2025 NHL Draft Prospects

[JFA87-66-99]

Does anyone have any info on Wesley Jefferson-Swint goalie. Seen him listed on a mock draft as the 2nd goalie taken and elite prospects has him listed with the UNDT but I've never heard much about him before. Also who is the Russian goalie for 2025 who is being highly touted right now?

 

[MikeyS]

Does anyone have any info on Wesley Jefferson-Swint goalie. Seen him listed on a mock draft as the 2nd goalie taken and elite prospects has him listed with the UNDT but I've never heard much about him before. Also who is the Russian goalie for 2025 who is being highly touted right now?

Maybe a parent of the kid? I’m guessing the first goalie on the mock is Ivankovic? I can’t imagine there is a goalie prospect better than him in North America currently.

The Russian I believe is Pyotr Andreyanov, apparently he is already playing with the 2006 age group.

Pyotr Andreyanov - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Pyotr Andreyanov, 2007-01-22 Volsk, RUS Russia. Most recently in the MHL with Krasnaya Armiya Moskva. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

 

[landy92mack29]

Looking like another solid WHL class overall even before imports with some guys who didn't make the top 10 who have breakout potential. Top 6 look like 1sts, rest have to make jumps to their games to challenge for that.
1-Roger McQueen C/W Brandon Wheat Kings
2-Jordan Gavin W Tri-City Americans
3-Reese Hamilton LHD Calgary Hitmen
4-Cole Reschny C Victoria Royals
5-Joshua Ravensbergen G Prince George Cougars
6-Jackson Smith LHD Tri-City Americans
7-Benjamin Kindel C Calgary Hitmen
8-Cameron Schmidt C Vancouver Giants
9-Jonas Woo RHD Wenatchee Wild
10-Nathan Behm C Kamloops Blazers

 

[MikeyS]

Looking like another solid WHL class overall even before imports with some guys who didn't make the top 10 who have breakout potential. Top 6 look like 1sts, rest have to make jumps to their games to challenge for that.
1-Roger McQueen C/W Brandon Wheat Kings
2-Jordan Gavin W Tri-City Americans
3-Reese Hamilton LHD Calgary Hitmen
4-Cole Reschny C Victoria Royals
5-Joshua Ravensbergen G Prince George Cougars
6-Jackson Smith LHD Tri-City Americans
7-Benjamin Kindel C Calgary Hitmen
8-Cameron Schmidt C Vancouver Giants
9-Jonas Woo RHD Wenatchee Wild
10-Nathan Behm C Kamloops Blazers

Hamilton I think is the best player there.

 

[Bubbles]

Looking like another solid WHL class overall even before imports with some guys who didn't make the top 10 who have breakout potential. Top 6 look like 1sts, rest have to make jumps to their games to challenge for that.
1-Roger McQueen C/W Brandon Wheat Kings
2-Jordan Gavin W Tri-City Americans
3-Reese Hamilton LHD Calgary Hitmen
4-Cole Reschny C Victoria Royals
5-Joshua Ravensbergen G Prince George Cougars
6-Jackson Smith LHD Tri-City Americans
7-Benjamin Kindel C Calgary Hitmen
8-Cameron Schmidt C Vancouver Giants
9-Jonas Woo RHD Wenatchee Wild
10-Nathan Behm C Kamloops Blazers

I'd add Carter Bear on Everett. Very good player.

 

[Zarzh]

The guys Hagens is usually linemates with are projected like 3rd or 4th round. Hagens has played a lot with Stiga and Ziemer. Stiga is an undersized and iffy skating player. Has some skill and having a good year (probably Hagens inflating him), but he’s not one of the best prospects on the team. Ziemer is a sandpaper and intangibles guy. And he’s not some great athlete power forward. He’s like 5’11 and a weak skater. May belong on the fourth line on pure ability, but one of the few forwards on the team who plays that way and he’s the captain, so they give him a bigger role than his offensive game dictates he deserves.

He’s only played a few games all year on a line with Eiserman. And the reason Eiserman has more points is because he’s a scorer only. He cheats in the defensive zone. He’s not losing shifts where he can score points via the PK, like Hagens does. Eiserman has also had better linemates most of the season. Eiserman plays with the third best forward as his center (Bednarik) and either Humphreys or Plante (offensive forwards). Hagens is a very responsible defensive center that gets PK time. Comparing Hagens to Eiserman is like comparing Crosby to Ovechkin. If scoring is all you look at, you could come to the conclusion that the scoring winger is better, but the two-way center does so many more things that help a team win.

