The 2025 NHL Draft is taking place in Los Angeles at the Peacock Theater, but this year it’s a decentralized event, meaning the front offices and scouting teams will be making their picks from war rooms in their home cities. In attendance in Los Angeles still will be most of the first-round of prospects, and look out for some celebrity appearances to announce the picks as well, among other surprises.
Speaking of surprises, the day got off to a fast and early start, with several transactions and rumours indicating that Day 1 of the draft will be a busy one.
In the lead up to the draft, and all the way through Round 1 Friday night, follow along with our live blog here for the latest news, rumours and analysis. And of course, you can watch the draft live on Sportsnet, beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.
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Who will the New York Islanders select first overall? Watch the NHL Draft live on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ with Round 1 coverage beginning Friday at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
Calgary closes out the first round by taking Cullen Potter (11:28 p.m.)
A smallish forward at 5-foot-10 (can play centre or wing) Potter has elite skating ability and took a somewhat different path here, joining Arizona State this season and scoring 13 goals.
A driven hockey player through and through, the Flames add another intriguing prospect to their system. Cullen’s mom, Jenny, was a four-time Olympian for the American hockey team.
Bukala ranked Cullen Potter 24th overall and wrote about the player:
Potter is an undersized forward who’s very explosive in open ice leading the rush. He’s not tall but he’s very strong for his stature. In my opinion he leans shooter more than distributor, but he sees the ice and is definitely a playmaker. Cullen averaged 20 minutes of ice time at the college level. Nearly all of his shifts came at even strength and on the power play. His transition pace pushes opponents back off their blue line and leads to clean zone entries and potential scoring chances. Cullen produced 13G-9A in 35 games at Arizona State.
Draft host Los Angeles Kings select Henry Brzustewicz 31st overall (11:21 p.m.)
After trading down earlier in the night, the host team gave their fans something to root for by taking Memorial Cup champion Brzustewicz just before the end of the opening round. It was Ken Holland’s first pick as Kings GM.
He was ranked 28th overall by Bukala and the 6-foot-2, 203-pound blueliner projects as a solid second pair blueliner to build around.
Bukala’s scouting report reads:
Brzustewicz was part of the Memorial Cup champion London Knights and played a significant role for the team. He quietly produced 10G-32A in the regular season and followed it up with some secondary scoring in the playoffs (1G-4A). He has the skill set to be used in a variety of roles and he’s trustworthy defensively. He engages his opponents and doesn’t cut corners searching for offence. I like his size, strength, detail and compete overall.
San Jose takes Joshua Ravensbergen with their second pick in Round 1 (11:15 p.m.)
From undrafted to the WHL to a first round NHL prospect, Joshua Ravensbergen becomes the second goalie taken in the first round.
He’s huge at 6-foot-5, highly athletic, and a very raw player, but in time could become a No. 1 goalie, or at least a tandem option, in the NHL.
Ranked No. 41 by Bukala, our scout wrote:
Ravensbergen is a big, athletic, right-catching goalie who possesses very good feet and athletic ability. When he plays with composure and doesn’t get too active in his crease, he’s difficult to beat from anywhere in the offensive zone.
Blackhawks select Mason West with 29th pick (11:10 p.m.)
This is a very interesting pick. Moving up 20 spots from the mid-term rankings, West made a decision to play hockey over football for a career, but wants to still return to high school for one last football season to chase a state championship as quarterback.
We’ll see how the Hawks approach this situation.
He’s huge, 6-foot-6, 208 pounds and comes with some injury risk given his stated interest to play another football season. Ranked No. 54 by Bukala, he is another wild card and highly competitive athlete:
West is one of the wildcards entering the draft. He’s a dual sport athlete who recently made his commitment to hockey over football. He’s a big, strong, athletic winger who makes quick decisions with the puck on his stick. I appreciate his competitiveness and how well he skates for his stature as well.
Carolina trades the 29th overall pick to Chicago (11:06 p.m.)
The Chicago Blackhawks are back on the clock for the third time this round, sending picks 34 and 62 in this draft, plus a 2027 fifth-rounder to Carolina.
Winnipeg selects Sascha Boumedienne with 28th overall pick (10:56 p.m.)
A great skater and more offensive defenceman than defensive, Boumedienne set the all-time defenceman scoring record at the U18 tournament. Born in Finland, but representing Sweden on the international stage, Boumedienne now joins a Jets organization whose strength is in developing its drafted talent.
Ranked No. 38 by Bukala, he wrote about the 6-foot-1, 176-pound defender:
Boumedienne is a two-way, transitional defenceman. He’s an outstanding skater who can lead the rush or join as an extra layer. He was outstanding at the U18 worlds (7GP-1G-13A).
Washington Capitals select Lynden Lakovic with 27th overall pick (10:40 p.m.)
Captain of the Moose Jaw Warriors, Lynden Lakovic is somewhat of a polarizing player in this draft class. He’s big at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, put up 58 points in 47 games, but oddly had only four penalty minutes this season.
So he’s a big player, but not necessarily the most physical.
Still, Lakovic was the 29th-ranked prospect on Bukala’s list and is a shooter. If he does add more physicality to his skill set, could wind up a steal here.
