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

[Empoleon8771]

Is that assuming a top 5 of:

Schaeffer
Misa
Martone
Hagens
Frondell

?

I could see a team opting for a NA center over Frondell which would be huge for us.

I probably wouldn't take Frondell over Eklund.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

1. Schaefer
gap
2a. Misa
2b. Hagens
4. Martone
very small, tiny gap
5. Eklund
6. Frondell
gap
7. Smith

struggling after this. No else one feels like someone to spend a top 10 pick on from a talent perspective.

 

[lokomotiv15]

Gun to my head, I think I'm still taking Eklund at #6, but it's going to really hurt to pass up on O'Brien. I think Eklund is the "best player" there between upside and NHL readiness/certainty, but him being a winger and his smaller size makes me really uncomfortable passing up on O'Brien for him.

Taking Eklund over O'Brien could be a situation where the Penguins get a good top-6 winger, but they pass up on a future righty 6'2" 1C that you'd feel like an idiot for not taking.

That said, if Crosby plays for another 5+ years, I think a McGroarty-Crosby-Eklund L1 would be a terrifying line.

I've been disenchanted for a bit about this top 10 so I haven't taken many deep dives on any names I haven't already been very familiar with or interested in. That said, there's enough chatter around here about Eklund, I feel like I should dive in a bit on him and pull back the layers more than just seeing undersized speedy winger with offensive flair.

Especially since it seems there's probably 3 or 4 to one odds that he ends up a Penguin.

I've had him kind of in that limbo land of 7-10 this whole time.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I could see a team opting for a NA center over Frondell which would be huge for us.

I feel like Frondell is a real strong candidate to go 3OA in terms of what NHL teams value.

Hopefully Desnoyers gets drafted high too.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

That said, there's enough chatter around here about Eklund, I feel like I should dive in a bit on him and pull back the layers more than just seeing undersized speedy winger with offensive flair.

Especially since it seems there's probably 3 or 4 to one odds that he ends up a Penguin.

I really really like Eklund I just worry about ultimate upside with him. He’s so stocky already.

But it’s so hard to tell with 18 y/os playing pro hockey. No one is questioning upside if he drops 110 points in the CHL lol.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I've been disenchanted for a bit about this top 10 so I haven't taken many deep dives on any names I haven't already been very familiar with or interested in. That said, there's enough chatter around here about Eklund, I feel like I should dive in a bit on him and pull back the layers more than just seeing undersized speedy winger with offensive flair.

Especially since it seems there's probably 3 or 4 to one odds that he ends up a Penguin.

I've had him kind of in that limbo land of 7-10 this whole time.

The thing that makes Eklund so interesting is that he's not only this, he's this plus he plays an ultra physical wrecking ball style. His size makes me concerned for how well that will hold up, but he's not just an offensive winger.

His play-driving results were also terrific this year from what I saw.

 

[lokomotiv15]

The thing that makes Eklund so interesting is that he's not only this, he's this plus he plays an ultra physical wrecking ball style. His size makes me concerned for how well that will hold up, but he's not just an offensive winger.

His play-driving results were also terrific this year from what I saw.

That's good to hear. Super interesting as I hadn't heard about that physical side to him at all. I'm a lot more familiar with NA prospects, hard to catch game tape and extended footage from some of those tier-1/2 European leagues, so will definitely take a deeper look past the high-level highlight packages.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Pretty good video of some highlights with Eklund here. The talent is obviously there and he's always engaged around the net and on the forecheck, it really makes me wonder if his size is the only thing holding him back from being drafted higher.

 

[SEALBound]

I feel like Frondell is a real strong candidate to go 3OA in terms of what NHL teams value.

Hopefully Desnoyers gets drafted high too.

Very true though I'm skeptical if someone opts for Frondell over Hagens.

One thing I'll say, Sennecke last year and Reinbacher and Simishev the year before basically remind me that I have NO idea what a team might do, even in the top 5/10. The top 6-7 guys here are so different that you're not picking between two equal guys. Where we pick, we are picking one of 2-3 very distinctive players. So what teams are looking for and who they have where will certainly cause a little chaos.

Schaeffer-Misa is the 1-2. After that, I have MY 3-5 pretty set. Then my 6-10 pretty well set but if you talk to 32 scouts and 32 GMs, I get there wildly different lists.

While I really like Eklund's game, I don't think a team takes him over Frondell or Desnoyers and I base that purely on the fact that center > wing unless the wing is >>> over that center. I don't know if Eklund is >>> over Desnoyers or Frondell. The super awesome move would be if we get 14ov from NYR somehow and use a combo of picks/prospects to move up to say 7-8-9, depending on availability. Take Frondell AND take Eklund. Then you hope their chemistry together translates to the NHL.

 

[lokomotiv15]

1. Schaefer
gap
2a. Misa
2b. Hagens
4. Martone
very small, tiny gap
5. Eklund
6. Frondell
gap
7. Smith

struggling after this. No else one feels like someone to spend a top 10 pick on from a talent perspective.

This is pretty much where I am at. I'm struggling hard to find anyone after this group + O'Brien.

