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New York Times
8 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
NHL Mock Draft 2025: The Athletic Hockey Show predicts (and debates) Round 1 picks
By Corey Pronman, Scott Wheeler and Max Bultman With just one week until the 2025 NHL Draft kicks off in Los Angeles, mock draft season is in full swing. And that includes over at 'The Athletic Hockey Show,' where the Prospect Series crew — made up of The Athletic's prospect experts Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler, Flo Hockey's Chris Peters and show co-host Max Bultman — convened this week for their annual live mock draft of the first round, predicting (and debating) what they think will happen in the draft's first 32 picks. Advertisement You can listen to the full episode on 'The Athletic Hockey Show' feed, but for those who just want the overview, we wrote up the draft results here, as well as some details on the predictions — and the pushback — the writers made on the show. We went into more detail on the earlier picks here than the later ones, so again, if you want to hear more specifics, you can listen to the episode in full. Here's how the four of us had it, alternating which host made each prediction. Schaefer is the favorite to be picked first, and fittingly, there wasn't any pushback from our panel when Bultman slotted him to the Islanders here. 'The value of an all-situations (is) obviously extremely high,' Bultman said. 'I know he didn't play that many games (due to injury this season), but as we've talked about on the show, when he did, he was really impressive. He also seems like a really impressive kid, and I just think he seems like the kind of kid you're going to build around in the next phase of your franchise.' Wheeler went with what's become the 'chalk' pick here in Misa, but noted he'd heard coming out of the combine that the Sharks may have 'some sneaky interest in Caleb Desnoyers and Anton Frondell' that could at least make it a debate. After follow-up reporting since then, he still feels content to stick with Misa, but that it's a conversation is noteworthy. Pronman wondered what the logic would have to be for the Sharks to pick one of Frondell or Desnoyers over Misa, and Wheeler pointed to Desnoyers in particular being perhaps 'the perfect 2C to slot behind Macklin Celebrini, and that he fits that role to a 'T' maybe more than some of these other players do.' Still, 'Michael Misa is still the consensus choice here,' Wheeler said. '(6-foot-1) center who had 134 points, 60 goals, we've talked about it — I think he's the guy here.' Advertisement Peters went with Frondell to Chicago, rationalizing, 'I think they want to get bigger here, and I think that Anton Frondell helps them do that, and he also helps them in terms of being a high offensive performer, a guy with good two-way value.' Peters also noted the positional flexibility Frondell could give the Blackhawks with young forwards Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar. 'If Bedard is a long-term center, that's your No. 1 guy, and then Frondell's a natural No. 2. But if (Bedard ends up a winger), then you potentially have a No. 1 center option in Frondell.' And if all three turn out to be viable top-six centers, which is entirely possible, that's a great situation to be in. Pronman noted the buzz around Brady Martin high in the draft, saying 'the interest in (Martin) is massive, and I think he's going very early in this draft.' He pointed out, though, that Martin and Desnoyers played on the same team at two different events this year, for Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and in the CHL-U.S. NTDP series, and 'Caleb was way better both times, played bigger roles both times.' 'When you look at what he did this year, the performance he had on Moncton, regular season and in the playoffs, while basically playing with half a hand most of the time … I don't think you can go by this guy at 4.' Bultman felt the Predators needed a center with this pick, boiled the debate down to Martin and Boston College's James Hagens, and, nodding to Pronman's comment on the buzz around Martin, went with the hard-nosed pivot from the Soo as his prediction. Pronman pushed back on Bultman, lamenting that there were centers available with more size than the 6-foot Martin or 5-foot-11 Hagens. 'There's two: Jake O'Brien and Roger McQueen,' he said. 'Why not them?' Advertisement Bultman pointed to McQueen's back injury, and the magnitude of the risk in picking him at No. 5. And likened the debate between O'Brien and Martin to picking between another highly intelligent (but skinny) recent top-five pick in Columbus' Kent Johnson, versus a popular Martin comparable: newly-crowned Conn Smythe winner Sam Bennett. 'That's where I would go Martin,' Bultman said. Wheeler opened by saying he thinks the Flyers would 'love to get Brady Martin here,' drawing a comparison between Martin and former Flyers captain Mike Richards. With Martin gone, though, he instead went with Hagens, giving the nod to him over O'Brien. 'I know that skews them small in a prospect pool that's already a little bit small, and an NHL roster that's already a little bit small, but I think there's enough of a gap between Hagens and O'Brien — maybe not leaguewide, but still amongst the consensus. And it sounds like there's a chance that James Hagens might fall a little bit, but I think the Flyers could take that swing, and if he hits, he's the center of the future for Matvei Michkov, and you find someone big and meaty to play on that other wing.' Peters considered the highly skilled Martone, but ultimately opted for the playmaking center O'Brien, who put up 98 points in 66 OHL games this past season and didn't turn 18 until this week. With a true star on the wing in David Pastrnak, O'Brien profiles as a player who could certainly pair well with him in the future. 'What Jake O'Brien showed this year, to me — and yes, he does need to get stronger, he needs to tack on muscle and different things — is that he is a legitimate offensive creator,' Peters said. 'He can make things happen, he can make guys around him better.' While making the Boston pick, Peters noted the surprise of Martone, who was ranked third in this group's list just weeks ago, still being available after seven picks, noting that it speaks to a 'desperation for centers.' Advertisement Martone's slide ended here, though, with Pronman projecting him to Seattle, which is in a great position to take him. 'They have their centers,' Pronman said. 'They have Shane Wright, they have Matty Beniers, they have Berkly Catton — one of those guys will flex to the wing, probably Catton, long-term. But they take Martone, and now they've got a top six that they're very happy with.' McQueen is a highly intriguing prospect, as a 6-foot-5 center who can skate and possesses real skill. On upside, he belongs much higher than this. And while the back injury that cost him much of this season is the obvious reason for his slide to this point, Pronman pointed out the league may not be as scared off by the risk of that injury as our group had been. 