The 2025 NHL Entry Draft has concluded after two days of excitement surrounding the 32 teams in the league. With a handful of surprises and moves amongst teams, there is plenty to dissect and look at for each team. So, how did each team across the league fare with the draft capital they had at their disposal this year?
Anaheim Ducks
2025 picks: Roger McQueen, Eric Nilson, Lasse Boelius, Noah Read, Drew Schock, Elijah Neuenschwander, Alexis Mathieu, Émile Guité, Anthony Allain-Samaké, Brady Turko
This year’s class for general manager (GM) Pat Verbeek will be watched with a careful eye, led by first-round selection, Roger McQueen. If McQueen can live up to his potential, the draft will be a success for the Ducks. The pick of goaltender Elijah Neuenschwander in the fourth round could be a strong one if he can continue to develop his game. This year, he stood out for Germany at the Under-20 World Junior Championship (WJC) and could prove to be a mid-round steal.
If Émile Guité can fully find his game and return to his rookie season form with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), this class has a chance to turn into one of Verbeek’s strongest as the head man of the organization.
Grade: B+
Boston Bruins
2025 picks: James Hagens, William Moore, Liam Pettersson, Cooper Simpson, Vashek Blanar, Cole Chandler, Kirill Yemelyanov
Getting Boston College’s James Hagens at pick number seven in the first round is a major win for the Boston Bruins, who had a down year this season. Long presumed to be a top-five pick, Hagens did slide a bit and could very easily use the situation as motivation towards his future. The organization’s draft class is more top-heavy, with its top two picks, Hagens and second-round selection, William Moore. There is a good chance that both of these players will make an impact at the NHL level in the future for the Bruins. The rest of their selections help add depth to their system and could yield one or two other players who see some time at the NHL level at some point in their career.
Grade: A-
Buffalo Sabres
2025 picks: Radim Mrtka, David Bedkowski, Matous Kucharcik, Samuel Meloche, Noah Laberge, Ashton Schultz, Melvin Novotny, Evgeny Prokhorov, Ryan Rucinski
With the Buffalo Sabres needing depth and help throughout their entire farm system, taking Radim Mrtka in the first round over a forward was a bit surprising, but he is a prospect with plenty of upside to add to an already deep defensive core in Buffalo right now. They found good value with most of their nine picks of this year’s draft, including Samuel Meloche in the fourth round and Noah Laberge in the fifth.
Grade: B
Calgary Flames
2025 picks: Cole Reschny, Cullen Potter, Theo Stockselius, Mace’o Phillips, Ethan Wyttenbach, Aidan Lane, Jakob Leander, Yan Matvieko
With two first-round picks, the Calgary Flames decided to go to the center position. Adding Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter, who have great upside, was a strong start for the organization. Their first Day 2 selections, Theo Stockselius and Mace’o Phillips, have a chance to make an impact on the NHL roster down the line. With what the Flames have been able to do over the last few drafts, the future looks bright for them.
Grade: B+
Carolina Hurricanes
2025 picks: Semyon Frolov, Charlie Cerrato, Ivan Ryabkin, Kurban Limatov, Roman Bausov, Viggo Nordlund, Filip Ekberg
The Carolina Hurricanes continued their selections of Russian players this year, finishing with four picks (including Ivan Ryabkin). Getting Ryabkin at the tail end of the second round is a strong get for the organization, and they also added depth with their later round picks, led by Filip Ekberg in the seventh round. Semyon Frolov has the upside of becoming an NHL starter in his career, so overall, the Hurricanes had a solid draft.
Grade: B+
Chicago Blackhawks
2025 picks: Anton Frondell, Vaclav Nestrasil, Mason West, Nathan Behm, Julius Sumpf, Parker Holmes, Ashton Cumby, Ilya Kanarsky
Another draft where general manager (GM) Kyle Davidson and the Chicago Blackhawks had multiple first-round selections; they made it count with the players they picked. Anton Frondell was presumed to be the third overall pick for a while, and the addition of Mason West to the system were both strong gets for the organization. West may take a bit longer to develop and become an impactful NHL player, but the Blackhawks have nothing but time with the farm system they have built.
