We’re a long way off from the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, but with the release of Bob McKenzie’s preliminary rankings earlier this month, there’s no better time to delve into my early rankings! For clarity, I’ll have a comprehensive write-up on my top 32 prospects, and then light notes for each player ranked from 33 to 64.
As a precursor, this series will be broken into five separate articles.
- Players ranked #1 to #5
- Players ranked #6 to #10
- Players ranked #11 to #20
- Players ranked #21 to #32
- Players ranked #33 to #64
Today’s article, as expected, will be the first installment covering my current top five players in the 2025 NHL draft.
As a final heads-up, most of my notes will be skewed from my recollection of these players from last year’s draft cycle that I noted in passing or their U18 World Junior Championship tape from the previous season and Hlinka-Gretzky tape from earlier this summer. For more detailed notes from the tournaments themselves, check out my Twitter page @RyanMaScouting.
It’s so early into the year that only a handful of games have been played over in Europe, the CHL just finished its preseason, and the USHL just got underway last week. I expect this ranking will evolve and change throughout the season, so if I’m lower on a player than you are, please understand there’s a whole season left to play out.
With that now all out of the way, let’s get into my early top five prospects for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft!
#1 James Hagens – C – 5’10” – 168 lbs – Boston College – NCAA
James Hagen is still my number-one player in the draft. It’s far too early to be shunting him down the board in some attempt to make a flashy headline for this article. I won’t lie. Earlier in the summer, I did have an internal struggle where I contemplated putting him at two behind Porter Martone. Ultimately, I decided against that course of action despite Porter Martone’s U18 performance and Matthew Schaefer’s dominant Hlinka-Gretzky putting them into early contention for this top spot.
While I think there’s still potential for Hagens to fall throughout the draft process, he’s been the consensus number-one pick for this class for what seems to be forever, and for good reason. There’s not much to say about Hagens that hasn’t already been said.
If I were asked to pick which player was the most electric out of last year’s draft class, I would’ve said Ivan Demidov. This year? It’s James Hagens. This will probably become an over-used player comp for him over the next few months. He really reminds me of Jack Hughes, the way he almost glides effortlessly on the ice and uses elite acceleration and edgework to dominate despite a lighter frame.
On that note, Hagens is a slightly undersized forward, which is a deviation from the last few first-overall picks. He’s a shifty and smooth skater with great acceleration and change of direction in tight spaces, which more than makes up for his size. He’s an elite processor with shifty hands to pair with his skating ability and that has let him excel as a play-driver and passer. On the puck, I don’t think there’s a player in this class right now as dangerous and dynamic of a passer and chance-generator as Hagens.
He was dominant with Teddy Stiga at the U18s last year, racking up 22(!!!) points in seven games. He was the best player in red, white, and blue by a country mile. Hagens has been the crown jewel of US development; he made the USNTDP U18 team at just 16 years old. He will likely inherit the first-line centre position at Boston College this season from Will Smith, who’s going pro with the San Jose Sharks.
While McKenzie asserts any of the players in his top six can contend for the number one spot, a strong season in the NCAA could easily solidify Hagens’ draft ranking. He’ll be placed in a prime position to do so at a powerhouse school.
#2 Porter Martone – RW – 6’3” – 170 lbs – Brampton Steelheads – OHL
Porter Martone wrapped up an incredible D-1 with the Mississauga Steelheads with an equally impressive performance at the U18 WJC. The 6’3” power forward captained Canada to a gold medal while riding shotgun to phenom Gavin McKenna. He also surpassed Connor Bedard’s career scoring lead for Canadians at the tournament.
The Peterborough-born winger finished his DY-1 OHL campaign with 71 points in 60 games, and his profile fits extremely well with the modern NHL. With Quinton Byfield, Leo Carlsson, Cayden Lindstrom, and Beckett Sennecke as recent top-five picks, the NHL clearly values skill and size in the modern game, and Martone is right up there with all the aforementioned names.
