Prospect Info: Draft 2025 Habs you're on the clock

[Quatre Vingt Treize]

IMHO, we are still in rebuild mode. I’ve read some absolutely Mike Milbury type trades around here? On the trade rumours thread people are suggesting Demidov for 2C ???
Insanity.
#’s 16-17 are valuable assets to a rebuilding team and this draft is deeper than first reported. Some of the “experts” I’ve read say there are 6 no doubters & 12 solid picks, so we may have a couple fall to us.

I still believe Dach can still turn it around! We will be better next year with Dach, Hutson & Demidov comfortably fitting in. Our D will be faster with Reinbacher or Mailloux coming up.

HuGo may stick to the master plan and simply add two very good assets #16-17…...or make a move to get an Issac Howard type deal. Either way I trust HuGo will not jeopardize the future.

Cheers

Why wouldn't Tampa sign Howard?

 

[themilosh]

If we aren't trading our picks: im a fan of the USNDP.

15: Logan Hensler RHD
16: Ivan Ryabkin C
41: William Moore C
49: Charlie Trethewey RHD

I'd trade all the above to Utah to get James Hagens C at #4

 

[Kennerback]

Would you take him at 17?

I might be off but I don’t think teams are seriously considering to get Prokhorov in the 1st Round. I would take him earlier than the Round he could go at. The caveat being to have done due diligence beforehand to see if he has a teachable personality. His lack of passing is not an automatic No Draft for me.

It’s because of players like him that this draft gives me hope. All the mechanical building blocks to make an NHL player are there.

 

[jaffy27]

IMHO, we are still in rebuild mode. I’ve read some absolutely Mike Milbury type trades around here? On the trade rumours thread people are suggesting Demidov for 2C ???
Insanity.
#’s 16-17 are valuable assets to a rebuilding team and this draft is deeper than first reported. Some of the “experts” I’ve read say there are 6 no doubters & 12 solid picks, so we may have a couple fall to us.

I still believe Dach can still turn it around! We will be better next year with Dach, Hutson & Demidov comfortably fitting in. Our D will be faster with Reinbacher or Mailloux coming up.

HuGo may stick to the master plan and simply add two very good assets #16-17…...or make a move to get an Issac Howard type deal. Either way I trust HuGo will not jeopardize the future.

Cheers

Posters either trolling or in Ryder, Halak + 2nd mode.

He is under cost control and is a bonafide 1st line player.

Any proposal that includes Demidov should be met with a only reply

 

[jaffy27]

You clearly did not see what I wrote.

I said: There is no such thing as BPA at the 16th or 17th rank.

Kotkaniemi was 3rd overall, not even in the same rank conversation. Can't you read ?

For 1 Cole Caufield, there are dozens of other busts that was BPA at the time of the draft.

In 2014, BPA at 16th, a pick held by the Blue Jackets Columbus, was around guys like Sonny Milano, Travis Sanheim, Tony DeAngelo and Nick Schmaltz.

They selected Milano at 16th... at 26th overall there was a guy named David Pastrnak picked by Boston...

Guess who won that ?! There's hundreds of other examples.

In 2019, BPA at 17th, a pick held by Colorado, was guys like Alex Newhook, Payton Krebs, Samuel Poulin...

They selected Alex Newhook at 17th ahahhaa.... at 25th overall, Connor McMichael got picked by Washington and Shane Pinto went to Ottawa at 32th overall... 2 players who are miles better than Newhook now and that weren't viewed as the BPA at 17th at the time...

You want me to continue ?! So my reply was right regardless of what you think.

So I guess there are no BPA ever as Yakupov was drafted ahead of Forsberg?

BPA is a projection of who they might become, who has the best chances at reaching their full potential, that’s all. They are prospects, not a finished product.

I assure you that at picks 16-17; there will be a group of 4-5 players that would fall in that ranking depending on who’s ranking.

 

[BJCOLLINS]

Why wouldn't Tampa sign Howard?

Howard has publicly stated he does not want to sign in Tampa. He is a blue chip LW that Tampa will probably want to move out west rather than to the Habs.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Wheeler and Pronman mock

Justin Carbonneau
Jackson Smith
Mason West
Ryker Lee

Would hard to find fault with that (Cootes, Martin and Bear were gone).

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Wheeler and Pronman mock

Justin Carbonneau
Jackson Smith
Mason West
Ryker Lee

Would hard to find fault with that (Cootes, Martin and Bear were gone).

Lots of size and a decent amount of skills, I like it too. This group hasn't been quite as eager to take long gambles on highschool prospects than in the Timmins area, but West and Lee are both very solid. Both should be in the NCAA right away in their D+1 season too, so no junior A limbo, which is always a big plus IMO. West is a talented 2 sports guy by the way and is also being recruited as a football quarterback, it's not 100% certain which route he'll take just yet.

