Welcome to my final edition of my 2025 NHL Draft Rankings.
As we inch closer to the NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles, we’re starting to get a clearer picture of where some of the top prospects stand after a difficult season where there wasn’t a clear-cut number one until midway through the season. There was a lot movement in a short amount time, here are some things that stood out.
First off, we know the New York Islanders has the best chance to select Erie Otters defender Matthew Schaefer first overall, but there are some things to consider as well. Michael Misa was on another level in the Ontario Hockey League, could he be a potential fit for them? Will they select a hometown kid in James Hagens? What the Islanders do could set the stage for everyone else in the draft.
If teams are going to prioritize work ethic and the drive to succeed, Porter Martone, Caleb Desnoyers, Brady Martin and Braden Cootes exemplify those traits better than anyone and could see them be selected higher up. Martin and Cootes had fantastic showings at the World U18 Championship and have improved their stock overall to be picked higher in the draft. The same with Desnoyers and his run to the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League Championship. All three are competitive centres and have the skillset and physical play to make a difference.
Barrie Colts defender Kashawn Aitcheson could be selected higher than many think with his dominant physical presence and clutch factor for scoring goals on the backend. Cole Reschny tore it up in the second half for the Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League.
Those are just some of the few risers I wanted to highlight, so without further ado, here are my top 128 final rankings for the 2025 NHL Draft.
First Round
1. Matthew Schaefer, LD, Erie Otters (OHL)
Even though he only played 26 games this season, it was enough for everyone to determine Schaefer as the number one overall pick. Despite that small sample size, his smarts, vision and poise are already translating to the NHL level. He has all the trademarks as a first pairing, number one defenseman written all over him, as he’s quick in transition, has strong IQ, great reads knowing when to join the rush and attack. He’s a difference maker, an elite facilitator with the puck from the backend.
2. Michael Misa, C/LW, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Consider Misa a 1B…
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