Martone’s got the build to play a mean, physical game, and he doesn’t shy away from that, pairing that heavy game with a wicked release that should make him one of the top goal scorers in the OHL this season, especially alongside new linemate Carson Rehkopf. I wish we got to see him at this year’s Hlinka-Gretzky, but unfortunately, he was too old. He was absolutely dynamic with McKenna at the U18s a few months prior, and out of all the power forwards in this year’s draft, Martone has the most complete skill set.
I think his skating is top-notch for his size; he builds up speed well in the neutral zone, making him extremely hard to handle when he attacks and drives the net. When Martone is feeling confident offensively, not many players in this class are as dominant as he is on the puck with his blend of skill and size.
McKenzie noted that some scouts had concerns about Martone’s consistency, which is a surprise to me. He always looks physically engaged every time I see him on the ice. While there’s a calmness to Hagens’ game, there’s almost an erratic energy to Martone’s game where he’s always going at 100%, looking to make plays.
I’m a fan of Martone, who also looks to have the confidence of Hockey Canada as well. He wore the C for Canada at the U18s despite being younger than most of the roster, which mainly consisted of 2024 draft eligibles. There’s a high floor with Martone with his motor and skillset at his size, but he’s a smart hockey player who uses all his natural physical gifts to the nth degree. An uptick to his production this year for Martone could elevate his case to be number one by the time the draft rolls around.
#3 – Matthew Schaefer – LD – 6’1” – 161 lbs – Erie Otters – OHL
The 2024 NHL draft was expected to be a generational draft for defencemen. While Zeev Buium and Anton Silayev bolstered the depth of that class even more significantly than anticipated, I think 2025 has a sneaky shot to be even deeper.
It all starts with Matthew Schaefer, who encountered two significant and heartbreaking personal tragedies last season and now starts this year fighting a bout of mono. Toronto Maple Leafs fans will remember Timothy Liljegren sliding in his draft year from a consensus top-five pick to seventeen after dealing with the same illness during much of his draft year.
While his D-1 wasn’t anything to write home about—just 17 points in 56 games—Schaefer’s calmness and poise have been a consistent calling card for the young defenceman. Schaefer was easily the best defenceman at the Hlinka-Gretzky this summer, captaining Canada to gold. While a few other draft-eligible defencemen also impressed, Schaefer’s game-breaking ability was on display during the tournament. His performance put to bed some of the questions floating around about his offensive upside.
He immediately showed some ridiculous skating ability and shiftiness on the puck in Canada’s opening game against Switzerland. He finished up a strong shift from Canada’s second line with some ridiculous hands and edgework to work his way into the slot to make it 5–0. That highlight-level ability showed up multiple times throughout the tournament, including against Czechia and Sweden in the medal rounds. He was impressive in transition, carrying the puck in, making pin-point passes, and jumping into the rush at opportune times to score or set up teammates. I can’t find the clip, but that pass he had against Czechia, where he jumped into the play, got the puck in the slot, and slid a no-look pass to a teammate for a wide-open goal, was glorious.
What really impressed me was a shift in the Slovakia game where he nearly got caught on a bad pinch but used his strength—despite a leaner frame—to not allow the Slovak forward to dispossess him. That’s the key to Shaefer’s game. He’s super cerebral and responsible and when he does get caught making the rare bad decision, he has the poise and presence of mind to recover and stop the play. He showed that ability on the penalty kill, where he used anticipation to poke the puck off Radim Mrtka’s stick on an entry in the Gold Medal game.
His draft stock may fall during the season due to his conditioning likely taking a hit from mono, but make no doubt that Matthew Schaefer is legit. I don’t love making player comps, but the maturity at his age and the two-way potential he possesses give me heavy Miro Heiskanen vibes.
#4 – Ivan Ryabkin – C – 6’0” – 170 lbs – MHK Dynamo Moskva – MHL
Despite a pretty underwhelming start to his D+0 season, Ivan Ryabkin’s already got some ice time—albeit very little—for Dynamo Moskva in the KHL. He played two games there, and it was really meant to be a little taste of what playing in the KHL is like; he only played two shifts in his KHL debut. Initially, in my viewings last year that I caught in passing while watching Chernyshov, Ryabkin looked impressive but wasn’t quite as dominant with the puck on his stick as Demidov was. This caused me to be a little lower on him during my pre-Hlinka rankings.
