Today is a quick update of my 2025 NHL Draft big board ahead of the draft lottery and with the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championships concluded. There are some mild changes to the order, and some movement within tiers, although the top of the draft remains mostly unchanged. Despite this draft being led by a defenseman at No. 1, this class is known for its forward depth (and lack thereof on defense), especially at center with several premium center prospects in this class.
Ranked players are placed into tiers and given tool grades. Tool grades are based on a scale with six separate levels, with an eye toward how this attribute would grade in the NHL (poor, below-average, average, above-average, high-end and elite). “Average” on this scale means the tool projects as NHL average, which is meant as a positive, not a criticism. Skating, puck skills, hockey sense and compete for every projected NHL player are graded. Shot grades are only included if a shot is notably good or poor.
Player comparables are my best attempt at giving readers an idea of what I think these prospects could realistically become in the NHL.
Tier
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Tier 4
Tier 5
League
HIGH-MN
NCAA (BIG10)
NCAA (H-EAST)
NCAA (NCHC)
NTDP – USHL
OHL
QMJHL
RUSSIA-JR.
SWEDEN-2
SWEDEN-JR.
USHL
WHL
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Schaefer was tremendous, when healthy, this season. The No. 1 pick in his OHL Draft, Schaefer was arguably the best player at the Hlinka Gretzky and the CHL/U.S. NTDP series. He was also Canada’s best player at the World Juniors up until he broke his clavicle. Schaefer missed time at the start of the season due to mono as well. His main asset is his skating. He’s a powerful, effortless skater who will be able to close gaps and transition up ice at a clear NHL level. He uses his feet to attack often, leading and supporting rushes very well. Schaefer is a very intelligent defenseman with legit offensive skills. He creates a lot of chances due to his skating, but he can also break down opponents one-on-one with his hands, and finds a lot of seams to make plays. He closes on checks at a high level due to his athleticism, but Schaefer is also a great competitor. He uses his size to make stops, gives a great effort every shift and projects to be able to stop top players in the NHL. He’s a great talent, who has already overcome tremendous personal adversity in his life. He projects as a star No. 1 defenseman in the NHL.
Brandon Soto / OHL Images
Bubble NHL All-Star and top of the lineup player
Misa was given exceptional status to play in the OHL as a 15-year-old. He looked very impressive in his first two seasons, but he took off in his draft season, becoming one of the best players in the OHL. He’s a high-end skater with clear NHL edge work and top speed. He’s highly skilled and creative with tremendous vision. His ability to improvise in tight areas and on the move is elite and makes it easy to envision him scoring in major numbers in the NHL. Despite his huge goal-scoring numbers this season, I don’t view him as a sniper. Rather, he generated a lot of goals off timing and getting to the net. Misa won’t run guys over, but he competes well and is diligent without the puck. He projects as a star No. 1 center in the NHL that you can build a winning team around.
Natalie Shaver / OHL Images
Martone was a top player in the OHL this season; however, he did struggle at the World Juniors for Canada. Martone’s skill level and creativity with the puck are elite, especially for a man his size. His reach and skill will allow him to beat a ton of NHL defenders one-on-one. He makes a lot of difficult plays and does so in traffic. Martone competes well, showing no hesitancy to engage physically or create at the net. Martone’s major issue is the pace in his game. When he turns the corner and gets up ice, his foot speed is decent, but his first few steps are heavy, with a semi-wonky looking stride, and he doesn’t always play with a ton of tempo. The size/skill combo is so good he could overcome that problem, but as one head scout has said, “Martone has the biggest weakness of any of the top five picks.” He projects as a top-line scoring winger in the NHL who could put up a ton of points.
Natalie Shaver / OHL Images
Desnoyers was one of the best players in the QMJHL this season as a leader on the top team in the league. The No. 1 pick in his QMJHL Draft, he checks every box for what you want in an NHL center. He’s tall and fast and makes a lot happen with and without the puck. Desnoyers displays excellent skill and playmaking ability. He creates offense on the move, off the perimeter and at the net. He has great creativity as a playmaker, while also being a detailed two-way player. Desnoyers can be trusted to check top players as he has a physical edge in his game and gives a high effort every game. He has the potential to be a No. 1 center who can play in any situation.
