Carolina selects four forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender in the final six rounds
RALEIGH, N.C. – The National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes completed their activity at the 2025 NHL Draft on Saturday, selecting seven players in rounds 2-7.
On Friday night, Carolina traded its first-round pick, 29th overall, to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Chicago’s second-round pick, 34th overall, Dallas’ second-round pick, 62nd overall, and the Blackhawks’ fifth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. Chicago selected center Mason West.
To start Day 2 of the 2025 NHL Draft, Carolina traded Chicago’s second-round pick, 34th overall, and the 189th overall pick in exchange for Pittsburgh’s second-round pick, 41st overall, and Montreal’s second-round pick, 49th overall. Montreal selected right winger Alexander Zharovsky.
Round 2, 41st Overall (from Montreal) – Semyon Frolov, G, Spartak Moskva Jr. (Russia Jr.)
Frolov, 18, spent the majority of the 2024-25 season with MHK Spartak Moskva in the MHL, posting a 9-2-2 record, .915 save percentage and 2.05 goals-against average with two shutouts in 13 regular-season games. He also went 0-2-0 with a .903 save percentage and 2.88 goals-against average in four playoff appearances to help the club win the 2025 MHL championship. Frolov also spent time with MHK Krylia Sovetov Moskva (MHL), posting a 2-2-1 record, .910 save percentage and 2.75 goals-against average in five regular-season games and a 1-2-0 record, .912 save percentage, 3.32 goals-against average and one shutout in three playoff appearances. The 6’3”, 203-pound goalie also played in nine games with Ladia Togliatti (MHL) in 2024-25, recording a 5-3-0 record, .937 save percentage and 1.83 goals-against average. The Togliatti, Russia, native went 7-4-2 record and a .907 save percentage and 2.51 goals against average with one shutout in 16 games with Ladia Togliatti (MHL) in 2023-24. Frolov was ranked second among International Goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting.
Round 2, 49th Overall (from Montreal) – Charlie Cerrato, C, Penn State (NCAA)
Cerrato, 20, tallied 42 points (15g, 27a) in 38 NCAA games with Penn State in 2024-25, ranking second in points, tied for second in assists and tied for third in goals among Nittany Lions skaters. The 20-year-old center also led all Big Ten rookies in goals, assists and points, helping him earn Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors. He ranked second in the nation in points and assists and third in goals by a freshman skater. His 42 points also mark the second-most by a Nittany Lion rookie in school history. The Fallston, Maryland, native spent 2023-24 with the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL, registering 50 points (12g, 38a) in 45 games, ranking second among Phantoms skaters in points and leading the club in assists. The 6’0”, 190-pound forward also spent two seasons (2021-23) with the United States National Team Development Program, totaling 29 points (9g, 20a) in 54 USHL games in that span. Cerrato was ranked 110th overall among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Round 2, 62nd Overall (from Chicago) – Ivan Ryabkin, C, Muskegon (USHL)
Ryabkin, 18, earned 30 points (19g, 11a) in 27 USHL games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks in 2024-25, leading all club skaters and ranking ninth among league skaters in points per game (1.11). He added 16 points (7g, 9a) in 14 playoff games, helping Muskegon capture its first USHL title. Ryabkin ranked second in the USHL in postseason points, two shy of the league lead. The Balakovo, Russia, native also tallied 12 points (1g, 11a) in 15 MHL games with MHK Dynamo Moskva, posted two assists in eight VHL games with Dynamo St. Petersburg and skated in two KHL games with Dynamo Moskva last season. The 5’11”, 209-pound center led all MHK Dynamo Moskva skaters in points per game (.80) in 2024-25 and finished tied for the club lead in points (24-34—58) in 2023-24. He is the all-time MHK Dynamo Moskva points per game leader (1.19) and leads all MHL skaters under 18 years of age in assists and points (25-45—70) over the past two seasons (2023-25). Ryabkin was ranked 35th overall among International Skaters by NHL Central Scouting. * Carolina traded its 2025 fourth-round pick, 125th overall, and the Dallas Stars’ third-round pick in 2026 to the Los Angeles Kings, in exchange for the Nashville Predators’ 2025 third-round pick, 67th overall. Los Angeles selected center Jimmy Lombardi.
