Grading Every Team's 2025 NHL Draft Class
The 2025 NHL Draft may have lacked the star power recent editions of the annual event had, but it didn't lack in intrigue.
From first pick Matthew Schaefer to final pick Yegor Midlak, every team has a chance to change its future fortunes by building their prospect pool to either replenish their teams organically or as potential trade bait down the line.
Here now is analysis of every NHL team's draft class for the 2025 edition.
Anaheim Ducks
1 of 32
Grade: B
Analysis:
The Ducks got it right with their most important pick, 10th overall.
In a first round filled with all sorts of middle-six center types, the Ducks at least picked one who stands out. Roger McQueen is 6'5" but has excellent dexterity relative to size. He is surprisingly shifty in possession. His shot is powerful and controlled and he has supplementary passing skills. He is already a solid defensive and physical presence, but has even more untapped potential.
He projects safely as a middle-six center with a differentiating skillset, but he has enough tools to make one wonder if he could even become All-Star caliber if the dice roll favorably. Had he not missed most of the season with a now-healed back injury, he could have gone in the top five.
The rest of their draft is mundane at best. Eric Nilson is a mature defensive center with bottom-six shutdown upside, but they left talent on the table at 45th overall. Second-round pick Lasse Boelius has offensive skills but is overly reliant on outskating problems; a tactic that won't work at higher levels. I think he went 30-45 picks too early. I do believe Drew Schock, the undersized but smooth-skating defenseman taken in round 4, has a chance to make the big league.
Boston Bruins
2 of 32
Grade: A
Analysis:
Many other teams did the work for the Bruins when they let James Hagens fall to seventh overall. It's true and fair that Hagens had a lukewarm season and did not show enough to hold onto his first-overall billing, but the fall to Boston is a market overcorrection. Hagens is a phenomenal playmaker while in motion, both in transition as well as in in-zone formations. He has more goal-scoring upside than he showed.
I think the floor for him is a 60-point second-line power play specialist, but Hagens still very much has a chance to turn into a first-line center in the mold of a Scott Gomez or Logan Cooley. He is far closer to the third-overall value in this draft.
William Moore did not live up to preseason hype, but he still is a three-zone center who could provide secondary offense. I think he's maybe a little bit confused about what type of player he should be, but with the right guidance, he could be a third-line, 45-point center who is good enough to fill in on a second line.
Liam Pettersson has upside as an offensive defenseman, but he's not a juggernaut and he struggles defensively. He'll have to balance his game to reach his potential as a puck-moving defenseman. He's a project but one who makes sense at the end of the second round.
Finally, I love Cooper Simpson's game. The third-round pick plays a fast, active game and has good supplementary puck skills. With his speed, he could become an energetic bottom-six winger.
Buffalo Sabres
3 of 32
Grade: B
Analysis:
Radim Mrtka is indicative of where the NHL is headed. On one hand, teams are emphasizing big defensemen. That being said, you'd better be able to skate and make rudimentary plays with the puck.
At 6'6", Mrtka is a big kid, and yes, he plays a physical game, but his upside lies in his ability to control territory rather than cause pain. He's good at breaking up plays in the neutral zone. He has a decent foundation for skating and he can at least break out the puck competently. There isn't much doubt that Mrtka will play in the NHL, but a lack of offensive-zone upside leaves questions as to whether he can be more than a second-pairing shutdown defenseman. He is one of the younger players in this draft class and some scouts believe that he'll find his way to becoming a true impact player
Third-round pick David Bedkowski is maybe the most violent defenseman in this draft class. A true defensive defenseman with enough transition ability to potentially play regular NHL minutes. The Sabres have not-so-subtly signaled where they think they need to improve as an organization, adding a lot of shutdown ability to their defensive depth chart at the draft. They got fair value with the picks they held, but this was more of a replenishing of the ranks rather than changing anything about the organization's outlook.
Calgary Flames:
4 of 32
Grade: B
Analysis:
The first round of the 2025 Draft had a glut of centers with middle-six upside and Reschny is as representative as any. He's under 6 feet tall, but Reschny is a hard, diligent worker. I love his effort on the forecheck and he is alert defensively, often covering for teammates' mistakes. His separating trait is his playmaking ability, particularly when he offers a shooting posture but then finds a lateral pass to change the angle of attack. He'll need to become a better skater in order to become a bigger rush threat as well as to make the most of his eagerness to forecheck. That may be the difference between whether he becomes a second or third-line center. We can debate if there were more preferable players available, but he's a defensible pick at 18.
