Official 2025 NHL DRAFT Thread

[FlyguyOX]

I can’t believe we’re still talking about drafting for positional fit or filling X attribute hole in the system in 2025. Then again, NHL teams still do it, so I’m on the side detached from reality. But not the odds.

When the talent is overwhelmingly great at a different position like Buium vs Luchanko then yeah disregard position.

But cmon. This draft is all about the centers, which we have basically none of outside of Cates.

Martone has glaring red flags with his mediocre skating.

 

[scumpup]

Flyers should take Eklund if he's on the board but they wont thats my current opinion

 

[Appleyard]

The most important draft of the year finished a few hours ago anyway...

 

[Magua]

I’ve watched every bit of film available on this guy since he became the “it” girl a week ago. Taking him at 6 would make Luchanko over Buium look savvy. I won’t get too worked up until it actually happens, but damnit if this isn’t just the guy that would epitomize this mgmt group

If a team wants to take McQueen top 10 envisioning him as their Adam Lowry, I’d say yeesh, aim higher for a top 10 pick. But the player himself isn’t bad. Maybe it could happen! You can draft useful players at suboptimal spots. It happens regularly. But Martin didn’t even look like baseline NHL talent. Forget floors.

 

[scumpup]

I took Eklund in the mock I have him as top 5 prospect...

Tier 1 Schaefer Misa
Tier 2 Hagens
Tier 2.5 Eklund Martone
Tier 3 Frondell Potter Smith Kindel Bear Lakovic

Anyone after this tier is either a "safe" 2nd line 2nd pair 99%ile peak or you gotta gamble. The Gamblers will win.

Next draft is better for Centers. Flyers should load up and tank for McKenna and Friends. Skipping Buium for Luchanko is even more crap now that we know how many Middle 6 forwards there are in this draft. They could have taken 4 Luchankos this draft easily


If the Flyers want a center super bad, just trade back for Kindel Potter or Bear.

 

[scumpup]

between JOB and Desnoyers, JOB every day.

 

[TheKingPin]

The Athletic has us taking Frondell at 6 (Desnoyers goes to Utah at 4, Hagens to Nashville at 5). I'm cool with that I would have been fine taking him at 4.

NHL Mock Draft 2025: Matthew Schaefer to Islanders as we pick for every lottery team

Following the lottery, a collection of our NHL reporters combined for a mock draft of the first 16 picks.

www.nytimes.com

View attachment 1030897

Charlie speculates the same for Utah. They have similar players to Hagens and maybe pass on him. Then if Nashville goes Frondell we could end up with Hagens still. I don’t buy that happening.

I’d like to trade up for McQueen. If he is as talented as the reports say he may be worth the gamble if he falls and it’s not too expensive to move up. If you end up with Desnoyers, McQueen, and Ryabkin at least you get a couple of bigger swings and safe guy at 2C. Likely still have about 3 2nds as well. If you get Hagens instead then that’s potentially a huge win in a bad draft.

The good thing is the although the Flyers suck at drafting early, they are really good at drafting in the high 20s!

 

[scumpup]

Charlie speculates the same for Utah. They have similar players to Hagens and maybe pass on him. Then if Nashville goes Frondell we could end up with Hagens still. I don’t buy that happening.

I’d like to trade up for McQueen. If he is as talented as the reports say he may be worth the gamble if he falls and it’s not too expensive to move up. If you end up with Desnoyers, McQueen, and Ryabkin at least you get a couple of bigger swings and safe guy at 2C. Likely still have about 3 2nds as well. If you get Hagens instead then that’s potentially a huge win in a bad draft.

The good thing is the although the Flyers suck at drafting early, they are really good at drafting in the high 20s!

McQueen has a spinal injury I believe that has a very high likelihood to completely kill his hockey career. I'd stay away. Spondyolysis is no joke. If hes there in the 20's fine. not in the top 10. And in the 15 range there are likely to be better options available.

 

[TheKingPin]

McQueen has a spinal injury I believe that has a very high likelihood to completely kill his hockey career. I'd stay away. Spondyolysis is no joke. If hes there in the 20's fine. not in the top 10. And in the 15 range there are likely to be better options available.

Do teams have access to players before the draft them? I don’t think they even released what his last injury was. Spondylolysis is not too uncommon. A lot of people have it with no history of back injury. His sounds like it is very much symptomatic. That said, if there is no listhesis then he could be ok.

I think the point more is that they need to take swings. You could actually tank for years and not do it at the right time - picking up guys like Patrick and JVR and moving back in lotteries. Maybe you get lucky like it looks like SJ is. They could be the next dynasty in the making. The Flyers have to tank at least 2 more years imo. But right now they can’t be stocking up on middle 6 players.

 

[trostol]

who has the most hits and blocks? thats their guy

 

[BernieParent]

Do teams have access to players before the draft them? I don’t think they even released what his last injury was. Spondylolysis is not too uncommon. A lot of people have it with no history of back injury. His sounds like it is very much symptomatic. That said, if there is no listhesis then he could be ok.