 

[WinterLion]

For sure not a spectacular draft. Also it's such a crapshoot so many prospects can end up in the top 12 depending on what teams value more in a player.

I'm not overly excited by anyone who could fall to us except for Bear, if the injury scares off scouts. But I do like Lakovic's talent (even though his lack of commitment can be frustrating), Hensler all-around game, Spence and Cootes' pro game. I know he's not ranked anywhere near the mid-teens by anyone, which leaves me a bit perplexed after my isolated viewings, but Zharovsky is some "reach" I'd entertain going for depending on who's off the board. He's a project but he's an offensive line driver with a toolkit that is much more interesting than a lot of players ranked above him, in my opinion.

I'm not sure about Aitcheson's game as I find it quite chaotic for good and bad reasons. Same with Carbonneau, whose shot and grit is great but his IQ leaves to be desired. I know Ryabkin has his share of fans around here but I just don't want anything to do with him.

I don't think a trade up is realistic this year as I don't believe the picks to hold much value. Perhaps they could be sweeteners for a 2C, which I would be down for. And if this can't fetch anything, I would entertain the idea of trading down a bit and going for potentially high-reward projects like Nestrašil, Amico, Rombach, Prokhorov and West (if he fully commits to hockey).

If we stay put in the second, then I'm liking Horcoff, Vass, Limatov or any of the aforementioned projects, should they drop. All of them are higher on my list.

TL;DR: Tough to call the picks, several options available.

Yeah it is a funny year. So many guys seems to have a flaw, but I think some teams will see them as very fixable.

I'm also kinda more excited about the guys towards the back half of the 1st.... but there are just so many of them that I think the 2nd will be very fruitful. Very funny you should mention Zharovsky. I definitely have a feeling about him too... but can't say I really know him that well.

It will be fun to see how Hughes manages this.

 

[Sorinth]

So I guess there are no BPA ever as Yakupov was drafted ahead of Forsberg?

BPA is a projection of who they might become, who has the best chances at reaching their full potential, that’s all. They are prospects, not a finished product.

I assure you that at picks 16-17; there will be a group of 4-5 players that would fall in that ranking depending on who’s ranking.

I'm pretty sure what @Erika is saying with the whole there's no such thing as BPA at 16/17 is simply that every team will have a different BPA by that point. And so yeah if everyone has a different BPA then there is no such thing as BPA. Especially when fans are talking about BPA because there's no way of knowing whether the team simply saw the prospects differently then you.

 

[Quatre Vingt Treize]

Howard has publicly stated he does not want to sign in Tampa. He is a blue chip LW that Tampa will probably want to move out west rather than to the Habs.

What would Tampa want?

 

[Sorinth]

Wheeler and Pronman mock

Justin Carbonneau
Jackson Smith
Mason West
Ryker Lee

Would hard to find fault with that (Cootes, Martin and Bear were gone).

I would be quite happy with Smith, but I really don't think Carbonneau would work out well for us. At a glance from their mock I'd go with Spence or Hensler instead, though drafting 2 D would be a bit of a surprise.

 

[JadedRandom]

Why wouldn't Tampa sign Howard?

Howard wanted to burn-off an ELC year off his contract this Spring by signing with Tampa in April. But the Lightning couldn't accomodate that because of the fact that they were right up there on capspace near to the playoffs.

Howard definitely felt slighted/belittled by the organization because of that.

And Howard thus decided to return to the NCAA for his senior year, as that would see him get more in NIL money than he probably would make in the AHL and allow him to sign with whichever team he wants as a UFA once his senior year is done.

Tampa has zero leverage in the current situation, and so will likely trade Howard's rights before they expire in August 2026 and they lose him for only late-second round compensation.

I would be quite happy with Smith, but I really don't think Carbonneau would work out well for us. At a glance from their mock I'd go with Spence or Hensler instead, though drafting 2 D would be a bit of a surprise.

I would be ECSTATIC with Smith at #16. He's the #2 defenseman on my draft list this year following Schaefer.

Smith to #16-17 is almost as dumb as Dickinson/Buium falling to #11-12 last year in my opinion.

If Smith is still available to draft after #10, trade-up for him. Won't cost much and will allow us to get almost a sure-fire top-4 defenseman in Smith.

I really like Aitcheson too, but he's closer to a finished product physically than Smith, and not as smart on the ice overall.

I feel that Aitcheson would be a bit similar to Darnell Nurse in his draft year (and great pick at #16-17) whilst Smith reminds me more of a young Bouwmeester from his draft year, but lesser skating-wise (draft-year JayBo was ELITE), ans also less physically mature and flashy than JayBo was.

