2025 NHL Entry Draft Thread

[LGR4GM]

44 minutes ago, Mr. Allen said:

The boys are playing great hockey.  We might have to start looking at players outside the top 10 if they keep playing this way. 

Bear, Carbonneau, O'Brien, Eklund are likely candidates at 8-10. 

[LGR4GM]

Radim Mrtka, 6'6" RHD would be an option at 10. He needs a couple years to develop though. 

[North Buffalo]

8 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Any goalie you draft is 4-6yrs away except for the very rare exceptions. 

Jackson Smith is good. He's a left handed defender with really good skating and offense. I think his defensive game is ok, but not his strength. When you have a 25yr old Dahlin, you don't need a top defender so you can address defense later unless it's a must take. Buffalo has done that in recent drafts, although I might have taken one of the two last year. Still Helenius is good. 

Yeh even young prospect goalies on other teams are tough... was think more about chasing one of them... not sure who though... Dipietro or Primeau looking at stats only... 

Edited April 6 by North Buffalo

[dudacek]

Sabres picking 9th at the moment.

Last night probably means they won't finish in the bottom five

[Thorny]

Feel like a trade would be becoming more realistic 

[LGR4GM]

36 minutes ago, Thorner said:

Feel like a trade would be becoming more realistic 

After the draft lottery, for sure. Especially if you can find a team with a legit top 4 defender who's 23-25.

[Thorny]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

After the draft lottery, for sure. Especially if you can find a team with a legit top 4 defender who's 23-25.

Like a Logan Stanley 

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, Thorner said:

Like a Logan Stanley 

More like Braden Schneider or some other RHD that could pop free this summer. 

[LGR4GM]

What about trying to pry Noah Dobson out of the Islanders hands? We could try and give them a mix of Byram and our 1st for Dobson and whatever makes this work. I wonder if they would consider it with Dobson being an RFA. Just spitballing ideas. 

I would also make a play for Jordan Spence out of LA. I think these are good ideas. 

[Mr. Allen]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

What about trying to pry Noah Dobson out of the Islanders hands? We could try and give them a mix of Byram and our 1st for Dobson and whatever makes this work. I wonder if they would consider it with Dobson being an RFA. Just spitballing ideas. 

I would also make a play for Jordan Spence out of LA. I think these are good ideas. 

Is a defender like Dobson worth that much?  Especially with his contract situation?

[LGR4GM]

Just now, Mr. Allen said:

Is a defender like Dobson worth that much?  Especially with his contract situation?

No, not Byram and a 1st. But you could move that package for Dobson and something else. Unsure if the Islanders realize they have to rebuild or they still think their window is open. Maybe you can flip Byram for Dobson straight up, who knows. To be truthful I was just trying to cast around for RHDs in the ballpark that might be possibly available. Other option is seeing if you can convince the NJD to part with one of their RHDs. They have 4. 

[DarthEbriate]

The possible Pettersson conversations are gone with the acquisition of Norris, but lead to conversations of RFA Quinn & RFA Byram to VAN for Hronek + pick(s), so that Adams locks in the long-term contract before Hronek's NMC begins. No need to spend $7M bridging the two RFAs and instead have a top-4 RHD to pair with Power. Bryson, JBD, Clifton, and Novikov for spots 5-8.

[dudacek]

11 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

The possible Pettersson conversations are gone with the acquisition of Norris, but lead to conversations of RFA Quinn & RFA Byram to VAN for Hronek + pick(s), so that Adams locks in the long-term contract before Hronek's NMC begins. No need to spend $7M bridging the two RFAs and instead have a top-4 RHD to pair with Power. Bryson, JBD, Clifton, and Novikov for spots 5-8.

Apparently the Canucks were very much interested in Norris before we got him and probably still are.

He is a good friend of Quinn Hughes, who Canuck fans are desperately frightened may not want to re-sign if they have another year like this one.

[ska-T Palmtown]

6 hours ago, dudacek said:

Sabres picking 9th at the moment.

Last night probably means they won't finish in the bottom five

We've tried 8th a bunch ... how about 1-3 or 9-11? 🙂 

[Brawndo]

4 hours ago, dudacek said:

Apparently the Canucks were very much interested in Norris before we got him and probably still are.

He is a good friend of Quinn Hughes, who Canuck fans are desperately frightened may not want to re-sign if they have another year like this one.

They are gonna flip their star defensemen besties for one another aren’t they? 

[dudacek]

12 hours ago, Brawndo said:

They are gonna flip their star defensemen besties for one another aren’t they? 

It's the sort of move that Jim Rutherford would have the balls to do if he decided EP40 is not the answer.

And it's the sorta move Kevyn Adams and Terry Pegula would need to do if they have any hope of igniting any off-season interest in a severely alienated fan base.

Kinda supports the idea of "that's OK, Josh, don't push that injury, we need you healthy for next year."

Kinda supports the idea of Pettersson being babied into the off-season as well.