Nonetheless, Ryabkin had the most productive MHL season of all time for a U17, racking up 58 points in 44 games. He’s also the youngest forward to this point, with Martone and Hagens being 2006-born. While not necessarily a deal breaker—Demidov was a 2005 last year and was my second-ranked player all season—Ryabkin’s relatively younger age does give him a little more runway for his development.
Ryabkin’s an interesting case because, while I think his offensive ceiling is probably lower than a Matvei Michkov or Demidov, his style of play is by far the most translatable. I’d like to see more flashes of individual brilliance—especially given the quality of MHL defenders—but Ryabkin’s vision and hockey IQ allow him to be miles ahead of his opposition without the flash and dash.
He’s super-efficient at finding space to receive pucks in dangerous areas of the ice, and he prefers using his teammates with quick passes rather than holding on to the puck for too long. He’s always at the right spots on the ice, makes the right reads on the forecheck, and has amazing vision and passing ability.
He’s got the highest motor of the three Russian prospects and two-way potential. He plays the game at a high pace, and he knows how to use his passing tendencies to open up shooting opportunities on goal with his eyes and head fakes. He can be a bit too pass-happy at times, sometimes forcing the puck through bodies when he could let his underrated hands do some more work to open up lanes.
If he continues to dominate the MHL level and improves his tendencies to work in more shooting and willingness to hold on to the puck, he’s a guy I foresee making further jumps on my board throughout the season.
#5 – Roger McQueen – F – 6’5” – 190 lbs – Brandon Wheat Kings – WHL
Another older forward prospect with an October birthday, Roger McQueen, enjoyed a solid D-1 with the Brandon Wheat Kings, where he was near PPG (51 points in 53 games). As I’m writing this, McQueen opened his season with four goals on six shots in his first game. It’s not a huge surprise to me; I had McQueen pretty high on my board in my pre-Hlinka rankings (sixth overall). While he was one of the more raw prospects during my viewings last year, the potential is apparent.
I don’t love his skating; he’s not super agile out there, but he’s got good enough mechanics that I don’t think it’ll be a detriment to his game at the next level. It’s a smooth-looking stride and he doesn’t look like he needs to throw everything behind it to get going.
He was off to an amazing start at the U18s on a line with Martone and McKenna before an unfortunate injury in the first period of his second game sidelined him for the tournament and let Caleb Desnoyers take his spot. He was noticeable on the forecheck in his limited showing, flying in and finishing every check, and I loved the puck skills, especially in tight at his size.
More than once in his limited showings at the U18s, he used his size, strength, and hands to attack defenders and find shot opportunities in tight off the rush while attacking the net. I thought his puck protection skills along the half wall and in the corners were great, too, which is always encouraging for a player who’s not necessarily super agile. He was more of a pass-first player last season despite having a hard, accurate shot (see his second goal this season), and I think his rare ability to handle the puck in a phone box will lead to more goals near the crease for him this season.
His first goal of the season this year was just him using his big frame to shield the puck from the defenceman before slipping it in short side. The shooting should be highlighted more this year too, especially on the power play, where he’ll be featured in Alex Ovechkin’s office on the Wheat Kings power play.
He’s a high-effort player who doesn’t relinquish the puck easily, but consistency and continued growth as a player in all three zones and as a finisher will ultimately determine where his ranking ends up come draft season. I’m betting high on the McQueen train, which is a bit of a rarity for me; I’ve tended to favour the high-upside short kings in the past and stayed clear of the uber-skilled big guys. I wouldn’t be shocked if he contends in the top three by the end of the season, similar to what Cayden Lindstrom was able to do last year.
Conclusion
Some may critique the 2025 NHL draft for relying on older prospects near the top of the draft. In my eyes, however, there are still some truly intriguing prospects with different strengths and deficiencies who project well as impact players at the NHL level. Keep an eye out for the next instalment, unveiling my sixth-to-tenth-ranked prospects for the 2025 NHL draft!
