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

[Turin]

I would prefer that a few teams ahead of us absolutely fall in love with Eklund and Martone, like how the Ducks fell in love with Sennecke last season. It would help us, since Boston needs a center, Philly needs a center and Nashville needs a center. Seattle is probably going to grab a winger or Mrtka IMO, and Buffalo is the big wild card. If they trade the pick, chances are it will be to a team that needs a center. And for me, I really want a center with our first pick and at the very least someone like Martin with our second pick if Eklund falls to our first pick. McQueen would only be a consideration for me with the Rangers pick and ONLY if we land a center with the first pick. I cannot think of a team that is more desperate for center helps than us. Philly has Luchanko, at least. Boston has Minten and Poitras, at least. Nashville's center prospects are also better than ours. We have 35+ legends.

The end of the regular season + draft lottery cannot arrive soon enough!

I agree generally, you should always prioritize C because every good team has 2 good Cs and most are looking for 3. But in this class I'm not sure, Eklund looks better than most Cs available to me. Desnoyers looks like of like Jordan Staal if he was skinnier and played against high school hockey teams.. but maybe he's legit. All the Cs besides Misa have some real question marks and some are even saying Misa is gonna be a winger.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I agree generally, you should always prioritize C because every good team has 2 good Cs and most are looking for 3. But in this class I'm not sure, Eklund looks better than most Cs available to me. Desnoyers looks like of like Jordan Staal if he was skinnier and played against high school hockey teams.. but maybe he's legit. All the Cs besides Misa have some real question marks and some are even saying Misa is gonna be a winger.

We don't have a future third-line center, let alone top six. It has to start down the middle. O'Brien sounds good to me. I have a few reservations about Desnoyers. None about Frondell. And if Hagens (whom people seem to have forgotten) starts falling, that would be great.

I am not against drafting Eklund, I just think we would be playing a dangerous game...one that would require trades and free agency to plug your post-87/71 holes. That is not very appealing.

 

[Rudy Russo]

I think centers are just such a hole right now that drafting O'Brien and developing him over the next couple years just makes sense. I think as I have posted this draft and 2026 will be center concentric at the top of the picks for the Pens. If the Rangers picks is 14 so be it. Take the RW or Martin if there. I do think Dubas will be active at the draft so see what happens as to acquire additional picks in the first round.

If the penguins get the Rangers 1st round pick this draft (Let's say 13th or 14th) I could see him trade down to the late first and draft someone like Boumedienne who has a draft grade as a late first early 2nd rounder.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I think I'd have 2 different draft strategies depending on what the team thought of the prospects. Ordered by preference:

1. Take Eklund with the Penguins 1st, trade up with the Rangers 1st with likely using a 2nd or 3rd to take O'Brien
2. Trade down with the Penguins 1st and likely gain a 2nd or 3rd to take O'Brien, take Lakovic with the Rangers 1st

So it's either use a 2nd/3rd to get Eklund and O'Brien or gain a 2nd/3rd to get O'Brien and Lakovic. I would prefer option 1 since the Penguins have a good amount of 2nds and 3rds already, but I'd be completely fine with option 2 as well. All prospects are ultimately lottery tickets and I like Lakovic as well, so I wouldn't criticize them for going that route.

 

[Andy99]

Yes, we’re not losing enough…idiots…

 

[Turin]

Team just keeps alternating between 7 and 8. No room to get really spicy barring a lottery win so it's whatever. They probably draft O'Brien if they stay at 8 or move to 9. Probably draft Eklund if they drop to 6 or maybe 7.

 

[Jesse]

I just re-watched Saginaw/Erie. I'm not advocating the Penguins draft Malcolm Spence, but what a fun player. He made Zayne Parekh's life a living hell from the 30 second mark of game one to the end of the series. Every time Spence had a shot at him, he hit him as hard as he could. You could tangibly see Parekh start to tap out on loose pucks in the back half of games. It's truly a sight to behold. Kid has a decently high basement as an energy guy with the possibility of something more given how well he can rip the puck. Skates a little weird, hard to describe, sort of extra hunched over. But super fun to watch.

 

[Jesse]

Yes, we’re not losing enough…idiots…

I've been doing a running Porter Martone bit on Twitter for four months but sure, have at it dude. Whatever makes you feel better.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Hagens is gonna fall and Sully's gonna get his Boston guy. (I hope Hagens falls and Sully gets his Boston guy )

 

[OtherThingsILike]

Hagens is gonna fall and Sully's gonna get his Boston guy. (I hope Hagens falls and Sully gets his Boston guy )

Hagens is from Long Island, but I suppose one could argue that it's Boston-adjacent (if you squint really hard).

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Hagens is from Long Island, but I suppose one could argue that it's Boston-adjacent (if you squint really hard).

I was goin' for the "Goes to Boston College" angle. But, tbh, being a BC guy is probably worse than being a European in Sully's eyes.

