Heading into an NHL Draft, there are always a few players who went undrafted for many reasons but are still on the board as overage prospects. With NHL rights now appearing to become standardized across all levels, according to Mike McMahon of collegehockeyinsider.com, as it looks like teams will hold draft rights until a player turns 22. This shift came after the NCAA changed its stance on Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players, allowing them to play college hockey starting this upcoming season.
Because of that, teams might lean even more toward drafting younger players, knowing they can circle back and sign NCAA guys as unrestricted free agents later on. That was already happening a lot anyway, but this change could make it even more common and impact how teams approach overagers.
Now, here’s a look at my top 10 overage prospects available in this year’s NHL Draft.
1 – Charlie Cerrato, C (Penn State)
Charlie Cerrato, a 20-year-old overager, had a breakout season with the Penn State Nittany Lions (B10), recording 42 points in 38 games played and helping lead them to the program’s first Frozen Four. He finished second in scoring on Penn State, only trailing 53-point scorer and Hobey Baker Award finalist Aiden Fink. Cerrato’s production came in bunches, especially in the postseason.
It’s really impressive how he racked up tons of points during the Big Ten slate, a league known for its heavier, more physical checking style.
He’s a hard forechecker, wins puck battles, has a heavy shot, and is an elite disher on the rush into the offensive zone. He was great on the power play and had a stellar showing in the NCAA tournament. He’s solid at faceoffs and is defensively sound for the most part. He consistently creates clean zone entries and finds teammates on the rush, showing he can drive offense in transition and is versatile.
Ranked #47 by FC Hockey, #110 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters), and #117 by Recruit Scouting, Cerrato will likely go in the middle rounds of the 2025 NHL Draft. I value his great play in the NCAA (Big Ten), and I would be all over this as a general manager. He ranks as my top overager available right now.
2 – Bryce Pickford, RD (Medicine Hat Tigers)
19-year-old Bryce Pickford was one of the most exciting defensemen in the Western Hockey League (WHL) this season, playing a big role in the Medicine Hat Tigers’ deep playoff run. He stands out because of how well he can score, but his game is more than just that. He’s responsible in his own end, moves the puck well, and is elite at breaking pucks out of the defensive zone.
Related: Bryce Pickford – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
Pickford’s ability to break pucks out of the defensive zone is one of his best assets. He transitions play quickly, makes smart passes under pressure, and creates space for his teammates. Despite his offensive nature, he plays a responsible defensive game too, knowing when to step up and when to hold back for the most part.
He went undrafted in 2024, but it surely shouldn’t happen this time around. His production and ability to perform in big moments all make him an intriguing prospect for NHL teams looking for a puck-moving defenseman who can control the game, especially in the offensive zone and on the power play.
Pickford has a great one-timer and a wicked, accurate wrister, making him a legit offensive threat anywhere in the offensive zone.
Pickford’s rankings vary, but I think he should be taken in the second-to-fourth round area and earns second overall in my overager rankings.
3 – Kristian Epperson, LW (Saginaw Spirit)
After going undrafted in 2024, Kristian Epperson has certainly earned more looks after this past season. He racked up a total of 80 points (27 goals, 53 assists) in 58 regular-season games, later tacking on four more points in five playoff games. He was projected top-five pick, Michael Misa’s linemate, and dished out plenty of assists to him over the season with his elite playmaking skills.
Epperson is a shifty 6-foot-0 winger who can dangle around defenders on the rush. He’s got a great wrister and frequently scores plenty of goals going five-hole on goaltenders, many of which are on odd-man rushes.
“A forechecking machine, Epperson hunts the puck at every turn, displaying relentless energy and landing some resounding hits. He lifts sticks, steals possession, protects it, and funnels pucks to the slot, setting up shots all around it.” – Elite Prospects 2025 NHL Draft Guide (from ‘Elite Prospects 2025 NHL Draft Guide’, Elite Prospects, 2025).
He’s defensively sound with plenty of deflections and steals to break out with on the defensive zone as well.
