Your views on the 2025 NHL Draft

New York Times

10 hours ago

Follow live coverage of tonight's first round of the 2025 NHL Draft as teams select the next generation of hockey's future stars Getty Images
Keenan H.: Knowing that Chicago will come out of the draft with Misa or Frondell, has me excited. If the rumors of Frondell going to the Shark's at 2 and Misa dropping to Chicago at 3 come to fruition , I'll be ecstatic.
Chris C.: I've given up hope that Frondell will make it to #6, so I've turned to Hagens as my top (realistic) hope. If he's there they better not go big because of the Zegras trade...
Michael E K.: That's one nasty injury Spence had to fight through! To still put up the numbers he did speaks volumes about the guts and ability he's got.
Adam V.: I'm pretty sure the Penguins need quality MORE than quantity. They acquired a lot of picks recently, but they don't really have a lot in terms of high-end talent coming. Getty Images
This season, The Athletic's prospects writers Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman set out to do something ambitious: pull off a 2025 NHL Draft player poll similar to the player polls our staff conduct in the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB.
In the fall, they settled on 10 questions — three on the record and seven anonymous — and spent the season gathering as many responses as possible. By year's end, 50 of the top prospects in the 2025 NHL Draft class were surveyed for our inaugural NHL Draft player poll.
If you could take one draft-eligible player you've played on the same team with, with you to the NHL, who would it be and why? Matthew Schaefer: Honestly, I would probably just say Jack Ivankovic. It's so easy playing when he's in net. I love him as a guy, and he's a great goalie.
Honestly, I would probably just say Jack Ivankovic. It's so easy playing when he's in net. I love him as a guy, and he's a great goalie. Michael Misa: I'd say Porter Martone or Matthew Schaefer. You see how dynamic they are, and I think they both love to win. Any team could use Schaefer on the back end, and with Martone, he's just a big, powerful forward who helps you win.
I'd say Porter Martone or Matthew Schaefer. You see how dynamic they are, and I think they both love to win. Any team could use Schaefer on the back end, and with Martone, he's just a big, powerful forward who helps you win. Porter Martone: I think it's pretty easy for me. I'm going with my teammate Jack Ivankovic. I see the way he wins us games and steals us games. … I think every NHL team needs a star goalie, and I think he's going to be a star goalie in the NHL. The way that he puts in the work around the rink and the way that he wins us games, I think he single-handedly this year has won us games when he has got 40-50 shots with the way he battles and his compete.
Check out more questions and answers below.
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2025 NHL Draft player poll: 50 top prospects dish on each other, predict their draft range
Every year, in the days between the release of my final draft board and the draft itself, continued conversations and video work (normally prompted by those conversations) always seem to lead me to some flip-flopping and hair-pulling about my list.
This year, there's only one that I've kept coming back to, and it's a minor one: I think I'd move Cullen Potter down two or three spots to No. 18 or No. 19, which would move Jackson Smith and Lynden Lakovic up one spot each to No. 16 and No. 17, respectively, and maybe Cameron Reid up one to No. 18 as well. Getty Images
I mentioned it briefly on the pod last week, but I wanted to highlight a note on Malcolm Spence. (If you're faint of heart, maybe don't read ahead.)
I was a little surprised when Spence, who'd previously been listed at 201 pounds by NHL Central Scouting, weighed in at 190 pounds at the combine in Buffalo, and it was enough of a loss that I decided to ask around.
As it turns out, the weight loss happened after he 'split his tongue in half' earlier this year. After getting it stitched, it got infected, swelled and eventually grew a blood clot. Spence ended up in the hospital after one particularly tough bus ride home, and the hospital had to bring in a dentist and an oral surgeon to lance the growth off. He struggled to eat for a while and even had trouble breathing for a time. Though he played with a bubble cage, he lost 10 pounds, and it sounds like it impacted his season.
Spence still finished the year with a respectable 36 goals (including five shorties, second-most in the OHL) and 82 points in 74 combined regular-season and playoff games, but he moved from the front half of the first round entering the season to the back half of the first round exiting it.
