2025 NHL Draft Thread

[Ped]

Central Scouting's Midseason rankings are out:

https://media.nhl.com/public/news/18557

Top 10 NA:

1. Schaefer
2. Hagens
3. Misa
4. Martone
5. McQueen
6. Mrtka
7. Desnoyers
8. O'Brien
9. Jackson Smith
10. Hensler


Top 3 Europe:

1: Eklund
2. Frondell
3. Ryabkin

[Badgers Nose]

If the Flames drop out of the race, realistically they would be picking 8-10, right? Hard to imagine them plummeting (heck, I don't see them dropping much at all form where they are right now).

So Bob has us picking around these guys in his rankings:

8 Malcolm Spence (LW) Erie Otters OHL 36 17 26 43 24
9 Logan Hensler (D) Univ. of Wisconsin NCAA 17 0 7 7 19
10 Caleb Desnoyers (C) Moncton Wildcats QMJHL 34 23 33 56 16

or do we grab one of these guys early?

11 William Moore (C) U.S. National U18 Team NTDP 36 17 13 30 4
12 Radim Mrtka (D) HC Ocelari Trinec Czechia 10 0 1 1 0
13 Victor Eklund (LW) Djurgårdens IF HockeyAllsvenskan 24 8 7 15 31
14 Jake O'Brien (C) Brantford Bulldogs OHL 40 21 30 51 10

[Samonadreau]

^ I have just accepted the fact that our 1st is going to Montreal at this point.

We will still get 2 late 1sts from Jersey and Florida.

[Tbull8]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

If the Flames drop out of the race, realistically they would be picking 8-10, right? Hard to imagine them plummeting (heck, I don't see them dropping much at all form where they are right now).

So Bob has us picking around these guys in his rankings:

8 Malcolm Spence (LW) Erie Otters OHL 36 17 26 43 24
9 Logan Hensler (D) Univ. of Wisconsin NCAA 17 0 7 7 19
10 Caleb Desnoyers (C) Moncton Wildcats QMJHL 34 23 33 56 16

or do we grab one of these guys early?

11 William Moore (C) U.S. National U18 Team NTDP 36 17 13 30 4
12 Radim Mrtka (D) HC Ocelari Trinec Czechia 10 0 1 1 0
13 Victor Eklund (LW) Djurgårdens IF HockeyAllsvenskan 24 8 7 15 31
14 Jake O'Brien (C) Brantford Bulldogs OHL 40 21 30 51 10

If the flames drop out of the race, I think they end up in the 13-16 range since they'll likely be in the race till the end. In which case its going to Montreal and we're picking 22-25 with floridas pick and 26-30 with the devils pick or vice versa

[TheIronMaiden]

Craig's list came out today.

If we drafted right now the Flames would be picking at 21 and 23.
At that spot the Flames have a shot at some decent centers.


Jack Nisbit
https://www.eliteprospects.com/playe...1/jack-nesbitt

Cole Rechney
https://www.eliteprospects.com/playe...0/cole-reschny

Iven Rybakin
https://www.eliteprospects.com/playe...2/ivan-ryabkin

Jake O'Brien
https://www.eliteprospects.com/playe...5/jake-o-brien

Milton Gastrin
https://www.eliteprospects.com/playe...oogle_vignette

[Tbull8]

Oh man, if Ryabkin falls to 20, thats a no brainer swing for the fences pick there

[SuperMatt18]

It really feels like Rybakin is going to fall and if he does I think the Flames need to take that risk.

Although that might be less likely if he lights up the USHL between now and the draft.

[dammage79]

Ryabkin falling into the Flames lap would be worth 5 Christmas's

[mile]

Button has Schaefer #1, Frondell #2, wow



https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/craig-s-list-...raft-1.2235722

[Tbull8]

Love Cole Reschny too, reminds me a ton of Konecny

[Samonadreau]

Ryabkin has 3 goals in 2 games in USHL now. if he stays over a goal/game his stock will rise back up a bit. Expect him to go in the 9-12 range.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Hey Sandman!

