Midseason Top 50 for the 2025 NHL Draft
It's time to update my draft board for the 2025 NHL draft now that we're past the halfway point of the OHL season. Back in early November ( ...
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It's time to update my draft board for the 2025 NHL draft now that we're past the halfway point of the OHL season.
Back in early November (on my preliminary list), I released my first official list. Misa sat atop after his terrific start to the year. Things have changed. Even with his near season ending injury, Matt Schaefer has moved into the top spot (likely for good). Other OHL players have really stepped up their game to the point where I could see the league having upwards of 10 first round selections. The overall depth that the league offers still remains to be seen, but given the weak crop of other regions, the OHL could actually hit the 40 mark for the first time since 2017.
A reminder that this list does not include potential re-entry candidates (players already passed over in the draft). Kristian Epperson, for example, would easily be on this list and quite high. I do a separate list for them closer to the draft.
Here's my list:
1. Matthew Schaefer - Defense - Erie Otters
What a shame about that collarbone injury at the World Juniors. That was definitely the turning point (in a negative way) for an already weak Canadian roster. The good news is that Schaefer showed that he's already one of the best U20 defensemen on the planet. His return from mono was extremely impressive since it usually takes a month or two for players to regain strength and hit their stride. But, not Schaefer. He picked up right where he left off from the Hlinka/Gretzky, emerging as one of the OHL's best defenders. This is a player without a true weakness. The skating and sense combination is elite. He's increased the physical intensity this year. He projects as a potential Norris candidate and a perennial all star. If we're nitpicking, the shot isn't a major weapon for him. He doesn't look extremely comfortable one timing pucks and he usually just looks to get pucks through. His gap control in transition is still a bit of a work in progress too, as he works through when to be aggressive and when not to be. However, he has the sense and work ethic to improve both of those areas. If you're looking for a really detailed breakdown of his game, check out my recent report on him for McKeen's Hockey. Tons of video and a full write up on where his strengths and weaknesses lie. For me, Schaefer should be the first overall pick this year.
2. Michael Misa - Center - Saginaw Spirit
We're at the end of January now and Misa still hasn't slowed down. He's been near or at the top of the scoring race all year long. The switch back to center full time this year has really done wonders for his confidence and he has emerged as a game breaker. Offensively, he's the complete package. Misa is a dynamic skater. He builds speed quickly but sustains it through quick cuts, allowing him to consistently play at a breakneck pace. Misa is equal parts playmaker and goal scorer. The vision is elite, but his shot is highly underrated. His release is deadly. I think the other thing that people forget about is that Misa has a solid frame. We're not talking about a 5'10 center, Misa is 6'1, 185lbs. He could be 6'2, 200lbs by the time he's hit his prime at the NHL level. Away from the puck, his energy level is consistent. He's a fairly reliable two-way player with solid defensive instincts. He's become an effective penalty killer. He has an edge to his game, that while not consistent, should improve as he matures physically. All in all, this is a potential number one center in the NHL and that's why he should be viewed as a virtual lock for the top five.
3. Porter Martone - Wing - Brampton Steelheads
If you're an NHL GM, how could you not be salivating at the thought of adding Martone to your NHL lineup? Players who blend his size, skill, and physicality are rare in today's game. I'm not sure I'd call them unicorns...but they're rare. Martone projects to have the same kind of impact the Tkachuk brothers have in Ottawa and Florida. And in case you forgot, Matthew won a Stanley Cup last year. As an offensive player, Martone is the complete package. The shot and scoring instincts are elite. The individual skill and creativity are near elite. He doesn't need space to operate, he can create it with his hands or with his size/strength. Sometimes his offensive zone turnovers can be a little frustrating; there are some bad junior habits that will need to be worked out of his game, however, I think it stems from the desire to do too much. He flashes high end vision as a playmaker way too often to believe that he's not an intelligent player. I think that once he gets to a higher level and settles in more as a true complementary piece, he'll be more effective. Simplifying things for him will be a god send. The skating is a topic that I've heard discussed a lot since the WJC's. I've never seen Porter as a high end skater. However, I don't see it as a weakness either; it won't hold him back. Of course, the physicality is another component of his game that adds significant value. He projects as a quality two-way player who can play in any situation at the NHL level. I think Martone is probably as close to a top five lock as you can get this year.
