The top of the 2025 NHL Draft is set with the New York Islanders winning the lottery on Monday night with a 3.5 percent chance.
There will be plenty of time to pore over the draft class and dive deeper into these prospects, but here are the snap decisions in a lottery-only mock draft now the order is set.
No. 1: New York Islanders: C Michael Misa — Saginaw (OHL)
One of the most fascinating two-way centers to enter the draft in a long time. There are shades of Brayden Point to his game, which would be one heck of a get for any team drafting Misa. He’ll need a little time to bulk up to be an NHL-caliber forechecker, but there’s a lot to like here.
For the Islanders he’s the right choice. There isn’t a massive gap between Misa and Matthew Schaefer, but Misa offers scoring that New York is in desperate need of.
No. 2: San Jose Sharks: D Matthew Schaefer — Erie (OHL)
There’s no downside here. Schaefer is as safe a pick as can possibly be projected, and it feels like it would take something monumental to derail his NHL career. Immensely high floor, good ceiling — and a player who might not excite and sell jerseys, but anchor a blue line for the next decade.
Schaefer has been compared to Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes, and he’s the exact kind of talent the Sharks need on defense.
No. 3: Chicago Blackhawks: RW Porter Martone — Brampton (OHL)
You just don’t find 6’3, 200-plus pound forwards in the draft very often. Martone already has an NHL build and could make the jump immediately. He has goal scoring prowess and is a great finisher, but his all-around play made big steps for Brampton this season.
Martone is a great pick to put alongside Connor Bedard and start to make Chicago a solid team again.
No. 4: Utah Hockey Club: C James Hagens — Boston College (NCAA)
A solid, reliable leader who at worst feels like an incredible third-line center. There might be some questions about Hagens’ size, but he plays bigger than his frame and offers huge upside as a locker room culture builder.
No. 5: Nashville Predators: C Caleb Desnoyers — Moncton (QMJHL)
Coming from a deep hockey family, Caleb Desnoyer is a young, mammoth-upside prospect who has shown huge flashes of playmaking ability. The team taking him needs to understand that he hasn’t played as high-level competition as others in this class, so there’s a bit of a leap of faith — but give him a few years and there could be something very special.
No. 6: Philadelphia Flyers: LW Victor Eklund — Djurgårdens IF (Sweden)
Eklund showed in the U20s that he absolutely stacks up amongst the best wings in this draft class. There’s some major edge to his game that will make him a fan-favorite as he eschews doubt about his size to be a remarkably hard hitting, grindy player who loves playing on dirty parts of the ice when needed. In the open he’s a polished skater with great puck feel.
No. 7: Boston Bruins: C Roger McQueen — Brandon (WHL)
Roger McQueen is a monster. The 6’5 center lets his presence be known on the ice and gives me major Joe Thornton vibes in the middle. That might seem like incredibly high praise, but the potential is there. McQueen could become a vert special player.
No. 8: Seattle Kraken: C Anton Frondell — Djurgårdens IF (Sweden)
Of the two big Swedes in this draft I have Frondell slightly behind his teammate Eklund largely because of the log jam at center in this class. Frondell is a fantastic forechecker, and solid distributor who could take the next step offensively and become a big time player.
No. 9: Buffalo Sabres: D Jackson Smith — Tri-City (WHL)
Smith is a solid defenseman with good instincts, but it’s his burgeoning offense that’s exciting to project. He came alive in the Canada U18s by scoring four goals in seven games, and that could indicate offensive potential still to be unlocked that could turn him into a solid 1st line defenseman with power play potential.
No. 10: Anaheim Ducks: C Jake O’Brien — Brantford (OHL)
A prolific OHL point scorer, O’Brien finished with 98 points for Brantford this season with a stunning 66 assists. There are some concerns about a low ceiling, but he has the requisite size and style to become a solid NHL rotation player.
No. 11: Pittsburgh Penguins: C Brady Martin — Soo (OHL)
Martin brings a lot to the table at center to like. While he might not project to reach the heights of being an elite, top-line center — there’s also not a massive risk here that could be a whiff. Martin has an NHL-ready game, and could easily slot into being a reliable third-line player for a long time.
No. 12: New York Rangers: D Radim Mrtka — Seattle (WHL)
Watching Radim Mrtka is just fun. You can’t have a 6’6 defenseman who relishes obliterating people on the check and not love him. There’s a good chance he could go earlier than this pick, but I don’t love his decision making with the puck on his stick — and he needs to develop a better shot. That could be nurtured, but also what I think holds him back from being a Top 10 pick in this class.
No. 13: Detroit Red Wings: RW Justin Carbonneau — Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
Uber-productive goal scorer with all the tools when the puck is in his hands. Showed major playmaking splashes from the wing last season which could indicate that he’ll be a major threat, especially if paired with a goal-scoring center. Will need a few years of development, but high upside two-way player.
No. 14: Columbus Blue Jackets: C Carter Bear — Everett (WHL)
Played both center and wing for Everett at times, making his NHL position a little difficult to define. I don’t quite see the speed and finishing ability to be a wing, but think Bear could be a solid interior distributor on a finesse line.
No. 15: Vancouver Canucks: C Lynden Lackovic — Moose Jaw (WHL)
Might seem a little low for Lackovic, but I’m not as big on him as others seem to be. The physical tools are there, but his off-puck play leaves a lot to be desired. A case where his athletic abilities outstrip his mental acuity. If these were in line he’d be a Top 8 pick, so there’s a potential to coach him up. Not quite reliable enough to crack the top of the draft as-is.
No. 16: Montreal Canadiens (via Calgary Flames): LW Malcolm Spence — Erie (OHL)
Great sized wing who won’t get out muscled in the corners. Loves to be on the forecheck and relishes contact, which is rare for younger players. Spence doesn’t really create for himself, which is a downside — but if paired with a puck-minded center he can be a difference maker on a team looking for physicality on a third line.