Let me preface this with saying that I have a clear Philadelphia Flyers bias. I even spent six months during the pandemic writing about them for The Hockey Writer’s. And with all the hullabaloo surrounding the draft, not to mention an absolute fleecing by GM Danny Briere with the acquisition of Trevor Zegras, I felt particularly inspired to throw this together. Again, I have no insider access just a love of the game (and a small addiction to Twitter).

You’re probably thinking what could I possibly know, or see? Or aggregate from the internet into a semi-readable jumble for your reading pleasure?

Well, I’ve got two eyes, a semi-functioning frontal lobe, and access to Youtube so of course I’m hella qualified to put together a 2025 NHL Mock Draft. 

The God Damned Islanders

Not enough that the Islanders win the draft lottery and catapult from 11 to 1, oh no no, they also get to choose from the clear cut two best prospects in this draft in Micheal Misa and Matthew Schaefer. There’s an argument for both paths here especially when you consider all of the trade chatter surrounding pending RFA Noah Dobson but I wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth here. With the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft the New York Islanders select…

1. Micheal Misa C, Saginaw (OHL)

Michael Misa is the crown jewel of forward prospects in this draft. He’s fast, physical, has hand like you wouldn’t believe and he captained Saginaw to the tune of 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists). In my opinion Misa has the best chance of any player in this draft to a true game changer, a star. Someone who enters the ice and can shift momentum in an instant. The Islanders walk up to the podium, select the Saginaw star, and pat themselves on the back.

A brief visit to an alternate universe…

The Islanders walk up to the podium, select the “Erie” star, and pat themselves on the back before returning to the phones. The Islanders smile and celebrate drafting Matthew Scahefer with the first overall before flipping pending RFA Noah Dobson and a later pick (perhaps more?) to Utah for the fourth overall selection. At that moment they’re back at the podium selecting hometown boy James Hagens from Boston College.

2. Matthew Schaefer D, Erie (OHL)

San Jose thanks the Hockey Gods for the blessing and selects the top defenseman in the draft in Erie Otters star Matthew Schaefer. A Bonafide two-way d-man with all the tools to play top pairing shut down minutes in the show. He will bring a stability and assuredness to the back end that San Jose has severely lacked in the past few years.

3. Porter Martone RW, Brampton (OHL)

I will never understand how a player like Porter Martone could fall so consistently across everyone’s drafting projections. He’s a monster at age 18 (6-3, 2024) with tools to contribute at both ends of the ice. He excels on the powerplay and as he continues to develop his physical tools he will line up next to Conor Bedard for the next 15 years solidifying the forward core of the Chicago Blackhawks. And in my humble opinion, fuck the Blackhawks. Slap on the wrist for one of the biggest sexual assault cover ups in sports.

4. Anton Frondell, C, Djurgarden (SWE-2)

Fresh off their JJ Peterka acquisition, the newly minted Utah Mammoth select Anton Frondell and laugh all the way to the bank. I would honestly lean defense here for Utah but this year’s prospect class is forward heavy without many game changers on the back end. Frondell is easily my number two center in this year’s class putting up unreal numbers and underlying metrics in a Men’s league at age 18. I’m not saying this is the next Sasha Barkov but I’m betting every draft room in the NHL is using that comparison.

Five through Seven becomes a real crapshoot (as if the first four picks aren’t lol) as each team would love a center and you’re choosing from three comparable centers. All below the Misa line but significantly above the rest of the competition line.

5. James Hagens C, Boston College (NCAA)

The Nashville Predators don’t get cute, they don’t overthink it, and they pounce on the opportunity to draft Boston College’s James Hagens. Not months removed from being the projected number one overall pick, Hagens brings a complete game with offensive upside to a maligned Predator’s club. Seems everyone just forgot about his role on the US World Junior team. Guy is a winner and it’s a borderline steal to get him here at five.

This one stings a bit as I would love Hagens on the Flyers. He is my top get in this draft outside of Misa and Schaeffer despite all of the “undersized” forward talk. In all of the possible outcomes of this draft I just can’t see Nashville passing on a guy like Hagens.

6. Caleb Desnoyers C, Montcon (QMJHL)

The Philadelphia Flyers have been projected to just about every player not named Misa or Schaeffer at this pick. In this particular instance the Flyers don’t get cute like last year (see Luchanko) and happily draft last year’s MVP of the Q. Not to induce PTSD flashbacks to 2017 but most scouts compare Desnoyers to the Devil’s Nico Hischier. While his scoring touch could benefit from more development he’s got great hockey IQ and has shown the ability to make his teammates better on the ice. Also doesn’t hurt that the Flyers already house his brother Elliot in the system. 

7. Brady Martin C, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

Brady Martin oozes Boston Bruins hockey and as this year’s late riser he’s getting snatched in the top 10, 10 to 20 spots higher than his projections a couple months ago. The Sam Bennett comparisons are warranted and as the Panthers’ repeated, teams are itching to fill that particular void on their own squads. Destined to be a power killer, this trench focused forward will bring bite and scoring to the Bruins top six for years to come.

