Official 2025 NHL DRAFT Thread

[Magua]

Nah, I'll watch it though. He felt more like an above averageish playmaker to me. Everything felt fairly straight forward. I don't think he's bad or anything, I think I have him at 14 or 15? Just didn't see anything outside skill and skating that popped much.

Who are the 13 or 14 people who have more skill and skating in this class? Saying someone has skill and skating vaults them into the top 8, bro.

“Above average” and “good” feels like splitting hairs. He makes positive plays. No one needs to be an elite passer to be a top 6 player. It’s functionally good, with enough nice spots for me. I’m not seeing bad shot selection either, which is the other part of the equation. He just has the separation ability to get shots. That’s…..also good? It feels like style quibbling, more than discussing effectiveness.

Creating the windows is no less important than passing through them. Checking is insanely tight in the NHL; it’s not juniors where you can stand still, guys sag off, and then magic cross-ice dish. Separation ability can smooth the edges of someone’s game. Lack of separation can do the opposite (you know who I’m talking about). Potter has really nice escapability, and the passing is “above average.” Seems like a positive.

 

[Cody Webster]

Flyers are using their third 1st rounder on this guy aren't they?

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Flyers are using their third 1st rounder on this guy aren't they?

Doubt he’s there at 22 but who knows, I think things could really open up after pick 15-20 and go any which way

 

[BigToe]

Who are the 13 or 14 people who have more skill and skating in this class? Saying someone has skill and skating vaults them into the top 8, bro.

“Above average” and “good” feels like splitting hairs. He makes positive plays. No one needs to be an elite passer to be a top 6 player. It’s functionally good, with enough nice spots for me. I’m not seeing bad shot selection either, which is the other part of the equation. He just has the separation ability to get shots. That’s…..also good? It feels like style quibbling, more than discussing effectiveness.

Creating the windows is no less important than passing through them. Checking is insanely tight in the NHL; it’s not juniors where you can stand still, guys sag off, and then magic cross-ice dish. Separation ability can smooth the edges of someone’s game. Lack of separation can do the opposite. Potter has really nice escapability, and I don’t need guys like that to be elite passers. Above average is NOT a weakness.

Idk, Gusa. Oliver Moore didn't do as good as I thought he would and I think he was better prospect than Potter and they feel like similar types. Maybe I'm wrong .

 

[Magua]

Idk, Gusa. Oliver Moore didn't do as good as I thought he would and I think he was better prospect than Potter and they feel like similar types. Maybe I'm wrong .

I deleted an Oliver Moore reference in my post saying you liked him a ton. Okay, so we came to that name separately. That’s actually nice to know.

Don’t overcorrect because one similar guy didn’t perform how you wanted post-draft. Also, it’s not like Moore is toast. Potter you actually have D-year NCAA tape where he looks good. I also think Potter is more decisive than Moore (that was his knock), and looks cleaner down the middle, so maybe he ends up what we thought Moore could be? In this light, having a little more aggressive shooting instincts isn’t a negative either.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Flyers are using their third 1st rounder on this guy aren't they?

Won't have the chance unless they take him in the top 10.

 

[IronMarshal]

I wouldn’t take Martin at #6, but I think he is being trashed here as a non prospect. I like the Ryan Hartman comp. Hartman is a good player, not everybody’s idea of a player they want, but he is a hardworking, relentless, hard to play against guy with some scoring. He plays on a top line but is probably better suited down the lineup. When he plays with elite or at least very good offensive players, he is pretty good.
Martin scored over 30 goals, a 0.5 gpg. That is very good in a draft year. His physical play is high end. He could be a real pain to play against and may well be able to be a second line center, at least a third liner. I don’t think his skating is as bad as reported in this thread, and the on line scouts haven’t been critical of it.
Again not at 6 but maybe in the 11-15 range.

 

[Appleyard]

Won't have the chance unless they take him in the top 10.

If Aitcheson actually fell to 28-32 as well it would not be a bad pick really... he is nothing special but he does have a realistic pathway to being a 2nd pairing Dman I think.

But yeh, doubt he makes it past 15. Would not shock me if he was the 3rd Dman off the board.

 

[BiggE]

The more I look at this draft, the more I’m starting to think that the Flyers offer all 3 of their firsts to the Isles and Sharks for 1OA or 2OA and see if either bites.

I doubt the Isles do, but maybe Grier goes for it. Misa, while not a guaranteed top 1C, is, at worst, probably a low end 1C and that’s more than you can say about any other forward in this draft.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Flyers are using their third 1st rounder on this guy aren't they?

Honestly depending on who else is there, why not? I know people like to get on the Flyers for their old school attitude but at the end of the day there is value in having a guy like this. Just because a guy can hit doesn't mean he can't do anything else. He led his first place team in points this year as a defenseman. I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on this guy because outside of a few YT clips, but on paper I think he'd be a fine pick in that range. I wouldn't take him at 6 would prefer not to make a big trade up for him, but if he gets picked somewhere in the back half of the first by the Flyers I won't have an issue. I am convinced they are going to trade their two later firsts to move up into the top 15 to grab someone then probably trade some seconds to move back into the first. No way they make all those picks in rounds 1-2.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Who are some overage guys to look out for in this year's draft? Anyone of note in the later rounds?

Had a draftable profile last year.

 

[CerpinTaxt]

Honestly depending on who else is there, why not? I know people like to get on the Flyers for their old school attitude but at the end of the day there is value in having a guy like this. Just because a guy can hit doesn't mean he can't do anything else. He led his first place team in points this year as a defenseman. I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on this guy because outside of a few YT clips, but on paper I think he'd be a fine pick in that range. I wouldn't take him at 6 would prefer not to make a big trade up for him, but if he gets picked somewhere in the back half of the first by the Flyers I won't have an issue. I am convinced they are going to trade their two later firsts to move up into the top 15 to grab someone then probably trade some seconds to move back into the first. No way they make all those picks in rounds 1-2.

