Prospect Info: Draft 2025 - Waiting for the Draft Lotto

The NFL is that way and they’re 21-23 years old. The Athletic did an article on it a while ago. No team was any better at predicting what players would be more successful.

The only way to get more success was to aggregate more picks.
Im not saying any individual teams would be better

I’m saying imagine how different draft lists would look 2 years later. Top of draft would be similar but things would change so much after that. I’d imagine 1st thru 3rd rounds picks would be worth a lot more in trades.

I gotta think the NFL is better at getting players out of the late 1st and 2nd/3rd rounds than the NHL is (I know it’s bigger rosters). Maybe I’m wrong.
 
There was an interesting proposal on the main boards awhile back to reduce the draft to like 3-4 rounds. You'd have a ton of kids that don't make in their 18yo draft year but who may continue their NCAA, CHL, or Euro league careers and re-enter the draft in the following years. Personally, I think that would make drafting a bit easier if you are getting a known entity at 20 that you can send to the AHL.
If you moved age back 2 years I would 100% make the draft only 3 rounds. Max 4.

If you didn’t move it back- so as is- I think 7 makes sense.
 
If you moved age back 2 years I would 100% make the draft only 3 rounds. Max 4.

If you didn’t move it back- so as is- I think 7 makes sense.
In that situation, it would still be 18. I think the first two rounds just might have more 19-20yos that are re-entry players but they've developed well since getting passed over previously.

The goal was to help the draft not be a crapshoot with so many misses. I'm sure we'd see less of that as is if a GM had a crystal ball and could see 1-2 years into the future.

ETA: I mean, it's not perfect. Pros and cons for sure.
 
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Finished up the Kindel tape. Cut it at about 13 minutes, but I could've kept going. What a fun player.


Thanks for these. He def has shades of “small junior scorer who doesn’t have elite skating to make big dent in the NHL” but I really think this kid could be a beast— Brayden Point 2.0 (maybe not quite as elite)— as he physically matures.
 
Thanks for these. He def has shades of “small junior scorer who doesn’t have elite skating to make big dent in the NHL” but I really think this kid could be a beast— Brayden Point 2.0 (maybe not quite as elite)— as he physically matures.

When he really wants to get from Point A to point B over a long stretch of ice, he has a tendency to hunch forward super far and end up costing himself speed because his stride turns forced. But I was shocked by how good he was defensively. It doesn't come up in as many scouting reports as I'd expect it to. There's a lot of him being super read-based in the defensive zone and picking tons of pucks off. Great anticipation and hockey sense in all three zones.
 
When he really wants to get from Point A to point B over a long stretch of ice, he has a tendency to hunch forward super far and end up costing himself speed because his stride turns forced. But I was shocked by how good he was defensively. It doesn't come up in as many scouting reports as I'd expect it to. There's a lot of him being super read-based in the defensive zone and picking tons of pucks off. Great anticipation and hockey sense in all three zones.
Yeah I think he’s solid defensively. I also think he’s got a great motor.
 
Drury got extended. I'd have to imagine the Rangers are even more likely to keep this year's pick now. Drury isn't going to be afraid of handing us a lottery pick when he just got extended. Even if that happened he's not getting fired after one year of his extension.
 
Drury got extended. I'd have to imagine the Rangers are even more likely to keep this year's pick now. Drury isn't going to be afraid of handing us a lottery pick when he just got extended. Even if that happened he's not getting fired after one year of his extension.

Drury not having a contract was used as an argument that Drury wouldn't give up the pick because "he won't care if he hands over McKenna to the Penguins, he'll be fired anyway".

I think the reality is that no one really has any idea what the Rangers will do with that pick.
 
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Drury not having a contract was used as an argument that Drury wouldn't give up the pick because "he won't care if he hands over McKenna to the Penguins, he'll be fired anyway".

I think the reality is that no one really has any idea what the Rangers will do with that pick.
Definitely not anymore. Also absolutely no one predicted Drury getting an extension either.
 

Drury got extended. I'd have to imagine the Rangers are even more likely to keep this year's pick now. Drury isn't going to be afraid of handing us a lottery pick when he just got extended. Even if that happened he's not getting fired after one year of his extension.
I think Pittsburgh is in a pretty solid position whichever way it goes but they'll likely keep it this year. Regardless, the Rangers are in an unenviable position IMO,
 
I think Pittsburgh is in a pretty solid position whichever way it goes but they'll likely keep it this year. Regardless, the Rangers are in an unenviable position IMO,
I would think if any team has empathy for them, it would be us. Same situation we were in last year.
 
