Prospect Info: Draft 2025: Is it too late to tank? Asking for a friend

[CheckingLineCenter]

I wonder if they give us the 1st and then trade their 2026 with protections on it.

You gotta think they could just get more in a trade by keeping the ‘25 first and dealing it vs protecting the ‘26 though.

 

[Ryder71]

We need BUF to accrue three points to overtake us if we win thursday.

BUF plays at home against TOR who need a point to secure the division, tough game. Then they host Philly.

The Ducks blew it last night big time. Same in points, but they're at MIN AND at WIN, we host the Caps. I don't like their odds there.

 

[Darren McCord]

I wonder if they give us the 1st and then trade their 2026 with protections on it.

If they land in the top 10 the 2025 might be more valuable. I know 2026 is deeper but a team with a quicker timeline might want a player that can help sooner.

Like the ducks core is 21/22. They might want to move Terry who will be 28. And they also might want a younger player sooner than later.

I just don't know who is out there for the Rangers with either pick.

 

[DesertPenguin]

I have cooled on him but I will say he’s got monster upside. if he develops into a 6’6 wet blanket that can sniffs out play after play after play and chips in 5-25-30 a year….

What is that worth in a redraft? Top 5? Top 3?

Poor man's Jacob Slavin? Sign me up.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Leonard and Perreault having better seasons and not really doing much in the NHL so far (still great prospects but I think it lengthens Hagens’ learning curve a bit) probably won’t help his stock either.

Wonder if, whoever we get, we sign them and send them to the AHL if eligible. I could see Eklund or Frondell going that route. Dubas did that with Sandin, Liljegren and Nylander.

A non CHL guy would be be a nice side benefit to get him in the A earlier. So many high end guys stagnate because they're too good for juniors but not ready to jump straight into the show. It's a shame. Just fosters bad habits.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Yeah, I'm just expecting the Rangers to punt the pick to next year. They're not gonna trade this year's pick imo because it's a public admission that they're worried next year will be the same or worse. They're gonna try, in vain imo, to right the ship.

Only counter argument might be that they want to trade next year's pick for more immediate help too. Easier to get value for a 2026 pick in the McKenna draft than a prospect you just selected.

 

[Jared Grayden]

Only counter argument might be that they want to trade next year's pick for more immediate help too. Easier to get value for a 2026 pick in the McKenna draft than a prospect you just selected.

I think that will depend on the team. Rebuilding teams the potential upside on that pick is more valuable. Many GMs want value certainty for their job security.

 

[eXile3]

Any other 2026 prospects of interest other than McKenna?

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Any other 2026 prospects of interest other than McKenna?

Feel like a lot changes in the DY but some of note:

Couple of Swedes absolutely destroyed their junior league but are small

Western league has 3 defenders that are tracking real well, another kid Preston looks talented

Couple monster 6’5 forwards from the OHL

Idk much about the NTDP crop or rest of Europe

Seems like it could be an average to strong draft depending on who keeps up the momentum from their D-1.

 

[Ryder71]

Only counter argument might be that they want to trade next year's pick for more immediate help too. Easier to get value for a 2026 pick in the McKenna draft than a prospect you just selected.

I feel very confident in saying they won't do that. If by some off chance they'd win the lottery management would be run outta town. No way they take that chance, albeit it's a remote chance.

 

[DesertPenguin]

I feel very confident in saying they won't do that. If by some off chance they'd win the lottery management would be run outta town. No way they take that chance, albeit it's a remote chance.

If they're still in lottery position next season, management is going to be run out of town regardless.

 

[Ryder71]

If they're still in lottery position next season, management is going to be run out of town regardless.

That's exactly where they're gonna be. Why would they be run outta town with the chance to get a guy like McKenna? There's no quick fix here, this team is done winning, period!

 

[Empoleon8771]

Any other 2026 prospects of interest other than McKenna?

I was looking at this earlier, Verhoeff looks super interesting. 6'4" and 212 lbs RHD that put up 45 points in 63 games in the WHL as a 16 year old. He's a June 2008 birthday so he's super young for his class, which makes his size and play even crazier.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Any other 2026 prospects of interest other than McKenna?

To name a few.

McKenna - LW - 6'0"
v
v
v
v
v
v
Keep going
v
v
v
Tier 2:
Stenberg - C -5'11"
v
v
v
Roobroeck - C - 6'4"
Bjork - C - 5'9"
Lin - D - 5'11"
Verhoeff - D - 6'4"
v
v
v
v
v
v
Tier3:
Preston - C - 5'11"
Tynan Lawrence - C - 6'0"
Belchetz - LW - 6'5"

 

[Jacob]

Caught some of Lawrence while watching Ryabkin. Looks pretty good. Comparable to Ryabkin. Like he’d be a top-15 pick in this draft if he were eligible.

 

[SEALBound]

To name a few.

McKenna - LW - 6'0"
Stenberg - C -5'11"
Roobroeck - C - 6'4"
Bjork - C - 5'9"

Pretty accurate top 4 forwards. I'm really interested to see what next year holds for them sans McKenna. That kid is already a star. Stenberg and Bjork have great stats in the Swedish league, outpacing both Frondell and Eklund at similar junctures.