Cullen Potter is a fun player. The 5'10 winger is a wonderful skater, with high-end straight line speed, and he is a crafty stickhandler. He's a clever playmaker, too. The size is a big question and he'll probably be a sheltered player if he makes the NHL, but the speed alone is enough to put defensemen on their heels. Many of the players drafted after the top-15 are grinders and the Flames may be rewarded by betting on the top-six upside that Potter's blend of speed and puck prowess suggests.
Theo Stockselius (54th) and Mace'o Phillips (80) also went around expected slotting. A respectable drafting effort by the Flames all-around.
Carolina Hurricanes
5 of 32
Grade: B+
Analysis:
Charlie Cerrato is an overage center who tallied 42 points in 38 games for Penn State last season. Historically, well-producing overagers have a higher statistical probability of making the NHL. He lacks any standout qualities, but his toolbox is diversified enough that he could make it as a bottom-six NHLer.
Third-round pick Ivan Ryabkin is, at his best, a fun player. He can create highlight reel plays in the offensive zone and he loves the physical part of the game. But he's slow, lacks conditioning, and makes senseless decisions over the course of a game. He's the definition of a project, but if he makes it over the hump then he's a potentially electric NHLer.
Kurban Limatov is the type of prospect Carolina invests in over and over. He's a great skater who is yet to fully unlock his offensive potential and who may have gone higher had he been showcased at a better level of hockey than Russian juniors. I also like Filip Ekberg as a seventh-round pick.
The Hurricanes do the same thing every year. They trade down in the draft to cast a wide net, at which point they trust their scouting staff to reap value from a quantity of players with upside rather than trusting any one prospect to be the savior.
Chicago Blackhawks
6 of 32
Grade: C
Analysis:
The Blackhawks certainly had a "type" this draft.
All three of their first-round picks were used on big, athletic forwards. Anton Frondell is a heavy center who plays a physical game on the forecheck and around the net, and he is a natural goal scorer who can feast around the net or by ripping shots from afar. Still, his skating needs a lot of work and he leaves me wondering if he can be the primary driver of his line. He could turn into a good, 30-goal second-line center, but there are no guarantees he doesn't settle on the third line. He's a no-doubt top 10 pick in this draft, but Chicago reached by taking him as high as third overall.
Václav Nestrašil is 6'5" and complements his heavy power game with playmaking creativity. His statistical profile is below what one would expect of a first-round pick, but he has a good enough combination of high-upside tools and well-rounded game to make the 25th-overall pick defensible.
Mason West is a true wild card. A high school quarterback who had NCAA DI interest, it wasn't until recently that he announced his intention to commit to a hockey career. He's a nearly 6'6" center who skates at an above-average pace for anyone, let alone someone his size. He showed enough moments in the USHL where you can see the upside, but he's exceptionally raw. The Blackhawks took a super athlete who will need a lot of hands-on coaching to become a more refined hockey player. If he hits his potential, then the Blackhawks will be a top-six forward with a special skillset, so there's a chance this works out. But that's a major project to bet on at 29th overall and I dislike Chicago's overpaying to move up in the draft for this pick.
In the later rounds, Mason Behm is a talented offensive winger who needs to improve his skating, but he brings a lot of upside for a third-round pick. Fourth-round pick Parker Holmes should not have been drafted in any round.
Overall, the Blackhawks added some intriguing players with upside but may have overvalued and theoretical best-case scenarios for players who have a number of flaws to correct.
Colorado Avalanche
7 of 32
Grade: C
Analysis:
A quiet two days for the Avalanche, who had just three picks. Francesco Dell'elce, 20, is a late bloomer who had a breakout year at UMass. A decent skater who is always looking to create offense from the point. His statistical profile is optimistic and the Avalanche have had some success with defensemen of this profile. Linus Funck is a decent defensive dman, but he'll have to improve his play with the puck to make it in the NHL.
The Avs had limited resources in a draft that lacked depth and their draft board is in line with that reality.
Columbus Blue Jackets
8 of 32
Grade: A-
Analysis:
I love Jackson Smith at 14th overall.
He's 6'3" and generates heavy momentum skating north-south. I don't think he'll be a top offensive producer at the NHL level, but he's going to create some offense, and he'll generate offensive zone time with heavy lifting on breakouts. He is a physical defender but knows how to defend with his feet and reach as well.
Given how weak this draft class is, I was very surprised to see his fall to 14 because I feel pretty confident projecting Smith as a No. 2 or high-end No. 3 all-situations defenseman. If he lives up to that projection, the Blue Jackets could faceplant with their remaining picks and still come out a winner.