'The NHL drafted Cayden Lindstrom (who was a similar-profile player, and also had a back injury) at No. 4 last year,' Pronman said. 'And I guess I would ask why we haven't mentioned his name more in this conversation. … I feel like, as a hockey player, he's better than Jake O'Brien. I think as a hockey player, he's probably better than Brady Martin, too.' McQueen's slide ended here, though, with Bultman projecting him to land with the Sabres at No. 9. 'I think this is the point of the draft where the gap between McQueen and the next player starts to get harder to justify,' Bultman said, noting that McQueen would bring much-needed size to a Sabres team that has many small, skilled forwards and could use more size. After nine straight forwards following Schaefer at No. 1, we finally have the second defenseman going off the board, with Wheeler predicting the hard-hitting Aitcheson to the Ducks. 'I do think, that with these forwards gone, that you're more likely to see a Kashawn Aitcheson here, or a Jackson Smith here than you are to see a Justin Carbonneau, or a Carter Bear, Lynden Lakovic, those types sort of jump into this range,' Wheeler said, noting that one caveat could be speedy right-shot winger Victor Eklund. Advertisement Still, he went with Aitcheson, saying the Barrie defender 'gives them another physical, tough, competitive kid in the mold of (2024 Ducks first-round pick) Stian Solberg a year ago.' After going nine straight picks with no defensemen, now we have them back-to-back with Peters projecting the 6-foot-6 righty Mrtka to the Penguins, who he noted 'need everything.' 'I think the upside of Mrtka, with the potential he could one day be a top-four defenseman, a guy that's going to give you the good mobility, the size, all those different things. I think he's going to play, and then he complements a guy like an Owen Pickering, who has size, so you're starting to build a bit of a bigger blue line.' Pronman noted one key wrinkle with this pick: the Rangers have to decide 48 hours before the draft whether to give this pick to Pittsburgh, as part of the trade that landed the Rangers J.T. Miller, or keep it and give up their 2026 first-round pick. Pronman reasoned that while the Rangers may not be able to get a premium center at 12, they should still have a decent shot at getting one of the three legit defense prospects in this range in Mrtka, Aitcheson and Smith. And in this case, that's exactly how it played out, with the Rangers capping a mini run on defensemen with Smith, a 6-foot-4 blueliner who can really skate. 'He's the kind of defenseman they've tended to target,' Pronman said. 'And you're hoping he's going to be a very good top-four D for a long time.' Eklund is a fashionable pick for the Red Wings, who have already used five first-round picks to draft a player out of Sweden in six years under Steve Yzerman, and whose preference for high-compete prospects is abundantly clear. Maybe that makes it feel too obvious. But Bultman projected this way regardless. Advertisement 'It checks too many boxes,' Bultman said. 'The only hesitation I have is it would be another small winger, which at the NHL level, they are a little heavy on. Patrick Kane's not going to be there forever — probably won't even be there by the time Victor Eklund makes the NHL — but still with Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat, that would be three sub-six-foot wingers in your top six. That's a little itchy. But I don't think there's a great alternative, and he checks so many other boxes for them: it's the high compete, the motor, he is a good scorer, he can really shoot it.' Wheeler noted that the Blue Jackets are increasingly deep on the wing but could use a left-shot winger, and felt Lakovic's size and ability to move up and down the lineup made him a fit. 'We know what Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson are now, and I think behind those guys, you start to wonder about who slots behind (Kirill) Marchenko and (Johnson) and Fantilli, and who could play potentially with some of those guys, or potentially play off of them in a middle-six role,' Wheeler said, noting Lakovic's skill and skating at 6-foot-4. Peters debated between Carbonneau and center Braeden Cootes for this pick, but ultimately landed on Carbonneau, a high-scoring winger out of the QMJHL because of his blend of 'competitive drive and … offensive capability.' 'I think as you move forward, Carbonneau, to me, is the guy that kind of gives you a little bit more of that identity, and could fit a real need there,' Peters said. With two back-to-back picks in the middle of the first round, Pronman posited that 'in an ideal world, you're leaving this draft with a center and a D at 16 and 17, that'd probably make some sense, or two forwards.' He debated highly skilled forwards Cole Reschny and Carter Bear with the first of those two picks, but ultimately pivoted to Cootes, the top center remaining. He noted how much skill the Canadiens already possess high in their lineup, between Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovský and now Ivan Demidov all feeling like strong power-play options for the foreseeable future. Advertisement 'You feel really confident with the amount of skill you have in your organization, so I don't think you feel compelled to bring in a Cole Reschny here,' he said. 'I think you can never have too many centers, though, so while Carter Bear is tempting here, and the offense and skill he brings, I think Braeden Cootes has plenty of skill as well, to go with some tenacity. He can be a legit middle-six center in the NHL.' With Montreal's second pick, Bultman had the Canadiens land the skilled, tenacious Bear in addition to Cootes, bringing skill and fearlessness to that forward mix. After that, Wheeler had Calgary land Reschny, noting the Flames' need for a top young center, particularly one with his skill level. 'You wonder about the size, maybe a little bit as a 5-10 and a half center, but Cole is one of the most complete centers in this draft class,' Wheeler said. 