We’re now into the final ten days of the 2024-25 NHL regular season. Teams are clinching playoff berths and getting eliminated every day. For some teams, the hope of a run for a championship is alive and well. For others, the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery can’t come soon enough (it’s reportedly going to be the first week of May, Blackhawks fans).
As we inch closer to the draft order/lottery odds being finalized for the non-playoff teams, let’s take one last run at the first round with an updated mock draft. There are a plenty of teams with multiple picks in the first round this year and one specifically that is dangerously close to either moving or not moving.
Here’s our latest run at how the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft might play out this summer.
2025 NHL Mock Draft — First Round
1. San Jose Sharks — Matthew Schaefer, LHD
6-2, 183
Shoots: Left
Schaefer is the consensus No. 1 prospect in the 2025 class, and he would be a great addition to the Sharks’ pipeline. If their top four includes Schaefer and Sam Dickinson, San Jose’s second pick in the first round last year, they’re in great shape on the back end. The Sharks are one of the teams that owns multiple picks in the first round this year.
2. Chicago Blackhawks —
Michael Misa, C/LW
6-1, 184
Shoots: Left
Since our last mock draft, the Blackhawks have signed
Oliver Moore and
Sam Rinzel and inserted them into the NHL lineup. And the returns have been good early in their professional careers. Adding Moore to a young forward group with
Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar and
Landon Slaggert is a solid foundation already in the NHL. With a truckload of cap space and a healthy number of draft picks again this year, the Blackhawks adding a potential top-line center with dynamic playmaking ability and good size in Misa feels like a no-brainer.
3. Nashville Predators — James Hagens, C
5-11, 170
Shoots: Left
Barry Trotz has long coveted top centers, and he can grab one with Hagens available here in our mock draft. Hagens has had a very good freshman collegiate season. The Preds are one of the teams with a truckload of picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, so get used to seeing them in our mock draft.
4. Boston Bruins — Porter Martone, RW
6-3, 208
Shoots: Right
Boston dumped at the deadline and it appears to be working perfectly. They’re now in the top four in the lottery, which puts them in position to grab a difference maker who could be in Boston soon. Martone is a big forward who plays with an edge — something the Bruins could use. If you can’t sign a Tkachuk, draft the next best thing?
5. Philadelphia Flyers — Anton Frondell, C
6-0, 196
Shoots: Right
Philly has 11 picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, including seven in the first two rounds — so they’re going to be frequently listed in this mock draft. Frondell looks like a lock to be a top-five pick at this point and would be a great fit with Matvei Michkov and some of their other young forwards.
6. Seattle Kraken — Caleb Desnoyers, C
6-1, 178
Shoots: Left
Desnoyers has been climbing rankings over the past couple months and feels like he’s establishing himself as the top prospect in the next tier after the top four are off the board. Seattle is still building organizational depth and this would be a terrific pick.
7. Pittsburgh Penguin — Roger McQueen, C
6-5, 197
Shoots: Right
The Penguins now have 12 picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, so they’ll be busy trying to retool around Sidney Crosby so they aren’t picking in the top ten frequently in the final years of his career. McQueen missed most of this season because of injury but the comps to Evgeni Malkin (pun intended, but largely because of his size) could make this an easy call for Pittsburgh.
8. Buffalo Sabres — Victor Eklund, RW
5-11, 161
Shoots: Right
Eklund is a solid all-around forward who could go anywhere between 7-14. With Buffalo sliding out of the top five, Eklund would be a really good value for them at this point in our mock draft. There might be more changes to the mix in Buffalo this summer, though. So stay tuned.
9. Anaheim Ducks — Radim Mrtka, RHD
6-6, 207
Shoots: Right
I’ve been on Mrtka to Anaheim with them picking anywhere between 5 and 12 thus far. They need a big right-shot defenseman and he does that. This is a good spot for him in the draft, too.
