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New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Matthew Schaefer at No. 1, who goes next and answering the 2025 NHL Draft's 10 biggest questions
With the 2025 NHL Draft just over a week away, we line up the 10 biggest questions to be answered when the picks start flying on June 27. The New York Islanders hold the top pick, and the consensus No. 1 prospect is defenseman Matthew Schaefer. The left-shot blueliner has the full package: size, skating, legit offense and a high compete level. He projects to play big minutes in all situations and has the potential to be a legit No. 1 NHL defenseman. Advertisement But there's a local wrinkle. James Hagens, once projected to be the top pick in this class, hails from Long Island. The idea of the Islanders drafting a homegrown, dynamic forward with elite skill has emotional and marketing appeal. That said, Hagens' stock cooled in the second half of the year, with many scouts now placing him closer to No. 5 on their boards. It seems highly unlikely the Islanders would go away from Schaefer for either Hagens or Saginaw's Michael Misa, but still, within the NHL, the possibility hasn't been completely discounted in the lead-up to the draft. Misa, the exceptional status forward who was the top player in the OHL this season, seems like the safest bet to be the first forward off the board. He's a creative, pace-driving center who has produced at a very high level. But there are some other options. Porter Martone is a very skilled big winger with a strong compete level. Anton Frondell brings a complete game to go with a high skill level and an elite shot. Caleb Desnoyers had a monster year in the QMJHL and projects as a tough minutes NHL center. Jake O'Brien and Roger McQueen bring size and skill down the middle. In discussions with NHL teams, most have Misa as their top forward, but each of the above names got at least one vote as the best forward in the class. There is a notable section of the league, for example, that prefers Frondell to Misa currently. McQueen has all the tools an NHL team wants: a 6-foot-5 frame, NHL-level foot speed, great hands, a high hockey IQ and a willingness to use his big body. But he missed the majority of the season, and the cause, a back injury, is notoriously tricky for NHL teams. The risk-reward calculus here is steep. If healthy, McQueen is a matchup nightmare who could become a dominant NHL center. The question is when does a team feel confident enough to roll the dice on him. Joshua Ravensbergen has been the top-rated goaltender this draft season, but his play was inconsistent. He's big and highly athletic, and tracks pucks well enough, but his game was a bit chaotic at times. First-round goalies are always a gamble, and organizational philosophy often plays a role. Some teams simply don't take goalies early, and Ravensbergen lacks the pedigree of other goalies who have gone high in recent years. Still, with few elite goalie prospects in recent years, someone may decide to secure their crease of the future in Round 1. If that happens, look for it to be in the 20-32 range. After Schaefer is picked, it's unclear who will be the next defenseman selected. Radim Mrtka is a huge right-shot defenseman who can skate, has legit offensive skill and hockey sense, although he's not overly physical. Jackson Smith brings size, mobility and high-end offensive skill, but his game can be a roller coaster. Kashawn Aitcheson is highly physical but has good enough speed and skill. Advertisement Team preference will dictate who goes next. Mrtka probably has the safest profile. Smith is the most purely talented. Aitcheson is the most unique profile that could translate the best to the playoffs. Brady Martin's stock was sharply on the rise following a good second half and a great U18 worlds. He's relentless, physical and also highly skilled. Teams are also falling in love with his background and character. Two months ago, it felt like Martin had a strong chance to be a top-10 pick in the draft, but as things stand right now, the question is now more about how high in the top 10 he goes. Hagens entered his draft year rated by many as the top prospect in the draft. He's extremely skilled and creative, a great skater and projects to run an NHL PP1. He had a very good but not great season at Boston College, though, and some scouts have raised concerns about how his barely 5-foot-11 frame will translate, especially given he's not overly physical. He's still likely a top-10 pick, but it's not clear where he goes in that range. Frankly, I've talked to more teams that have him in the 6-10 range than those who see him as a top-five prospect. Ivan Ryabkin entered the season being projected as a potential top-10 pick by some scouts. He was just as productive as Matvei Michkov and Ivan Demidov were as underage players, and talking to scouts a year ago, he was being discussed in the same light as them. He's a super-skilled winger who plays hard and was quite productive in the USHL in the second half this season. However, the term 'headache' has followed Ryabkin. He wore out his welcome in Dynamo Moscow, leading to a mid-year transfer, and his time in the USHL involved several suspensions and scouts picking apart the habits in his game. He also came in noticeably overweight at the NHL Combine. He's a legit first-round talent, but I haven't talked to many people excited to call his name in recent months. Advertisement This is one of the weakest Finnish draft classes in recent memory. There isn't a clear-cut top-100 player from Finland, but there are a few players at least on the radar. From the 2007 age group, defenseman Lasse Boelius is a good skater who was a top player internationally. In terms of re-entry candidates, Benjamin Rautiainen up front and Petteri Rimpinen in goal were good versus men and for Finland's World Junior team. Mason West might be the most intriguing athlete in the class. A legitimate dual-sport prospect in football and hockey, he has the physical tools of a legit first-round pick. He's a powerful center with NHL-caliber footspeed and puck skills, but will teams hesitate if they think he might eventually pivot to football? West has been trying to reassure teams he is going to eventually commit to hockey full-time after playing high school football this fall. (Photo of Michael Misa and Matthew Schaefer: Joe Hrycych / NHLI via Getty Images)