'I think he sticks as a center in the NHL because of his competitiveness and his defensive awareness.' Reid then went to the Blues, with Peters noting the puck-moving element he could bring to the St. Louis blue line, and praising his hockey sense, vision and mobility. Another puck-mover, Hensler, landed with the Blue Jackets, with Pronman saying he'd be surprised if Columbus doesn't get at least one defenseman from its two top-20 picks. A lot of size came off the board in this cluster of picks, with Nesbitt, Prokhorov and Horcoff all hulking forwards who can bring edge to their respective teams. The same is true for Spence, who at 6-foot-1 might be smaller next to those other three (all of whom are 6-foot-4 and above), but is still a competitor. There were also two Predators picks in this bunch, with Nashville coming away with the puck-moving Boumedienne — with Peters pointing to his skating, and the 'pop' he could bring — and the draft's first goalie in Joshua Ravensbergen. Wheeler noted that the Predators just traded a top goalie prospect in Yaroslav Askarov, but that Ravensbergen's timeline lines up much more naturally with Juuse Saros' career arc. There was a bit of everything in this final cluster, with a two-way center in Gästrin going to the Capitals, a big-body shutdown D in Fiddler going to the Jets and even Carolina taking a D in the first round for the first time since 2016. Advertisement The surprise, though, might have been in seeing a second goalie come off the board in the first round, with Frolov going to the Flyers. Peters reasoned that with Philadelphia having three first-round picks, it could be emboldened to take that kind of chance late in the first round, even though the Flyers do have some young goaltending (and specifically some young Russian goaltenders) in the system already. 'But I think this is an upside play, it's a long-term play, and it is a guy with some tremendous upside,' Peters said. (Photo of Porter Martone, Blake Fiddler and Matthew Schaefer: Michael Miller / ISI Photos / Getty Images)
New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Jets at 2025 NHL Draft: Evaluating 12 options for Winnipeg with pick No. 28
Barring trades, the Winnipeg Jets will pick 28th at this year's draft. There's pressure to do well with this one: Winnipeg didn't have a first-round pick last year and 2021 first-rounder Chaz Lucius recently announced his retirement due to Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. The Jets' prospect pool does have exciting players — Elias Salomonsson, Brayden Yager, Brad Lambert and Colby Barlow most of all — but it's thinner than Winnipeg is used to. Advertisement So, who is likely to be available when they pick at 28? Who should Winnipeg choose? Here are 12 options, with analysis from Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler — plus my view on how each individual player could fit into the Jets' future success. Please note that this piece borrows heavily from the deep, detailed reports provided by Pronman and Wheeler. Their latest top prospects pieces are linked below; use them for an even deeper look at Winnipeg's potential draft options. Pronman's report (27): 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 … I could see more offence coming from him with more opportunity. Ates' angle: A big, mobile, right-handed defenceman sounds so much like the ideal Jets draft pick that Pronman chose Brzustewicz for Winnipeg in his most recent mock draft. The connections get closer, still, with Brzustewicz teaming up with Jets 2023 fifth-round pick, Jacob Julien, to win the Memorial Cup. The Knights are a dominant OHL team known for leaning heavily on their stars, sometimes inflating their draft year projections — but Brzustewicz didn't get that treatment. That's why both of our analysts see room for him to grow with a bigger role. Wheeler's report (31): Nobody works harder. He can play both center and wing … He's competitive and has a good stick on lifts and disruptions. He makes plays quickly. He can be a menace on the forecheck. But he's also got some vision, with an ability to find the secondary wave on the ice and get pucks off the wall and to the interior. Ates' angle: Again, with Florida's second straight Stanley Cup on everybody's mind, I'm guessing elite forecheckers who play with NHL size and speed and can play all three forward positions will have extra cachet on draft day. Zonnon plays the kind of all-around game with a lot of subtle strengths and relatively few weaknesses that gives him a high floor and a playoff-ready middle-six ceiling. If I'm right about teams' draft day thinking, Zonnon may be off the board before the Jets pick — despite our experts' rankings of 31 and 41. Advertisement Pronman's report (42): 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. Ates' angle: It's tough to watch Florida win the Stanley Cup and get fired up about players whose 'compete' gets listed as a weakness. That said, Moore seems capable of getting to the danger areas and improved his play enough down the stretch to feel projectable as an NHL centre. He's a wiry, big-framed player who Wheeler believes will add yet more muscle and power to his game. Even if he tops out as a bottom-six centre, the Jets do need some insulation beyond 30-plus stalwarts such as Mark Scheifele and Adam Lowry. Yager is the only blue-chip centre in the system; I'm still thinking Lambert's best bet is on the wing. Wheeler's report (40): He finished the year above a point per game as their top scorer and he's a centre who has been counted upon to play an important role on both special teams (he tracks and angles well on the PK, is strong, protects pucks well and took on defensive assignments) and is credited for his well-rounded game on and off the puck. Ates' angle: The more I look into U.S. NTDP players, the more I prefer McKinney to Moore, although critics of McKinney's game point to a 'vanilla' skill set without a clearly identifiable NHL strength. I tend to like it when the Jets make ambitious swings at the end of the first round (such as Lambert, whose explosive talent and precipitous draft day fall made him feel like a high-risk, high-reward type of pick.) McKinney feels more like a David Gustafsson type of pick — probably 'safer' and probably with a bottom-six NHL ceiling. Pronman's report (35): Vansaghi played limited minutes on a top NCAA team in Michigan State this season. Despite his role, he still showed a lot of traits that will appeal to NHL teams. He's got a very high skill level, especially for a forward of his size. He beats defenders one-on-one routinely and has a ton of imagination with the puck. Advertisement Ates' angle: Wouldn't you know it: Right after I complain about low ceilings, we get to discuss Vansaghi, whose physical tools give him a chance to pop — if he can add a bit of footspeed or if he can learn to make his reads with more of an impact player's pace. I tend to be wary of players with below-average footspeed unless they have high-end hockey sense to make up for it. (For a perhaps unwelcome example: Rutger McGroary gives up footspeed to most NHL players, but his read of the game does imply middle-six possibilities to me.) Thus, I get concerned when I see Pronman rate Vansaghi's hockey sense as 'below average.' Wheeler's report (44): Wang's an extraordinarily mobile player for his size, with impressive skating technique through his inside and outside edges laterally and flowing