With the 2024-25 NHL regular season finally complete, it’s time to focus on the next big event of the NHL calendar, the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery!
What? Did you think we were going to talk about the half of the league that has something to celebrate and feel proud of right now? Of course not! This is where we get to talk about all of the season’s biggest losers and take an early stab at which of the top 2025 Draft prospects might end up on draft night.
Related: 2025 NHL Draft Guide
Since we’re still in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, this mock draft will include only the league’s bottom 16 teams, and the order for our draft has been determined by a single run of the Tankathon Draft Lottery Simulator.
Without further ado, let’s dive right in!
Matthew Schaefer’s game doesn’t have any weaknesses from an NHL projection stand-point, and he would be a great bet to become a successor for Roman Josi in Nashville. I’m not saying he’s on Josi’s level yet by any means, but a 34-year-old Josi isn’t likely to be better than Schaefer for very long by my estimation. Schaefer is an excellent skater, a smart defender, and he creates offense at will from the back end, making him the best defender in this draft by far and the clear top prospect overall in my eyes.
I could be persuaded that Detroit’s abundance of centers (Dylan Larkin, Marco Kapser, and Nate Danielson) would have them leaning toward someone like Porter Martone who offers a size and physical style that the Red Wings could use, but I think the talent gap between Michael Misa and the rest of the field is significant enough that you don’t push it. I think Misa’s combination of blazing speed, timing around the net, and his general ability to make his linemates’ life easier with great passes and decision making would make him a massive boon to the Red Wings’ system.
With some size in their prospect pool (Igor Chernyshov and Kasper Haltunen) and plenty of skill guys (Will Smith and William Eklund already in the NHL), someone like Anton Frondell feels like an excellent fit for the Sharks. Another high-end defender would be ideal for the Sharks, but there aren’t any to be found in this range so instead they’ll have to settle for a pro-style center who can be a connector between all sorts of linemates, anchoring a second line in San Jose for years behind Macklin Celebrini. Not bad.
The Chicago Blackhawks have a similar need on the backend to the Sharks, but are happy to continue filling out their forward group with some size and strength in Porter Martone. On a team with Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, and more, it feels like a great fit to add a 6-foot-3 winger with excellent hands and a knack for drawing attention and slinging a pass to an open teammate. Centers are heavily prioritized in the NHL Draft, but Chicago’s young core has several of those already so I think they’d be willing to fill another empty spot on the depth chart with a top-line winger, especially one who scores goals like this one:
I know the #NHLBruins desperately need Centers but the more I go back and watch Porter Martone the more intrigued I am by his skillset. pic.twitter.com/Ba0RfqKFrT
The current management group in Philadelphia have shown that they aren’t afraid to take big swings, both in trading Cutter Gauthier (not that they had much of a choice), and in drafting Matvei Michkov seventh overall back in the 2023 Draft. I have them taking a bet on upside here with James Hagens, a center prospect with high-end skill and a ridiculous top speed that will make him one of the quickest players in the NHL from day one. Hagens isn’t necessarily going to end up as a center in the NHL, but the blueprint to success down the middle as a skilled and slightly-undersized guy is being laid out right before our eyes by players like Will Smith, Logan Cooley, and even Jack Hughes.
The Boston Bruins were a team with enviable center depth for many years, but ever since Patrice Bergeron retired they have struggled to fill that void down the middle. Caleb Desnoyers could be just what the doctor ordered, as a well-rounded center with pro habits and a reliable defensive game. He has scored well at the junior level, though he won’t likely be a flashy skill type of player in the NHL. Instead, he is more likely to become a horse down the middle of the ice who logs lots of difficult minutes while chipping in considerably on offense, much the way the New Jersey Devils use Nico Hischier.
Roger McQueen was being talked about as a top-three pick before an early season back injury sidelined him for most of his draft year. It really just comes down to whether a team thinks his injury is truly behind him or if it will hinder him long term. If you think he’s an injury risk, maybe you pass on him here, but if you think he can be the player he was back in October, then you run to the podium to draft him. McQueen would be an excellent addition to the Kraken’s prospect pool as a 6-foot-5 center with remarkably quick hands and a nose for the net.
I’m expecting Radim Mrtka to be a bit of a riser on draft day, with his skating and massive frame earning him a lot of attention in the WHL this season. He has already joined Czechia’s U18 team at the U18 World Championships where he has looked excellent in a similar role to the one he has played in the WHL as a massive minutes defender playing on both special teams units. There’s a strong possibility he’s not even available at the eighth pick if he plays well enough at the U18s. Buffalo could take a big and competitive center in Jake O’Brien here, but I think Mrtka’s size and skating combination, mixed with their massive hole on the right side of defense makes him the pick here. Also, he can do this:
There's a reason @NHL scouts are enamoured with @SeattleTbirds d-man Radim Mrtka for the 2025 #NHLDraft! 🇨🇿 #U18MensWorlds pic.twitter.com/yHpUcjNwJQ
Jake O’Brien is a center with good size, skill, and skating, with the potential to become a strong two-way presence in Anaheim’s top-six group. O’Brien is an excellent playmaker, drawing defenders into just the right position before executing his pass or making an exciting dangle through traffic before dropping the puck for an unmarked teammate. The Ducks turned a corner part way through the 2024-25 season, and O’Brien would be a great addition to solidify the center position for them as they try to put their rebuild firmly in the rearview.
