Official 2025 NHL Draft Thread

BigToe

Robocop sucks
Jan 6, 2018
14,176
24,786
Philly


Honestly, more excited in some ways to see which talented D fall than how the C crop ends up... we know already the C crop will be absurd even if some guys fall off.

The D? Just interesting. Some very talented guys are going to fall into the 2nd round because they are 6'0 or under.

I know he’s a wing but I’d bet Mooney goes much lower than he should on draft day too.
 

MrGuyPerson

Registered User
Aug 19, 2020
527
556
So I said it somewhere else, but I guess I will say it again here. They have 3 first round picks in this draft. 2 of which will at least be in the 20s, but the question mark here is where their own pick lands.

This team missed playoffs by what like 2 wins? What is the chance that after adding Michkov and returning virtually the entire roster they are some how worse next season? They still aren't talented enough up front to truly contend for a cup so now it is likely they end up with 3 1st round picks after 15.

How do you possibly improve this core? Adding another star through the draft now feels a lot more unlikely. They could try to trade for young player that can be added to core like McGroarty, Rossi, or Zegras, but you probably have to make the team worse to do that. Are they banking on getting Drai or McDavid?

Or are they actually targeting the 2026 draftt? In fairness looks like 2026 could have some special forward talent in it. McKenna(very close to Bedard/Michkov level), Björck(not certain, but there is a chance he is the best prospect out of Sweden in awhile), Stenberg, Roobroeck, Di Iorio, and a bunch of Kids joining USNDTP are looking very promising
 
Last edited:

MrGuyPerson

Registered User
Aug 19, 2020
527
556
If they can somehow get 12th again Ryabkin is probably the only high caliber talent they have a chance at. I'm not confident they will be able to pick high enough though
 

pit

5th Most Improved Poster
Jun 25, 2005
5,157
20,954
Toronto
What is the chance that after adding Michkov and returning virtually the entire roster they are some how worse next season?

Let's not confuse the roster that was on the ice at the end of the season with the roster that was winning earlier in the season. After the trade deadline, this team was 5-13. The number of changes weren't big, but the impact was there.

Unlike the start of 23-24, you have no Hart and Walker. Hart struggled later in the season for obvious reasons, but he did lots for this team early on. This will be a lot of games to throw at Ersson and Fedotov. No Walker to anchor that second pair makes the defense look much thinner. Johnson over Risto if Risto is still hurt drags your third pair down even further, if that's possible. How much can you play Sanheim-York in one game? Speaking of running players down, how is Couturier's health after being given such a massive load to shoulder with no faith in Frost last season.

So yes, it's a largely "run it back" roster but there are some key elements that have changed (not for the better) with the only potential positive being adding Michkov. We should be giving him grace to adapt to North America and the NHL. Perhaps we see a jump from some of the younger players like Foerster and York - or maybe we see a bit of regression.

I expect we're right in that 14-16 overall league standings again. Too good to get a top ten pick, too crummy to do anything useful.
 

Curufinwe

Registered User
Feb 28, 2013
56,994
45,413
So I said it somewhere else, but I guess I will say it again here. They have 3 first round picks in this draft. 2 of which will at least be in the 20s, but the question mark here is where their own pick lands.

This team missed playoffs by what like 2 wins? What is the chance that after adding Michkov and returning virtually the entire roster they are some how worse next season?
Pretty high. Fedotov could be a lot worse than Hart in goal. and teams like Washington and NJ are much improved. The PK will probably regress from #1 overall. Even more players will be sick of Torts after 2 years.
 

LegionOfGloom

Registered User
Jun 9, 2021
406
1,081
So I said it somewhere else, but I guess I will say it again here. They have 3 first round picks in this draft. 2 of which will at least be in the 20s, but the question mark here is where their own pick lands.

This team missed playoffs by what like 2 wins? What is the chance that after adding Michkov and returning virtually the entire roster they are some how worse next season? They still aren't talented enough up front to truly contend for a cup so now it is likely they end up with 3 1st round picks after 15.

