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

[Ugene Magic]

Schaeffer, Misa, Hagens, Martone, McQueen, JOB, Mrtka, Frondell, Desnoyers, Smith, Eklund. If we get 8 and 11 for example.

Schaeffer, Misa, Hagens, Frondell, Desnoyers, JOB, then McQueen. That leaves Martone, Eklund, and even Lakovic but Martone in that case would be a major win.

It would, but it also leaves the Pens without a possible future #1/#2 center.

Martone or Eklund without a very good center is like taking the cart before the horse. The wing is by far the easier position to fill.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

If EP40 made it work physically so can O’Brien but I don’t know if he has the truly elite hands or a truly elite shot to be a star.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

That's pretty wild that O'Brien's jumped into the top 5. Dang.

We might just luck into a Martone or Hagens after all.

 

[SEALBound]

I'm not moving the goal posts in the slightest! What are you talking about?

I have said for the last month or so that I don't want McQueen considering his injury. I've never once wavered from that position with our 1st pick. Where did I move the goal posts?

Relax, I'm just joshing you a bit.

You first were worried about drafting at #8. I said, we'll here's a reasonable 1-8 order where we still get a center. And then you replied "if we draft at 9 we are screwed!"

I'm not arguing or anything. Just having fun with the conversation, relax.

It would, but it also leaves the Pens without a possible future #1/#2 center.

Martone or Eklund without a very good center is like taking the cart before the horse. The wing is by far the easier position to fill.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

It would, but it also leaves the Pens without a possible future #1/#2 center.

Martone or Eklund without a very good center is like taking the cart before the horse. The wing is by far the easier position to fill.

Literally who cares. Imagine taking Zacha over Marner, Rantanen, Meier because he could maybe be a 2C (what’s funny is he did go before 2 of those guys )

 

[Jared Grayden]

If EP40 made it work physically so can O’Brien but I don’t know if he has the truly elite hands or a truly elite shot to be a star.

Believe he finished the regular season with the highest shooting% in the OHL which is pretty impressive given he's a pass first center. I think he's a major boom/bust prospect. Either he figures how to play with more pace or he is an AHLer. Even the PP in the NHL requires making a lot of plays while mobile to be successful. But I agree with Jesse Marshall in that his skill set combo of handling, passing, shooting is very impressive.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Believe he finished the regular season with the highest shooting% in the OHL which is pretty impressive given he's a pass first center. I think he's a major boom/bust prospect. Either he figures how to play with more pace or he is an AHLer. Even the PP in the NHL requires making a lot of plays while mobile to be successful. But I agree with Jesse Marshall in that his skill set combo of handling, passing, shooting is very impressive.

I think his shot selection is fantastic. I just don’t think his shot is gonna blow the doors off NHL goalies from range like EP can from clean/unscreened looks.

It may not matter but it’s just another elite tool he doesn’t have.

I agree on his range of outcomes though.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Relax, I'm just joshing you a bit.

You first were worried about drafting at #8. I said, we'll here's a reasonable 1-8 order where we still get a center. And then you replied "if we draft at 9 we are screwed!"

I'm not arguing or anything. Just having fun with the conversation, relax.

I think you have me screwed up with Emp.... Never once mentioned #9.

 

[Empoleon8771]

That's pretty wild that O'Brien's jumped into the top 5. Dang.

We might just luck into a Martone or Hagens after all.

I still think Hagens goes to Boston, I can't see them passing up on him with how their prospect pool looks.

O'Brien rising has put him and Martone on pretty equal levels to me, so I'm pretty good with either taking O'Brien with their 1st or him going earlier and pushing Martone to the Penguins 1st. And if both of them are somehow gone, it almost assuredly means Eklund is still available.

The draft is shaping up to go great for the Penguins with them sitting at #7, and would still be good at #8. IMO it's good if they get any of Martone, Eklund or O'Brien, and it's great if they can pick who they like out of that group.

 

[Ryder71]

Relax, I'm just joshing you a bit.

You first were worried about drafting at #8. I said, we'll here's a reasonable 1-8 order where we still get a center. And then you replied "if we draft at 9 we are screwed!"

I'm not arguing or anything. Just having fun with the conversation, relax.

You got me good there. Holy cheese and crackers.

 

[Jared Grayden]

I think his shot selection is fantastic. I just don’t think his shot is gonna blow the doors off NHL goalies from range like EP can from clean/unscreened looks.

It may not matter but it’s just another elite tool he doesn’t have.

I agree on his range of outcomes though.

McCagg said over a month ago O'Brien is top five on a lot of team boards. I suspect due to the relative lack of distinction after Schaefer and Misa, we'll see centers and RHD get prioritized. I would not be surprised if Eklund, Martone, and Smith are all available at #8.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I still think Hagens goes to Boston, I can't see them passing up on him with how their prospect pool looks.

O'Brien rising has put him and Martone on pretty equal levels to me, so I'm pretty good with either taking O'Brien with their 1st or him going earlier and pushing Martone to the Penguins 1st. And if both of them are somehow gone, it almost assuredly means Eklund is still available.

The draft is shaping up to go great for the Penguins with them sitting at #7, and would still be good at #8. IMO it's good if they get any of Martone, Eklund or O'Brien, and it's great if they can pick who they like out of that group.

I think Desnoyers is gonna get a lot of attention from Boston and Philly tbh. There's been a lot of comparisons to Couturier. Have had a nagging feeling McQueen's gonna fool somebody into taking him way up high too. And Frondell's stock's been rising lately.

We'll see. Excited for the draft lotto and eventual draft. Hopefully the Pens hit on one or two picks this draft. Even if there's no building block type guys, you still need supporting cast players and having those in place and developing nicely by the time this team's picking top 3 for a few years is hugely important for that "Okay we got our franchise stud let's go while he's still on his ELC" approach.

