The 2024 NHL Draft is in the books, so naturally, it’s time to turn the page and focus on 2025. I cannot stress enough how early it is in the evaluation process and that a lot of these ratings will change over the next 12 months.
My way-too-early read on next year’s class is that it looks like an average group. James Hagens is a legit No. 1 type of prospect, but he’s not a transcendent player and doesn’t have a stranglehold on the top position. Early indicators are that it’s a forward-heavy group, as my first defenseman, Matthew Schaefer, appears at No. 7.
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2024 NHL Draft grades for every team: Best fits, analysis and what to know
1. James Hagens, C, U.S. NTDP-USHL
Hagens was the best player in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program this season. He has a dynamic combination of skating and skill that is reminiscent of players like Logan Cooley and Jack Hughes, who have recently come through the program. Hagens’ edge work is high end and he’s extremely elusive in open ice. He makes a ton of difficult plays on the move and is an elite playmaker. Hagens isn’t that big, but he competes and shows courage to get to the net to create chances. He has the potential to be a play-driving No. 1 center in the NHL. He’ll play his draft season at Boston College.
2. Porter Martone, RW, Mississauga-OHL
Martone had a great season between the OHL and several Team Canada U18 appearances and is squarely in the conversation for the No. 1 pick next season. His skill level and creativity with the puck are elite, which, when combined with the fact he’s a 6-foot-3 forward who can skate well, makes him a potential game-breaker versus men. He is also a highly competitive big man who can play an interior game and use his skill to get to the net.
3. Roger McQueen, C, Brandon-WHL
McQueen’s toolkit speaks for itself. He is a 6-foot-5 center who can skate and has high-end offensive skills. He has game-breaking ability with the puck and the ability to dominate a game. He is extremely talented as a puck handler, but he can also generate offense around the net and doesn’t shy from physical play. His consistency could be a bit better. For as talented as he is, I expected a bit more production last season, even if he was a point-per-game player in the WHL.
4. Anton Frondell, C, Djurgarden-Allsvenskan
Frondell was excellent in Sweden’s junior ranks and got some time versus men in the Allsvenskan this season. When he came up to play for Sweden’s U18 team, he immediately became their best player as well. Frondell checks a lot of boxes. He has a ton of natural skill with the puck. He makes difficult plays with consistency and can do so on the move. Frondell skates well and competes hard, so despite average size, he has a translatable style of play to the NHL. Frondell is a great playmaker but he’s also a very dangerous shooter from the faceoff dots.
5. Jakob Ihs Wozniak, RW, Lulea-Sweden Jr.
Ihz Wozniak had a huge year in Sweden’s league for a 16-year-old. He wasn’t very good with Sweden’s U18 team toward the end of the year, but I have no doubts about the tools and I expect a big draft season from him. Forwards who are 6-3 and can skate, have a lot of offensive skill and can shoot the puck are difficult to find, and Wozniak looks like a potential impactful pro winger. I’d like to see him compete a bit harder at times but I don’t view that as a major issue either.
6. Ivan Ryabkin, C, Dynamo Moscow-MHL
Ryabkin was an impactful player at the Russian junior level as a 16-year-old. He’s a very likeable player who ticks most of the boxes scouts want. He skates well. He has a ton of skill and ability to improvise with the puck. He sees the ice at a high level and makes difficult passes consistently. He has a good shot and can finish plays from range and at the net. He competes quite hard and looks to use his body to win pucks. Other than an average-sized frame, there is no noticeable hole in his game.
7. Matthew Schaefer, LHD, Erie-OHL
Schaefer was the No. 1 pick in his OHL draft and had a very good first season in the league. He has good skills and playmaking ability, although I don’t think his pure offensive touch is what gets you excited about him. His main asset is his skating. He’s a powerful, effortless skater who will be able to close gaps and transition up ice at a clear NHL level. He projects as a strong, two-way, pro defenseman.
8. Michael Misa, LW, Saginaw-OHL
Misa was given exceptional status to play in the OHL as a 15-year-old and has been an excellent junior player since then. He’s a high-end skater with great skill and offensive sense. He projects to run a pro power play and be a legit offensive producer with his skill and his ability to make plays on the move. He is average sized, but gets to the net and creates offense in a way that will translate to the NHL.
Michael Misa scored 75 points in 67 games in his second season with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. (Chris Tanouye / Getty Images)
9. Logan Hensler, RHD, U.S. NTDP-USHL
Hensler came out of the gates this season flying for the program. He slowed down a bit as the year went on, but his toolkit remains extremely intriguing for the pros. He’s a 6-2, mobile right-shot with strong offensive skills and playmaking ability. He projects to be able to run a pro power play and put up offense. His defending is OK. His length and feet will allow him to make stops but he’s not a super-hard-to-play-against type. He will play his draft year at Wisconsin.
