The wait is over, and the 2025 NHL draft starts Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
Most NHL franchises look to alter their course with big trades, draft picks and a new outlook.
There’s no better time than right before the festivities to do a mailbag, answering some questions surrounding the NHL draft and the players involved. Let’s look at some of the questions you sent my way via X, messages and in comments on THN.com.
What’s behind everyone dropping James Hagens right at the end of the year?
I think the reason Hagens has dropped a bit in the last few weeks is that he’s been on everyone’s radar for so long, so he’s been a bit overscouted.
This is the same player we watched at the World Men’s Under-18s two years ago as a 16-year-old before setting the scoring record at the tournament last year. Having aged out of that tournament this year as a late-2006 born player, Hagens became an effective player at the World Junior Championship. We’ve seen him on the big stage so many times in recent years that some people are just used to how he plays.
We’ve seen two elite-level talents play in the NCAA and win the Hobey Baker Trophy as freshmen: Adam Fantilli and Macklin Celebrini. Hagens didn’t put up Hobey Baker numbers, but he was a point-per-game center on one of the country's most dominant teams. He showed he can add a bit more physicality to his game on top of his silky smooth hands and slippery skating, to which we’ve become accustomed.
Hagens finished the year at No. 3 on my board and No. 5 on The Hockey News editor in chief Ryan Kennedy’s draft board. Not everyone is underrating him, but those who do could be in for a reality check when he blossoms into one of the draft’s most impressive offensive players.
Where would Michael Misa rank in last year’s draft?
For reference, my NHL draft rankings last year were as follows:
- Macklin Celebrini
- Ivan Demidov
- Berkly Catton
- Cayden Lindstrom
- Zeev Buium
Where Misa fits in there feels immediately clear to me. He’s behind Celebrini, but I would at least have the debate between the two centers. Demidov likely also slides ahead of Misa (and Schaefer), but I would easily have him ahead of Catton and Lindstrom. Matthew Schaefer would be the top defender in the class, ahead of Buium for me.
Even a year later, the order of my top five wouldn’t change, so there is no need to add in Artyom Levshunov or Zayne Parekh. The top two for this year, Misa and Schaefer, would be easily the third and fourth players in this group.
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Why is Henry Brzustewicz not ranked on your list?
Among the players unranked on my list, Brzustewicz and David Bedkowski get asked about the most.
The two OHL defensemen are off the list for very different reasons. To be clear, both players will be drafted and deservedly so. There is a world where I would take them in a draft if the situation called for it. Unfortunately, they are valued much lower for me than the consensus, and if I were to get to them, it would be very late in the draft.
Let’s start with Bedkowski. The bruising blueliner is one of the more physical and intimidating players in the draft, punishing players all over the ice. His willingness to throw his weight around is admirable. The concerns I have with his on-puck game are quite substantial, though. He panics a bit under pressure and tends to just fire the puck to nowhere at times. So much of his game must come a long way to reach the point where his physicality is realistically effective. It’s not to say that it won’t come, but he’ll need to work with a skills coach and watch plenty of film.
With Brzustewicz, it’s almost the opposite. His game with the puck is quite solid, and he showed more creativity and skill whenever he got the opportunity.
That said, it’s tough to overlook his defensive habits and some of his often-questionable decision-making. He often tried to push play to the middle, but there were so many times a pass had no recipient, or he wasn’t patient with the puck. There could be a very good player here, but must work on getting his details right. He strikes me as a player who will have a very good CHL career, look great in the AHL but lose his game a bit in the NHL.
2025 NHL Mock Draft: Final First-Round Predictions For Schaefer, Martone And MoreThe 2025 NHL draft kicks off Friday evening, so it’s time to get in the spirit by conducting the final mock draft of the season.
Who are the top five defense-first blueliners?
This year’s defense group has different tiers and categories. Schaefer’s alone at the top, and a group of five or six players follow before getting to a bunch of what I’ve deemed specialists. When it comes to defensive hockey and shutdown defense, there are a number of players who fit that mold.
In one of my latest articles, I covered the top five, plus an underrated player and some honorable mentions for 12 categories, and best shut-down defender was one of them. Here is the top five:
1. Radim Mrtka
2. Blake Fiddler
3. Sascha Boumedienne
4. Matthew Schaefer
5. Jackson Smith
Underrated: Sean Barnhill
These six defenders all play defensive hockey in their own way. Barnhill could have easily made the list, but there hasn’t been much buzz around the big, mobile blueliner, so he fit right into the underrated slot. Mrtka has a boatload of potential as a shutdown guy, and Fiddler has an excellent floor. Boumedienne, Schaefer and Smith are all elite movers who use that to cut down play. Be sure to check out the full “Top Traits” article covering shooters, playmakers, motors, two-way forwards, and so much more here.
Which player do you think realistically outplays his draft position the most?
This is an interesting question because I could have easily said LJ Mooney or Adam Benak. They are two of the most skilled and cerebral players in the draft class who likely would have been top-15 talents had they been six-feet or even close, but they are 5-foot-7 and 5-foot-8, respectively. If they hit, they could be wickedly good, and teams will regret not taking them before the mid-late portion of the draft.
The question was centered around what’s realistic, though, so that slightly changes things.
Eric Nilson comes to mind initially as a highly intelligent, tactical center who understands how to come out on top just about every shift. His biggest issue is that he needs to add some weight to his frame, but his agile, swift playmaking based on his IQ is very impressive.
Cullen Potter also comes to mind. He’s one of the fastest skaters in the class and a slick and precise playmaker.
Potter was a play-driving beast for Arizona State as one of the youngest players in the NCAA, but because he didn’t have much help around him, he couldn’t benefit from the playmaking side of his game. He scored as many goals as Hagens this year in the NCAA and brought an effective transition and playmaking game.
The final name I’ll add here is Sascha Boumedienne, the defenseman from Boston University. His mobility is so smooth and crisp, and he’s developed into such a solid all-around defender. His offensive game was muted a bit as he adjusted to the NCAA, but when he had the chance to play against his age group at the U-18s, he set the record for scoring by a blueliner. He’s got some things to refine, but if Boumedienne hits, he could be the second-best defender in the class.
2025 NHL Draft Rankings: Ferrari's Final Top 80The 2025 NHL draft cycle nears the end, and it’s been a unique class.
Which team makes the surprise pick that throws everyone off?
I wish I knew. The Nashville Predators have three picks in the first round, so maybe they take a chance and go off the board. The Montreal Canadiens or Pittsburgh Penguins could be the surprise of the round as they each possess back-to-back picks and could trade up to grab a top-end prospect. There is sure to be a surprise, but it’s only a surprise because no one saw it coming.
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