window.tgpQueue.add('tgpli-682f269fb5a2b') As the NHL awaits the 2025 Stanley Cup champion to be crowned, the spotlight is beginning to shift from playoff heroics to the league’s next generation of potential stars. 1jw45
Unlike previous years, the 2025 NHL Draft does not feature a consensus generational talent at the top of all the draft boards. Instead, it is filled with a deep pool of high-ceiling prospects, each with their own right to be selected with the first overall pick. The New York Islanders, coming off a 35-35-12 record, stunned the hockey world by winning the draft lottery despite holding just a 3.5% chance. Defying the odds and leaping over nine other teams, the Islanders now have the ability to add a key player who they hope can help alter their luck and return the team to the playoffs.
While the uncertainty at the top of the draft leaves both players and fans wondering, the intrigue only adds excitement to the betting landscape when it comes to who will capture the Calder Trophy.
- Matthew Schaefer (Erie Otters – Defenseman)
For the first time since drafting John Tavares in 2009, the Islanders will select first in the NHL Draft. In a class without a clear-cut number one pick, most signs, including Canadian betting sites, point towards the New York Islanders taking the 6’2”, 185lb defenseman. Equipped with a high IQ and commanding presence on the ice, Matthew Schaefer has already drawn favorable comparisons to some of the game’s top defensemen. Schaefer’s skating and transitional play make him one of the more NHL-ready players of the 2025 draft class, and he could find himself as part of the Islanders’ lineup as soon as opening night.
While his time with the Erie Otters was limited to just 17 games this season due to injury, Schaefer proved that he has a two-way game that will help the Islanders on both ends of the rink. Schaefer could be the fifth defenseman in the last 25 years to be drafted first overall, since Owen Power was selected by the Buffalo Sabres.
- Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit – C/LW)
If anyone can unseat Schaefer from the top spot, it would be high-scoring OHL forward Michael Misa. Recording 134 points last season in 65 games, including 50 goals in 50 games, the Oakville, Ontario native will certainly help the San Jose Sharks’ need for scoring. Pairing Misa with last year’s top pick, Macklin Celebrini will give the Sharks an impressive 1-2 punch and a solid foundation to rebuild a team that has been absent from the postseason for the past six years.
Misa isn’t just a one-trick pony equipped with a quick release; his slick puck handling and play-making ability, as evident by his 72 assists this past season, make him a constant threat in the open ice and early odds-on favorite for the Calder Trophy. Scouts have praised Misa’s ability to think and see the game at a level above his peers. On a team in need of some offensive flair, Misa is the perfect fit in San Jose.
- Porter Martone (Mississauga Steelheads – RW)
Standing 6’3”, 208lbs, Porter Martone not only has the size to make an impact but also the talent. The Chicago Blackhawks have a generational talent in Connor Bedard, but they don’t necessarily have the players around him to make a dent in the standings. Adding a physical player like Martone should help that need.
An excellent player on the boards and in front of the net, Martone possesses the physicality and finesse that have been on display and favored by teams throughout the playoff season. Even as a rookie, Martone’s physical play and deceptively quick shot should be able to provide the Blackhawks with the perfect complement to Bedard’s creativity.
- James Hagens (Boston College – C)
James Hagens could find himself the answer to a future trivia question: Who was the first player drafted by the Utah Mammoth? (Apologies to Tij Iginla, who technically was drafted by the Utah Hockey Club, not the Mammoth.) Despite being an expansion team, the Mammoth had a successful first year, posting a 38-31-13 record and featuring a number of talented forwards for Hagens to .
Hagens, who will be 19 years old at the beginning of the season, will need to hit the weight room to help put some size on his 5’11”, 177lb frame, but his skill set and skating ability should assist in making a seamless transition from the college ranks to the NHL. As a freshman member of the Eagles, Hagens finished the season with 37 points in 37 games. If he can translate those playmaking skills to the NHL, look for Hagens to earn middle-six minutes in his rookie season.
- Jake O’Brien (Oshawa Generals – C)
Thanks to a breakout year with the Generals in which he tallied 98 points in 66 games, Jake O’Brien has seen his draft stock rise significantly. Playing an uptempo game will certainly be a welcome addition to the Nashville Predators’ lineup, as O’Brien’s ability to handle the puck in transition will help create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.
However, don’t let his stats fool you, as O’Brien is also a solid player on the boards and on the forecheck. With a skillset that fits well with Nashville’s desire to inject more speed and grit into their forward group, O’Brien could land a top-six role come opening night. While he may not be a top-three pick, O’Brien may be a solid underdog bet for the Calder Trophy.