10. Columbus Blue Jackets — Jackson Smith, LHD
6-3, 195
Shoots: Left
The Blue Jackets are likely disappointed their playoff dreams didn’t fully materialize this year but their young forwards are showing a lot of promise. Smith is a really good defense prospect who could impact their blue line soon.
11. New York Islanders — Jake O’Brien, C
6-2, 172
Shoots: Right
O’Brien is one of the helium prospects in this draft who has really elevated his stock with a strong performance on a stacked Brantford team (including a couple Blackhawks prospects). He has ideal size for an Eastern Conference team looking to add down the middle, and the Isles need all the offensive help they can get.
12. New York Rangers* — Kashawn Aitcheson, LHD
6-1, 196
Shoots: Left
This pick is one to watch in the final games of the regular season. The Rangers traded this pick to Vancouver in the JT Miller deal, and it was subsequently flipped to the Penguins in the Marcus Pettersson trade. But it’s top-13 protected — and the Rangers are currently selecting 12th overall. If the Rangers make this pick, Aitcheson may be viewed as an eventual replacement for K’Andre Miller on the left side of their blue line.
13. Detroit Red Wings — Carter Bear, LW
6-0, 179
Shoots: Left
Bear has been a hot name in draft rankings since the start of the calendar year. He has decent size and has a game that scouts love. Detroit is going to be a team to watch this summer with another playoff miss this season. They have some good young pieces, but at some point the Yzerplan needs to get them into the postseason.
14. Utah Hockey Club — Cameron Reid, LHD
6-0, 175
Shoots: Left
Utah has lots of needs, but their forward group is pretty good and young right now. Reid looks like a future power play quarterback who can skate and get the puck on/in the net frequently.
15. Vancouver Canucks — Malcolm Spence, LW
6-1, 203
Shoots: Left
The Canucks have been a hot mess all season and need to restock their forward group; they might lose Brock Boeser to free agency this summer. Spence is a polarizing prospect who could go earlier than this and might slide into the 20s as well. This feels like a nice spot for him and a good pick for the Canucks.
16. Montreal Canadiens — Justin Carbonneau, RW
6-1, 191
Shoots: Right
Some Guy named Carbonneau in Montreal would stir all of the nostalgia for Habs fans, but this would be a nice landing spot for him in our mock draft. He’s a good winger with a lot of skill who could help Montreal’s collection of skaters.
17. Montreal Canadiens (from CGY) — Logan Hensler, RHD
6-2, 192
Shoots: Right
With consecutive picks, the Habs can get creative. Hensler is the second right-handed defenseman on most boards and has solid size to help their blue line eventually. Splitting their picks between a forward and defense makes sense.
18. Calgary Flames (from NJ) — Lynden Lakovic, LW
6-4 , 190
Shoots: Left
The Flames landing Lakovic here would be tremendous value; he could do somewhere in the 11-14 range as well. He has good size and can move on the wing. In a Western Conference that’s getting bigger, the Flames getting a player like this here is a nice pick.
19. Columbus Blue Jackets (from MIN) — Brady Martin, C
6-0, 178
Shoots: Right
The Blue Jackets taking a center with decent size feels like a luxury pick, but Martin would be good value for them at this point in our mock draft. I have the Blue Jackets going with a defenseman earlier in this mock draft, so a forward here makes sense.
20. Ottawa Senators — Cameron Schmidt, RW
5-8, 152
Shoots: Right
Schmidt is small but he can score, which is why his name comes up into the early teens in some mock drafts. Ottawa has plenty of size up front and could us a sniper; they tried it with Alex DeBrincat but that didn’t work. Maybe they’ll view Schmidt as that guy.
21. St. Louis Blues — Joshua Ravensbergen, G
6-5, 195
St. Louis is the hottest team in the NHL and is sprinting into the playoffs. There are lots of areas they could address here, but an eventual replacement for Jordan Binnington makes a lot of sense. Ravensbergen is the only goalie with a first-round grade and this would be a good fit for both the payer and the organization.
