2025 NHL Draft - June 27-28 ; To Tank or Not To Tank

[mackel 768]

4 hours ago, LeftWinger said:

I'm all for that! Seider, Raymond, Kasper, Danielson, Cossa, ASP, MBN...we can afford to deal a 1st (or 2) for that legit top LW or top LHD.

But do we have any reason to believe our front office will make anything resembling a bold move? I'm just so beaten down by the last few off-seasons I think we'll resign Petry add some washed vets for too much money and term then call it a day.

[LeftWinger 5,153]

13 hours ago, mackel said:

But do we have any reason to believe our front office will make anything resembling a bold move? I'm just so beaten down by the last few off-seasons I think we'll resign Petry add some washed vets for too much money and term then call it a day.

You have to think that THIS is the off-season that will define Yzerman as a GM. A trade package that starts with two 1st round picks should get you almost damn near anybody. Teams are making deals now, the time to deal is now, screw waiting until draft day, or over the summer. Make a splash right now. If this roster is not filled with the players we need by August 1, I'm all for getting rid of Yzerman. Sure, you cannot control where a UFA goes, if a player has trade protection, you can't always be on their list, but there are players out there, on the block, that would put Detroit into the playoffs  that have no trade protection. Spend the GD picks! The team will do just fine without drafting a couple of guys that won't be seen for 3 years. This is Yzerman's critical off season. Its do or die.

[LeftWinger 5,153]

I will back track a little on that last post, I'd like to see them trade a 1st or two, but honestly the 13th OA could be good if Jackson Smith is still there... So maybe dangle a 26 and 27 1st out there.

[Jimmybigrigs69 467]

We probably should be using our 1st on a defender, but this just seems like a really weak draft for Dmen...

If SY wants to go Dman I think you have to take Jackson Smith. He's a project player who's gonna need time to cook in lower leagues, but could end up really good with the right development.

I'm not sure we'll get a chance at him... 12 teams in front of us and surely one will opt for a Dman which will prolly be Smith.

If SY is okay taking a forward and picking up D later in the draft... I think you have to take Eklund if he's there. He'll be in the SHL next year and looks like he'll easily be a top6 forward. To me he looks like the best possible player that coulddddd maybeeee slip to 13. 

If Eklund is gone I'm going with Bear or Potter. Those two just have everything this team sorely lacks. Bear is a physical nightmare on skates. A bear on skates if you will. Guys like that who can also score are hard to pass on. And we desperately need a guy like that. Potter I see ranked pretty low by some. Outside the top20 even. I think he's potentially a top10 talent in this draft. He's a very high motor forechecking disrupter. Reminds me a lot of MBN. After watching all 4 lines of the panthers play this way, i have absolutely no problem collecting more guys like this. 

[town123 236]

Everyone is getting their final mocks done.   Wheeler.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6441466/2025/06/24/nhl-mock-draft-2025-wheeler/

[town123 236]

Rangers coughing up the #12 to Pens to finalize Miller trade.    Pens picking #11 and #12.   No Ekland for us?

[kipwinger 8,772]

Another year another Wheeler mock draft with the wings taking a 5’11, 160 lb. winger. Wash, rinse, repeat. 
 

I don’t really like our options with this pick and I think we should trade it for Dobson. He’s a stud and if we trade for him and sign Provorov/Gavrikov we would go from having one of the worst defenses in the league to one of the best. 

[Jimmybigrigs69 467]

5 hours ago, kipwinger said:

Another year another Wheeler mock draft with the wings taking a 5’11, 160 lb. winger. Wash, rinse, repeat. 
 

I don’t really like our options with this pick and I think we should trade it for Dobson. He’s a stud and if we trade for him and sign Provorov/Gavrikov we would go from having one of the worst defenses in the league to one of the best. 

Yeah this draft legit sucks. At 13th, all the Dmen seem like riskier project players, and the forwards project out like middle 6 guys. 