Bukala wrote of Lakovic:
Lakovic is a bit polarizing for me, but there’s no question he has great puck touch and the ability to score goals. He’s a big, rangy forward who extends plays but cannot be described as a power forward. As he continues to develop, he will be tasked with finding an extra layer of physical push back and defensive detail. Lakovic is a strong skater who produced 27G-31A in only 47 regular season games. He leans shooter more than playmaker.
Predators take Ryker Lee 26th overall (10:43 p.m.)
With their third pick of the opening round, the Preds take Ryker Lee, a shooter first who notched 31 goals in 58 games for USHL Madison.
Ranked 40th by Bukala, he notes that skating is the primary area Lee needs to develop before he’s NHL-ready:
Lee reads and reacts to how plays are developing in the offensive zone then pounces on his chances to produce offence. He has a fantastic release and the vision to identify quiet ice. His skating isn’t the most fluid, but he arrives on time at the junior level. However, he will need to improve his agility to have a chance to play at the pro level. Lee contributed 31G-37A in the regular season.
Blackhawks take Vaclav Nestrasil 25th overall, second pick of the round for Chicago (10:39 p.m.)
Another one off the board from Bukala’s rankings, Nestrasil is a huge, 6-foot-5 winger who spent the season with Muskegon. A bit of a development project, Nestrasil finished the year stronger than he started with 34 points in his last 40 games.
Nestrasil was ranked No. 53 by Bukala:
Nestrasil is going to take time to fully develop. He’s grown tall but now needs to add considerable strength to his frame. He skates fine on straight lines and uses his size and reach to his advantage defensively. He’s difficult to defend in traffic, finds pucks in high danger areas, and wastes zero time directing them on net.
Penguins select William Horcoff, son of Shawn (10:31 p.m.)
Shawn Horcoff was a fourth-round NHL draft pick back in 1998 so, as far as draft stock goes, son William has bragging rights.
With their third pick of the round, Pittsburgh adds a third forward and another huge winger in Horcoff (6-foot-4, 199 pounds). This is a pick about making their team harder to play against in the long run.
Ranked 34th on Bukala’s final list, the scout wrote this about Will Horcoff:
Bloodlines matter sometimes. Horcoff is the son of former NHL forward, now Detroit Red Wings executive, Shawn Horcoff. Will has a big body and is very hard to defend in the trenches. His combination of size, power and secondary offence are attractive elements.
Host Los Angeles trades 24th overall pick to Pittsburgh
The Penguins are up again this round for the third time after acquiring this pick from the Kings for picks 31 and 59.
Senators take right handed blueliner Logan Hensler 23rd overall (10:21 p.m.)
After trading down in the draft order, the Ottawa Senators (via Tom Green) chose 6-foot-2 blueliner Logan Hensler out of NCAA Wisconsin. After taking Carter Yakemchuk with their first pick last year, that’s a couple of defencemen in a row early for the Sens.
Bukala ranked Hensler No. 27 in his final list and wrote:
Hensler is an excellent skater. His agility allows him to pivot in small areas to front opponents defensively and walk the offensive blue line to open up shooting and passing lanes. It’s a heavy lift for young defencemen at the NCAA level and Hensler went through some growing pains this year, but he’s a right-shot defender with size and decent poise with the puck on his stick. It will take time but he has some Brandon Carlo to his game.
Pittsburgh takes Bill Zonnon with 22nd overall pick (10:14 p.m.)
With their second pick of the first round — after taking Ben Kindel earlier — the Penguins took centre Bill Zonnon at 22nd overall.
This was the pick Pittsburgh traded back to after giving up the 12th overall pick to Philadelphia.
Ranked No. 20 by Bukala, Zonnon is a large centre who is a bit of a development project. A centre today with good size, he may end up as a winger at the NHL level.
Bukala wrote of the player:
The team that selects Zonnon will mostly value his approach in high leverage contests – especially the playoffs. His skating continues to be a work in progress, but it’s improving and Zonnon is programmed to battle in the hard areas to extend plays and make life miserable on opponents overall. He produced 28G-55A for the Huskies in the regular season and 8G-8A in the playoffs.
Nashville selects Cameron Reid with 21st overall pick (10:08 p.m.)
The second-most points scored of any defenceman in this class and a smooth skater, the Predators add a defenceman after previously picking a centre earlier this round.
Ranked No. 22 by Bukala, our scout wrote this about the player:
Reid is an excellent skater who has the ability to escape pressure in his zone and on the offensive blue line with his edge work. He has great vision and playmaking upside. Reid was deployed in all situations with the Rangers and averaged over 26 minutes per game of ice time. He has work to do fronting his checks and containing opponents in the defensive zone, but he doesn’t lack for effort and it should improve in time as he continues to mature and log the kind of ice time he does.
Senators trade 21st pick to Predators for picks 23 and 67
After getting Brady Martin at fifth overall, the Predators are back on the clock with the 21st pick, while Sens fans have to wait a little longer to see their team add a prospect.
With their second pick of the first round, Columbus takes Petr Andreyanov (9:58 p.m.)
The Blue Jackets make the first way off the board pick, nabbing Russian goalie Andreyanov with the 20th overall selection. This is reminiscent of when the Blue Jackets took Yegor Chinakov 21st overall in 2020 and completely threw the panel for a loop.
