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

[Jacob]

Roger McQueen just does not sound like a hockey name

Sounds like Steve McQueen’s deadbeat loser grandson.

 

[Turin]

Roger McQueen just does not sound like a hockey name

Disagree he sounds like a 50’s superstar

 

[Empoleon8771]

That said about McQueen, I'm firmly in the DND category with him due to his back issues and I would really hope the Penguins do their due diligence if they're planning on taking him.

I'm pretty firmly Eklund or bust at #9, but #11 has a couple of guys I'd be pretty satisfied with. I think the main 3 I'd be looking at with #11 are Martin, Lakovic and Smith, with each one offering something different depending on who you want to draft. I've already talked about Martin a fair bit, but Lakovic and Smith are more higher upside swings to make.

Lakovic would be interesting because it would set them up to have a really nice top-6 winger group long-term if all of the guys pan out, but I'm a bit hesitant spending both of their picks on wingers especially with who else is in the prospect pool. Sure, the McGroarty-Eklund and Lakovic-Koivunen top-6 winger duos look sick, but who's playing center there?

Smith would be the LD swing they do need in their prospect pool, the dude is a phenomenal skater but I've heard some concerns he may have some concerns with his hockey IQ. I thought of him as more of an OFD, but reading some more scouting reports makes me think he's more of a 2-way D than a pure OFD. He also fills a pretty massive organizational need as a future top-4 LD, but then again they do have Pickering and Pieniniemi as well.

If Eklund is gone at #9, I'd probably advocate for Smith at #9 and Lakovic at #11. Both of those two are big bodied players (Smith is 6'3" and Lakovic is 6'4") but with excellent skating, especially Smith. I think those two would be high upside swings while filling organizational needs. It sucks to not get a center and I'd be totally fine with taking Martin with one of those picks as well, but I think Smith and Lakovic are probably the high upside swings to make if Eklund is gone at #9.

 

[Dominance]

Bear should be in consideration for us, too. Injury was scary but he was genuinely phenomenal this year.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I just think Lakovic doesn’t translate

No aggression in terms of having the puck, beating guys, and taking it to the rack. No aggression in understanding is advantages on the ice. Ok to play a more passive, tactical game but other guys do it better imo (Kindel, O’Brien)

But he has tools to be good. Who tf knows.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I just think Lakovic doesn’t translate

No aggression in terms of having the puck, beating guys, and taking it to the rack. No aggression in understanding is advantages on the ice. Ok to play a more passive, tactical game but other guys do it better imo (Kindel, O’Brien)

But he has tools to be good. Who tf knows.

I think this is the main reason I'd be taking him with the thoughts of him being a high upside pick. He has size, skill and speed, he has everything you want. He may just need a playstyle adjustment to hit his upside in the NHL.

I also don't get the vibe that he has "no aggression in terms of having the puck". A ton of highlights I'm watching from that Jesse video and this video have him doing exactly that:



I do think the Jesse video shows him deferring a bit more than you'd like to see with someone of his size, but that is something that can be coached IMO.

 

[Dominance]

I just think Lakovic doesn’t translate

No aggression in terms of having the puck, beating guys, and taking it to the rack. No aggression in understanding is advantages on the ice. Ok to play a more passive, tactical game but other guys do it better imo (Kindel, O’Brien)

But he has tools to be good. Who tf knows.

Agreed, Lakovic has serious boom potential but the projectability isn’t there for him to be a top-10 pick.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Agreed, Lakovic has serious boom potential but the projectability isn’t there for him to be a top-10 pick.

I think Martin (upside), McQueen (injury issues), Lakovic (play style) and Smith (play style) all have some sort of concerns as prospects. I think all of those guys are more ideally being taken with the Rangers pick, but they may be the best option available with the Penguins pick as well.

At least one of Eklund, O'Brien, Mrtka, Frondell or Desnoyers will be available at #9, so I figure that group will be more of the group the Penguins are looking at #9. I think Eklund is the most likely guy there, but I could see O'Brien or Mrtka also sliding to #9 too.

I've been assuming that O'Brien is going to get overdrafted this year, but it would be pretty nice if he slides to #9 and they can take him there.

 

[Dominance]

I think Martin (upside), McQueen (injury issues), Lakovic (play style) and Smith (play style) all have some sort of concerns as prospects. I think all of those guys are more ideally being taken with the Rangers pick, but they may be the best option available with the Penguins pick as well.

At least one of Eklund, O'Brien, Mrtka, Frondell or Desnoyers will be available at #9, so I figure that group will be more of the group the Penguins are looking at #9. I think Eklund is the most likely guy there, but I could see O'Brien or Mrtka also sliding to #9 too.

