2025 NHL Entry Draft Thread

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Tuch, Tage, Peterka 

Dahlin 

UPL

McLeod 

Lots of players have gotten better in Buffalo

?

What is the point of this? 

Tuch and McLeod were already good before they got here. They've just been given more prominent roles on weaker rosters. The rest? Yay, not every pick busts woo-hoo. 

Again, if you believe we develop players well good for you. We disagree. 

[LGR4GM]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

?

What is the point of this? 

Tuch and McLeod were already good before they got here. They've just been given more prominent roles on weaker rosters. The rest? Yay, not every pick busts woo-hoo. 

Again, if you believe we develop players well good for you. We disagree. 

Ok then Reinhart and Eichel were already good before they left. The point is you said something that's objectively not true. The Sabres main issue isn't development. 

[Mr. Allen]

Bleacher Report just put out an updated mock draft.  I don’t know how to copy and paste it but some of the picks surprised me as they aren’t like other mocks I’ve seen. 
 

1. Sharks - Martone

2. Blackhawks - Schaefer

3. Sabres - Jackson Smith

4. Predators - Hagens

5. Kraken - Misa

6. Penguins - Frondell

7. Flyers - McQueen 

8. Ducks - Ecklund

9. Islanders - Mrkta

10. Bruins - Carbonneau

11. Wings - Schmidt 

12. Rangers - Hensler

13. Utah - Desnoyers. 
 

I don’t know much about Jackson Smith, but if we pass on an offensive talent like Hagens, Misa or McQueen for a defenseman not named Schaefer, I’ll be pissed.  

[Flashsabre]

23 minutes ago, Mr. Allen said:

Bleacher Report just put out an updated mock draft.  I don’t know how to copy and paste it but some of the picks surprised me as they aren’t like other mocks I’ve seen. 
 

1. Sharks - Martone

2. Blackhawks - Schaefer

3. Sabres - Jackson Smith

4. Predators - Hagens

5. Kraken - Misa

6. Penguins - Frondell

7. Flyers - McQueen 

8. Ducks - Ecklund

9. Islanders - Mrkta

10. Bruins - Carbonneau

11. Wings - Schmidt 

12. Rangers - Hensler

13. Utah - Desnoyers. 
 

I don’t know much about Jackson Smith, but if we pass on an offensive talent like Hagens, Misa or McQueen for a defenseman not named Schaefer, I’ll be pissed.  

This is an absolutely terrible mock draft.  Thanks for sharing it.

[PerreaultForever]

20 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Ok then Reinhart and Eichel were already good before they left. The point is you said something that's objectively not true. The Sabres main issue isn't development. 

"Main issue" are words you added to distort the point for your own argument. I never said that. 

What I said was the Sabres do not develop players well. This is a long standing issue and it's part of their problems. 

The "main issue" as I have said repeatedly all over this forum is bad management/ownership.  

[LGR4GM]

Not sure why this won't embed

 

Edited March 18 by LGR4GM

[Flashsabre]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/sportsnets-2025-nhl-draft-rankings-march-edition/
 

Seeing a trend in multiple rankings with Hagens and Martone falling and Desnoyers and Frondell rising. 

[LGR4GM]

9 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/sportsnets-2025-nhl-draft-rankings-march-edition/
 

Seeing a trend in multiple rankings with Hagens and Martone falling and Desnoyers and Frondell rising. 

Hagens has had issues getting inside at the ncaa level which is causing alarm in the scouting community. 

[Flashsabre]

52 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Hagens has had issues getting inside at the ncaa level which is causing alarm in the scouting community. 

And Martone’s game has apparently fallen a lot since February. Might be an injury he is playing through. Scouts are saying he will need A long playoff run with a strong performance to establish himself again.

[Crusader1969]

13 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

And Martone’s game has apparently fallen a lot since February. Might be an injury he is playing through. Scouts are saying he will need A long playoff run with a strong performance to establish himself again.

If the Sabres end up drafting 5th or 6th, it might be better if he doesn't establish himself in playoffs.    
 

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, Crusader1969 said:

If the Sabres end up drafting 5th or 6th, it might be better if he doesn't establish himself in playoffs.    
 

I think Desnoyers applies his physicality more steadily. He's consistent and detailed. 

Here's my big concern with Martone, pace. He has that Vanek habit of waiting for plays to come to him and waiting for moments. He doesn't always demand moments. Good strategists seize opportunities, great strategists make their own. I worry that he's more of a complimentary top 6 winger at the next level. Especially when his physical advantages no longer apply. I'm not saying I wouldn't draft him, just that I'd think long and hard. 

Edited March 19 by LGR4GM

[LGR4GM]

McQueen is the biggest ???

He's only got 3 games left, not sure what his team is in the standings. He's got 1g, 6a in the last 5 games. Or 1g, 5a in his last 3 if you really wanna know. He's 6'5" and uses his body well. The question is, how good is a guy who lost most of the season to a bulging disc in his lower back? Is he capable of growth still? What's his floor?

[Flashsabre]

32 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I think Desnoyers applies his physicality more steadily. He's consistent and detailed. 

Here's my big concern with Martone, pace. He has that Vanek habit of waiting for plays to come to him and waiting for moments. He doesn't always demand moments. Good strategists seize opportunities, great strategists make their own. I worry that he's more of a complimentary top 6 winger at the next level. Especially when his physical advantages no longer apply. I'm not saying I wouldn't draft him, just that I'd think long and hard. 

