Official 2025 NHL DRAFT Thread

[Appleyard]

O'Brien makes most of his plays stationary or in a slow glide.


Projectability being Height. We could talk for days about how dumb that logic is in a sport played at foot level, but yes that's what the league values, especially when all of the playoff narratives are fresh.

He's not far off of Bedard and Celebrini size wise, but those guys had outrageous production so it didn't matter to teams.

He is bigger than Point, Bedard and Suzuki basically the same size as Crosby, Giroux, Hughes, Aho, Thomas... (combine heights are the most accurate tbh)

And that is just Cs... he is also better than 5/8 of those guys at the same age. Height didn't stop any of those guys becoming 1Cs...

4 of the 10 highest scoring Cs in the NHL this year were under 6'0...

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

Can't wait for them to be 100% transparent with their plan.

 

[FlyguyOX]

The below is based on a two full game shift-by-shift watch and highlights.

He just doesn't move his feet — especially with the puck. It’s not even about technique or strength; it’s his mentality. He plays at the opposite of NHL pace and doesn’t show any urgency or push when he has possession. That’s my biggest issue with him: I don’t see how he’ll create space at the NHL level if he continues playing this way.

There’s a reason the majority of his production came on the power play, where there’s naturally more room to operate. And while I’m not trying to be a slave to stats or comps, I genuinely struggle to recall many NHL forwards who succeed without consistently moving their feet. Add to that the fact that his skating is just okay, and it only adds to my doubts.

O'Brien in a vacuum might be fine. But passing up someone like Hagens or Martone to take him feels like the kind of decision that’s going to come back to haunt us.

Yeah, that description you gave is problematic.

The Frost comparisons keep glowing for me.

 

[FlyguyOX]

O'Brien makes most of his plays stationary or in a slow glide.


Projectability being Height. We could talk for days about how dumb that logic is in a sport played at foot level, but yes that's what the league values, especially when all of the playoff narratives are fresh.

He's not far off of Bedard and Celebrini size wise, but those guys had outrageous production so it didn't matter to teams.

Tbf Bedard may be a wing long term

 

[FLYguy3911]

Tbf Bedard may be a wing long term

So might O'Brien.

 

[freakydallas13]

This isn't just a Flyers thing - seems league wide Hagens and Martones stock is down.

Sometimes players drop in the finale months/weeks for dumb reasons. Michkov, Couts, Buium, it happens nearly every season.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

At this point:

Hagens/Martone
Frondell
Desnoyers

Anything less will be f***ing stupid.

 

[renberg]

Pronman's latest mock

Sharks
3
Anton Frondell

Commentary
The league believes Chicago is the floor for Misa. Presuming it goes chalk in the top two picks, then I believe Chicago's choice will be between Caleb Desnoyers and Anton Frondell, and I could see Jake O'Brien being their type as well. Frondell and Desnoyers are two-way centers with significant offense and would fit into the profile Chicago has targeted, with Frondell being a tad more dynamic offensively, which is why I lean toward him being the pick.

Blackhawks
4
Brady Martin

Commentary
The Martin hype train is in full swing right now, and a lot of people in the league think he's going somewhere from 3 through 7. Utah likes size, but it will also prioritize guys with high compete levels. It's why I think Martin, Frondell, Desnoyers and Porter Martone are all potential fits here.

Mammoth
5
Caleb Desnoyers

Commentary
I would be a little surprised if Nashville doesn't come out of this draft with a center. With a run on centers here, the Predators probably take whichever of the top group of pivots are left. Desnoyers, Frondell, Martin all fit their style of draftees. The league thinks this is a potential landing spot for Roger McQueen, too.

Predators
6
Jake O'Brien

Commentary
Like Nashville, I somewhat expect the Flyers to take a center, and the options start getting more limited here. James Hagens is possible here, although it would give them a rather small core. McQueen is possible too. O'Brien makes a lot of sense though and people in the league think this is a possible landing spot for him as well

pronmon top ten mock

1. schaeffer
2. misa
3. frondell
4. martin
5. desnoyers
6. Jake O'Brien
7. mcqueen
8. hagens
9. martone
10. mrtka

I'd question Pronmon's resume but what's the point. He's become the Mel Kiper for the NHL draft. He writes for the Times which really is a pop audience for hockey fan. If he really knew what he was doing he's have a job in a FO. Appleyard has more credibility than Pronman.
Regarding Hagens, I doubt that he'll make it to six but if he does and the Flyers pass on him, Briere's future as a GM will be fixed as a failure. Hagens was the guy going into the season. Misa and Schaefer were in the conversation but Hagens as seen as number one.
His critics call out his play this season at BC. Fine but there was something off with that club this year. They did not live up to expectations losing the Bean Pot Tourney and getting bounced in the NCAAs. Instead of focusing on his collegiate year; look at his international play. After a so so 22-23 U18 his play dramatically improved in 23-24. Then last season at the World Juniors he was outstanding again. Perhaps he held back his play this season at BC to help the team. Whatever but his play at the international level was top shelf. JOB or Martin being graded ahead of Hagens only shows the ignorance of the analyst..

 

[Larry44]

Can't wait for them to be 100% transparent with their plan.

Here's a link. Everyone is trying to trade up, they might trade back with later picks, or just take all of them.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Here's a link. Everyone is trying to trade up, they might trade back with later picks, or just take all of them.

Is that all that was said?