Only if they're good enough, and the bar for being good enough is extremely high, especially for the tiny centers. The concern defensively is what does he do when he plays against players who are bigger, and more skilled than him which he would face in the playoffs.

I'd rather he score more or have a standout trait. If he grows 2 or 3 inches fine, but I don't love a player who is weaker offensively and limited defensively compared to other 1st overalls.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Only if they're good enough, and the bar for being good enough is extremely high, especially for the tiny centers. The concern defensively is what does he do when he plays against players who are bigger, and more skilled than him which he would face in the playoffs.

I'd rather he score more or have a standout trait. If he grows 2 or 3 inches fine, but I don't love a player who is weaker offensively and limited defensively compared to other 1st overalls.

Hagens is not weaker offensively. Not sure what you are talking about.

 

[dr1234]

Looking like another solid WHL class overall even before imports with some guys who didn't make the top 10 who have breakout potential. Top 6 look like 1sts, rest have to make jumps to their games to challenge for that.
1-Roger McQueen C/W Brandon Wheat Kings
2-Jordan Gavin W Tri-City Americans
3-Reese Hamilton LHD Calgary Hitmen
4-Cole Reschny C Victoria Royals
5-Joshua Ravensbergen G Prince George Cougars
6-Jackson Smith LHD Tri-City Americans
7-Benjamin Kindel C Calgary Hitmen
8-Cameron Schmidt C Vancouver Giants
9-Jonas Woo RHD Wenatchee Wild
10-Nathan Behm C Kamloops Blazers

Yeah super strong group if Bear and Lakovic aren’t there

 

[Zarzh]

Hagens is not weaker offensively. Not sure what you are talking about.

I would consider him weaker offensively for a 1st overall pick, far less production and fewer tools.

 

[JFA87-66-99]

Maybe a parent of the kid? I’m guessing the first goalie on the mock is Ivankovic? I can’t imagine there is a goalie prospect better than him in North America currently.

The Russian I believe is Pyotr Andreyanov, apparently he is already playing with the 2006 age group.

Pyotr Andreyanov - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Pyotr Andreyanov, 2007-01-22 Volsk, RUS Russia. Most recently in the MHL with Krasnaya Armiya Moskva. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

. Yea that's the goalie who was taken

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I would consider him weaker offensively for a 1st overall pick, far less production and fewer tools.

Explain your case then.

He literally leads the USHL in PPG as a U18. He’s the most talented offensive player on his team. He shouldn’t be penalized for being a team player that plays the right way instead of trying to stuff the stat-sheet.

 

[Zarzh]

Explain your case then.

He literally leads the USHL in PPG as a U18. He’s the most talented offensive player on his team. He shouldn’t be penalized for being a team player that plays the right way instead of trying to stuff the stat-sheet.

Well it's simple, it's a marathon, not a sprint. Playing the right way is the most overrated trait in prospects, and it really undervalues the special two-way forward prospects like Barkov or Leo Carlsson. I don't think defensive development of forwards is at all linear, nor is it independent of systems so a big forward with a weak defensive game could have more impact when they both reach their mid-20s.

Well Bedard, Hughes, McDavid, MacKinnon, and Matthews are just better offensively. Barring major injuries, I don't think it's possible for him to catch them.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Well it's simple, it's a marathon, not a sprint. Playing the right way is the most overrated trait in prospects, and it really undervalues the special two-way forward prospects like Barkov or Leo Carlsson. I don't think defensive development of forwards is at all linear, nor is it independent of systems so a big forward with a weak defensive game could have more impact when they both reach their mid-20s.

Well Bedard, Hughes, McDavid, MacKinnon, and Matthews are just better offensively. Barring major injuries, I don't think it's possible for him to catch them.

You must not be understanding what I'm saying. I'll try to put it in another way.

