Who's YOUR 1st overall pick - 2025 NHL Draft

[Lucky7]

Who is your pick for 1st overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, based on long-term potential? Which prospect do you see having the most impactful career down the line? Let’s hear your thoughts!

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[Patty Ice]

Schaefer no question for the Sharks.

 

[samsagat]

Martone has a global package that is hard to pass over, imho.

Schaefer is very dominant too.

And Hagens is not shitty either.

Misa?

A very solid top 4 this year.

And then 3 very good prospects in Eklund, Desnoyers and McQueen to close the top 7.

 

[johnnystormcgy]

It sounds like there's not a clear gap between the top 4, so it would go by Team need. If I'm Flames management and I had the first overall I'm taking Hagens.

 

[ThePlanet]

As of right now, I would go Schaefer, Hagens, Misa, Martone.

 

[jfhabs]

Scheafer 1st, but it's not over. Hagens isn't far behind.

These two are clearly ahead of Misa, Martone or anyone else tho

It sounds like there's not a clear gap between the top 4, so it would go by Team need. If I'm Flames management and I had the first overall I'm taking Hagens.

Really, I'd take Schaefer from a Flames POV simply because d-man take longer. If they enter a rebuild or retool better start with defenseman/goalie than forwards if you want them to peak together down the road.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Top 6 centers are impossible to get unless you draft them. Hagens is the pick and now that he's starting to score some goals I think it will be the consensus at draft time. Shame about Schaefer's broken collarbone, I think it will be hard for him to be the consensus 1 as a result although the recovery time is not known yet I believe.

 

[landy92mack29]

Schaefer+Misa are in tier 1A for me and Hagens+Martone 1B. If I needed a center badly I'd go Misa but BPA and if needed a dman I'm going Schaefer 1st overall

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Can’t believe this is even close. People just like the shiny new toy thing and then a few Canadians can’t accept for once that their country doesn’t have the best player.

Schaefer will have played about 30 games (projecting there) this season for his club team. At no point prior to this season was he viewed close to the others. He has never outplayed these players internationally. Could argue he’s been significantly outplayed, except a game and some exhibitions for Canada compared to Martone (not like TOI and situations were equal either). And people always think they can project a defenseman to be the best player in the draft and the results just don’t turn out as they claim.

This is Hagens with Martone as his closest competitor. Schaefer has simply not proven enough. Misa fourth for now, but unfortunately for Schaefer he could rise above him if he can continue this great season he’s having. Being available matters when you are picking so high.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Schaefer for me is the pretty clear number 1, his skillset is so translatable to the NHL and he has no weakness. In my opinion he’s the best defender to come since Dahlin, and truth be told, has perhaps even a better chance of translating in the NHL than Dahlin because his defensive routes and angles are better at the same age. I’d be curious to see if he goes to the u18 again depending on what happens with Erie, it’s unfortunate with his injury that he’ll miss time.



As for the others, I think Hagens and Misa are extremely tight at 2. Hagens has such a thorough and intelligent game, and Misa is such an incredible skater and play driver who appears to have added a hit stick to his game. I lean Hagens because I think he has a higher floor because of his details, but it’s extremely tight.



With regards to Martone, dating back to the 2023 u18 I’ve never been a huge fan. I think his skating will be exposed in the NHL and he will be more of a longer term project. Really have found him to play with a lack of bite for someone that is often compared to tkachuk and Perry. Truth be told I wouldn’t be surprised if at least a minority of teams would consider Desnoyers here, centre, size, better skater, extremely versatile, even if he lacks a bit of Martone’s skill in puck handling/around the net touches

 

[Wieters]

Schaefer+Misa are in tier 1A for me and Hagens+Martone 1B. If I needed a center badly I'd go Misa but BPA and if needed a dman I'm going Schaefer 1st overall

Having Misa in a tier above Hagens feels like projection/bias. If you think Schafer is a cut above everyone else then fine. If you want to have Martone in a lower tier than the other three because he is a winger then sure. But acting like there is a tier break between Misa and Hagens is unprincipled.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