10. Kashawn Aitcheson, LHD, Barrie-OHL
Aitcheson had a great season. He scored 39 points and played big minutes for Barrie and was arguably Canada’s best defenseman at the U18 worlds. He’s a hyper-competitive defender who doesn’t back down from physical play. He has the bite NHL teams will love, but he’s also a good skater with strong enough hands and hockey sense to make plays at higher levels, even if offense will likely never be his calling card.
11. Jackson Smith, LHD, Tri-City-WHL
Smith is a 6-3 defenseman who skates quite well and hit 29 points as a rookie in the WHL last season. That combination of facts makes for a highly appealing pro prospect. He’s a sometimes-funky-looking-but-powerful skater who can easily get by checkers and skate pucks up ice. He has good offensive skills and playmaking ability from the point. I wouldn’t call him a true top-tier puck-mover, but he has skill and a good point shot as well. If he keeps developing well he could be a top-four NHL defenseman.
12. Justin Carbonneau, RW, Blainville-Boisbriand-QMJHL
Carbonneau was an electric player for Blainville this past season. He’s a player with natural puck skills, offensive sense and vision, and makes a lot of high-end plays with the puck. That Carbonneau is also a clear NHL-caliber skater who can beat defenders 1v1 at full flight gives confidence in how his game will translate up levels. He’s a natural scorer with decent size.
13. Artyom Vilchinsky, LHD, SKA-MHL
Vilchinsky has the looks of a player who is going to make a lot of stops versus men. He’s a huge defenseman who is quite mobile for his size and has a good amount of physicality in his play, too. His skill and hockey sense don’t get you overly excited, but they’re good enough to be a first-pass type as a pro, potentially with very good defensive play.
14. Cole Reschny, C, Victoria-WHL
Reschny was great in the WHL as a rookie, scoring at a point-per-game mark and playing big minutes for Victoria. He’s a highly skilled and intelligent player who can run a power play like a pro. He is a quick skater with good edges who plays with pace and makes a lot of high-end plays on the move. He is on the smaller side, but Reschny can create at the net and even kill penalties.
15. Caleb Desnoyers, C, Moncton-QMJHL
Desnoyers was very impressive as a point-per-game rookie in the QMJHL. The No. 1 pick in his QMJHL draft has a ton of skill and projects as a dangerous playmaker versus pros. He has the hands and vision to make a lot happen with the puck and combined with the fact he’s a strong skater who can create on the move, this could allow him to become a good NHL player.
16. Jake O’Brien, C, Brantford-OHL
O’Brien was a point-per-game center in the OHL this past season and an important player on a good Brantford team. He is a very smart playmaker. He shows the high-end patience and vision to hold onto pucks for an extra second to make plays. He has the potential to run a pro power play with how he sees the ice. He is also a competitive center who gets to the net, wins pucks and plays with good tempo.
17. Charlie Trethewey, RHD, U.S. NTDP-USHL
Trethewey had a productive U17 season with the NTDP. His talent with the puck is obvious. He is a poised passer who hits a lot of seams and can hold onto the puck for an extra second to make a play. His vision and great shot make him very dangerous on the power play. His offense drives his play, but he has decent size, skates well and competes, too. He has a lot of traits of a potential top-four NHL defenseman.
18. Malcolm Spence, LW, Erie-OHL
Spence had a great season between his OHL play and multiple appearances for Canada’s U18 team as a top player. Spence got his points in the OHL, but I wouldn’t call him a truly dynamic skill type. His compete is excellent, though. He’s a tenacious worker who wins a ton of battles due to his length, speed and effort. That he has good offensive touch and playmaking as well makes him a versatile forward that coaches will play a lot.
19. Joshua Ravensbergen, G, Prince George-WHL
The starting goalie for a top WHL team, Ravensbergen was quite good in his first WHL season. He ticks off a lot of boxes in a top NHL prospect. He’s 6-4, he’s very athletic, he anticipates the play well and he’s quite aggressive in challenging shooters. He can make a lot of tough saves in a way that looks like he’s an NHL goaltender.
20. Sascha Boumedienne, LHD, Youngstown-USHL
Boumedienne was quite good as a 16-year-old in the USHL. He came out of the gates on fire, although his production cooled down significantly in the second half. His skating gets you excited about his NHL projection. He has NHL footspeed and edge work, and his stride gets him around the ice effortlessly. His puck game is good, not amazing. He makes plays and has above-average skills, but he doesn’t project as a major offensive type at the higher levels. He will play his draft season at Boston University.