Dobson would be a huge add. I'd send NYI the 13th + Ras (making cap space) and a D prospect like Buium or Wallinder. 

Dobson is rumored asking for 11m per, but he wont get that IMO under RFA control. I'd try to get him under a contract that matches Seider's. $8.55 x 8. Would expire when he's 33 yo. 

That leaves us with roughly $15m to sign Ajo, Soder, and Berggren + UFAs (including Kane). Could go out and still sign an impact forward with that amount of money.

[stephen-gregory-yzerman 142]

Dobson would cost far more then pick 13. Theyd likely want ASP and pick 13. With Seider this team doesnt need another top pair right d. We could use a mid pair right d to pair with Ed or pair Ed-Seider and sign/trade for a 2nd pair left and right d.

Sign Gavrikov/Provorov/Ekblad/Fabbro or trade for Byram/Miller/Hague/Andersson.

If were paying premium assets we should be upgrading the top 6.

Sign Ehlers/Benn or trade for Peterka/Pettersson/Robertson.

[LeftWinger 5,153]

I tend to agree. If we aren't trading for a D, we could easily fill and LHD and a RHD via UFA. Then we could trade the 1st(s) and players for a top line upgrade. But I'm sorry, ASP and MBN are not on my table. They are our near future. Wallinder and Buium I am ok with using in a package. Along with Berggren, Rasmussen, Tarasenko, Holl, Mrazek, Compher, etc...

Lindgren 5x$6M

Ekblad 5x$8M

those two signings would make our D better, harder to play against, and Lindgren is a penalty kill specialist. Plus it will make our future team better.

This year:

Edvinsson - Seider

Lindgren - Ekblad

Chiarot - Johansson

Gustafsson

Next Year:

Edvinsson - Seider

Lindgren - Ekblad

Johansson - ASP

(random 7th D)

I buy out Holl and Tarasenko before June 30, just cut ties, no need to attempt to trade, nobody wants to give anything for them.

[Motor City Mullets 315]

Wonder what it would take to pry Zadorov outta Bahhsten?

He'd pair up well with Moritz.

[kipwinger 8,772]

On 6/25/2025 at 11:42 AM, Jimmybigrigs69 said:

Yeah this draft legit sucks. At 13th, all the Dmen seem like riskier project players, and the forwards project out like middle 6 guys. 

Dobson would be a huge add. I'd send NYI the 13th + Ras (making cap space) and a D prospect like Buium or Wallinder. 

Dobson is rumored asking for 11m per, but he wont get that IMO under RFA control. I'd try to get him under a contract that matches Seider's. $8.55 x 8. Would expire when he's 33 yo. 

That leaves us with roughly $15m to sign Ajo, Soder, and Berggren + UFAs (including Kane). Could go out and still sign an impact forward with that amount of money.

I've seen some media reports that NYI are looking for multiple 1st round picks coming back in a trade for Dobson. I can't really recall the last time any player got that kind of package coming back...maybe Hertl? So I think it's probably overblown. But if that's truly the price then I'd walk away. He's a really good player, but he's a RHD and we've got Seider and ASP long term. Use those same assets to pin down a heavier power forward type and address the LHD holes in the lineup in free agency.

 

 

[town123 236]

I keep reading Dobson to Utah if Hagens (home town kid) is available at #4.   Who wants to pay him 11M?

[Jimmybigrigs69 467]

1 hour ago, kipwinger said:

I've seen some media reports that NYI are looking for multiple 1st round picks coming back in a trade for Dobson. I can't really recall the last time any player got that kind of package coming back...maybe Hertl? So I think it's probably overblown. But if that's truly the price then I'd walk away. He's a really good player, but he's a RHD and we've got Seider and ASP long term. Use those same assets to pin down a heavier power forward type and address the LHD holes in the lineup in free agency.

 

 

I absolutely dont think we will actually get Dobson. As long as we are a non-playoff team I see SY biding his time.

