I’m not even sure Filip Mesar will play 50 games in the NHL

In 2022, the CH drafted two Slovak players in the first round of the draft. They selected Juraj Slafkovský at the very first rank… before setting their sights on Filip Mesar at 26th rank.

Remember that this 26th choice had been acquired from the Flames in the transaction that sent Tyler Toffoli to Calgary.

That being said, Mesar does not seem to be developing as expected since his selection. Whether it’s because “his teammates couldn’t keep up with him” in junior or due to injuries this season, he’s not progressing as we had hoped.

In a paper for The Athletic today, Corey Pronman looked at the case of players selected with first-round picks acquired through transactions since 2020 (we’ll get back to that), and out of 22 players, he ranks Mesar 21st…

And he’s not exactly optimistic about his future, as he had this to say about the prospects who are in the same group as Mesar:

“I’m not even sure these prospects will play 50 games in the NHL.” – Corey Pronman

NHL trade deadline: Ranking the players drafted with acquired first-round picks from 2020 to 2023 https://t.co/WpQw7uYbIm
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) February 27, 2025

More and more, we’re feeling a real wave of pessimism regarding Mesar’s development. We’re seeing him less and less as a potential factor in the NHL, and that’s even as a support player.

No, it won’t be tomorrow that we’ll see him in a top-6 role in the NHL.

That being said, where it all becomes interesting is when we look at the overall portrait drawn by Pronman. Among the 22 players on his list, there are five young players who seem to have a promising future, nine players who seem destined for a support role (at best) and eight others, including Mesar, who may not even be real factors in the NHL.

And that’s something the CH, who already have a ton of draft picks in their bank, should consider in a trade for a guy like Jake Evans: do they really need another pick that, in reality, risks being at best another player in the mold of Evans?

There’s also a world in which the club trades Evans for a pick that will eventually be traded for an established player. And for the CH, that would probably be the thing to do… because they already have several prospects in the mold of Mesar in town.

And if we’re already doubting the fact that these guys will play 50 games in their NHL careers, we wonder how much the club needs to trade Evans to add another one.

– Even if Mikko Rantanen doesn’t want to sign long-term, the Hurricanes could keep him to finish the season.

What’s going on with #Canes and Mikko Rantanen?
Sources indicate even if Carolina gets a hard “no” on contract extension, they are “very much” willing to keep Rantanen for playoff run.
Latest on @SportsOnPrimeCA tonight: pic.twitter.com/AGbwN6Ol5X
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) February 28, 2025

– Ryan Lomberg really doesn’t like the Lightning.

“I f–king hate these guys”
Ryan Lomberg telling us how he really feels about the Lightning
pic.twitter.com/4YjNFv8yqY
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 28, 2025

– Another name added to the list.

A Blue Jacket through and through. Zach Werenski will go in depth in Season 2 of @primevideo’s FACEOFF: Inside the NHL. pic.twitter.com/QQCbr18Dzv
— Sports on Prime Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) February 28, 2025

– What to expect from the Mets in 2025?

On met la table pour la saison des Mets. https://t.co/deDsF04DMD
— Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) February 28, 2025