mechanics going north or back to pucks. And while his handling still needs a little refinement, he's got some skill, can play with fearless confidence (which I wanted him to show more of and skate more pucks in the OHL instead of deferring), and has the heavy shot you'd expect. Ates' angle: I'm sorry, but you're telling me that Wang is 6-foot-6, 222 pounds, and is 'extraordinarily mobile' and a 'premium' athlete? That's the kind of long term bet I'm willing to make — despite the questions about Wang's hockey sense. He's still 17 years old and has just played half a season for Oshawa in the OHL — if he's going to become an NHL player, he's going to need many, many more reps against elite players his own age. His size, mobility, backstory and late-blooming status remind me of Johnathan Kovacevic as a Jets comparable — years away from pro impact, but has the tools to be helpful if his college career goes well. Pronman's report (32): 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. … The speed and skill for his size are very unique. … The team that drafts him will bank on him not being fully developed yet, and ideally, him picking hockey full-time. Ates' angle: Another 6-foot-6 prospect with great athleticism and good mobility, another player I view as worth investing in — if it's clear that West wants to pursue NHL hockey as opposed to college football. To be clear, he's not a burner — he's mobile for his size more so than a top-end skater — but West has good hockey sense and is seen as a 'true' centre (that is: not someone who will immediately get moved to wing by his NHL team.) It's possible that he picks football or that West's relative lack of offence compared to other players on this list make him a second-round pick as opposed to Winnipeg's choice at No. 28. I wouldn't be put off by a 'draft and follow' if the same scouting staff that picked Kieron Walton in the sixth round last year believed in West this time around. Wheeler's report (24): They called him 'The Wizard' at Shattuck, and he lives up to it. The lightning-quick, puck-on-a-string hands. The shiftiness. The clairvoyant vision and eyes on the back of his head. The touch and finesse on passes. The feel. The natural release … Not that long ago, he was 5-foot-7, and now he's closer to 6-feet, and he still has room to grow and get stronger. If he can improve his skating, he'll become a top offensive player in college. Ates' angle: I recently argued for the Jets to choose Lee in our staff mock draft, likening a bet on the silky-mitted Madison product to the play Winnipeg made on Lambert in 2022. (The difference in that year's case was that Winnipeg had two first-round picks and had already made a 'safe' bet on McGroarty at No. 14.) In Lee's case, the appeal is in his elite hands and the idea that he's in the midst of a dramatic growth spurt; Lee is a below average skater but the idea is that his wheels may catch up once he stops growing quite so quickly. If the Jets have any reason to believe his feet will catch up to his hands, I think Lee would be a bet worth making late in the first round. Advertisement Pronman's report (28): 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. Ates' angle: Horcoff left the U.S. NTDP to join Michigan partway through last season, making a more impressive impact for his college team than he did for the American program. He has good puck skill for his size and plays an athletic, competitive game that makes him hard to play against. His dad, Shawn, was not a burner when he was drafted but went on to win the fastest skater competition at the 2008 NHL All-Star Game — for this potentially irrational reason, I read Horcoff's highly athletic but medium-paced scouting reports without a lot of concern. He strikes me as the kind of player who will be a productive version of a bottom-six centre if he doesn't make it further up the lineup. Wheeler's report (26): Gastrin's habits and details are there at an early age. He's not a dynamic offensive player, but he handles it well, makes plays around the net and below the goal line, and seems to really understand timing and spacing. He's also got a natural shot and release that I expect him to show more of as he learns to attack for himself more. Ates' angle: Gastrin is the captain of his age group for Team Sweden and had some spectacular moments at the Ivan Hlinka tournament last summer, including an eight-point game against Team Switzerland. I think he's the kind of big, responsible centre brimming with intangibles that the Jets would love to draft — if he's still available to them at 28. He's one of the hardest-working players in this draft class, shoots well and doesn't have any real holes in his game. Pronman's report (30): 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. Prokhorov isn't blazing fast, but he moves well for his size and can skate at the higher levels. Ates' angle: There are a ton of big players on this list — I'm sure you've noticed — but it's more about the quality of the prospect than hunting for size with the Jets specifically in mind. Prokhorov may have less appeal than big centres such as Horcoff and West, given the Jets' relative strength on the wing, but he makes great use of his size in the danger areas in front of the net. It's a little odd to think of the Jets picking a winger without high-end skating — their homegrown stars, Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers are great skaters — but then I think of Vilardi and Perfetti's effectiveness and the idea doesn't seem so absurd. Wheeler's report (21): He's a worker with legit skill and smarts. That combination of effort, sense and talent really blends well together at the junior level, and though he looks a little lean, it doesn't present itself in his game because of his work rate off the puck. I do find he can slow the play down a little too much at times, but he thinks it at a very high level. Advertisement Ates' angle: Kindel is skilled, he's fast, he's lauded for his compete level and he can create offence in a lot of different ways. It's the sort of profile that would dazzle were he not listed at 5-foot-10 and will almost certainly make him a first-round pick regardless of that caveat. Talent plus work ethic is a dangerous combination and I'll admit I'm biased toward any prospect with 'hard to play against' as a realistic descriptor of their play — as long as they score well, which Kindel definitely did: 99 points in 65 WHL games despite being 17 for most of the season. (Top photo of Henry Brzustewicz: Kevin Sousa / Getty Images)
New York Times
13-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
NHL Draft Guide 2025: Prospect rankings, mock drafts and more
