11th and 12th have really no chance of being "foundational players" in a rebuild in this draft.

That's my hang up on not making a move if Hagens is available at 6th or 7th.

I don't think Hagens will be a top 10 C, but I don't think it's really a question that he'll probably finish his career with the most points in this draft.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Re: Hagens skating and playing center

I'm seeing mixed reports on both translating to the NHL which is likely why he's dropped a bit in rankings.

The truth is in the middle of those bitching. [mild shock]

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Hagens feels like Jack Hughes if you made him less skilled. He still looks like he'll end up a top-6 center, plus him being bulkier than Hughes really helps, but I'm not sure I see anything that that suggests his upside is higher than an undersized playmaking top-6 center.

His upside actually seems similar to what Rossi was last year, and Minnesota is currently discovering that teams don't value 5'9" centers very highly.

Nah I don’t get the Hughes comp

People just love to do NTDP guys to NTDP guys. Hughes got compared to Kane which was stupid bc he plays like McDavid-lite with the nonstop attacking and skating whereas Kane likes to slow it down and handle

Hagens is way more cerebral and is a pretty solid 2way player. I see him like a Backstrom (in play-style) kinda where he’s pass first and deadly off the rush and responsible defensively without being physical. Maybe holds on to the puck a little more than Backstrom did. This is why I’m okay with him not being the most high octane skater or handler.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

The truth is in the middle of those bitching.

Well I have him ranked 2nd. I’m not bitching, im bitching at Gurgs (which is always warranted)

 

[ikyan]

If Hagen's is out there at 11, fine take him. If you can move up a few slots to get him for a 2nd, sure.

I don't see why you would trade two top 12 picks to get a player with numbers that don't justify it. Buium had better NCAA numbers as a dman last year and didn't even go top 10.

 

[The Old Master]

Top-10 listed here

if no trades are made, and everything goes as bob says........then I'm picking Bear

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I do see a lot of Jack Hughes in Hagens' game. Similar style, similar skill/vision/skating, but I think Hughes has a clear advantage in shooting.

I've been saying all along that if Martone or Hagens are within trading distance and the price isn't insanity, go for it. I'd just be a bit wary of trading the 11th and 12th with only the 7th or 8th coming back. I'd push hard to get something like Tampa's 1st or multiple 2nds or something.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I'm not saying it's smart or not only that if the team and their scouts feel a guy like Hagens is going to be a star caliber player then I don't much care about flipping two outside-the-top-ten firsts in a weak draft. Even good/great drafts start to tail off hard after ~10. It's not the NFL.

 

[Empoleon8771]

If Hagen's is out there at 11, fine take him. If you can move up a few slots to get him for a 2nd, sure.

I don't see why you would trade two top 12 picks to get a player with numbers that don't justify it. Buium had better NCAA numbers as a dman last year and didn't even go top 10.

I'd rather do #11 and #12 for #7/8 and a late 1st (either 2025 or 2026) because you're maintaining the same number of picks. I'd rather trade up with #11 by trading down with #12 over losing picks to trade up.

Especially because if we're talking about Hagens, I'm 100% not drafting Eklund in addition to Hagens. If they take Hagens, I'm going either a defenseman or a winger with size with their other 1st.

 

[Gurglesons]

If Hagen's is out there at 11, fine take him. If you can move up a few slots to get him for a 2nd, sure.

I don't see why you would trade two top 12 picks to get a player with numbers that don't justify it. Buium had better NCAA numbers as a dman last year and didn't even go top 10.

Because championship teams are built around center depth and Hagens is the best center available in this draft.

 

[The Old Master]

I do see a lot of Jack Hughes in Hagens' game. Similar style, similar skill/vision/skating, but I think Hughes has a clear advantage in shooting.

I've been saying all along that if Martone or Hagens are within trading distance and the price isn't insanity, go for it. I'd just be a bit wary of trading the 11th and 12th with only the 7th or 8th coming back. I'd push hard to get something like Tampa's 1st or multiple 2nds or something.

i wouldn't make a trade unless it's mid draft and i know who is there. but i would have one or more lined up.

 

[ikyan]

I'd rather do #11 and #12 for #7/8 and a late 1st (either 2025 or 2026) because you're maintaining the same number of picks. I'd rather trade up with #11 by trading down with #12 over losing picks to trade up.

Especially because if we're talking about Hagens, I'm 100% not drafting Eklund in addition to Hagens. If they take Hagens, I'm going either a defenseman or a winger with size with their other 1st.

I get this perspective, it's kinda of trading back a Way to move up a different 1st.

Not the guy I'd do it for, but I get this thought process.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

We should build from the net out again. Trade down and draft Mans Goos, Limatov, and Boumedienne.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

In the end I'm not gonna fret over trading the 11th and 12th for a guy that was projected all year to be one of the Big Four of this draft (Schaefer, Misa, Martone, Hagens), whether it's Martone or Hagens.

I'm rooting for an exciting 1st round. Not the best value in an excel spreadsheet type thing where you're weighing the pick value of like, Mrtka and Smith versus Martone or Hagens.

 

[Empoleon8771]

In the end I'm not gonna fret over trading the 11th and 12th for a guy that was projected all year to be one of the Big Four of this draft (Schaefer, Misa, Martone, Hagens), whether it's Martone or Hagens.

I'm rooting for an exciting 1st round. Not the best value in an excel spreadsheet type thing where you're weighing the pick value of like, Mrtka and Smith versus Martone or Hagens.

To be fair, you can include McQueen in that group too, who I think you may be able to draft by just sitting at #11.

I know people have expressed their opinions on McQueen on here, but Hagens at #8 vs McQueen at #11 and Eklund at #12 is a tough argument for me. I'd probably prefer McQueen and Eklund.

 

[The Old Master]

If Hagen's is out there at 11, fine take him. If you can move up a few slots to get him for a 2nd, sure.

I don't see why you would trade two top 12 picks to get a player with numbers that don't justify it. Buium had better NCAA numbers as a dman last year and didn't even go top 10.

it's been said many times "the team that gets the better player wins the trade." it's always much easier to add lesser players than the very good ones. imo