Official 2025 NHL DRAFT Thread

[LegionOfDoom91]

Did the CHL lower the age restrictions on the import players? That would be one way to open up more possibilities allowing teams to draft them at 15-16 years old like the North American players.

I’d imagine they eat some into the USHL’s talent pool for non-drafted players. At least the OHL & the WHL to a lesser degree.

The rise of the USHL already had the Jr. B leagues in Canada & the lesser American leagues on life support. This development will probably effectively kill them off for good.

 

[Flyerfan4life]

Thank you, great perspective. We need to take BPA, even if it is a RW. The Flyers are building a team for the 2030-31 season, not 2025-26.

DB enters chat...

 

[Magua]

I don’t remember any whispers about Briere liking Michkov, Bonk, or Luchanko when they were drafted. Were there any rumors?

Well, everyone and their mother knew Michkov was a dream pick. But the thing about the Flyers is they’re tight lipped and an open book at the same time. Hilariously easy to predict how Flahr and Briere think. Hextall wasn’t much different. You don’t need rumors.

 

[FLYguy3911]

I don’t know if Bonk was talked about publicly (we talked about the possibility a lot on here) but that was the least surprising pick in the 20s.

 

[WolfOfBroadStreet14]

That would be nice. Someone is going to think they can fix Tippett. He’s one of the guys I’m most interested in seeing under a new coach next year.

Young centers aren’t often on the table so we would need to capitalize on a Rossi situation or gamble on a C prospect

I think someone previously mentioned but I think we could really see something around Cates + Brink for Rossi

 

[Larry44]

DB enters chat...

We can only hope Briere has the right perspective and plan. Right now it looks like they are pulling every idea ad hoc out of their asses instead of having a plan to rebuild the club into a contender. This is not a one or two year fix and rise to contention. They need a 1C, 1D, 1G and Coach, along with all their other needs. It won't happen overnight, but IF they can draft a couple of those this year or next, they have chance to be a good team down the line. It's going to take the young goalies a few years, same for the other new prospects.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

The scariest thing is if ownership says we want playoff revenue soon and Briere makes rash moves to keep his job. If Briere fails let him fail with a vision towards the future and not in 2 years

 

[StoneColdAnimal]

It’s really hard for me to see Martone not being at least a 60 point complementary guy next to a plus transition player. Let him feast on the cycle + PP. That feels realistically slightly pessimistic. His small space skill is just too high, and it’ll translate. His physical pace needs to improve to talk high end outcomes — his skating seems fixable because the stride is fine — but that’s not his mental pace. He’s very good at manipulating pucks to extend windows too.

Meanwhile, it’s hard for me to see Desnoyers or Frondell’s ceilings being higher than that. Again, I like both players. There are far worse players they could take.

I feel like O’Brien is a popular name because he’s a 6’2 point producing center who feels like less of a known commodity. Which means imagined upside. But I don’t see that high upside. The more I watch the more his lack of urgency + lack of escapability bugs me. He almost has deceptively slow feet, the skill breaks down under tight checking, I see as much waiting/floating as anticipation. Some of his quality passes just don’t feel like NHL windows. His drastic PP/ES performance makes for positives and negatives. He honestly has the lowest floor of the popular names, but I don’t think his ceiling is any higher.

This was my read on O'Brien: I thought his hands are legit. That said, I have real concerns about the skating, pace, and how often he glides without his feet moving. It’s hard for me to see how he hits his ceiling without a big jump in that area. I’d root for him if we drafted him, but I’d temper expectations in terms of him becoming a difference-maker.

 

[StoneColdAnimal]

The scariest thing is if ownership says we want playoff revenue soon and Briere makes rash moves to keep his job. If Briere fails let him fail with a vision towards the future and not in 2 years

My expectations regarding the Flyers doing this right left the building 15 years ago. We may luck into a team that can compete for a championship, but we clearly don't understand how to properly build a winner at this level, and there is nothing regarding our process that leads me to believe we are on the right track. From talent evaluation, to development, to coaching, to free agent signings, it remains a mystery why we keep doing the same things, getting the same results, but somehow expect different. We've been "chasing" our tails for so long, it makes me fond of the Holmgren days, and that says something.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

My bold prediction is that Briere pays a heavy price to move up to #3 or #4 if Hagens or Misa are there and how that player turns out will define the legacy of Briere’s tenure

 

[Magua]

A top 10 trade down hasn't happened since 2008. The players in this class were born in 2006-2007.