Dallas Stars
9 of 32
Grade: A-
Analysis:
While other teams hemmed and hawed about potential depth players in the middle rounds, Dallas swung for the fences. Winger Cameron Schmidt is an electric skater who oozes creativity, rushing the puck down the flanks. He has the skill to create and capitalize on offensive opportunities as well. I love the way he receives pucks while in stride and, when shooting, he picks corners like it's nothing. It's no wonder he scored 40 goals in 61 WHL games.
The million-dollar question is whether he can overcome his size; he measured 5'7.5 and 160 pounds at the NHL combine. But look, third-round picks rarely pan out anyway. Why not take a chance on the guy who, if he makes it, becomes a top-six NHL point producer? The concerns about size are fair, but he had no business being around at 94th overall. This draft could end up being an empty bucket for Dallas, but you're not going to hit a home run while swinging for slap singles.
Fourth-round pick Brandon Gorzynski plays a detail-oriented checking game, but his lack of offensive attributes limits his upside.
Detroit Red Wings
10 of 32
Grade: B+
Analysis:
The Red Wings have pulled from the same bucket in round one over the years; they love hyper-competitive, 200-foot players with enough skill to push for a career as a top-six forward. Winger Carter Bear is the latter iteration.
He won't overly stun you with creativity, but he has good enough hand-eye coordination and vision that gets multiplied by his sheer determination. At 6'0", he has a nose for the net. He's also equally diligent in defensive marking. Bear is a menace in puck battles and refuses to concede space. His skating is average, and I'm not sure he is creative enough to reliably drive play, so there is a chance that the Red Wings may have to settle for an X-factor third-line type, but he just as well could become a top-line winger.
Eddie Genborg, taken at 44th overall, relies on his physical game. A winger, He is tenacious as a forechecker and I've seen him hold possession in 1v2 battles along the walls in the offensive zone and still win possession while the rest of his team changes lines.
He's a decent shooter and I like his ability to fight for stick position around the crease, but I don't love his general offensive upside and sometimes he tries to execute high-difficulty plays that he isn't skilled enough to pull off. He has a chance to make it as a bottom-six checker.
Edmonton Oilers
11 of 32
Grade: D-
Analysis:
Tommy Lafreniere in the third round was multiple rounds too early. The forward has scored in the WHL and he works hard, but everything about his profile screams "career minor leaguer."
On the other hand, I like David Lewandowski. The 6'1" winger plays a rough-and-tumble game, particularly along the walls. At the World Junior Championships, he was thrust into an offensive role for a weak German squad and impressed nonetheless. He's not going to create offense, but he can make plays on the occasions where he finds himself in a position to shoot the puck. He could be a fringe 3rd liner or character 4th liner in the NHL.
Center Aidan Park has a baseline skillset and, given his sheer will and thoughtfulness, could be enough to get him across the finish line and into an end-of-roster spot in the NHL.
The Oilers weren't working with much at the draft, but this is a cynical list. If they even manage to milk anything from this group, it's hard to imagine anything outside of fringe NHL depth.
Florida Panthers
12 of 32
Grade: C-
Analysis:
If nothing else, fourth-round pick Mads Kongsbak Klyvø has a few standout traits to build on. The winger is a nice skater and tries to make plays in open ice. He's not really an offensive producer and his defensive traits aren't good enough to carry him, but he at least has some natural talents and there is an NHLer to unlock if the development staff can help him put the pieces together.
Winger Shamar Moses, picked in round five, can capitalize in the offensive zone. He's a solid shooter, and he thrived as a playmaker on the power play for North Bay this past OHL season. And Arvid Drott, picked in round six, is a good skater with some offensive zone capabilities.
I don't think Florida got anyone of particular intrigue and fourth-round selection Shea Busch is a rough choice at that time of the draft. It's unlikely the Panthers will get much out of this draft class, but they did at least pick a few players who have traits that could carry them to the NHL if the rest of their games build out.
Los Angeles Kings
13 of 32
Grade: B-
Analysis:
Henry Brzustewicz would not have been my pick at 27th overall, but I think the Kings can credibly defend the selection.
The right-handed defenseman is an offensive-zone creator and in particular, finds seams through the middle of the ice to thread passes to teammates in scoring positions. He's okay as a defensive player and he's already very strong.
I'm not sure he'll be the first option for offensive situations and power plays on a good team, and I do wonder if that means the likeliest NHL role for him is as an 18-minute defenseman feasting against the team's bottom six.