I was looking over centers in the twenty range since it looks like thats where we will be (le sigh) what is your take on cullen potter. May be the best skater in the draft, is playing in college and being successful considering , size is an issue at 5 9, 170, so playing weight 180? Short yes but not a rail. Coach loves him. What is your take on using a first and any chance he made to the fifties as a center?

Honestly i would take horcoff with one of our picks though.

I think that there's too much talent in the top end of this draft to be taking a guy like Potter with a first-rounder. If I was going to take a smaller guy in the first, it would definitely be Reschny based on his projection. If last year's draft was any indication, there's no telling where the smaller guys will fall. Just my opinion....

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (American Edition, Vol. 13):

RHC Teddy Mutryn (6'1",207lbs)
Chicago Steel (USHL): 27gp/ 11g/ 7a/ 18pts, -5, 52 PIM

Teddy Mutryn deserves more attention, and he would no doubt have more fanfare if he wasn't toiling for the Chicago Steel, who are 14th out of 16 teams in the USHL, and are 5th-worst in goals-for. In December's World Junior-A Challenge, Mutryn performed well, and posted 4 assists in 5 games while showcasing his pace-pushing heavy game. He did much of the same in the summer at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, with 3 points in 5 games for a Team USA that left some of their best players at home. Mutryn is a highly-intelligent, well-rounded power-forward with solid IQ who often seems to be a step or two ahead of the play with his keen anticipation in all 3 zones. He's seen as a complete player who makes things happen all over the ice and versatile in the way he can play all 3 forward positions. His prime weapon is his finishing ability, which includes a hard, heavy shot with an even better release, and soft hands for beating goalies in-tight. He's always a threat to score, as he can get his shot off with very little time or space to work with, or under heavy checking pressure. He will set up shop in front of the net in order to set up the screen, and fish for tips and rebounds.

Though his goal-scoring stands out, Mutryn often flashes a solid playmaking dimension and can connect with teammates through traffic, but is also proficient at sniffing out soft spots in coverage to exploit, and can delay to draw defenders in to open space to pass into. He is an above-average skater with a long, powerful stride and a peppy short-area burst who is strong on the puck and displays good protection skills that make it very difficult to strip him of the puck. Mutryn employs a very physical style, and is uncommonly strong; he rarely gets outmuscled and plays hard on the boards, grinding opponents down and playing an agitator role. Down low and around the net, he's like a shark circling, and executes retrievals in both ends of the rink by force- he's dangerous and highly disruptive on the forecheck, and wins pucks on the backcheck before starting the breakout. In his own end, he's very reliable, supports teammates in battle, blocks shots willingly, and aids his D down low. He plays a high-pressure game, removing time and space from puck-carriers all over the zone from the points to below the goal-line, and causes turnovers in all 3 zones with a well-timed stick. He's highly aware defensively, and plays a detailed game when it comes to snuffing out his opponents attack. In all situations, he plays with passion, intensity, and a relentless motor.

There's a lot to like in this package, and a very translatable game. Mutryn hasn't proven himself to be a high-level points-producer yet, but he has tons of potential and excellent tools. There's also a high NHL floor. I really like this kid, and I think scouts do as well, so I would guess that he's selected in the latter half of the second round, to the early third round of this summer's draft. He has committed to Boston College for 2026-27.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (American Edition, Vol.14):

LW Nicolas Sykora (6'0", 174lbs)
Omaha Lancers (USHL): 17gp/ 6g/ 1a/ 7pts, -8, 0 PIM
Sioux City Musketeers (USHL): 18gp/ 8g/ 9a/ 17pts, +4, 4 PIM.

Winger Nicolas Sykora, the son of former NHLer Petr Sykora, must have felt like a kid on Christmas morning when he was traded from the last-place (and lowest-scoring) team in the USHL, the Omaha Lancers, to the Sioux City Musketeers- a team that currently occupies the 7th-spot in league standings, but has the 4th-best goals-for. He responded by going from .41 ppg with Omaha, to .94 ppg with Sioux City, possibly rescuing his draft stock. Before the season began, Central Scouting saw fit to award him the grade of "C", denoting a possible 4th, or 5th-round pick, and I doubt that grade has changed- even with his new lease on life, numbers-wise. Sykora is an offensive-minded winger with sharp awareness and keen anticipation, but he's a bit one-dimensional- although he's trying to improve.