 

[Appleyard]

Did the CHL lower the age restrictions on the import players? That would be one way to open up more possibilities allowing teams to draft them at 15-16 years old like the North American players.

I’d imagine they eat some into the USHL’s talent pool for non-drafted players. At least the OHL & the WHL to a lesser degree.

The rise of the USHL already had the Jr. B leagues in Canada & the lesser American leagues on life support. This development will probably effectively kill them off for good.

Not been lowered yet and dont think can be now this year. I know that some prominent rankings have 16 year olds in them but right now... but I believe that is in error.

only 2008-2006 can be drafted import wise this summer.

But tbh with way CHL import draft works and imports in CHL in general... probably only maybe 10 import 2009s would be drafted anyway. As have to play next year and they cant stash them for a year like USHL... and that does not seem likely to change soon. Heck, they are so restrictive with CHL imports that even with the expansion to 3 slots... you can only have 3x import players rights at the same time and if one leaves cant replace!

 

[TheKingPin]

Haha there’s no way Martone is there for us. Just take the BPA. They should be focusing on the later draft picks in the 1st and early 2nd right now.

 

[Sombastate]

Yeah this isn't really hard.

You take the best of Schafer, Misa, Hagens, Des, Frondell, Martone.

One is there. You make the call 1 second after you're on the clock. Nothing to really consider here

 

[Flyerfan4life]

Yeah this isn't really hard.

You take the best of Schafer, Misa, Hagens, Des, Frondell, Martone.

One is there. You make the call 1 second after you're on the clock. Nothing to really consider here

#buckle in, cuz thats totaly not whats gunna happen

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Yeah this isn't really hard.

You take the best of Schafer, Misa, Hagens, Des, Frondell, Martone.

One is there. You make the call 1 second after you're on the clock. Nothing to really consider here

I’d be shocked if Martone isn’t gone by 6 so there is a great chance BPA will be someone who possibly sticks at C

 

[FlyguyOX]

My reason for being more optimistic on O’Brien is he has a ton of room to grow physically ie not maxed out, super young for this draft, high end IQ, great bloodlines, great skill. Plus I like his handedness and fit on the opposite circle of Michkov.

His sneaky upside gives me the same vibes Wyatt Johnston did in his draft year.

 

[FlyguyOX]

I’d be shocked if Martone isn’t gone by 6 so there is a great chance BPA will be someone who possibly sticks at C

That’s my hope.

 

[FlyguyOX]

Man I wish pick224 was still around

 

[Gregor Samsa]

That’s my hope.

It feels like Martone has been forgotten about lately but he’s IMO one of the 3 true blue chip prospects this draft. His weakness can be worked on. If he’s there at 6 Flyers should take him and run

I think Nashville wants Hagens. They have craved that offensive juggernaut for their whole existence. If he’s there at 5, he’s the pick I think. My guess is Frondell is the pick if he isn’t. Or maybe Martone if he’s there. He’s got a high offensive ceiling

Utah is a totally wildcard. Could be Martone, Frondell, Hagens, Desnoyers, or even someone like O’Brien or Martin. Possibly McQueen

Chicago takes Martone or Frondell. Both make a lot of sense to pair with Bedard

I think Philly ends up with Desnoyers. My second guess is Frondell. I no longer think they would pick Martin but I think O’Brien could be an option if they are left with Frondell or Martone and don’t want either. I’d kill to know Briere’s opinion on Frondell

 

[Gregor Samsa]

If McQueen is cleared by doctors with a bill of health that isn’t disastrous, he will make things interesting

I don’t think the Flyers would draft him after Nolan Patrick but I would be receptive to him. His name is too good to not work out in the NHL. He would be that homerun swing and he would probably play center

 

[BillDineen]

I like the idea of McQueen as the pick. 1- He is fine and it exceeds 6OA 2- He busts and it makes them look incompetent

Either option could help this franchise go beyond being mediocre

 

[Magua]

The problem with McQueen isn’t his back. It’s that his floor and ceiling look inches apart. If there was reward to the risk, I wouldn’t hesitate.

 

[LegionOfGloom]

I don’t remember any whispers about Briere liking Michkov, Bonk, or Luchanko when they were drafted. Were there any rumors?

McKenzie or someone like him reported months ahead of the draft that the Flyers loved Luchanko. Silly me thought that was in reference to the Florida pick.

 

[BringBackHakstol]

Find whoever is closest to NHL ready. That's the pick