Prospect Info: Draft 2025 - Waiting for the Draft Lotto

[The Old Master]

guarantee that at least one of Eklund, Martin or O'Brien will be available at #9, so I have a hard time being upset if Martin goes before their pick.

no reason to take that chance, move up and get him. (if that's who they want)

 

[Empoleon8771]

no reason to take that chance, move up and get him. (if that's who they want)

It would be a waste of assets to trade up a few spots to do that when multiple guys they'd like will be available.

The only way that trading up may become necessary in my eyes is if all 3 go and Desnoyers and McQueen are the ones who slide, but that's because I specifically do not like those two.

 

[SEALBound]

Except he doesn't have the size at 6'0" 174 lbs.

I mean, it would take a lot more than being a great player physicality wise to be #shadesofMalkin who's 6'3" 195 lbs.

@JackFr has the comparison closer with Kunitz even though he's not a center.

If O'Brien is still there, I'm still taking him. His 6'2" 170 lbs has more room to grow into #shadeofMalkin.

2:52 Malkin esk.

As with your other reply to me earlier, I think you might be taking some of these posts a little too serious and a little to literal. The shades of Malkin was merely a play on the Shades of Mario goal that Malkin scored even though we all kinda knew a comparison to Mario was quite a stretch.

I love JOB too. If given the choice, I take JOB. But if we pick 9 and Rags give us their 1st, it's possible we could get both JOB and Martin. For me, at this time, that is the best case scenario for this draft for me (save for winning the lottery).

We need centers in a bad way. Getting those two really goes far in restocking the coffers.

 

[Pancakes]

We need centers in a bad way. Getting those two really goes far in restocking the coffers.

We need pretty much everything except goaltending tbh.

 

[SEALBound]

We need pretty much everything except goaltending tbh.

100% but of all the assets in a lineup to get, I think 1C and then 2C are the most difficult. Not suggesting either is a 1C but it's possible. You can get top pairing dmen in free agency or by trade or...if you're lucky...off waivers. Much more difficult to find 1/2Cs that you don't draft.

After that, replenishing defense. I'm find with a dman with the 2nd unless there's a nice piece that drops.

 

[Andy99]

As I’ve said previously, you don’t just take a center in the top 10 of the draft because you need centers.,,that’s the place in the draft you take the player you think can turn into a special, elite player, regardless of position..,the Pens in particular are in need of high end talent …just take someone they think has high end talent and hope they’re right lol

 

[The Old Master]

It would be a waste of assets to trade up a few spots to do that when multiple guys they'd like will be available.

The only way that trading up may become necessary in my eyes is if all 3 go and Desnoyers and McQueen are the ones who slide, but that's because I specifically do not like those two.

IF the team likes one player better than the rest they should move up. it should not cost much to move up a few spots and you would get the player you want. I think they need to trade up to get as high as posable to try to get one of the top players they may never be this close again. they have an abundance of lower picks & players, so it would pay to move some.

 

[Peat]

IF the team likes one player better than the rest they should move up. it should not cost much to move up a few spots and you would get the player you want. I think they need to trade up to get as high as posable to try to get one of the top players they may never be this close again. they have an abundance of lower picks & players, so it would pay to move some.

That's probably the most optimistic thing I've read on this board in years.

 

[chethejet]

Centers are not a reach here this year. This is a year that centers are 6 of the top 10 players and that doesn't include Martin. Dubas can get a very good or as a close to a one and 2 this years draft if Rangers give up the pick. Plus Dubas may go after more here to drive adding the remaining hole in the system. After this year, normal selections as Dubas has developed the kind of pipeline development to bring the future roster into competing again. In any year the best player on ones board is the selection. But with so many centers this year, one has to take advantage of this.

 

[Malkinstheman]

The only guy Id be trying to trade up for is Hagens if he drops to #5/#6. Feels like a Shane Wright type situation. Two more losses during the season and they could have gotten one of the top guys, oh well.

 

[Jacob]

I think there will be plenty of time to draft centers. Like next draft when we’re likely to pick even higher plus have 2 picks (and a truckload of 2nds).

Just take BPA.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The only guy Id be trying to trade up for is Hagens if he drops to #5/#6. Feels like a Shane Wright type situation. Two more losses during the season and they could have gotten one of the top guys, oh well.

Yeah the difference between Eklund/Martin vs Frondell/Desnoyers isn’t big enough to warrant spending assets to trade up.

If the Rangers give the Penguins their 1st, I may be more inclined to trade up so I can get both Martin and Eklund, but that’s about it.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

People wringing their hands over specific positions don't seem to realize just how bad this team's gonna be, and for how long.