When people claim Schaefer is a tier above the rest in terms of upside, I don’t really see what they mean. To me, his offense being the type to be hypothetically a Norris winner is questionable. This is a player who had 17 points last year. He didn’t score 1PPG at either tournament he played in for Canada last year. This year, the results are better, but enough to suggest a guy who can keep up with the elite point scorers in the NHL? 6 points in 5 at the Hlinka, 2 in 2 at the WJC, 22 in 17 in the OHL. And when I watch him I don’t see anywhere near the creativity with the puck or scoring skills of a Makar, Hughes, Fox, players like that. Maybe you hope he’s a Heiskanen or McAvoy level, but to me that seems like the absolute best scenario and we see that those guys have had trouble actually competing for the major awards. Obviously there’s far from a guarantee he even gets to their level. Maybe all you get is Jake Sanderson (a very good player), but not someone that looks like a 1OA level player.

 

[johnnystormcgy]

Scheafer 1st, but it's not over. Hagens isn't far behind.

These two are clearly ahead of Misa, Martone or anyone else tho


Really, I'd take Schaefer from a Flames POV simply because d-man take longer. If they enter a rebuild or retool better start with defenseman/goalie than forwards if you want them to peak together down the road.

Flames have never had a problem drafting, developing or trading for quality defensemen... We struggle with Centres, just a little bit.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Misa for the Flames, nothing against Hagens or the others but I want the Canadian C. I think with some polish he would make an excellent top line player that can carry a lot of the offense and transition especially.
+ we already got his brother so that's fun

Unlikely to happen but it would be Hagens for the Bruins. Really sees the ice well and can create offense with the zone established or off the rush. Would fit a lot of what they have historically liked to do.


Never been much of a BPA guy, at least in the really strict sense. Schaefer could be the best of the bunch but it's something you need to be damn sure of. Will be tough for teams to feel comfortable with him now missing a big chunk of season and probably taking a while to get back up to speed.

 

[HeadLiceHatty]

Schaefer is my favorite prospect, the injury even though it’s a very comebackable injury will hinder his draft stock even if it’s not warranted, voted Hagens. I can’t imagine he’s not just a 1C, I don’t know if he’ll be top 5, but I think a top 10 1C is almost impossible for him not to reach, amazing vision and intelligence and the guy skates so well too.

 

[Hazy Little Thing]

Top 6 centers are impossible to get unless you draft them. Hagens is the pick and now that he's starting to score some goals I think it will be the consensus at draft time. Shame about Schaefer's broken collarbone, I think it will be hard for him to be the consensus 1 as a result although the recovery time is not known yet I believe.

Broken collarbones are amongst the most consistent injury timelines. Bones are pretty straightforward compared to ligaments and there’s no #builtdifferent aspect to it.

 

[gothegr8]

Schaefer is my clear #1. Hagens is the main challenger for me.

 

[gothegr8]

When people claim Schaefer is a tier above the rest in terms of upside, I don’t really see what they mean. To me, his offense being the type to be hypothetically a Norris winner is questionable. This is a player who had 17 points last year. He didn’t score 1PPG at either tournament he played in for Canada last year. This year, the results are better, but enough to suggest a guy who can keep up with the elite point scorers in the NHL? 6 points in 5 at the Hlinka, 2 in 2 at the WJC, 22 in 17 in the OHL. And when I watch him I don’t see anywhere near the creativity with the puck or scoring skills of a Makar, Hughes, Fox, players like that. Maybe you hope he’s a Heiskanen or McAvoy level, but to me that seems like the absolute best scenario and we see that those guys have had trouble actually competing for the major awards. Obviously there’s far from a guarantee he even gets to their level. Maybe all you get is Jake Sanderson (a very good player), but not someone that looks like a 1OA level player.

Watch more of his games and maybe you will understand all the hype around him. Schaefer is everything you want from a franchise defenseman. He controls the game both ways of the ice whenever he's there. Not taking anything away from Hagens cause i really love him too, but Schaefer is that good.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Hagens will go 1 because of Schaefer's injury.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Schaefer will be back in March. Erie should still be a playoff team without him.
Plenty of time for him to get back up to speed and solidify the #1 spot with a good playoff run.

 

[FlyguyOX]

It's going to be Schaefer

 

[Vasilevskiy]

I would take Schaefer for Tampa easily