 

[The Old Master]

we need to start making calls to teams ahead of us in case someone starts to fall. we may need to trade up quickly.

 

[Ryder71]

I just hope we don't finish worse than 8th OA. If not we should be able to get one of Desnoyers, Eklund or O'Brien. Unfortunately the Ducks soiled the nest yesterday. Move up to 8th or stay in 8th, don't have a team behind us win the lottery and we should get a pretty good piece for the future. Don't wanna finish 9th! We were so close last night but the Ducks f***ed us!

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

I just hope we don't finish worse than 8th OA. If not we should be able to get one of Desnoyers, Eklund or O'Brien. Unfortunately the Ducks soiled the nest yesterday. Move up to 8th or stay in 8th, don't have a team behind us win the lottery and we should get a pretty good piece for the future. Don't wanna finish 9th! We were so close last night but the Ducks f***ed us!

We lose tomorrow and the Ducks are behind us.

Highest we can go is 5th. Lowest is 9th.

But the odds are very low we can get up to 5th. Would involve the Flyers getting 3 points in 2 games and the Kraken beating the Kings.

Lose against the Caps they can’t go below 8th.

Buffalo and Philly play on the last day of the season so worst case scenario there would be Buffalo and Philly staying at 77 and 76 points (as is) and Philly beating them to get to 78 but then we win (lose in this case) the RW tiebreaker.

Best case Flyers get a point in game 81, Buffalo gets a point in game 81 and then we can cheer for Philly so they both pass us to push up to 6th.

As I said, Kraken play the Kings. May get help as the Kings are already set into a playoff matchup and don’t need to play veterans. (But I don’t see the Kraken winning).

We hold the tiebreaker against the Ducks so we just can’t win Thursday (but tell that to a bunch of prideful NHL players) I am also sure the Caps won’t help us and will play their B squad.

They beat the Caps and they need the Ducks to get 2 points in their last 2. That will result in 8th-9th.

If they lose without any points, I would bet money they land in 7th place. I think one of Philly or Buffalo will pass them along with the Ducks.

With all of this said, it will be a fun game to see transpire between the Flyers and Sabres on the final game of the season as they jockey for draft position.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Those random loser points and "wtf was that" wins against teams like Dallas really suck, man.

 

[Ryder71]

We lose tomorrow and the Ducks are behind us.

Highest we can go is 5th. Lowest is 9th.

But the odds are very low we can get up to 5th. Would involve the Flyers getting 3 points in 2 games and the Kraken beating the Kings.

Lose against the Caps they can’t go below 8th.

Buffalo and Philly play on the last day of the season so worst case scenario there would be Buffalo and Philly staying at 77 and 76 points (as is) and Philly beating them to get to 78 but then we win (lose in this case) the RW tiebreaker.

Best case Flyers get a point in game 81, Buffalo gets a point in game 81 and then we can cheer for Philly so they both pass us to push up to 6th.

As I said, Kraken play the Kings. May get help as the Kings are already set into a playoff matchup and don’t need to play veterans. (But I don’t see the Kraken winning).

We hold the tiebreaker against the Ducks so we just can’t win Thursday (but tell that to a bunch of prideful NHL players) I am also sure the Caps won’t help us and will play their B squad.

They beat the Caps and they need the Ducks to get 2 points in their last 2. That will result in 8th-9th.

If they lose without any points, I would bet money they land in 7th place. I think one of Philly or Buffalo will pass them along with the Ducks.

With all of this said, it will be a fun game to see transpire between the Flyers and Sabres on the final game of the season as they jockey for draft position.

I'm aware of all the scenarios. We just need BUF to get three points. And they have to play TOR tomorrow and they need one point to win the division. We hold the tie breaker over Philly so if we win thursday Philly can't catch us. Our best hope is BUF, but again they gotta play TOR next. They need to get at least one point there and beat Philly if we win thursday. Anaheim is toast.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

I'm aware of all the scenarios. We just need BUF to get three points. And they have to play TOR tomorrow and they need one point to win the division. We hold the tie breaker over Philly so if we win thursday Philly can't catch us. Our best hope is BUF, but again they gotta play TOR next. They need to get at least one point there and beat Philly if we win thursday. Anaheim is toast.

Why does Buffalo need 3 points? They are only 1 point back and kill us in RW. They only need 1 point.

All we would need to do is lose Thursday then.

Edit: I see you are factoring in the Pens already winning Thursday.

 

[Ryder71]

Why does Buffalo need 3 points? They are only 1 point back and kill us in RW. They only need 1 point.

All we would need to do is lose Thursday then.

Because I don't expect us to lose thursday. The Pens try to win every game as if it's a game seven. Don't assume we'll lose.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

Because I don't expect us to lose thursday. The Pens try to win every game as if it's a game seven. Don't assume we'll lose.

Odds are they lose and not win.

 

[Ryder71]

Odds are they lose and not win.

Well, I'm not counting on that at all. IF BUF accrues three points we can't catch them. Let's hope the Sabres do just that so it doesn't matter what the Pens do. Pittsburgh cannot be trusted.