 

[Empoleon8771]

People wringing their hands over specific positions don't seem to realize just how bad this team's gonna be, and for how long.

I think it's less that and more that none of these guys are going to be having significant NHL impacts until like 2028 at the earliest. The realistic best case scenario is that Eklund or Martin get 2 more years in Europe/juniors, spend the first half a year in the AHL and then become legitimate NHL contributors in the second half of that year. That's like January/February 2028 at the earliest these guys will likely be making a NHL impact, and it will likely only be in a bottom-6 role.

 

[Jacob]

We’re getting McDavid anyway and Crosby’s playing until he’s 45 to beat Ovechkin’s goal total.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Picking well and fast tracking an already strained prospect pool.

Listening to a GM "telling you" they're following a certain team's ideology and is not looking to tank, who just let go of a complacent head coach should tell you rebuild is off the table, though drafting could still lead to a higher pick, not top 5/10 but not off the table either to fast track back to competing for playoffs/contention as quickly as possible.

 

[SEALBound]

As I’ve said previously, you don’t just take a center in the top 10 of the draft because you need centers.,,that’s the place in the draft you take the player you think can turn into a special, elite player, regardless of position..,the Pens in particular are in need of high end talent …just take someone they think has high end talent and hope they’re right lol

I think we may be at a point though where it's highly likely that BPA WILL be a center. At #9, who do you think is BPA that isn't a center?

Schaf-Misa-Hagens-Martone-Frondell-Desy-Eklund-McQueen...

Then we are looking at O'Brien, Martin, Mrtka, Smith, and then...? Bear? Is Mrkta, Smith, or Bear truly projecting to be an impact player but JOB and/or Martin aren't? I just don't think we have a strong enough draft where we are seeing a legit difference in some of these guys.

If we have 9 and 11, I take JOB and Martin quite easily (assuming the top 8 is who is off the board). Now that said, if any of them drop sans McQueen, I take them and then whoever is left of JOB or Martin at 11. But again, it's highly likely that its a center anyway.

 

[The Old Master]

The only guy Id be trying to trade up for is Hagens if he drops to #5/#6. Feels like a Shane Wright type situation. Two more losses during the season and they could have gotten one of the top guys, oh well.

one never knows who is going to drop.

 

[chethejet]

this draft is loaded with centers. Dubas will draft one. Pens have to get centers. What is it that some cling to BPA when centers are readily there to take. Pens are not reaching here for a good center or two. Draft them and develop them. In a couple years, Pens will be in very good shape down the middle. You know who makes the Blues go? Some center drafted late who was a smaller RH center. Robert Thomas.

 

[JackFr]

I think there will be plenty of time to draft centers. Like next draft when we’re likely to pick even higher plus have 2 picks (and a truckload of 2nds).

Just take BPA.

Yeah realistically what we are doing right now setting the table for when we actually draft high-end players. We're collecting our Ryan Malone/Colby Armstrong/Tyler Kennedy/Brooks Orpik/Ryan Whitney types so that they're there and our eventual high picks aren't on a complete island.

 

[SEALBound]

Yeah realistically what we are doing right now setting the table for when we actually draft high-end players. We're collecting our Ryan Malone/Colby Armstrong/Tyler Kennedy/Brooks Orpik/Ryan Whitney types so that they're there and our eventual high picks aren't on a complete island.

First, I agree with that premise in general. No one we have or will get in this draft are the foundational franchise pieces to build the next gen like Sid and Geno were. But at the same time, I'm not sure the team will be built the same this time around. Like even if we win lotteries this year and next and we take Misa and McKenna, even they aren't on the same level as Sid and Geno. I think in this draft, and maybe the next 2-3, we are collecting our Ryan Johanson, Scheifele, Zibanejad, Couturier, Horvat, etc - guys who are solid top 6 centers and mostly 1Cs but not the ultra elite generational 1Cs.

Best case might be if we lucked into Misa and McKenna, they could grow into Point and Kuch equivalents and we could try to build a team like Tampa. We already have the good Russian goalie. But I imagine it will look more like Minnesota or St Louis or maybe (and hopefully) Dallas.

 

[Ugene Magic]

I don't even see "That Guy" on the herizon.....

These next Pens teams are going to be built by comity. No generational talent, just a bunch of top talent put together.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

I don't even see "That Guy" on the herizon.....

These next Pens teams are going to be built by comity. No generational talent, just a bunch of top talent put together.

The team I'd like to emulate is Dallas. Just insane depth top to bottom. They've done a stellar job mixing veterans with young players. Their drafting and development is second to none.