AInalysis of the first two rounds of the 2025 RHL Draft

I threw the trades and draft results from last night into ChatGPT. Tried to explain additional context. Here is the 1-32 of all teams. Congrats to the 7 teams who received an Incomplete for doing nothing last night. Here was its rankings:

1. St. Louis Blues (STL) — Grade: A

Picks:
5. Porter Martone • 10. Victor Eklund • 15. Jakson Smith • 27. Blake Fiddler • 35. Cameron Schmidt • 64. Eddie Genborg

Analysis:
Dominated the draft with six picks, including multiple top-20 selections. Blended offensive firepower (Martone, Eklund) with high-upside defense (Fiddler, Genborg). No trades needed — depth and value did the work.

Verdict:
Smart, deep, and balanced. Clear draft winner.

2. Washington Capitals (WSH) — Grade: A

Picks:

1. Matt Schaefer • 60. Maxim Schafer

Trades:
Gave up pick 4, 78, Dean Letourneau, Ben Danford, Simon Benoit, and 2027 1st
→ Received pick 1, 146, and Erik Johnson

Analysis:
Paid a huge price to secure Matt Schaefer, a likely cornerstone defenseman. The second Schafer late adds a fun subplot. High-risk, high-reward play.

Verdict:
Aggressive but possibly franchise-defining move.

3. New Jersey Devils (NJD) — Grade: A-

Picks:
12. Justin Carbonneau • 13. Carter Bear • 55. Ivan Ryabkin

Analysis:
Back-to-back early picks gave them a strong foundation, but Ryabkin at 55 was arguably one of the best steals of the entire draft.

Verdict:
Great scouting and positional fit. Future core pieces found.

4. Edmonton Oilers (EDM) — Grade: A-

Picks:
25. Cameron Reid • 32. Eric Nilson • 51. Will Moore • 54. Luca Romano

Analysis:
Drafted for upside and nailed it. Luca Romano may go down as one of the biggest steals at 54. No trades — just four efficient selections.

Verdict:
Home-run draft for a team that stayed quiet but sharp.

5. Vegas Golden Knights (VGK) — Grade: B+

Picks:
8. Roger McQueen • 24. Will Horcroff

Trade:
Gave up pick 19
→ Received Cole Sillinger + CGY 2026 4th

Analysis:
Sillinger acquisition was a masterclass in asset value. McQueen a mild reach, but still high ceiling.

Verdict:
Great blend of NHL experience and upside. Smart team building.

6. Boston Bruins (BOS) — Grade: B+

Picks:
6. James Hagens • 34. Jack Murtagh • 42. HaoXi Simon Wang

Trade:
Gave up picks 3 and 20
→ Received pick 6, Trevor Zegras, and BUF 3rd

Analysis:
Swapped one elite pick for an NHL playmaker in Zegras. Hagens has elite upside, and Zegras makes them competitive now.

Verdict:
Won the trade game. Positioned well for short- and long-term.

7. Utah — Grade: B+

Picks:
11. Logan Hensler • 21. Cullen Potter • 44. Cole McKinney

Trades:
Traded pick 41 for BUF 2026 2nd
Traded pick 57 for VAN 2025 2nd

Analysis:
Stockpiled future capital and still drafted well. Hensler and Potter have high floors. Rebuild strategy is well executed.

Verdict:
Quietly laying foundation for something special.

8. Toronto Maple Leafs (TOR) — Grade: B

Picks:
14. Radim Mrtka • 40. John Mooney • 47. Adam Benak

Analysis:
No trades, no noise — just solid, calculated picks. Mooney has great vision and skating.

Verdict:
Middle-of-the-road team with long-term stability.

9. Carolina Hurricanes (CAR) — Grade: B

Picks:
2. Michael Misa • 33. Shane Vansaghi

Analysis:
Misa has top-six forward potential; Vansaghi was a strong sleeper pick. Quiet but effective.

Verdict:
No fuss — just two strong pieces for the pipeline.

10. San Jose Sharks (SJS) — Grade: B

Picks:
18. Cole Reschny • 50. Cooper Simpson

Analysis:
Two excellent value picks. Reschny especially has been underrated by consensus scouts.

Verdict:
Sharp, efficient drafting.

11. Minnesota Wild (MIN) — Grade: B-

Picks:
30. Bill Zonnon • 45. Milton Gastrin • 61. Charlie Trethewey

Analysis:
Found some gritty depth. Zonnon might outperform his slot.

Verdict:
A low-key draft with high reliability.

12. Montreal Canadiens (MTL) — Grade: B-

Picks:
16. Kashawn Aitcheson • 59. Semyon Frolov

Analysis:
Two picks, both with upside. Aitcheson is raw but interesting.

Verdict:
Fair showing for a small draft class.

13. New York Islanders (NYI) — Grade: B-

Picks:
17. Ben Kindel • 36. Jakov Ihs-Wozniak • 39. Mason West • 48. Nathan Behm

Trade:
Received Easton Cowan + Pick 36 from TBL

Analysis:
The Cowan trade helps immensely. Draft was quantity over flash.

Verdict:
Safe execution with smart value play.

14. Philadelphia Flyers (PHI) — Grade: B-

Picks:
4. Anton Frondell • 19. Lynden Lakovic • 38. Carter Amico

Trade:
Gave up Pick 1 and others
→ Received Pick 4, Letourneau, 2027 1st, and depth

Analysis:
Moved out of the top spot for depth. If Letourneau hits, this ages well.

