Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Ryker Lee is selected as the 26th overall pick to the Nashville Predators in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Spartans' Recent Draft Success Means Good Things for Recruiting

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 2:01 PM ET

The Michigan State Spartans represented extremely well in the 2025 NHL Draft this past weekend. They had the third-most draft picks selected by one school behind Boston University (seven) and bitter rival Michigan (eight). Six Spartans were taken across the first five rounds of the draft.

Such success is a major recruiting tool for the Spartans as the program gradually increases in status. More draft picks will inspire higher confidence in potential commits that may be on the fence on where to play. Being on a team that breeds NHL talent is always going to get the top prospects.

Soon-to-be Spartan freshman Ryker Lee was taken with the No. 25 overall pick by the Nashville Predators in the first round. That was quickly followed by 17-year-old star and Spartan commit Mason West, who was taken by the Chicago Blackhawks just four picks later at No. 29.

The next two picks both came in the second round following the pair of first-round selections. The No. 45 pick was taken by the Anaheim Ducks, picking incoming freshman center Eric Nilson. Sophomore Shane Vansaghi was taken another four picks later to Philadelphia (No. 48).

The final pair of Spartans drafted will start their Spartan careers in the 2026-27 season. 18-year-old Brady Peddle was selected in the third round by the Pittsburgh Penguins (No. 91 overall). 19-year-old winger Max Heise was picked by the San Jose Sharks in the fifth round (No. 150).

Vansaghi is the only player of the six that had already played a season in East Lansing. The majority were guys playing junior hockey in the USHL and other high-level leagues. This is a huge reflection of MSU's recruiting success and should tell you just how good they will be in a few seasons.

When head coach Adam Nightingale and the rest of his staff go out recruiting for the future, they will have other recruiting tools to market towards recruits than just the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles.

Pitching to recruits that they will have a high draft probability by coming to Michigan State could be the deciding factor between a guy heading to Ann Arbor or another powerhouse program. Use these six players as big examples and the recruiting success will carry on for years.

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