NHL Draft Grades: Instant analysis of every team's picks
The 2025 NHL Draft is complete, and we're handing out grades to each team for their prospect haul.
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Atlantic | Central | Metropolitan | Pacific
Pick No. | Player | Pos. | Team | League |
---|---|---|---|---|
7 | James Hagens | C | Boston College | NCAA |
51 | William Moore | C | NTDP | USHL |
61 | Liam Pettersson | LHD | Vaxjo Jr. | Sweden Jr. |
79 | Cooper Simpson | LW | Shakopee | HS-MN |
100 | Vashek Blanar | LHD | Troja-Ljungby Jr. | Sweden Jr. |
133 | Cole Chandler | C | Shawinigan | QMJHL |
165 | Kirill Yemelyanov | C | Yaroslavl Jr. | MHL |
The Bruins overhauled their future center depth by snagging Hagens and then Moore on Day 2. Hagens was the projected top pick entering the draft cycle, and though he didn't reach the same heights as Macklin Celebrini and Adam Fantilli as an NCAA freshman, he still has legit first-line potential with speed and intelligence. Hagens falling to No. 7 is a massive win for the Bruins. Moore is great value in the back half of the second round after a near point-per-game campaign with the NTDP.
Pick No. | Player | Pos. | Team | League |
---|---|---|---|---|
9 | Radim Mrtka | RHD | Seattle | WHL |
71 | David Bedkowski | RHD | Owen Sound | OHL |
103 | Matous Kucharcik | C | Slavia Jr. | Czechia Jr. |
116 | Samuel Meloche | G | Rouyn-Noranda | QMJHL |
135 | Noah Laberge | LHD | Acadie-Bathurst | QMJHL |
167 | Ashton Schultz | C | Chicago | USHL |
195 | Melvin Novotny | LW | Leksand Jr. | Sweden Jr. |
199 | Yevgeni Prokhorov | G | Dinamo-Shinnik Jr. | MHL |
219 | Ryan Rucinski | C | Youngstown | USHL |
Mrtka has top-four shutdown potential with his 6-foot-6 frame and impressive skating ability. He can move the puck too, even if he isn't the most creative player. Bedkowski is also huge at 6-foot-5 and plays a mean game.
Pick No. | Player | Pos. | Team | League |
---|---|---|---|---|
13 | Carter Bear | LW | Everett | WHL |
44 | Eddie Genborg | RW | Linkoping | SHL |
75 | Michal Pradel | G | Tri-City | USHL |
109 | Brent Solomon | RW | Champlin Park | HS-MN |
119 | Michal Svrcek | LW | Brynas Jr. | Sweden Jr. |
140 | Nikita Tyurin | LHD | Spartak Jr. | MHL |
172 | Will Murphy | LHD | Cape Breton | QMJHL |
204 | Grayden Robertson-Palmer | C | Phillips Andover | HS-MA |
Bear's tenacity and competitiveness are standout traits. He has top-six upside as a fun complementary winger. He sustained a partially lacerated Achilles in March but is expected to be ready for training camp. Pradel is a 6-foot-5 goalie who moved to the USHL midseason from Slovakia and showed promise as a potential future starter.
Pick No. | Player | Pos. | Team | League |
---|---|---|---|---|
112 | Mads Kongsbak Klyvo | LW | Frolunda Jr. | Sweden Jr. |
128 | Shea Busch | LW | Everett | WHL |
129 | Shamar Moses | RW | North Bay | OHL |
192 | Arvid Drott | RW | Djurgarden Jr. | Sweden Jr. |
197 | Brendan Dunphy | LHD | Wenatchee | WHL |
224 | Yegor Midlak | G | Spartak Jr. | MHL |
The Stanley Cup champ was the last team to make its first pick in the draft. Kongsbak Klyvo has some intriguing offensive tools to go with a strong 6-foot-2 frame. He was impactful for Denmark at multiple tournaments this year. Drott is on the younger side of the draft and had a productive campaign in Sweden's junior league.
