It’s been a week, but the 2025 NHL Draft has officially come and gone. There were some interesting picks, yet some weird selections as well. I have decided to grade every draft pick made in Round 1. Keep in mind, if I assign a selection the grade of “MILBURY” it signifies an F grade. This is, of course, in honor of Mike Milbury who is one of the worst NHL GM of all time. Alright, let’s get into the 2025 NHL Draft grades…
No brainer pick here it was either going to be Matthew Schaefer or James Hagens. I like Hagens, but Schaefer was the much better overall prospect and the consensus best prospect on the board. Schaefer is the Noah Dobson replacement as he was traded before the draft to the Montreal Canadians. Islanders needed a defenseman and Schaefer fits the bill with his high hockey IQ and strong defensive skills. Not bad Islanders, have an A+ grade.
Another no-brainer pick here, Misa is the best forward in the class who could play at either center or left wing. Misa was dominant in the OHL by scoring 62 goals and contributing 134 points all last year. That’s insane numbers for any player to put up and it’s going to be scary seeing him in the NHL if he is developed properly. He will be a nice fit on the 2nd line behind Macklin Celebrini at center and if the Sharks were smart, putting him on the same line with Igor Chernyshov is the perfect fit once both are ready to be called up. Sharks prospect pool got, even more, stronger for the future.
Alright, so far no surprises in the draft as this was the consensus’s first three selections on every board. He does a great job creating space, is a great shooter, and can be a useful goal-scorer for the Blackhawks. They needed a player like him for the Top 6 and Frondell could be very useful on the powerplay. Frondell has position versatility and can play at either winger or center which Chicago could use. If it wasn’t for the Knee injury he had last season, he probably would have gone 1st overall in this class.
I’d rather have James Hagens at this spot, but Caleb Denoyers is a fine choice too. Especially as a case can be made that he is the best two-way player in the draft and the Mammoth could use some more prospects at the center position. Besnoyers is a bigger center and was very solid during his time in the QMJHL. His footwork can be sloppy and the pace of play needs to be improved upon, but in time he should be able to adapt to the NHL style of play. The Mammoth needed a playmaker and Desnoyers is that type of prospect.
Over Porter Matone, Viktor Eklund, Jake O’Brian, and James Hagens? Look Brady Malone is still a good prospect, but there were better options on the board. He is a very physical player, but he doesn’t have the high skills that you want in a prospect, especially when using a Top 5 pick on a player. He has a high ceiling, but a very low floor, and it feels weird that Nashville went in this direction. Nashville must have gone in this direction as they felt he was more of a schematic fit for their team in the long term.
Love this pick for the Philadelphia Flyers as Martone is the best pure winger in the class. He had a great season last year in the OHL contributing 98 points and scoring 37 goals. He is an intense player who can have a lengthy NHL career with a guy his size having solid offensive and defensive skills. Now the one issue with Martone is that his skating is a little lackluster and needs to be quicker with his decision-making, but with some time developing in the AHL, he should be fine.
There goes the hopes and dreams of the New York Islanders trading up to select James Hagens as Boston broke there hearts. Man, what a steal for the Boston Bruins as Hagens should have gone a few picks earlier. James Hagens has the hand-eye coordination and speed that you want in a NHL prospect. The Bruins needed a center in there prospect pool badly and Hagens was the best on the board.
Shocked the Kraken did not select Radim Mrtka here. Especially as they needed a defenseman prospect, and he would have immediately been popular with the Seattle fans with his ties to the Thunderbirds in the WHL. This grade is not because of Jake O’Brian because he is a very talented player, but this is a head-scratcher. Especially as this is the 4th time that the Kraken have selected a Center in round 1. O’Brien is the best player on the board, and Kraken might have felt he was just too good to pass on here. The C part of this grade is for the Kraken, and the + is for O’Brien.
