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

[Jared Grayden]

If you want physicality and size, why would you want O'Brien? While he's tall, I'll grant you that, he seems like one of the softest players in the draft to me.. I honestly don't get the hype on O'Brien at all. He has good passing and vision, but other than that, what does he brings? Because he's not physical and not fast, so I have a really hard time seeing his game translate to the pros.

He's a project as his current game won't translate at all. He needs to play with pace. But I see more offensive skills than McQueen, Martin, Desnoyer, Frondell. I also see the risk if he never improves his pace where he'll be a complete bust like Cody Glass 2.0.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

You're doin' it again, you friggin' stunad.

 

[LiffLaff]

He's a project as his current game won't translate at all. He needs to play with pace. But I see more offensive skills than McQueen, Martin, Desnoyer, Frondell. I also see the risk if he never improves his pace where he'll be a complete bust like Cody Glass 2.0.

I'm not even sure I see him having higher offensive upside than McQueen. MQ has a bomb of a shot, and while his passing and vision isnt on O'Brien's level, its not all that far behind in my opinion, and when you look at the rest of their game, I much prefer MQ. I could be totally off though, as I don't really watch much junior Hockey to be honest.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

He's a project as his current game won't translate at all. He needs to play with pace. But I see more offensive skills than McQueen, Martin, Desnoyer, Frondell. I also see the risk if he never improves his pace where he'll be a complete bust like Cody Glass 2.0.

His passing is insane. Everything is on the tape

Good brain

Solid two way game

Everything else needs a lot of work imo.

 

[Lust for Life]

I'm firmly in the pick Aitcheson boat.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Why not just draft Hagens at that point? I would demand the moon if Hagens made it and someone wanted the pick.

Especially someone in our own division.

I'd be asking for Dobson. Lock him up, Karlsson out in a separate deal.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Man... You're doing it all wrong....

Martin, Bear for the win.....!

The Demo line....

Bear, Martin and McGroarty

 

[Ogelthorpe]

I’m going out on a limb and saying 2 defensemen besides Schaefer will be picked in the top 10.
Just a hunch.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

McKenzie's list is my worst nightmare scenario for us...we drop to 11, and the top 10 goes 1 D, 7 centers and 2 wingers. Chris Peters also had the same 10 names in his top 10.

Trade up, trade down or trade out.

 

[T1K]

I'd put it at a non-zero chance the Penguins would trade their 1st to the NYI at #11 if Hagens made it to their pick. The Islanders can absolutely make a package for it between Ritchie, Eiserman and Colorado's 2026 1st. If I got offered Ritchie and Colorado's 2026 1st for #11 overall, I'd be extremely tempted to take it. Especially if I still had #12 and could draft Eklund at #12.

Makes no sense for us to do that

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Yeah, not sure why we'd pass on Hagens if he somehow falls to us.

 

[deakka]

McKenzie's list is my worst nightmare scenario for us...we drop to 11, and the top 10 goes 1 D, 7 centers and 2 wingers. Chris Peters also had the same 10 names in his top 10.

Trade up, trade down or trade out.

Yep. Gonna be in for a real disappointment of a pick if we're up and we staring at the 3D (have a bad feeling they gonna take the worst in Aitcheson). So let's hope he's not right!

 

[Empoleon8771]

Makes no sense for us to do that

Idk I really like Ritchie and feel like he has legitimately good top-6 center potential. It’s wild that Colorado traded him for Nelson, I would have driven Rakell to Colorado for what Colorado paid for Nelson.

 

[Empoleon8771]

McKenzie's list is my worst nightmare scenario for us...we drop to 11, and the top 10 goes 1 D, 7 centers and 2 wingers. Chris Peters also had the same 10 names in his top 10.

Trade up, trade down or trade out.

IMO I don’t think trading down is all that bad of a scenario, nor is taking Mrtka at #11.

If that’s how the top-10 goes, I take Mrtka at #11 and trade down from #12 to #17 to gain an extra 2nd and draft Reschny or Kindel at #17.

 

[LiffLaff]

Idk I really like Ritchie and feel like he has legitimately good top-6 center potential. It’s wild that Colorado traded him for Nelson, I would have driven Rakell to Colorado for what Colorado paid for Nelson.