Kinda supports the idea of the Sabres captain walking away from his pre-deadline meeting feeling good about the team having a plan.

Dammit man, no one gets my conspiracy juices flowing like you do.

Edited April 8 by dudacek

[SabreFinn]

7 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

No, not Byram and a 1st. But you could move that package for Dobson and something else. Unsure if the Islanders realize they have to rebuild or they still think their window is open. Maybe you can flip Byram for Dobson straight up, who knows. To be truthful I was just trying to cast around for RHDs in the ballpark that might be possibly available. Other option is seeing if you can convince the NJD to part with one of their RHDs. They have 4. 

Those are about the same possibilities that I found. NJD have five RHD if we count Seamus Casey in, and they need to improve on middle six, so they might be a trade partner. Rosen for Casey is not something that would have impact next season but it could still be a wise move to get more options how to reshape our D.

[Flashsabre]

https://www.tsn.ca/chl/chl-storylines-medicine-hat-tigers-riding-gavin-mckenna-magic-in-whl-playoffs-1.2286347
 

Next year’s number 1, Gavin McKenna finished the regular season with a 40 game point streak which saw him score 100 points over 40 games and had 17 points in his 5 game playoff series. I think the kid is going to be alright😁

[Mr. Allen]

15 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

https://www.tsn.ca/chl/chl-storylines-medicine-hat-tigers-riding-gavin-mckenna-magic-in-whl-playoffs-1.2286347
 

Next year’s number 1, Gavin McKenna finished the regular season with a 40 game point streak which saw him score 100 points over 40 games and had 17 points in his 5 game playoff series. I think the kid is going to be alright😁

It’s gonna suck when Pittsburgh or Boston get him.  

[shrader]

2 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

https://www.tsn.ca/chl/chl-storylines-medicine-hat-tigers-riding-gavin-mckenna-magic-in-whl-playoffs-1.2286347
 

Next year’s number 1, Gavin McKenna finished the regular season with a 40 game point streak which saw him score 100 points over 40 games and had 17 points in his 5 game playoff series. I think the kid is going to be alright😁

It’s crazy to think that a team loses a game when someone is scoring at that rate. It looks like that slacker only had two points in that loss. He has no future. 😆

[PerreaultForever]

On 4/7/2025 at 1:25 PM, dudacek said:

Apparently the Canucks were very much interested in Norris before we got him and probably still are.

He is a good friend of Quinn Hughes, who Canuck fans are desperately frightened may not want to re-sign if they have another year like this one.

I doubt that matters. He was best friends with Tkachuk in Ottawa. They don't trade people because of friendships on other teams.

The Hughes situation is exactly the same as the Dahlin situation. No more no less. Oh you don't think we have a "Dahlin situation"? Well wait until we lose next year to see. Point being Hughes doesn't want to be part of any rebuild. He wants a commitment to winning now. Just like Dahlin. Hughes traded here? He'd leave after he becomes a free agent and sign in New Jersey.

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, PerreaultForever said:

I doubt that matters. He was best friends with Tkachuk in Ottawa. They don't trade people because of friendships on other teams.

The Hughes situation is exactly the same as the Dahlin situation. No more no less. Oh you don't think we have a "Dahlin situation"? Well wait until we lose next year to see. Point being Hughes doesn't want to be part of any rebuild. He wants a commitment to winning now. Just like Dahlin. Hughes traded here? He'd leave after he becomes a free agent and sign in New Jersey.

Not arguing the bold, but i think you may have misunderstood my post.

I was suggesting the Canucks trade for Norris, not the Sabres trade for Hughes.

The Hughes situation will be exactly like the Dahlin situation once the Canucks sign Hughes a long-term deal.

[Rasmus_]

I like Eklund.  What are the RHD options around 9?  And no injury prone fallers please.

Edited April 11 by Rasmus_

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Not arguing the bold, but i think you may have misunderstood my post.

I was suggesting the Canucks trade for Norris, not the Sabres trade for Hughes.

The Hughes situation will be exactly like the Dahlin situation once the Canucks sign Hughes a long-term deal.

Oh no I got that. Not sure who you wanted for Norris from them (Petterson?) but I got the idea. Demko? There's nobody on their D that I'd want. If I'm the Sabres I am however looking at moving Norris to somebody for D and/or goaltending. 

The only difference there with Hughes and Dahlin is I don't think Hughes will sign long term unless he sees progress first. Dahlin had faith we were already moving in the right direction I'd guess. Or maybe signing and then complaining gives him leverage idk. I could see it either way but in any event it's similar. 

1 hour ago, Rasmus_ said:

I like Eklund.  What are the RHD options around 9?  And no injury prone fallers please.

No instant RHD help. You will be waiting 3 years before any chance of impact. We need a veteran RHD not a draft prospect. We can add a prospect for later, but it's not going to help now. 

[steveoath]

Carter bear got himself a lacerated Achilles. Not great before the draft.