The New York Islanders have the first pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, which will take place on June 27 and 28. Matthew Schaefer is the consensus pick to go No. 1. The Athletic's staff, led by prospects writers Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler, will provide insight and analysis ahead of the big event, giving readers an in-depth look at the top draft-eligible prospects and the impact these players could have on an NHL team. Corey Pronman's ranking NHL Draft 2025 ranking: Matthew Schaefer leads Corey Pronman's top 125 prospects list Scott Wheeler's ranking 2025 NHL Draft ranking: Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa lead Scott Wheeler's final top 100 list NHL Draft Confidential 2025: What insiders think of Matthew Schaefer, goalies and more After surveying several NHL evaluators, here's what they think about the big questions facing this draft class. Advertisement The 30 prospects who just missed the cut for Wheeler's final top 100 Scouting reports for 30 players who were considered but not placed on Wheeler's upcoming draft ranking. Ranking the NHL Draft's top 15 overagers, from Francesco Dell'Elce to Charlie Cerrato Scouting reports on 15 players who were passed over once or twice but warrant continued consideration from NHL clubs. How do 2025 NHL Draft's best prospects compare with 2024's top 10? A combined ranking from Corey Pronman of the top players from the 2024 and 2025 NHL Draft classes. Staff mock draft 2.0 (June 11) Wheeler mock 2.0 (June 9) Pronman mock 3.0 (June 3) Pronman, Wheeler and Bultman play GM and pick Round 1 (May 28) Pronman and Wheeler predict all 64 picks of the first two rounds (May 20) Pronman mock 2.0 (May 13) Wheeler mock 1.0 (May 8) Staff mock draft: Lottery picks (May 5) Pronman mock 1.0 (April 24) What are the risks in taking Matthew Schaefer with NHL Draft's No. 1 pick? How does Matthew Schaefer compare to recent No. 1 NHL Draft picks? Scouts, execs weigh in Adam Benák Benák, one of the 2025 NHL Draft's smallest prospects, could defy his size Anton Frondell Why Frondell is the draft's most difficult top prospect to evaluate Ben Kindel Through soccer and sense, Kindel has become a top 2025 NHL Draft prospect Blake Fiddler Charting Fiddler's path from skates with his dad to the 2025 NHL Draft Brady Martin How Martin's farm upbringing helped him become a top draft prospect Caleb Desnoyers Why 'special' Desnoyers is one of the draft's top prospects Cameron Reid Reid is a draft prospect with only one mode: 'Very good' Cole Reschny Reschny, one of the hottest prospects in the draft, 'stirs the drink' Haoxi Simon Wang Inside Wang's journey to the 2025 NHL Draft from China Advertisement Jack Ivankovic Why Ivankovic, a top 2025 draft prospect, is Canada's heir apparent in net Jack Murtagh Meet Murtagh, lover of scoring goals, 'gamer' and 'freak athlete' Jack Nesbitt How Nesbitt became one of the draft's biggest risers Jackson Smith Why Smith's two-way upside makes him an exciting draft prospect Jake O'Brien How 'incredible' O'Brien became one of the draft's top prospects James Hagens Why Hagens dropped down NHL draft boards, and the Islanders' unique predicament at No. 1 | Meet James Hagens, the 2025 NHL Draft's top prospect and hockey's next American star Joshua Ravensbergen Ravensbergen went from unknown to the draft's top goalie prospect Justin Carbonneau How Carbonneau blends power with skill and scoring Kashawn Aitcheson Why Aitcheson is the draft's meanest prospect: 'He's got that extra' Michael Misa For Misa, OHL exceptional status and the 2025 NHL Draft are just the start Porter Martone How 'phenomenal' Martone has made his case as a top prospect Radim Mrtka Mrtka is one of the draft's top — and most unique — prospects Roger McQueen Why McQueen is the draft's most fascinating top prospect Sascha Boumedienne How 'uber talent' Boumedienne re-emerged as a top draft prospect William Moore Moore's intellect made him a top draft prospect. But he's just getting started Why Matthew Schaefer is No. 1 prospect, and who follows What is the scouting process for NHL Draft prospects? Everything you need to know in 2025
New York Times
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The Athletic Hockey Show NHL Draft debate: Our panel ranks the top 12 prospects
By Max Bultman, Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman By this point in the 2025 NHL Draft cycle, you know what the top of Corey Pronman's list looks like, just as you know Scott Wheeler's. If you're a regular listener to The Athletic Hockey Show Prospect Series or the Flo Hockey podcast 'Called Up,' you're also familiar with Max Bultman's and Chris Peters' takes on the 2025 draft class. Advertisement But what happens when those differing lists and perspectives are forced to collaborate and produce one shared list? Not just by taking the averages of each panelist's ranking, but through debate, persuasion and compromise? That was the question the most recent episode of TAHS Prospect Series set to answer. And the results lived up to the curiosity. By the end of nearly an hour and a half debating 12 prospects, the group settled on four tiers of players ranked 1 through 12, and no one on the panel got exactly what they wanted. Whether it was a favorite player slotted a little lower than hoped, or having to compromise high on a prospect with some risk, the collaborative nature of the process, meant to loosely mimic the process NHL teams go through to compare thoughts and produce a draft list, meant everyone had to give in somewhere. In most cases, our panel was able to reach satisfactory conclusions and cut deals to keep everyone content, even if there were some gritted teeth involved. But in cases of true gridlock, each analyst was given one 'super vote,' allowing them to break a 2-2 tie on a player they were particularly passionate about, in either direction. You can listen to the whole episode to hear how it all went down, but here were some of the key debates and takeaways from the exercise. This was our liveliest debate, which is fitting given Hagens has among the widest ranges of potential outcomes of the top group we debated. He came into the season as the favorite to be the first pick in the draft, but after a strong, though not necessarily spectacular, freshman season at Boston College — and perhaps some nitpicking of such a known player — there's real debate over where he fits within the top of this class. That was true in our debate, too. Pronman noted Hagens' outstanding track record over the years, including a 'really, really good' draft year at Boston College. He called him arguably the most offensively skilled player in the class, headlined by his skating. But he also raised the issue of Hagens' size, as a 5-foot-10 forward, and whether the relative lack of interior offense in his game this season could be a product of playing against bigger, stronger opponents — the kind he will continue to see as he progresses to the NHL. Advertisement Wheeler and Peters, meanwhile, were adamant in Hagens' favor, with Wheeler advocating for Hagens at No. 3 on our list and threatening to use his Super Vote to keep him no lower than No. 4 on the collective list. 