22. Calgary Flames (from FLA) — Cole Reschny, C
5-10, 187
Shoots: Left
Calgary is stockpiling assets and Reschny is a good player who’s been up and down in a lot of prospect rankings since the start of the calendar year. There seems to be buzz now that he’s climbing again and could wind up coming off the board in this range.
23. Philadelphia Flyers (from EDM) — Blake Fiddler, RHD
6-4, 207
Shoots: Right
The son of Vernon Fiddler is a big right-shot defenseman who would be a nice addition to the the Flyers’ blue line. His size makes him feel like an old school Flyers player and makes sense at this point in our mock draft.
24. Nashville Predators (from TB) — Cullen Potter, C
5-9, 168
Shoots: Left
It’s going to be an interesting summer in Nashville after a shockingly bad regular season following a summer in which Trotz went for it in free agency. Potter is a great skater who’s playing college hockey this season. He likely projects as a wing because of his size. More offense in Nashville.
25. Philadelphia Flyers (from COL) — Braeden Cootes, C
6-0, 183
Shoots: Right
Another pick for the Flyers is really good value if Cootes is still available at this point in the draft. He could wind up at center or on the wing as a pro and would be a nice addition with their third pick in the first round of our mock draft.
26. Carolina Hurricanes — William Moore, C
6-2, 161
Shoots: Left
Carolina has tried to add size up front via trade the last two years, but both Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen haven’t wanted to sign there. Moore has good size for a center prospect and could help them accomplish that goal thru the draft.
27. Los Angeles Kings — Ben Kindel, C
5-10, 176
Shoots: Left
The Kings are looking to add quality to their system and Kindel would be a nice value pick for their pipeline at this point in the first round. He isn’t the biggest prospect on the board but he’s likely the best available.
28. Chicago Blackhawks (from TOR) —
Jack Nesbitt, C
6-4, 185
Shoots: Left
The Blackhawks are getting plenty of looks at Nesbitt this season; he plays with
AJ Spellacy in Windsor. Adding another big center would be ideal for the future. Nesbitt has been quietly climbing draft rankings as a nearly point-per-game center in the OHL, and his size makes him a fascinating center to project. Nesbitt has seven points (one goal, six assists) in five games to start his postseason for Windsor this year.
29. Nashville Predators (from VGK) — Ivan Ryabkin, C
6-0, 170
Shoots: Left
Ryabkin left Russia and came over to play in the UHSL this season. His rankings are all over the place, so this might be a good spot for a team to take a shot on him as a luxury pick with big upside — and Nashville having three picks in the first round makes this a valuable lottery ticket for them to use here.
30. San Jose Sharks (from DAL) — Bill Zonnon, LW
6-2, 190
Shoots: Left
The Sharks went with a defenseman at the top of the draft and will be back on the clock with the 33rd pick in the draft, so this is best player available territory for San Jose. Zonnon is a big, physical forward who could complement their existing group of forwards well when he’s ready.
31. Washington Capitals — Henry Brzustewicz, RHD
6-1, 194
Shoots: Right
The Capitals enjoyed the celebration surrounding
Alex Ovechkin breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record this weekend, but now the focus shifts to trying to make the magical season end with a parade. Their big roster addition after the deadline has been young forward Ryan Leonard, who scored his first goal against the Blackhawks. They should look to help the future of their blue line here, and Brzustewicz is a nice prospect at this point in the draft.
32. Winnipeg Jets — Jack Murtagh, C
6-0, 185
Shoots: Left
Yes, this would mean Canada’s Stanley Cup drought has come to an end. That in itself would be a huge story. If it is Winnipeg, who were thought to be on the verge of a rebuild just a couple years ago, it would be a magnificent story for the Jets and the league. Murtagh is a solid center prospect with decent size who figures to be in this range in the draft and would be a nice add for the Jets’ system.
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