Yeah, seeing how Mrtka reacted to the Sabres drafting him, he isn’t a fan of going to Buffalo. To be honest with how poorly run they have been, can’t blame him. The Sabres needed a right defenseman as that has been lacking in their prospect pool, and he’s got the tools to succeed. A towering defenseman (6’6” is his height) like him with very solid offensive skills, he is just too perfect for the Sabres. Now, if he stays there, though, is a question in the long term. For the short term, an A- feels like a fair grade.
The Anaheim Ducks are a disgraceful organization thanks to their hiring of Joel Quenneville to coach. You know, the man who knew sexual assault was going on in the locker room as the Blackhawks coach and chose to do nothing about it. While I dislike this franchise, this pick makes sense as, at one point, McQueen was once seen as a potential Top 3 pick in the draft. Then the back injury occurred, and that lowered his draft stock. Back injuries are no joke, and there is a big risk taking McQueen here; however, if he stays healthy and develops properly, he could be a player to watch out for in 2-3 years.
Wow, this is a bit of a reach by the Pittsburgh Penguins, as I had Kindel as a Top 25 prospect in this class. There is a lot to like with Kindel, including his speed, creating opportunities for others, and his offensive ability. His size is a bit of a problem, and he lacks the physicality that you want in a prospect. Interestingly, Pittsburgh decided to reach here because there were many better options on the board.
Philadelphia decides to get aggressive here by trading up in this draft to select their guy. That player is Jack Nesbitt? Wait huh? Wow, I had a 2nd round draft grade on him in this draft. Why did the Flyers trade up for him? Especially as they could have drafted him at pick 22 or 31?
Now look, Nesbitt is a very physical player and can become a defensive specialist. However, his skating is a mess, he doesn’t have the speed you want in a potential NHL player, and his offensive skills are super inconsistent. There were many better options on the board for Philadelphia to take, and Nesbitt just feels like a project prospect. This pick gets the first Milbury (F) grade of the draft thanks to the trade-up.
I would rather have Victor Eklund at this spot, but Carter Bear is a nice pick too. However, there is one big concern, Bear is coming off of a partially torn Achilles injury he suffered last season, so thats a big red flag. However when healthy on the ice, Bear is great goal scorer and has a string offensive presence. The Red Wings needed a winger like him in there prospect pool and it should pan out if he remains healthy.
This was a bit of a surprise, as I had Jackson Smith going in the early 20s range in this draft class. Also, I did not see the Columbus Blue Jackets going in this direction, as they had plenty of offensive-type left defensemen in their prospect pool. Maybe the Blue Jackets want to ensure depth, which isn’t a bad thing.
There is a lot to like with Jackson if you are looking for an offensive-type defenseman. He handles the puck very well and is very creative when making opportunities for others. However, his defensive skills are very lackluster, the speed is inconsistent, and he needs to improve his physicality. Columbus must have felt his offensive skills were too good to pass on, and it will be interesting to see how he develops.
Cootes is a player who has been rising draft boards for a good bit of time now, and it’s hard not to see why. He has great field vision and is an underrated playmaker. Last season, he put up a solid statline of 63 points, where 26 of them were goals and 37 assists. It’s crazy how quick his awaness and hand-eye coordination is, and he would fit perfectly in Vancouver as it’s not far from Seattle. Nice addition by the Canucks here.
Absolutely love this pick by the New York Islanders, as I had Eklund as a Top 6 pick in this draft class. He has the skills you want in a player, including physicality, defense, goal scoring, playmaking, and skating. The one word many analysts and scouts have labeled Eklund is compensative. It’s shown in the tape, but he can be a little too overcompetitive and at times lacks awareness. However, besides that, he doesn’t have a notable weakness in his play excluding the usual “will it translate” argument. Honestly, it didn’t make any sense why he fell this far during the draft. Oh well, New York Islanders gain here, have another A+ grade.