I've been assuming that O'Brien is going to get overdrafted this year, but it would be pretty nice if he slides to #9 and they can take him there.

Out of the WHL my preference is Bear-Smith-Mrtka very firmly. I’m far from a medical expert though so maybe there is a good reason why Bear drops after getting cut.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Out of the WHL my preference is Bear-Smith-Mrtka very firmly. I’m far from a medical expert though so maybe there is a good reason why Bear drops after getting cut.

I can’t justify Bear with his Achilles injury with the Penguins pick. Could do it with the Rangers pick but not the Penguins.

I think the ideal outcome I’d advocate for as of right now is Eklund with the Penguins 1st and Smith with the Rangers 1st. I’m expecting O’Brien gets overdrafted and is likely not an option for them, though.

If I’m going Bear, I think I’m trading down a few spots with the Rangers 1st to take Bear at like #16.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I think this is the main reason I'd be taking him with the thoughts of him being a high upside pick. He has size, skill and speed, he has everything you want. He may just need a playstyle adjustment to hit his upside in the NHL.

I also don't get the vibe that he has "no aggression in terms of having the puck". A ton of highlights I'm watching from that Jesse video and this video have him doing exactly that:



I do think the Jesse video shows him deferring a bit more than you'd like to see with someone of his size, but that is something that can be coached IMO.

My point is not absolutely zero — it’s for his talent level… what is he doing? But fine- say he plays a deferential, tactical game on the perimeter (which isn’t playing to his tools but whatever) and you value that. I mean that he’s simply not as good at it as a Kindel or O’Brien is.

Yes he’s involved in a ton of MJ offense but I see him as a 3rd year guy who’s never been a big producer playing a perimeter, complimentary game in junior and can’t apply his tools properly at the junior level. So it doesn’t give me great confidence he’ll be able to do so in the NHL.

You’re correct there’s boom- and I could see this post looking incredibly stupid one day- but I just don’t feel comfortable with it in the top 10 given my dumbass watching what I can online.

 

[Empoleon8771]

My point is not absolutely zero — it’s for his talent level… what is he doing? But fine- say he plays a deferential, tactical game on the perimeter (which isn’t playing to his tools but whatever) and you value that. I mean that he’s simply not as good at it as a Kindel or O’Brien is.

Yes he’s involved in a ton of MJ offense but I see him as a 3rd year guy who’s never been a big producer playing a perimeter, complimentary game in junior and can’t apply his tools properly at the junior level. So it doesn’t give me great confidence he’ll be able to do so in the NHL.

You’re correct there’s boom- and I could see this post looking incredibly stupid one day- but I just don’t feel comfortable with it in the top 10 given my dumbass watching what I can online.

I mean yeah I agree with this, O'Brien has been the guy I've been advocating for a while for. If he makes it to #9, he's absolutely the guy I want to take.

I think it's likely a moot point regarding Lakovic because Lakovic looks more like a guy to be going with the Rangers 1st than the Penguins 1st. At #9, the Penguins are probably looking at 1 or 2 of Mrtka, Eklund or O'Brien. Lakovic is more in discussion in the 11-15 range.

 

[Dominance]

I can’t justify Bear with his Achilles injury with the Penguins pick. Could do it with the Rangers pick but not the Penguins.

I think the ideal outcome I’d advocate for as of right now is Eklund with the Penguins 1st and Smith with the Rangers 1st. I’m expecting O’Brien gets overdrafted and is likely not an option for them, though.

If I’m going Bear, I think I’m trading down a few spots with the Rangers 1st to take Bear at like #16.

Fair enough. If the injury has a serious impact on his skating then Bear’s no longer worth a top-10 pick. I’m just saying that absent that major factor, and I don’t have an informed position on whether it is a real issue, Bear showed far better than names like Martin or Lakovic that have popped up in here.

Schaefer, Misa, Martone, Hagens are the only guys who are 100% gone by our pick. In descending order of likelihood, we’ll get to choose between Frondell, Desnoyers, Eklund, O’Brien, McQueen, Smith and Mrtka. That’s a fine group.