4. Brady Martin - Center - Soo Greyhounds
The next four guys on my list are honestly pretty interchangeable at this point. I'd view any of them as potential top 25 (or so) picks. Martin continues to fly under the radar a bit because he's playing for a last place Greyhounds team. The momentum that he built up following a standout performance at the Hlinka/Gretzky has been lost a bit. Consistency has been a bit of an issue as the team works through their own struggles. Yet, those who follow the OHL closely understand what Martin brings to the ice on a nightly basis. This is a fierce competitor who also happens to be extremely skilled. His competitiveness is through the roof. He's a hunter on the ice. He hunts down loose pucks. He hunts down chances near the crease. He hunts down puck carriers. He's also as strong as an ox and he uses that to be an impact two-way player, although I'd say that he's slightly more physical in puck pursuit in the offensive end versus the defensive end at this current moment. From a skill perspective, Martin routinely turns defenders into pylons. According to our data through InStat, Martin leads the OHL this year in successful dekes completed and he's right near the top in hits per game. I'd say the only thing missing from Martin's game is high end skating ability. It's come a long way in the last calendar year. He now has some separation speed and he's become stronger on his edges. However, that still likely grades out as average for the next level. As an average sized pivot, albeit a physical one, that's still going to be concerning for some scouts. Ultimately, I think the U18's this year will go a long way as to determining Martin's eventual draft placement.
5. Kashawn Aitcheson - Defense - Barrie Colts
I've long been a fan of his. I was so impressed by how he transformed his game last year in the absence of Beau Akey. That said, I had some concerns about his decision making and offensive upside coming into the year (and even at the beginning of the season). I was confident that his elite physical game and competitiveness could make him a potential NHL defender, but I wondered if he had top four upside, or if he was more of a third pairing, PK type. To Aitcheson's credit, he's really cleaned up his game. He's someone who has such a clear understanding of his strengths and weaknesses and that's made him an efficient puck mover in his own right. He's cutdown on the turnovers, especially in the neutral zone and offensive zone by keeping things simple and picking his spots better to activate. He understands that his shot is his biggest weapon as an offensive player and it will also be his bread and butter at the next level. The skating also continues to improve and that's helped him be even more aggressive as a defensive player. Overall, what I'm trying to say is that I now see a path for Aitcheson to be a solid second pairing, PK anchor. I think of someone like Ruslan Salei as a potential comp on the low end and that has significant value.
6. Jake O'Brien - Center - Brantford Bulldogs
I do like O'Brien, which you may fail to believe given that I've been consistently lower on him than my contemporaries. He's not someone that I would call dynamic, but he is highly effective. O'Brien is the kind of player that you don't notice a ton on the ice, until he's making a terrific play on the game winner and the next thing you know, you check the box score and he had two secondary assists too. There's a real quiet efficiency there. One of those guys who makes the right play a lot of the time. He has really high end vision and playmaking ability. He's a high IQ guy at both ends; his attention to detail in the defensive end is impressive. He's worked hard to improve his shot and his confidence in being more aggressive shooting this year and it's had a positive effect on his game. I think the best case scenario comp here is someone like a Robert Thomas. I guess the concern is that when I go back to look at my notes on Thomas from his draft year, it reads different than my view on O'Brien. He was a more dynamic skater. He was a more successful and tenacious player through traffic. If you want to compare him to someone like Morgan Frost from that same draft year, Frost was the more dynamic puckhandler, able to create time and space with his hands and creativity. If you want to compare him to someone like Ryan O'Reilly, O'Reilly was a far more tenacious player. On the flip side, O'Brien does have a solid frame and the offensive zone turnovers that have been a bit of an issue, likely won't be as he matures physically. That's why he's rising on a lot of boards recently...except mine I guess. Look, I'd still be willing to take a chance on O'Brien given the IQ, but he's more of a 18-25 guy for me at this current moment.