David St. Louis / Moncton Wildcats
Hagens played well for Boston College this season. His production wasn’t as elite as some would have hoped after a sterling U.S. NTDP career, but he was still an important player on a great team. Hagens was also a go-to player for Team USA as they won gold at the World Juniors. He has a dynamic combination of skating and skill reminiscent of American centers like Logan Cooley and Jack Hughes. Hagens’ edge work is high-end and he’s extremely elusive in open ice. He makes a ton of difficult plays on the move and is a high-end playmaker. Hagens isn’t that big or physical, and can stay on the outside too much, but he gives a decent effort and coaches tend to lean on him. He has the potential to be a play-driving top two line center in the NHL.
Eric Canha / Imagn Images
Frondell’s season started off slow, in part due to injury, but he was very good versus men in the Allsvenskan in the second half of the season. Frondell has a ton of skill and a real smooth element when he’s around the puck. He makes difficult plays with consistency and can do so on the move. Frondell skates well and competes hard, often outmuscling others bigger than him. Despite his average size, he has a translatable style of play to the NHL that appeals to scouts. Frondell is a good playmaker but he’s also a very dangerous shooter with a bullet shot that projects to beat NHL goalies from range. He’s not a dynamic offensive player, though, and had a few too many quiet games at the international level this season. He has the potential to be a very good all-around top-six center even if he’s often played wing this season.
Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff
O’Brien has been an excellent junior player as a leading player on a top OHL team. O’Brien displays the high-end patience and vision to hold onto pucks for an extra second to make difficult plays and run an NHL power play. He’s extremely skilled with the puck, showing the soft touch and quick hands to create a lot of scoring chances and improvise on difficult plays often. He’s a decent enough skater. His game can lack pace at times in part because he pulls up to make his skilled plays too much, but when he gets going, he moves well. O’Brien isn’t overly physical, but he gets to the net to create chances, can kill penalties and isn’t a pushover. He projects as a very good top two line center who could score a lot in the NHL.
Brandon Taylor / OHL Images
Eklund, the younger brother of Sharks winger William Eklund, was excellent this season versus men in the Allsvenskan as well as for Sweden’s World Junior team. Victor is an excellent skater. He has good speed, but his edge work is what separates his skating ability and how elusive he is in tight. He’s a very skilled forward who makes creative plays and can do so in the tough areas. Eklund is undersized, but he plays like a big man. He’s a tenacious competitor who hunts down pucks and is great at creating chances around the net. He projects as a top-line winger.
Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff
McQueen got off to a great start to the season before a back injury sidelined him in the fall. He returned for a handful of games toward the end of the year. He’s a 6-foot-5 center who, when healthy, can skate and has high-end offensive skills. His reach and hands can let him break shifts open, especially when he’s attacking with tempo. I wouldn’t call McQueen a truly high-end playmaker, but he sees the ice well, makes difficult plays and can create in the high percentage areas. McQueen is big, but what scouts will love is that he uses his big frame. He has an edge in his play, and even after a near season-long injury, he returned and played with bite. He projects as a potential No. 1 center who can play big minutes in the NHL, presuming his health checks out.
Jeremy Champagne / Brandon Wheat Kings
Bubble top and middle of the lineup player
Martin is a highly likable center who has been impressive in the OHL and for Team Canada this season. He’s a very skilled forward who has the one-on-one abilities to beat a lot of NHL defensemen. He’s creative as a puck handler and his offensive IQ impressed as the season went along even if not his calling card. His skill is appealing, but it’s the combination of his skill with his compete that gets evaluators excited. Martin has a true hardness in his game, attacking the high-percentage areas and is an extremely physical player. His skating is fine and his stride isn’t the most technically sound but he has enough natural quickness to get around at the higher levels. He could be a second line center who is a matchup player and makes life hellish on opponents.
