We’re barely done getting over the Stanley Cup Finals and the NHL Draft is already upon us, and it’s going to be wild. While the 2025 class doesn’t have a surefire star like Connor Bedard two years ago, it’s a deep class with boom or bust potential all over the first round which could lead to some wild things happening.
Already we’re hearing murmurs of potential veterans on the move, including whispers that Connor McDavid might be made available. That in and of itself could make Friday night one to remember. Here’s a short list of established players who could move during the first round.
- Connor McDavid, Oilers: Edmonton would love to convince him to stay, but if they know the writing is on the wall we could see movement
- Jason Robertson, Stars: Dallas is in a bit of a cap crunch after signing Mikko Rantanten and want to get better. They reportedly have interest in Mitch Marner in free agency, which would require opening up space
- Andrei Svechnikov, Hurricanes: There’s been a lot of mystery around Svech being available with some outlets saying he’s being shopped, while others say there’s no chance. I’ve heard it would take a big offer, but Carolina is open to the idea of retooling their forwards
- JJ Peterka, Sabres: Buffalo is in a perpetual state of rebuilding, but this is a case where the Sabres want several win-now guys in exchange for one young stud. They’re tired of being in the basement and want to get some Ws.
2025 NHL Mock Draft
No. 1 — New York Islanders: Matthew Schaefer, D, Erie
This still isn’t set in stone, but signs point to the Islanders being risk averse with the No. 1 pick. That would indicate that Schaefer will be the top pick, who is as safe a defenseman as we’ve seen in years.
No. 2 — San Jose Sharks: Michael Misa, C, Saginaw
Misa’s strong two-way play makes him a natural accompaniment to Macklin Celebrini, who the Sharks took with the top pick a year ago. This is the only pick that makes sense with Schaefer gone.
No. 3 — Chicago Blackhawks: Caleb Desnoyers, C, Moncton
This is where the draft could get wild and we start to see some boom-or-bust guys come in. Strong potential this is Anton Frondell, but ultimately I see Chicago playing this safe and trying simply get better before Connor Bedard has had enough losing.
No. 4 — Utah Mammoth: James Hagens, C, Boston College
There are some worries he’s not physically minded enough, but the skill here is undeniable. The Mammoth take a sure-thing, even if Hagens lacks the upside of some guys who will go in the next few picks.
No. 5 — Nashville Predators: Anton Frondell, C/LW, Djurgårdens
Keeping Nashville as the picker here, but I think we’re going to see a trade in this spot if Frondell is still on the board. He’s a prospect some teams are so in love with that they’ll willingly move up and roll the dice on his potential greatness.
No. 6 — Philadelphia Flyers: Jake O’Brien, C, Brantford
The Flyers are a team I see that could move up for Frondell, but here I have them taking Jake O’Brien. He’s a big, strong, physical force in the middle who can compliment Philly’s stellar wings.
No. 7 — Boston Bruins: Porter Martone, LW, Brampton
There is no reason Martone should fall out of the Top 5 other than positional need. We have a lot of center-needy teams picking before Boston and that leads to them landing the best pure scoring wing in this class.
No. 8 — Seattle Kraken: Radim Mrtka, D, Seattle
Mrtka doesn’t even need to relocate as the mammoth-bodied defenseman stays in Seattle after playing for the minor league Thunderbirds. There’s some development needed, but Mrtka has already improved and can become a force in time.
No. 9 — Buffalo Sabres: Jackson Smith, D, Tri-City
There’s a big chance this pick is traded as part of a larger deal to get some established talent, but if they stay at No. 9 I have Buffalo bolstering their defense with a solid, reliable pick.
No. 10 — Anaheim Ducks: Roger McQueen, C, Brandon
McQueen should be a higher pick, but a back injury raised some concerns after the combine. Everyone else’s loss is the Ducks’ gain, who get the big-bodied forward who can anchor the middle for years in Anaheim.
No. 11 — Pittsburgh Penguins: Victor Eklund, RW, Djurgårdens
Eklund has fallen quite a bit in the pre-draft process with worries that his teammate Anton Frondell was the real brains of the operation, but ultimately I think those concerns are unfair. Eklund is an unselfish wing, a great team player, and a glue guy who can come up big for the Penguins.
No. 12 — New York Rangers: Lynden Lakovic, LW, Moose Jaw
IQ, IQ, IQ. That’s the three word review on Lynden Lakovic. A gifted skater with phenomenal vision, he’s a force multiplier on the wing who can play like a second center on the ice. His flexibility as a forward is something the Rangers need, especially with Artemi Panarin getting older.
No. 13 — Detroit Red Wings: Kashawn Aitcheson, D, Barrie
A really strong two-way defenseman, Aitcheson can be a core defensive starter as well as a force on the power play. The Wings need youth on defense and the value here is far better than reaching for another forward.
No. 14 — Columbus Blue Jackets: Carter Bear, LW, Everett
Bear is coming off an ACL tear, but all signs indicate it won’t effect his future. A legitimate Top 10 talent in this class without the injury, the Blue Jackets will be happy to roll the dice in at 14th and potentially get a game changing player down the road.
No. 15 — Vancouver Canucks: Braeden Cootes, C, Seattle
The Canucks have had ample opportunity to scout Cootes and his performance at the U18 World Cup cemented himself as one of the better scrappy forwards in this draft. He’ll bring some much-needed edge to the Vancouver front line.