Hagens is a special offensive talent. I don't know how someone could watch him play and come to any other conclusion. Eiserman, who I don't dislike, leads the team in total points in all NTDP games. Eiserman literally is only concerned with getting his. That's why he will slip down draft rankings. Hagens, if he had the same mindset, could do the same thing and have higher point totals. It's also easier to give him worse line mates after splitting them up because Hagens drives play, and Eiserman doesn't. Eiserman leading Hagens in total points in all NTDP games is not because he's a better offensive player. It's because he cheats for offense in a way he'll need to change, and Hagens doesn't. Hagens will still get his. I think Eiserman will too, but it'll require an adjustment, and no one should be fooled that it means Hagens isn't an elite offensive talent or that Eiserman is the better offensive player.

This is why you see Hagens a unanimous #1 going into 2025, and Eiserman slipping outside of the top 5.

And no offense, those players are not all "just better" offensively. Some of them are. I would take Hagens over Hughes, and thats only concerning NTDP players. Hagens is pretty much at the same level offensively and skating, he's also at least as tall (may end up taller), and a much better defensive player at the same age. MacKinnon wasn't what he was now when drafted. He was viewed as an average 1OA. I think there's a good chance Hagens will be regarded higher by the time he's drafted than MacKinnon was. He can also catch Bedard and Matthews, although it isn't a certainty.

 

[Zarzh]

You must not be understanding what I'm saying. I'll try to put it in another way.

Hagens is a special offensive talent. I don't know how someone could watch him play and come to any other conclusion. Eiserman, who I don't dislike, leads the team in total points in all NTDP games. Eiserman literally is only concerned with getting his. That's why he will slip down draft rankings. Hagens, if he had the same mindset, could do the same thing and have higher point totals. It's also easier to give him worse line mates after splitting them up because Hagens drives play, and Eiserman doesn't. Eiserman leading Hagens in total points in all NTDP games is not because he's a better offensive player. It's because he cheats for offense in a way he'll need to change, and Hagens doesn't. Hagens will still get his. I think Eiserman will too, but it'll require an adjustment, and no one should be fooled that it means Hagens isn't an elite offensive talent or that Eiserman is the better offensive player.

This is why you see Hagens a unanimous #1 going into 2025, and Eiserman slipping outside of the top 5.

And no offense, those players are not all "just better" offensively. Some of them are. I would take Hagens over Hughes, and thats only concerning NTDP players. Hagens is pretty much at the same level offensively and skating, he's also at least as tall (may end up taller), and a much better defensive player at the same age. MacKinnon wasn't what he was now when drafted. He was viewed as an average 1OA. I think there's a good chance Hagens will be regarded higher by the time he's drafted than MacKinnon was. He can also catch Bedard and Matthews, although it isn't a certainty.

I think that's underestimating Hughes but ok, he's the most possible, I doubt it for the others. MacKinnon was insanely hyped, he was seen as semi-generational and his underwhelming first few years dulled that but he later lived up to it. It's kind of forgotten due to the explosion of social media afterwards.

 

[Mathieukferland]

I think there's a good chance Hagens will be regarded higher by the time he's drafted than MacKinnon was. He can also catch Bedard and Matthews, although it isn't a certainty.

You have mentioned that the u18s weren’t his best tournament so I apologize that that those are the viewings I’m basing my opinion off, but that is what I have to work with. I still think he’s pretty clear the number 1 in a class that I don’t think has a real challenger, but I view him in 1st overall comparable terms as a Taylor Hall/Nico Hischier type; that is to say better than better than top 6 F/top 4 D players like RNH, Ekblad or Power, but not the franchise level like MacKinnon and Matthews, or more recently Celebrini.



I see a first line elite player with few weaknesses and his best aspect being his skating; I’ve not come up with a good comparable but I believe in the past I’ve bounced between Larkin and Point. All that to say someone I don’t think can achieve the level of those 5 you mentioned

 

[sigx15]

You have mentioned that the u18s weren’t his best tournament so I apologize that that those are the viewings I’m basing my opinion off, but that is what I have to work with. I still think he’s pretty clear the number 1 in a class that I don’t think has a real challenger, but I view him in 1st overall comparable terms as a Taylor Hall/Nico Hischier type; that is to say better than better than top 6 F/top 4 D players like RNH, Ekblad or Power, but not the franchise level like MacKinnon and Matthews, or more recently Celebrini.