Vaclav Nestrasil at pick 25 may have been a bit of a surprise, but he is still a player who should make an impact at the NHL level. For an organization that has built its farm system up over the last handful of drafts in hopes of returning to its winning ways with Connor Bedard, the Blackhawks had another strong draft.
Grade: A-
Colorado Avalanche
2025 picks: Francesco Dell’Elle, Linus Funck, Nolan Roed
The Colorado Avalanche did not make a pick until the third round, and with a depleted farm system, they could not add a lot to it with only three picks this year. The three selections they did make will likely develop into organizational depth players.
Grade: C-
Columbus Blue Jackets
2025 picks: Jackson Smith, Pyotr Andreyanov, Malte Vass, Owen Griffin, Victor Hedin Raftheim, Jeremy Loranger
One of the first teams to throw a curveball in this year’s draft with the selection of netminder Pyotr Andreyanov, the Columbus Blue Jackets had an overall strong draft. Adding Jackson Smith to the defensive core in their system, along with a player like Owen Griffin, who was picked in the fifth round, could end up being one of the draft steals. Andreyanov, if he works out like the Blue Jackets hope he does, gives them the long-term answer in between the pipes for the organization and would make this draft class a great one.
Grade: A-
Dallas Stars
2025 picks: Cameron Schmidt, Brandon Gorzynski, Atte Joki, Mans Goos, Dawson Sharkey, Charlie Paquette
Another team with limited draft picks, the Dallas Stars got themselves a player in the third round that, if he were a few inches taller, would have been a first-round selection in Cameron Schmidt. Schmidt has top-tier offensive talent, but lacks size (5-foot-8). The Vancouver Giant (Western Hockey League) does not let that affect his game, and could still have an impact at the NHL level.
Getting Mans Goos in the fifth round, the Stars add a goaltender with potential to become a possible starter between the pipes. Granted, they currently have Jake Ottenger holding down that spot, but an organization can never have too many goalies (just ask the Detroit Red Wings).
Detroit Red Wings
2025 picks: Carter Bear, Eddie Genborg, Michal Pradel, Brent Solomon, Michal Svrcek, Nikita Tyurin, Will Murphy, Grayden Robertson-Palmer
Steve Yzerman continues to add players who fit his two-way game and hardworking mentality. Carter Bear could have easily been a top-10 pick had it not been for an Achilles injury toward the end of the season. Yzerman returned to the Swedish well with Eddie Genborg, who adds plenty of grit and skill down the right side of the ice.
Related: THW’s 2025 NHL Draft Guide
One of the more surprising picks for the organization was taking goaltender Michal Pradel in the third round. Pradel was one of the better North American goaltenders in the draft class, but the Red Wings already have Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine (among a few others) in their system. Overall, Yzerman had another solid draft.
Grade: A-
Edmonton Oilers
2025 picks: Tommy Lafreniere, David Lewandowski, Asher Barnett, Daniel Salonen, Aidan Park
With no pick until the middle of the third round, the Edmonton Oilers were limited in adding high-level talent this year at the draft. Tommy Lafreniere and David Lewandowski are both players who could make an impact at the NHL level in their careers. Still, overall, the selections will be organizational depth players for the Stanley Cup runner-ups.
Grade: C
Florida Panthers
2025 picks: Mads Kongsbak Kiyvo, Shea Busch, Shamar Moses, Arvid Drott, Brendan Dunphy, Yegor Midlak
Much like the Oilers, the Florida Panthers had to wait until the early rounds of Day 2 to make their first selection, taking Mads Kongsbak Kiyvo in the fourth round. Shamar Moses could be a dark horse to make an impact in the league at some point, but again, like the Oilers, the Stanley Cup champs added more organizational depth than they did impact players.
Grade: C
Los Angeles Kings
2025 picks: Henry Brzustewicz, Vojtěch Čihař, Kristian Epperson, Caeden Herrington, Jimmy Lombardi, Petteri Rimpinen, Jan Chovan, Brendan McMorrow, William Sharpe
The hosts of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Los Angeles Kings, had a strong draft. Adding a defenseman like Henry Brzustewicz from the London Knights, at the tail end of the first round (31st overall), gives them a youngster who, with the right development (which the Knights continue to do), could become a top-four defenseman at the NHL level. Re-entry player Kristian Epperson and Finnish netminder Petteri Rimpinen can become strong value picks for the Kings. Overall, they added a lot of value throughout the nine picks they made over the weekend.