What’s extra surprising here is that Andreyanov was not even on the radar to be the first netminder taken. After 19 picks in this draft, Bukala’s top 19 players had all been taken — Andreyanov was his 57th ranked prospect.
Bukala wrote of the player:
Andreyanov is a stocky goaltender who takes up a good share of the net with his stature. He’s athletic but, at times, too active although he never quits on a puck and has the overall quickness required to recover and make saves.
Blues pick Justin Carbonneau with 19th overall selection (9:48 p.m.)
Improving by 30 points year over year, Carbonneau led the Blainville-Boisbriand Armnada in scoring this season and wound up ranked No. 18 on Bukala’s list, who called him the potential next coming of David Perron.
Among all draft eligible players, only Michael Misa scored more goals than Carbonneau.
Wrote Bukala:
Carbonneau has outstanding puck touch. He makes plays in small areas and he’s difficult to contain as a result. His skating could still go to another level, but he did produce 46G-43A for the Armada.
Flames choose Cole Reschny with 18th overall pick (9:40 p.m.)
A huge playoff run shot Reschny up the rankings, finishing at No. 17 on Bukala’s list. Like Jackson Smith taken earlier tonight, Reschny has committed to leave the WHL next season and will join North Dakota in the NCAA next season.
The Flames rebuild continues with a strong player who elevated in the post-season. In his writeup, Bukala even pondered ranking him higher:
Reschny is a name to keep an eye on. There’s a part of me that feels I have him ranked too low, but I’ve settled on him in this slot. He was used in all situations in Victoria and produced 26G-66A in the regular season. But what I liked best about his year was how he elevated in the playoffs. Reschny contributed 9G-16A in 11 playoff games for the Royals and 5G-3A for Canada at the worlds.
Another defenceman, Islanders take Kashawn Aitcheson No. 17 (9:31)
Described as a “beast on the blue line” by David Amber and an “absolute weapon” by Colby Armstrong on Sportsnet’s panel, the Islanders take their second left hand blueliner of the night, taking Aitcheson from the OHL’s Barrie Colts.
Aitcheson was the highest-scoring blueliner in this draft class, but offence isn’t the defining component of his game. He’s a physical force, projects as more of a shutdown defender and is not afraid to mix it up.
Aitcheson was a riser through most of the season and ended up No. 14 on Bukala’s final list. He wrote about the player:
Aitcheson is arguably the toughest defenceman in the draft class. He was used in all situations in Barrie and averaged nearly 29 minutes of ice time in the playoffs. He produced offence in the regular season (64GP-26G-33A) and playoffs (16GP-6G-6A) and had over 100 penalty minutes combined. Aitcheson skates very well, gaps up with authority, and stands up for his teammates when required. His entire game is on the rise for me.
With their picks, the Islanders ended up with three players inside Bukala’s top 14 prospects.
Islanders take Victor Eklund with 16th overall pick (9:24 p.m.)
After the Noah Dobson trade became official, the Islanders are pickingback to back here and go with Victor Eklund with the first of those picks.
The second Swede taken, Eklund has been the biggest faller so far. Finished ranked No. 8 overall in Bukala’s rankings, Eklund slide another eight picks behind that.
The Islanders have now picked up defenceman Schaefer and a smallish (5-foot-11) winger in Eklund, who has pro experience. His brother, William, was the seventh overall pick by San Jose in 2021 and scored 58 points in 77 games for the Sharks this past season.
Wrote Bukala of Victor Eklund:
In time Victor will add more weight to his frame. If he ends up the same weight as his brother (181 pounds) he’ll have the potential to impact the game offensively as a top-six NHL winger. Eklund makes plays off the rush, has outstanding vision with the puck on his stick, and a quick and accurate release. He produced 19G-12A in 42 pro games. Despite his stature he’s always in and around the play. I value his competitive, no nonsense, approach.
Vancouver takes feisty Braeden Cootes 15th overall (9:14 p.m.)
It was no secret the Canucks were trying to move this pick for a player who could more immediately, but they should be very happy to end up with Cootes.
A captain (youngest in the WHL) and leader, Cootes is a high energy player and though he’s not the biggest player (5-foot-10) he plays without any fear and brings a physical style of play. We may look back on this in a few years as a steal where he’s gone.
Cootes finished the season ranked No. 15 by Bukala, who absolutely loved this player throughout the season.
Cootes leads by example. He was the captain in Seattle and wore the ‘C’ for Team Canada at the U18 world championships in Texas last month. He plays the game the right way. Coaches can count on his detail in all three zones and tap him for roles in all situations. Cootes isn’t the most elite offensive player in the draft class, but his game resembles that of a young Brendan Gallagher. He produced 26-37A in 60 games for the Thunderbirds and added 6G-6A in seven games for Team Canada.
Columbus takes defenceman Jackson Smith at No. 14 overall (9:07 p.m.)
The Blue Jackets have two picks in the first round, Nos. 14 and 20. With the first one of those Columbus lands Jackson Smith from the Tri-City Americans, just the third defenceman taken so far.
A big player (6-foot-4) who logged tons of minutes, Smith broke out offensively this season. Interestingly, he is one of the top prospects from this class who has already announced his commitment to move from the CHL into the NCAA next season, where he’ll join Penn State.
