2025 NHL Entry Draft Thread, Sabres Draft 9th

[LGR4GM]

14 hours ago, Crusader1969 said:

I heard he is really slow. Or should I say, I hope all teams picking from 4-8 consider him slow and value speed and skill above avg skating with physicality.  

Martin? Idk if he's slow but his skating stride needs some love. His effort makes up for a lack of top end speed. I'd label his skating speed a 5 and his agility a 6.

4 is below NHL avg

5 is NHL avg

9 is McDavid 

8 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

 

For anyone that might be interested, at 645 in this clip Martin hits the 6'6 200lb Radim Mrtka.😀

Mrtka leaves me wanting more. 

[JoeSchmoe]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Martin? Idk if he's slow but his skating stride needs some love. His effort makes up for a lack of top end speed. I'd label his skating speed a 5 and his agility a 6.

4 is below NHL avg

5 is NHL avg

9 is McDavid 

Mrtka leaves me wanting more. 

We're picking 9th, so Martin's skating is definitely a compromise. 

I just think he makes the team better than a better skater with less compete and less shot. I also feel like this is something that can be improved more than compete and grit which is just something you're born with.

[LGR4GM]

5 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said:

We're picking 9th, so Martin's skating is definitely a compromise. 

I just think he makes the team better than a better skater with less compete and less shot. I also feel like this is something that can be improved more than compete and grit which is just something you're born with.

Carbonneau has less hitting but a better shot and better skating. 

I like Martin's game. I wont worry if they pick him. 

[Flashsabre]

https://upsidehockey.substack.com/p/2025-nhl-mock-draft-20-post-lottery
 

I’d take this mock draft.

[DarthEbriate]

The annual Star Wars names entry.

Looking at players that could theoretically still be on the board at 9:

Highly unlikely unless 2+ reaches are made:
Martone - Rebel guerilla leader; hunted by the Empire. Per Wookieepedia, Martonn was a male Zabrak inciter residing on Dromund Kaas.

Desnoyers - "Star Desnoyers! Two of 'em coming right at us."  I could do so much with this. My preferred SW choice. So much potential.

One of them will be there:

Frondell  - Heavily industrialized planet known for its shipyards; currently loyal to the Empire.

O'Brien - boring Earth name. Move along, move along.

Mrtka - The MRT-K Assassin droid. It's a prototype.

Martin - He's a hard-working dad just trying to make his way in the galaxy. Per Wookiepedia, Marten was a male miner living in the town of Vexen on the planet Kallistas. His twelve-year daughter received a cybernetic arm replacement thanks to Jondrell Inx.

McQueen - "Queen Amidala has escaped again -- find her!" "Roger, roger!" A Trade Federation battle droid -- with bad back -- easily dismantled and injured. Roger, roger!

Others to consider, but are outside the top 9 in most mock drafts:

Eklund - Rebel X-wing pilot

Jackson Smith - boring Earth name. Move along, move along.

Nesbitt - a stodgy Imperial officer

Aitcheson - H-S1 is a plucky astromech droid currently working in the Barrie system.

Carter Bear - An Ewok. Some folks think that Ewoks are little teddy bears

Carbonneau - "They've encased him in carbonneaunite. He should be quite the scorer, if he gets on the frozen ice sheet, that is."

Past Star Wars players and their outcomes for your reference:
2019 Byram - Rebel pilot
2019 Cozens - Imperial officer
2019 Krebs - An Ewok 
2020 Quinn - sounds like a smuggler
2021 Power – Unnnnnlimmited Owen Power!
2022 Savoie - Force-sensitive human who is seduced by the dark side of the Concept.
2022 Kulich - An asteroid belt in the Inner Rim
2022 Östlund - Imperial officer. 2 Osteds are Imperial navy officers! Amazing. Alater and Wermis!
2023 Benson - "I don't know anyone named Ben Son, but Old Ben…is kind of a strange old hermit."
2024 Konsta Helenius - Denizen of the local cantina