He has since committed to the University of Michigan and projects to play at 215 pounds in the NHL. He also did well in his interviews at the combine, by the sounds of it. I'll be interested to see where he goes on Friday night, but I'd guess early 20s. Getty Images
A little more than a year ago, Hagens set the U18 Worlds single-tournament points record with 22 points in just seven games in Finland, and entered the summer before his draft year as the front-runner to be the No. 1 pick. Now, I'm starting to get the sense he's not going to be a top-five pick. As things stand right now, I don't think the Sharks, Blackhawks or Mammoth take him at 2, 3 or 4. And while I think he makes a lot of sense for the Preds at No. 5 — and I'd take him there — they've shown a lot of interest in Martone throughout this year, and I think he's likely their selection if he's there. If Martone goes before the Preds' pick at No. 5, which is a real possibility, I could see Nashville circle back to Hagens. But the chalk version that I've got in my head right now has Hagens going No. 6 or No. 7 to the Flyers or Bruins.
I do know there are teams that have Hagens as their target in potential trade-up scenarios, however, and the Islanders have explored trying to add a second top-five pick, presumably to take Hagens, who's from Long Island. (Those trades almost never happen, but wouldn't that be something?). Getty Images
I was already hearing a lot about the Penguins before the Rangers made the decision to transfer the No. 12 pick to them to complete the J.T. Miller trade. As I've reported, I know they'd inquired with the Blackhawks about the No. 3 pick and have been aggressive in looking into moving up. It sounds like they like both Porter Martone and James Hagens a lot. I've also heard they like Roger McQueen. I believe Martone's going top five, so they'd have to jump into the 3-5 range to grab him. I'm less sure Hagens goes top five, but I also believe the Flyers and Bruins like him at No. 6-7. So those are your scenarios. After polling scouts about McQueen, I believe he goes in the 8-10 range and could see any of the Kraken, Sabres and certainly Ducks take him (multiple people have linked McQueen and the Ducks to me). If McQueen's gone and they stand pat, the names I've heard tied to the Penguins are lefty defensemen Kashawn Aitcheson and Jackson Smith (who they both spent extra time with in Buffalo at the combine and would give them a top left-shot D prospect opposite emerging righty Harrison Brunicke) and winger Lynden Lakovic, who I think is in play starting with the Penguins. Kyle Dubas has never been shy to move back, either, so I don't think that door is shut (though they need quantity less than quality after acquiring more of the former since Dubas took over). Getty Images
There are a few names that I've been hearing a lot in recent weeks and days that I wanted to draw some attention to: Russians Daniil Prokhorov, Alexander Zharovsky and Semyon Frolov, Acadie-Bathurst Titan defenseman Will Reynolds and Czech forward Vaclav Nestrasil. There are multiple teams prepared to take Prokhorov, a 6-5 winger with secondary scoring and a nose for the dirty areas, in the first round. Zharovsky got mixed reviews coming out of Dan Milstein's Gold Star camp in Fort Lauderdale because of just how far behind the curve he is physically, but there are some that still rate him higher than people realize. I believe Prokhorov is gone in the early 20s and won't be surprised if he goes late teens. Zharovsky and Nestrasil could both go late first, and if they don't, they will be gone very early on Day 2. Frolov is viewed by some as the 1A or 1B goalie in this class to Joshua Ravensbergen. Don't be surprised if Ravensbergen slips out of the first round, either. I'm less and less convinced the Predators take him with one of their late firsts.
Reynolds' name came a little out of nowhere in the second half. He's a big, strong, competitive D who can really skate, and while his production (16 points in 69 combined regular-season and playoff games) doesn't scream second-rounder, I believe he's going to go there now; multiple teams have him rated firmly there. It sounds like he's a couple of inches bigger than his 6-foot-2.5 listing as well. Plus, he's an August 2007 birthday, which puts him on the younger side of this class. His game translates to the NHL and what teams are now looking for in D.
'From (January) to now, he had his development trajectory skyrocket,' said one source on Reynolds. Getty Images
Roger McQueen is the top prospect in the 2025 NHL Draft who will create the most debates for teams with an early pick. Standing at 6-foot-5, McQueen is exactly the type of player NHL teams dream of: a big, skilled center who can skate, has high-end skill and plays physical and is a right shot to boot. Before injuries disrupted his season in the fall, McQueen was viewed in NHL circles as a potential candidate for the No. 1 pick, especially after his scorching start to the season, where he scored eight goals in his first 12 WHL games for the Brandon Wheat Kings.
