The 2025 NHL Draft is set for June 27-28 in Los Angeles at L.A. Live's Peacock Theater and the New York Islanders will have the No. 1 pick for the first time since selecting John Tavares first overall in 2009.
The Islanders were the big winners from the NHL Draft Lottery on May 5, moving up nine spots from No. 10, when they had just a 3.5 percent chance to do so. It's the fifth time in franchise history the Islanders will select No. 1 overall. They also took took goalie Rick DiPietro first in 2000, defenseman Denis Potvin in 1973 and forward Billy Harris in 1972.
The other big winner from the Draft Lottery was the Utah Hockey Club , who moved up from 14 to 4 after winning the second drawing.
As teams prepare for the draft, we take a look at some of the top-rated prospects and predict which names will be selected in the first 16 picks of the first round. Future mock drafts will include playoff teams that didn't participate in the draft lottery.
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Credit: MIKE COPPER/ERIE TIMES-NEWS / USA TODAY NETWORK
Schaefer was limited to 26 games this season between the OHL, World Juniors, Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge because of a broken clavicle. Despite his injury, scouts loved what they saw from Schaefer and many consider him to be the best player in this draft class. Schaefer is hard to beat in 1-on-1 situations, and is projected to be a No. 1 defenseman in the NHL sooner rather than later. Schaefer could become the second Erie player to be selected with the first-overall pick after Connor McDavid (2015) a decade earlier. Since 2000, four defenseman have been selected with the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft: Owen Power (2021, Buffalo Sabres ), Rasmus Dahlin (2018, Sabres), Aaron Ekblad (2014, Florida Panthers ) and Erik Johnson (2006, St. Louis Blues ).
"Matthew Schaefer is the No. 1 defense prospect in this Draft Class," Vice President of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr said . " He is the complete package playing a dynamic style that generates results and influences the outcome of games. Schaefere easily projects as a future All-Star in the NHL."
Coming off one of the most impressive goal-scoring campaigns ever seen in the OHL, Misa knows where to get the puck and fire at will. Though he has the ability to play both center and wing, Misa projects more as a winger at the NHL level and has the best offensive instincts of any player in this draft.
Misa is the first player in Saginaw history to win the Eddie Powers Trophy as the top scorer in the OHL, finishing the regular season with 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists). He tied John Tavares (2006-07) for the most points by an OHL player under age 18 since 2000.
"Every time I saw Misa, I was very impressed with that complete game," Central Scouting associate director David Gregory said . "I was so impressed with how responsible a center he was on his side of the red line."
Hagens was the preseason favorite to be the top overall pick, but dropped partly due to other prospects finding ways to stand out. He had a point-per-game freshman season at Boston College (37 points in 37 games), and also had solid numbers (nine points; five goals, four assists in seven games) to help the United States win the gold medal at the 2025 World Junior Championship. Hagens plays a great two-way game and has the tools to be a No. 1 center on many NHL teams.
Martone possesses an excellent combination of skill, size (6-foot-3, 208 pounds) and power to have a long NHL career. He fell just short of 100 points (98) in his third OHL campaign, but he was entertaining every night for the Steelheads. Martone is a future top-six forward who can finish plays and play a physical game.
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Injuries derailed the early part of the season for Frondell, but he returned to finish with one of the most productive seasons by a U-18 player in Allsvenskan (second-tier Swedish league) history. Frondell is an intriguing prospect with experience down the middle and on the wing. He has a fantastic shot release and is improving at attacking the puck. Frondell established himself as a potential top-5 pick after making up for lost time.
Eklund seemed to always be involved in the puck play at the World Juniors, when he had six points (two goals, four assists) in seven games for Sweden. Eklund makes things happen with the puck that very few can. He has decent strength for a 5-foot-11, 161-pound frame. Eklund needs work defensively, but it shouldn't keep him from playing high up in the lineup. His skating also continues to get better.
Desnoyers is a safe bet to become a two-way, top-six forward. Though he's not huge (6-foot-2, 172 pounds), Desnoyers plays physically, and is one of the smarter centers in this draft with his playmaking ability. He might not be the flashiest, but Desnoyers' ability to stay calm under pressure is an intangible teams can win with at the NHL level.
Smith is considered by many to be the second-best defenseman in the draft. Smith has so many things going for him, not the least of which is being a physical 6-foot-3 defender who skates well with great mobility.
O'Brien has the skills to be an impressive center in the NHL. He fell just short of 100 points with 98, and showed steady improvement as the season wore on. He has the work ethic and ability to be effective in all three zones.
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Carbonneau's game should translate to the NHL given his high-end attributes. He's a great skater with an excellent shot release who loves to make big, flashy plays. His willingness to do whatever it takes to generate offense will pay off for NHL teams.
McQueen may be a risky pick given his small sample size — he played just 20 games between the regular season and playoffs. But McQueen was productive, physical, fast and has plenty of skill. He's also 6-foot-5, scouts like that. He can intimidate, shoot, and pass all in the same shift. McQueen's pure talent is undeniable, and his upside should overcome concerns about a recent back injury.
Rangers general manager Chris Drury has an interesting decision to make with this pick. As a result of a trade to acquire J.T. Miller , the Rangers can either keep this selection and trade an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to the Penguins, or give them this pick and retain their own first-rounder next year.
If the Rangers choose to keep the 2025 first, they can look to restock the prospect pipeline and Aitcheson has the potential to be an intimidating force in the NHL. He gives opponents nothing to work with, and his physicality is the biggest attribute of his game. He's a brutal player who is willing to get involved with just about anyone, registering 88 penalty minutes in the regular season. For teams looking to get tougher to play against, Aitcheson's raw talent and pure tenacity will be tough to pass up.
Mrtka began the season in the top professional league in Czechia before moving to the WHL, ahead of the World Juniors. He's a big 6-foot-6 defenseman with mobility, offensive skill and other elements to make him an effective NHL blueliner.
Martin's game transcends the score sheet, as his play away from the puck is a major asset. He hits everyone in sight, and battles hard for the puck, never giving up on a play. A gamer, a winning player.
Once projected to be a potential top-5 pick in this draft, Hensler apparently was passed by other top prospects this season. Scouts want to see more from the 6-foot-2 mobile blueliner. He has good reach and can rough up opponents, while being solid in his own zone. Hensler projects as a second-pairing defenseman at the NHL level who plays a safe game. He won't be confused for a puck-rushing offensive defenseman.
Bear was one of the CHL's most dangerous forwards this year, registering 40 goals, 82 points and 77 penalty minutes in 56 games. A top-notch athlete who is difficult to play against, a lacerated Achilles tendon sustaine din March could impact his draft status.
