The Early Buzz on the 2025 NHL Draft: Mock 1.0
The 2024-25 NHL season is underway, and with it comes the buzz around the next great class of up-and-coming hockey stars. It’s still early, but Mock Draft 1.0 offers a glimpse into what the landscape might look like come June.
While NHL coaches are changing and teams defy expectations, offering some exciting surprises, one thing remains constant: the will to build for the future. We’re already seeing early drafts impacted by trades, a theme likely to continue throughout the season.
Who’s likely to be a frontrunner in the hunt for the coveted top pick? Let’s take a look at this early projection based on "MoneyPuck" playoff odds as of December 1st, 2024.
Top Picks: A Glimpse at Stars of Tomorrow
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San Jose Sharks: Matthew Schaefer, LHD
The Sharks have been trying to rebuild for a while now, and it looks like they might finally snatch a true defensive anchor. Schaefer is gaining momentum as a lock for a top-five pick and could even challenge for the top spot overall. If this pick pans out, Sharks fans might finally have something to cheer for outside their historic 2022 draft haul. - Columbus Blue Jackets: James Hagens, C
The Blue Jackets’ young top line of Fantilli and Johnson is playing great right now, but a center like Hagens could further solidify their future down the middle.
"Hagens has been considered the top prospect by most analysts since the summer, but he’s been joined at the top of the list(s) by Schaefer and Porter Martone."
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Chicago Blackhawks: Porter Martone, RW
The Blackhawks need a spark, and with a brand new season, they want this to be the year they start seeing positives FOR A CHANGE. Enter Porter Martone, the perfect stylistic match."The only beneficial biproduct of the Blackhawks being awful again this season is a shot at Martone, who would be the Tkachuk-like power forward the organization needs next to Connor Bedard for the next decade."
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Anaheim Ducks: Logan Hensler, RHD
Remember the Ducks do not shy away from taking a player off the board.“The Ducks have no problem going off the board with their first pick (they did that last year). They’ve stocked up on offensive players in recent drafts and have some nice young pieces already in the NHL. Hensler is the top-rated right-handed defenseman in this year’s class and is considered a solid top-ten pick. After trading RHD Jamie Drysdale for Cutter Gauthier, Hensler would bring back some organizational depth on the right side of their blue line."
- Nashville Predators: Michael Misa, LW
Barry Trotz needs centers! And he’ll be tempted to consider a center here if the Predators can choose from Roger McQueen and Anton Frondell. But there’s this dynamic sniper, Misa, whose scoring would make him an impossible player to pass up for Nashville here.
Keep in mind, the Preds have three picks in the first round (as of now!),
6 Pittsburgh Penguins— Roger McQueen, C
Academy Award for most Jim Gaffigan-esque draft pick (in the sense that he will be picked before everyone chops those last few bites of whatever they have to eat). -
Montreal Canadiens: Anton Frondell, C
, the Habs – need something to kickstart their roster and translate their high draft picks into successes. This draft isn’t going to change the Habs, for example, unless they make *other -
St. Louis Blues: Jackson Smith, LHD
The Blues need to product pipeline quick! This Blum, they’re missing early pick, because you just donchu go doing guava and skill pois like asking him when he comes across a Brookly programmer, to you want a Lankinen farm system is starving right now. When you look up how good deepen -
Detroit Red Wings: Ivan Ryabkin, C
Bruce Samarga
- New York Islanders:
Key Takeaways: The Draft Landscape
- Size Matters:
We see a recurring theme: teams are looking for size and physicality, particularly on defense.
- Retooling vs. Rebuilding: Teams like Philly and Nashville show a desire to improve now, while teams like the Blue Jackets and Sharks are still
in their building phases.
- Who’s Moving Up, Moving Down:
