Pacific Division Draft Roundup: Michael Misa selected second overall by Sharks

That’s a wrap for day one of the 2025 National Hockey League draft.

There were a total of 32 selections, with just 21 different teams making a selection. Calgary had two picks, the 18th overall and the 32nd overall. Six of the Pacific Division teams made at least one selection in the first round.

Let’s take a look at what the Pacific Division teams did, as well as other notable news from around the league.

Calgary Flames

The Flames’ first pick was with the 18th overall selection, and for the first time since 2014, when they picked Sam Bennett, the Flames drafted a pure centre. Connor Zary was drafted as a centre, but it’s clear his future is on the wing.

It was a bit surprising when Cole Reschny fell to them, but he was the clear pick at the 18th overall selection. This season with the Western Hockey League’s Victoria Royals, the 18-year-old centre scored 26 goals and 92 points in 62 games. It was in the post-season that Reschny raised his stock, scoring nine goals and 25 points in 11 games.

He’s one of the best playmakers in the draft, an elite skater, and will stick at centre because of a strong two-way presence.

With the 32nd overall pick, the Flames selected Cullen Potter, a left-shot forward who played for Arizona State University in 2024-25. Overall, he finished the season with 13 goals and 22 points in 35 games. Potter also played for the USA’s under-18 team in the U18 World Championship, scoring four goals and eight points in seven games.

The 18-year-old is an undersized (5’10”) centre who is incredibly skilled. He’s a quick skater as well.

San Jose Sharks

In the 2024 draft, the Calgary Flames selected Luke Misa with the 150th overall pick in the fifth round. His younger brother, Michael, was selected second overall in the 2025 draft by the San Jose Sharks. One of nine players with exceptional player status for the Canadian Hockey League, Misa scored 62 goals and 134 points in 65 games with the Saginaw Spirit. He was also the teammate of Flames’ defenceman Zayne Parekh.

The Sharks’ other pick was the 30th overall pick, using it to draft netminder Joshua Ravensbergen, the second goalie drafted in the first round. Last season with the Prince George Cougars, the right-handed catching goalie finished with a .901 save percentage and 3 goals against average in 51 games.

Seattle Kraken

Six picks after the Sharks’ first pick, the Seattle Kraken made their first selection of the draft, picking Brantford Bulldogs centre Jake O’Brien with the eighth overall pick. Last season in the OHL, the right-shot centre scored 32 goals and 98 points in 66 games, along with three goals and 11 points in 11 post-season games.

Anaheim Ducks

Coming into the draft, the big question mark was where Roger McQueen was going to go? Well, the question was answered when the Anaheim Ducks selected the 6’5” right-shot centre 10th overall. The Saskatoon native played just 17 games last season, scoring 10 goals and 20 points in 17 games with the Brandon Wheat Kings. He missed most of last season with a spinal fracture in his lower back, ouch.

Vancouver Canucks

With the 15th overall selection, the Vancouver Canucks selected Braeden Cootes from the Seattle Thunderbirds. Last season, the 18-year-old right-shot centre scored 26 goals and 63 points in 60 games, along with two goals and eight points in six post-season games. It was a solid selection for the British Columbian team.

Los Angeles Kings

The Los Angeles Kings traded down from their original pick, ending up with the 31st overall pick. They used it to select Henry Brzustewicz. Brother of Flames’ prospect Hunter, the right-shot defenceman scored 10 goals and 42 points in 67 games with the OHL’s London Knights, who happened to win the 2025 Memorial Cup.

Edmonton Oilers

Two teams in the Pacific Division didn’t have their first-round pick. One was the Edmonton Oilers, as they traded it during last year’s draft for the 32nd overall pick, selecting Sam O’Reilly. Barring a trade, they’re first pick on Saturday will be the 83rd overall selection.

Vegas Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights were also without a first-round pick, as they traded it for Tomáš Hertl before the 2025 trade deadline. Moreover, the Golden Knights will be without their 2026 first-round pick, as they traded it to the Flames before the 2024 trade deadline for Noah Hanifin. Barring a trade, the Golden Knights’ first selection on Saturday will be the 91st overall pick.

Other notables from day one of the draft

This was the first NHL draft to be decentralized, and oh my was that ever brutal to sit through. It started at 5:00 p.m. MT and didn’t get done until past 9:30 p.m. MT. The decentralized draft was also less entertaining than previous drafts. Please return to the centralized draft in 2026.

The first overall pick in the 2025 draft was left-shot defenceman Matthew Schaefer, selected from the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters. He was the first OHL player to go first overall since Connor McDavid in 2015, who also played for the Otters. It’s hard not to root for the 17-year-old given all he’s been through.

Early on Friday, the Islanders swung a massive trade, moving right-shot defenceman Noah Dobson to the Montréal Canadiens in exchange for the 16th overall pick, the 17th overall pick, and former Flames prospect Emil Heineman. With those picks, they selected Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson. Good piece of business for the retooling Islanders.

Speaking of trades, the first one during the draft was before the 12th overall selection, as the Pittsburgh Penguins traded the 12th overall pick to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for the 22nd overall and the 31st overall picks. The Flyers used it to select Jack Nesbitt, a little bit off the board.

It wasn’t the Penguins’ only move in the draft. They picked Bill Zonnon with the 22nd overall selection, a great pick. They then traded up to the 24th overall pick, moving the 31st overall and 59th overall picks. The Penguins used the 24th overall pick to select William Horcoff. Their 11th overall pick was a little confusing, using it to select Benjamin Kindel, who could’ve been available 22nd overall.

Another draft pick that was a little off the board was the Columbus Blue Jackets’ 20th overall selection. They used it to select a Russian netminder, Pyotr Andreyanov, who was projected to go late in the second or early in the third.

Speaking of the Blue Jackets, their guest to announce their two first-round picks was Meredith Gaudreau. A very touching tribute to her husband Johnny and brother-in-law Matthew. Gone, but never forgotten.