Natalie Shaver / OHL Images
Aitcheson was one of the better defensemen in the OHL this season. He has been a major minutes player for Barrie as he was for Canada’s U18 team last spring. He’s a hyper-competitive defender who doesn’t back down from physical play and likes to agitate. He has the bite NHL teams will love, even if he does go over the line at times. He’s a good skater with strong enough hands and hockey sense to make plays at higher levels and a solid point shot too. Aitcheson won’t run a power play, lacking the natural sense at times with the puck, but he projects to have secondary NHL offense and has put up significant offense this year. Even if his puck play is just decent, with his athletic tools and being a menace to play against, he can be a great top-four defenseman.
Terry Wilson / OHL Images
Mrtka’s season started off playing limited minutes in Czechia’s top league so he made the midseason move to the WHL where he ended up playing half the game often for Seattle. Mrtka has the look of an NHL defenseman as there aren’t many 6-foot-6 defenders who can skate and handle the puck well. On his best shifts, Mrtka makes a major impact with how he can make stops and get up into the attack. He has some offense, with good hands and offensive instincts, but I wouldn’t call him a projected power-play type in the NHL as I don’t see a player who thinks the game at a super high level. Mrtka uses his size well enough to make stops. You’d like him to be a bit meaner at times, but he gives a strong effort and will break up a lot of plays due to his natural athleticism. He projects as a second pair defenseman.
Brian Liesse / Seattle Thunderbirds
Reschny has been a great WHL player, scoring a lot over his two seasons, including a standout playoff performance this spring for Victoria and a great U18 Worlds for Canada. He’s a highly skilled and intelligent player who can run a power play like a pro and makes a ton of creative stick handles and passes. He’s a quick skater with good edges who plays with pace and makes high-end plays on the move. He’s not the most dynamic skater for a guy his size, but he will be able to move at an NHL level. He’s on the smaller side, but Reschny can create at the net and kill penalties. He’s played center in junior, showing a diligent two-way game. There’s a chance, due to his size, that he’ll need to be moved to the wing as a pro. He has the traits to be a top-six forward.
Kevin Light / Victoria Royals
Cootes hasn’t scored at high levels, but he’s played on a thin Seattle team and was an important player often for Canada’s U18 team. He’s a likable all-around forward. He’s a good, if not very good skater who plays with a lot of pace. He has strong offensive skills, playmaking and finishing abilities. He creates offense at fast tempos and in a direct manner. He’s not that big, but he plays big, showing a high compete level and not backing down from physical play. There will be some minor debates on how much offense Cootes will have in the NHL, but early indicators are it could be just good enough to be a top two line center who provides two-way value.
Nesbitt trended up significantly this season. He became an important player on a deep Windsor team. Nesbitt is a very skilled center with great size. He can beat players one-on-one at a high rate off the rush and shows a lot of offensive creativity inside the offensive zone. He’s smart and makes a lot of intelligent plays, showing the vision to score in the NHL. He’s a big man who plays heavy and is a reliable 200-foot player. He’s a player that Windsor kept playing more as the season went on and leaned on during important games. His skating stride is heavy, though, and he will struggle to get by NHL defensemen with his foot speed. The hope is that the rest of his game is so good he it won’t be a major issue. He has top-six forward potential and could be a second-line center.
Natalie Shaver / OHL Images
Bear was a leading player on a top team in the WHL this season before a recent injury knocked him out for the remainder of the year. He’s a very skilled forward with the quick twitch hands and high-end creativity to create offense at the NHL level. He makes a lot of plays through defenders and to his teammates. Bear’s skill stands out, but the way he creates offense should likely translate to higher levels. He gets to the net to generate chances, plays fast and is a good enough skater. He’s also a highly physical winger who creates a lot of chances in traffic. He projects as a top-six winger who coaches will feel comfortable using in any situation.