New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Flyers' abundance of early-round draft picks offers ‘some opportunities for movement'
VOORHEES, N.J. — Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Briere suffered emotions similar to those of many local fans after the NHL draft lottery last month. Speaking at his annual pre-draft media availability on Tuesday at the Flyers' Training Center, and sitting on a riser alongside assistant general manager/draft guru Brent Flahr, Briere acknowledged that he was 'bummed' to see the Flyers drop to the No. 6 overall pick in next week's draft despite having the fourth-worst record in the league this season. Advertisement But now? 'Not anymore. Not after spending the time that we've done the last few weeks, and are still every day watching more video on (the top prospects),' he said. 'We feel more and more comfortable and confident. There's obviously the No. 1 guy that everyone sees, but after that… I feel really good about it.' That 'No. 1 guy' that Briere is alluding to is defenseman Mathew Schaefer, expected to go to the New York Islanders with the first pick. It seems evident that center Michael Misa, generally ranked as the second-best prospect, also will be gone before the Flyers select. But after that, the next half-dozen or so players all have comparable levels of skill, according to Briere, so the Flyers will add a high-end prospect, even though they ended up with a lower draft position than they had hoped for when the regular season concluded on April 17. 'We feel that there's, from (No.) 2 or 3 to 8, those guys are really, really close,' Briere said. 'We'll have a tough decision to make at (No.) 6. We know that. But instead of having to choose between five or six guys (if they were higher), it might be two or three guys.' The Flyers are still in the process of putting their final rankings together, and, according to Flahr, there are '10 to 12' players they've zeroed in on. There are 'still some unsettled arguments' amongst the amateur scouting staff, Flahr added, that will have to get sorted out before the first round on June 27. But Briere and Flahr were in agreement regarding the organization's broad approach: they're going to take the best player available on their list with their highest pick, regardless of position. 'At the top, especially at No. 6, we're looking at the best player available,' Briere said. Said Flahr: 'We obviously are well aware of our own needs. At the same time, there's some players, especially at No. 6… We're going to go with the best player on our board.' Advertisement That's particularly notable, considering what is still lacking in the Flyers' system: depth at the center position. The club began to address that in last year's draft, when they chose Jett Luchanko with the No. 13 overall pick and Jack Berglund with their first of two second-round selections at No. 51, but it remains an area of need. While the 18-year-old Luchanko — who surprisingly made the Flyers out of camp this past season and appeared in four scoreless games before he was reassigned to his junior team in Guelph — could still develop into a top-six center, adding another high-end prospect down the middle would seem to be vital. And, as it so happens, while there might not be a Connor Bedard or Macklin Celebrini-type in this year's class, the top of the draft is particularly center-heavy. Centers such as Anton Frondell, Caleb Desnoyers and James Hagens could be available at No. 6. Or they might be gone, potentially resulting in the Flyers selecting someone such as Porter Martone, thought by many to be the top winger in the draft. 'Early in the draft, top 10, there's a lot of centermen, which isn't always the case,' Flahr said. To be clear, this could all just be public posturing, which is fairly common around the league this time of year. Briere even admitted that the Flyers have explored moving up in the draft, which suggests that grabbing one of those high-end centers could be a priority. Perhaps they even have their eye on the San Jose Sharks and that No. 2 pick, and Misa. The complication with that, though, is, 'it feels like everybody's trying to move up at the moment,' Briere said. 'We have said from the beginning that we would like to try to move up if it was possible, but there's just not a lot of options there. Teams are all looking to move up, so we'll have to be patient. Maybe there's an opportunity that comes where we can create value going the other way, also.' Advertisement Selecting a player with the No. 6 overall pick — assuming they stay there — will only be the beginning of what will surely be a frenzied two days for the club. The Flyers have two other first-round picks — acquired from Colorado and Edmonton, respectively — along with four picks in the top half of the second round. They own 11 picks overall, including one in the third round, two in the fifth round and one in the sixth round. Flahr said last month that he believes there is some depth in the second round before it starts to drop off, and he repeated that on Tuesday. As it stands now, the Flyers have six selections from among picks Nos. 22 to 48. 'I think there's a number of different types of players — whether it's smaller, skilled wingers; there's still some centermen on the board that may be middle of the lineup type of guys, but still valuable players; and there's some big defensemen that are going to maybe need a little bit of time but guys that our (scouts) are excited about (and) have a lot of potential,' Flahr said, referring to those half-dozen draft slots. Said Briere: 'There's a lot of players that our guys like in in that window after (No.) 22 through 48, so there's actually a really good chance that we keep the picks and we really build around those guys.' Of course, whether the Flyers end up using all 11 of their picks is impossible to predict. It's probably inevitable that they'll at least attempt to package some of them together in order to secure what they believe is another high-end prospect or two, at the very least. But one thing they'll have is options. 'I think there's going to be some opportunities for movement,' Briere said. 'Having more picks is always beneficial, and it just gives you a lot of freedom to do a lot of different things.'