 

[Ryder71]

McCagg said over a month ago O'Brien is top five on a lot of team boards. I suspect due to the relative lack of distinction after Schaefer and Misa, we'll see centers and RHD get prioritized. I would not be surprised if Eklund, Martone, and Smith are all available at #8.

Smith can go pound salt, definitely not taking him! There's only eight players that matter, ok? If we don't get one of those eight with our 1st rounder, we've failed with that pick.

We need to do everything possible to be in the bottom eight. Absolutely crucial.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I think Desnoyers is gonna get a lot of attention from Boston and Philly tbh. There's been a lot of comparisons to Couturier. Have had a nagging feeling McQueen's gonna fool somebody into taking him way up high too. And Frondell's stock's been rising lately.

We'll see. Excited for the draft lotto and eventual draft. Hopefully the Pens hit on one or two picks this draft. Even if there's no building block type guys, you still need supporting cast players and having those in place and developing nicely by the time this team's picking top 3 for a few years is hugely important for that "Okay we got our franchise stud let's go while he's still on his ELC" approach.

I've been saying Desnoyers to Philly for a while because they also drafted his brother. I think it makes a lot of sense.

As is, I can easily see the top-9 going something like:

1. San Jose: Schaefer
2. Chicago: Misa
3. Nashville: O'Brien
4. Boston: Hagens
5. Philly: Desnoyers
6. Seattle: Frondell
7. Pittsburgh: Martone
8. Buffalo: Mrtka
9. Anaheim: Eklund

I think O'Brien is going too high here, but like what was said above, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see someone like Nashville having him in their top-5 and taking him based on his size plus offensive tools.

 

[Ryder71]

Not sure O'Brien goes up that high. A month ago he was 11th or 13th. I don't think he's jumpin 6-7 spots.

I like him, mentioned him then also. But I don't think he's quite top five material.

 

[Andy99]

I would take Eklund over Martone if our BPA is a winger because we need more speed on the wings and Martone’s skating might be an issue

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

That's pretty wild that O'Brien's jumped into the top 5. Dang.

We might just luck into a Martone or Hagens after all.

I said Hagens would take the Eiserman drop, maybe not as much cause last year was a little deeper but Hagens around 7-10 wouldn't "shock" me. But with Boston now in the mix for a high pick which wasn't anticipated 2 months ago, maybe they snatch him up

 

[Ryder71]

I would take Eklund over Martone if our BPA is a winger because we need more speed on the wings and Martone’s skating might be an issue

IF we stay in 8th, which isn't certain, that decision will very likely be made for us. 8 really good prospects, so whichever one is left, we take. Could make it a no brainer.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

McCagg said over a month ago O'Brien is top five on a lot of team boards. I suspect due to the relative lack of distinction after Schaefer and Misa, we'll see centers and RHD get prioritized. I would not be surprised if Eklund, Martone, and Smith are all available at #8.

100% agree. I really think Eklund could fall to the teens. Smith as well.

Martone is a wildcard due to his position but I could still see him go at 3 too. I think he carries a touch of bust risk but has just as much upside as anyone not named Schaefer. Would be thrilled with him and I’d imagine we have a good handle on him with Harding there.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Literally who cares. Imagine taking Zacha over Marner, Rantanen, Meier because he could maybe be a 2C (what’s funny is he did go before 2 of those guys )

So NJD's drafting him has nothing to do with it?

Imagine if Rantanen didn't hook up with McKinnon? Or Mier didn't have Couture or Hertl or Pavelski and he still took years to become the player he is. Marner and Mathews.

Zacha went to where offense goes to die. The Devils didn't draft high skill players.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Is Martone's skating an issue like McQueen's skating is an issue (legit), or is Martone's skating an issue in that he's not an exceptional skater, but everyone freaks out about skating nowadays despite a guy still having the wheels to be able to do everything he needs to do in order to be successful?

It's tough to really navigate the scouting reports that hone in on skating anymore. Everybody's so keyed in on guys having to be MacKinnon or Makar or McDavid that I think it's way overblown most of the time. As long as a dude can think the game at a high speed and knows how to utilize his average to decent but not exceptional skating, it's fine imo.

 

[Jared Grayden]

Smith can go pound salt, definitely not taking him! There's only eight players that matter, ok? If we don't get one of those eight with our 1st rounder, we've failed with that pick.

We need to do everything possible to be in the bottom eight. Absolutely crucial.

What's wrong with Smith? He seems like more of a boom/bust prospect that I think PIT should be targeting. Not the best hockey IQ, but gifted physical tools.

 

[Ryder71]

What's wrong with Smith? He seems like more of a boom/bust prospect that I think PIT should be targeting. Not the best hockey IQ, but gifted physical tools.

Because we have a solid defensive prospect pool. We need different makers upfront. If he was head and shoulders better than the forwards when we draft, ok. But that's not the case here. We should go forward and preferably a center if one is available.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

So NJD's drafting him has nothing to do with it?

Imagine if Rantanen didn't hook up with McKinnon? Or Mier didn't have Couture or Hertl or Pavelski and he still took years to become the player he is. Marner and Mathews.

Zacha went to where offense goes to die. The Devils didn't draft high skill players.

Insane take.

What's wrong with Smith? He seems like more of a boom/bust prospect that I think PIT should be targeting. Not the best hockey IQ, but gifted physical tools.

I tend to agree. He’s unrefined but gotta think a dev staff drools over the traits.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I would take Eklund over Martone if our BPA is a winger because we need more speed on the wings and Martone’s skating might be an issue

Nah Eklund is tiny, you take Martone over him easily.