2025 NHL Draft: Forbes’ Top 96 March Rankings

As always, we’ll give a little more insight to the top-10, but if any questions or opinions remain after seeing this list, don’t hesitate to reach out. With that, here’s a look at March’s top-96 prospects for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

First Round

1. Matthew Schaefer, LHD, Erie Otters (OHL)

Like I said, I’ve driven myself crazy on who I felt deserved to be atop this list. Very rarely do I feel strong enough about a defenceman that I put him number one on my rankings. But for the second straight time, here we are — with Matthew Schaefer atop my list. He hits all the right markers — skating, physicality, vision and his shot is so deceptive. While Schaefer hasn’t skated since suffering an injury at the World Junior Hockey Championship. That said, he’s set to resume skating this week with his Erie Otters having under 10 games left in their regular season. While my second ranked player has played out of his mind lately, I’m not set on holding this injury against Schaefer and still think that he could go number one if a team looks at the ceiling he has as a superstar defenceman.

2. Michael Misa, C/LW, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

Back-to-back OHLers to open up this ranking and, yes, there’s a very strong possibility that Misa will be the first name off the board. In 60 games this season, Misa has 58 goals and 124 points. He leads the OHL in points by 11 and is averaging 2.07 points per game. In the spirit of throwing around the word ‘superstar,’ Misa might be the top dog coming out of this year’s draft. He has the ability to play both down the middle and on the wing and clearly gets involved in a big way offensively. He has soft hands and makes it look so easy weaving in and out of the opposing players as he carries into the offensive zone. He’s only going to get bigger and stronger and that will only push his game to the next level — and it’s crazy to think there is one.

3. James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA)

At one point he was the clear number one in this draft. But things have changed and James Hagens remains a top-five pick in this draft. He’s averaging a point per game at BC this season with nine goals and 34 points in 34 games and sits third on the team in scoring behind two players already drafted to the NHL in Ryan Leonard (WSH) and Gabe Perreault (NYR). While his numbers might not suggest it, Hagens does have the ability to be a big-time goal scorer as well, but he’s developed his game into more a play-making style in his first year in the NCAA. His play away from the puck is just as strong as his play with the puck and offers himself as an option that opens up the ice for the rest of his team. There’s no doubt that he’s going to be a force in the NHL.

4. Porter Martone, RW, Brampton Steelheads (OHL)

He might be the top power forward option in this draft and while he’s dropped a bit in my rankings, he’s still a top-five pick in the draft. For the second straight season he’s reached the 30-goal plateau with the Steelheads, donning the ‘C’ for the team this time around. With 89 points in 51 games, he’s on the verge of possibly reaching the 100-point plateau for the first time in his OHL career. When he engages in all aspects of the game, Martone seems to be at his best. He’s played with a lot of confidence this season and it stems from his involvement physically in the game. He’s a good teammate and sees the game incredibly well and while he was assessed a two-game suspension for a fight with Ben Danford earlier in March, there’s no way that teams won’t look at him as a full-blown assets with all the intangibles in his game when the draft rolls around.

5. Anton Frondell, C, Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)

Like the first overall spot, closing out the top-five has been a dilemma. That said, Anton Frondell has been hovering all season long as a bubble top-five pick for me. He has a strong hockey IQ and sees the game extremely well. He has size and will grow some more before he takes that next step and his strength will play a role in his overall game. He made the jump from Sweden’s J20 Nationell to HockeyAllsvenskan and hasn’t slowed down – with 11 goals and 25 points in 29 games for Djurgårdens. As it stands, he’s averaging 0.86 points per game. If it stands, according to Steven Ellis, it will be the second-best PPG average by a draft-eligible prospect in league history behind Elias Pettersson’s 0.95 in 2016-17. All things considered, he has a chance to be a pretty impactful player if he continues to trend in this direction.

6. Victor Eklund, LW, Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)

From back-to-back OHLers to kick off the rankings to back-to-back Swedes and teammates nonetheless. Victor Eklund is a player that loves to drive the pace of play. He’s intense and always seems to be moving, but he also has a high-level of skill which allows him to play at that kind of pace. Eklund played just one game for the J20 squad this season, but has 19 goals and 31 points in 42 games with the big club this season. That puts his point-per-game average at 0.74 and not far off the mark of Frondell and Pettersson for top draft-eligible players in Sweden’s Allsvenskan. Eklund has a quick release, much like Frondell, and his pull-back-release can be deceptive to opposing goaltenders. He is a little smaller, but as we’ve seen size can be overcome in today’s game.