Verdict:
Only time will tell. High potential variance.

15. Detroit Red Wings (DET) — Grade: B-

Picks:
31. Joshua Ravensbergen • 63. Ethan Czata

Analysis:
Safe defensive picks. Ravensbergen especially has NHL readiness.

Verdict:
Steady and practical, though unspectacular.

16. Calgary Flames (CGY) — Grade: B-

Picks:
23. Jack Nesbitt • 26. Sascha Boumedienne

Analysis:
Defensive-minded class. Boumedienne’s upside makes this a quietly strong draft.

Verdict:
Could look great in 3 years.

17. Tampa Bay Lightning (TBL) — Grade: B-

Picks:
9. Brady Martin • 22. Malcolm Spence • 46. Zharovsky • 52. Brzustewicz • 62. Bedkowski

Trades:
Gave up Easton Cowan, Pick 36, and Owen Power
→ Received Quentin Musty, Chernyshov, picks

Analysis:
Gave up a lot. If Musty becomes a star, they win. If not… rough.

Verdict:
Boom-or-bust draft. Depth gained, star lost.

18. Florida Panthers (FLA) — Grade: C+

Picks:
3. Caleb Desnoyers • 20. Braeden Cootes

Trade:
Gave up pick 6, Zegras, BUF 3rd
→ Received picks 3 & 20

Analysis:
Desnoyers is good, but Zegras is already producing. Jury’s out.

Verdict:
Might’ve been better to stay put.

19. Buffalo Sabres (BUF) — Grade: C+

Picks:
41. Danlil Prokhorov

Trades:
Gave up 2026 2nd (for 41)
→ Traded for Owen Power

Analysis:
Reacquired Power, but at a serious cost in youth.

Verdict:
Short-term gain, long-term strain.

20. Los Angeles Kings (LAK) — Grade: C+

Picks:
29. Ryker Lee

Analysis:
One pick, but a decent one. Smart skater and mature game.

Verdict:
Can’t fault it, but small impact.

21. Dallas Stars (DAL) — Grade: C+

Picks:
58. Owen Conrad

Analysis:
One pick, and it’s a long shot to pan out.

Verdict:
Low upside, low exposure.

22. Anaheim Ducks (ANA) — Grade: C+

Picks:
49. Theo Stockselius

Analysis:
High-risk, high-size pick with skating concerns.

Verdict:
Futures ticket — could hit or bust hard.

23. Columbus Blue Jackets (CBJ) — Grade: C

Picks:
37. Vaclav Nestrasil • 43. Max Psenicka • 53. Ivankovic • 56. Romback

Analysis:
Filled out the roster with middle-tier options. No flash.

Verdict:
Safe rebuild, no centerpiece.

24. Vancouver Canucks (VAN) — Grade: C

Picks:
7. Jake O'Brien • 57. Pyotr Adreyanov

Trade:
Traded 2025 2nd for Pick 57

Analysis:
Overpaid for Pyotr. O'Brien has potential, but not elite.

Verdict:
Could age poorly.

25–32. Inactive Teams — Grade: N/A

Teams:
Arizona Coyotes, Seattle Kraken, Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators, Chicago Blackhawks

Verdict:
No draft picks or trades recorded. Awaiting 2026 activity.

1. This Was the Year of the Defenseman

• Matt Schaefer (1st) and Victor Eklund (10th) set the tone, but many teams made blue line investments:

  • St. Louis took Blake Fiddler and Eddie Genborg

  • EDM snagged Luca Romano and Eric Nilson

  • CGY doubled up with Boumedienne and Nesbitt

Trend Insight:
Managers clearly recognized the long-term fantasy value of mobile, puck-moving D-men in dynasty formats — expect these picks to shape power play units down the road.

2. Trading Was Aggressive — But Polarizing

• Tampa Bay’s mega-deal sending away Owen Power was the most controversial.

• Boston’s trade down for Zegras may end up as the biggest win-now steal.

• Vegas made the cleanest value swap with Sillinger for pick 19 — NHL readiness now for a mid-first.

Trend Insight:
Contending teams leaned toward trading for NHLers or quantity (PHI, BOS), while rebuilders like Utah and CBJ stocked up on future or fringe assets.

3. Several Teams Clearly Nailed Their Identity

• St. Louis and EDM: Built for the long term with layers of upside.

• Washington: Went all-in on a franchise piece.

• Boston & Vegas: Found great balance between present help and future development.

Trend Insight:
The gap between teams rebuilding and contending is now more clearly defined than ever. No one’s sitting on the fence anymore — which should lead to bolder in-season trades.

4. Steals That May Define the Draft Class

These players were drafted outside the top 30 but may become top-15 fantasy assets within 2 years:

Watch List Insight:
You might see some of these names on rosters very soon if development goes well. Keep tabs early.

5. Most Risk-Heavy Moves

Fantasy Insight:
If these bets pay off, they could be remembered as championship-building moves. But there's bust potential if development stalls.

6. What Comes Next

For contenders:

• Evaluate which of the prospects from 2025 can contribute this season. Sillinger, Zegras, and a few others might be in your lineup soon.

For rebuilders:

• Keep track of 2026 draft pick movement now — Utah already has two key extra 2nds.

For everyone:

• Start scouting goalie pipelines. The 2025 class was light on goalies. If you didn’t draft one, you may need to trade for one soon.