 

[Curufinwe]

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Who’s a good center prospect who could be had for 6th overall? Or are the Flyers f***ed and will just have to draft their own?

 

[Larry44]

Is that all that was said?

No, they actually sounded intelligent this time. Looking at options, BPA at 6, a range of guys there, other teams will help make the pick by who the leave. Asked about size and smaller players, said it's a factor but they think they can protect talent. Will entertain trades up and down, depending how the draft is going and who they like. The usual. Decried 'experts out there' who see a player twice on video vs. their scouts who've seen some of them 100's of times over the last couple years... So. Brady Martin it is, LOL!

 

[Curufinwe]

I tried to watch but the audio quality was bad. Very low.

 

[Tarpongg]

Here's a link. Everyone is trying to trade up, they might trade back with later picks, or just take all of them.

The fact that their press conf audio is consistently worse than any middle school AV program does not inspire confidence

 

[Larry44]

The fact that their press conf audio is consistently worse than any middle school AV program does not inspire confidence

Let's hope they put the money in the scouting mileage and airmiles!

 

[Nabrules]

Because not everyone agrees with your evaluations. It’s not personal.

I’ve spent most of my prep time on the NBA, so my opinions aren’t fleshed out. But from the little bit I’ve seen, JOB is a great example of the difference between a passer and a playmaker. Those two terms are often used interchangeably and guys like that are why I disagree with the practice. He’s without a doubt a wonderful passer. And yet I don’t really see dynamism. He doesn’t manufacture space for himself or others. He does do a wonderful job of utilizing what the defense has given him. To me, you see this most in transition where the play speed just isn’t there. Then I come here and read posts about the PP splits and it convinces me that what I’m seeing is real. Given time and space, he will get the job done.

There’s no right or wrong here. We’re all guessing. I haven’t really watched Hagens or many of the other top guys, but if JOB has the most reasonable upside in the class, it’s the worst in the modern history of the league. This is a guy defined by his lack of star outcomes to me. Very good prospect. I’d be stunned if I went through everyone and had him as a top 6 player in any class. If they traded down I could be quite happy with

Yup - everyone's perception is different and that's ok. But just don't complain we never take the pure skilled upside guys and only take middle 6 centres and say we shouldn't take O'Brien becuase he scores a lot on the PP lmao

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Yup - everyone's perception is different and that's ok. But just don't complain we never take the pure skilled upside guys and only take middle 6 centres and say we shouldn't take O'Brien becuase he scores a lot on the PP lmao

I am thoroughly confused.

I literally just said I don’t want him at 6 specifically because I don’t think he’s a pure skill upside guy. Now it’s not fair to have that complaint? I’m not saying it after he was taken. There is no hindsight required.

Multiple people explained the PP talking point in detail yet again today. Being this reductive serves no purpose.

 

[ponder719]

Who’s a good center prospect who could be had for 6th overall? Or are the Flyers f***ed and will just have to draft their own?

Hagens,

 

[Flyerfan4life]

The usual. Decried 'experts out there' who see a player twice on video vs. their scouts who've seen some of them 100's of times over the last couple years... So. Brady Martin it is, LOL!

#smellourownfarts

 

[Rebels57]

Hagens dropping is Barzal all over again. Over-scouted because the NHL is run by dopes, which is why there are only like 3-4 contenders every 5 year window and 80% of the league is stuck in perpetual mediocrity.

 

[ValeriKamensky]

Scared of possibility to keep all 7 picks in 1-2 rounds.
Look at their 2nd round selections 2014-2021
Aube-Kubel - 4th liner
Laberge - 0 NHL games
Hart - unpredictably off-ice problems; but tbh 90,6% is not what you wanted from “potential franchise goalie” (as he was described by scouts)
Allison - 75 NHL games
Ratcliffe - 10 NHL games
Ginning - 11 NHL games
Brink - middle 6 at best
Andrae - still not a regular NHLer
Tuomala - 0 NHL games so far

Also we know Flahr’s 2nd rd selections in Minnesota. One top6 (Zucker), one 3rd-liner (Greenway), one 4th-liner (Johan Larsson, played single game for Wild). That’s all.

So they just can’t draft outside of 1st. And tbh their 1sts are “meh” at best. But for unexplained reasons fans still wait the miracle

 

[sa cyred]

I love how every single year there is this big tall huge forward prospect all those amazing scouts love but in the end turns into nothing.

Literally every single year

 

[scumpup]

We are doomed we are going to pass on Hagens arent we.

 

[BillDineen]

Scared of possibility to keep all 7 picks in 1-2 rounds.
Look at their 2nd round selections 2014-2021
Aube-Kubel - 4th liner
Laberge - 0 NHL games
Hart - unpredictably off-ice problems; but tbh 90,6% is not what you wanted from “potential franchise goalie” (as he was described by scouts)
Allison - 75 NHL games
Ratcliffe - 10 NHL games
Ginning - 11 NHL games
Brink - middle 6 at best
Andrae - still not a regular NHLer
Tuomala - 0 NHL games so far

Also we know Flahr’s 2nd rd selections in Minnesota. One top6 (Zucker), one 3rd-liner (Greenway), one 4th-liner (Johan Larsson, played single game for Wild). That’s all.

So they just can’t draft outside of 1st. And tbh their 1sts are “meh” at best. But for unexplained reasons fans still wait the miracle

Greg, Hearty and Patterson have been here forever. Doesn't give much confidence