Sykora's best tool is his deep arsenal of shots- including a superb curl-and-drag wrister, a laser of a one-timer, and a hard, heavy, and often pinpoint accurate wrister. Built-in to his shot is a wicked release that he can get off in heavy traffic, or at full-flight, and he expertly uses defenders as screens. The puck simply explodes off of his stick, and he can pick corners with it. He goes to the net for second-chance opportunities, and has the timing and hand-eye coordination to get tips. Sykora is a volume-shooter and his off-puck intelligence is a huge facilitator for his exploits; he locates space to move around in high-danger areas, and slips in-and-out of the slot to get in position to shoot. Playmaking is more of a secondary weapon, but he exhibits good spatial awareness and solid hockey sense to find his teammates in open space with fine-touch passing skill, showing the ability to connect over and under his opponents' sticks.

Unfortunately, Sykora is a rather average skater with deficient acceleration, and it pervades many areas of his game. He doesn't hold on to the puck for very long, relying on quick touches and by moving the puck up the ice with give-and-goes- he does most of his skating off the puck. He defers to his teammates to carry through transition most of the time, and doesn't often lead the rush- his entries consist mostly of dump-ins. Sykora will get involved physically, but not very often- he's doesn't get his hands dirty enough in puck battles, and seems content to let his linemates do most of the digging and other dirty work. In his own zone, he seems to have improved over last season, but his effort and engagement have peaks and valleys; he shows a somewhat responsible defensive dimension with solid positioning and anticipation, but he could be far more disruptive. He employs a fairly good stick to pressure opponents and clog lanes, and when it's time for the breakout, he positions himself well to be an option for a pass. Overall, he needs to improve his intensity and his workrate in all areas. Sykora has committed to Quinnipiac for 2026-27, and I think he'll be selected in the 3rd, or 4th-round of the 2025 Draft.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (American Edition, Vol. 15):

C/RW Ryker Lee (6'0",181lbs)
Madison Capitols (USHL): 26gp/ 12g/ 19a/ 31pts, -1, 8 PIM

Ryker Lee earned a "B" rating (2nd or 3rd-round pick) by Central Scouting in their preliminary rankings, largely due to his performance in 2023-24 at Stattuck St.Mary's School, where he was one of the top players in the program, and had numbers in the same stratosphere as 2024 draft-eligibles Will Zellers and Dean Letourneau (99 points in 57 games). True, Lee is one of the older players in the 2025 Draft, with a Nov.8th birthday, but as a graduate of the Prep circuit, he's more raw than most. Lee is tops in scoring for the Madison Capitols (where he plays with linemate and fellow 2025 draft-eligible Mason Moe), who are in 8th-place out of 16 teams in the USHL, and 5th in goals-for, but he didn't move the needle much for Team USA in the Hlinka-Gretzky (1 point in 5 games), or the World Junior A Championship (1 point in 3 games). He is a two-way offensive player with a touch of power in his game.

Lee's primary asset is his lethal release on his wide array of hard, heavy shots, including an explosive wrister and a booming one-timer- both of which containing uncanny accuracy. He's proficient at snapping a curl-and-drag wrister around the reach of sticks and out of the range of checks, often deftly using his opponents as screens. Off the puck, he's smart and has high IQ in relocating to where the play is going in order to be in a good position in high-danger to get his shot off. While his playmaking is considered to be a secondary asset for him, he doesn't get enough credit for the advantages he creates with his skillful passing. There are times where he looks dynamic in this area, often displaying advanced ideas that don't always work out. He scans well and usually makes safe and smart decisions, but also has a patient delay game to wait for the best play to develop and the spatial awareness to draw defenders towards him in order to make room elsewhere for teammates. His puck-skills are well above average, with an assortment of deceptive 1-on-1 moves to fool defenders and get around in traffic, including dekes and fakes. These are used often to cut inside, or to rush the crease, and he looks dynamic at times with the ability to split the D or make opponents look silly in small spaces. These talents combine with his outstanding puck-protection, handling expertly outside of his adversary's reach while pushing through checks. He's rather stocky and strong, which makes him hard to knock off the puck as well. Lee is a physical player with some power, and he can drop a shoulder on occasion to bull his way to the middle, or towards the net- he has no problem with scoring ugly goals.

