B/R Staff Debates No. 1 Pick Overall at the 2025 NHL Draft

The 2025 NHL draft is wide open for the player to be selected No. 1 overall.

While this year's class lacks a no-doubt first pick, that doesn't mean it doesn't have talent. Defenseman Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa are two youngsters who rank highly on B/R's draft big board, and there's real debate as to which player deserves to be off the board first.

With the draft lottery set to take place Monday evening, B/R's Hannah Stuart and Adam Herman decided to make the case for the players in this latest NHL Roundtable.

Read what they had to say about them and share your thoughts in the app comments as to who you think should go No. 1.

The Case for Matthew Schaefer

It's rare for defensemen his age to be as well-rounded and polished as Matt Schaefer has already shown. He is already at a healthy size—6'2" and 188 pounds—and isn't far off from having an NHL body.

The left-handed defenseman is an impressive skater with two particular traits standing out: power and balance.

Schaefer's straight-line speed is really good and he's quick off the draw. But there are lots of 17-year-olds with powerful strides. The key for Schaefer is how much control he sustains through his movements using quality weight transfers on his feet. He quickly changes directions without compromising stability.

Schaefer is a high-end puck transporter whose balanced skating allows him to carry possession without sacrificing speed. He's always in posture to make a play the puck quickly.

He is excellent in forecheck setups, keeping plays alive from pinches in the offensive zone or taking away space in the neutral zone with excelling timing on when to jump into space. He's already decent at gapping up when defending the rush, but he has the tools to make that part of defending a strength of his.

Schaefer probably won't be an elite quarterback of play at the NHL level, but he's already one of the best in junior hockey at transitioning plays into the offensive zone and does have the hockey sense to find openings in the offensive zone to evade pressure and find scoring chances either for himself or teammates.

And Schaefer proved himself without the help of elite-level teammates. Plus, he does not turn 18 until September 5.

Norris contention may be too much of an ask, but he is highly likely to become a first-pairing defenseman who does everything at a good-to-great level; Devon Toews-like.

—Adam Herman

The Case for Michael Misa

To preface: There isn't an incorrect choice between Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa for first overall. But Misa is slightly more correct.

The 18-year-old has been a top guy for most of the season. His offensive instincts and vision are elite; he plays a details-first game that allows him to read his options and make plays happen before other players on the ice have managed to process that those plays are an option.

His skating, particularly, but not limited to his speed, lets him burn opponents, and he's a threat on every shift, even on his off nights.

Misa hit the 50-goal mark in 50 games, making him the second-fastest draft-eligible player in the last 25 seasons in the OHL to reach that height.

But the most impressive thing about his scoring isn't the numbers themselves, it's how he's doing it.

He's usually the most dynamic player on the ice, coming in hard on the forecheck, stymying defenders to retrieve the puck and then getting it off to a teammate to set up a successful play. His defensive game is responsible and efficient. He's got a relentless motor and is always engaged in the play when he's on the ice.

And he frequently makes plays that leave even the most jaded fan asking, "What just happened?" Every aspect of his game is projectable to the NHL, and there are no glaring weaknesses, only bars he could further raise.

—Hannah Stuart