I haven't seen highlights of him either but I am tired of players being known for hits cause it's mostly hits along the wall after the puck has been passed or a hit along the wall that pins the puck there.

I miss the big hits that separated players from the puck or just big hits that set the tone for the game, like Richards on Krejci or Giroux on Crosby. Everyone fellates Fisto or Hagg before him and they arent good hitters. I'd rather focus on the skill first and if they are good at hitting that's just a plus.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

I haven't seen highlights of him either but I am tired of players being known for hits cause it's mostly hits along the wall after the puck has been passed or a hit along the wall that pins the puck there.

I miss the big hits that separated players from the puck or just big hits that set the tone for the game, like Richards on Krejci or Giroux on Crosby. Everyone fellates Fisto or Hagg before him and they arent good hitters. I'd rather focus on the skill first and if they are good at hitting that's just a plus.

Oh yeah for sure. From everything that I am reading about him and the clips I have seen, he is more than JUST hitting. Doesn't sound like he's a blue chip guy but a middle pair guy with grit and (at least at the junior level) a scoring touch.

With all these picks they have though, and I know I keep saying this, I think there is very little chance they make all three first round picks and four second rounders. My guess is they trade up and take Mrtka or McQueen if they are there outside the top 10 and then trade up again and grab someone in the late 20s. They have seven picks in the first two rounds and my guess is they make 4 (3 in the first and one in the second).

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

He throws the body around alot, there isn't much else there

Great we have our next Hathaway...

 

[BigToe]

 

[FLYguy3911]

Might be a wagoooon next year if they get Lindstrom like it’s been rumored.

 

[StoneColdAnimal]

Here is a question. Would you trade 6 to MTL for 16 and 17? I’ve said before I like some of the players that seem to be in that mid-to-late teen area than O’Brien and Martin for example If I could know I’m getting a Potter or Bear/Cootes, I think I’d rather than. In some ways this draft sucks. However, for teams that actually know how to draft, I think they are going to clean up. This draft has talent, it’s just not so obvious.

 

[Flyerfan4life]

Here is a question. Would you trade 6 to MTL for 16 and 17? I’ve said before I like some of the players that seem to be in that mid-to-late teen area than O’Brien and Martin for example If I could know I’m getting a Potter or Bear/Cootes, I think I’d rather than. In some ways this draft sucks. However, for teams that actually know how to draft, I think they are going to clean up. This draft has talent, it’s just not so obvious.

i fully suspect this is what DB will do...

some kind of shit tradeback...

 

[Adtar02]

H

Much watch video on O'Brien who is quickly becoming one of my preferred choices at 6.

The discourse on him within this thread on him surprised me. We all complain how we never take the purely skilled guy and always go for the two way lopsided type. O'Brien is one of the most purely skilled players in the draft, one of the best playmakers in the past couple drafts - high upside player.

I know a lot of his production came on the power play but it's still production. He's nowhere near a perfect prospect but he has high potential

He Reminds me of giroux. I like him. A lot.

 

[Adtar02]

I do think it is funny how Bear has basically been forgotten about.

Fantastic EV scoring, very good defensively, good PKer, gritty, nasty player to play against, power-forward type game.

As things stand he is basically more skilled, higher IQ, better skating Brady Martin. (since they are both "Cs" who likely play wing at a higher level)

He is another I really like. Him and Obrien are the two I am most curious about. I really like their skill. And bear seems smart. I think high iq is something they should target

 

[TheKingPin]

Here is a question. Would you trade 6 to MTL for 16 and 17? I’ve said before I like some of the players that seem to be in that mid-to-late teen area than O’Brien and Martin for example If I could know I’m getting a Potter or Bear/Cootes, I think I’d rather than. In some ways this draft sucks. However, for teams that actually know how to draft, I think they are going to clean up. This draft has talent, it’s just not so obvious.

I think I’d rather trade Colorado's to get into the teens. Mtl could be a good target.

 

[Nabrules]

I know we all dislike Grant McCagg, with his homerism but he does have quite a few NHL connections. He apparently Polled 10 NHL scouts to come up with the following best of:

Best Skater - Schaefer
Best shot - Miss
Best Playmaker - O'Brien (Hagens 5th)
Best Stick Handler - O'Brien (Hagens 2nd)
Best Sense - Frondell
Best Defensive forward - Frondell surprised me

Both the Frondell ones

 

[Gregor Samsa]

The more I think about it I think Martin would be worth the pick at 6 just to see the unironic ThIs TyPe oF pOsTiNg here lol

 

[BillDineen]

I know we all dislike Grant McCagg, with his homerism but he does have quite a few NHL connections. He apparently Polled 10 NHL scouts to come up with the following best of:

Best Skater - Schaefer
Best shot - Miss
Best Playmaker - O'Brien (Hagens 5th)
Best Stick Handler - O'Brien (Hagens 2nd)
Best Sense - Frondell
Best Defensive forward - Frondell surprised me

Both the Frondell ones

He had Strome over McDavid and Michkov as 3rw on the habs. Mind as well get deadhead's opinion

 

[Nabrules]

He had Strome over McDavid and Michkov as 3rw on the habs. Mind as well get deadhead's opinion

He keeps saying strome over McDavid was a photoshop, who knows. Regardless this isn't his opinions, it's NHL scouts opinions