Pick No. | Player | Pos. | Team | League |
---|---|---|---|---|
34 | Alexander Zharovsky | RW | Ufa Jr. | MHL |
69 | Hayden Paupanekis | C | Kelowna | WHL |
81 | Bryce Pickford | RHD | Medicine Hat | WHL |
82 | Arseni Radkov | G | Tyumen Jr. | MHL |
113 | LJ Mooney | C | NTDP | USHL |
145 | Alexis Cournoyer | G | Cape Breton | QMJHL |
177 | Carlos Handel | RHD | Halifax | QMJHL |
189 | Andrew MacNiel | RHD | Kitchener | OHL |
209 | Maxon Vig | LHD | Cedar Rapids | USHL |
It's another strong draft for Kent Hughes and Co. after dealing their two first-round picks for immediate help in Noah Dobson and trading up to snag a fun winger with top-six upside in Zharovsky. He has some of the best hands in the draft and a projectable frame at 6-foot-1.
Paupanekis brings size down the middle, though his production trailed off this campaign. Pickford had a huge season after being passed over last year, notching 13 goals and 24 points in 18 playoff games from the back end. Mooney is tiny at 5-foot-8, but it's easy to justify that bet on offensive talent at 113th overall.
Pick No. | Player | Pos. | Team | League |
---|---|---|---|---|
23 | Logan Hensler | RHD | Wisconsin | NCAA |
93 | Blake Vanek | RW | Stillwater | HS-MN |
97 | Lucas Beckman | G | Baie-Comeau | QMJHL |
149 | Dmitri Isayev | LW | Yekaterinburg Jr. | MHL |
181 | Bruno Idzan | LW | Lincoln | USHL |
213 | Andrei Trofimov | G | Magnitogorsk Jr. | MHL |
Hensler was good value at No. 23, especially after the Senators traded down a couple of picks. He's a well-rounded defender with complementary top-four upside thanks to his skating ability. Vanek, the son of Thomas, had a big season in Minnesota high school and is headed to the WHL next year. Isayev is listed at just 148 pounds, but he had a quality season in Russia and has the speed and skill to become a player if he fills out. Idzan is a very fun pick as the first Croatian ever taken in the NHL draft. He was a stud in the USHL and has a chance to become a top-nine contributor.
Pick No. | Player | Pos. | Team | League |
---|---|---|---|---|
56 | Ethan Czata | C | Niagara | OHL |
108 | Benjamin Rautiainen | C | Tappara | Liiga |
127 | Aiden Foster | C | Prince George | WHL |
151 | Everett Baldwin | RHD | St. George's | HS-RI |
193 | Caleb Heil | G | Madison | USHL |
206 | Roman Luttsev | C | Yaroslavl Jr. | MHL |
212 | Grant Spada | LHD | Guelph | OHL |
215 | Marco Mignosa | RW | Sault Ste. Marie | OHL |
Czata is a lanky center with good skill and a strong competitor. The Lightning have had success developing players of his ilk. Rautiainen excelled in the Finnish pro league this year with 33 points in 50 games as a rookie, and he featured for Finland at the world juniors. He's closer to playing pro games in Tampa's organization at 20 years old.
Pick No. | Player | Pos. | Team | League |
---|---|---|---|---|
64 | Tinus Luc Koblar | C | Leksand Jr. | Sweden Jr. |
86 | Tyler Hopkins | C | Kingston | OHL |
137 | William Belle | RW | NTDP | USHL |
153 | Harry Nansi | RW | Owen Sound | OHL |
185 | Rylan Fellinger | RHD | Flint | OHL |
217 | Matthew Hlacar | LW | Kitchener | OHL |
Koblar, a Slovenian-born center who represents Norway, is a very raw prospect. He's got room for physical development, but he's a long shot who will need significant offensive improvement to become the top-nine contributor a team hopes to land in the second round. He does have good hands in tight.
After a reach at No. 64, the Leafs got good value in Hopkins at No. 86. He's a center with good size, skill, and offensive upside, and he plays with pace. Belle is a massive winger, and Nansi is one of the youngest players in the draft.
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