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
"A lot to prove to myself and the world": Michael Misa redefines what dominance looks like as 2025 NHL Draft's best forward prospect
Michael Misa (via Getty Images) Michael Misa, the dynamic Oakville, Ontario, forward, has become the most well-rounded offensive tool on the board going into the 2025 NHL Draft. Following a franchise-defying year with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League, in which he collected 134 points in only 65 games, Michael Misa is the top guy to take off the board as a forward. Saginaw Spirit's Michael Misa solidifies himself as 2025's most exciting NHL draft prospect Since the day Michael Misa received exceptional status to play in the OHL at only 15 years old, direct comparisons to legendary players Connor McDavid and John Tavares were made to him. That added pressure, though, hasn't slowed him down—it's just sped him up. His entry into the OHL was record-breaking. Michael Misa tallied 56 points in 45 games as a rookie, surpassing the points-per-game mark he posted as an underage player last season behind John Tavares. But it's his 2024-25 season that put him atop the scouting board. Posting 62 goals and 134 points—numbers no other draft-eligible OHL skater came within sight of—Michael Misa is being compared to the likes of Patrick Kane, whose draft season is the gold standard for junior offense. Is Michael Misa an obvious pick for Sharks at No. 2 overall? In contrast to most young stars, Misa's scoring outburst was not the product of flashy remodeling of his game. Rather, he doubled down on polish, developing shot control at the expense of raw power, returning to his natural center position, and enhancing his defensive effort. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Costco Shoppers Say This Wrinkle Cream Is "Actually Worth It" The Skincare Magazine Undo The end product? A 59-point jump from the year before and an obvious maturation into a two-way player. 2025 OHL Awards Ceremony: Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit) 'Coming into this year, I think I had a lot to prove to myself and to the world,' Misa said at the NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo earlier in June. 'I really just tried to leave everything on the ice and walk out of here with no regrets.' Also read: Chicago Blackhawks trying to steal No. 1 pick in Michael Misa draft bombshell Whether through his deceptive shot release, dynamic skating mechanics, or capacity to dictate tempo, Misa's game is constructed for sustained NHL impact, and he's well on his way to being a top-line NHL center before too long. Whether or not the New York Islanders make him the No. 1 overall pick, Misa's NHL debut seems less of an if and more of a when.