I think the point more is that they need to take swings. You could actually tank for years and not do it at the right time - picking up guys like Patrick and JVR and moving back in lotteries. Maybe you get lucky like it looks like SJ is. They could be the next dynasty in the making. The Flyers have to tank at least 2 more years imo. But right now they can’t be stocking up on middle 6 players.

If Briere can move up in the 1st round, then McQueen would be a worthwhile risk. But the Flyers can't leave the 2025 draft with nothing to show for a top 10 pick.

 

[PK16]

Charlie speculates the same for Utah. They have similar players to Hagens and maybe pass on him. Then if Nashville goes Frondell we could end up with Hagens still. I don’t buy that happening.

I’d like to trade up for McQueen. If he is as talented as the reports say he may be worth the gamble if he falls and it’s not too expensive to move up. If you end up with Desnoyers, McQueen, and Ryabkin at least you get a couple of bigger swings and safe guy at 2C. Likely still have about 3 2nds as well. If you get Hagens instead then that’s potentially a huge win in a bad draft.

The good thing is the although the Flyers suck at drafting early, they are really good at drafting in the high 20s!

I also do not think Hagens will be there. Suggestions that teams will pass on him because of similar talent in their current talent pool and questions about his size are overblown. He is a top 5 talent and we are not there. Of course I didn’t think Michkov would drop in our lap, so what do I know. It sucks that we did not move up in lottery.

 

[FromOyVey2Matvei]

If Briere can move up in the 1st round, then McQueen would be a worthwhile risk. But the Flyers can't leave the 2025 draft with nothing to show for a top 10 pick.

Leaving with nothing to show would be better than leaving with another midde sixer like Luchanko IMO.

This team needs upside. If McQueen is a guy they think can be a home run then take the swing. We swung for the fences on Michkov and knocked it out of the park. Could’ve been a strikeout if SKA or Putin held him hostage. But it was worth the gamble.

If it’s McQueen or a middle six talent, take the risk.

That being said, I’m hoping a better talent without injury issues (Frondell or Hagens) might be there for us instead.

 

[Sombastate]

Its a shame because i do think Luchanko will be a fine NHLer, but my god does that pick get worse and worse by the day, and not fault of his own. He is what he always was expected to be

 

[SaSaShi]

between JOB and Desnoyers, JOB every day.

JOB is a lower floor higher ceiling prospect. He is a bigger risk than Desnoyers, but if he hits he could be very very good. O'brien is a slightly better passer than Desnoyers which is saying a lot since Desnoyers is a great passer himself. But the stickhandling, puck control and manipulation in tight spaces is where JOB separates from Desnoyers.

But JOB is an average skater at best right now. He is still 17 and young for the draft and has a lot of lower body filling out to do, so maybe that is why. But his lack of pace, if he doesnt improve it, will most definitely limit him in the NHL and possibly even make him a bust altogether.

But if the Flyers take risks and take home run swings in this draft and they MUST in my view, go for all high ceiling players like O'brien. Boom or Bust. That is why I was so disappointed that Briere didn't pull the trigger to get the 4th pick last year to snag Demidov.

Hell, Get Ryabkin in here too and let Michkov teach him how to be a professional.

Enough taking 2nd line upside players, just will not move the needle at all for the team, and all it will do is get the team back to mediocrity and NHL purgatory.

 

[TheKingPin]

If Briere can move up in the 1st round, then McQueen would be a worthwhile risk. But the Flyers can't leave the 2025 draft with nothing to show for a top 10 pick.

Yea I don’t think you can take McQueen at 6. The risk plus that would be a big reach at that spot. But if he falls then maybe you pick him up and hope he hits his ceiling and is healthy. In that scenario, you drafted your top 3 centers in 2 years. In general though, things don’t look good for him and we should probably just stay away.

 

[iceman42]

McQueen seems to be someone who might slide unless there is a team with a deep pool who can take the risk. I would be fine taking the risk with either the 2nd or 3rd pick. DB needs to have a lot of conversations with Howie about pick mgmt. BUT they wont do the right thing.

 

[RANKKA]

 

[Gregor Samsa]

So do we know if Kurt Overhardt is representing any players in this draft?

 

[dragonoffrost]

between JOB and Desnoyers, JOB every day.

I cringe when I see JOB

 

[HeadLiceHatty]

who has the most hits and blocks? thats their guy

You forgot about fighting.

#halfacentury

 

[Rebels57]

TIL that the Flyers having 7 of the top 48 picks in this Draft is the most any team has had in the top 48 in the modern era.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

TIL that the Flyers having 7 of the top 48 picks in this Draft is the most any team has had in the top 48 in the modern era.

And they will mostly be wasted.

 

[Sombastate]

And they will mostly be wasted.

Wasted? One man's (competent organization) trash is another man's (Flyers) treasure

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Wasted? One man's (competent organization) trash is another man's (Flyers) treasure

Betting that at least 3 of the picks will be the Flyers passing over clearly better players. At least 3 picks that will be immediately regretful.