Welcome to your 2025 NHL Entry Draft Headquarters right here at Last Word On Sports and Top Shelf Prospects. We have you covered with everything you will need to be ready for the big event. Today, we bring you Part Two of our 2025 NHL Draft Grades.
Be sure to bookmark the site, follow our prospect writers Ben Kerr and Chase Windsor, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical draft profiles and scouting reports! Last Word On Hockey and Top Shelf Prospects bring it to you. Make us your new headquarters for everything 2025 NHL Draft!
The big day has come and gone, and now we look back to see how each team did in the NHL Draft. We know it’s way too soon to evaluate the complete outcomes of this year’s draft. However, we don’t want to wait. Instead, we follow our yearly tradition and do our NHL Draft Grades now.
To be clear, our 2025 NHL Draft Grades are based on the quality and quantity of total talent added in the draft. It is not based on getting value for where you pick. For example, a team that lacks picks is likely to be given a very poor grade for this year’s draft, regardless of how they use them.
LWOS 2025 NHL Draft Evaluation and Grades
Note: VALUE PICK does NOT mean the best player drafted. It means the best value. For example, Matthew Schaefer was the first player taken in this draft. However, he is not our best-value pick for the New York Islanders. Why? Because anyone can take the best player with the first overall pick. What we are looking for is value here, such as what steal did the team get in the draft that went later than we thought he would? If it were merely an exercise in naming the best player drafted, we might as well just name the team’s first pick, as that is who their own scouts felt was their best player.
Our grades are based on every player in the class, even where the later picks are not mentioned in the write-up. Of course, the higher the pick, the more he will affect the grade.
Dallas: B
Best Value Pick: Cameron Schmidt
Every year, it seems that one or more high-skilled players get passed over solely due to their size. This year, Cameron Schmidt is one of those players. Despite being ranked as high as 22nd on several scouting outlets, Schmidt fell to the third round and was selected 94th overall by the Dallas Stars. At 5’8″, 161lbs, Cameron is clearly on the smaller side. Where he lacks in stature, he makes up for by being one of the top goal scorers in this class. Last season with the Vancouver Giants, he scored 40 goals in 61 games. Despite his size and some flaws defensively, selecting him at 94th is incredible value.
The other player that we felt provided decent value was Brandobn Gorzynski. The 6’2″, 185 lbs left winger is a bit of a project, but a solid bet to take in the fourth round. He provides size, physicality, and a unique scoring touch. Other than these two, we didn’t feel the remaining four picks to be of excess value, hence the B grade.
Detroit: A-
Best Value Pick: Michal Svrcek
The Detroit Red Wings earned a A- based on their combination of quality and quantity. They made eight selections in this year’s draft, and a few of them we liked quite a bit. Starting with their first round pick, Carter Bear is a stud. He works hard, players harder, and can contribute offensively at high levels. Despite being selected in the range we expected, Bear still provided immense value to the Wings’ prospect pools.
After making two valuable picks in Genborg and Pradel, Detroit stepped up to the podium (virtually) and selected Michal Svrcek in the fourth round. Scouts were a bit all over the board with Svrcek, as some had him projected around this range, while others, such as The Hockey News Ferrari had him as high as 19th. Like Bear, Michal is a highly explosive, highly competitive Swedish forward who had good numbers this season in the J20 Nationell league. With 100 spots of value, Detroit was able to receive an A-.
Edmonton: C+
Best Value Pick: Aidan Park
The Edmonton Oilers C+ grade is a mixture of only having five picks, and none of their picks blowing us out of the water. Of their first four selection, we felt that all players picked were good. Nothing crazy, or oozing with value, but solid players with good upside.
The best value comes from their 7th-round pick, Aidan Park. Park is a high-motor center with strong defensive instincts, combining relentless effort with intelligent scanning and quick decision-making. He protects the puck well, wins battles, and generates offense with a powerful, accurate shot. Despite being ranked 114th by Elite Prospects, Edmonton was able to select Park with the 223rd pick.
Florida: B
Best Value Pick: Arvid Drott
The Florida Panthers have earned themselves a B, helping to replenish their prospect pool in the process. With six selections being made this year, there were two that stood out to us as high value. The first being North Bay Battalion Forward, Shamar Moses. A big, right-shot winger, Moses was the first player picked in the 5th round. Draft Prospects Hockey had Shamar ranked at #83, making it a high-value pick.