What was even more impressive this season compared to previous ones was the edge he added to his play. McQueen was at times tentative before with a razor-thin frame, but this year, even after returning from a serious injury, he was highly physical and scrappy. He has a knack for getting to high-danger scoring areas and consistently demonstrates excellent puck skill and vision. He has the potential to be a first-line center in the NHL.
'Players with his skill set are top-five picks all day long,' one NHL scout said. Another scout was even more explicit about McQueen's value, stating, 'On pure talent, he's a top-three pick. He does what Anton Frondell does while being four inches taller.'
However, the optimism surrounding McQueen comes with significant medical uncertainty. His most recent season was marred by a back injury, forcing him to miss extended time during the regular season. After returning briefly, he suffered another setback during the playoffs for Brandon, causing further concern among NHL evaluators.
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Why Roger McQueen is the 2025 NHL Draft's most fascinating top prospect Getty Images Position: Center
Center Team: Brandon
Brandon Shoots: Right
Right Height: 6-foot-5
Roger McQueen got off to a great start to the season before a back injury sidelined him in the fall. He returned for a handful of games toward the end of the year. He's a 6-foot-5 center who, when healthy, can skate and has high-end offensive skills. His reach and hands can let him break shifts open, especially when he's attacking with tempo. I wouldn't call McQueen a truly high-end playmaker, but he sees the ice well, makes difficult plays and can create in the high percentage areas. McQueen is big, but what scouts will love is that he uses his big frame. He has an edge in his play, and even after a near season-long injury, he returned and played with bite. He projects as a potential No. 1 center who can play big minutes in the NHL, presuming his health checks out. Getty Images Position : RW
: RW Team : Djurgarden
: Djurgarden Shoots : Right
: Right Height: 5-foot-11
Victor Eklund, the younger brother of Sharks winger William Eklund, was excellent this season versus men in the Allsvenskan as well as for Sweden's World Junior team. Victor is an excellent skater. He has good speed, but his edge work is what separates his skating ability and how elusive he is in tight. He's a very skilled forward who makes creative plays and can do so in the tough areas. Eklund is undersized, but he plays like a big man. He's a tenacious competitor who hunts down pucks and is great at creating chances around the net. He projects as a top-line winger. Getty Images
The Chicago Blackhawks love being in the top three of the NHL Draft. History shows they've drafted successful players when they are one of the first three selections.
Two of those past selections include Denis Savard (1980), a Hall of Famer and Jonathan Toews (2006), a three-time Stanley Cup champion. Per NHL Stats, they are the first team since the Oilers from 2010 to 2012 to make a top three selection in three straight years. Getty Images
Players from U.S. colleges are becoming more popular in the top five of NHL Drafts. Below is the history of top-five picks out of U.S. college since 2006: Macklin Celebrini (Sharks — 2024)
Artyom Levshunov (Blackhawks — 2024)
Adam Fantilli (Blue Jackets — 2023)
Owen Power (Sabres — 2021)
Matty Beniers (Kraken — 2021)
Kent Johnson (Blue Jackets — 2021)
Brady Tkachuk (Senators — 2018)
Jack Eichel (Sabres — 2015)
Noah Hanifin (Hurricanes — 2015)
Jonathan Toews (Blackhawks — 2006)
Phil Kessel (Bruins — 2006)
If James Hagens (Boston College) is selected in the top five, it would be the first time in NHL Draft history that a top-five pick has come out of U.S. college hockey for three straight years. Getty Images
There's been a pattern in recent NHL Drafts of players picked in the top five making an immediate impact on their respective teams. In fact, according to NHL Stats, 19 of the 25 NHL Drafts since 2000 have seen numerous top-five selections appear in at least 10 games in the ensuing regular season, including San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini (70 games played in 2024-25) and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov (18 games played in 2024-25). Getty Images
This isn't the first time the New York Islanders have the No. 1 pick. It's the fifth time the Islanders select first overall, after picking Billy Harris (1972), Denis Potvin (1973), Rick DiPietro (2000) and John Tavares (2009).