With the good, comes the bad. Unfortunately, Lee's mobility is average at best; his top speed is ok, but he requires a long runway to get there. There's work to be done on the mechanics of his stride, as it appears stiff and choppy, and his agility looks flawed as well. To exacerbate this problem, he also plays with less pace than he should. Most of the inadequacies in his game are due to his inferior skating; if he fixes this, and learns to play with a higher pace, he could be a major steal. He possesses some good defensive habits and is a reasonably responsible player, but like other aspects of his game- his speed can hurt him. He displays solid positioning in his own zone, but he struggles to apply the proper pressure to be disruptive, and regrettably- his effort and engagement are wildly inconsistent. Substandard motor and effort can be pervasive in all areas of his game. As said above, he's still quite raw, and will need a longer runway than some kids, but he'll get just that at Michigan State, where is committed to for the 2025-25 season. Look for him in the late 2nd, or early third round of the 2025 Draft.

[cral12]

fwiw, CPers (and Upsiders ; )
- gradually catching up to Sandman's blistering pace and getting them up on Upside Hockey on our dedicated 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profiles page, alphabetized by last name; link will follow
- recall last year, we had well over 200; I wanna say >240!
- I'll also be rolling them out on our Substack eNewsletter/blog; we recently surpassed the modest threshold of 100 followers on there - thanks to any CPers who have subscribed (it's free, with an option to contribute only if yah really want to - no obligations whatsoever) https://upsidehockey.substack.com/
- we're also over where the skies are blue, especially for those abandoning the socials owned by Zuck/Musk: https://bsky.app/profile/upsidehockey.bsky.social

Think I have 11 up so far...more to come:
https://www.upsidehockey.com/prospec...spect-profiles

[Samonadreau]

Ryabkin done his 3 game suspension for slew foot and will be back in Friday night.

[Sandman]

Jan.15th:

The OHL held the "Connor McDavid Top Prospects Game" that consisted of the top draft-eligibles in an East vs. West format. Here's some of the results:

The game was won in dramatic fashion by Team East, 5-4 in OT, on a goal by none other than Porter Martone, assisted by Jake O'Brien.

-Team West's Star of the Game was D Cameron Reid, with 3 assists.
-Team East's Star of the Game was C Jake O'Brien, with 3 assists, including primaries on both the game-tying goal, and the game-winner.
-There were a few fights, including D Quinn Beauchesne vs. Martone, D Josh Glavin vs. D Kaleb Dietsch, and C Jack Nesbitt vs. D Evan Passmore.

Also getting points for Team West: D Henry Brzustewicz (1a), RW Adrian Misaljevic (1g), C Brady Martin (1g), C Jack Nesbitt (1g, 1a), C Mike Misa (1a), and C Luca Romano (1g).

Also getting points for Team East: D Xander Velliaris (1g, 1a), RW Shamar Moses (1g), C Aiden Young (2a), RW Lirim Amidovski (1g, 1a), RW Porter Martone (1g, 1a), and C Owen Griffin (1g, 1a).

C Jack Nesbitt is one to watch, as he just keeps building up his draft stock. Ditto for C Jake O'Brien, who had a slow start to the season, but has been excellent for about the last month or so.

[Sandman]

Jan.15th Draft Update:

-Mike Misa is still atop the OHL scoring race, with 37gp/35g/37a/72pts,+29, 23 PIM, first in goals, and 6th in plus/minus. He has a ppg of 1.95.

