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Calgary Herald
5 days ago
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
NHL Entry Draft: Lewandowski stays back in Germany, watches draft remotely
Article content The talented import forward had the option of attending in person but chose not to make the trip from Germany to the United States. Article content 'This year, it's kind of different, the draft.,' he explained via telephone from Germany. 'All the (NHL) teams are not there and all that. My agent (Allan Walsh, Octagon Hockey) said 'you can stay at home; it doesn't really matter.' I just thought I was away (from home) for so long that I was just going to stay at home.' Article content Article content Even so, it hasn't dampened his enthusiasm and anticipation of what may unfold today. The draft is all he can think about when he wakes up each day leading into this weekend. Article content Article content 'I'm very excited,' he said. 'In the mornings, I'm just thinking about the draft and just waiting and waiting. I can't wait.' Article content Lewandowski entered the draft after being slotted in at No. 51 for the final NHL Central Scouting rankings. Article content 'There's no pressure,' he said, adding that he had talked to a few NHL teams prior to the draft but had no preference or a favourite team. 'I'm just excited. I can't really do something about it. If someone wants me, they'll pick me. Article content 'I don't really have a favourite team. I just like players. I like every team.' Article content That would be Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov. Article content Saskatoon Blades general manager Colin Priestner believes Lewandowski, from Dusseldorf, Germany, has a great chance to be selected within the next two rounds. Article content Article content 'I don't know — we will see,' said Lewandowski, who had 15 goals and 24 assists for 39 points in 52 games during the regular season. Article content Article content He added a goal and assist in four playoff games. Article content Lewandowski left the Dusselforfer EG men's pro team, which plays in Germany's Del2 league, early last season in October for an opportunity to get more ice-time in the junior ranks by joining the Western Hockey League's Blades. Article content 'I think it was the right decision because I didn't play much in the Del,' he explained. 'I wanted to play again and I had the opportunity in the WHL so I went over and got more ice-time and all that. It was good.' Article content He is excited about what's next with the Blades and he's already got his plane ticket to return to Saskatoon for training camp. Article content 'Of course,' he said. 'I'm always excited about a new season. I don't really have expectations for myself. I just want to play good (hockey) and play with the guys on the team. We have a good team and we will see how it goes.'
Ottawa Citizen
5 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
NHL Entry Draft: Lewandowski stays back in Germany, watches draft remotely
Article content The talented import forward had the option of attending in person but chose not to make the trip from Germany to the United States. Article content 'This year, it's kind of different, the draft.,' he explained via telephone from Germany. 'All the (NHL) teams are not there and all that. My agent (Allan Walsh, Octagon Hockey) said 'you can stay at home; it doesn't really matter.' I just thought I was away (from home) for so long that I was just going to stay at home.' Article content Article content Even so, it hasn't dampened his enthusiasm and anticipation of what may unfold today. The draft is all he can think about when he wakes up each day leading into this weekend. Article content Article content 'I'm very excited,' he said. 'In the mornings, I'm just thinking about the draft and just waiting and waiting. I can't wait.' Article content Lewandowski entered the draft after being slotted in at No. 51 for the final NHL Central Scouting rankings. Article content 'There's no pressure,' he said, adding that he had talked to a few NHL teams prior to the draft but had no preference or a favourite team. 'I'm just excited. I can't really do something about it. If someone wants me, they'll pick me. Article content 'I don't really have a favourite team. I just like players. I like every team.' Article content Favorite player? Article content That would be Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov. Article content Saskatoon Blades general manager Colin Priestner believes Lewandowski, from Dusseldorf, Germany, has a great chance to be selected within the next two rounds. Article content Article content 'I don't know — we will see,' said Lewandowski, who had 15 goals and 24 assists for 39 points in 52 games during the regular season. Article content Article content He added a goal and assist in four playoff games. Article content Lewandowski left the Dusselforfer EG men's pro team, which plays in Germany's Del2 league, early last season in October for an opportunity to get more ice-time in the junior ranks by joining the Western Hockey League's Blades. Article content 'I think it was the right decision because I didn't play much in the Del,' he explained. 'I wanted to play again and I had the opportunity in the WHL so I went over and got more ice-time and all that. It was good.' Article content He is excited about what's next with the Blades and he's already got his plane ticket to return to Saskatoon for training camp. Article content 'Of course,' he said. 'I'm always excited about a new season. I don't really have expectations for myself. I just want to play good (hockey) and play with the guys on the team. We have a good team and we will see how it goes.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NHL Draft Tracker: Round 1 Picks, Reports, Rankings And More