I see a first line elite player with few weaknesses and his best aspect being his skating; I’ve not come up with a good comparable but I believe in the past I’ve bounced between Larkin and Point. All that to say someone I don’t think can achieve the level of those 5 you mentioned

You think his best aspect is his skating? Have you seen him pass the puck? His vision is insane. He's a great skater, no doubt about it but man, his vision is nuts. Also, I don't see the Larkin or Point comparables, I see Clayton Keller/Jack Hughes watching him play

This isn't a reference to the post I'm replying to but I do think there are a lot of people looking at points in this thread. If he had the same surrounding cast as Hughes did, he'd be chasing the scoring record. I'm projecting a bit but based off being back with Eiserman and the way he's currently playing, he has 19 regular season games left and most likely 7 at the U18's, he's probably going to finish around 85-90 points if not more. If he had a better supporting cast like Hughes and Matthews, I could easily seem him around 110-115 points, the disparity of linemates and teammates is that significant. The Hughes and Matthews NTDP teams were absolutely loaded with talent, both guys played with top 10 NHL picks all year and their other lines had them too so teams couldn't only focus on them. The only player in that category for Hagens to play with is Eiserman and they've been separated most of the year

Another way to look at it is, Logan Cooley probably should've gone #1 overall looking back on it, I think Hagens is a much better player in his U18 year than Cooley was. I'd take Hagens over anyone in the 2021 draft. He's right up there with Celebrini and close to Hughes for me

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

My current top 32

1 J.Hagens (USA)
2 M.Misa (Canada)
3 I.Ryabkin (Russia)
4 C.Trethewey (USA)
5 W.Moore (USA)
6 P.Martone (Canada)
7 L.Hensler (USA)
8 C.Desnoyers (Canada)
9 E.Guite (Canada)
10 J.Ihs Wozniak (Sweden)
11 J.Smith (Canada)
12 J.O'Brien (Canada)
13 S.Boumedienne (Sweden)
14 A.Frondell (Sweden)
15 J.Murtagh (USA)
16 C.Amico (USA)
17 B.Kindel (Canada)
18 R.McQueen (Canada)
19 J.Kotajarvi (Finland)
20 M.Spence (Canada)
21 R.Hamilton (Canada)
22 J.Gavin (Canada)
23 B.Kevan (USA)
24 J.Ravensbergen (Canada)
25 F.Ekberg (Sweden)
26 M.Schaefer (Canada)
27 M.Phillips (USA)
28 C.Fondrk (USA)
29 C.Reschny (Canada)
30 A.Huang (Canada)
31 L.Radivojevic (Slovakia)
32 B.Martin (Canada)

 

[Takurcitee]

Radivojevic should be higher

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

For the Americans, Phillips is way too raw to be a first rounder. Possibly if he has an amazing next year. You have Moore and Trethewey way too high. They are late first types. Their point totals are deceiving you. And Kevan doesn’t have the tools for round 1. You should include Cullen Potter and Cole McKinney. They are better players than most of the players you have listed.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

For the Americans, Phillips is way too raw to be a first rounder. Possibly if he has an amazing next year. You have Moore and Trethewey way too high. They are late first types. Their point totals are deceiving you. And Kevan doesn’t have the tools for round 1. You should include Cullen Potter and Cole McKinney. They are better players than most of the players you have listed.

I'm confident about the American guys on my list. Cullen Potter with his size for the talent he has, it's no. McKinney didn't convince me.

I know that North American prospects are overvalued compared to Europeans but that's how it is. The list will evolve gradually.

 

[Pazucha]

Looks to be very CAN-SWE-USA based so far?

There is 1 Slovak but he plays in Sweden
0 Czechia
1 Finland
1 Russia
0 Austria / Germany / Switzlerand

The 2021 draft was pretty much just Can-Swe-Usa btw so its not unrealistic

 

[Czechboy]

First list I've seen without jiricek around 15 to 25.

 

[Czechboy]

Looks to be very CAN-SWE-USA based so far?

There is 1 Slovak but he plays in Sweden
0 Czechia
1 Finland
1 Russia
0 Austria / Germany / Switzlerand

The 2021 draft was pretty much just Can-Swe-Usa btw so its not impossible

It isn't but this year seems likely to have some Czechs, Finn's, Russians and probably a Belarussian in round 1.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

First list I've seen without jiricek around 15 to 25.

This is for 2025.

 

[Czechboy]

This is for 2025.

Well don't I look stupid.

Apologies!