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Official 2025 NHL DRAFT Thread

Appleyard said:
Really tough one to gauge. Talent wise he is a top 6-7 pick... but from what I have heard he is very immature and teams worry about that and its impact on development. If I were a team picking ~10-14th or so I would really consider him. There is a non-zero chance you end up with one of the best 5 players in the draft with some luck...

From 2020-2024 he was on true star track without wavering. Like 100%, guaranteed star track.

Then this season? He looks a worse player than last year somehow. Part of me thinks that maybe putting on probably the 20lbs or so he did actually hurt his game. He looks slower. But tbh he also simply might not be in the best shape from what I have heard...

He was listed at 170lbs 18 months ago and now listed at 201lbs... and not all of that is muscle that is for sure ahahaha.

Dynamo were also dysfunctional to an enormous degree this year with a young coach who looked out of his depth. Only Limatov on a team that on paper was stacked had a good season.

But he has a very good shot, a high IQ, is physical to the point of being a Brad Marchand rat with muscle to back it up, can pass a puck, hand good hands... and when he wants to is very good defensively.

And in the North American junior league that is hardest to produce in? He produced at a level that usually gets a player taken 15-25th... and was then maybe their best player in the play-offs...

and despite him not being the best transition player? His xGF was unreal. Best on Muskegon. Best in the entire USHL... Over 63% xGF...

But you can watch 2 games of his and come away thinking he is a top 5 pick... or undraftable aha (not really undraftable but some NHL scouts will think so) he is so inconsistent with effort, and sometimes has no interest playing in a team structure.


You know what is funny? If he falls to #22... he might be a Flyer. I dunno, I have heard a few times they have been at a lot of his games in Muskegon. (albeit with Ryabkin, Radivojevic and Nestrasil a lot of teams have been watching them.)
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If he is there at say 12-17 range is he worth trading up for? This seems to be a possible swing for the fences guy (maybe moreso than McQueen since I feel like an injury is harder to overcome than a bad attitude). I cannot imagine the Flyers are making all their picks in the first two rounds so I am assuming they will be trading up at least once, if not more.
 
DrinkFightFlyers said:
If he is there at say 12-17 range is he worth trading up for? This seems to be a possible swing for the fences guy (maybe moreso than McQueen since I feel like an injury is harder to overcome than a bad attitude). I cannot imagine the Flyers are making all their picks in the first two rounds so I am assuming they will be trading up at least once, if not more.
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I think logically the best value is to just wait and see who of Ryabkin, Potter, Kindel and Reschny fall to #22... all have profiles that says there is a chance of getting a 1st line level player. Maybe even one then falls to 28... and if not then Zharovsky might be there who I also think has good upside.

BUT if he is there at say ~14-19 or so and they think he has the chance to be a 1C? Then in theory depending if closer to 14 or 19 it should "only" cost either the 49 or 68 pick to get there. I would not complain about such a move.
 
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What’s Lakovic’s deal? I found out who his relative is, saw his size and figured he’s rough player…then I saw 4 PIM in 47 games. Does the guy just avoid contact or is he a future Lady Byng winner?
 
Appleyard said:
I think logically the best value is to just wait and see who of Ryabkin, Potter, Kindel and Reschny fall to #22... all have profiles that says there is a chance of getting a 1st line level player. Maybe even one then falls to 28... and if not then Zharovsky might be there who I also think has good upside.

BUT if he is there at say ~14-19 or so and they think he has the chance to be a 1C? Then in theory depending if closer to 14 or 19 it should "only" cost either the 49 or 68 pick to get there. I would not complain about such a move.
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Good deal. Hopefully they don't f*** it up.
 
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Appleyard said:
Really tough one to gauge. Talent wise he is a top 6-7 pick... but from what I have heard he is very immature and teams worry about that and its impact on development. If I were a team picking ~10-14th or so I would really consider him. There is a non-zero chance you end up with one of the best 5 players in the draft with some luck...
Click to expand...
Appleyard said:
But you can watch 2 games of his and come away thinking he is a top 5 pick... or undraftable aha (not really undraftable but some NHL scouts will think so) he is so inconsistent with effort, and sometimes has no interest playing in a team structure.
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I feel this way about Carbonneau too. Wouldn't surprise me if both boom, wouldn't surprise me if both bust.


Appleyard said:
Then this season? He looks a worse player than last year somehow. Part of me thinks that maybe putting on probably the 20lbs or so he did actually hurt his game. He looks slower. But tbh he also simply might not be in the best shape from what I have heard...

He was listed at 170lbs 18 months ago and now listed at 201lbs... and not all of that is muscle that is for sure ahahaha.
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Yup, definitely think it effects his already low pace. The question is if he put that weight on for hockey or he just likes to eat :laugh:.


Appleyard said:
But he has a very good shot, a high IQ, is physical to the point of being a Brad Marchand rat with muscle to back it up, can pass a puck, hand good hands... and when he wants to is very good defensively.
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This has been pretty hard to judge for me because idk if the dumb decisions he makes are from laziness or not? There were some decisions he'd make that bothered me even from last years tape, but I'm not sure how much of it I should let go because of the flashes? I feel a similar way about Hagens at times although for different reasons.
 
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BiggE said:
Odds are they’ll f*** it up. It’s just their nature.
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I'm just hoping it is not a spectacular f***up where the whole board melts down. I just am hoping that everyone is kind of like, "well ok" when they make their picks. Other than moving up to grab someone higher than 6th I don't see anyone getting overly excited by any moves to be made in this draft so really let's just hope it is not something horrific.
 
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DrinkFightFlyers said:
I'm just hoping it is not a spectacular f***up where the whole board melts down. I just am hoping that everyone is kind of like, "well ok" when they make their picks. Other than moving up to grab someone higher than 6th I don't see anyone getting overly excited by any moves to be made in this draft so really let's just hope it is not something horrific.
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The Eagles used to draft in a very similar fashion to the Flyers—prioritizing need over actual talent. Then, seemingly overnight, the Eagles got out of their own way and just started taking the best player available. Suddenly, they became one of the better drafting teams in the league.

The Flyers? They just need to do the same—get out of their own way.
Do I think they’ll finally do that? Absolutely not.
Do I give them a fighting chance to avoid failing spectacularly? Nope.

I guess one can dream… though lately, those dreams feel more like nightmares.
Anyway...
 
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