Official 2025 NHL DRAFT Thread

[scumpup]

Yep. I totally agree!

Of those 18 guys... maybe 13 still go 1st round or at least top 35-40.

Hagens went from looking like a total, 100%, cant miss star player to "probably a good 1st liner, maybe a star"
But Ryabkin was on star track from age 13-17... now? He is a question mark.
McQueen, Kevan, Gavin, Moore, Eriksen, Benak, Lewandowski and Fondrk have basically stagnated totally or even regressed.
Lewandowski, Ihs-Wozniak are now full-time wingers.

Which is why most NHL teams want the draft to go back to 19-20... because it would be more predictable.

Though it is also a draft year where far more guys than usual stagnated (you expect around 25% of guys, this draft it is probably 40% with less stepping up to fill void). Heck, at 16 Filip Ekberg looked like a sure-fire top 5 pick!

And C is still this drafts strongest position... and ~13 "C's" look like will go in first, which is a lot.
But instead of maybe ~7 guys a year ago who looked like they had a legit shot at being a 75+ point C... now it is maybe 3. And instead of ~18 guys who looked like they had a legit shot at being a ~50+ point 2C... now it is maybe 10 max.

with the USHL/CHL->NCAA pipeline now available and foreigners playing in the Mens pro leagues and with the overall skill of the league increasing I think it would be very good for the sport if the NHL draft targeted 20 year olds instead of 17 and 18 year olds. Should be 20 years old on or before Sept15th and be eligible to draft up to age 22 to promote our College scene and also promote foreign leagues a little bit. Basketball and Football expect players to go to college/Gleague to play why not hockey?

I would assume it's an CHL thing but the CHL is a league for 15-20 year olds anyway, and being 20 in the CHL is sort of a joke...

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

In fairness to the Rockets, the monster is a reference to the legendary Ogopogo, the Loch Ness monster of
Okanagan lake near Kelowna.

Ogopogo - Wikipedia

How to Uncover the True Spirit of Ogopogo

It's like a Scottish team paying tribute to Nessie... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch_Ness_F.C.

To be more specific, it's like a Scottish team named "Aberdeen Cardinals" having a logo with a dog on it.

 

[BigToe]

I am the exact idiot who reads this and bookmarks the video for later because it feels interesting. Today was indeed later.

I obviously do not understand the conversation because this was 27 minutes of an autoscroller given sentience. When he tries to kick up into 2nd gear, he has the posture and cadence of an old man climbing stairs. I can’t make any grand statements about the 20s based on one game, but there’s no way this is the 6th best bet in any class on draft day.

Is there anyone here who likes Martin and watched this? I know it’s a nebulous term, but what I specifically want to know is what you think about his vision in this game. I keep seeing that praised as a strength. I’m guessing this is an issue where the term means something different to me than it does others, but I’d like some confirmation. Or maybe I just picked the wrong game.

Have you seen O'Brien yet?

 

[Strawberry Fields]

Question: which would be more disappointing: drafting Martin or Aitcheson at 6?

Yes, Bern.

 

[BernieParent]

Yes, Bern.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Have you seen O'Brien yet?

Nope. I have watched exactly 3 players, the best of which was Mrtka. I’m not Eddie Mushing anyone else.

 

[Sombastate]

It occurred to me recently that everyone mocking Martin to the Flyers likely has more to do with what they think about the Flyers organization than it has to do with what they think about Martin as a prospect

 

[Larry44]

It occurred to me recently that everyone mocking Martin to the Flyers likely has more to do with what they think about the Flyers organization than it has to do with what they think about Martin as a prospect

Don’t have pity on the lad, it IS his fault, LOL!

 

[Gregor Samsa]

I don’t think there is any shot Martin is the pick after finding out who his agent is. The org may have said that they didn’t like Buium’s size but it’s hard to not think there weren’t other reasons

 

[Magua]

Kurt Overhardt is about to get the most sincere apology known to man. Tears aplenty. The Flyers can’t jeopardize a franchise player.

