2025 NHL Draft - Overagers to watch

[neelynugs]

didn't see this thread for 2025, but curious to hear about some of your favorites so far.

i haven't had much time to watch yet, but daniel nieminen was a guy i liked last year and seems to be doing well.

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[BKarchitect]

This always ends up being an awesome thread, thanks for starting it.

If teams can overlook his size a bit (and it's not like he's 5-8), gotta imagine Jamiro Reber has a chance? He's less than two weeks from being first-time eligible and he's over 0.50 PPG in the SHL. Granted early on and his team isn't good so maybe he doesn't get this chance elsewhere but he seems to be making the most of it.

Alex Zetterberg, who Central Scouting had at #30 for 2024 and was in basically everybody's top 100 has a great size problem but as a true 18 year-old freshman in Boston, adapting to North America - he's off to a solid start with 2 goals, 3 points and +1 in 5 games. Maybe continued strong adaption to North America boosts his chances? Or maybe being 5-8 just continues to make him DND...

Luke Mistelbacher seems an obvious mention out of the WHL at almost 2 PPG and ok size.

 

[Briser la glace]

I have not watched any overagers yet, but I have a few ones on my watchlist :


Kristian Epperson, LW, 5'11" (OHL, former USNTDP)
17 pts in 12 GP (with Saginaw..)
Epperson has a bunch of NHL skills linked together by an intelligent off-puck game. He instantly fires off the catch, finds teammates as they pop into the slot, drives inside from the cycle, and deceives opponents. Give-and-goes, changes of pace, and well-timed dashes into space combined with these skills give Epperson complete control over the game for shifts at a time.
-EliteProspects 2024 NHL Draft Guide

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Seth Fryer, RHD, 6'7" (WHL)
As soon as Fryer gets the puck, he’s looking to make a play. He makes some high-level reads, such as a fake shot into a pass across the slot or deceiving the forecheck to slip a pass straight up the middle. He activates when possible and moves through pass receptions to beat defenders into space. He even tries more advanced lateral stop-start and manipulation play.
-EliteProspects 2024 NHL Draft Guide
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Alex Zetterberg, Tomas Galvas, Daniil Ustinkov, Aidan Park and Topias Hynninen are probably the five "biggest names".

 

[Eye of Ra]

David Granberg

 

[landy92mack29]

Guys to watch in the WHL:
Shane Smith
Bryce Pickford
Alex Worthington
Ben Riche
Rowan Calvert
Dominik Petr
Quinn Mantei
Luke Mistelbacher
Grayson Burzynski
Mazden Leslie
Jesse Heslop
Jesse Sanche
Austin Zemlak

Pickford, Riche, Mistelbacher, Burzynski and Leslie main 5

 

[cole33]

Guys to watch in the WHL:
Shane Smith
Bryce Pickford
Miroslav Holinka
Alex Worthington
Ben Riche
Rowan Calvert
Dominik Petr
Quinn Mantei
Luke Mistelbacher
Grayson Burzynski
Mazden Leslie
Jesse Heslop
Jesse Sanche
Austin Zemlak

Pickford, Riche, Mistelbacher, Burzynski and Leslie main 5

Holinka was drafted by the leafs in the 5th round last year