8. Jake O’Brien C, Brantford (OHL)

Seattle is in a unique position compared to the rest of teams in this year’s top ten as they already possess more than one top six center on their roster. I’m sure they’re thinking about trading up to target Porter Martone from their current draft position, but they don’t overthink and go best player available in Brantford center Jake O’Brien. Excelling all over the ice, this OHL Rookie of the Year, Seattle smiles at the crop of young offensive talent they’re cultivating. Just imagine bumping Chandler Stephenson to the wing (see Vegas) and running Beniers, Wright, O’Brien down the middle?

9. Viktor Eklund RW, Djurgarden (SWE-2)

Buffalo is a hard team to predict, analyze, understand, root for, and generally support as every time the team seems poised to break their playoff drought, they bungle their roster. Recent JJ Peterka trade be damned the Sabres grab dynamic, boy-amongst-men winger Viktor Eklund. He’s a touch on the smaller side but he will have time to grow in the Sabres system as they move towards their competing window.

10. Jack Nesbitt, C, Windsor (OHL)

A giant at 18 (6-4, 186) the Ducks replace Trevor Zegras in an instant. This soon-to-be power forward give them size, edge, and a net front presence they’ve sorely lacked.

Right here is where I (and many others) lose projected draft capabilities. Too many moving parts and I don’t have the time to accurately assess players outside of the top ten. But these are for fun so I will continually speculate with the information I have access to.

(Plus you thought I would mock draft for the Penguins? Let them wallow in their rebuild, I’ve been tortured by them for too long.)

In any case, skipping ahead…

Pick Number 22

Dream Scenario: Roger McQueen, C, Brandon

Flyers package this pick and more (read roster player or later picks) to move up and grab the late faller in Roger McQueen. A hard nose center with all the tools to be successful in the league that has fallen due to injury concerns. The Flyers, sitting pretty with three first round selections, are in a position to swing for the fences on their later picks. Take calculated risks on high-ceiling guys to boost the rebuild in a positive direction. 

More Likely Scenario:  Cameron Reid, D, Kitchener (OHL)  

I don’t see the Flyers leaving the first round without acquiring a D-man (NHL trade or otherwise). While I would love to pry Noah Dosbon out of New York, I think it is more likely we select Cameron Reid out of the OHL late in the first. At six feet he’s not projected to be the shutdown, minute eater that the Flyers sorely lack, but a high iq, two-way defenseman who can quarterback the powerplay? Yea, we could always use that.

Pick Number 31

Pick Number 31

Dream Scenario:  Sascha Boumedienne, D, Boston University (NCAA)  

Similar to my reasoning on pick 22, the Flyers use their final pick of the first round on Boston University D-man Sascha Boumedienee. (Don’t ask me how to pronounce it, I have no idea). Admittedly I had no idea who this guy was until the World Juniors tournament and I think that is where many people hopped on the wagon. He’s got poise, this sort of swagger on the back end that really intrigues me. I think he goes in the teens this year but many projections have him late in the first. Strike the iron Danny.

More Likely Scenario: Joshua Ravensbergen, G, Prince George (WHL)

Remember the Danny Briere School of Drafting motto: ABDG, Always Be Drafting Goalies. The Philadelphia Flyers, with the last of their first-round picks, select the top goalie prospect (and top name prospect of the draft) Joshua Ravensbergen. I honestly think he will be available early in the second round but if you truly like a player, get him when you can. We are pre-free agency (where I’m sure the Flyers will be actively searching for a goalie) but after watching Errsson struggle this year (and the carousel behind him) I believe the Flyers look to add another stud goalie to their prospect pool. Sure goalies take longer to develop but in three years (when our window is open) this guy could be Rookie of the Year. 

Players I’m Sad About not Getting a Chance at

Carter Bear – Or as I call him, the better Brady Martin. Just from a pure value standpoint, Carter Bear does everything that Brady Martin does, and you won’t have to use a top ten selection to get him.

Cole Reschny – Lightning on the ice, fills a need for the team. What more could you want?

Logan Hensler – Righthanded D-man who’s already 198 pounds. Can skate great, and showed real talent during the WJC.

Daniil Prokhorov – Is the “New Era of Orange” actually just red? At 6-5, 219 he’s destined to be a premiere power forward in the NHL. Net-front powerplay specialist that speaks Michkov’s native language? I’m in.

The Danny BriERA

GM Danny Briere is up to bat in the bottom of the ninth. He’s made all the right moves to position the Flyers during this rebuild, but now comes the final inning. This draft, and the capital in it will be the deciding factor of his career. The Trevor Zegras trade relieves some of the pressure on Briere as that was a slick piece of work for a team in our position. But the maneuvering, and player selection here will define this “New Era of Orange.” A dream scenario where we walk out of the first round with any combination of Martone/Hagens, and McQueen should be seen as a win. The packaging of our later picks to move up and grab would-be impact players is the key. Let’s see if Danny can fiddle the lock.