[mackel 768]

2 minutes ago, Jimmybigrigs69 said:

I absolutely dont think we will actually get Dobson. As long as we are a non-playoff team I see SY biding his time.

With that approach our time will never come.

[Jimmybigrigs69 467]

9 minutes ago, mackel said:

With that approach our time will never come.

Stop being a pessimist.

Everyone know's the best way to rebuild is to sign mediocre players and draft middle tier picks. 

[Jimmybigrigs69 467]

On 6/22/2025 at 1:45 PM, Jimmybigrigs69 said:

We probably should be using our 1st on a defender, but this just seems like a really weak draft for Dmen...

If SY wants to go Dman I think you have to take Jackson Smith. He's a project player who's gonna need time to cook in lower leagues, but could end up really good with the right development.

I'm not sure we'll get a chance at him... 12 teams in front of us and surely one will opt for a Dman which will prolly be Smith.

If SY is okay taking a forward and picking up D later in the draft... I think you have to take Eklund if he's there. He'll be in the SHL next year and looks like he'll easily be a top6 forward. To me he looks like the best possible player that coulddddd maybeeee slip to 13. 

If Eklund is gone I'm going with Bear or Potter. Those two just have everything this team sorely lacks. Bear is a physical nightmare on skates. A bear on skates if you will. Guys like that who can also score are hard to pass on. And we desperately need a guy like that. Potter I see ranked pretty low by some. Outside the top20 even. I think he's potentially a top10 talent in this draft. He's a very high motor forechecking disrupter. Reminds me a lot of MBN. After watching all 4 lines of the panthers play this way, i have absolutely no problem collecting more guys like this. 

I essentially wanted Eklund, then Bear, then Potter. But I'm very happy to have Bear. Eklund went 16th to the Isles. Potter went 32nd to the Flames. 

Carter Bear has pretty much what no other prospect in this draft could offer, besides maybe Potter; drive, determination, compete, tenacity, fearlessness.

I actually want to roll back what I said in my original predraft post. After doing a post draft deep dive, he's a lil less violent than I originaly thought, but a whole more intelligent. And thats one thing that will come up time and time again if you research him: Intelligence. Anyone who talks or writes about hockey always remarks about his very high hockey IQ. Combine that with the big motor he has under the hood, and I think this is a homerun pick. 

It's almost hard to find flaws about this kid. He skates, he competes, he passes, he shoots, he back checks, he goes to dirty areas. 

Projects probably as a LW in the NHL, with a floor of 3rd line and cieling of top line. 

Bear - Kasper - MBN, is going to be a NASTY line for other teams to play against one day. All three are chippy, relentless, antagonizing, disrupters that are going to literally ram pucks down into opponents nets. 

Credit to Yzerman and Draper for this pick. I like the direction our prospect pool has taken. Skilled softies have fallen by the way side for our scouting staff. They really seem to value DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE at this point in time. Which gives me faith, as that is exactly what our pathetic mediocre lockerroom lacks. It tells me the Wings org is at least seeing what I'm - and the rest of you - are seeing, and they are aiming to fix it. 

[Akakabuto 1,863]

Been reading and watching about this guy all morning and, yeah, I really like this pick!

[Jimmybigrigs69 467]

1 hour ago, Akakabuto said:

Been reading and watching about this guy all morning and, yeah, I really like this pick!

I really like Smaht Scouting if you wanna check them out. I find they have insightful takes, and care zero for how the other pundits or central scouting rank players. Therefore their rankings always end up much different, and I like that, as their rank is based on true honest scouting, and not "well we felt we had to rank him in the top 10 bc scott wheeler did"

This year they had Bear at #9 overall.

Quotes:

"Bear is one of the most physical forwards in this entire class, constantly engaging with his body when there’s a puck battle to be won and getting into the house when the puck is in the offensive zone. He’s not just applying physicality to discomfort the opposition either: he uses all of the minor tips and tricks you’d hope to see a player use in these situations such as quick stick lifts, using his edges to get under opponents, and consistently smart route taking to make it so that he is constantly able to win said battles and make effective plays."