7. Malcolm Spence - Wing - Erie Otters
So why is Spence last of those interchangeable four? I think I view him as the safest bet to be an impact NHL player, however I'm also not sure that he's going to be a big time point producer. I think best case scenario, he's a perennial 50 point guy, worst case he's a fourth line, depth role player. Either way, he's going to be one of those players who is so valuable because of all the little things he does for his team. In a lot of ways, I feel like his game is more tailored to the pro level versus junior. It's about quick touches. It's about powering through contact. There's an advanced maturity here that you'd expect from a late birthday. And you have all that in a player with high end physical tools and athleticism. The skating and power are high end. He's an extremely intelligent two-way player. He's not an overly physical player from the naked eye, but he's tough to play against; there's snarl there. I've been impressed with the advancement in his puck skill and playmaking ability this year. It's taken the necessary jump that I would have wanted to see; he can now create for himself and for his linemates at this level, rather than being just a complementary guy. The finishing ability is only going to be average for the next level. He's not going to be a primary play driver at the next level either, despite the improvements made this year. However, I just think that Spence has so much value for how well rounded and pro ready his game is and that's why I still see him as a potential mid first round pick. I just prefer the upside of the three guys ahead of him.
8. Jack Nesbitt - Center - Windsor Spitfires
Nesbitt continues to be a very versatile player for the Spitfires in his NHL draft year. He's your prototypical power center; the kind of player NHL GM's are searching long and hard for these days. He has a clear understanding of the way he needs to play to be successful; get to the net himself or get pucks to the net. He's physical. His reach and physicality can make him an impact defensive player, part of why the Spits coaching staff has been using him to close out games. Offensively, I think he can be quite effective when he plays with pace; his speed is deceptive and can catch opposing defenders off guard and flat footed. I've seen and heard some criticism about his skating, but it's not a huge concern for me. The early results from the testing that occurred at the OHL Top Prospect's Game had him as one of the quicker skaters at the event. The agility and ability to change direction; edgework....yeah that could use some work to make him more dynamic with the puck. However, given his size, skill, and physicality, I'm OK with him being a straight line player. Even if he only ends up as an Adam Lowry type, that has significant value at the end of the first. Ask the Winnipeg Jets how important Lowry is to them despite being a 30-40 point guy .
9. Cameron Reid - Defense - Kitchener Rangers
Kind of a tough guy to really get a read on (see what I did there). There's part of me that really likes Reid. And when I say really likes, it means I want to include him with the Spence, Martin, Aitcheson, and O'Brien tier. The skating is very high end; he's dynamic as a puck carrier because of how quickly he can transition. He's got a very good head for the game at both ends. He picks his spots well on when to be aggressive and he's got an active stick in the defensive end. This is someone who projects as a quality two-way defender at the NHL level. Then there's the other part of me that gets concerned by the poor success rate of some similar junior defenders in recent years. Is Reid an NHL powerplay quarterback? Is he a PK anchor? What's the role for him? He's still a first rounder for me right now, but it's obvious that other scouts are having similar concerns when it comes to grading him, because he finds himself on the periphery of the first round on NHL connected lists (like Bobby Mac's).
10. Henry Brzustewicz - Defense - London Knights
I think when you're evaluating Brzustewicz this year, you really need to make sure that you've watched him play when Sam Dickinson hasn't been in the lineup. He's been a different player then. That's not to say that he's played poorly when Dickinson (and Bonk) have been there, it's just that when he's had to take on a larger role, he's shined. People are bound to compare him to his brother Hunter, but I think Henry is the more athletic; his physical tools are more intriguing as a draft eligible player. He's not as refined, but he's bigger and a more dynamic overall skater. I've been consistently impressed with the way that Brzustewicz's plays around and through traffic in the offensive end. He's a master at the slip pass and he's patient, willing to draw in pressure. He's also fairly physical and does make himself difficult to match up against. However, his game is far from clean. He can be prone to miscues at both ends. But, he barely played last year. There is going to be a larger adjustment period and you obviously have faith in London developing him well.
Full top 50 at the link. Happy to discuss or provide further clarity.