Bukala had Smith ranked No. 13 in his final list and wrote:
Smith is a two-way defenceman who can also lead the rush when he escapes pressure in his zone. He logged an incredible amount of ice time in Tri-City (25 minutes per game) and was deployed in all situations. His offence went to another level (11G-43A) and he uses his size to push opponents off the play. Smith also played a key role for Team Canada at the U18 world championships in winning gold. He’s a versatile prospect who contributes to his team’s success in many categories.
At No. 13 the Red Wings take Carter Bear (8:57 p.m.)
A centre or a winger, Bear is a scorer first and foremost, with 40 goals in just 56 games. He’s gone from a sixth-round WHL draft pick into a top half of the first round pick in the NHL.
Ranked No. 11 on Bukala’s final list, the scout wrote about the player:
Bear is another player on the list who has the ability to play both centre and the wing. He isn’t the biggest or heaviest player in the draft, but he’s plenty involved when the game is contested in the hard areas of the ice. He’s especially proficient at reading how plays are developing and reacting to produce offence. Bear’s season was cut short due to an Achillies injury, but he’s on the mend and contributed 40G-42A in 56 games. He was a plus-33 and whistled for 77 penalty minutes.
Flyers take Jack Nesbitt No. 12 (8:48 p.m.)
After taking power scoring winger Porter Martone sixth overall, Philadelphia traded back up into the 12th slot to nab Jack Nesbitt.
Another big body at 6-foot-4, Nesbitt is a centre to complement the Martone pick. He went a little earlier than we expected, given Bukala ranked Nesbitt No. 19, but his scouting report on the player is highly positive:
Nesbitt is a big body centre who can be used in all situations. He’s a handful to defend out front the crease with his size and length. He’s a solid skater for his stature. Nesbitt averaged nearly 20 minutes per game of ice time and produced 25G-39A for the Spits.
“The centre position is a critical one for us to improve,” Flyers GM Daniel Briere said.
Penguins trade the 12th overall pick (8:44 p.m.)
Pittsburgh is no longer on the clock, instead trading the pick to rival Philadelphia for picks 22 and 31.
Penguins take Ben Kindel 11th overall (8:40 p.m.)
Finishing the season ranked No. 16 on Bukala’s list, 5-foot-10 Ben Kindel is a bit of a surprise going No. 11. But make no mistake, this is a highly productive player, a sublime playmaker and someone who finished the season with 99 points.
Bukala’s scouting report on the player reads:
Kindel is another player who consistently rose in my rankings as the season went along. He competes in all three zones, can be deployed in all situations and produced 35G-64A in 65 regular season games for the Hitmen. He doesn’t wilt when the games get harder. Kindel also contributed 8G-7A in 11 playoff games before heading to the U18 worlds to represent Team Canada where he ended his season with 1G-6A in five games. I value his consistency. He’s reliable.
The Penguins have two picks in a row and are on the clock again.
Ducks take ‘wild card’ Roger McQueen 10th overall (8:31 p.m.)
A 6-foot-5, 197-pound centre with plenty of room to grow into his frame? Take one glance at Roger McQueen and you can see the appeal for NHL teams. Take a closer look at his statistical output and you’ll see in 2023-24 — his draft minus-one season — he just missed being a point per game player in 53 games.
So why is McQueen not being talked about in the same breath as Michael Misa or Porter Martone or anyone else who was being discussed as a top five prospect? It’s because of a back injury that limited him to just 17 games this season, and the memory of the Columbus Blue Jackets taking Cayden Lindstrom fourth overall in 2024.
Columbus jumped on Lindstrom last season because he too was a big-bodied centre who put up solid numbers for CHL Medicine Hat in his draft year. But a nagging back injury forced him to miss all of the 2024-25 regular season and he only rejoined the Tigers in the WHL championship series. Next year, Lindstrom will attend Michigan State in the NCAA. Lindstrom may yet develop into an NHL star, but the player taken right after him — Ivan Demidov — has already arrived in the NHL to great fanfare.
Now McQueen is in a similar boat. He also has been battling a back injury that first sprung up in 2023-24 and forced him to miss 15 games. This season, McQueen played the first eight games, scored 11 points, but missed the next five months because of a fracture in the L4/L5 vertebrae in his back. He returned to score nine points in nine regular season games.
McQueen attended the Draft Combine earlier this month and completed the drills (as did Lindstrom in his draft year). He says the rest and recovery did wonders for him and that he’s over what ailed him.
“Being able to come here and have that back issue past me now, it’s so nice to have that in my past,” McQueen said at the combine. “I think I came a long way this year with that. So I think just having that in the past and being able to come here and compete with my buddies is awesome.”
The upside is tantalizing, the skill undeniable. And now he’s joining a Ducks team that is quickly up and coming.
Anton Frondell says he’ll play back in Sweden if he doesn’t make the Blackhawks next season (8:27 p.m.)
Speaking to the media, No. 3 overall pick Anton Frondell announced his intentions for next season.
The Buffalo Sabres take Radim Mrtka No. 9 overall (8:22 p.m.)
Ending the run of forwards, Radim Mrtka — described as an ‘old school’ player — is the second defenceman off the board.
