NHL Central Scouting released its final rankings for the 2025 NHL draft.
Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer edged out Saginaw Spirit center Michael Misa for the No. 1 spot on the North American skaters list. On the international skaters list, Djurgarden teammates Anton Frondell and Victor Eklund lead the way.
NHL Central Scouting lists are better viewed as a league-wide barometer rather than a distinctive ranking by an outlet. The NHL’s in-house bureau gives teams and fans rankings to serve as a guide.
Here are some initial reactions to the NHL draft skater lists.
North American Skaters
There is some notable movement on a few players on the North American skaters list, despite Schaefer remaining in first place.
OHL Brampton right winger Porter Martone dropped a couple of spots from fourth to sixth place. He may not be a top-five draft pick after being a virtual lock in that range previously.
WHL Brandon center Roger McQueen has spent much of the season on the sidelines with a back injury, and although he came back just before the playoffs, he missed the final two games of the team’s first-round series loss. His drop from fifth to eighth could be the start of teams becoming more concerned about his long-term health.
Another interesting drop on the list was Haoxi ‘Simon’ Wang who fell from 23rd to 34th, signifying that teams likely see the tall but lanky Oshawa Generals’ defenseman as a possible second-round pick. He stepped into the OHL at the halfway point of the season after starting in the OJHL, where he generated a ton of buzz.
On the flip side, Brantford Bulldogs center Jake O’Brien went from eighth to fourth after a great season, showcasing a blend of physical tools and size and some excellent playmaking ability. Radim Mrtka, the Seattle Thunderbirds' import defender, rounded out the top five, moving up a spot. Barrie Colts physical blueliner Kaswhawn Aitcheson finds himself in the top 10, moving up five spots.
Mason West, a center playing Minnesota high school hockey, jumped from 50th to 27th. He’s worth watching as the NHL draft draws closer.
West is a big forward who moves fairly well for his size and is finishing the season strong for the USHL’s Fargo Force. He has the package that so many NHL teams want, so it will take just one team falling in love and grabbing him in the late first or early second round.
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International Skaters
The international list is always a bit more chaotic, and this iteration is no different.
Although Frondell and Eklund simply flipped positions at the top, the mid-term No. 3 was Ivan Ryabkin, who moved to USHL Muskegon and saw his stock fall to 35th on the final North American list. Modo Jr. center Milton Gastrin moved from fourth to third, and Czech left winger Vojtech Cihar moved up a spot to fourth.
One of the most interesting names on the final list is Russian right winger Alexander Zharovksy landing at No. 5 after not being on the mid-season list at all.
Zharovsky has a very interesting package of tools, and he tore up Russian junior hockey with 50 points in 45 games for Ufa Jr. But after not being on the list all year, finding him in fifth place was a moderate surprise.
Max Psenicka sat eighth in the midterm rankings, but he was off the final list. Maxim Agafonov (17th to 33rd), Dmitri Isayev (ninth to 21st), and Kirill Yemelyanov (15th to 31st) are among some of the names that fell notably.
Swedish winger Arvid Drott went from 43rd to 25th, playing alongside Eric Nilson (No. 7) on many occasions for Djurgarden Jr. Max Westergard, a Finnish winger playing in Sweden, rose from 66th to 30th.
You can find the full lists here.