Grade: B+
Minnesota Wild
2025 picks: Theodor Hallquisth, Adam Benak, Lirim Amidovski, Carter Klippenstein, Justin Klipkie
This year’s draft was less exciting for the Minnesota Wild after drafting Zeev Buium in the first round last year. They did not pick until the end of the second round, and taking Theodor Hallquist with the 52nd pick could be seen as a stretch. While he has plenty of talent, Adam Benak’s biggest downfall is his size, which may limit his ability to make an impact at the NHL level. The Wild are another organization that seemed to add more depth to their system than they did with top-end talent (more or less due to where they stood with picks this year).
Grade: C
Montreal Canadiens
2025 picks: Alexander Zharovsky, Hayden Paupanekis, Bryce Pickford, Arseny Radkov, LJ Mooney, Alexis Cournoyer, Carlos Handel, Andrew MacNeil, Max Vig
Value picks seemed to go in the Montreal Canadiens’ favor this year. Re-entry defenseman Bryce Pickford was a solid pick in the third round after a strong showing for the Memorial Cup runner-ups, the Medicine Hat Tigers. LJ Mooney is a player many believed would be taken much sooner than he was (fourth round) and could end up impacting the bottom-six of the Canadiens’ lineup in the future. A strong draft for the organization once again, adding a mix of high potential and depth to their farm system.
Grade: B
Nashville Predators
2025 picks: Brady Martin, Cameron Reid, Ryker Lee, Jacob Rombach, Jack Ivankovic, Alex Huang, Daniel Nieminen
Having three first-round selections, Barry Trotz surprised some with the selection of Brady Martin at fifth overall over James Hagens, but knowing how Martin plays, he fits the kind of player Trotz likes to have. Adding Cameron Reid and Jacob Rombach to their defensive prospects and getting a potential steal in goaltender Jack Ivankovic in the second round (Ivankovic is another player who falls victim to the height disadvantage), the Predators have positioned themselves well for the future as they look to bounce back from a disappointing season.
New Jersey Devils
2025 picks: Conrad Fondrk, Ben Kevan, Mason Moe, Trenten Bennett, Gustav Hillstrom, David Rozsival, Sigge Holmgren
Having lost their first-round selection in the Jacob Markstrom trade with the Calgary Flames last year, the New Jersey Devils had a solid draft with the selections of Conrad Fondrk and Ben Kevan being the headliners. The dark horse in the Devils’ draft class could end up being netminder Trenten Bennett, the team’s fourth-round selection at pick 99.
Grade: B-
New York Islanders
2025 picks: Matthew Schaefer, Victor Eklund, Kashawn Aitcheson, Daniil Prokhorov, Luca Romano, Tomas Poletin, Sam Laurila, Burke Hood, Jacob Kvasincka
The New York Islanders had arguably the best draft of any team this year. Getting the number one selection of defenseman Matthew Schaefer does not hurt, but being able to add a high-skill player like Victor Eklund and then one of the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) toughest and best two-way defenseman in Kashawn Aitcheson helped put their first round over the top.
Later picks like defenseman Sam Laurila and right winger Jacob Kvasincka have the potential to be prospects who could climb their way into a spot to help impact the Islanders’ lineup in the future.
Grade: A+
New York Rangers
2025 picks: Malcolm Spence, Sean Barnhill, Artyom Gonchar, Mikkel Eriksen, Zeb Lindgren, Samuel Jung, Evan Passmore, Felix Farhammar
Getting a player who many expected to go in the first round, taking Erie Otters winger Malcolm Spence, was a strong get for the New York Rangers in the second round after deciding to transfer their first-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Spence may not be someone who lights up the scoresheet, but he is still a player who should make an impact in the middle of the Rangers’ lineup when he reaches the NHL level.