Mrtka is huge, 6-foot-6, 218 pounds and has had to adapt this season. He began the year playing back home in Czechia, but joined the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds midway through.
Bukala had Mrtka ranked No. 10 in his final rankings and wrote:
Giant right-shot defencemen like Mrtka are worth their weight in gold to NHL clubs. Teams seem to overpay for these kinds of defencemen every year at the trade deadline. What’s impressive about Mrtka is the fact he has never had a skating or skill coach, but displays well above average puck handling and skating ability for his stature. He’s already capable of being deployed in all situations and providing better than secondary offense (3G-32A in 43 games with Seattle). It feels like he’s just scraping the surface of his overall ability.
Seattle Kraken select Jake O’Brien at No. 8 (8:14 p.m.)
Finishing No. 12 on Bukala’s draft ranking, O’Brien was another player who rose up through the rankings all season.
He’s huge at 6-foot-2, light at 172 pounds and tons of space to grow into his frame and develop his game. He is a phenomenal offensive player with a hockey hockey IQ and the next steps involve refining his defensive game.
Bukala wrote about the player:
O’Brien is one of the top offensive players in the draft class. He produced 32G-66A in the regular season and 3G-8A in the playoffs for the Bulldogs. He has fantastic vision with the puck on his stick, distributes accurately and possesses a quick release. O’Brien lands here on my list due to the fact the players ahead of him have displayed a better all-round game defensively and in the face-off circle. If he cleans up those areas of his game, he will make whoever selects him very happy in the long run.
Boston Bruins take James Hagens at No. 7 (8:06 p.m.)
A massive pick for the Bruins, who crashed out of the playoffs and haven’t picked inside the top 10 since 2011 when they chose Dougie Hamilton. As the franchise tries to get back on its feet, GM Don Sweeney and crew decided to go with James Hagens.
The Boston College star began the season as the No. 1 overall prospect but, as we wrote about earlier this evening, he fell in the order– though not because he had a bad season. It was a tight crop of prospects at the top and Hagens, another centre, is smaller than those ahead of him.
Hagens finished ranked No. 4 on Jason Bukala’s year-end list and the scout wrote about the player:
Hagens came into the year as the top-rated prospect and he had a productive season at Boston College (11G-26A, plus-21). He also contributed 5G-4A for the gold medal-winning Team USA at the WJC tournament in Ottawa. Hagens didn’t do anything wrong to end the season at No. 4 on my list. He’s a dynamic offensive talent who averaged over 20 minutes per game. All of his ice time comes at even strength and the power play. Hagens has exceptional vision. He attacks open space and has the ability to distribute no-look passes that catch opponents off guard defensively.
At No. 6, the Philadelphia Flyers take Porter Martone (7:59 p.m.)
Another big body, and fifth Canadian in the first six selections, Porter Martone goes to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Jason Bukala had Martone ranked No. 5 in his final list and wrote about the player:
Martone is the kind of forward NHL teams covet having at the top of their lineup in the playoffs. He provides a combination of power and finesse. Martone is very hard to knock off the play along the boards and out front the net. He was the captain in Brampton this season, produced 37G-61A, was a plus-19 in 57 regular season games, and averaged over 20 minutes per game while being deployed in all situations. His playmaking ability expanded this year. I felt he was more of a shooter in the past but he has grown into a dual threat – shooter/distributor – and overall playmaker.
Nashville takes Brady Martin fifth overall: Why he was a riser to watch (7:53 p.m.)
Sometimes the NHL is a copy cat league in that teams will react to how a Stanley Cup winner built its team or won playoff rounds and seek out adjustments to match that energy. Well, if anyone is taking anything away from back-to-back Florida Panthers championships it’s that toughness — or meanness — is an integral part of a roster (but shouldn’t overlook the skill involved, too).
Martin brings a bunch from both of those columns.
Jason Bukala wrote that Martin was the “hardest hitting forward in the draft” in his final rankings, where he had Martin at No. 9.
Martin was second on his OHL Sault Ste. Marie team in scoring this season with 33 goals and 72 points in 57 games, but the last we saw of him on the ice was representing Team Canada at the U18 worlds, where he mustered 11 points in seven games. Teams everywhere need centres and Martin continues the run at No. 5.
He is the first prospect not in attendance tonight, instead staying at home on the farm in Elmira, Ont., with his family.
Utah Mammoth hang on to fourth overall pick, take Caleb Desnoyers (7:45 p.m.)
Rather than make a trade, Utah keeps its pick after moving up 10 spots in the order via the lottery and lands Caleb Desnoyers.
A huge centre still filling out his frame, Desnoyers was the MVP of the QMJHL playoffs and continues a run of centres going off the board. The Mammoth. (and formerly Coyotes) have been picking large players over the past several draft and Desnoyers fits that bill.
Our scout Jason Bukala was ahead of consensus on this player, ranking him No. 2 overall on his final list. His scouting report on the player reads:
Desnoyers has earned the No. 2 slot on my list for a variety of reasons, including projection and personality. In time I’m envisioning Desnoyers as a big body centre who will weigh over 200 pounds. He sees the ice exceptionally well and brings a combination of shooting and passing skill without sacrificing detail defensively. Desnoyers has a similar personality to Schaefer. He’s a competitive, confident and outgoing prospect. He produced 35G-49A, and was plus-51, in 56 regular season games followed by 9G-21A and a plus-5 in 19 playoff contests.
