5 best European prospects to watch out for in 2025 NHL Draft ft. Anton Frondell

The NHL draft is right around the corner, and with exactly one week to go until teams begin to make their selections, we're taking a look at some of the top international prospects.

While players like Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa and James Hagens are all US-born players, several European players also stand out.

Five best European prospects to look out for in the 2025 NHL draft

#1: Anton Frondell

Swedish standout Anton Frondell is projected to be a top-five pick on many draft boards. The six-foot-one center is fresh off an impressive year with Djurgårdens IF, where he logged 25 points in 29 games.

Additionally, while playing with Sweden's U18 team, Frondell logged 18 points in 19 games.

#2: Victor Eklund

Another Swedish standout who played alongside Anton Frondell with Djurgårdens IF, Victor Eklund, is expected to be a top 10 pick in this year's draft.

Last season, with Djurgårdens IF, Eklund logged 31 points over 42 games, while also scoring seven goals and contributing four assists to Sweden's International JR team.

#3: Radim Mrtka

A defenceman from Czechia, Radim Mrtka, isn't just one of the best European-born players in the draft; he's also one of the top defencemen, with projections putting him as a top 15 pick in this year's draft.

Last season, with the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL, Mrtka logged a whopping 32 assists over 43 games.

NHL: Philadelphia Flyers at Montreal Canadiens - Source: Imagn

#4: Sascha Boumedienne

Another Swedish-born standout, Sascha Boumedienne, is coming off an impressive year with Boston University, helping the team finish eighth in their conference with a 21-13-2 record.

Heading into the draft, projections have the 18-year-old projected as a first-round pick.

#5: Ivan Ryabkin

Russian-born center Ivan Ryabkin has impressed in recent years regardless of where he's been playing. After logging 58 points over 44 games with MHK Dynamo Moscow in the MHL, he went on to log 30 points over 27 games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL.

Despite that, the expectation is that Ryabkin will be an early second-round pick unless a team decides to draft him late in the first.

About the author

Evan Bell is a journalist specializing in the NBA and NHL at Sportskeeda, whose love for the game stems from a childhood spent watching the Chicago Bulls. He has been there through their highs and lows, from the Jordan era to the exciting Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah years.

Evan finds the 82-game season and the intensity of playoff basketball exhilarating, and he also revels in the offseason drama. Phil Jackson stands out as his favorite coach, whom he admires for his composed leadership and success in managing dynamic personalities like Dennis Rodman.

To deliver top-quality content, Evan fact-checks information while diligently keeping up with the action year-round.

When he's not writing, Evan follows tennis and Greek football, and also plays basketball and tennis.

Know More

Wayne Gretzky’s wife Janet responds to critics questioning his loyalty to Canada, Bobby Orr's support following 4 Nations drama

Edited by Krutik Jain