Post your 2025 draft list

[Pavel Buchnevich]

You can’t find a scout or independent contracted evaluator, who’s not gushing over Schaefer. Way more than they were Dahlin for example.

This just isn't remotely true. As someone who has been here since 2005, you should know this.

 

[Fantast100]

1. James Hagens (F) - Boston College, USA
2. Ivan Ryabkin (F) - MHK Dynamo Moskva, Russia
3. William Moore (F) - USNTDP Juniors, USA
4. Porter Martone (F) - Mississauga Steelheads, Canada
5. Logan Hensler (D) - USNTDP Juniors, USA
6. Matthew Schaefer (D) - Erie Otters, Canada
7. Malcolm Spence (F) - Erie Otters, Canada
8. Michael Misa (F) - Saginaw Spirit, Canada
9. Jakob Ihs-Wozniak (F) - Luleå HF J20, Sweden
10. Sascha Boumedienne (D) - Youngstown Phantoms, Sweden
11. Jake O'Brien (F) - Brantford Bulldogs, Canada
12. Luka Radivojevic (D) - Örebro HK, Slovakia
13. Alex Huang (D) - Chicoutimi Saguenéens, Canada
14. Jordan Gavin (F) - Tri-City Americans, Canada
15. David Lewandowski (F) - Düsseldorfer EG, Germany
16. Victor Eklund (F) - Djurgårdens IF, Sweden
17. Benjamin Kindel (F) - Calgary Hitmen, Canada
18. Jan Skok (D) - HC Plzeň, Czechia
19. Milton Gästrin (F) - MoDo Hockey J20, Sweden
20. Carlos Händel (D) - Malmö Redhawks J18, Germany
21. Jasu Mensonen (F) - Lukko U20, Finland
22. Kurban Limatov (D) - MHK Dynamo Moskva, Russia
23. Semyon Frolov (G) - Ladia Togliatti, Russia
24. Patryk Zubek (D) - Barani Banska Bystrica U20, Slovakia
25. Max Bleicher (D) - EV Füssen, Germany
26. Tanner Lam (F) - Kitchener Rangers, Canada
27. Brady Martin (F) - Soo Greyhounds, Canada
28. Donato Bracco (D) - USNTDP Juniors, USA

 

[macbowes]

You can’t find a scout or independent contracted evaluator, who’s not gushing over Schaefer. Way more than they were Dahlin for example.

I disagree significantly, I don't think any scout would put Schaefer above Dahlin as a prospect, and essentially 0 scouts would consider him a generational prospect, or even an above average 1OA prospect. He's clearly the best dman in this draft, but this draft is below average. If you were to combine the 2023-2027 drafts, he might not even go in the top 5, whereas DuPont would. Schaefer simply doesn't have the offense to be in the highest tier of prospect. For what it's worth, I think Schaefer is probably the best player in this draft, but I don't think it's a slam dunk. What you describe is a player who is a unaninmous 1OA prospect. That's not Schaefer.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I've watched Schaefer plenty. I find the rhetoric way overboard based off two months against competition that largely is future good beer leaguers

So your draft strategy is to only draft players who are playing in pro leagues currently?
I guess that makes Eklund your #1 almost by default since all the other top ranked Euros are playing in junior leagues and nobody in NA is playing professional hockey.
Eklund's pretty good, not #1OA good though.

 

[Goodman68]

1. James Hagens (F) - Boston College, USA
2. Ivan Ryabkin (F) - MHK Dynamo Moskva, Russia
3. William Moore (F) - USNTDP Juniors, USA
.
18. Jan Skok (D) - HC Plzeň, Czechia
19. Milton Gästrin (F) - MoDo Hockey J20, Sweden
20. Carlos Händel (D) - Malmö Redhawks J18, Germany
21. Jasu Mensonen (F) - Lukko U20, Finland
22. Kurban Limatov (D) - MHK Dynamo Moskva, Russia
23. Semyon Frolov (G) - Ladia Togliatti, Russia
24. Patryk Zubek (D) - Barani Banska Bystrica U20, Slovakia
25. Max Bleicher (D) - EV Füssen, Germany
26. Tanner Lam (F) - Kitchener Rangers, Canada
27. Brady Martin (F) - Soo Greyhounds, Canada
28. Donato Bracco (D) - USNTDP Juniors, USA

Lol

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

So your draft strategy is to only draft players who are playing in pro leagues currently?
I guess that makes Eklund your #1 almost by default since all the other top ranked Euros are playing in junior leagues and nobody in NA is playing professional hockey.
Eklund's pretty good, not #1OA good though.