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Drury not having a contract was used as an argument that Drury wouldn't give up the pick because "he won't care if he hands over McKenna to the Penguins, he'll be fired anyway".

I think the reality is that no one really has any idea what the Rangers will do with that pick.
True.

I just never thought we were getting the pick either way. I think we're getting their 2026 pick. Time will tell, but that's my expectation.
 
I would think if any team has empathy for them, it would be us. Same situation we were in last year.
But the difference is there wasn't a potential generational talent there (highly unlikely that would happen where we'd get McKenna). Also the Rags were higher thought of at the time of that trade as a cup contender than we were when we got EK. I get your point though.
 
True.

I just never thought we were getting the pick either way. I think we're getting their 2026 pick. Time will tell, but that's my expectation.
Tend to agree, but if the RAGS get off to a slow start next year and they fork over the '26 1st panic could set in pretty quickly.
 
But the difference is there wasn't a potential generational talent there (highly unlikely that would happen where we'd get McKenna). Also the Rags were higher thought of at the time of that trade as a cup contender than we were when we got EK. I get your point though.
I think the major difference is not exclusively the McKenna factor- though he contributes to it. It's that currently the entire 2026 draft class projects to be stronger than the 2025 draft class so even #11 now might be no worse value than #16-18 next draft. In which case, Rags even being mediocre again is still a win for Pens getting next year's pick.
 
I think the major difference is not exclusively the McKenna factor- though he contributes to it. It's that currently the entire 2026 draft class projects to be stronger than the 2025 draft class so even #11 now might be no worse value than #16-18 next draft. In which case, Rags even being mediocre again is still a win for Pens getting next year's pick.

I agree with your sentiment 100%, I believe I said in a post recently that #11 now could be no worse than #20 next year. Not too far off from you on that. The intent for them is to obviously reload and try again, but any competent scouting department is going to know the depth level of these drafts and the pretty stark differences between them.
 
I agree with your sentiment 100%, I believe I said in a post recently that #11 now could be no worse than #20 next year. Not too far off from you on that. The intent for them is to obviously reload and try again, but any competent scouting department is going to know the depth level of these drafts and the pretty stark differences between them.
I think this is the correct way to look at it

How the Rangers feel about what prospects could be available at 11 determines if they convey the pick or not.

how good/bad the NHL team may or may not be next year is secondary.
 
I think the major difference is not exclusively the McKenna factor- though he contributes to it. It's that currently the entire 2026 draft class projects to be stronger than the 2025 draft class so even #11 now might be no worse value than #16-18 next draft. In which case, Rags even being mediocre again is still a win for Pens getting next year's pick.
By most indications it is gonna be stronger/deeper draft in '26. Not sure where the quality wanes but yeah. Rangers have a tough decision. Better them than us.
 
Feeling like Desnoyers, Frondell, Mrtka are all borderline locks to go top 10.

Add Martone, Hagens, Misa, Schaefer too.

That’s my guess as to what McKenzie’s poll reveals as final consensus top 7. McQueen maybe the guy to displace it and make it a top 8 if medicals check out.

I think O’Brien, Smith, McQueen are the wild cards. Could see any of the three get picked as high as 4-5OA to late lottery. I think Eklund is gonna get pushed down and be drafted in 8-12 range because he’s small and teams simply want Cs or Ds with these picks.
 
Feeling like Desnoyers, Frondell, Mrtka are all borderline locks to go top 10.

Add Martone, Hagens, Misa, Schaefer too.

That’s my guess as to what McKenzie’s poll reveals as final consensus top 7. McQueen maybe the guy to displace it and make it a top 8 if medicals check out.

I think O’Brien, Smith, McQueen are the wild cards. Could see any of the three get picked as high as 4-5OA to late lottery. I think Eklund is gonna get pushed down and be drafted in 8-12 range because he’s small and teams simply want Cs or Ds with these picks.
With this draft, I expect centers and right defense to get drafted earlier than expected. Predicting Hagens, Frondell, Desnoyers, Mrtka, O'Brien, Martone all gone before #9. Everyone I know that claims to speak with NHL scouts still sounds very skeptical on McQueen's health so wouldn't be surprised at all if he is available at #9. In fact, I have yet to hear anyone say anything positive about McQueen's health projection in a long time.
 

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