 

[The Old Master]

I just re-watched Saginaw/Erie. I'm not advocating the Penguins draft Malcolm Spence, but what a fun player. He made Zayne Parekh's life a living hell from the 30 second mark of game one to the end of the series. Every time Spence had a shot at him, he hit him as hard as he could. You could tangibly see Parekh start to tap out on loose pucks in the back half of games. It's truly a sight to behold. Kid has a decently high basement as an energy guy with the possibility of something more given how well he can rip the puck. Skates a little weird, hard to describe, sort of extra hunched over. But super fun to watch.

sully would fix him

 

[eXile3]

If we get Hagens out of this draft I would be overjoyed. Just watching the Frozen Four games you can see the potential there. I don’t see him dropping to 8th or wherever we are now.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I just re-watched Saginaw/Erie. I'm not advocating the Penguins draft Malcolm Spence, but what a fun player. He made Zayne Parekh's life a living hell from the 30 second mark of game one to the end of the series. Every time Spence had a shot at him, he hit him as hard as he could. You could tangibly see Parekh start to tap out on loose pucks in the back half of games. It's truly a sight to behold. Kid has a decently high basement as an energy guy with the possibility of something more given how well he can rip the puck. Skates a little weird, hard to describe, sort of extra hunched over. But super fun to watch.

Yeah, Saginaw got smoked. Felt bad for Misa who was probably injured.

Spence would/should be a target but I don't think the Pens should steer away from 2 centers in the 1st round. That to me is a now and an eye on the future take.

 

[Ryder71]

Depending on the ask, try to make a trade for Howard if he's amenable and willing to come here and be signed.

 

[Ryder71]

Yeah, Saginaw got smoked. Felt bad for Misa who was probably injured.

Spence would/should be a target but I don't think the Pens should steer away from 2 centers in the 1st round. That to me is a now and an eye on the future take.

I'd prefer two centers myself UNLESS there's a decisive gap in talent at another position. But yes, that's the premise I'd operate under as well. At a minimum get at least one. Of course it depends on where we end up drafting.

 

[Jacob]

Spence would’ve been a great choice with the Rangers pick.

 

[Ryder71]

Spence would’ve been a great choice with the Rangers pick.

Would've?

 

[Ryder71]

I prefer Martin to Spence.

 

[Jared Grayden]

I just re-watched Saginaw/Erie. I'm not advocating the Penguins draft Malcolm Spence, but what a fun player. He made Zayne Parekh's life a living hell from the 30 second mark of game one to the end of the series. Every time Spence had a shot at him, he hit him as hard as he could. You could tangibly see Parekh start to tap out on loose pucks in the back half of games. It's truly a sight to behold.

That says a lot more to me about Parekh being too mentally weak for the NHL than it does about anything positive with Spence. Granted, Calgary is going nowhere regardless so it likely doesn't matter if Parekh isn't fit for the playoffs. I remember the 2015 Anaheim-Chicago WCF series when Chicago basically played four dmen getting hammered with hits and they still won.

 

[Turin]

Gonna need the Isles to get a win here

 

[Empoleon8771]

Tbh I’ve kinda convinced myself that the Penguins will take O’Brien with their 1st even if it’s sitting at like #6 or #7. Just seems like a Dubas/Clarke pick and Jesse mentioned a bunch of people have told him the Penguins love O’Brien.

If they do that, I’m hoping for O’Brien and Lakovic with their picks. Kindel is a bit interesting with that pick but I’d hope they would trade down if they like Kindel.

 

[chethejet]

Dubas scouting the center Desnoyers in the QMJHL. At least I think that is where he is. My guess is the Pens have about 4 players who will fall to them after the 4th pick. It really comes down to the Rangers pick. If the Pens are picking with the 14th pick, then clearly a center will be selected by them. Hard to see where McQueen is but if he is cleared medically, that size and RH shot is compelling. I suspect Dubas will try to get another high pick this draft.

 

[Jared Grayden]

Tbh I’ve kinda convinced myself that the Penguins will take O’Brien with their 1st even if it’s sitting at like #6 or #7. Just seems like a Dubas/Clarke pick and Jesse mentioned a bunch of people have told him the Penguins love O’Brien.

If they do that, I’m hoping for O’Brien and Lakovic with their picks. Kindel is a bit interesting with that pick but I’d hope they would trade down if they like Kindel.

I'm not certain O'Brien will be available. I am expecting centers go earlier than expected and wingers like Eklund along with Martone drop.
Schaefer, Misa, Hagens, Frondell, Desnoyers, O'Brien, Martone then maybe they pick.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I say with the 2-5th rounders the Pens take the Griva twins because, why not?

It's not like they are not reaching at that point, and they get a cool story out of it.

Maybe they can make the jump. Maybe not, but really, who cares...

I'm just trying to bust away from the norm talk.