-Martone is tied for 6th in scoring, mostly due to his absence while playing in the WJC, with 30gp/22g/40a/62pts,+17, 45 PIM, and a ppg of 2.07 (second highest behind Quentin Musty's 2.08 ppg).

-Only 6 points in his last 6 games, but C Jake O'Brien is tied for 17th in scoring, with 40gp/21g/30a/51pts,-10, 10 PIM. His Brantford Bulldogs are 9th in the OHL. O'Brien was named Team East's Player of the Game in the Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game, with 3 assists- including primaries on the game-tying goal, and the game-winner, in a 5-4 OT victory.

-D+1 draft-eligible American, LW Kristian Epperson, is tied with O'Brien with 35gp/17g/34a/51pts,+32, 64 PIM. He is tied for 3rd in plus/minus. Epperson is a 6'0",185lb winger who plays a well-rounded game, and is a fiery competitor. He'll be drafted this summer.

-LW Malcolm Spence only has 5 points in his last 6, and is tied for 27th in scoring with 36gp/17g/26a/43pts,+11, 24 PIM. Spence plays a solid, all-around game that is easily projectable.

-A favorite of mine, C Ethan Czata, is tied for 31st in scoring, with 41gp/16g/25a/41pts,+6, 48 PIM. He's a 6'1", two-way power forward.

-Another favorite of mine, C Jack Nesbitt, is now tied for 35th in scoring with 41gp/17g/23a/40pts,+14, 41 PIM, and he picked up 2 points (and a fighting major) in the OHL TPG. Nesbitt is a scouts dream- a 6'4" center who moves well for a player his size, and plays with power.

-D Cameron Reid has slipped a bit in the scoring race, with only 2 points in his last 7, to place 9th in scoring by D with 41gp/8g/24a/32pts,+15, 25 PIM, on the 3rd-place Kitchener Rangers (who are 10th in goals-for). He still leads the team's defense by 12 points.

-The 6th-place Barrie Colts have lost 4 in a row, and D Kashawn Aitcheson has been struggling to put up points lately, with only 1 point in his last 5. He is tied for 16th in scoring by D, with 36gp/11g/15a/26pts,+3, 58 PIM. Aitcheson is a hard-nosed, unrelentingly physical two-way D.

-D Henry Brzustewicz is tied for 18th in scoring by D with 38gp/6g/19a/25pts,+13, 55PIM. It's hard for a young defenseman to get much playing time on the London Knights, with Sam Dickinson, Oliver Bonk, and Jared Wooley playing ahead of you (and now Cam Allen)- but between Dec 20th and Jan 3rd, with Dickinson and Bonk away at the WJC, Bru had 7 points in 5 games. He is 6'1", 194lbs, and plays a sound two-way game.

-RD Carson Cameron has 4 points in the last 7 games, playing on the lowly Peterborough Petes, who are dead-last in the OHL, and have scored the least amount of goals. He sits at 41gp/7g/13a/20pts,-14, 14 PIM. He's better than his stats suggest, and has an NHL frame, at 6'2",194lbs. He's also quite young still, with a June 27th, 2007 birthday.

-C Bill Zonnon has been eating the Q alive, with 13 points in his last 7 (he had a 5 point game, and a 6 point game). He is now second in Q scoring, with 39gp/23g/35a/58pts,+4, 22 PIM, on the 5th-place Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Zonnon is a big (6'2",190lbs) power-forward with heavy boots, but a sky-high workrate.

-C Caleb Desnoyers is 3rd in Q for ppg (1.65), which is first in the league for draft-eligibles, and also sits 3rd in the scoring race (1st in plus/minus) with 34gp/23g/33a/56pts,+39, 16 PIM. Desnoyers is a stifling defensive presence, and a top-notch offensive forward all at once. He's one of the best players available in the upcoming draft, and could go in the top-5.