Chicago Blackhawks select Anton Frondell third overall (7:36 p.m.)
There was some suggestion Frondell could go second to San Jose, but instead the Blackhawks nab this well-rounded centre to go hand-in-hand with Connor Bedard. Like the Sharks, Chicago has solidified its centre position in the top six for years to come.
Frondell may not score as much as some of the other forwards who will be called early, but he plays a 200-foot game and is responsible all over.
Our scout Jason Bukala ranked Frondell No. 6 in his final rankings and says about the player:
Frondell suited up at the pro level in Sweden as well as with his age group at the U18 world championships. Like Misa, Frondell has the ability and hockey sense to play both centre and the wing. He arguably has the best one-timer from the weak side flank on the power play in the draft class. Frondell tracks up and down the ice with ease and has the strength and weight to extend plays in the trenches. He produced 11G-14A at the pro level this year. He was limited to only 29 regular season games after recovering from off-season knee surgery last summer.
San Jose Sharks take Michael Misa second overall (7:28 p.m.)
The leading scorer across the entire CHL, Michael Misa joins the Sharks, who finished last in the NHL in goal scoring this past season.
One year after taking Macklin Celebrini first overall, the Sharks add another centre and solidify themselves down the middle.
Our scout Jason Bukala ranked Misa third overall in his final rankings and wrote about the player:
Misa had a fantastic season in Saginaw. He averaged over 23 minutes of ice per game, was used in all situations, and led the OHL in scoring (62G-72A). Misa’s first two seasons in the OHL saw him play the wing, but he’s a natural centre who excelled in the middle this year. He’s a huge threat off the rush and working the weak side flank on the power play. Misa is another forward in the class who is best described as equal parts shooter and distributor.
Why things get really interesting with the No. 2 overall pick (7:17 p.m.)
For most of the season past that Michael Misa, James Hagens and Porter Martone were seen as challengers for the No. 2 spot. And while Anton Frondell has been a top 10, or even top six player, on many lists for some time, there’s a lot of late chatter that he could be San Jose’s target at No. 2.
Sam Cosentino has him going to the Sharks in his mock draft. A centre, Frondell has a solid frame, is regarded as someone with two-way acumen and our own scout Jason Bukala wrote that the Swede “arguably has the best one-timer from the weak side flank on the power play in this draft class.”
At the same time, 6-foot-2, 183-pound centre Caleb Desnoyers has been making a late push up as well. In Bukala’s final rankings (not a mock draft, but a ranking of players based on his own viewings) the Moncton Wildcat ended up at No. 2. He led the Wildcats in scoring and had a monster playoffs where he finished second among all QMJHLers with 30 points in 19 games and earned MVP honours.
Or perhaps San Jose goes chalk and takes Michael Misa after all, the leading scorer across all three CHL leagues this season with 62 goals and 134 points in 65 games.
Matthew Schaefer picked first overall, joins the NY Islanders (7:16 p.m.)
No surprise at the top.
Matthew Schaefer first really started being ranked No. 1 on draft lists in November and December, after his performance at the CHL-USA Prospect Challenge games in London and Oshawa. I remember watching the game in London with our prospect experts Sam Cosentino and Jason Bukala. After Schaefer scored a spectacular goal I turned to them both and asked “so who’s going to be first to rank him No. 1?”
On the very next list, Bukala had bumped him up.
Schaefer had a delayed start to his season due to a bout with mononeucleosis and then had his season end when he broke his collarbone playing for Canada at the world juniors in December. He played only 17 games this season, scoring 22 points, but left enough of an impression that he retained his No. 1 overall ranking the rest of the way.
And now, he’s the first player picked No. 1 out of the OHL since Connor McDavid in 2015.
For more on what makes Schaefer special, and why he’s going to be a franchise-defining prospect for the Islanders, check out Ryan Dixon’s feature on the defenceman.
A behind the scenes look at the decentralized draft (7:13 p.m.)
The Islanders are on the clock and Elliotte Friedman walks us through how it will work tonight.
Order of selection in the first round (6:54 p.m.)
Before we get going in the next few minutes, a reminder of how the order of the first round currently looks:
1. NY Islanders
2. San Jose
3. Chicago
4. Utah
5. Nashville
6. Philadelphia
7. Boston
8. Seattle
9. Buffalo
10. Anaheim
11. Pittsburgh
12. Pittsburgh (from VAN via NYR)
13. Detroit
14. Columbus
15. Vancouver
16. NY Islanders (from CGY, via MTL)
17. NY Islanders (from MTL)
18. Calgary (from NJD)
19. St. Louis
20. Columbus (from MIN)
21. Ottawa
22. Philadelphia (from COL)
23. Nashville (from TBL)
24. Los Angeles
25. Chicago (from TOR)
26. Nashville (from VGK via SJS)
27. Washington
28. Winnipeg
29. Carolina
30. San Jose (from DAL)
31. Philadelphia (from EDM)
32. Calgary (from FLA)
Who are the most NHL-ready players in this draft? (6:30 p.m.)