Islanders pick again here, and from the other two selections, this is easily the weakest pick. Mainly because one was the consensus 1st overall pick, and the other was a guy who should have gone much earlier. Aicheson got drafted around the spot he was projected, which is fine. While his offensive skills are a little sloppy, Aitcheson is an electric player, though, and plays with strong defensive physicality that you want from a prospect. One of the top grit and sandpaper type prospects in this class, as he is willing to risk his body to ensure victory for his team. In time, he should be a nice defenseman for the Isles.
Calgary needed an undersized player like Cole Reschny. No, it’s not because of his size, but his Hockey IQ and his playmaking ability in the offensive zone. He can create a ton of opportunities for his teammates and can be a little physical at times as well. Now, the one big issue with Reschny is that his skating is a mess, and he needs time in the minors to clean up a bit of his defensive mechanics. Besides that, this was a solid pickup by Calgary, who need some center prospects.
Carbonneau is such a fun prospect to watch tape on, as he is such a great goal scorer and playmaker. His skating is really good as well, and it helps that Carbonneau can be very useful on the power play, which is what the Blues desperately could use in their prospect pool. Now, the two big concerns with Carbonneau are the turnover issues and his defensive awareness. That has to get cleaned up because there were way too many times when he made bad reads and looked lost when playing defense. His offensive skills are worthy of him going in round 1, but there is a lot that he needs to work on.
What is it with Columbus reaching out to prospects in this round? Also, if they were going to go with a goalie here, why did they select Andreyanov? He is under contract with CSKA Moscow for the next few seasons, and it’s unlikely he will be playing till he is 22 or 23. Andreyanov has potential as he is very athletic and aggressive when in the net. However, his puck control is a mess, inconsistent with his puck-handling, and is a little too adventurous at times.
It’s not a MILBURY grade, as Columbus did need a goalie, and Andreyanov has a high ceiling, but there were much better options on the board. Just feels weird that Columbus went in this direction in general.
Nashville gets aggressive, trading up two spots to select Cameron Reid, and it’s a bit of a weird choice as he easily would have been there at pick 23. Look, there is upside in Reid as the skating ability is there, and he has a high offensive hockey IQ. However, he lacks physicality, and his defensive game just is not strong enough. His size is also problematic, and it led to him dropping in the draft a bit. There is potential with Reid if his offensive play can translate, but there were many better options on the board. This grade gets a C- here as the C is for the player, and the – is for the trade-up.
Solid pick made by Pittsburgh here as they could use a player like Zonnon, who has position versatility. He could be used at center or either wing position, and Pittsburgh needed both in this draft. If they were smart its best to leave him at center as that is where he played his best hockey the past few seasons. With Zonnan’s offense & checking ability, he is very useful. If His skating ability could use some work, but in due time and proper development, he should be able to clean that up.
Senators traded down 2 spots, getting a free 3rd round pick to utilize, and they decided to bolster their defenseman prospect pool. Hensler was the best player on the board, and it’s a little surprising he fell out of the teens in this draft. Now he is a little bit raw as a prospect, but from the film on him, he has the skills you would like in a prospect, and this kid is fast on the ice. Hensler, as a two-way defenseman, is a very good pick for Ottawa.
This was one of the picks Pittsburgh acquired trading down from the twelfth pick, and to be honest, this one is a headscratcher. Especially as they selected 2 centers already in this round. Yes, they could utilize Zonnan as a winger, but like mentioned earlier, he played better at center. Another issue with this pick is that there is a ton of unknown with Horcoff’s offensive skills. His puck-handling skills are a mess, and I just don’t see him as a playmaker type player. His skating, too, is just horrendous, and I had him as a 2nd/3rd-round prospect in this draft.
He is more of a physical and defensive type of player. Horcroff plays hard, blocks shots, has a strong hockey IQ, but has a lot of issues that need to be fixed in the Minors. For taking the Pengguins taking him in the first, this definitely is a reach, and while the player still has potential, I have to give this pick a MILBURY grade.