Epperson is projected to be drafted around the second to fourth rounds, which I agree with. I’m intrigued to see what he can do with the Denver Pioneers coming in the 2025–26 season in a harder, more defensive league like the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC), the best college hockey conference in my opinion.
4 – Francesco Dell’Elce, LD (UMass)
Francesco Dell’Elce, a 20-year-old overager, had a breakout 2024–25 season with the UMass Minutemen, tallying 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 40 games. He’s an offensive defenseman with a heavy wrister and a great shot through traffic. Mobile and confident with the puck, Dell’Elce is especially strong walking the blue line and creating lanes from the point.
He’s ranked as a projected third-to-fifth round pick and has shown steady progression in his career so far. Playing in a tough Hockey East conference against top competition like BC, BU, and Maine, he’s held his own and made an impact. I value his Hockey East experience and production over the others below, so I rank him as the fourth-best overager.
5 – Aidan Park, F (Green Bay Gamblers)
Aidan Park is a 19-year-old forward who had a strong season in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Green Bay Gamblers. A second-year eligible prospect, he surprisingly went undrafted in 2024 despite being projected as a mid-round pick. He shouldn’t go undrafted again after putting up 66 points in 55 games, finishing second in goals and fifth in points in the USHL during the 2024–25 season.
Park is a well-rounded forward with playmaking ability, a high hockey IQ, and a reliable shot. He brings positional versatility, capable of playing center and wing, adding to his value as a future depth piece. He’s also defensively responsible, consistently back-checking and blocking plenty of shots for a forward. His defensive game doesn’t always get the spotlight because of his scoring numbers, but it’s an underrated part of his skill set.
6 – Petteri Rimpinen, G (Kiekko-Espoo)
Once overlooked in the 2024 NHL Draft, 19-year-old Petteri Rimpinen has since built a compelling case to be selected in 2025. He’s a low-risk, high-reward prospect with a good mix of size and athleticism, and he’s delivered big-time performances throughout the year.
Related: Petteri Rimpinen – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
Rimpinen played 40 games in Liiga this season, posting a 2.35 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .912 save percentage (SV%) with two shutouts. He followed that up with a .920 SV% in five playoff games. On the international stage, he was excellent for Finland at the World Junior Championship, putting up a 2.34 GAA and a .933 SV% in seven games.
Rimpinen’s strengths include his athleticism, quick reflexes, strong glove, and ability to smother rebounds. He’s aggressive with his poke check and tracks the puck well. He’s still working on a few things, as his height (6-foot-0) isn’t ideal by NHL standards, and he’s learning when to be aggressive versus when to stay patient. His puck handling and passing could also improve.
Despite some of his areas to improve on, I still think he should be snagged in this year’s draft in the early to mid-rounds.
I’m ranking him sixth overall as the only goaltender in my overager rankings.
7 – Giacomo Martino, LW (Sioux City Musketeers)
As a 20-year-old overager, Giacomo Martino was the leading regular season USHL scorer with 74 points (32 goals, 42 assists) in 62 games, but is somehow only ranked by one media outlet, McKeen’s Hockey, who have him ranked 268th overall.
He’s played in the Clark Cup Playoffs twice, and while Sioux City was eliminated in the first round this past season, that experience still matters for his development. He’s a University of Michigan commit, and I like the upside of his future development at an NHL factory in Ann Arbor.
“Giacomo Martino is a high-compete, high-IQ forward who plays a possession-heavy, detail-oriented game at both ends of the ice. While not a dynamic scorer by draft standards, he consistently drives play through intelligent puck touches, strong body positioning, and relentless puck pursuit. Martino’s value lies in his predictability, work ethic, and ability to make small-area plays that lead to team success. His tools suggest middle-six upside if surrounded by pace and finishers, but lack of physicality, high-end speed, and average shot tools may cap his ceiling.” – Neutral Zone
He is way underrated in my eyes, has a knack for scoring goals in front of the net, and from the slot. He’s a Northeastern University commit, and I like the upside of him joining the Hockey East, a tougher, more defensive league that should challenge him.