I would not have taken winger Vojtěch Čihař anywhere near round 2, but overage winger Kristian Epperson exploded offensively this season and has the brains and brawn to find his way into an NHL bottom-six. Fourth-rounder Jimmy Lombardi, as a center, has good hands and he could make his way to the NHL if he can become faster and stronger.
Some other picks were strange but I think Los Angeles gave themselves a good chance at an NHLer in Brzustewicz and should be able to pull one or two more depth players out of the rest of the pile.
Minnesota Wild
14 of 32
Grade: B-
Analysis:
Second-round pick Theodor Hallquisth is 6'2" and shows good offensive instincts. He loves to push into offensive positions and, at least in the Swedish J20 league, his team controlled play with him on the ice. And when he has an opportunity to shoot, he's a pretty good scoring threat. He shows good instincts for finding lanes up ice, but he lacks the quickness with his feet to exploit those openings. He is 6'2" but has some trouble making necessary defensive reads at quick speeds. He's an interesting player who can succeed if he becomes a more fluid skater. His statistical profile isn't remarkable and he may have been a project better suited for round three.
Adam Benak, however, is very interesting in round four. A point-per-game player in the USHL, he's a high-end thinker of the game and he's often going to beat his defender if they're in a one-vs-one battle of "guess what the other guy is about to do." He's also very skilled on the puck and makes some clever stick-handling and passing sequences. But he's 5'7" and a below-average skater. He's not suited for a checking role so it's a question of whether he can find new levels of offense to beat the odds. But his NHL upside is very real and he's a candidate to be the type of player whom teams regret doubting five years later.
Montreal Canadiens
15 of 32
Grade: A-
Analysis:
We're not counting it as part of the grade, but Habs fans will remember this draft for the picks the team didn't make; 16th and 17th overall were shipped to the Islanders as part of the Noah Dobson trade.
The Habs did get value later in the draft, though.
Alexander Zharovsky, taken early in Round Two, is a dynamic offensive winger. He's talented in possession. It's not just that he'll capitalize in the offensive zone but that he'll make the plays in all areas of the ice to turn mundane possessions into threatening opportunities. He's a dangerous shooter, but also will lay pucks to teammates just as well. Right now, he's dominating individual matchups in Russian juniors and he'll need to find ways to use his teammates, but in fairness, players at higher levels will be better rally partners for him. He could be a top-six offensive winger in the NHL.
In round 3, Hayden Paupanekis is a more pragmatic complement to Zharovsky. The 6'4" center is fastidious in all three zones. A physical player who did some of the yeoman work necessary to let more skilled players shine, Paupanekis could be a third-line center.
Finally, the Canadiens' selection of L.J. Mooney in round four is a fun one. A spirited winger who plays at a fast pace, Mooney is 5'7". If not for that, we'd be talking about him as a first- or second-round pick. The Canadiens had luck with Lane Hutson and, while Mooney is not that level of prospect, the Habs may be rewarded yet again by taking a chance on a skilled offensive player who is doubted because of size.
Nashville Predators
16 of 32
Grade: A-
Analysis:
Let me make this clear: I REALLY like Brady Martin. He's 6'0" but plays bigger than his height. Martin is arguably the best forechecker in this draft. Not only because he plays every shift with his heart on his sleeve, but because he has the intelligence and dexterity to take good routes and anticipate where the puck is headed.
He cuts no corners in any zone but is also quite skilled. He's great at catalyzing combination plays with his linemates, and particularly as a playmaker. The optimistic projection for him may be Paul Stastny or Alexander Steen, a 200-foot center who sets an example for his teammates in all facets of the game and has the offensive touch to hit 55-60 points consistently. He may even be the team's future captain.
I'm just not convinced he was worth the fifth-overall selection. Martin's skating needs work and the Predators need high-end difference-makers. GM Barry Trotz left a lot of upside on the board; Porter Martone, and James Hagens, among them.
To the point that Nashville needs to inject skill into the lineup, I do like Cameron Reid and Ryker Lee as bets on talent. Reid is a crafty offensive defenseman who skates really well and, pushing 6 feet tall, is still big enough to develop a competent defensive game. Lee is one of the most skilled wingers in this draft. Nobody's going to expect much from him defensively and his skating isn't great for his size, but his potential as a top-six winger is undeniable. Both were strong values at 21st and 26th overall, respectively.
Finally, Jacob Rombach, taken early in Round Two, is one of my favorite players in the draft. He's a 6'6" defenseman and can play a physical game, but he's not a brute. He has nice footwork for his size, his timing when defending against the rush is brilliant, and he is decent enough moving the puck from the back-end. The boxscore numbers don't look good, but I implore you to ignore that; I like his odds of becoming a true top-four shutdown defenseman.
