2025 NHL Mock Draft post lottery: Islanders pick Michael Schaefer, and more potential first 16 player selections

The time has come for the first installment of the 2025 NHL Mock Draft following the New York Islanders' shocking lottery win.

The Islanders, slated to pick 10th, won the 2025 NHL Draft lottery, moving up 10 spaces to earn the first-overall selection. The pick will mark the first time since 2009 that the Islanders get the top pick.

With that in mind, here’s a look at who the Islanders, among the other 15 NHL Draft lottery teams could pick as part of the first edition of the 2025 NHL Mock Draft.

2025 NHL Mock Draft, first edition

#1 New York Islanders: Matthew Schaefer, D

The New York Islanders earned the right to pick first in this year’s draft. With a wealth of young forwards coming up in their system (Calum Ritchie, Cole Eiserman, and Danny Nelson), taking Matthew Schaefer, the best blue liner in the draft, makes sense as the Islanders will need to bolster the defense core.

While the Isles may be tempted to take Michael Misa or James Hagens, the best choice would be Schaefer, a left-shot blue liner who could play alongside Noah Dobson in the not-too-distant future.

#2 San Jose Sharks: Michael Misa, LW

The Sharks have two high-end centers in Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith. So, adding a top-line winger like Misa could complement the team’s scoring very well. It remains to be seen if the Sharks could be tempted to load up down the middle and take James Hagens instead in this 2025 NHL Mock Draft.

#3 Chicago Blackhawks: James Hagens, C

Like San Jose, the Blackhawks have a high-end center in Connor Bedard. However, the Blackhawks don’t have another elite center to back up Bedard. That’s why Hagens makes sense for the Blackhawks at this spot.

Unless Schaefer inexplicably falls to #3, the Blackhawks would do well to nab Hagens as part of the 2025 NHL Mock Draft.

#4 Utah Hockey Club: Radim Mrtka, D

The Utah Hockey Club won the second draw, moving up 10 spots to grab the #4 pick. The Hockey Club is stacked up front with a wealth of young forwards led by captain Clayton Keller. However, Utah is thin on the blue line.

So, this pick could be a reach, but it makes sense for the Hockey Club to take the second-best defenseman in the draft to complement current top-pairing blue liners Sean Durzi and Mikhail Sergachev, along with emerging Maverick Lamoreux.

#5 Nashville Predators: Porter Martone, RW

The Predators have positional needs across the board. That’s why it makes sense for the team to take the best available player at number five, and that’s Porter Martone.

Martone projects as a high-end scoring winger who could instantly add more scoring punch to a Preds team that needs a boost moving forward, making him a good pick in the 2025 NHL Mock Draft.

#6 Philadelphia Flyers: Caleb Desnoyers, C

Like Nashville, Philadelphia could use help across the board. Desnoyers is the second-best center in the draft behind Misa. So, taking Desnoyers makes sense as it would add a playmaking pivot to complement rising star Matvei Michkov.

Adding Desnoyers in the 2025 NHL Mock Draft also fills a void as the Flyers look thin down the middle as things get pretty thin beyond Noah Cates. While Desnoyers would still be a couple of seasons away from the NHL, he gives the Flyers something to look forward to.

#7 Boston Bruins: Anton Frondell, C

Like it or not, the Boston Bruins are most likely headed toward a rebuild. So, why not take a solid center with the seventh-overall pick in this 2025 NHL Mock Draft?

Frondell, the top-ranked European forward makes sense for a Bruins’ team that lacks a true top-line center. While Frondell’s teammate Victor Eklund also makes sense at this pick, the Bruins would do well to grab a high-end center.

#8 Seattle Kraken: Victor Eklund, LW

The Kraken boast a top-line center in Matty Beniers, with Shane Wright still possessing a high ceiling. That leaves the Kraken with a positional need for a top-six winger. Eklund fits that role.

The Kraken may be tempted to look at a defenseman, they could reach for Kashawn Aitcheson, ranked 13th by The Athletic. If that’s the case, the Kraken could pull the biggest first-round surprise by taking Aitcheson or even Jackson Smith with this pick in the 2025 NHL Mock Draft.

#9 Buffalo Sabres: Jake O’Brien, C

The Buffalo Sabres find themselves in a similar spot as the Kraken. They could take the best player available or reach for a defenseman. If they don’t reach for someone like Aitcheson or Smith, Jake O’Brien, the fifth-best center in the first round could make sense for them.

The Sabres lack a solid number-one center who could hang with Tage Thompson and Zach Benson. Adding someone like Jake O’Brien could give the Sabres another option to support Jiri Kulich in the top six.

#10 Anaheim Ducks: Brady Martin, C

The Ducks pulled off last year’s biggest surprise by taking Beckett Senecke with the third-overall pick. This year, the Ducks could add a center to complement their current lineup. If O’Brien is still available, he could be the Ducks’ choice.

Otherwise, Brady Martin of the Soo Greyhounds or Roger McQueen could be headed to California with this pick.

#11 Pittsburgh Penguins: Justin Carbonneau, RW

The Pittsburgh Penguins could use a center considering that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are getting up in years. The Pens could take Martin or McQueen, depending on who’s available.

But it also makes sense for the Penguins to add more scoring by selecting Justin Carbonneau out of the QMJHL in this edition of the 2025 NHL MOck Draft. Adding Carbonneau would be a case of taking the best player available at the spot. So, it remains to be seen if that’s the direction the Penguins will take.

#12 New York Rangers: Kashawn Aitcheson, D

The New York Rangers could use another top-pairing defenseman to play with Adam Fox. Aitcheson can fill that void. Given the Rangers are relatively set at forward, adding a high-end blue liner would do well, especially at #12 for the 2025 NHL Mock Draft.

Jackson Smith and Logan Hensler could also fit the bill for the Rangers at this slot. Of course, there’s always the chance that the Rangers go for another center, but it’s likely they take a D-man with this pick.

#13 Detroit Red Wings: Carter Bear, LW

The Red Wings have two top-six centers in Dylan Larkin and Marco Kasper. So, adding another high-end winger makes sense. That’s Carter Bear at #13 in the 2025 NHL Mock Draft.

But there’s more to Bear than just scoring. He can also play center. That’s something the Wings could value as the flexibility Bear could provide would be highly valuable for the still-rebuilding Wings.

#14 Columbus Blue Jackets: Jackson Smith, D

The Columbus Blue Jackets could use a top-end blue liner, especially if they lose Ivan Provorov to free agency this year.

Jackson Smith or Logan Hensler could fit the bill nicely, especially after the Blue Jackets took a center in Cayden Lindstrom with the fourth-overall pick.

#15 Vancouver Canucks: Roger McQueen, C

The Canucks need to add center depth, particularly after losing J.T. Miller via trade this season. While Vancouver has Elias Pettersson, Pius Suter, Filip Chytil, and Aatu Raty, adding further depth wouldn’t hurt.

Taking Roger McQueen, if available at this slot, would be a case of taking the best player available. Unless the Canucks pick a blue liner like Logan Hensler, they’ll go for a center.

#16 Montreal Canadiens: Cole Reschny, C

The Calgary Flames originally owned this pick, but sent it to the Canadiens in the Sean Monahan trade of 2022.

With this pick in the 2025 NHL Mock Draft, the Canadiens could use a center like Cole Reschny to bolster its depth. The Canadiens have Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans but lack someone in between who could play in the top six.

That someone could be Reschny or perhaps Cullen Porter, ranked eighth and ninth at center, respectively. If that’s the case, the Canadiens could have a dynamic playmaker to go with recent import Ivan Demidov.