Nice strawman

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Nice strawman

Fact: The only draft elegibles not playing against future beer leaguers are guys playing against current professionals.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Fact: The only draft elegibles not playing against future beer leaguers are guys playing against current professionals.

Okay, so let's see Schaefer show this play against more future professionals. Hagens, Martone, and Misa have all proven themselves more than Schaefer has to the point where you feel a lot more comfortable that this is sustainable for them. Schaefer has had a great two months, but the scale of how to assess that is something worth debating. I don't know how a player goes from probably not a top 5 player in a draft before the season started to being called generational based off two months of elite play against junior hockey players. Typically, it takes more proving and convincing. And are we sure he's even been the best in the OHL of the draft eligibles? I don't think everyone even agrees with that. Misa and Martone have both been great, and aren't putting up their first two months of being great either.

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

1. James Hagens (F) - Boston College, USA
2. Ivan Ryabkin (F) - MHK Dynamo Moskva, Russia
3. William Moore (F) - USNTDP Juniors, USA
4. Porter Martone (F) - Mississauga Steelheads, Canada
5. Logan Hensler (D) - USNTDP Juniors, USA
6. Matthew Schaefer (D) - Erie Otters, Canada
7. Malcolm Spence (F) - Erie Otters, Canada
8. Michael Misa (F) - Saginaw Spirit, Canada
9. Jakob Ihs-Wozniak (F) - Luleå HF J20, Sweden
10. Sascha Boumedienne (D) - Youngstown Phantoms, Sweden
11. Jake O'Brien (F) - Brantford Bulldogs, Canada
12. Luka Radivojevic (D) - Örebro HK, Slovakia
13. Alex Huang (D) - Chicoutimi Saguenéens, Canada
14. Jordan Gavin (F) - Tri-City Americans, Canada
15. David Lewandowski (F) - Düsseldorfer EG, Germany
16. Victor Eklund (F) - Djurgårdens IF, Sweden
17. Benjamin Kindel (F) - Calgary Hitmen, Canada
18. Jan Skok (D) - HC Plzeň, Czechia
19. Milton Gästrin (F) - MoDo Hockey J20, Sweden
20. Carlos Händel (D) - Malmö Redhawks J18, Germany
21. Jasu Mensonen (F) - Lukko U20, Finland
22. Kurban Limatov (D) - MHK Dynamo Moskva, Russia
23. Semyon Frolov (G) - Ladia Togliatti, Russia
24. Patryk Zubek (D) - Barani Banska Bystrica U20, Slovakia
25. Max Bleicher (D) - EV Füssen, Germany
26. Tanner Lam (F) - Kitchener Rangers, Canada
27. Brady Martin (F) - Soo Greyhounds, Canada
28. Donato Bracco (D) - USNTDP Juniors, USA

certainly a list of names

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

You can’t find a scout or independent contracted evaluator, who’s not gushing over Schaefer. Way more than they were Dahlin for example.

Even as someone who has Schaefer at #1 currently, I wonder if a lot of the hype is due to relative newness (Dahlin was long considered a #1 lock heading into his draft year, Schaefer less so) and the tremendous upswing in Schaefer's development in an otherwise uneven draft class.

1. James Hagens (F) - Boston College, USA
2. Ivan Ryabkin (F) - MHK Dynamo Moskva, Russia
3. William Moore (F) - USNTDP Juniors, USA
4. Porter Martone (F) - Mississauga Steelheads, Canada
5. Logan Hensler (D) - USNTDP Juniors, USA
6. Matthew Schaefer (D) - Erie Otters, Canada
7. Malcolm Spence (F) - Erie Otters, Canada
8. Michael Misa (F) - Saginaw Spirit, Canada
9. Jakob Ihs-Wozniak (F) - Luleå HF J20, Sweden
10. Sascha Boumedienne (D) - Youngstown Phantoms, Sweden
11. Jake O'Brien (F) - Brantford Bulldogs, Canada
12. Luka Radivojevic (D) - Örebro HK, Slovakia
13. Alex Huang (D) - Chicoutimi Saguenéens, Canada
14. Jordan Gavin (F) - Tri-City Americans, Canada
15. David Lewandowski (F) - Düsseldorfer EG, Germany
16. Victor Eklund (F) - Djurgårdens IF, Sweden
17. Benjamin Kindel (F) - Calgary Hitmen, Canada
18. Jan Skok (D) - HC Plzeň, Czechia
19. Milton Gästrin (F) - MoDo Hockey J20, Sweden
20. Carlos Händel (D) - Malmö Redhawks J18, Germany
21. Jasu Mensonen (F) - Lukko U20, Finland
22. Kurban Limatov (D) - MHK Dynamo Moskva, Russia
23. Semyon Frolov (G) - Ladia Togliatti, Russia
24. Patryk Zubek (D) - Barani Banska Bystrica U20, Slovakia
25. Max Bleicher (D) - EV Füssen, Germany
26. Tanner Lam (F) - Kitchener Rangers, Canada
27. Brady Martin (F) - Soo Greyhounds, Canada
28. Donato Bracco (D) - USNTDP Juniors, USA