7. Roger McQueen, C, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

Outside of giving me Green Arrow vibes with that last name, Roger McQueen has given it his best shot to stay relevant after having missed significant time. Some might consider him a wildcard in this draft given the injuries this season, but eight goals and 12 points in 11 games for the Wheat Kings won’t go unnoticed. McQueen suffered another tough break this month after being banged up again, however, his ability to be a difference-maker should keep his draft stock relatively high. Selections can have a little what-have-you-done-for-me-lately feel, so the injuries could play a role. That said, given McQueen’s pure skill, I don’t see him falling outside of the top-10. He has the size, at six-foot-five, and the skill to become a noticeable asset. The key will be for him to find a way to stay healthy.

8. Caleb Desnoyers, C, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

He is tied for fifth in the QMJHL in points so far this season and somehow he’s still regarded as a player that could fall outside the top-10 for some. He has 34 goals and 80 points in just 54 games this season for the Moncton Wildcats and, at six-foot-two, already has the size to legitimize his spot down the middle. He’s a three-zone player, meaning he can provide value in each zone for his team. His 200-foot game is continually developing and he’s quickly showing why he will be an asset in all areas for whichever team picks him. He has soft hands and can make moves in tight that either get him out of a jam or get opposing players and goaltenders to bite before finishing it off.

9. Jackson Smith, LHD, Tri-City Americans (WHL)

He’s a heavy body, but gets involved offensively and that makes Jackson Smith a strong possibility for the second defenceman off the board next the Schaefer. He has six goals and 46 points in 63 games for the Americans while still playing with an edge. He’s a player that battles for every puck and when he retrieves it, he sees the game well enough to push it up ice. He’s mobile and walks the line well in the offensive zone, maintain possession and creating opportunities. His transition game is one thing that sets him apart from others and should land him in the top-10 for a team looking to add to their backend.

10. Jake O’Brien, C, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

This spot belongs to Carter Bear, but his recent season-ending injury goes back to that what-have-you-done-lately mentality. It still only shifted Bear down one spot, but it bumped Jake O’Brien up into my top-10. He’s had a breakout season with the Bulldogs after 64 points in 61 games during his rookie season in 2023-24. Now, this season, he has found his scoring touch with 32 goals and 93 points in 62 games – on pace for a 100-point season. He’s a powerplay specialist who has capitalized this season leading the OHL in overall powerplay points and primary assists with the man advantage. He’s fast, skates well and is strong on his edges. He’s a tough customer for any opposing defence, but his positioning and deceptiveness make him much tougher to handle that others in this draft. While he can score, O’Brien also likes to distribute the puck making him a multi-dynamic offensive threat.