Caroline Anne / Everett Silvertips
Carbonneau has been a top player in the QMJHL. He’s a very strong skater and puck handler who can beat defenders one-on-one at full flight. He’s a physically developed winger who plays hard and can win puck battles fairly often. His style of play is highly translatable to the NHL game with the pace and effort in his shifts. He has a great shot and is often a threat to score from the faceoff dots with his one-timer. The one issue with Carbonneau is his decision-making at times is questionable and I wouldn’t call him a natural playmaker. He projects as a top-six winger.
Ravensbergen was up and down this season after a standout rookie year in the WHL. His numbers are average, but his toolkit is going to be highly desirable to NHL teams, and he was still one of the better goalies in the WHL. He’s 6-foot-5. He’s very athletic with the quick-twitch in his lower half of a 6-foot-1 goaltender. He anticipates the play well and is quite aggressive in challenging shooters with his big frame. He can be a bit over-aggressive and chaotic in net, bouncing/flopping around too much. His reads do concern me at times, but for the most part, he’s in the right place. He can make a lot of tough saves and does so in a way that makes him look like a potential starting goaltender in the NHL.
James Doyle / Prince George Cougars
Middle of the lineup player
Reid was a big-minute defenseman for Kitchener and also played top-four minutes for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky. He’s a likable player in a lot of regards. He’s a dynamic, powerful skater. He closes on pucks quickly and can get the play going up the ice due to his feet. He’s average-sized but competes well and is a physical player. He makes efforts defensively and coaches trust him. Reid has strong enough puck skills and vision. He can create offense off the rush and from the offensive blue line, with flashes of high-end skill although I don’t see him as a true NHL power-play type. Despite his average size, Reid projects to make NHL stops due to how good a skater he is. He projects as a second pair defenseman.
Natalie Shaver / OHL Images
Smith has generated a lot of NHL interest due to his combination of tools and production. He’s a 6-foot-3 defenseman who skates quite well. He’s funky-looking at times, going 10-2 with his edges a bit too much, but he’s a powerful, fluid skater who can easily get by checkers and skate pucks up ice. Smith often tries to attack with his skill and can break down players one-on-one easily. Smith’s decision-making isn’t the best at times, and I wouldn’t call him a natural playmaker, but he creates a lot of offense and has a good point shot. Defensively, he’s decent due to his frame and feet, and when he’s leaning into checks, he can be a two-way force. His defensive play is inconsistent, in part because he’s often up in the attack, but he has the potential to be a top-four defenseman who can play on both special teams.
Boumedienne went to school as a 17-year-old and it was a major adjustment as the youngest player in the NCAA, but he was better in the second half of the season as a top-four defenseman on a top BU team. He was also one of the best defensemen at the U18 Worlds. His skating gets you excited about his NHL projection. He has NHL foot speed and edge work, and his stride gets him around the ice effortlessly. He closes on gaps and retrieves pucks like a pro. His puck game is good, but not amazing. He makes plays and has above-average skills, but he doesn’t project as a major offensive type at the higher levels and his decision-making with the puck can be questionable at times. The hope with Boumedienne is that with his skating he can be a steady first-pass type who can make stops and eat minutes, even if he doesn’t truly stand out at either end.
Fiddler is a defenseman with a lot of NHL traits. To start, at 6-foot-4, he’s much bigger than his father, Vernon. He also skates quite well for his size. Fiddler closes on his checks quite well and gets up the ice efficiently. He competes well on the ice, uses his big body to win pucks and makes a lot of defensive plays. He shows flashes of excellent offensive skill, and on the rush, he’s quite dangerous due to his great wingspan and skill. His vision is just OK. He doesn’t see the ice well and makes too many poor decisions for my liking. I don’t see a true NHL power-play type, but he has enough puck play in his game to go with his great athleticism to be a legit pro prospect who could play a lot of minutes in the NHL.
Prokhorov has trended up significantly as the season has progressed, including a great recent performance for Russia’s U18 team. Prokhorov is a huge winger with very good hands. He can make a lot of skilled plays in open ice, at full speed and in traffic. He’s a very physical forward who leans into guys with his big body and plays a direct style of hockey. Prokhorov isn’t blazing fast, but he moves well for his size and can skate at the higher levels. He isn’t a natural playmaker or scorer and he can force plays, but he should generate enough chances, especially in the high percentage areas, which leads to being a coach’s favorite. He could be a hard-to-play-against top-six winger.