The 2025 NHL draft day is here. Check out the picks and scouting reports of the first round as they come in, as well as draft rankings and much more prospect coverage. Want to compare the first-round results with mock drafts? Want to learn more about where your team's new addition was ranked or how they play? Want a ton of NHL draft content, no matter what? Check out our curations of draft-related content as well. Advertisement Also check out The Hockey News' Draft Preview. Not only does it feature scouting reports on the NHL draft's top 100 prospects, but it also goes further into the stories of some of the top players available, as well as team-by-team reports that cover immediate and long-term needs, cap situation, players in the system, shrewd picks and not so shrewd picks. It's worth a read whether it's during or even after the draft. Round 1 Refresh this page for the latest updates. All height and weight information are according to NHL Central Scouting. 1. New York Islanders: Matthew Schaefer, D, Erie (OHL), 6-foot-2, 186 pounds He started the season with mono and ended it with a broken collarbone, but in between, Schaefer established himself as the consensus No. 1 prospect in the 2025 NHL draft. Schaefer's skating and hockey IQ are elite, and there is a sense of calm when the puck is on his stick. 'He's an exit machine,' said one scout. 'He can skate it out or pass it out, and he has the ability to control the play. I've never seen a team disintegrate the way Canada did after he got hurt in the world juniors.' (The Hockey News Draft Preview Issue) New York Islanders Select Their New Foundational D-Man, Matthew Schaefer, First Overall In NHL Draft New York Islanders Select Their New Foundational D-Man, Matthew Schaefer, First Overall In NHL Draft After weeks of excitement, anticipation and speculation, the New York Islanders selected Matthew Schaefer with the first pick of the 2025 NHL draft. Advertisement 2. San Jose Sharks 3. Chicago Blackhawks 4. Utah Mammoth 5. Nashville Predators 6. Philadelphia Flyers 7. Boston Bruins 8. Seattle Kraken 9. Buffalo Sabres 10. Anaheim Ducks 11. Pittsburgh Penguins 12. Pittsburgh Penguins (From NY Rangers via Vancouver) 13. Detroit Red Wings 14. Columbus Blue Jackets 15. Vancouver Canucks 16. New York Islanders (from Calgary via Montreal) 17. New York Islanders (from Montreal) 18. Calgary Flames (from New Jersey) 19. St. Louis Blues 20. Columbus Blue Jackets (from Minnesota) 21. Ottawa Senators 22. Philadelphia Flyers (from Colorado) 23. Nashville Predators (from Tampa Bay) 24. Los Angeles Kings 25. Chicago Blackhawks (from Toronto) 26. Nashville Predators (from Vegas via San Jose) 27. Washington Capitals 28. Winnipeg Jets 29. Carolina Hurricanes 30. San Jose Sharks (from Dallas) 31. Philadelphia Flyers (from Edmonton) 32. Calgary Flames (from Florida) Back to top The 2025 NHL draft takes place in Los Angeles. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images) Final NHL Draft Rankings - Final 2025 NHL Draft Rankings: Ryan Kennedy's Top 100 Advertisement - Final 2025 NHL Draft Rankings: Tony Ferrari's Top 80 - Instant Reaction: NHL Central Scouting Releases Final 2025 Draft Rankings Mock Drafts - 2025 NHL Mock Draft: Final First-Round Predictions For Schaefer, Martone And More - 2025 NHL Lottery Mock Draft: Where Schaefer, Misa, Hagens And More Could Fall More Draft Lists - Top Shooters, Playmakers, Motors And More - Islanders, Canadiens, Penguins Hold Pivotal Points In Round 1 - Each Team's Picks And Prospect Pool Needs - Three Candidates To Be Surprising Top Five Picks - 10 Players Who Won't Go Undrafted Again Advertisement - All Draft-Eligible First And Second Teams - After Schaefer, Who Is The Next-Best Defenseman? Draft Prospect Profiles - 'Stick Tap To Mom': Matthew Schaefer Aims To Make Late Mother Proud - Misa Making History: Top Prospect's Impressive Play Has Put Him In Contention For 2025 First-Overall NHL Selection - Porter Martone Fights To Win – Literally - Meet Simon Wang, The OJHL Defenseman NHL Scouts Are Flocking To See Scouting Notebooks - NHL Draft Notebook: McKenna (2026 Draft), Desnoyers And Wang Impress In The CHL League Finals - NHL Draft Notebook: Hagens, Eklund And Osmanis Thrive At World Juniors Advertisement - NHL Draft Notebook: Schaefer, Martone, Eklund Shine Ahead Of World Juniors - NHL Draft Notebook: Highly Rated Hagens, Misa And Eklund Star Early More NHL Draft Coverage - Mailbag: Where Misa Would Rank Last Year, Hagens' Drop And More - Player A Vs. Player