 

[Quatre Vingt Treize]

Howard wanted to burn-off an ELC year off his contract this Spring by signing with Tampa in April. But the Lightning couldn't accomodate that because of the fact that they were right up there on capspace near to the playoffs.

Howard definitely felt slighted/belittled by the organization because of that.

And Howard thus decided to return to the NCAA for his senior year, as that would see him get more in NIL money than he probably would make in the AHL and allow him to sign with whichever team he wants as a UFA once his senior year is done.

Tampa has zero leverage in the current situation, and so will likely trade Howard's rights before they expire in August 2026 and they lose him for only late-second round compensation.



I would be ECSTATIC with Smith at #16. He's the #2 defenseman on my draft list this year following Schaefer.

Smith to #16-17 is almost as dumb as Dickinson/Buium falling to #11-12 last year in my opinion.

If Smith is still available to draft after #10, trade-up for him. Won't cost much and will allow us to get almost a sure-fire top-4 defenseman in Smith.

I really like Aitcheson too, but he's closer to a finished product physically than Smith, and not as smart on the ice overall.

I feel that Aitcheson would be a bit similar to Darnell Nurse in his draft year (and great pick at #16-17) whilst Smith reminds me more of a young Bouwmeester from his draft year, but lesser skating-wise (draft-year JayBo was ELITE), ans also less physically mature and flashy than JayBo was.

Trading for Howard sounds quite risky. Low percentage chance he signs in Montreal.

Left D is last piece we need

 

[JadedRandom]

Trading for Howard sounds quite risky. Low percentage chance he signs in Montreal.

Left D is last piece we need

I wasn't in any way saying we should trade for Howard, quite the contrary.

There's a risk he doesn't sign here, I don't like Howard's attitude, and his lack of size would not help our top-6 mix.

What I was doing was simply explaining why Howard would not sign with TB, that's all.

As for LD being the last piece that we need right now, I agree.

But Smith or Aitcheson would be BPA if they were there at #16 or #17, and drafting for needs and not BPA is the fastest way to tanking your team's future in my opinion so I would still take at least one of them (Smith by far) if they were both available with our picks (in a world where we didn't trade any pick for immediate help).

 

[sampollock]

anybody got a breakdown on Howard?

 

[WeThreeKings]

anybody got a breakdown on Howard?

Wore a stupid f***ing bedazzled American flag on his belt when drafted.

Absolute loser

 

[Kennerback]

More reflection on Prokhorov. If his offense doesn’t pan out at all you have a 6’5 version of Luke Tuch. He hits very hard and seems to enjoy it.

 

[BenchBrawl]

If we keep the picks, it is imperative that we select Carbonneau with one of them.

He fits the range, he fits our needs and he's one of us.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Dream scenario is we trade Hage + 16th for Caleb Desnoyers, then select Justin Carbonneau with the 17th pick.

That 1st round alone would revitalize the French-Canadian connection with this team for the next 15 years, without "reaching" for it.

Carbonneau and Desnoyers would be extremely useful in playoffs hockey.

 

[dcyhabs]

Exactly, BPA is going to vary wildly from person to person and team to team. You see it easily with size, a lot where critics will say "oh they went for size instead of BPA" but in reality the team went with who they thought would become the BPA it's just they projected that the prospect's size was going to help make them the BPA.

Good teams do that. For a decade or three the habs took some random big guy way too early and said “imagine what he’ll be if he learns to play hockey.”

 

[BenchBrawl]

Good teams do that. For a decade or three the habs took some random big guy way too early and said “imagine what he’ll be if he learns to play hockey.”

Almost every team did this in the 1990s.

Speaks to the influence of Eric Lindros in the public imagination.

Back then the philosophy was you had to have a big center to compete against the heavy hitters. Explains the Bobby Holik contract.

 

[BenchBrawl]

^Danius Zubrus beign drafted 15th overall despite having little pedigree is a classic example. That said, in his case, it worked.

 

[MasterMatt25]

Wouldn't mind taking Zonnon. He's a competitor.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

Dream scenario is we trade Hage + 16th for Caleb Desnoyers, then select Justin Carbonneau with the 17th pick.

That 1st round alone would revitalize the French-Canadian connection with this team for the next 15 years, without "reaching" for it.

Carbonneau and Desnoyers would be extremely useful in playoffs hockey.

Chicago would be absolutely stupid not to take Desnoyers at 3. Also I would only use the 17th pick on Carbonneau if Habs keep the 16th pick. There are definitely other players in that range if they were to fall a bit I'm more high on.