How do you possibly improve this core? Adding another star through the draft now feels a lot more unlikely. They could try to trade for young player that can be added to core like McGroarty, Rossi, or Zegras, but you probably have to make the team worse to do that. Are they banking on getting Drai or McDavid?

Or are they actually targeting the 2026 draftt? In fairness looks like it could have 2026 could have some special forward talent in it. McKenna(very close to Bedard/Michkov level), Björck(not certain, but there is a chance he is the best prospect out of Sweden in awhile), Stenberg, Roobroeck, Di Iorio, and a bunch of Kids joining USNDTP are looking very promising
I want them to tank as much as anyone but in fairness there is a very real chance they will be significantly worse next year. The goaltending will be significantly worse and a lot of the teams that picked ahead of them this year (Buffalo, Devils, Ottawa, for example) should surpass them this year.
 

MrGuyPerson

Registered User
Aug 19, 2020
527
556
Let's not confuse the roster that was on the ice at the end of the season with the roster that was winning earlier in the season. After the trade deadline, this team was 5-13. The number of changes weren't big, but the impact was there.

Unlike the start of 23-24, you have no Hart and Walker. Hart struggled later in the season for obvious reasons, but he did lots for this team early on. This will be a lot of games to throw at Ersson and Fedotov. No Walker to anchor that second pair makes the defense look much thinner. Johnson over Risto if Risto is still hurt drags your third pair down even further, if that's possible. How much can you play Sanheim-York in one game? Speaking of running players down, how is Couturier's health after being given such a massive load to shoulder with no faith in Frost last season.

So yes, it's a largely "run it back" roster but there are some key elements that have changed (not for the better) with the only potential positive being adding Michkov. We should be giving him grace to adapt to North America and the NHL. Perhaps we see a jump from some of the younger players like Foerster and York - or maybe we see a bit of regression.

I expect we're right in that 14-16 overall league standings again. Too good to get a top ten pick, too crummy to do anything useful.
Hoepfully I respond to everything you state. Personally, I don't think the roster changes are what hurt them in the bad stretch down the season. I know they lost Hart, but truthfully I think Errson was great for awhile and Fedotov will be better this season than that brief stint last season. Errson only began to struggle when the Flyers rode him way too hard. Goalies need breaks and he never got one once Hart was gone. Guy had to be exhausted. With a consistent rotation in place again, I think they will be set between the pipes

I don't think losing walker killed them. He was good, but I still think the fact that they some how got a 1st for him is a bargain. The subpar goaltending caused by the over reliance on one guy lead to some really bad goal tending performances and a lack of offensive talent that can produce consistently hurt them.

I agree that the progression of other young players does impact their chances. I don't expect a big Step from Foerster. I do expect him to develop a little. I still view his ceiling as a depth forward regardless, but if he takes that 33 to 45 that is the step needed. I actually completely expect a big step from York. As a prospect I believed that York was the type of player that will have a letter on his Jersey one day. Never Makar, but a young Ellis? Yeah thats great. Drysdale is a bit tricky, but I was high on Drysdale in 2020 and I still am. Drysdale needs to take a step, but I don't think his game requires development, but rather his body. He needs to develop a man's body. To the extent that I would consider leaving him out longer and allowing him to build strength. Essentially become a little tank. That will help him defensively to out muscle men, but really the biggest need for it is it will help prevent injury. Finally, Brink needs to become a roster player. He has more to offer in terms of potential production on the 3rd line than a scrub vet.

To me the performance of this team is actually in the hands of Farabee, Frost, Tippett, TK, Michkov and Coots. These are the players on the roster with potential for the most contribution. TK is at his ceiling so there are no steps needed from him, just do it again. I don't think Coots is as done as many people people think. Mainly because no good player is at like 31/32. A down year after missing an entire season? Sure. Done? I don't think so. If Coots gets time with Michkov next season they will be beneficial to each other. Michkov will aid Coots in producing like the high level talent he was and Coots will aid Michkov in not being a dash 50 like Bedard. Then all 3 of Tippett, Farabee, and Frost have shown an ability to produce they need to improve on. An additional step from each and this is a whole different team. All 3 have the talent needed, they just need to want to win more than they want to produce.