Even if Martin's selection proves to be a mistake in hindsight, it won't be because he didn't turn into a very good hockey player. There's a lot to like with Nashville's draft haul. They needed some life in the organization after last season's debacle.
New Jersey Devils
17 of 32
Grade: B
Analysis:
Second-round pick Conrad Fondrk is an interesting gamble at 50th overall. He's a skilled but incomplete offensive center who struggled to show his true potential on a weak USNTDP team, then suffered an injury that sabotaged his season.
But I really like their selection of Benjamin Kevan, 13 picks later. He's lightning fast on north-south routes and he is artful enough with the puck to capitalize on the scoring chances he generates with that speed. He'll need to become a more physical presence and tuned in to the nuances of his defensive responsibilities, but I think he can be a third-line rush offense weapon who also bails his team out with a few shorthanded goals every season.
I'm rather indifferent to the rest of their draft, but the Devils got two nice prospects with top-nine upside out of the second round. It's nothing special, but it's tidy business.
New York Islanders
18 of 32
Grade: A+
Analysis:
Matthew Schaefer wasn't on Connor McDavid's level of "Duh" for first-overall, but there was near consensus that he should be the first-overall pick. The Islanders should earn credit, at least, for not overthinking any worries about how many games he missed this season with a fluke injury.
As I said in my scouting report for Schaefer, I don't think he'll be a Norris-caliber defenseman, but he should be the number-one guy on Long Island for a decade-plus.
The Islanders made good work of their other first-round picks pulled from Montreal in the Noah Dobson trade. "Steal" may be too strong of a word, but Swedish winger Victor Eklund qualifies as a favorable drop to NYI at 16. He's a pitbull on the ice with above-average skills as well. He could be Brendan Gallagher-like.
At 17, the Islanders got good, but more appropriate value in Kashawn Aitcheson. The defenseman is pure power. He hits like a truck in open ice and his shot is not one I'd rush to jump in front of. He could turn into a second-pairing defenseman.
Luca Romano is also a nice pickup at 74. The three-zone center could turn into a versatile third liner.
The Islanders needed some luck in the form of ping pong balls and other teams leaving talent on the board, but the last two days have been massive in changing the perspective of an Islanders team that no longer lacks exciting young talent.
New York Rangers
19 of 32
Grade: B-
Analysis:
The Rangers got Malcolm Spence at 43rd overall, an outcome I doubt they anticipated coming into the day.
He's an extremely hard-working winger whose game is broad enough that he can fill many different types of roles depending on who his linemates are. Spence is clinical and efficient offensively, but he's kind of vanilla in terms of creating. He won't end up on a highlight reel, but over a 10-game sample, he'll accumulate points as a matter of good habit. He has a chance to be a yeoman and on a second line with two offensive catalyst,s or he'll be a playoff-style third line checker who provides secondary offense. And while there are lots of players drafted in the second round who "could" become something, Spence is a far safer bet to make it than most.
Mikkel Eriksen, taken in round four, is an unexpected swing for upside from the Rangers, who typically don't target undersized players in the later rounds. The Norwegian center is a talented offensive player, but he'll need to become stronger and a better skater if he's to live up to his potential as a middle-six center.
Most of the other players the Rangers drafted face uphill battles. Third-round pick Sean Barnhill is very athletic and big, but needs to become a more sophisticated player if he's to make the NHL as a No. 5 defenseman. Artyom Gonchar, nephew of Sergei, is almost the opposite; he's evasive and creative in the offensive zone as a quarterback, but he's undersized, his skating posture is awkward, and he needs to develop better habits across three zones. Zeb Lindgren and Evan Passmore look like potential third-pairing defensemen if you squint.
I don't think the Rangers look any different as an organization today, beyond the fact that they have a bit more defensive depth down the ranks than they did last week. They made a few strange selections, but they did, at least, nail their second-rounder and pick some players with intrigue elsewhere.
Ottawa Senators
20 of 32
Grade: B
Analysis:
I think Logan Hensler is still trying to figure out exactly who he is as a defenseman, but he is talented enough to believe that he's going to figure it out. He was overwhelmed at Wisconsin for a while, but it's not unusual for an accelerated freshman.
Hensler is a fluid skater and displays strong footwork as well. He'll need some time to adjust to the speed of playing against pros in terms of reading the game visually. He has solid size and engages physically. Maybe he becomes a true offensive factor as well, but I think the Senators will be pleased enough if he helps move pucks up the ice. The optimistic case for Hensler is that he turns into a No. 3 defenseman who tilts the ice in his team's favor no matter which team has the puck. That's fair enough for a 23rd-overall selection.