Harris recorded six 20-goal seasons for the franchise. DiPietro played his entire 11-year career with the Islanders. Tavares spent the first nine seasons of his NHL career with the Islanders, captaining the team for five seasons (2013-14 to 2017-18). Getty Images
Scott Wheeler: The Flyers are high on all three of Martin, O'Brien and Hagens, and I've had two different people say O'Brien and Martin "don't get past the Flyers." And yet, if Utah doesn't take one of them, I think there's a chance both are here and as a result one of them *does* get past the Flyers. I know they've spent extra time with all three of those guys. But there are a lot of people in the NHL who think they're going to take Martin. I could see a scenario where Martin was the guy they liked and thought they could get, and Hagens was the guy they didn't think would get to them, but would take if he did, for example. I'm partial to Hagens, but a lot of the teams near the top love Martin, and it's easy to see why if you know him.
Corey Pronman: Like Nashville, I somewhat expect the Flyers to take a center, and the options start getting more limited here. James Hagens is possible here, although it would give them a rather small core. McQueen is possible too. O'Brien makes a lot of sense though and people in the league think this is a possible landing spot for him as well. Getty Images Position: Center
Center Team: Brantford
Brantford Shoots: Right
Right Height: 6-foot-1
Jake O'Brien has been an excellent junior player as a leading player on a top OHL team. O'Brien displays the high-end patience and vision to hold onto pucks for an extra second to make difficult plays and run an NHL power play. He's extremely skilled with the puck, showing the soft touch and quick hands to create a lot of scoring chances and improvise on difficult plays often. He's a decent enough skater. His game can lack pace at times in part because he pulls up to make his skilled plays too much, but when he gets going, he moves well. O'Brien isn't overly physical, but he gets to the net to create chances, can kill penalties and isn't a pushover. He projects as a very good top two line center who could score a lot in the NHL. Getty Images
Jake O'Brien is the reigning OHL Rookie of the Year. After leading all OHL rookies with 64 points in 61 games last season at 16, he's chasing 100 points and a top-10 finish in OHL scoring at 17 this season.
He's got a chance to be a top-10 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, too. NHL Central Scouting slotted him eighth among North American skaters on their midterm rankings.
And he has ascended to the top of the 2025 class as a center, as one of the youngest top prospects in the draft because of his June 16 birthday, as an alternate captain and without his Brantford Bulldogs running mate, Blackhawks first-rounder Marek Vanacker, for much of the season.
Jay McKee, the Bulldogs' head coach, told The Athletic that O'Brien has been 'incredible' in his two years in the OHL. He talks about an 'elite, elite hockey IQ,' about how games just 'flow and slow down for him,' and about how he 'sees plays developing before they happen.' He talks about his passing ability, his deceptiveness, his unpredictability, how coachable he is, a shot that has improved and his leadership.
But most of all, he talks about his love for the game.
And that part he comes by honestly.
Read more below.
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How 'incredible' Jake O'Brien became one of the 2025 NHL Draft's top prospects Getty Images
Scott Wheeler: My sense for this pick hasn't changed. I could see the Preds considering Hagens, Martin and Desnoyers if he's around here, but I also know they were in Brampton a lot to watch Martone this year (including upper management), and I think he's their guy. Martone would give them the high-skill, top-of-the-lineup forward prospect they've been searching for as long as the organization has existed. Right-shot wingers with his size and profile don't grow on trees either, even if center is the more premium position.
Corey Pronman: I would be a little surprised if Nashville doesn't come out of this draft with a center. With a run on centers here, the Predators probably take whichever of the top group of pivots are left. Desnoyers, Frondell, Martin all fit their style of draftees. The league thinks this is a potential landing spot for Roger McQueen, too. Getty Images
Indeed, James Hagens was once widely regarded as the potential top pick in this year's draft after his great career at the U.S. NTDP and dominating the World Under-18 Championship last spring. His freshman season at Boston College, however, didn't quite meet those lofty expectations despite still being very productive. He's a dynamic player with the skating, skill and hockey sense of a premier NHL forward. He's on the smaller side, but his profile echoes similarities to players like Logan Cooley and Jack Hughes at the same age, although some scouts have concerns on whether he will handle the NHL's physicality like the other two did. While he may no longer be the consensus top choice, Hagens still projects comfortably as a high-end NHL talent likely to be selected very early.