The biggest reason I think they are likely to improve is their powerplay will improve. Michkov could only play on the 2nd unit and they will score more than they did last season. If they produces at top 20 percentage they make playoffs easily last season.

I will reiterate that I do not think this is a contending recipe, but I do think they will be good enough to lose in the 1st round. The unfortunate part of this is that lands them in purgatory with the islanders, Wild, too old Caps, too old Pens, etc. Good enough for a chance, not good enough to succeed. They really need another young high pedigree stud like Michkov, but I doubt they will be bad enough to select one. Which leaves the question, how do they do it?
 

Magua

Entirely Palatable Product
Apr 25, 2016
38,657
161,013
Huron of the Lakes
I remember 2024 was supposed to be the deepest defensive draft in years. You ended up with Levshunov and Yakemchuk and Silayev being 3 of the first 4 selected, all with ceiling question marks. Even Dickinson to lesser degree. And the best defensive prospect in the class fell to #12, and a certain team giddily traded out of the spot.
 

pit

5th Most Improved Poster
Jun 25, 2005
5,157
20,954
Toronto
Hoepfully I respond to everything you state. Personally, I don't think the roster changes are what hurt them in the bad stretch down the season. I know they lost Hart, but truthfully I think Errson was great for awhile and Fedotov will be better this season than that brief stint last season. Errson only began to struggle when the Flyers rode him way too hard. Goalies need breaks and he never got one once Hart was gone. Guy had to be exhausted. With a consistent rotation in place again, I think they will be set between the pipes

I don't think losing walker killed them. He was good, but I still think the fact that they some how got a 1st for him is a bargain. The subpar goaltending caused by the over reliance on one guy lead to some really bad goal tending performances and a lack of offensive talent that can produce consistently hurt them.

I agree that the progression of other young players does impact their chances. I don't expect a big Step from Foerster. I do expect him to develop a little. I still view his ceiling as a depth forward regardless, but if he takes that 33 to 45 that is the step needed. I actually completely expect a big step from York. As a prospect I believed that York was the type of player that will have a letter on his Jersey one day. Never Makar, but a young Ellis? Yeah thats great. Drysdale is a bit tricky, but I was high on Drysdale in 2020 and I still am. Drysdale needs to take a step, but I don't think his game requires development, but rather his body. He needs to develop a man's body. To the extent that I would consider leaving him out longer and allowing him to build strength. Essentially become a little tank. That will help him defensively to out muscle men, but really the biggest need for it is it will help prevent injury. Finally, Brink needs to become a roster player. He has more to offer in terms of potential production on the 3rd line than a scrub vet.

To me the performance of this team is actually in the hands of Farabee, Frost, Tippett, TK, Michkov and Coots. These are the players on the roster with potential for the most contribution. TK is at his ceiling so there are no steps needed from him, just do it again. I don't think Coots is as done as many people people think. Mainly because no good player is at like 31/32. A down year after missing an entire season? Sure. Done? I don't think so. If Coots gets time with Michkov next season they will be beneficial to each other. Michkov will aid Coots in producing like the high level talent he was and Coots will aid Michkov in not being a dash 50 like Bedard. Then all 3 of Tippett, Farabee, and Frost have shown an ability to produce they need to improve on. An additional step from each and this is a whole different team. All 3 have the talent needed, they just need to want to win more than they want to produce.

The biggest reason I think they are likely to improve is their powerplay will improve. Michkov could only play on the 2nd unit and they will score more than they did last season. If they produces at top 20 percentage they make playoffs easily last season.

I will reiterate that I do not think this is a contending recipe, but I do think they will be good enough to lose in the 1st round. The unfortunate part of this is that lands them in purgatory with the islanders, Wild, too old Caps, too old Pens, etc. Good enough for a chance, not good enough to succeed. They really need another young high pedigree stud like Michkov, but I doubt they will be bad enough to select one. Which leaves the question, how do they do it?