 

[DAVIDE1333]

I don’t think there is any shot Martin is the pick after finding out who his agent is. The org may have said that they didn’t like Buium’s size but it’s hard to not think there weren’t other reasons

This will be the Overhardt client the Flyers draft.

 

[FromOyVey2Matvei]

Kurt Overhardt is about to get the most sincere apology known to man. Tears aplenty. The Flyers can’t jeopardize a franchise player.

He’s the Scottiest Laughton that ever did Laught. We simply must draft him and christen him Hot Rod Jr.

 

[FromOyVey2Matvei]

But Ryabkin was on star track from age 13-17... now? He is a question mark.

I think this is precisely the type of player a team with 7 picks in the top 48 should be taking. Particularly when we’ve got a russian star on the roster already.

 

[FromOyVey2Matvei]

Thanks for your reply. I can't fully agree because another Luchanko would still be a valuable trade piece (not that the Flyers would trade but let's stay hypothetical). If there is one hockey franchise that really shouldn't overlook a glaring injury risk, it is Philadelphia.

A valueable trade piece? Sure I guess. Teams seem to prefer a draft pick (which they can use on a player of their choosing) to a high floor/ lower ceiling prospect though. I’d honestly even consider a risky trade for a 2026 1st before I’d take a player with low upside.

I know we’re “cursed” with injury luck, but if we start to believe that crap, what’s the point? We’re never going to win if we’re cursed.

To me, the draft is about star hunting. And there’s 4 things that help with that:
1) Draft as high as possible
2) Find Inefficiencies
3) Get Lucky
4) Throw as many darts as possible

We already failed at 1, we rarely have 3 in our favor. 4 is good this year for us, and that leaves us with 2.

We’re very inconsistent at exploiting inefficiencies. The Russian Factor with Michkov was an inefficiency we did a good job exploiting. The undersized factor with Barkey is something we did a good job exploiting.

McQueen’s perceived injury risk could be another inefficiency we could take advantage of. There’s other reasons not to draft him, age for example (he’s one of the older players in 1st round consideration), but if we identify a player (any player) with 1st line upside, there’s really not a single red flag that would make me take a lower ceiling, higher floor player over him right now. This team is going nowhere if we don’t get some truly elite talent in here.

 

[BernieParent]

A valueable trade piece? Sure I guess. Teams seem to prefer a draft pick (which they can use on a player of their choosing) to a high floor/ lower ceiling prospect though. I’d honestly even consider a risky trade for a 2026 1st before I’d take a player with low upside.

I know we’re “cursed” with injury luck, but if we start to believe that crap, what’s the point? We’re never going to win if we’re cursed.

To me, the draft is about star hunting. And there’s 4 things that help with that:
1) Draft as high as possible
2) Find Inefficiencies
3) Get Lucky
4) Throw as many darts as possible

We already failed at 1, we rarely have 3 in our favor. 4 is good this year for us, and that leaves us with 2.

We’re very inconsistent at exploiting inefficiencies. The Russian Factor with Michkov was an inefficiency we did a good job exploiting. The undersized factor with Barkey is something we did a good job exploiting.

McQueen’s perceived injury risk could be another inefficiency we could take advantage of. There’s other reasons not to draft him, age for example (he’s one of the older players in 1st round consideration), but if we identify a player (any player) with 1st line upside, there’s really not a single red flag that would make me take a lower ceiling, higher floor player over him right now. This team is going nowhere if we don’t get some truly elite talent in here.

Thanks for your reply, Oy. I agree that the Flyers need to be ready to take risks to obtain first-time/pairing prospects and I like your framing of exploiting inefficiencies, but McQueen's back history is one heck of a significant inefficiency for a franchise whose third alternate jersey should be a non-contact.

In my illogical musing, I would consider trading Konecny to a prospect-laden team like Buffalo for their 1st and take the swing on McQueen while still having a Frondell/Desnoyers/Martone with their own pick.

 

[CerpinTaxt]

Thanks for your reply, Oy. I agree that the Flyers need to be ready to take risks to obtain first-time/pairing prospects and I like your framing of exploiting inefficiencies, but McQueen's back history is one heck of a significant inefficiency for a franchise whose third alternate jersey should be a non-contact.