Blake Vanek is a swing at a raw player. The son of Thomas, he mirrors his dad. He's a 6'3" winger who dominated offensively in Minnesota High School hockey, largely on the back of his shooting prowess. He is slow-footed and the pace of higher levels of hockey may be a source of growing pains for him. An August birthday, and having only briefly played junior hockey, Vanek is a long-term project, but that also means he has a lot of room for growth.
Philadelphia Flyers
21 of 32
Grade: B+
Analysis:
Porter Martone has the potential to become a bona fide superstar. Nearly 6"3 and pushing 210 pounds, Martone plays a power forward's game. He's not a physical bully per se, but he instead uses his size and strength to prevent opponents from stopping him. He's a multi-faceted producer in the offensive zone and has a really heavy wrist shot, but he truly thrives as a playmaker with high-end anticipation and pinpoint accuracy as a passer.
There are some risks associated with Martone because he plays a slow game. That is, his skating isn't great, but he also plays at a slow tempo. He's also too passive at times when, with his skillset, he should be grabbing the bull by the horns. There is a sliver of bust potential for Martone but if he hits his marks, we're talking about a superstar power forward in a class of his own. The potential rewards far outweigh the concerns. We can debate him or James Hagens, but the Flyers got awesome value at sixth overall.
Jack Nesbitt is a different story. He could make it as a really good third-line center. Nesbitt is a hard worker and a diligent defensive player. He can create offense in open space but he really struggles to make plays in tight space or with limited time. The skating is also rough.
He's a fairly rigid player with the good intentions and work ethic to make it in the NHL, but he'll need to find new gears to justify the Flyers' selecting him 12th overall, let alone trading up for him.
I do love what the Flyers did on Day Two. Jack Murtagh, Carter Amico, Shane Vensaghi, Matthew Gard, and Max Westegard are all talented players with enough upside. The Flyers should get an NHLer or two out of that group.
Pittsburgh Penguins
22 of 32
Grade: B
Analysis:
This was an interesting draft class in Pittsburgh.
There will be a lot of people who will say that Benjamin Kindel was a reach at 11th overall, and that could be true, but it's not very hard to imagine Kindel living up to this draft slot.
The Calgary Hitmen forward totaled 99 points in 65 games last season in the WHL. He's cerebral and knows how to force defenses into bad decisions. Really good understanding of changing pace to create openings for himself to make plays. Despite his size, no areas of the offensive zone are off-limits for him as a puckholder and he's also pretty fearless as a forechecker.
His skating is pretty average, though he does skate nicely north-south, and that worries some scouts to his 5'10" frame. Will his smarts and hands be enough despite those physical weaknesses? The Penguins have placed their bet. If they're right, he's going to be a headache in the NHL.
Bill Zonnon was slot value at the 22nd overall pick. Good production in the QMJHL, but the tape is better. He's always involved in the play and puts himself in spots to support teammates on both the defensive and offensive sides of the puck. He's a hungry forechecker and keeps defensemen on their toes. Zonnon does all of the little things to impact the game and has enough soft skills to capitalize on the opportunities he helps create through mucking. Zonnon is probably a third liner in the NHL, potentially at center, but he'll be the type of third liner everyone notices in a close playoff game.
Will Horcoff, son of Shawn, plays a similar style to his father. The 6'5" forward has spent time at both center and wing and he did not look out of place at Michigan this season over an 18-game sample. He's a physical presence on the ice, throwing some sturdy hits. I like the way he finds spots on the ice to connect to the play, whether that's winning puck scrums or offering support to complete a zone exit. Horcoff has decent hands around the net and shows pretty good poise as a passer in open ice, but I worry about his skating and a lack of creative offensive ability. An NHL career is looking good, but I'm not sure he'll drive enough offense to justify the 24th-overall pick, let alone trading up to grab him.
San Jose Sharks
23 of 32
Grade: A
Analysis:
There were rumors that the Sharks might do something unorthodox at second overall, but sanity won out and GM Mike Grier took the runaway best player available in Michael Misa.
Misa is impossible not to notice quickly in any given game. He's quite the skater and he has a lot of octane in the tank. Misa layers a lot of different talents together in ways that lead to his line controlling play. He has a separation burst and the stick skills to separate from checks. He slings wrist shots into the corners of the net. He finds high-difficulty passing lanes in motion. He is also lethal in pressuring in the defensive zone to create turnovers and then blowing past defenders in transition.