Lakovic was the best player on a poor Moose Jaw team, but his body of work plus his athleticism is impressive. He’s a 6-foot-4 winger who skates quite well for his size. He has a powerful and fluid stride and can easily avoid checkers. He’s a creative offensive player with the hands to make defenders miss often. Lakovic sees the ice well enough but scouts aren’t fully convinced on that aspect of his game. He’s more of a scorer than a passer with a legit mid-range shot. His compete level is mediocre. It won’t hold him back at the top level, but I wouldn’t call him a hard-to-play-against type who makes full use of his big frame and he plays too much on the outside. He projects as a top-six winger.
Nick Pettigrew / Moose Jaw Warriors
Gastrin is a good-sized center who skates well and competes hard. The captain of Sweden’s age group, he’s a responsible two-way player who creates offense at the net front very well. He has skill, and while I would not describe him as a dynamic offensive type by any means, he makes enough plays to go with his responsible two-way play to make me think he could be a middle-six NHL center.
Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff
Spence struggled at times in the first half of the season, but his game started improving offensively as the year went along. He has a great track record as well, including being a top player for Canada’s U18 team the prior season multiple times. Spence’s compete is excellent and is the calling card of his game. He’s a tenacious worker who wins a ton of battles and gets to many pucks due to his length, speed and effort. He comes back hard and is a great two-way forward. Spence has good offensive skills and sense and can create chances with pace, but I wouldn’t call him a dynamic or overly creative player with the puck. His finishing touch is at times a minor question, but he gets a lot of greasy area goals. He can be a very likable middle-six winger who coaches will use a lot.
Brandon Soto / OHL Images
Zonnon has been a top player for Rouyn-Noranda for the past two seasons. Zonnon checks a lot of boxes NHL teams will be looking for. He’s a big, fast center with a skating stride that will easily translate to the NHL. He has good stick skills and can create offense on the move. He’s been a big scorer in the QMJHL, but I wouldn’t call him an overly instinctive offensive type. He can make some plays, and has a decent shot too, but it looks like more secondary skill at the top level. He works well enough off the puck and could have two-way value as a pro. He has a chance to be a middle-six forward in the middle or on the wing.
Hensler didn’t have a huge draft season, but he was still a top-four defenseman for Wisconsin and held his own at the World Juniors for Team USA. He’s a 6-foot-2, mobile right-shot with strong offensive skills and playmaking ability. At his best, his offensive touch can stand out, and I’ve seen him break games open. That player has shown up inconsistently, though, over the years. His defending is OK. His length and feet will allow him to make stops and retrieve effectively in the NHL, but he’s not a super-hard-to-play-against type. Hensler doesn’t stand out at any one thing, but he does enough well that he should be a solid NHL defenseman.
Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff
Brzustewicz played a notable role on a strong London team this season, appearing at times on both special teams. He’s a tall right-shot who skates well and doesn’t shy from using his feet to jump up into the attack. He’s a skilled and creative player with the puck. Brzustewicz can make plays through opponents, hit seams in the offensive zone and can create offense on the move. Defensively he’s reliable, using his length and feet to close on pucks and getting back to retrieve efficiently while also having an edge in his game. He’s been a sharp riser this season, a story we’ve heard often with London players developing well. I could see more offense coming from him with more opportunity.
Horcoff, the son of former NHLer Shawn Horcoff, was doing just OK to start the year at the U.S. NTDP. He left midseason to join Michigan where his game took off from that point, making a real difference for his team at the college level as a U18 player. He’s a very skilled big man who can make small-man-type plays in tight areas. He sees the ice at a high level and has a creative offensive mind. Horcoff is also good enough in the hard areas and can play the body when he needs to. The issues in his game at the top level will all come down to pace. I’ve seen slower 6-foot-5 guys, but his first few steps are going to be a struggle in the NHL. The rest of his game is good enough, though, that I see a projected middle-six winger.