More size is coming for Chicago as they take the 6’6” winger in Vaclav Netrasil, and it’s not a bad pick. Especially with how impressive his offensive ability is through his puck handling, stick handling, and creation of opportunities for others. Heck, he is also very physical as a forechecker. He does have a tremendous high ceiling to be a Top 6 winger for the Blackhawks, however, there is one thing to keep in mind here. Nestrasil is a super raw prospect and needs a few years to develop in the minors before he is ready to get called up. So if the Blackhawks take their time with his development, he improves his skating, and grow his Hockey IQ, they may have something with him.
Out of all the 1st round picks Nashville used in the first round, this is the one that I like the most. Now this one won’t be too long to analyze as he reminds me a lot of Vaclav Nestrasil, who just went the previous pick. Great offensive ability, can be physical, and has a high ceiling to be a Top 6 winger. But again, Lee is still raw and could definitely improve as a skater. So it gets the same grade as the Nestrasil pick.
What a steal for the Washington Capitals, as I had Lynden Lakovic as a Top 10 prospect. There is so much to like with Lakovic’s play as he is a smooth skater, has one of the best shots in this class, high hockey IQ, and his awareness is very underrated. It doesn’t make any sense that he dropped this much, and while he needs to play more consistently, there really isn’t a big weakness here if he keeps developing properly.
Not a surprise that Winnipeg decided to draft a defenseman with their first-round pick. Looking at their prospect pool, their defenseman prospects are one of the weakest in the league. Boumedienne is one of the better options on the board, and while it is a little early for him to be drafted, it makes sense why they went in this direction. He has the shooting ability, size, and speed that you want in a defenseman. However, a big concern with Boumedienne is that he lacks physicality and needs to build more confidence. Once he fixes that, he has a chance to be a really nice piece for a defenseman core.
Chicago gets aggressive here, trading up and selecting yet another raw prospect in Mason West. He is the best prospect in this draft class who is still in high school, and he has the athletic tools for a long career in the NHL. He is pretty much similar to Vaclav Nestrasil, but he has more of a playmaker and physical style. Again, though West is super raw, this feels like a long-term project type of draft choice. It could be a boom or bust type of selection for the Blackhawks, but with how high his ceiling is, it’s worth taking the chance on him.
Definitely surprising to see the Sharks taking a goaltender in round 1. Joshua Ravensbergen has the size and the poise that you want in anyone in the net, but there are a few red flags with him. The Post-to-Post coverage has not been stellar, and he has to clean up his rebounding control. Plus, Ravensbergen is a little raw and can be a bit overaggressive. Out of all the goalie options to choose from, he was the best in the class, and it felt like the safer option for San Jose compared to the other options on the board. Never hurts to have depth options at goaltender, either.
Kings definitely could use some more physical right-handed defensemen in their prospect pool. Henry Bruztewicz fits the bill, and has the ability to be a two-way type defender on this team. He has some speed and is very solid on both offense and defense. Bruztewicz has to work on some of his mechanics and his defensive awareness is super lackluster, but there is a ton of potential. Bruzustewicz could be a part of the Kings long term if he develops properly.
Calgary goes for speed here by taking Cullen Potter, and it’s a phenomenal pick. After all the reason in the NHL speed is the key to the game now and Potter is one of the fastest skaters in the draft. With how athletic and fast he was, its kind of a surprise he almost fell out of round 1 of the draft and with his offensive upside, there might be plenty of teams regretting passing on him. Yes, he is undersized and isn’t the most physical player, but he has the ability to have an impact on this team. Well done, Calgary, have an A+ grade.
That concludes my grades for the 1st round of the 2025 NHL Draft. My question for you all reading is, do you agree? What are your grades for the 1st round of the NHL Draft? Who are the winners and losers of the draft? Let me know in the comment section, give the article a like, and check out other NHL content on Stadium Rant.com.
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