Shades of Forsberg for Erat.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Idk I really like Ritchie and feel like he has legitimately good top-6 center potential. It’s wild that Colorado traded him for Nelson, I would have driven Rakell to Colorado for what Colorado paid for Nelson.

I feel like that would have been a very awkward car ride, Emp.

"I'm hungry"

"Too bad we're not stopping"

"COME ONNNNNNNNNN"

"Fine we'll stop at this Sheetz and get you some jerky."

"I can't have jerky I have dietary restrictions!"

"I SWEAR TO GOD I'M TURNING THIS CAR AROUND AND TAKING YOU BACK TO THE PENGUINS!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

 

[Jag68Sid87]

IMO I don’t think trading down is all that bad of a scenario, nor is taking Mrtka at #11.

If that’s how the top-10 goes, I take Mrtka at #11 and trade down from #12 to #17 to gain an extra 2nd and draft Reschny or Kindel at #17.

Not a terrible outcome, considering what could be. Personally, I would trade down at 11 and hope NYR keeps their pick. Let them take Aitcheson or Smith.

I would LOVE Reschny or Kindel. Possibly even at 11.

 

[T1K]

Idk I really like Ritchie and feel like he has legitimately good top-6 center potential. It’s wild that Colorado traded him for Nelson, I would have driven Rakell to Colorado for what Colorado paid for Nelson.

I feel like Hagens has higher upside, but that’s fair. I do think if NYI makes a move to get back into the Hagens range they’ll make a trade before he falls to us.

 

[Ulf5]

I just wanted to say Mans Goos

Huh? I can't hear you. Just climbed out of the pool, my ears are clogged.

 

[SEALBound]

Are we sure that we are not overcompensating for Hagen's being "undervalued" or "underhyped"?

I mean, this is a copy cat league. We just saw the utility of guys like Tkachuk, Bennett, and Marchand. Hagens isn't any of those guys. Guys like Martone and Martin are and their draft stock should be pretty high. It wouldn't shock me to see those type of guys taken first.

I need to finalize my mock draft this week but I'm leaning:

Schaeffer
Misa
Frondell
Martone
Desnoyers
Martin
Hagens
Mrkta
O'Brien
Eklund
McQueen

That would be a very fair order for every one of those guys. Hagens going #7ov hardly means he's a bad player.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Not a terrible outcome, considering what could be. Personally, I would trade down at 11 and hope NYR keeps their pick. Let them take Aitcheson or Smith.

I would LOVE Reschny or Kindel. Possibly even at 11.

IMO I have 2 "ideal" outcomes for this draft with the Penguins 2 picks:

1. Eklund and either McQueen or O'Brien lasts until #11, so you take those two at #11 and #12 (ideally O'Brien and Eklund, but McQueen and Eklund is also good with me).
2. Both McQueen and O'Brien are gone by #11, so you take Eklund at #11 and trade down with #12 to someone who wants to pony up to draft Aitcheson. Ideally someone like Montreal, get #16 and #41 for #12 and draft Reschny or Kindel at #16.

Realistically, what I expect to happen is the draft board falls like #2 but the Penguins take Eklund at #11 and Aitcheson at #12. Which honestly I'm fine with, I'm not crazy about Aitcheson but I understand the picks entirely.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Both McQueen and O'Brien are gone by #11, so you take Eklund at #11 and trade down with #12 to someone who wants to pony up to draft Aitcheson. Ideally someone like Montreal, get #16 and #41 for #12 and draft Reschny or Kindel at #16.

I don’t understand you saying no to taking both Hagens and Eklund but then proposing this scenario. Logically inconsistent.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I don’t understand you saying no to taking both Hagens and Eklund but then proposing this scenario. Logically inconsistent.

Nobody is saying no to James Hagens at 11 overall.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don’t understand you saying no to taking both Hagens and Eklund but then proposing this scenario. Logically inconsistent.

I realized that when I posted it, I think the main difference is that you're gaining an extra pick in that case. But I understand your comment entirely.

I just don't know that there are any centers projected to go in the 10-20 range that I like and are an appropriate size. Do people like Cootes here? He's about the only guy I see and I think they really need to get a center in the draft early this year.

 

[Freeptop]

I'm going to laugh so hard if after all this debate, Dubas manages to somehow trade for the 4th overall, and then drafts Frondell, just because I swear that's the one scenario that somebody on these boards hasn't predicted at this point.