-RW Justin Carbonneau is 6th in Q scoring, with 38gp/27g/26a/53pts,-1, 38 PIM. He had a 5-point game in his last contest, against Victoriaville, but only had 3 points in his previous 7 games. Blainville has gone 4-5-1-0 in their last 10, and sit in 11th-place. JC's center, Mateo Nobert, has put up 7 points in 4 games since the beginning of January, and is tied for 11th in scoring, with 38gp/19g/27a/46pts,-3, 20 PIM. It's my belief that Nobert is being underrated a bit- he's become a dependable two-way C, and despite being a bit slight (6'0",166lbs), he plays an active physical style.

-C Zachary Morin has slipped a bit, with only 1 point in January so far, a span of 5 games. 32gp/10g/17a/27pts,+2, 4 PIM. Morin is a 6'2" physical power-forward with playmaking vision and a good shot, but he's still trying to put it all together.

-C Ben Kindel is on fire, moving into 5th-place in WHL scoring, with 38gp/24g/40a/64pts,+18, 20 PIM, after posting 12 points in 6 January contests.

-C Carter Bear has put up 5 points in 5 games in January, and is tied for 11th in scoring (6th in plus/minus), with 34gp/27g/30a/57pts,+31, 36 PIM. Bear is the hardest-working player in the draft, and a dominant defensive player.

-RW Cameron Schmidt is just getting his feet back after suffering an early December injury, and then struggling upon his return (only 5 points in 7 December games). He has posted 8 points in 6 January contests, and is now 25th in WHL scoring, with 35gp/29g/19a/48pts,-5, 24 PIM, but he is 4th in goals. Schmidt is short in stature (5'7",161lbs), but definitely not short on speed or heart.

-6'2",200lb LW Nathan Behm has 9 points in 5 January games, and is now 27th in scoring, with 38gp/23g/24a/47pts,-2, 12 PIM. Behm is fairly solid in all areas, and is a well-balanced offensive forward.

-Only 5 points in 5 games in January for C Cole Reschny, who is tied for 28th in scoring with 37gp/13a/33a/46pts,+12, 36 PIM. Reschny is short (5'10"), but stocky (185lbs), and is a gritty two-way C who has plenty of fans in the Advanced Stats crowd.

-C Braeden Cootes is a beauty, and is still a ppg player on the lowly Seattle Thunderbirds, who are second-last in the league. He is tied for 57th, with 37gp/17g/20a/37pts,even, 12 PIM. Cootes is a highly intelligent two-way C with some grit and physicality.

-LD Will Sharpe has rebounded from a 4-point December, to post 7 points in 6 January games. He is tied for 15th in scoring by D, with 38gp/4g/27a/31pts,-11, 26 PIM. He was traded from Lethbridge to Kelowna about a week and a half ago, spending 3 games with his new team. Sharpe is a smooth-skating, all-situations D-man who is on pace for 55 points in 68 games.

-RD Radim Mrtka's draft stock has skyrocketed with his dominant performance on one of the worst teams in the WHL, the second-last placed Thunderbirds. The 6'6"200lb righty was already considered to be a quick-moving, rugged, tight defensive player, but he's turning heads with 17gp/2g/14a/16pts,even, 16 PIM.

-LD Jackson Smith is tied for 20th in D scoring, with 39gp/2g/27a/29pts,+3, 34 PIM. He's 6'3", skates very well, and plays a smart two-way game. He'll be one of the first D picked in the Draft.

-C Brady Martin's situation is quite similar to that of Cootes', in that he plays for a poor team (the 16th-place Soo Greyhounds of the OHL), but still manages to hover at a ppg, with 30gp/15g/15a/30pts,+8, 44 PIM. Like Cootes, he's a beauty, playing a tight two-way game, highlighted by his grit and physicality. Martin is meaner, though.

-LW Shamar Moses, a 6'1", 200lb power-forward, is at 36gp/9g/23a/32pts,-8, 29 PIM, but he has 32 points in 31 games since being traded to North Bay of the OHL from Barrie.

-C Ivan Ryabkin has 3 goals in 2 games for Muskegon of the USHL, and has already served a suspension for slew-footing.

[Fan69]

Really liking Cootes