21. Lynden Lakovic, LW, Moose Jaw-WHL
Lakovic hit 39 points this season and was a notable part of a very good WHL team in Moose Jaw. Lakovic is a 6-4 winger who skates quite well for his size. He has a powerful and fluid stride and can easily avoid checkers. He is a creative offensive player with the hands to make defenders miss often. He sees the ice well and shows strong offensive hockey sense with the puck. There are a lot of indicators in his game he could be a good pro forward.
22. Cole McKinney, C, U.S. NTDP-USHL
McKinney was one of the top players on the U.S. U17 team this season. He’s a well-rounded center. He’s a strong skater. He has a high skill level. He is a highly creative passer who makes a lot of difficult plays. McKinney isn’t that big but he’s a competitive two-way player who wins battles and can create at the net. The debate on him is going to be whether he’s truly dynamic enough offensively especially given he’s not very physically imposing.
23. William Moore, C, U.S. NTDP-USHL
Moore’s pure tools stand out immediately in terms of his pro potential. He’s a 6-2 center. He skates quite well. He has offensive touch. He can score goals. His degree of skill wasn’t the highest among the NTDP forwards, but he showed he could be a top scorer for their team this season.
William Moore was a top scorer with the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2023-24. (Rena Laverty / USA Hockey’s NTDP)
24. Milton Gastrin, C, MODO-Sweden Jr.
Gastrin is a good-sized center who skates well and competes hard. The captain of Sweden’s age group, he is a responsible two-way player who creates offense at the net front very well. He has skill, but I wouldn’t call him a natural offensive type who is going to make a lot of plays.
25. Conrad Fondrk, LW, U.S. NTDP-USHL
Fondrk was a top scorer for the NTDP this season. He’s a very skilled player. He has quick stick skills, is a creative offensive mind and has a shot to finish chances from distance. He’s a good skater with a strong initial step and overall footspeed. He’s not very big, but he competes well enough and killed penalties this season.
26. Benjamin Kevan, RW, Des Moines-USHL
Kevan started the season playing midget hockey in California before joining Des Moines a month into the season and becoming their top scorer by season’s end. His skill is clear NHL quality. He is a highly creative puck handler who skates well and creates a lot of chances with a pro tempo. He sees the ice very well and has the instincts to make difficult plays with the puck. He can play on the perimeter a bit too much, though.
27. Bill Zonnon, LW, Rouyn-Noranda-QMJHL
Zonnon was an important player on an impressive Rouyn-Noranda team this season. He offers a lot of desirable traits to an NHL team. He’s a 6-2 wing who skates quite well; he has great hands and he can beat defenders with pace. He has solid hockey sense and can create off the perimeter. He killed penalties this past season as well.
28. Cullen Potter, C, U.S. NTDP-USHL
Potter is a dynamic skating center. He’s probably the best pure skater in his age group with how explosive his footspeed is combined with his excellent edge work. He is also a very skilled forward who can beat defenders at full speed and create a lot of scoring chances. He is 5-9, though, and the debate on him all season is whether he has elite small-guy offensive talent or is just very good but not amazing. He will play his draft season at Arizona State.
29. Luka Radivojevic, RHD, Orebro, SHL
Radivojevic had a very impressive season. He was a top defenseman for his junior team in Sweden. He also made Slovakia’s world junior team as a 16-year-old. He’s an excellent skater with very good offensive skills and playmaking ability who creates a ton with the puck on his stick. Scouts will wrestle with his pure talent vs. his 5-10 frame and debate whether he’s truly dynamic enough at that size.
30. Reese Hamilton, LHD, Calgary-WHL
Hamilton put up 31 points in 42 WHL games for Calgary and was a major part of their offense as a 16-year-old. He’s only a 6-foot defenseman, but he’s an excellent skater whose feet should allow him to make stops and retrieve pucks as a pro. Those feet combined with a high hockey IQ give him a real chance to be a solid NHL defenseman.
31. Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen, LHD, U.S. NTDP-USHL
Rheaume-Mullen didn’t play a huge role on the U.S. U18 team this season, but his high-end skating ability stood out consistently when he did play. He’s an average-sized defender whose puck play doesn’t wow you, but he held his own when he was asked to run a power play, and with how well he skates, he has the potential to be a legit NHL defender.
32. Victor Eklund, RW, Djurgarden-Allsvenskan
Eklund is the younger brother of Sharks winger William Eklund. Like William, Victor is an excellent skater with a high skill level who competes well, but isn’t a natural finisher and is on the smaller side. William’s stock rose through the season because he exhibited high-end offensive traits. I see very good offense in Victor, but I’ll need to be sold as well that he has that level of talent.
(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photos: Chris Tanouye, Michael Miller / ISI Photos / Getty Images)