"He lacks the sort of dynamic vision and skills you might hope for in a typical top line winger, but he’s smart enough with his decision making both on the rush and in the cycle that he can still set up linemates for high danger chances when the opportunity is there. Players who can provide a physical edge in their game while being able to produce are a rare and highly sought after commodity in the NHL, and Carter Bear projects to be exactly that at the next level."

[kipwinger 8,772]

I’ll admit I don’t know much about him, so I have been deep diving since the pick. But I like it. Seems like a Sam Reinhart-lite sorta winger. His size and skating are good and will get better as he gets more muscle. His skill looks good, tho I’d caution that his junior team was a wagon the last couple years so his stats may be inflated a bit. All in all a great pick at that position. I feel really good about it. 

[TLGTrico 663]

Sounds like John Gibson is on his way to the wings.  I said last year that I don't think Talbot is going to be a significant upgrade over what we already had, now I'm saying the same about Gibson

[TLGTrico 663]

Stevie just said he's not optimistic about free agency.  Next season is a wash already

[LeftWinger 5,153]

1 hour ago, TLGTrico said:

Sounds like John Gibson is on his way to the wings.  I said last year that I don't think Talbot is going to be a significant upgrade over what we already had, now I'm saying the same about Gibson

Gibson to Detroit for Mrazek, 2027 2nd, 2026 4th.

[Jimmybigrigs69 467]

I sense a theme to this draft:

1st - LW Carter Bear - physical tenacious big motor Canadian forward who can score

2nd - RW Eddie Genborg - big physical Swedish shopwrecking forward with limited offensive potential

3rd - G Michal Pradel - big Slovak goalie

4th - RW Brent Soloman - elite sniping American winger who dominated HS hockey

4th - LW Michal Svrcek - energy creating nuisance type Slovak forward that has developing offensive ability

5th - LHD Nikita Tyurin - finesse style two-way Russian Dman

6th - LHD Will Murphy - big physical Canadian defensive Dman that punishes oppenents but needs to skate better

7th - C Grayden Robertson-Palmer - heavy forechecking and attacking Canadian center

Besides Tyurin and Soloman, Yzerman went all in on Compete + Physicality. Tells me he likes the talent we already have and now its time to sprinkle in some pushback and energy generators. 

Bear has 1st line potential, 3rd line floor. Genborg is likely a bottom 6er, but is already built to handle grown men and should have a quick path to the NHL. 

After that it's really all boom or bust prospects IMO. But there's some really nice potential booms in that mix:

Soloman has elite shot accuracy and scored 66 goals in 44 highschool games. Just has to now build out the rest of his game. Project player for Cleary. 

Svrcek was ranked as the 11th best player in this entire draft by draft analyst Will Scouching. He thinks Svreck is a serious diamond in the rough that didnt get enough attention from NHL scouts. 

Robertson-Palmer was also described as a darkhorse late steal pick by Brock Otten director of scouting for McKeen hockey. 

[Jimmybigrigs69 467]

4 hours ago, LeftWinger said:

Gibson to Detroit for Mrazek, 2027 2nd, 2026 4th.

I don't mind this move. Especially since I believe Verbeek was asking for a 1st in return for Gibson last year.

If you look at Gibson's career numbers, he was great, and then plummetted down to average at the exact time the Ducks as a team fell apart. 

He'll be the guy heading into the season, and if he plays like everyone knows he can we may FINALLY have a clear cut #1 and we can put to rest this dopey 3goalie sharing the net BS. 

Then after this season Talbot will be gone and Cossa can come up and learn from a guy who's actually been a true #1.

Its a good gamble to take - but by god does Stevie love playing with new project goalies every couple months. Lets hope this one proves to hold up. Would really help our Goals Against.