With the rest of their draft picks, the Rangers added solid depth pieces in defensemen Evan Passmore and Sean Barnhill, but a few of their picks could have been used on different players to help further prepare them for the future with new head coach Mike Sullivan at the helm.
Grade: B-
Ottawa Senators
2025 picks: Logan Hensler, Blake Vanek, Lucas Beckman, Dmitry Isayev, Bruno Idzan, Andrei Trofimov
The Ottawa Senators’ selection of Logan Hensler was met with some skepticism from the surface, as mentioned by THW’s Dayton Reimer. Still, he does help further solidify the future of the Senators’ defensive core alongside Carter Yakemchuk. Outside the Hensler pick, the organization added a netminder in Lucas Beckman, who could develop into a sturdy backup.
Grade: B-
Philadelphia Flyers
2025 picks: Porter Martone, Jack Nesbitt, Carter Amico, Jack Murtagh, Shane Vansaghi, Matthew Gard, Max Westergard, Luke Vlooswyk, Nathan Quinn
The Philadelphia Flyers made it clear they want to get bigger size-wise for the future with their selections in the 2025 Draft. Adding a player like Porter Martone, who seems to play the gritty, two-way game that the organization is known for playing (including new head coach Rick Tocchet), to a group of young forwards led by Matvei Michkov, gives Flyers fans hope for a decade-plus of seeing the two lighting up the scoresheet together.
The 12th pick was a surprise: Jack Nesbitt from the Windsor Spitfires (OHL). GM Danny Briere traded picks 22 and 31 to the Penguins to move up to the pick. Nesbitt may have ended up being available at 22, but Briere did not seem to want to take a chance at missing out on his guy. Players like defenseman Carter Amico, winger Jack Murtagh, and Shane Vansaghi add further value and potential NHL talent to the Flyers’ pipeline. They also found value in the later rounds with their selections.
Grade: A
Pittsburgh Penguins
2025 picks: Benjamin Kindel, Bill Zonnon, Will Horcoff, Peyton Kettles, Charlie Trethewey, Gabriel D’Aigle, Brady Peddle, Travis Hayes, Ryan Miller, Quinn Beauchesne, Jordan Charron, Carter Sanderson, Kale Dach
Kyle Dubas had himself a busy weekend. He made 13 selections at this year’s draft, and started it off with a bit of a surprise with the pick of Benjamin Kindel, from the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL, with the 11th pick of the first round. Playing alongside fellow Penguins prospect Tanner Howe, Kindel brings a strong, two-way game to the Penguins’ system.
Bill Zonnon is a player that THW’s Peter Baracchini was very high on ahead of the draft. With his two-way game, he plays much like Kindel. He took a major step in the right direction with his offensive game this season and can play both the wing and center spots on the ice. Overall, the Penguins had a strong draft as they look toward the future with new head coach Dan Muse.
Grade: A-
San Jose Sharks
2025 picks: Michael Misa, Joshua Ravensbergen, Simon Wang, Cole McKinney, Teddy Mutryn, Ilyas Magomedsultanov, Zachary Sharp, Max Heise, Richard Gallant
Adding a player who put up numbers this season that rival Patrick Kane in the OHL, Michael Misa, being added to the fray for the San Jose Sharks, to go along with Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, among others, gives Sharks fans plenty to be excited about. While they already have Yaroslav Askarov (acquired from the Predators) as their potential goaltender of the future, adding Joshua Ravensbergen could give the Sharks a one-two punch in the crease in the future.
GM Mike Grier had a strong draft from top to bottom, with additions of Simon Wang, Cole McKinney, amongst others. The future continues to look bright in San Jose.
Grade: A+
Seattle Kraken
2025 picks: Jake O’Brien, Blake Fiddler, Will Reynolds, Maxim Agafonov, Karl Annborn, Loke Krantz
The Seattle Kraken continued their run of taking forwards with their first-round picks, adding highly skilled center Jake O’Brien with the eighth overall pick. The Kraken could have gone with a defenseman at the pick (e.g., Jackson Smith or Radim Mrtka), as they did not have a ton of depth at the position in the system. They did, though, get some of that needed depth on Day 2, starting with Blake Fiddler.