B: Debating Between NHL Draft Prospects Including Schaefer, Misa And Desnoyers - Goalie-Specific Scouts Change The Landscape Of Predicting A Team's Future In Net - Lessons Learned In Hindsight From Lafreniere, Raymond And The Rest Of The 2020 Draft Class - Potential No. 1 Pick Matthew Schaefer On Islanders Bo Horvat, Adam Pelech & Mathieu Darche Advertisement - 2025 NHL Draft WHL Prospect Profiles - Three QMJHLers That May Go First Round In The 2025 NHL Draft - New York Islanders Win NHL Draft Lottery: Who Should They Pick First Overall? - Misa And Lakovic Highlight Ferrari's 'My Guys' - The Kids Chose Violence: An Evening With The OHL's Top NHL Draft Prospects - James Hagens Takes Center Stage With Team USA Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NHL Draft: Matthew Schaefer chosen No. 1 overall by New York Islanders
The New York Islanders made defenseman Matthew Schaefer the No. 1 overall pick in Friday's NHL draft. (Photo by Michael Miller/) Defenseman Matthew Schaefer was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday by the New York Islanders. The 17-year-old Schaefer, the No. 1 ranked player by NHL Central Scouting, had a shortened 2024-25 season with the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters after missing the first nine games due to mononucleosis and then suffering a broken clavicle during the IIHF World Junior Championship in December. The 6-foot-2, 186-pound Schaefer recorded seven goals and 22 points in 17 games with Erie this past season. "He does it all on the ice – defends well as an elite skater with good gap control and has the ability and smarts to consistently produce offensively," according to NHL Central Scouting's report on Schaefer. "He has a great feel for the game and knows when to make a simple play, when to block a shot and how to get the job done. His puck retrievals are on point, he can skate his way out of trouble and capably lead the rush offensively. He quarterbacks the power play and is an offensive threat to score or set up teammates." Advertisement Schaefer is now just the fifth defenseman to be selected No. 1 overall following Owen Power (Buffalo Sabres, 2021), Rasmus Dahlin (Sabres, 2018), Aaron Ekblad (Florida Panthers, 2014) and Erik Johnson (St. Louis Blues, 2006).
Ottawa Citizen
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
NHL Draft: Lewandowski one of two Saskatoon Blades draft prospects
Article content A pair of Saskatoon Blades hope to hear their names called during this weekend's NHL Entry Draft. Article content European import forward David Lewandowski enters the draft after being slotted in at No. 51 for the final NHL Central Scouting rankings. Article content Article content Forward Hayden Harsanyi — who was acquired in the blockbuster trade that sent star defenceman Tanner Molendyk to the Medicine Hat Tigers — had a final Central Scouting ranking of No. 187. Article content Article content Both players were key additions to the Blades this past season. Article content Article content Blades general manager Colin Priestner believes the 6-foot-1, 177-pound Lewandowski, from Dusseldorf, Germany, has a great chance to be selected within the first three rounds. Article content Priestner says Lewandowski made the choice to leave his pro team in Europe, at the start of the year, to join the Blades and 'get more offensive opportunities than he was going to get playing men's league in Germany. 'He turned out to be one of our top players from pretty much Day 1,' noted Priestner. 'The sky's the limit for him in terms of what he can be as a player. He's got the size and the skill and the vision to be an NHL player.' Article content Lewandowski had 15 goals and 24 assists for 39 points in 52 games during the regular season. He added a goal and an assist in four playoff games. Article content 'The sample size on him is a little smaller for him than some of the other players,' pointed out Priestner. 'He was here for three-quarters of a season instead of two full seasons like a lot of other draft-eligibles. But I know I'm very bullish on him as a prospect. He's got a ton of upside at the next level, just how he thinks the game. I think there's a 90-point season for him ahead next season. Article content Article content 'With his size and ability, I feel he will be a high-value prospect for whoever takes him.' Article content Article content Lewandowski also got to show his talents on the world stage, representing Germany at the IIHF world junior hockey championship, where he scored a couple of goals. Article content 'That never hurts in front of all the scouts,' acknowledged Priestner, adding that Lewandowski was playing against others who were mostly two years older than him in that tournament. Article content 'It was a great sign that he could play with older players. I think he will be one of the best players, certainly on our team and in the (WHL East) division next year. I think he will (be drafted) somewhere in the second or third round is where I'm hearing.' Article content Harsanyi, a 5-foot-9 native of Calgary, had 12 goals and 12 assists in 37 games during the regular season, split between Medicine Hat and Saskatoon.