In my illogical musing, I would consider trading Konecny to a prospect-laden team like Buffalo for their 1st and take the swing on McQueen while still having a Frondell/Desnoyers/Martone with their own pick.

Think the Flyers missed the boat on trading Konecny, but better late then never I suppose

 

[Appleyard]

with the USHL/CHL->NCAA pipeline now available and foreigners playing in the Mens pro leagues and with the overall skill of the league increasing I think it would be very good for the sport if the NHL draft targeted 20 year olds instead of 17 and 18 year olds. Should be 20 years old on or before Sept15th and be eligible to draft up to age 22 to promote our College scene and also promote foreign leagues a little bit. Basketball and Football expect players to go to college/Gleague to play why not hockey?

I would assume it's an CHL thing but the CHL is a league for 15-20 year olds anyway, and being 20 in the CHL is sort of a joke...

It is not available for all foreigners. It is complicated but a LOT of Finns cant play once they turn maybe 16-17 as already being paid a proper salary.

And then with Swedes there is basically a minute quota that usually triggers bonuses that mean young players really cant play properly in SHL and keep NCAA eligibility.

The compliance guys at the NCAA are genuinely "super-detectives" and will find everything out eventually. Some European agents are not fully understanding of this and think it is now a free for all. But Euro leagues were not included in the decision and nothing has really changed at all in regards to rules.

Some guys are going to get caught out in next few years. The big Swedish agencies all know the rules inside out and how to toe the line perfectly to maintain eligibility... go and look at their ice times and games played and you will be able to see what the rough cut-offs are! (but tbh I dont know precisely as think it varies slightly by team when bonuses come in etc)

BUT some agents in other countries are going to lose their clients once the kids realise that they are no longer NCAA eligible.

NCAA is on a big Euro recruitment drive these days though. You would not believe where some of the teams are visiting in the summers, and the age of the Euro guys in the top 3-4 leagues they are looking at already. (they are probably more tapped in in some cases to younger guys than NHL teams... I dont think many NHL scouts know which are the top 14 year olds in central Europe)

 

[pit]

So if the Oilers win the Cup, did we actually trade back a year into a worse draft AND pick later in the first?

This is now the timeline that seems inevitable.

 

[WolfOfBroadStreet14]

The Overhardt thing needs the hatchet buried.

Imagine Flyers win 2026 draft lottery and get to pick McKenna. Only to find out McKenna hired Overhardt a month before the draft lottery.

 

[ponder719]

2) Find Inefficiencies

This team finds inefficiencies all the time.

Then we hire them.

 

[flyersnorth]

In fairness to the Rockets, the monster is a reference to the legendary Ogopogo, the Loch Ness monster of
Okanagan lake near Kelowna.

Ogopogo - Wikipedia

How to Uncover the True Spirit of Ogopogo

It's like a Scottish team paying tribute to Nessie... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch_Ness_F.C.

That's also the lake where Tertyshny was killed.

 

[Larry44]

That's also the lake where Tertyshny was killed.

and I still hate that friggin' Titanic movie for that...

 

[BernieParent]

Think the Flyers missed the boat on trading Konecny, but better late then never I suppose

Likely yes but his new deal kicks in for next season. Like I said, illogical.

 

[FLYguy3911]

So if the Oilers win the Cup, did we actually trade back a year into a worse draft AND pick later in the first?

This is now the timeline that seems inevitable.

Uh oh. You done did it.

I've been saying all year that pick is going to be 32. Not because I think the Oilers are unstoppable, but because you tempt the hockey gods with a dumb ass trade like that. Whether it ends up being 26 or 32, it was a foolish move.

 

[Larry44]

Uh oh. You done did it.

I've been saying all year that pick is going to be 32. Not because I think the Oilers are unstoppable, but because you tempt the hockey gods with a dumb ass trade like that. Whether it ends up being 26 or 32, it was a foolish move.

Especially since it was done without a sweetener.