There isn’t a Connor McDavid or a Nathan MacKinnon or even a Macklin Celebrini type of player at the top of this year’s draft class. Matthew Schaefer is a cut above the rest, ranked No. 1, but even he hasn’t played since December when he broke his collarbone at the WJC.
The 2025 draft isn’t regarded as a “deep” pool, nor one with as much high-end talent as recent classes. Jason Bukala wrote of this collection of prospects this week:
At the end of the day the top of this draft class isn’t going to be as dynamic as the previous few drafts. Schaefer is an outstanding player who has potential to start right away, but he isn’t at the same level as Connor Bedard or Macklin Celebrini were at the top of their drafts. I also don’t see a Leo Carlsson, Logan Cooley, Matvei Michkov or Ivan Demidov at the top of this class.
So who may be NHL ready as soon as October 2025?
“For me the two most pro ready players at the top of the table in the top six picks – maybe three guys, Schaefer I think will push and probably make the team – Porter Martone’s got the body, Brampton Steelheads right shot, power forward winger, but (Anton) Frondell’s like that too. He’s pro ready, played in the Allsvenskan last year,” Bukala said on The FAN Hockey Show Friday. “He’s a complete player Frondell. He does everything very well. He’s not real spicy. Misa will be more spicy, Hagens could be more spicy. But Frondell plays the game the right way.”
In non-draft news, the Florida Panthers officially re-sign Sam Bennett (6:05 p.m.)
One of Florida’s big three UFAs are now under contract, with Bennett signing for the maximum eight-year term and an $8 million AAV.
Will they be able to also keep Arron Ekblad and Brad Marchand? The clock is ticking.
Matthew Schaefer making an impression (6:03 p.m.)
Who could make waves via trade? (6:00 p.m.)
With one hour until the draft gets going, there is no shortage of trade buzz and while sometimes those rumours fall flat once the picks start being made, today has already delivered some fireworks. And the rumours are still flowing that more trade action could be on the way this evening.
“I think this is going to be a totally wild draft,” Elliotte Friedman said on Monday’s 32 Thoughts podcast. “I think some of these teams are willing to move around. Last year no one as willing to move around. This year they are.”
The sense is that there are more teams in a buyer’s mindset than usual this year, with the cap rapidly expanding and several rebuilding teams eyeing a move up the standings. And while that may possibly stall trades being completed that involve futures going one way, it could also mean more “hockey trades” are to come.
There are a few teams in particular that we’re keeping an eye on as Round 1 gets underway tonight.
Utah: They’ve already made one big splash in acquiring JJ Peterka from Buffalo, but if this is going to be The Summer Of The Mammoth, that’s only going to be the beginning. Utah still has nearly $15 million in cap space available and holds the No. 4 overall pick, a fortunate 10 position bump up after the draft lottery. That pick, along with an already deep prospect pool, makes the Mammoth an intriguing team over draft weekend…and beyond.
Vancouver: The Canucks have the 15th overall pick, but are very motivated to move it for some roster help. After already trading for Evander Kane this week, Canucks fans are hoping the mid-first-round selection can also be converted into a helpful roster player. The problem is that since nearly everyone is looking to buy, the value of that 15th pick is perhaps not as high as it might usually be. GM Patrik Allvin will be busy looking for a partner and, if he finds one, it probably means the Canucks are upgrading their roster right away.
NY Islanders: They have the first pick and are likely to take Matthew Schaefer. They already made one giagantic trade today, sending Noah Dobson to Montreal for the 16th and 17th overall picks. But GM Mathieu Darche’s night may not end there. There’s some hope Darche can trade higher up into the first round and take a run at Long Island native James Hagens. The top-ranked prospect before the season began, Hagens is falling in the projected order (Sam Cosentino has him going 10th overall in his mock draft), but not because he had a bad season. This is still a centre with high offensive upside who was a point per game player as a freshman at Boston College.
“I’m looking at everything,” Darche said this week. “If I feel the opportunity warrants that trade, I’ll try it. … Whether it’s moving up in the draft with another pick, whether it’s acquiring another pick, whether it’s trading another pick to get a player, I’m looking at all options to improve our team.”
Montreal: The Canadiens were expected to be busy because they want to improve and held two first-round picks. Even though they traded them away earlier today, there’s reason to believe Montreal could still be an active trader Friday night.
They have a logjam on the blue line now and, as Eric Engels wrote, the Dobson trade sets the Canadiens up for more moves. That could happen over the next few days or weeks, but it could also go down tonight.
“I don’t know if there is anybody trying harder to do things than Montreal,” Elliotte Friedman said on Friday’s 32 Thoughts podcast. “They really want to maybe add another forward, someone to play with Demidov, use their draft picks. The Canadiens are aggressive.”
Could the Penguins move up the draft order? (5:39 p.m.)
Currently holding picks 11 and 12 on Friday night, the Pittsburgh Penguins are one of the few teams not necessarily looking to add players to improve the NHL team, but rather positioning for a rebuild. Could they find a way to move up in the order?
The view from the draft (4:43 p.m.)
It’s our first look at the Peacock Theater, host of this year’s draft. This is a different look, without a draft “floor” full of tables for each team where the decisions are made. The teams are at home this year, though most of the first-round prospects will still be in attendance and make the walk to the stage after being selected.