Much like Mitts as well. Watching the Boston game I was reminded of what a slow pace Mitts plays the game at.

[LGR4GM]

13 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Much like Mitts as well. Watching the Boston game I was reminded of what a slow pace Mitts plays the game at.

Hmm, yea somewhat. We've seen Martone push up ice but my issue is he doesn't demand the puck. He's got underrated playmaking though, I will say that. Idk, I trend towards high motor guys with some skills as opposed to big guys with some skills. It is how I end up liking Jarvis or Benson over players like Martone. Not to say Martone can't be or won't be better than them long term. 

Martone's projection comes down to consistency. If he can consistently attack up ice, use his playmaking to bait defenders while using his shot to keep goalies honest, you have a top line forward. You have better Tuch, maybe a lot better. He does play physical and he does go to the dirty areas. There's a lot to love in his game so please don't think I dont like him. His skating needs some better agility and he needs to be a bit quicker with his shot. That said, he sees the ice well, he has no issues with physical play (I think some have overblown this as he is Tkachuk like but he's not). I really like how he supports plays and can run a line at times from the wing spot. Considering Luke Misa is pretty fast, Martone does well keeping up... although, I think Martone prefers others to carry the puck in. Anyways... OHL just dropped highlights for him yesterday. My advice for watching these is see what happens before a goal is scored, what does Martone do, where does he go, how does he either pass or shoot. The end thing is nice but the why it occurs is the important part. 

Quick note, when you hear "Misa" that is Michael's brother Luke, a 5th round pick of the Flames last year. 

 

oh yea... Leenders is the opposing goalie but don't think to harshly of him from just 1 game of highlights. 

[Flashsabre]

On 3/19/2025 at 7:09 PM, LGR4GM said:

McQueen is the biggest ???

He's only got 3 games left, not sure what his team is in the standings. He's got 1g, 6a in the last 5 games. Or 1g, 5a in his last 3 if you really wanna know. He's 6'5" and uses his body well. The question is, how good is a guy who lost most of the season to a bulging disc in his lower back? Is he capable of growth still? What's his floor?

He’s the guy that I think can blow up the draft. If he can play the rest of the season and have a strong playoffs and then show well at the draft combine I think teams will think long and hard about a 6’5 190 pound RHC with a ton of skills who will use his body. If he was healthy all season Inthink he is in the mix with Misa and Hagens for top 2-4 pick.

 

https://rg.org/news/hockey/how-roger-mcqueen-could-be-a-steal-at-the-2025-nhl-draft

Edited Friday at 02:29 AM by Flashsabre

[Flashsabre]

https://thehockeywriters.com/caleb-desnoyers-2025-nhl-draft-prospect-profile/

[LGR4GM]

16 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

He’s the guy that I think can blow up the draft. If he can play the rest of the season and have a strong playoffs and then show well at the draft combine I think teams will think long and hard about a 6’5 190 pound RHC with a ton of skills who will use his body. If he was healthy all season Inthink he is in the mix with Misa and Hagens for top 2-4 pick.

 

https://rg.org/news/hockey/how-roger-mcqueen-could-be-a-steal-at-the-2025-nhl-draft

If he goes 3rd, it would greatly a bit of a domino effect. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

On 3/16/2025 at 2:45 PM, Mr. Allen said:

Bleacher Report just put out an updated mock draft.  I don’t know how to copy and paste it but some of the picks surprised me as they aren’t like other mocks I’ve seen. 
 

1. Sharks - Martone

2. Blackhawks - Schaefer

3. Sabres - Jackson Smith

4. Predators - Hagens

5. Kraken - Misa

6. Penguins - Frondell

7. Flyers - McQueen 

8. Ducks - Ecklund

9. Islanders - Mrkta

10. Bruins - Carbonneau

11. Wings - Schmidt 

12. Rangers - Hensler

13. Utah - Desnoyers. 
 

I don’t know much about Jackson Smith, but if we pass on an offensive talent like Hagens, Misa or McQueen for a defenseman not named Schaefer, I’ll be pissed.  

lol, we definitely need a 4th Left shooting puck moving D. 

[Thorner]

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

lol, we definitely need a 4th Left shooting puck moving D. 

If they passed on Misa in that spot there’d be riots 

[LGR4GM]

16 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

lol, we definitely need a 4th Left shooting puck moving D. 

Jackson Smith isn't going 4th overall. Idk who made that mock but they are delusional. 

lol Martone isn't going 1st overall either. 

[PerreaultForever]

Hagens is the smallest and the lightest of the top picks so you already know he will be the Sabre. 

[LGR4GM]

7 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Hagens is the smallest and the lightest of the top picks so you already know he will be the Sabre. 

Depends on McQueen really. Buffalo drafting 4th does put Hagens in their wheelhouse just due to draft position. 

[Crusader1969]

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2025-nhl-draft-porter-martone-rw-brampton-steelheads-ohl-detailed-scouting-report-video-grades/

 

unlocked scouting report 

Edited Friday at 09:30 PM by Crusader1969

[Mr. Allen]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Depends on McQueen really. Buffalo drafting 4th does put Hagens in their wheelhouse just due to draft position. 

Does McQueen play up to his 6’5” or is he more like Tage (a gangly wimp). 

[LGR4GM]

50 minutes ago, Mr. Allen said:

Does McQueen play up to his 6’5” or is he more like Tage (a gangly wimp). 

He's not Tkachuk if that's what you're asking. More like Tuch when he's engaged physically, so less about hits more about using his mass to shield or get pucks.