Actually, another name from the WHL I want to throw out there is Reschny. He’s had a stellar year and I think he’ll measure in around 6’0” at the combine. His outstanding playoffs are putting him equal to O’Brien in my eyes.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Also now that the season is done, we also know where all of the Penguins picks will be. They'll be picking:

-Penguins 1st: #9
-Rangers 1st: #11 (if they give that pick)
-Capitals 2nd: #63
-Penguins 3rd: #73
-Wild 3rd: #84
-Senators 3rd: #85
-Penguins 4th: #105
-Hawks 5th: #130
-Rangers 5th: #139
-Penguins 6th: #169
-Penguins 7th: #201

11 picks in the first 7 rounds is actually the most the Penguins have ever had. They've had drafts with more picks, but that was when the NHL draft had 9 or more rounds. The closest other draft was 2004, where the Penguins had 10 picks in the first 7 rounds.

 

[Sideline]

I would have been upset to take McQueen or Mrtka in the top 5, but at 9 I'm more open to taking a homerun swing on a guy that could grown into a franchise cornerstone. A giant right shot at centre or defense that can play on the first line or top pair would be a great foundation piece. You better be sure a Frondell is closer to a gritty Marner than a prime Kunitz for me to take him ahead of the big gambles.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I would have been upset to take McQueen or Mrtka in the top 5, but at 9 I'm more open to taking a homerun swing on a guy that could grown into a franchise cornerstone. A giant right shot at centre or defense that can play on the first line or top pair would be a great foundation piece. You better be sure a Frondell is closer to a gritty Marner than a prime Kunitz for me to take him ahead of the big gambles.

Honestly I don't get why people here are down on the idea of drafting Mrtka. He's not my 1st choice, but he's a physical monster that can play in all situations and produced really well this year.

It would be really hard for me to get upset about picking him at #9.

 

[Jacob]

My concern with Lakovic is that I followed Moose Jaw closely last year because of Yager and never even really noticed the guy at all. And he's a late '06 so a couple months younger last year would've been his draft year and he'd have been, what, a 4th rounder maybe?

 

[Sideline]

Honestly I don't get why people here are down on the idea of drafting Mrtka. He's not my 1st choice, but he's a physical monster that can play in all situations and produced really well this year.

It would be really hard for me to get upset about picking him at #9.

He's also got the benefit of fitting a real rebuild timeline better than a forward. Defenseman take longer to mature so ideally they get that pipeline stocked up before a McKenna, Bedard, or Demidov starts to pull them back into the tweener 12th to 16th pick range every year.

 

[SEALBound]

Even at 9, we can still get a decent prospect. No one besides Misa is a foundational core forward piece so we are getting another McGroarty level prospect.

Schaeffer, Misa, Hagens, Martone, Frondell, Desnoyers, O'Brien, McQueen. Means we get Eklund. If someone wants defense, they take Mrtka or Smith and one of those eight guys drops to us.
We're still fine.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Spence or Lakovic would bum me out really hard. Especially Spence. Love(d) Bear but I’m cool on Achilles injury in DY.

Eklund, Smith are my realistic hopes. If they want to go off the board I hope it is for Kindel or Potter.

That's my fear, reaching out that far into the low to mid 20's. That's Pouliot territory kind of fear.

Kindel/Potter being super small.

Not interested in D-men this early.

Spence's tenacity has me intrigued. Lakovic is more or less trying to stick with the board, as is Martin.

I still feel Bear is a safe pick in around the top 10. That's him being a LW more than a center. I think him having Karlsson to pull from helps him with his recovery mindset. Plus, has anyone even heard the severity of it? No news on surgery or any type of update. Usually something is out by now over a month since it happened. No news, no way to tell.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Roger McQueen just does not sound like a hockey name

He's certainly no Lightning McQueen.

Ka chow!

 

[SEALBound]

NYR come in at 11, so 11-13ov unless they get lucky and win the lottery. BUT, no matter what they have the option to keep it. If we come in at 9 and they come in at 11 and give it to us, I'd be find if we end up with Eklund + Brady Martin.

But honestly, if we get the 2nd 1st from NYR, there's a nice combo of players that we are still gonna get. Could be McQueen + Martin which would really beef up the center slot. Could go size with McQueen + Mrkta. Could go heavy on wing with Eklund + Carbanneau (or Kindel). Combo McQueen/Martin + Carb/Kindel.

Yeah, it would be better if it was Frondell/JOB/Desnoyers + Eklund, but it is what it is. We still have a 10% chance at 1 or 2ov. We'll see just how much the hockey gods love us.

 

[Turin]

I would rather draft McQueen than some of the safe names being thrown out tbh

 

[Jared Grayden]

He's certainly no Lightning McQueen.

Ka chow!

LTIR McQueen.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I think at 9 you're praying like hell that somehow a Hagens, Martone or Frondell drop to you but you realistically just take like, Eklund or O'Brien and be done with it.