Moore was a tough evaluation this season. He was arguably the most talented player on this year’s U.S. NTDP. He has a lot of tools that will appeal to NHL teams as a big forward whose played some center, skates well, has good puck skills and can make creative plays with the puck. I wouldn’t describe him as a top-tier playmaker, but he sees the ice well enough. Moore’s compete has come into question at times this season and he’s certainly inconsistent but he has the ability to be effective down low, and can kill penalties. There’s nothing that truly stands out about his game, but the sum of the parts could lead to him being a useful middle six wing.
Rena Laverty / USA Hockey’s NTDP
Ihs-Wozniak has had highly impressive stretches over the last 18 months where he’s dominated the Swedish junior ranks, but he’s also had stretches that make you question whether he will be an NHL player. I have no doubts on the tools. Forwards who are 6-foot-2, can skate, have a lot of offensive skill and can shoot the puck are difficult to find and Ihs-Wozniak looks like a potential scoring winger versus men. I’d like to see him compete a bit harder at times and I don’t think he’s a true playmaker, either. His game can lack a pulse and I don’t think he’s so absurdly talented to overcome that issue. His tools should get his game but I’m unsure if he can stick in the league.
Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff
Potter left the U.S. NTDP following his U17 season, changing his commitment from Michigan State to Arizona State and beginning his college career early. It was a risky decision, but the early dividends have been positive. He looked very good for Arizona State and helped them in a meaningful way as a 17-year-old. Potter’s skating is elite. His edge work plus foot speed are both clearly NHL-level. He will be able to generate a lot of controlled entries in the NHL due to his feet and a very high skill level. Potter is more of a one-on-one and shooter type of forward than a playmaker even though he can make plays. For a smaller forward, I would like to see Potter not stay on the perimeter as much as he does, but he has enough interior offense that I think he can score in the NHL as a middle-six winger.
Rena Laverty / USA Hockey’s NTDP
West is a very interesting prospect. He’s huge at 6-foot-6 and quite athletic in how easily he gets around the ice. That athleticism is also why he is being recruited as a D-1 football player. He’s a better hockey prospect than football prospect, but he’s been indecisive in discussions with teams about which sport he prefers. On the ice, you see the talent. The speed and skill for his size are very unique. He creates a lot of controlled entries due to that combination. West’s compete is average, though, as well as his playmaking. The team that drafts him will bank on him not being fully developed yet, and ideally him picking hockey full-time. He started off the season slow, but was very good in the big games in Minnesota High School and in the USHL this spring. He has middle-six forward potential if the offense clicks at higher levels.
Marissa Schiock / Fargo Force
Ryabkin was an impactful player at the Russian junior level as a 16-year-old. He struggled in Russia this season, leading to a mid-year shift to the USHL, where he was great for Muskegon. He’s a very talented player. He has a ton of skill and ability to improvise with the puck. He sees the ice at a high level and makes difficult passes consistently. At times, he competes quite hard and looks to use his body to win pucks. His game has inconsistencies, though. Ryabkin can lose his temper and make bad decisions on the ice. He’s a good enough skater but his game can lack pace and his fitness is a minor issue, too. He has the potential to be a legit scoring winger in the NHL but it remains to be seen if he can round out his game enough to be that player.
Courtesy Muskegon Lumberjacks
Kindel was one of the best forwards in the WHL this season. He’s small but checks every other box you want. He’s a very good skater with the first few steps and top speed to play at the higher levels. He’s a skilled, creative offensive player who sees the ice well and has scored in large numbers in junior. He creates well on the move and has a direct style of offense. I wouldn’t describe him as the typical small, dynamic offensive player you would see as a projected NHL player. Rather, I think he could make it because of his talent plus his work ethic. Kindel is a diligent player away from the puck who gives a strong effort at both ends of the ice. He projects as a middle-six winger.
(Photos of Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa: Mathias Bergeld / Sipa via AP Images and Dennis Pajot / Getty Images)