National Post
7 days ago
- Sport
- National Post
OHL pals Micahel Misa, Matthew Schaefer could be at top of NHL draft
Article content Michael Misa has intently emulated John Tavares's hockey path. Article content Misa and the Maple Leafs captain share Oakville roots, OHL exceptional player status in their early teens and dominance at centre in junior towards high selection at the National Hockey League draft. Article content Article content The 6-foot-1 Saginaw Spirit star could even follow Tavares as the first overall pick of the New York Islanders, but that's where the twain might not meet. Article content Good as Misa is, most mock drafts have 6-2 Erie defenceman Matthew Schaefer going first overall to the Island as winner of the Canadian Hockey League's top draft prospect award on Friday in Toronto, while Misa would be available to join Macklin Celebrini on the rebuilding San Jose Sharks. Chicago is picking third, followed by the Utah Mammoth at the draft June 27-28 in Los Angeles. Article content Misa accepted the CHL's top scorer of the year award, a trophy Tavares also copped with the Oshawa Generals. Misa had 134 points in 65 regular season games. Article content 'He's a guy I've looked up to since I got that exceptional status,' Misa said of Tavares. 'It's pretty cool he's from Oakville as well. It seems they have a way of producing good players there.' Article content The left-shooting centre switched to wing for a bit, but enjoys driving the play down the middle. Just like Tavares, whom he's met a couple of times and who has passed on some tips. Article content 'His 200-foot game, the way he's able to protect the puck at all costs and has a great shot,' Misa said. 'I feel a lot more comfortable with the puck on my stick. I've tried to be that 200-foot player who can translate that at the next level.' He and Tavares are lacrosse enthusiasts, both grieving the loss of their coach, Rob McDougall, at an annual memorial charity game. Article content Misa is also off-ice pals with Schaefer, as they and other top prospects just shared the scouting combine experience in Buffalo and a trip to the Stanley Cup finals on the media tour in Florida. Then it was quickly back to Toronto for the CHL awards — allowing Schaefer to cram in his high school prom Thursday night at St. John Henry Newman in Stoney Creek. Article content 'I hadn't been to a school event in a couple of years, so it was fun to be with my friends and my teachers,' he said. 'To be a kid again back in high school is pretty special.' Article content But none of his classmates will be on national sports television in two weeks. Article content 'This is a big step, there is so much talent in this draft, such as Misa and (Brampton's) Porter Martone' Schaefer said. 'There's nothing you can control about the draft now, just enjoy it. ' Article content Schaefer held his lofty position with Central Scouting despite playing only 17 games this season after breaking his collarbone. But he received plenty of attention at the Ivan Hlinka tournament. Article content 'I took the 17 games as an opportunity,' he said of his bad luck. 'A lot of guys played a lot more, but the reason I was ranked so high is I worked so hard in those 17 games.' Article content Schaefer received a lot of team support while idled. His injury wasn't long after his mother, Jennifer, died of breast cancer in February 2024 after a two-year struggle. Article content 'I play for her each and every day, carry myself based on how she did,' the ebullient Schaefer said. 'I want to carry on her legacy. She came into a room and lit it up with her smile.' He also lost his billet mother, Emily Matson, under sudden circumstances and this past season, the whole Otters team was rocked by the death of owner Jim Waters. Article content 'It's made me stronger,' said Schaefer of encountering the losses after leaving home for Erie. 'But I'm playing the sport I love and I just want to be a good person.' Article content Central Scouting deemed this not a deep draft, but rich in good all-round character players such as Schaefer and Misa. The latter won league academic recognition. Article content 'My parents reinforced that school is important,' Misa said. 'It can't be hockey, hockey, hockey all the time, you have to have life outside of that. In future, when you're talking to people, you don't want to sound dumb. Article content 'I like math, I took a kinesiology course, did an accounting class. I'd think I'd like to stay involved in the game as a coach or a GM.' Article content In other awards handed out Friday, Gavin McKenna, a 2026 draft prospect from Whitehorse, Yukon, was named the David Branch player of the year, the third youngest recipient after Tavares and Sidney Crosby. The Medicine Hat Tiger racked up 129 points in 56 games, including a 40-game streak. Article content Memorial Cup winning London Knight Sam Dickinson, who could be Misa or Schaefer's teammate on the Sharks, was named defenceman of the year. Goaltender of the year was Jackson Parsons of the Kitchener Rangers and coach of the year, Gardiner MacDougall of the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats, had his club in the Cup final his first year after an outstanding career coaching the University of New Brunswick. Article content