Round 3, 67th Overall (from Los Angeles) – Kurban Limatov, LHD, Dynamo Moskva Jr. (Russia Jr.)
Limatov, 18, registered 23 points (8g, 15a) in 46 regular-season games with MHK Spartak Moskva in the MHL in 2024-25 and added five points (2g, 3a) in seven playoff appearances. The 6’4”, 190-pound defenseman also played in one game with Dynamo Moskva in the KHL, one of seven players to appear in a KHL game under the age of 18 last season. The Moskva, Russia, native recorded six points (1g, 5a) in 30 regular-season games with MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL) in 2023-24 and appeared in five playoff games. Limatov was ranked ninth among International Skaters by NHL Central Scouting. *Carolina acquired Tampa Bay’s 2025 third-round pick, 87th overall, on June 30, 2024, in exchange for the rights to forward Jake Guentzel.
Round 3, 87th Overall (from Tampa Bay) – Roman Bausov, RHD, Dynamo St. Petersburg Jr. (Russia Jr.)
Bausov, 18, posted 11 points (2g, 9a) in 41 MHL games with Dynamo St. Petersburg’s junior team in 2024-25, ranking third among club blueliners in goals (tied), assists and points. He also finished tied for 11th in the MHL in points among defensemen under 18 years old last season and added one assist in two playoff games. The St. Petersburg, Russia, native skated in 32 MHL games with Dynamo St. Petersburg’s junior team in 2023-24, tallying three points (1g, 2a). The 6’5”, 190-pound blueliner has totaled 14 points (3g, 11a) in 73 career MHL games, ranking second among club blueliners under 18 years of age in points since 2023-24. Bausov was ranked 34th among International Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Round 6, 183rd Overall (from Tampa) – Viggo Nordlund, LW, Skellefta AIK Jr. (Sweden Jr.)
Nordlund, 18, registered 49 points (24g, 25a) in 40 regular-season games as an alternate captain with Skellefta AIK in the J20 Nationell, Sweden’s top junior league, and added 12 points (6g, 6a) in six playoff games during the 2024-25 season. The Ingaro, Sweden, native led his club in goals and points, ranked second in assists and finished eighth (tied) among all league skaters in goals during the regular season. He also ranked second in the league in points per game (2.00) during the J-20 Nationell playoffs. Additionally, he recorded one assist in 15 SHL games for Skellefta AIK and appeared in seven playoff games with the club last season, one of four skaters 18 years old or younger to appear in an SHL regular-season game for the club. In 2023-24, the 5’9”, 168-pound winger posted 35 points (9g, 26a) in 37 regular-season games with Skellefta AIK (J20). He added 22 points (7g, 15a) in nine playoff games, establishing a league record for the most assists and points in a single postseason. Nordlund has totaled 34 points (13g, 21a) in 15 career J20 Nationell playoff games, the most postseason points of any skater in league history. He was ranked 26th among International Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Round 7, 221st Overall – Filip Ekberg, RW, Ottawa (OHL)
Ekberg, 18, tallied 45 points (16g, 29a) in 53 games with the Ottawa 67’s in the OHL during the 2024-25 season, ranking fourth among club skaters in points per game (.85). Prior to the OHL, Ekberg
recorded 44 points (21g, 23a) in 53 career J20 Nationell games for Almtuna IS’s junior team from 2022-24. The Uppsala, Sweden, native accumulated five points (3g, 2a) in 20 career games with Hockey Allsvenskan (Sweden-2) from 2022-24. The 5’10” 168-pound winger represented his country at the 2025 IIHF Under-18 World Junior Championship, recording 18 points (10g, 8a) in seven games to lead all tournament skaters in goals and points to help Sweden capture a silver medal.
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