This reads like a list created before the season began.

 

[Petes2424]

Even as someone who has Schaefer at #1 currently, I wonder if a lot of the hype is due to relative newness (Dahlin was long considered a #1 lock heading into his draft year, Schaefer less so) and the tremendous upswing in Schaefer's development in an otherwise uneven draft class.



This reads like a list created before the season began.

It’s a fair concern from outsiders and fans, but then you watch him play, and learn about his history, etc. No 16 year old kid should have to go through what he did. Cancer and suicide are hard enough for grown adults to deal with.

This crazy narrative some are inventing, that he “came out of nowhere” is laughable. Anyone pushing such, from any draft type service, is a fraud, and believe me, they’re out there… and too many fans take these guys seriously, because they know how to get “clicks”, and market information they’ve rebranded from legit sources, etc. Then offer their own opinions as if would matter to an NHL team. Several of whom, have never stood on the glass, watching these kids play and develop.

There’s a reason Schaefer was the #1 pick in the OHL Draft. Everyone knew exactly who Matthew Schaefer was, and how good he could be. They also know everything the kid’s been through.

There’s been one “video game Dman” since Nick Lidstrom, and Makar wasn’t taken as seriously as he should’ve been (pre-draft) because of his resume. The greatest asset separating NHL Dmen from other leagues, is how they “think” and “process the game.” There’s very few who will take that to an entirely different level. Most who do, do it offensively. Very rarely do we see a player, do it in every situation.

There’s now two others (like this) playing Junior hockey today. I fully expect Landon DuPont to be the 1st OVR selection in his NHL draft as well. What he’s doing is off the charts.

For those who say Schaefer came out of nowhere though, that’s simply just not the case. Scouts, evaluators and NHL teams, have had him ranked as the best Dman in this draft for some time.

The question was, would he put it all together on the National stage prior to the draft, after what he went through. That’s been the only real concern. What he’s actually doing on the ice right now, has been expected by the majority of those doing this for a living. Not only did he lose his mom, he lost his billet mom in a very tragic manner as well. These are very real things effecting a teenager.

As for Schaefer the player, it’s gonna be interesting how he’s used in this tournament. It’s super rare to see a 17 year old dman playing any type of significant role in this tournament. Looks like he’s entrenched in their top 4 though, and will play with Bonk.

As for this draft, I know I’m not seeing a generational C to take over Schaefer, but we’ll see how it plays out. Maybe teams will see Misa as that by June, or Hagens turns a corner here soon. Maybe Frondell goes to Worlds in the Spring and lights it up, coming back into the Top 5. He’s talented enough.

For me personally though, I’m old school. You don’t draft wingers at the top of any NHL draft unless they’re super special like a Patrick Kane was. You draft the best overall player on your board and those will inevitably be C’s and Dmen. If you end up with too many, then you make trades later. Drafting wingers usually ends up with a bus ticket out of town for a GM.

Once again, we’ll see. I’m a big fan of Martone being a Peterborough kid and all, but he’s not a Matthew Tkachuk. He’s much closer to a Mark Stone with better feet. Once again, we’ll see what happens though..

Btw.. Nobody should be surprised if whoever does draft Schaefer, finds every excuse to keep him out of the NHL next year, even though he needs no real standard development. That’s a lot of pressure for a kid who will have barely turned 18, and you don’t need guys taking runs at an 18 year old.

They’ll have him sent to Michigan/BU/BC for a year, under the new rules, and if that’s not an option, then he’s likely gonna have to play sheltered NHL minutes with a couple of stretches in the AHL for conditioning, Worlds in December, AHL playoffs, etc. A return to the CHL is pointless.

The trade offers for Schaefer are gonna be stupid. I think that’s the biggest storyline if Detroit or Buffalo land 1st Overall. At what point would they say “yes” to moving that pick?