'I have, actually, fewer questions — despite the fact that he's 5-foot-10, despite the fact that he didn't score a ton — I've got fewer questions about projecting James Hagens than I do about protecting Anton Frondell or Porter Martone,' Wheeler said. Peters took it a step further in rejecting Pronman's argument, telling Pronman, 'Corey, put the f—ing tape measure away, all right?' 'I think that we are gonna see a very different James Hagens this year,' Peters said. 'And I do think he'll be one of the best players in college hockey, and I feel like we're gonna have a reset. And when we're doing a redraft, he's gonna be really high on a redraft. … In terms of potential, he is my number three with a bullet.' But Hagens did not finish at No. 3. Bultman sided with Pronman on the debate between Hagens and Martone (the 6-foot-3 winger from the Brampton Steelheads), creating a 2-2 gridlock. Rather than use his tie-breaker, though, Wheeler opted to strike a compromise with Pronman that Hagens would sit behind Martone on the final list, but ahead of Frondell. Moncton (QMJHL) center Caleb Desnoyers was also mentioned at No. 3, but ultimately finished at No. 5. Peters still wanted Hagens at No. 3, but with the other three panelists already agreeing to that order, he had no choice but to, in his words, 'sit and stew in the corner.' Prior compromises came into play on multiple occasions through our process. The Martone-Hagens compromise, for example, resurfaced as an issue for Peters when discussing which tier to place Desnoyers into. He had Hagens ahead of Desnoyers, but Desnoyers ahead of Martone, making it tricky to place Desnoyers with Martone already ahead of Hagens on the consensus list. Advertisement And later on, Wheeler nominated Seattle (WHL) defenseman Radim Mrtka at number seven, but had to watch as the other analysts' votes not only bumped Mrtka down, but into a separate tier, which ultimately left him outside the top 10. But Wheeler did get passionate and use his veto vote to ensure that one of the draft's most divisive players did not end up higher than where he was comfortable. Brandon (WHL) center Roger McQueen has some of the best athletic tools in the class as a highly skilled 6-foot-5 center who can skate, but has struggled with a back injury. When the group was deadlocked as to which tier McQueen should fit into, Wheeler stepped in 'against taking a chance that we risk making a mistake on Roger McQueen.' That put McQueen into the fourth tier with Mrtka, instead of into a third tier that ultimately included OHL center Jake O'Brien, Swedish winger Victor Eklund, OHL forward Brady Martin and OHL defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson. After all the debating, the final top 12 — separated into four tiers — came out like this: Matthew Schaefer Michael Misa Porter Martone James Hagens Caleb Desnoyers Anton Frondell Jake O'Brien Victor Eklund Brady Martin Kashawn Aitcheson Roger McQueen Radim Mrtka (Photo of James Hagens: Richard T Gagnon / Getty Images)
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
NHL Mock Draft 2025: Pronman, Wheeler and Bultman play GM and pick Round 1
By Corey Pronman, Scott Wheeler and Max Bultman Two years ago, we tested out a new idea and called it our 'if I were GM' mock draft. The idea was simple: In place of the mock drafts our prospects writers Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler do individually where they predict what will happen on draft day, we wanted to give them a chance to draft the first round making their own selections for each team. Advertisement Today, for a third year running, it's back by popular demand. Once again, Max Bultman has joined Pronman and Wheeler in making the selections as a way to limit their ability to read off each other's lists. The order for the first round was drawn at random, with Wheeler going first, Bultman second and Pronman third. Here's how they'd pick if they were in charge of each team's draft board. Schaefer, Michael Misa and James Hagens are my top three prospects in the class, so I can understand the desire to at least consider the hometown player. I'd certainly consider Misa long and hard too (I've debated ranking him atop by board at various points). The Islanders could use a top-of-the-lineup center, to be sure. I even understand the hesitancy some have in taking a D with a No. 1 pick. But I still think the right place to land is probably on Schaefer, who has the makings of a franchise defenseman. He's a world class skater who projects as a two-way stud and he would be my pick. — Wheeler The Sharks certainly would have loved to have gotten Schaefer, with defense more of a long-term need in their system, but Misa is an excellent alternative and adds to the impressive firepower they're amassing. Misa could become an outstanding second-line center behind Macklin Celebrini, or bump to the wing to form a dynamic future top line. In either case, the Sharks are building quite the foundation. — Bultman I get the first big decision of this mock. That's fine, it's why they pay me to be the (mock) GM, to handle the pressure. I think Brampton winger Porter Martone is the best player available right now. Looking in the playoffs, he has the potential, if he hits, to do things that Sam Reinhart and Mikko Rantanen (in best, best case) are doing. I also am not in love with the idea of Connor Bedard as the 1C of the future, and think on a winning team he's likely best suited for the wing. Desnoyers is my top ranked center available, and I think he's a slight nudge behind Martone as an overall player. I don't love taking a slightly worse player at 3. But my team has had high picks three years in a row, taking defensemen with two of them and a center who is probably a winger with the other. This is where you find potential first-line centers. Reinhart, Rantanen are nice, but you can trade for wingers as those teams did in both cases. I'm getting my two-way play driving center. — Pronman Conventional wisdom will say that a 1-2 down the middle of Logan Cooley and Hagens is too small to win in May and June. For that reason, I think the Mammoth, who've prioritized size in their drafting and also have 5-11/6-foot players like Clayton Keller and Tij Iginla up front, probably go a different direction than I do here. But precisely because they have prioritized size, particularly on their blue line (where it matters most) but also up front (they still have it with guys like Jack McBain and Lawson Crouse, with Daniil But and the heavy strength of Cole Beaudoin on the way), I think you can take Hagens. Not only would he add skating and skill to a center depth chart that needs more of both, but also the Mammoth should like him for many of the reasons they liked Cooley. I