New York Times
13-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Which 2025 NHL Draft prospects have the best skills? Ranking 6 different tools and traits
Today, we present a different type of 2025 NHL Draft list, where we rank players based on how they slot in different traits. You will see a lot of familiar names, and some unfamiliar ones. We are ranking prospects in the draft class by skating, puck handling, hockey IQ, shooting, competitiveness and athleticism. Advertisement 1. L.J. Mooney, C, U.S. NTDP 2. Cameron Schmidt, RW, Vancouver 3. Cullen Potter, C, Arizona State 4. Lukas Sawchyn, RW, Edmonton 5. Matthew Schaefer, LHD, Erie 6. Sascha Boumedienne, LHD, Boston University 7. Ilyas Magomedsultanov, LHD, Lokomotiv 8. Michael Misa, C, Saginaw 9. Lirim Amidovski, RW, North Bay 10. Lasse Boelius, LHD, Assat Most scouts would peg Schaefer as the best skater in the draft, and when I think about how well he skates for a 6-2 defender, he's absolutely a freakishly good skater for his size. There are several small forwards, though, in Mooney, Schmidt and Potter who can absolutely fly. They have high-end speed, the first few steps and edge work. They all have offensive talent, though, but you're talking about two 5-foot-7 forwards and a 5-10 forward and none of them had outstanding offensive years for their size. 1. James Hagens, C, Boston College 2. Porter Martone, RW, Brampton 3. Roger McQueen, C, Brandon 4. Jake O'Brien, C, Brantford 5. Justin Carbonneau, RW, Blainville-Boisbriand 6. Matthew Schaefer, LHD, Erie 7. Michael Misa, C, Saginaw 8. Jack Nesbitt, C, Windsor 9. Jackson Smith, LHD, Tri-City 10. Anton Frondell, C, Djurgarden This is a highly familiar group. Usually, you tend to see the very best forwards in this category as they are the ones with the most pure offensive talent. Hagens and Martone are a tier above the rest as well. Martone's skill for a player his size is rather special. 1. James Hagens, C, Boston College 2. Matthew Schaefer, LHD, Erie 3. Michael Misa, C, Saginaw 4. Jake O'Brien, C, Brantford 5. Caleb Desnoyers, C, Moncton 6. Cole Reschny, C, Victoria 7. Adam Benak, C, Youngstown 8. Luka Radivojevic, RHD, Muskegon Hagens appears first in back-to-back categories. Despite the perception he's been beaten up in the pre-draft process, he is the most offensively talented player in this draft class. The questions for NHL teams are on his size and physicality in terms of how his offense will translate, but there's no debate he's a dynamic player who can break open a shift. You again see most of the top prospects in this category, but we end it with Benak and Radivojevic. Both players have been highly impactful junior players for years, but they are good, not elite, small-guy skaters. 1. Anton Frondell, C, Djurgarden 2. Cameron Schmidt, RW, Vancouver 3. Justin Carbonneau, RW, Blainville-Boisbriand 4. Bryce Pickford, RHD, Medicine Hat 5. Lynden Lakovic, LW, Moose Jaw 6. Charlie Trethewey, RHD, U.S. NTDP 7. Emile Guite, LW, Chicoutimi 8. Brent Solomon, RW, Champlin Park Advertisement Frondell and Schmidt both have shots that can break open a game. Their abilities to finish from range are clearly NHL quality, and if they hit, they project to a flank a power play at the top level. 1. Kashawn Aitcheson, LHD, Barrie 2. Brady Martin, C, Sault Ste. Marie 3. Victor Eklund, RW, Djurgarden 4. Milton Gastrin, C, MODO 5. Eddie Genborg, LW, Linkoping 6. Malcolm Spence, LW, Erie 7. Tomas Pobezal, C, Nitra 8. Daniil Prokhorov, RW, Dynamo St. Petersburg 9. Carter Klippenstein, C, Brandon 10. Ethan Czata, C, Niagara 11. Assanali Sarkenov, LW, Spokane 12. Malte Vass, LHD, Farjestad You could place Aitcheson, Eklund and Martin in any order. They are three special competitors who have legit talent as well, and it's why it is expected they will go very early on draft day. 1. Rio Kaiser, LHD, Peterborough 2. Radim Mrtka, RHD, Seattle 3. Mason West, C, Edina 4. Roger McQueen, C, Brandon 5. Max Psenicka, RHD, Portland 6. Peyton Kettles, RHD Swift Current 7. Carter Amico, RHD, U.S. NTDP 8. Blake Fiddler, RHD, Edmonton 9. Vaclav Nestrasil, RW, Muskegon 10. Matthew Gard, C, Red Deer 11. Daniil Prokhorov, RW, Dynamo St. Petersburg 12. Evan Passmore, RHD, Barrie 13. Roman Bausov, RHD, Dynamo St. Petersburg 14. Joshua Ravensbergen, G, Prince George 15. Simon Wang, LHD, Oshawa The No. 1 player on this list may lead to a lot of 'who?' among readers, but Kaiser was highly touted in Germany years ago due to how athletic and mobile he was for a tall (now 6-foot-7) defenseman. His puck play is very limited, but I would wager someone is going to roll the dice on him. West is a very interesting player given that he's a two-sport player who is a solid football prospect, although he's a better hockey prospect. This category is full of huge players who can move. They may not all have gaudy point totals, but they have projectable traits to the NHL level. (Photo of James Hagens: Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images)