Of their five Day 2 selections, four were defensemen, and having two picks in O’Brien and Fiddler, players who should make an impact in their lineup in the future, surely helps.
Grade: B+
St. Louis Blues
2025 picks: Justin Carbonneau, Mikhail Fyodorov, Love Harenstam
Another organization limited with selections in this year’s draft, the St. Louis Blues, were able to add Justin Carbonneau with their first-round selection. Carbonneau’s offensive game should translate well to the NHL, and he will be an impactful player in the Blues’ lineup in the future. The other two selections made by the organization will likely be depth players in their system.
Grade: B-
Tampa Bay Lightning
2025 picks: Ethan Czata, Benjamin Rautiainen, Aiden Foster, Everett Baldwin, Caleb Heil, Roman Luttsev, Grant Spada, Marco Mignosa
Stocked with picks, albeit not until the second round, the Tampa Bay Lightning added an interesting group of players to their system. Ethan Czata from the Niagara IceDogs has the potential to be an impactful player at the NHL level with his gritty, two-way game. Otherwise, the Lightning are another team that mainly added organizational depth players to a system that does need it.
Grade: C+
Toronto Maple Leafs
2025 picks: Tinus-Luc Koblar, Tyler Hopkins, Will Belle, Harry Nansi, Ryan Fellinger, Matthew Hiacar
The selection of Tinus-Luc Koblar may have been a stretch for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but the picks of him, Tyler Hopkins, and Harry Nansi could pan out to be solid picks for organizational depth.
Grade: C
Utah Mammoth
2025 picks: Caleb Desnoyers, Max Psenicka, Stepan Hoch, Yegor Borikov, Ivan Tkach-Tkachenko, Ludvig Johnson, Reko Alanko
With the top three selections going as expected, the Utah Mammoth added a center who should help hold down the top line for their organization in the future, with Caleb Desnoyers. The additions of defenseman Max Psenicka and left winger Stepan Hoch were both of strong value in their spots.
Grade: B+
Vancouver Canucks
2025 picks: Braeden Cootes, Alexsei Medvedev, Kieren Dervin, Wilson Bjorck, Gabriel Chiarot, Matthew Lansing
Headlined by their first-round pick of Braeden Cootes, the Vancouver Canucks also added a netminder in Alexsei Medvedev, who could end up being a solid backup in the NHL. They also added solid depth and value picks with Wilson Bjorck (fifth round) and Matthew Lansing (seventh round).
Grade: B
Vegas Golden Knights
2025 picks: Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, Mateo Nobert, Alexander Weiermair, Gustav Sjoquist
With their first pick of the draft in the second round, the Vegas Golden Knights snagged a player who had the potential to be a first-round selection, Jakob Ihs-Wozniak. If he can get his game back on track, his development could help him become a fixture in the bottom six of the Golden Knights’ lineup. They added more organizational depth than anything else the rest of the way.
Grade: C
Washington Capitals
2025 picks: Lynden Lakovic, Milton Gästrin, Maxim Schafer, Jackson Crowder, Aron Dahlqvist
Getting Lynden Lakovic at the tail end of the first round (27th overall), the Washington Capitals could easily end up with the steal of the round. The additions of Milton Gästrin and Maxim Schafer are both picks that could end up playing NHL games. Their grade is heavily weighted toward the selection of Lakovic, though.
Grade: B+
Winnipeg Jets
2025 picks: Sascha Boumedienne, Owen Martin, Viktor Klingsell, Edison Engle, Jacob Cloutier
With their first three picks, the Winnipeg Jets added three players who could make an impact at the NHL level. Sascha Boumedienne becomes one of their top defenseman prospects, while Viktor Klingsell has the potential to develop into a serviceable NHLer. Seventh-round selection Jacob Cloutier’s development is one to keep an eye on for Jets fans, as he will likely be relied on in a bigger role for the Saginaw Spirit (OHL) this next season.
Grade: B-
Plenty of Time to See How the Draft Pans Out
As with every other draft, this year’s draft class will be watched carefully by each organization’s fan base. It will likely take a handful of seasons to see an impact from much of the class, so it will also take time to see how each team truly did with their selections.
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