Sometimes Misa tries to do too much and, despite his point totals, I would have liked to see him dominate more. Scouts also wonder if he's better suited for the wing. In any case, San Jose already looks good at center with Celebrini and Smith and Misa should be a great two-way forward.
Joshua Ravensbergen is a good value at 30th overall and, with how deep San Jose's prospect pool is, they could afford to take a risk on a big, athletic goaltender. Haoxi Wang, taken 33rd overall, is also a high-upside flyer. The 6'5" defenseman skates like the wind and shows good shutdown potential, but is still figuring out the offensive side of the game. Cole McKinney has a strong defensive foundation to his game and, with a little offensive jump, could develop into a middle-six center.
The Sharks didn't do anything beyond the scope of what was expected of them with the draft picks they had, but they didn't throw away any value, either. A deep prospect pool gets deeper.
Seattle Kraken
24 of 32
Grade: A-
Analysis:
I almost feel bad for the Seattle Kraken, who have drafted centers with four out of their five first-round picks in franchise history. Granted, having too many top-six centers would be a problem most teams would wish for, but if Seattle gets there, then they'll nonetheless have to find a way to sort the depth chart.
Jake O'Brien is a 6'2" defenseman with some of the best puck poise in this draft. He has creative moves to beat defenders one-on-one and his vision is brilliant. He's not the player with the biggest engine in this draft, but he does his part to defend and forecheck. O'Brien could become a second-line playmaking center and I imagine Seattle hopes he becomes a tandem with goal-scoring wing prospect Jagger Firkus.
Blake Fiddler, taken 36th overall, had borderline first-round value. A right-handed defenseman who is very mobile, Fiddler has a hint of offensive upside and could turn into a second-pairing minute-eating defenseman.
I don't love Will Reynolds early in round three, but the end of Seattle's draft was fine, and they did their most important work with their first- and second-round picks.
St. Louis Blues
25 of 32
Grade: A
Analysis:
This is all about Justin Carbonneau, who could end up being one of the best values of the first round. He's electric with the puck and he makes high-difficulty puck-handles look easy. Quick hands as a shooter and a future power-play trigger man. He has some work to do in terms of becoming a more complete player and being a more consistent shift-by-shift presence, but his upside as a first-line offensive dynamo is undeniable. Particularly in this draft, where upside is hard to come by, Carbonneau is a wonderful gamble on upside at 19th overall.
Their other picks in rounds five and six respectively don't move the needle.
Tampa Bay Lightning
26 of 32
Grade: C+
Analysis:
As usual, Tampa Bay had to pick from the bargain bin in this draft. Some of the picks are interesting, while others are bizarre.
On the positive side, Ethan Czata, taken towards the end of round two, brings both finishing and heavy battle level that could be enough to become a third-line mucker. Slot value at 56. Benjamin Rautiainen is 20 years old and tallied 33 points in 53 Liiga (Finland's top league) games. Tampa has found success turning talented forwards who aren't natural checkers and then finding a way to mold them for the role.
But Aiden Foster, taken in round four, has a long path to follow to even make it to the NHL as a fourth-line enforcer.
Ultimately, the Lightning found some intriguing players, but the best hope is that one of them will fill in the gaps in the roster down the line. There's not a lot of upside in the group.
Toronto Maple Leafs
27 of 32
Grade: D+
Analysis:
Tinus Luc Koblar at 64th overall feels like a pick a team makes when it's trying to be too clever. The Norwegian does have an intriguing size and speed package, but his production in Sweden's J20 last season was well below the baseline necessary to justify a pick in this range. He's more the type you take a flyer on in the late rounds.
They did make up for it with Tyler Hopkins in round 3. He is a toolsy center who plays the game, as some might say, "the right way." He is a candidate to explode offensively next season when he'll be promoted to the first line. He has third-line upside.
From there, the Leafs drafted a bunch of pluggers who need everything to go right to become very limited depth NHLers. A team can get away with trading its first-round picks over three straight seasons if it gets creative with the rest of its picks.
Toronto hardly did that in this draft.
Utah Mammoth
28 of 32
Grade: B
Analysis:
The word "safe" is always dangerous when discussing unproven 18-year-old's but Caleb Desnoyers feels the part.
He's an honest player in all three zones, sticks to his checks, works very hard, and drives the net with power. He's not all yeoman and does show some high-end playmaking ability. Barring major disaster, he's at worst a low-end second-line center and his complete game means a legitimate possibility of a more prominent role.