Where I'd rank (not what I think will happen) is;

1: Schaefer

2: Misa

3: Hagens
4: Frondell
5: Martone

6: O'Brien
7: Desnoyers
8: Eklund (Will dive a bit deeper on him)
9: Smith

10: Lakovic
11: Spencer
12: Bear
13: Carbonneau

14: McQueen (At this spot, I'm more willing to take a risk.
15: Martin / Hensler

I feel like a Aitcheson will probably jump into that top-15 based on a team falling in love with the size and style. Schmidt could jump into that top 15 as well, despite the size, I feel a team will like the pure offensive game and motor. Could also see USNTDP players McKinnay and Murtagh making a push into the top-20. McKinnay and Murtagh impressed me in limited viewings.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Let's just hope the Flyers take McQueen at #5.

 

[Gurglesons]

I really really like Eklund I just worry about ultimate upside with him. He’s so stocky already.

But it’s so hard to tell with 18 y/os playing pro hockey. No one is questioning upside if he drops 110 points in the CHL lol.

I'd rather take a player with his compete with questions about production versus a player who produces with a question about compete.

See Yager versus McGroarty.

 

[chrisp200]

Let's just hope the Flyers take McQueen at #5.

That would be such a Flyers type move and we there will be a ton of fists pumps here if that happened.

 

[Jared Grayden]

That would be such a Flyers type move and we there will be a ton of fists pumps here if that happened.

I think they go Desnoyers. Briere can't help himself.

 

[SEALBound]

Let's just hope the Flyers take McQueen at #5.

Flyer or the Bruins. I can see both orgs loving that kid, which is great for us.

 

[eXile3]

This is pretty much where I am at. I'm struggling hard to find anyone after this group + O'Brien.

Where I'd rank (not what I think will happen) is;

1: Schaefer

2: Misa

3: Hagens
4: Frondell
5: Martone

6: O'Brien
7: Desnoyers
8: Eklund (Will dive a bit deeper on him)
9: Smith

10: Lakovic
11: Spencer
12: Bear
13: Carbonneau

14: McQueen (At this spot, I'm more willing to take a risk.
15: Martin / Hensler

I feel like a Aitcheson will probably jump into that top-15 based on a team falling in love with the size and style. Schmidt could jump into that top 15 as well, despite the size, I feel a team will like the pure offensive game and motor. Could also see USNTDP players McKinnay and Murtagh making a push into the top-20. McKinnay and Murtagh impressed me in limited viewings.

Adding one or even two players from that list plus another 2nd, multiple 3rds depending on what Dubas wants to do…we’re going to have a good prospect pool.

 

[Pancakes]

I don't get the obsession people have with Schaefer. He's played like no games this year. I'd be very uneasy about taking him given the lack of data on him.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don't get the obsession people have with Schaefer. He's played like no games this year. I'd be very uneasy about taking him given the lack of data on him.

Because he's so good when healthy that he doesn't need to play in any games to be the unanimous #1 prospect. That's how good he is.

 

[PensFutures]

Flyer or the Bruins. I can see both orgs loving that kid, which is great for us.

I could see Philly taking him with one of their later 1sts if he is there.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don't think there is any way that Philly uses their own 1st to take McQueen. That feels like the kind of move that they'd trade up with some of their excess of picks (3 1sts and 4 2nds) to get in a position to take McQueen if he falls.

 

[SEALBound]

I don't get the obsession people have with Schaefer. He's played like no games this year. I'd be very uneasy about taking him given the lack of data on him.

He's clearly the best dman in the draft. Misa is the best forward in the draft. I think it's a toss up personally but given that SJS clearly need a #1dman, Schaefer is the automatic pick in my eyes.

 

[SEALBound]

I don't think there is any way that Philly uses their own 1st to take McQueen. That feels like the kind of move that they'd trade up with some of their excess of picks (3 1sts and 4 2nds) to get in a position to take McQueen if he falls.

Their first are sitting around 23 and 25. Even with those and their 2nds, I'm not sure if there's a reasonable combination that would convince a team to take that big of a step down. I wouldn't do it for 23+25 if I were the team at say 8/9/10. I wouldn't do 2 1sts + 4 2nds if I were Philly. If they like and want him, they take him with their first 1st. They may not view the difference between him, Frondell, Desnoyers, etc as all that significant.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Their first are sitting around 23 and 25. Even with those and their 2nds, I'm not sure if there's a reasonable combination that would convince a team to take that big of a step down. I wouldn't do it for 23+25 if I were the team at say 8/9/10. I wouldn't do 2 1sts + 4 2nds if I were Philly. If they like and want him, they take him with their first 1st. They may not view the difference between him, Frondell, Desnoyers, etc as all that significant.

What? McQueen falling is him going like 12th-15th overall. They can likely trade up from 23 to 12 with just using their own 2nd.

 

[The Old Master]

Let's just hope the Flyers take McQueen at #5.

so you hate the kid?

 

[Pancakes]

He's clearly the best dman in the draft. Misa is the best forward in the draft. I think it's a toss up personally but given that SJS clearly need a #1dman, Schaefer is the automatic pick in my eyes.

Would make me very uneasy given the lack of data on him. But then, I probably won't have to worry about it as barring a lottery win the Pens won't be in consideration for him.

Because he's so good when healthy that he doesn't need to play in any games to be the unanimous #1 prospect. That's how good he is.

I hate dmen at the top of the draft to begin with and one with less data points...meh. That just stinks of risk to me.