As I mentioned above, centers are highly preferred in the NHL Draft, and wingers who lack size rarely go much earlier than this regardless of their talent levels. However, I don’t think a Pittsburgh Penguins team that is in desperate need of high-end offensive talent to pair with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the final era of their careers would be able to pass up on someone as talented as Victor Eklund. Eklund played against men in the Swedish Allsvenskan this season where he showed a ton of tenacity, skill, and speed, and could be a fit in Pittsburgh’s top six in the near future.
After using only one of their own first round picks in the past five drafts, it’s tough to get a read on how the Islanders handle high picks, so I’ve got them taking Kashawn Aitcheson, a physical two-way defender with a bit of a mean streak. Aitcheson is very athletic, and has the compete level to be a total pest on defense while his skating and heavy slap shot make him a solid offensive creator as well.
Jackson Smith is a big defenseman (6-foot-3) on the younger end of this draft class (he won’t turn 18 until May) who scored at a strong clip in the WHL this season. His decision-making with the puck is a bit spotty at times, but his skill with the puck is a constant strength in his game. Smith skates well for his size which makes him a solid defender, and I think there’s a good chance he could become a strong two-way presence on the Rangers’ second pairing in time.
Joshua Ravensbergen is the top goalie prospect in this year’s draft, and I expect he’ll become the first goalie selected in the first round since 2021. While this may be a bit early and Columbus could circle back to Ravensbergen if their first rounder from the Minnesota Wild falls favorably, I think the fit here would be strong considering the lack of a high-end goaltending prospect in their system. Jet Greaves earned a lot of attention in the final weeks of the season, but Ravensbergen’s potential as a 6-foot-5 goalie with quick reactions and an athletic style is not to be understated.
Jack Nesbitt is a big center prospect who competes hard and should provide strong two-way value in the NHL someday. The Utah Hockey Club has a ton of skilled wingers both in the NHL (Clayton Keller and Dylan Guenther) and their prospect pool (Tij Iginla and Daniil But), but they don’t have a ton of talent down the middle past Logan Cooley. If Cooley can become a strong first line center in Utah, then some combination of Nesbitt and Cole Beaudoin behind him could provide some excellent center depth for years to come. Nesbitt’s skill and tenacity would make him a fan favorite, and his size would fit in with the massive, young roster Utah has been drafting over the past few years.
I expect the Vancouver Canucks to draft a center with this pick, with JT Miller no longer in the equation and center depth once again becoming a massive issue in Vancouver. Brady Martin feels like a solid fit given his strong skill and high compete level, making him a puck-battle winning machine. Martin feels like the kind of player that Rick Tocchet would love (if Tocchet re-signs with Vancouver, that is), though there are other options here such as the undersized and highly skilled Cole Reschny who is having a remarkable playoff run with the Victoria Royals. There’s also Braeden Cootes or Milton Gästrin, who are both reliable center prospects and Cullen Porter who is the best skater in the draft class.
Brady Martin (2025) has 5 goals and 10 points in his last 4 OHL games.
He also hits to hurt every single time. This kid is going to be a fan favourite. pic.twitter.com/2UkfRMOssH
With a handful of safe options available on guys who project as middle-six centers or second-pairing defenders, I think the Montreal Canadiens will take a little bit more of a risk here on the highest upside player remaining on the board in Carter Bear. Bear was one of the WHL’s leading scorers for much of the year, finishing with 40 goals and 82 points despite missing his final couple of weeks due to a lacerated Achilles. Before the injury, Bear was starting to earn some buzz as a top-10 pick, but an injury this serious might scare off some teams. However, if Bear can recover well, he has clear top-six potential on the wing with his lightning-quick hands and ability to make plays and pass through traffic.
Daniil Prokhorov is an absolutely massive winger with good hands and a hard-working, physical style. He has a level of skill and poise with the puck that you don’t often see from draft eligible wingers anywhere near his size of 6-foot-5. I could absolutely see a team falling in love with his physical traits and snagging him early on draft day.
Cole Reschny is finally getting some well-earned attention in the WHL playoffs where he has scored nine goals and 25(!) points through his first 11 games. He scored a ton in the regular season as well, putting up a team-leading 92 points for a Royals team that saw only three players score over 50 points. While he may be a bit undersized (measured around 5-foot-10), there is nothing small or passive about Reschny’s game. He’s got the smarts, the skills, and the effort level to create offense both on the rush and at the net front, and he is a hard-working defensive forward as well, killing penalties well in the WHL. His size might see him fall a little on draft day, but I would be considering him heavily in the top-16 if I were an NHL GM.
Milton Gästrin is a responsible two-way center who I think deserves a bit more shine in draft conversations. He’s not a flashy player who wows you with dekes or tricky passes, but he quietly gets the job done and wins his minutes reliably. Gästrin is the captain for his age group out of Sweden, leading them to Bronze medals at the U17 World Hockey Challenge last year, another Bronze at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer, and currently leading a strong Swedish group at the U18 Worlds. He has enough strengths (and a longer development runway with a June birthday) that I think Gästrin will be a strong middle-six center in the NHL someday.
Sascha Boumedienne was the youngest player in the NCAA this season and it showed. He struggled with the pace and physicality at times, but he steadied a bit as the year went on, partially thanks to his frequent teammate in Tom Willander. Boumedienne is an excellent skater, though not much else stands out about his game at the college level just yet. He has shown flashes of high-end skill over the years, with his latest such example coming at the perfect time for his draft stock. In Sweden’s opening game of the U18 World Championships, Boumedienne scored a remarkable 6 points! With a lot of NHL scouts watching this tourney, Boumedienne has already done himself a huge favor and could increase his draft position considerably with a few more strong performances.
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