think you can win with Cooley and Hagens, too. I'd also consider Porter Martone here, though, despite Utah's relatively stronger depth on the wings because the Mammoth are actually a little thin in right-shot wingers. I'd strongly consider Desnoyers here if he were available as well. And I'm taking all three of those players over Anton Frondell. — Wheeler Thanks to the new decentralized draft format, no one could see me grimace on camera as Scott called that last name. The Predators could certainly use an injection of Hagens' pace and skill in their system. Martone is tempting here too, and he certainly feels like a Nashville type. But it's just too hard to pass on the chance to take a two-way center with dangerous goal-scoring ability, so I'm going to take Frondell. He didn't finish on a high note, with a so-so showing at the U18 World Championship, but his body of work on the season is still very impressive, as is the toolkit. He'll slot perfectly into a Nashville system crying out for high-end centers. — Bultman This is going to be a challenging and potentially unpopular pick with our fans. The organization is dying for a premier center talent. Jake O'Brien is staring us in the face. He's a great player. I just did a similar analysis at 3 with Chicago where I opted for Desnoyers. The difference now is centers went off the board three picks in a row, we're now at the fourth option, and the difference between O'Brien and Martone is larger than the analysis was at 3. I feel I'm going substantially off my list if I take O'Brien over Martone for positional reasons. I think O'Brien is probably a second-line center on a good team. The Flyers rebuild is probably years away from completion, you have to imagine they will be back picking high again, even if next year's draft early on doesn't seem overflowing with premium center talent. We elect for the big, powerful winger with star upside even if his skating is a flaw. I hope this doesn't bite us in the ass. — Pronman Those top six are my top six and this is where the draft starts to open up for me and I'd start to consider Roger McQueen or a D like Radim Mrtka. But with McQueen's injury history, I don't think there's enough of a gap between him and O'Brien to justify taking him here. The Bruins are better off starting this bit of a reset they're in with a premium prospect down the middle rather than on D, too. O'Brien's combination of skill, skating, two-way commitment and hockey IQ make him the right choice. I'd bet that with his lean frame and summer birthday that he still has steep development in front of him, too. — Wheeler This one all comes down the medical, but the Kraken — with a stocked system of young centers — are in a great position to take this swing on a player who would go higher than this on pure talent. McQueen's combination of size, skill and skating is rare, and if he hits, he could give the Kraken the kind of cornerstone they sorely need. I considered a defenseman here, which Seattle has yet to take in the first round, but felt the talent with McQueen was just too much to ignore. — Bultman Victor Eklund is the BPA here, but in the background is the plethora of smaller, skilled forwards Buffalo has drafted over the past five years. It would be hard to justify Eklund into the mix the Sabres have already picked, even if he's a great and highly competitive player. We opt for Aitcheson here. He's our second ranked-defenseman in this class. He brings a combination of tenacity, skill and athleticism to the blue line and will help us at both ends of the ice on top of making our team harder to play against. — Pronman I'm only thinking about three names here: Mrtka, Eklund and Brady Martin. Coincidentally, they all play different positions and are all good fits for the Ducks for different reasons. Martin would give them an ultra-competitive center who fits the identity they want to play. Eklund, another competitor, would give them a right-shot winger to bolster the depth they began prioritizing with the Beckett Sennecke pick last year. And despite having a good, young group of defensemen to work with, all of Jackson LaCombe, Pavel Mintyukov, Olen Zellweger and Stian Solberg are lefties, and none of them look like Mrtka. Mrtka's combination of handedness, size and skating would make him unique for the Ducks, even if this would be a real debate for me. — Wheeler I thought long and hard about Eklund, but this is still the early stages of what could be a long rebuild, and I'm taking every chance I can to build down the middle. Martin brings so many likable elements as a thick-bodied center with skill and an edge to his game. I don't think he'll be the first-line center of the future in Pittsburgh, but he projects to play a huge role, and should be a great culture-setter for the next era. — Bultman Really, really, really super not thrilled with this outcome because the last thing my organization needs is another first-round winger, but Eklund is the clear best player left on our board. We have to take him. He projects to be better than our recent first-round picks. This potential outcome, though, may be why the Rangers could lean to letting go of the pick to the Penguins because it's very possible there is a run on the premium centers and defensemen right in front of them. — Pronman Once the 12 names we just saw get picked, there's a case to be made that the next best players are wingers. I think Carbonneau has more puck skill than Carter Bear or Lynden Lakovic, and that gives him the edge for my Red Wings (take that, Bultman!). He has several of the elements the Red Wings have targeted (a 6-foot-1, pro-built forward who can play through contact), but he's got better hands than Michael Brandsegg-Nygård or Nate Danielson as well. He's my BPA and I think he makes sense for Detroit, checking some boxes while also adding offense and a talent grade that we need. Don't let the familiar profile fool you, he has legit offensive skill. — Wheeler The perfect scenario would have been if Mrtka had fallen here, giving us a right-shot D to replace David Jiricek, but even though Smith is a left shot, he still brings plenty of upside to the system. He's a great skater at 6 feet 3, and has the potential to become a big-minute blueliner who shuts down transition offense as a defender and helps spark it on the breakout. — Bultman Reschny's strong second half put him squarely in the conversation to go in this range. Whether or not he's an NHL center is to be determined due to his size, but he could be. He's a good enough skater and competes hard, but his skill and hockey sense are excellent. He provides an offensive element that Vancouver's organization needs post J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser. — Pronman Teams can get too cute when they have back-to-back picks like this. I'm not going to. Bear is the best player available on my board and