He brings a reliable two-way game as a left-winger and has shown he can produce while being responsible in his own zone, an area of his game that should be valued more. I’m ranking this sleeper prospect seventh in my overager rankings.
8 – Bruno Idzan, F (Lincoln Stars)
19-year-old forward Bruno Idzan started the 2024–25 season with KHL Sisak in the Croatian AlpsHL, where he put up 30 points (21 goals, nine assists) in 19 games. He then made the move mid-season to the USHL, joining the Lincoln Stars and continuing his strong play with 44 points (22 goals, 22 assists) in 36 games, plus three goals in six Clark Cup playoff games.
“Idžan combines shooting skill with spurts of playmaking, checking skills, and defensive ability. He hammers one-timers through the goaltender and snipes off the rush with explosive outside leg wristers. Yet, he’s somehow always gets open, slipping behind the defence, across, and timing his dashes into the slot for chances.” – Elite Prospects 2025 NHL Draft Guide (from ‘Elite Prospects 2025 NHL Draft Guide’, Elite Prospects, 2025).
He could become the first Croatian ever drafted to the NHL. The 6-foot-1 forward has a heavy, accurate wrist shot and scores a lot of his goals off of good positioning from the slot and net front. He’s not a speedy forward but is physical and forechecks hard, crashes the net hard, and plays with purpose.
He was overlooked in 2024 but is now a projected mid-round pick. I like the upside of him heading to the University of Wisconsin, with good future development coming soon in the Big Ten. He earns eighth in my overager rankings.
9 – Sam Laurila, LD (Fargo Force)
Sam Laurila, an 18-year-old defenseman, had a breakout season with the Fargo Force in the USHL, putting up 41 points (eight goals, 33 assists) in 57 games. He added one assist in two Clark Cup Playoff games. After an alright 2023–24 season with the US National Team Development Program Juniors, Laurila made the jump from a defensive-defenseman to a true two-way d-man this year.
He’s good at breaking pucks out, a solid playmaker in the offensive zone, and a good disher on the power play. He’s also got a nice heavy wrist shot from outside by the blue line that he uses effectively. Laurila went undrafted in 2024, mostly due to limited offensive output, but that’s clearly changed.
He’s now ranked as a projected third-to-fifth round pick across most outlets, higher than last year. However, he’s actually one of the youngest overage prospects available, missing the 2025 draft class cutoff by just 14 days.
I like that he’s a North Dakota commit, as he’s going to develop even more in the NCHC, one of the best college hockey conferences for defensemen, earning him ninth in my overager rankings.
10 – Diego Buttazzoni, C (Portland Winterhawks)
Diego Buttazzoni is a two-way overage prospect who went undrafted in the 2024 NHL Draft. However, after his outstanding season with the Portland Winterhawks, especially in the playoffs, he’s a player who deserves more attention. He’s a smaller forward who brings energy, offensive skill, and defensive reliability, making him a strong candidate to be a mid-to-late-round steal this year.
Despite only being ranked 141st by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters), he should be recognized by more outlets for his impressive play, not just one. Buttazzoni posted 38 goals and 39 assists for 77 points in 63 games during the 2024-25 Western Hockey League (WHL) regular season and followed that up with a dominant 14-goal, 13-assist, 27-point performance in 18 playoff games.
Standing 5-foot-9 and 183 pounds, he plays a high-energy game, battling for pucks, making smart passes, and creating space for his teammates. His quick hands and offensive instincts make him a dangerous playmaker, while his defensive awareness keeps him sound in his own zone. He doesn’t cheat on plays and uses his stick well to deflect pucks and stay in position, but struggles a little bit with winning pucks in the defensive zone.
I think Buttazzoni could find himself on an NHL roster one day, but we’ll have to see how he develops at UMass-Lowell, a high-level NCAA program. He needs to get just a little more physical in front and build more strength, but in the competitive Hockey East conference, he’ll get tested often.
Despite being undersized and only ranked by one outlet, I’m placing him 10th in my overager rankings.
Hopefully, all of these players end up living their dreams and getting picked. A lot of them were passed over before, but they’ve kept working, had strong seasons, and proved they deserve another look.
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