11. Carter Bear, C, Everett Silvertips (WHL)

12. Radim Mrtka, RHD, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

13. Malcolm Spence, LW, Erie Otters (OHL)

14. Lynden Lakovic, LW, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)

15. Logan Hensler, RHD, Wisconsin University (NCAA)

16. Brady Martin, C, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

17. Kashawn Aitcheson, LHD, Barrie Colts (OHL)

18. Cullen Potter, LW, Arizona State University (NCAA)

19. Cameron Reid, LHD, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

20. Cameron Schmidt, RW, Vancouver Giants (WHL)

21. Cole Reschny, C, Victoria Royals (WHL)

22. Justin Carbonneau, RW, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)

23. Blake Fiddler, RHD, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

24. Ivan Ryabkin, C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)

25. Braeden Cootes, C, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

26. Milton Gästrin, C, MoDo J20 (Nationell)

27. Bill Zonnon, LW, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)

28. William Moore, C, USA U18 (NTDP)

29. Jakob Ihs Wozniak, RW, Luleå HF J20 (Nationell)

30. Benjamin Kindel, RW, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

31. Jack Murtagh, C/LW, USA U18 (NTDP)

32. Joshua Ravensbergen, G, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

Second Round

33. Sascha Boumedienne, LHD, Boston University (NCAA)

34. Nathan Behm, LW, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)

35. Cole McKinney, C, USA U18 (NTDP)

36. Charlie Trethewey, RHD, USA U18 (NTDP)

37. Conrad Fondrk, LW, USA U18 (NTDP)

38. Adam Benák, C, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)

39. Jack Nesbitt, C, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

40. Carter Amico, RHD, USA U18 (NTDP)

41. Shane Vansaghi, RW, Michigan State University (NCAA)

42. Eric Nilson, C, Djurgårdens IF J20 (Nationell)

43. Jack Ivankovic, G, Brampton Steelheads (OHL)

44. Benjamin Kevan, RW, Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)

45. Kurban Limatov, LHD, MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)

46. Haoxi ‘Simon’ Wang, LHD, Oshawa Generals (OHL)

47. Luka Radivojevič, RHD, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)

48. Owen Conrad, LHD, Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL)

49. Pyotr Andreyanov, G, Krasnaya Amiya Moskva (MHL)

50. Eddie Genborg, F, Linköping HC J20 (Nationell)

51. Reese Hamilton, LHD, Regina Pats (WHL)

52. Ryker Lee, RW, Madison Capitols (USHL)

53. Melvin Novotny, F, Leksands IF J20 (Nationell)

54. Henry Brzustewicz, RHD, London Knights (OHL)

55. Carson Cameron, RHD, Peterborough Petes (OHL)

56. William Horcoff, C, USA U18 (NTDP)

57. Luca Romano, C, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

58. Arvid Drott, RW, Djurgårdens IF J20 (Nationell)

59. L.J. Mooney, RW, USA U18 (NTDP)

60. Tomas Pobezal, C, HK Nitra (Slovakia)

61. Kristian Epperson, LW, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

62. Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen, LHD, University of Michigan (NCAA)

63. Émile Guité, LW, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)

64. Viktor Klingsell, LW, Skellefteå AIK J20 (Nationell)

Third Round

65. Vaclav Nestrasil, RW, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)

66. Filip Ekberg, LW, Ottawa 67’s (OHL)

67. Vojtech Čihar, LW, HC Energie Karlovy Vary (Czechia)

68. Malte Vass, LHD, Färjestad BK J20 (Nationell)

69. Quinn Beauchense, RHD, Guelph Storm (OHL)

70. Lasse Boelius, LHD, Ässät (Liiga)

71. Semyon Frolov, G, MHK Krylia Sovetov Moskva (MHL)

72. Shamar Moses, RW, North Bay Battalion (OHL)

73. Jordan Gavin, C/LW, Tri-City Americans (WHL)

74. Tomas Poletin, LW, Pelicans U20 (SM-sarja)

75. Alex Huang, RHD, Chicoutimi Saugenéens (QMJHL)

76. Max Westergård, F, Frölunda HC J20 (Nationell)

77. David Lewandowski, C, Saskatoon Blades (WHL)

78. Carlos Händel, RHD, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

79. Theo Stockselius, C, Djurgårdens IF J20 (Nationell)

80. Topias Hynninen, C, Jukurit (Liiga)

81. Ethan Czata, C, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)

82. Matthew Gard, C, Red Deer Rebels (WHL)

83. Alexei Medvedev, G, London Knights (OHL)

84. Love Härenstam, G, Luleå HF J20 (Nationell)

85. Gustav Hillström, C, Brynäs IF (SHL)

86. Mason West, C, Edina High (USHS-MN)

87. Bruno Osmanis, RW, IF Björklöven (HockeyAllsvenskan)

88. Hayden Paupanekis, C, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

89. Max Psenicka, RHD, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

90. Karl Annborn, RHD, HV71 (SHL)

91. Peyton Kettles, LHD, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)

92. Zachary Morin, LW, Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)

93. Michal Svrcek, C, Brynäs IF (SHL)

94. Zeb Lindgren, LHD, Skellefteå AIK J20 (Nationell)

95. Linus Funck, RHD, Luleå HF J20 (Nationell)

96. Artyom Vilchinsky, LHD, SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)

Honourable Mentions

David Rozsival, LW, Bílí Tygri Liberec (Czechia); Maxim Agafonov, RHD, Tolpar Ufa (MHL); David Bedkowski, RHD, Owen Sound Attack (OHL); Lucas Beckman, G, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL); Tyler Hopkins, C, Kingston Frontenacs