Columbus acquires Charlie Coyle in second trade of the day (3:42 p.m.)
Nick Kypreos’ trade board continues to shrink further as the Blue Jackets, expected to be an active team — and one that was in on Noah Dobson — pick Charlie Coyle up from Colorado. The Blue Jackets also acquired Miles Wood in the deal.
What Columbus gets here is a re-worked third line, with size grit and some ability to score. It’s not a huge splash yet, but we should keep an eye on the Blue Jackets, who still have over $32 million in cap space.
Colorado, meantime, cleared some cap space and now sit with $8.95 million available to use in further transactions. They are another team that wants to take a big swing (there’s not shortage of those types this summer) and appear to be positioning themselves to do just that.
The Avs also picked up prospect Gavin Brindley in this deal, the 34th overall pick in the 2023 draft. The season after he was drafted, Brindley was the University of Michigan’s leading scorer with 53 points in 40 games. In 2024-25, Brindley scored 17 points in 52 AHL games for the Cleveland Monsters, his first as a pro.
Noah Dobson and Lane Hutson should make one heck of a blue line duo (3:29 p.m.)
Elliotte Friedman said ahead of the Noah Dobson trade that Montreal was being “hugely aggressive” and they haven’t disappointed. They aren’t done yet either, with so many defencemen on the roster surely more is to come this summer.
With Dobson signing a $9.5 million AAV extension, it sets up what should be an interesting contract extension talk with rookie of the year Lane Hutson. Hutson has one year remaining on his ELC, but could extend any time after July 1.
That’s a conversation for another day. In the meantime, Habs fans should be over the moon excited about the offence they’ll get from these two blueliners.
Why did James Hagens fall from the No. 1 draft ranking? (3:15 p.m.)
With the Islanders creating buzz that they could be trying to position themselves to select James Hagens Friday night, let’s take a closer look at the player.
When the hockey season started last fall, Hagens was ranked No. 1 by most outlets, including our own. This is a player who, before he went to the NCAA, broke Nikita Kucherov’s scoring record at the 2024 U-18 World Championship by netting 22 points for Team USA in seven games. He was a point per game player as a freshman at Boston College this season.
But now, with the draft upon us, Hagens has fallen in most rankings. Jason Bukala’s final list had Hagens No. 4, while Sam Cosentino had him No. 5. On the ground this week, some believed Hagens could fall even further than that in the draft order. Cosentino had Hagens slipping to the Anaheim Ducks at No. 10.
So, what gives?
Earlier this month, Bukala took a closer look at Hagens’ game and explored why he lost his grip on the No. 1 slot, and kept falling past even No. 2. Check out his breakdown here, but know going in that this isn’t happening because Hagens had a bad season. He still projects very well at the NHL level.
Could San Jose trade the second overall pick? (2:47 p.m.)
With Matthew Schaefer highly likely to go first overall, the uncertainty immediately begins right after at pick No. 2. The San Jose Sharks have been connected to a number of prospects who could go there, including Michael Misa, Anton Frondell and Porter Martone.
Now we hear that the rebuilding team may even be open to moving the pick for a young NHL player.
If so, this would be indicative of how few truly “rebuilding” teams are left. Aside from the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are trying to add young players and assemble a prospect pipeline, lots of non-playoff teams are trying to make a push.
Keep an eye on the Sharks for now. But the draft really starts with whoever ends up holding the second overall pick this evening.
Columbus was also trying to land Noah Dobson (2:38 p.m.)
In his 32 Thoughts column earlier this week, Elliotte Friedman wrote that Don Waddell’s Blue Jackets were a team we probably were not talking about enough as one trying to make a major move. The Blue Jackets were one of the league’s best stories this season, making an unlikely push for the playoffs, and the hold the 14th and 20th overall picks.
According to Aaron Portzline, the Islanders were asking Columbus to beat Montreal’s offer and they just couldn’t do it. So where might Columbus turn its attention to next? Stay tuned, the day is young.
Islanders send Noah Dobson to Montreal; can they make a play for James Hagens? (2:35 p.m.)
Another name has been plucked off Nick Kypreos’ trade board, with Noah Dobson headed from the NY Islanders to the Montreal Canadiens. A 25-year-old, right shot defenceman, Dobson scored 70 points two seasons ago, but dipped back to 39 in 2024-25. While there is still some question exactly where he’ll end up settling in as a scorer, he is another highly talented young defenceman to join Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle and the upcoming David Reinbacher. Dobson, who was an RFA, signed an eight-year extension with a $9.5 million AAV right away.
In return the Islanders get Emil Heineman and both of the first-round picks Montreal held for Friday night, Nos. 16 and 17. This now puts New York in quite an interesting situation.
The Islanders, with new GM Mathieu Darche at the helm, already held the first overall pick, which they are expected to use on defenceman Matthew Schaefer. But it’s been rumoured they’d also like to position themselves to get James Hagens, a centre who was the projected No. 1 player in this class before the season began, but fell a few spots by the end of the season. Hagens, a Long Island native, scored a point per game for Boston College this season and the decline of his draft stock was not about him having a down year.
Could Darche now use the 16 and 17 picks to move up in the order to grab Hagens?