No. 16 — Montreal Canadiens (from Calgary Flames): Justin Carbonneau, RW, Blainville-Boisbriand
Is it a bit on the nose to naturally mock the top-rated player from Quebec to the Canadiens? Yes. Does it fit? Yes. Montreal has a type and Carbonneau’s skating ability and feel for the game make him a great fit.
No. 17 — Montreal Canadiens: Cameron Reid, D, Kitchener Rangers
You could easily flip these two picks. One way or another the Canadiens will end up with both a forward and a defenseman with their back-to-back selections. Reid has unicorn speed at the position which can open up breakaway opportunities, and he’s a soft passer in all the best ways.
No. 18 — Calgary Flames (from New Jersey Devils): Cole Reschny, C, Victoria
Reschny is an intriguing prospect who could go earlier, or fall later. He does everything well, but nothing especially remarkable. That’s not necessarily a knock when you’re picking at No. 18, and the Flames will love his reliability.
No. 19 — St. Louis Blues: Ben Kindel, RW, Calgary
Kindel is a serious effort skater who is constantly moving to create opportunities. It’s the kind of player the Blues love, who prefer these kind of endless motor players over finesse skaters. Kindel makes plays happen because he refuses to accept anything else.
No. 20 — Columbus Blue Jackets (from Minnesota Wild): Cole McKinney, C, Michigan
There’s an aura around Cole McKinney’s play that’s impossible to ignore. He’s a leadership player whose physical traits are dwarfed by his understanding of the game and ability to organize players around him. This is one of those guys who could be a career 40 point player, but be one of those guys who is the glue for an entire organization.
No. 21 — Ottawa Senators: Jack Nesbitt, C, Windsor
A strong defensive center, Nesbitt knows how to use his frame at the faceoff and forcheck to create loose puck opportunities. In a draft where there’s not a lot of front line physicality Nesbitt stands above.
No. 22 — Philadelphia Flyers (from Colorado Avalanche): Kurban Limatov, D, Dynamo Moskva
The Flyers have so many picks and such a deep system they can afford to take a pure upside player like Limatov here. It might be a few years before he can come over, but he’s a potential difference maker. After hitting a home run with Matvei Mitchkov they’ll hope lightning can strike twice.
No. 23 — Nashville Predators (from Vegas Golden Knights via San Jose Sharks): Sascha Boumedienne, D, Boston University
The Predators need to go defense here and Boumedienne is a plus-level position player who is an adept shot blocker. He might not be a top line defenseman, but can be an extremely high level line two player.
No. 24 — Los Angeles Kings: Blake Fiddler, D, Edmonton
A really fun prospect to watch, Fiddler loves to play with his back to the net and appears almost more comfortable skating backwards than forwards. He can be a high level play creator from the blue line, which is something the Kings have been missing.
No. 25 — Chicago Blackhawks (from Toronto Maple Leafs): Malcolm Spence, LW, Erie
It’s all about getting more help for Connor Bedard in Chicago and Spence is an NHL-ready player who can step in. Not much of a shot creator, it’s fine here considering he can benefit from Bedard and other passers inside a deep system the Blackhawks have built.
No. 26 — Nashville Predators: Cullen Potter, C, Arizona State
Deceptive speed and aggressive angles are the calling cards of the Potter who can be an absolute difference maker at center. The fit here is fantastic and can help usher in a new era of success in Nashville.
No. 27 — Washington Capitals: Daniil Prokhorov, RW, St. Petersburg
The pick is solid here, but the story might be better. The top Russian forward landing in Washington to eventually try and replace Alexander Ovechkin’s impossible-to-fill shoes. Time is on Washington’s side and Prokhorov can be brought up in a year or two.
No. 28 — Winnipeg Jets: Logan Hensler, D, Wisconsin
Hensler is a top level right defender with some weakness on his switch. if he was able to play both sides he’d go much higher, but as a one trick pony he’s exceptionally good at it. Love this fit for the Jets who need to keep building on their defense, efficiency, and finding players who excel in one key area.
No. 29 — Carolina Hurricanes: Joshua Ravensberger, G, Prince George
I could easily see the Canes trading this pick, but if they stay put it behooves them to find some help in net. The pipeline is stocked, and Ravensberger could be willing to come up as early as next year if we assume Freddie Anderson retires.
No. 30 — San Jose Sharks (from Dallas Stars): Henry Brzustewicz, D, London
This pick is predicated on the Sharks not getting Matthew Schaefer at No. 2. If San Jose somehow lands Schaefer this will be a forward instead. Either way, the Sharks can’t guarantee that Brzustewicz will be available in the second round and he’s too good to pass up.
No. 31 — Philadelphia Flyers (from Edmonton Oilers): William Horcoff, C, Michigan
The son of former Oilers center Sean Horcroff, William projects to be better than pops. He’s a solid two-way player with great vision and a grinding style that can wear down his opponents.
No. 32 — Calgary Flames (from Florida Panthers): Mason West, C, Edina High
West is one of the youngest players in this class and just committed to play NCAA hockey at Michigan State. West is a towering 6’6 forward who can generate his own offense and has a massive shot that can open up the power play.