I don't think just Walker killed them. It's a confluence of things, but his absence didn't help as he was a big part of their defense last year. It wasn't just roster changes killing them, but playing the pace/overuse Tortorella demands. His coaching overcame lack of depth by grinding top players to a nub. Take out just a few of the supporting players, add in exhaustion and then comes the collapse.

Half of the top players whose hands this improved play would be in in your estimation are Coots, Frost and Farabee, all of whom have been in Tort's doghouse. Will those relationships get mended? Maybe. We don't know how Michkov will come into the mix. That leaves a lot on Tippett and UFA season from Konecny.

This is a team in flux. Last year they played better than most expected. Is that a building step to making it to the playoffs next year or is it playing over their heads to be followed by a disappointing 24/25? No crystal ball here, but I'm not writing them in the playoffs in pen, especially with marked improvement from many teams in our division.
 
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TheKingPin

Registered User
Nov 16, 2005
20,935
10,466
Philadelphia, PA


I mean, the C crop is INSANE no doubt a year out. Though some of that 2nd group will end up wingers.

But there are ~15-18 Cs right now who a year out look like 1st round picks.

If they DONT get a 1C with their aggressive "get so many top 45 picks in 2025" strategy. They will have a problem that is for sure.


Makes the pass on Buium all that more annoying. If Buium is a 1D and this draft gets you a 1C and 2C you are looking at a much brighter future.
 

Tarpongg

#fakerebuild #cutterwasright #AlexeiAWOL
May 26, 2012
472
1,264


I mean, the C crop is INSANE no doubt a year out. Though some of that 2nd group will end up wingers.

But there are ~15-18 Cs right now who a year out look like 1st round picks.

If they DONT get a 1C with their aggressive "get so many top 45 picks in 2025" strategy. They will have a problem that is for sure.


Just watched Frondell highlights. 0-82 please
 
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LegionOfDoom91

Registered User
Jan 25, 2013
83,362
143,398
Philadelphia, PA


I guess we’ll see what happens with the CHL/NCAA future agreement but it’s wild the amount of non—American talent that is committing to that league now.

Granted I think the biggest thing that helps is that elite talent have actually gone through that route now (as well as the NCAA) & succeeded there as well as the NHL level. So it cannot be stated anymore that the league(s) doesn’t produce elite talent. Which I think talent is talent regardless of where it plays anyway but narratives run wild until they’re actually proven wrong.
 

flyerslducks

Registered User
Feb 15, 2017
12,751
13,609
I want them to tank as much as anyone but in fairness there is a very real chance they will be significantly worse next year. The goaltending will be significantly worse and a lot of the teams that picked ahead of them this year (Buffalo, Devils, Ottawa, for example) should surpass them this year.
I’d throw seattle in there as well. They improved a bit
 

FlyerNutter

In the forest, a man learns what it means to live
Jun 22, 2018
12,931
29,427
Winnipeg
So I said it somewhere else, but I guess I will say it again here. They have 3 first round picks in this draft. 2 of which will at least be in the 20s, but the question mark here is where their own pick lands.

This team missed playoffs by what like 2 wins? What is the chance that after adding Michkov and returning virtually the entire roster they are some how worse next season? They still aren't talented enough up front to truly contend for a cup so now it is likely they end up with 3 1st round picks after 15.

How do you possibly improve this core? Adding another star through the draft now feels a lot more unlikely. They could try to trade for young player that can be added to core like McGroarty, Rossi, or Zegras, but you probably have to make the team worse to do that. Are they banking on getting Drai or McDavid?

Or are they actually targeting the 2026 draftt? In fairness looks like 2026 could have some special forward talent in it. McKenna(very close to Bedard/Michkov level), Björck(not certain, but there is a chance he is the best prospect out of Sweden in awhile), Stenberg, Roobroeck, Di Iorio, and a bunch of Kids joining USNDTP are looking very promising

I could see them collapsing. Another year with Torts, questionable goaltending, and an unknown health future regarding Couturier.

I’d love for them to pick top 3.

Ersson can be the sacrificial lamb.
 

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