could fit as an excellent up-and-down the lineup winger in bleu, blanc et rouge. His Achilles rehab appears to be trending in the right direction, and with the premium centers capable of filling our 2C hole off the board, Bear's our guy. — Wheeler Back-to-back wingers here makes me a little itchy, but without a slam dunk center fit (though I did consider Braeden Cootes), I'm going with the premium athlete in Lakovic. He can skate, shoot and handle the puck, and brings a needed size factor to our young forward group at 6 feet 4. Cameron Reid was another consideration, as a great skating blueliner, but with that part of our system in pretty good shape, we'll take the rare athletic traits with Lakovic. — Bultman We're very excited to see Cootes still there at 18 and we will take advantage of his slide. Cootes is a skilled center who plays with pace and a high compete level and projects as a middle-six center in the NHL. The Flames need young center depth and he's the clear best center left. We didn't sprint up to the virtual podium but it was a light jog. — Pronman Wingers Jimmy Snuggerud and Zach Bolduc have arrived, center Dalibor Dvorsky will follow them, and there's a case to be made that the two top prospects available are defensemen Logan Hensler and Cameron Reid, which suits us well. We've taken four defensemen in the first two rounds of the last two drafts but only one of them (Adam Jiricek) is a righty and none of them are true top-end prospects (though Jiricek and Theo Lindstein are legit prospects). We're happy to get Hensler — a 6-foot-2 righty who can skate, has two-way potential and is a comparable prospect to Jiricek and Lindstein. — Wheeler We got our D earlier this round, now we're taking a versatile forward we can deploy anywhere in the lineup. Nesbitt has a lot going for him with size, physicality and slick hands. He can use those qualities to complement offensive players, or he can use them to check. He does have one big question mark with his skating, but if he can iron that out as he adds muscle, there's a lot to like in Nesbitt's projection. — Bultman Ottawa acquires a hopeful goalie of the future that it hasn't had since Robin Lehner. The system needs a lot of things, but it does need a goalie. He's the best player available, has starting goalie level tools and makes sense as the pick here. Yes, goalies take forever to develop. But Ottawa just committed to Linus Ullmark for years so ideally he can be a bridge to Ravensbergen. — Pronman I strongly considered Reid here but we need to take some swings and Potter, the best skater in the draft, represents that in this range for me. I project him as a more likely winger than center at the next level, but once the top group in the draft is gone — and in my estimation it now is — his blend of elite skating and plus-level puck skill is worth the bet. We added speed with the Jett Luchanko selection last year and we're adding even more to a pool that could still use it here. Patience will be important for both him and us as he learns how to best deploy his skating and talent, but there's upside with proper development. Matvei Michkov, Martone, Luchanko and Potter gives us a diverse mix of players to work with and suddenly a lot more skill after our first two selections of 2025. — Wheeler I'm not going to watch Reid tumble any longer. It's true that we already have a smaller puck-moving left D in Tanner Molendyk as our top defense prospect, which made me consider big-bodied righty Blake Fiddler here instead. There aren't many playoff teams with two smaller D (at least ones who aren't dynamic-offense-types) in their top four. But Reid is an excellent skater, a smart defender and the kind of player I want in my lineup. We'll figure out the rest later. — Bultman Boumedienne's season ended on a high note after a lot of ups and downs. I have some reservations on him this high, but I also think there's potential for this pick to age well. He's an excellent skater, a defenseman with size, and although his hockey sense can worry you at times, he's had a history of showing legit offense as well. The tools are just to good to pass up at 24. — Pronman The two most-talented players left on the board are Ben Kindel and Ryker Lee, but we have a lot of the skilled 5-10/11 variety up front in Chicago, and Spence represents a better fit as a competitive and driven 6-1, 200-pound winger who can skate with our speed and projects to be able to play up and down our lineup. — Wheeler Turns out we're going to get both of the defensemen I considered at No. 23 — now adding a 6-foot-4 mobile righty in Fiddler to the future defense corps. He projects to take on tough matchups, and could form a great second pair of the future with Reid. — Bultman Washington has drafted a lot of wingers in recent years, and we use the 27th pick to add one of the most competitive centers in the age group. Gastrin isn't a flashy player, but he's a steady two-way player who could be a potential third-line center for the Capitals. — Pronman We were hoping a D would be available here but in the absence of one who fits this range, we're excited by Kindel's smarts and skill. We have good size up front in our pool already and Kindel gives us more of a thinking offensive game and a potential point producer (99-point CHL players aren't typically available in this range). He's the best player available at this slot. — Wheeler After getting Cootes earlier in the round, we'll take a tooled-up winger here in Ihs-Wozniak, who skates quite well at 6 feet 3 with slick hands and playmaking feel. That offense in a bigger body has the potential to be a valuable, versatile piece in our future top nine. — Bultman Prokhorov is an ideal gamble with the Flyers' third pick. He's a big, fast, physical winger who could provide secondary offense in the NHL. He will become adored by Flyers fans for the way he plays. — Pronman We're going to swing on skill here and Lee's a dynamic on-puck talent with one of the best sets of hands in the draft. He has to get quicker but we believe he's not done developing or growing and his skill level is hard for us in Carolina to find when we're always drafting so late. We can also afford to give him the time he needs at Michigan State, where he'll be in good hands (pun intended) under a great coaching staff. They don't call him The Wizard for nothing. — Wheeler We didn't get our D at No. 2, so we're getting one here in Brzustewicz. And our guy just so happens to be a teammate (and sometimes defense partner) of our 2024 first-rounder Sam Dickinson. Brzustewicz can make defensive stops thanks to his skating and compete level, and shows poise with the puck to help chip in offense as well. — Bultman (Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photos of Anton Frondell, Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa: Michael Miller / ISI Photos / Getty Images)
