The 2025 NHL Draft has come and gone. 97 of our top 100 ranked players were drafted, as were 120 of our top 130.
There were definitely some interesting trends.
For one, no defenders under the height of 6 feet were selected. Conversely, the focus was clearly on adding size and more size to NHL lineups, as many of the draft’s “fallers” were undersized players. This is obviously in response to what the Florida Panthers have done in recent years; teams want to add more size and grit to their organizations.
Another trend was the increased selection of CHL players. 90 CHL players were selected, the most in almost a decade. Over 40% of all players were out of the Canadian Hockey League, and that number probably increases when you factor in the number of players who have officially (and unofficially) signed in the league for next year. This is obviously in response to the new NCAA eligibility rules and the pending changes coming to the CBA regarding the signing window. Teams felt more comfortable using mid to later round picks on players out of the CHL knowing that their signing window will likely increase and, subsequently, so will their development window.
As is usually the case, re-entry players were heavily targeted. Our top eight re-entries (or overagers) were selected and over 30 were taken league wide. Although, the number was a little lower than we’ve seen the last few years. However, it’s important to note that some of those re-entries taken were players previously ranked highly by us at McKeen’s Hockey like Francesco Dell’Elce and Nolan Roed. Odds are that a few of the players listed below will improve enough to earn a selection in the coming years.
Here were our top ten undrafted players:
Post Draft Outlook: Considering that so many other similar defenders were selected, from the QMJHL alone, it was shocking to see Conrad go unselected. NHL teams must have felt that his skating was not quite at the level it needed to be considering his likely low impact on the offensive side of things.
Post Draft Outlook: Obviously was a turbulent year for Morin as he left the USHL earlier in the year to sign in Saint John, then put up somewhat disappointing numbers. Consistency was the biggest issue for him, especially in terms of physical engagement. But he has the package of size and skill that NHL teams are looking for. At some point, it seems likely he puts it all together and becomes a high scoring junior player. Maybe it’s this year in the QMJHL. Maybe it’s in the future with Boston University.
Post Draft Outlook: Radivojevic was a highly divisive prospect for us this year as a staff. Some felt that he was a top two round prospect, while others felt he was a draft long shot deserving of a lower ranking. As mentioned above, it was not a good year to be an undersized defender. At the end of the day, Radivojevic just isn’t dynamic enough offensively at this current moment to be a big time point producer at higher levels. That makes his projection murky. He’ll be at Boston College next year and could easily be next year’s Francesco Dell’Elce if he produces at a good clip and shows that his game can translate.
Post Draft Outlook: It feels like Pobezal has been on the draft radar for several years thanks to some underage appearances for Slovakia internationally on the bigger stages. However, his game has seemed to plateau, and the physical tools just haven’t caught up. The IQ and compete level are great, but what’s the upside? He’ll play in Kingston next year and he could easily be back on the draft radar with a strong performance in the OHL.
Post Draft Outlook: Even though Rheume-Mullen isn’t technically undersized, it was a tough draft for “average” sized defenders too, especially ones with his profile. Like Radivojevic, DRM was a player that was highly debated by our scouting team. Ultimately, a lack of standout trait outside of skating clouded his upside in the eyes of NHL scouts. But he’ll return to Michigan as a sophomore, and he’ll earn more ice time over time. He’ll definitely be on the signing radar in a few years if he’s not drafted next year (in his final year of eligibility).
Post Draft Outlook: Given how well his brother Gracyn progressed over his years in the WHL, we expected Lukas to be selected because there are some similarities in their games. But his size/frame likely did him in this year, especially when coupled with only average production. We wish he had gotten more ice time at the U18’s to show what he’s made of, but that will have to wait. He’ll return to Edmonton next year and look to fill his big brother’s shoes as Gracyn turns pro in the Florida system.
Post Draft Outlook: We were big fans of Cameron coming into the year and we still believe that he’ll evolve into an NHL prospect down the line. But right now? A tough year for a rebuilding Peterborough Petes team was tough on him. He lost his identity and fell into the draft year trap by trying to do too much. He still has an intriguing two-way skill set and he’ll evolve with an improving Petes’ team over the next two years.
Post Draft Outlook: Again, what a tough year to be undersized. Veilleux was among the production leaders for draft eligible CHL players this year. However, his game lacks polish and maturity currently. He needs to get stronger and improve his off-puck play. If he can add some snarl to his game and continue to improve his skating, he’s going to keep producing offensively in the QMJHL and eventually get a sniff.
Post Draft Outlook: Did we mention that being undersized was a kiss of death this year? Carrier was a favourite sleeper of our QMJHL scouting team, but he just didn’t produce enough or get enough ice time to truly stand out. He is a hard worker with a well-rounded skill set, but perhaps a lack of standout trait, coupled with his size, made it difficult for NHL scouts to project him to a future NHL role.
Post Draft Outlook: Another QMJHL stay at home standout with size that we figured was a draft slam dunk. The heavy hitter might have fallen under the radar a bit this year, his first in the QMJHL as an import. Hopefully he returns to Val D’or next season and continues to improve his skating and puck management/puck skill to get himself back on the draft radar.