I don't love Utah's taking Desnoyers fourth overall, but I get it. Hagens is very similar to Logan Cooley. The team likes its long-term options at wing in Keller, Dylan Guenther, Tij Iginla, and Daniil But. There are no high-upside defensemen available. So you grab the surething second-line center who can do all the dirty work and frees Logan Cooley for a pure offense role.
Stats don't do second-round pick Max Pšenička justice; 7 points in 24 WHL games. A right-handed defenseman who plays a physical game, the Czech d-man is a solid skater with shutdown tendencies, and though he wasn't much of a force in the offensive zone, he shows some prowess distributing the puck up the ice. Don't rule out some offensive development and, if so, he could turn into a second-pairing shutdown defenseman.
Vancouver Canucks
29 of 32
Grade: C+
Analysis:
The Canucks grabbed one of the hard-working centers available in the first round. Braeden Cootes was a point-per-game player for Seattle in the WHL.
He's an ambitious forechecker. He forces turnovers and makes quick plays to take advantage of the opposing team's newfound vulnerabilities. I like his ability to link up with other players, but he had nobody to play with in Seattle. We saw at the U18s the consistent offense he is capable of with talented linemates. He'll be a second-line center or at least a luxury third-liner and while he's unlikely to create fireworks in Vancouver, he should make fans content. Maybe a Charlie Coyle type of player.
Goaltender Alexei Medvedev, taken in round two, is talented, but I'm always wary of goaltenders who look good behind elite junior teams. The save percentage gets a boost and developing goaltenders benefit from heavy workloads, which they don't typically get on stacked junior teams.
The rest of their draft is underwhelming, though I'm always intrigued by kids taken out of St. Andrews prep in Ontario, as third-round pick and center Kieren Dervin was. They're going to get a good NHLer out of Cootes but he alone is not inspiring.
This Canucks are in flux and they didn't do anything in this draft to make anyone think twice about the organization's downward trend.
Vegas Golden Knights
30 of 32
Grade: B
Analysis:
Jakob Ihs-Wozniak makes an impact with the puck in the offensive zone. That much is undeniable.
He's a clinical shooter and he's shredded the Swedish junior leagues. The basic statistical profile implies he is headed for a top-six role in the NHL. Unfortunately, the rest of his game leaves a lot to be desired.
He is a below-average skater and does not make up for it with mentality. Too often, Wozniak is disengaged in the more tedious aspects of a game. He gives up too easily in board battles and leaves his team vulnerable defensively at times. Skill alone has been enough to dominate Swedish juniors, but he won't get away with bad habits in Swedish pros, let alone the NHL. But at 55th overall, Ihs-Wozniak is a high-upside selection by Vegas and with even average play off the puck, he could turn into a top-six offensive forward.
Mateo Nobert has produced in the QMJHL and he has a shot to make the NHL as a depth center.
Washington Capitals
31 of 32
Grade: B+
Analysis:
After the first 25 or so picks, the draft list typically either offers players with limited upside or talented players who are still trying to figure it all out. Washington opted for the latter at 27, drafting big winger Lynden Lankovic.
He's 6'4", moves well for his size, and has the creativity to make plays in open ice. He could also control the game along the walls if he took more initiative, but that part of his game has proven inconsistent so far. Washington needs to find a way to keep him engaged in the game and willing to lean into his size rather than purely his soft skills. If he's willing to commit to the developmental process, then Lakovic could be a top-six power forward. A worthy bet on talent at 27th overall.
Second-rounder Milton Gästrin is more meat-and-potatoes. A well-rounded, three-zone center who plays a mature game. He's a team player who doesn't have overwhelming talent, but makes progressive plays in sync with his linemates. He's not going to excite anyone, but Gästrin could become like current Capitals shutdown center Lars Eller.
Winnipeg Jets
32 of 32
Grade: B
Analysis:
I think in an ideal world, Sascha Boumedienne is an early second-round pick. But in this draft, particularly with a shallow pool of offensive defensemen, the top of his draft range touches 28th overall. He envisions himself as a puck-moving defenseman but he's prone to boneheaded decisions with the puck and unforced errors. That being said, he does execute some higher difficulty passing plays. He's an above-average skater and he's put in a lot of work on the defensive side. Perhaps realizing he can't get by on offense alone, Boumedienne has become a more complete player and he could turn into a second-pairing two-way defenseman.
Owen Martin, taken in round three, is a defensive-first center with enough translatable offensive tools that, with some added complexity to his game, he could turn into a bottom-six center.
Viktor Klingsell, a 5'10" winger, is a longshot to make the NHL but he is a skilled puck distributor who has produced offense in the Swedish J20 league. A rare fifth-round pick with upside.
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