Their best selection, however, was easily Arvid Drott. A powerful skater with projectable quickness, Arvid thrives on attacking with pace and beating defenders wide. Despite being ranked as high as #37 by The Hockey News, Ferrari, the Panthers managed to snag one of the fastest skaters in this draft in the 6th round. The question is whether the rest of his game can keep up with the speed of his feet.
Los Angeles: A
Best Value Pick: Kristian Epperson
The LA Kings get an A. This was, in part, due to the nine selections made, but also as a result of some high-value picks. Starting in the third round with their best value pick, we have Kristian Epperson. Selected with pick #88, Epperson is a relentless forechecker who creates havoc with his energy, stick lifts, and heavy hits. He consistently wins puck battles, protects possession, and drives play to the slot for quality scoring chances. He was ranked as high as 36th by HPR/Malloy.
The other pick that really stood out in terms of value was 5th-round pick, Petteri Rimpinen. An overage Finnish goalie, Rimpinen, had an amazing year as a 19-year-old in the Liiga, posting a .912 sv% through 40 games. In addition to this, he stood on his head for Team Finland at the World Junior Championships this past December, posting an outrageous .933 sv% in 7 games. Getting a player of this calibre with pick #152 is excellent value.
Minnesota: C+
Best Value Pick: Adam Benak
The Minnesota Wild made only five selections this June, and unfortunately, there was only one that we were impressed with. Starting with their second-round pick, the Wild selected Theodor Hallquisth. When it comes to Hallquisth, we like what he brings to the table. He’s a big, smart defenceman who put up solid numbers in the J20 Nationell this season. Our issue with the pick is where he was taken. Selected with the 52nd overall pick, Theodor’s consolidated ranking was #100, resulting in a reach of over 50 players. Overall, we like the player, but there were better players available at this spot.
The selection of Adam Benak, on the other hand, we really like. The first of three third-round picks, Benak was selected 102nd overall despite being ranked as high as 34th by The Hockey News/Ferrari. Adam is a hard-working, playmaking center who is exceptionally dynamic on both offence and defence. So why did he fall? Well, much like Cameron Schmidt mentioned above, Benak is 5’8″, 163lbs. He will need to work on his physical game and fill out a bit, but in the fourth round, Adam Benak is an amazing bet to take.
Montreal: A+
Best Value Pick: L.J. Mooney
Moving on to the Montreal Canadiens, we have our first of two A+ grades. Three main factors played into Montreal’s grade:
- Quantity. Montreal made nine selections in this draft.
- Quality. Of those nine picks, the majority of them we liked as value picks.
- Dobson. Although not a draft pick, it’s worth noting that in addition to their nine picks, they traded their two first-round picks from this draft to the Islanders for Noah Dobson, an elite top-pairing defensman.
With all this said, let’s get to the picks. Starting it off, Montreal picked Alexander Zharovsky with pick #34. Even though Zharovsky went in the range that was expected, he brings so much skill and potential to that prospect pool that we consider it good value.
The Canadiens made their best pick in the fourth round, selecting L.J. Mooney. Like Schmidt and Benak, Mooney came into this draft criminally underrated as a result of his 5’7″, 157lbs frame. Mooney is a dynamic attacker with explosive speed and quick hands, capable of breaking through defenders in highlight-reel fashion. He excels as a playmaker, using deception to create passing lanes to the slot and net front. There’s definitely risk involved in picking someone of Mooney’s size; however, if he can add some muscle and work on competing against more mature opponents, L.J. Mooney could end up being the steal of the draft.
Nashville: B-
Best Value Pick: Alex Huang
Our final team of the day, Nashville, gets a B-. Starting with the fifth overall pick, the Predators selected Brady Martin. We like Martin and all he brings; a fierce goal-scoring center who has a mean streak and is one of the best technical hitters scouts have seen. With all this said, fifth overall is a reach. His consolidated ranking was #10, with some having him outside the top 15. Martin will do great things for the Predators organization, but we feel that passing on guys like James Hagens and Porter Martone is a substantial miss.
Following this, Nashville made four solid selections: Cameron Reid, Ryker Lee, Jacob Rombach, and Jack Ivankovic. All four of these players bring respectable value to Nashville’s prospect pool; however, there was nothing here that blew us away. Finally, in the fourth round, Nashville selected its best value pick in Alex Huang. A deceptive, agile puck-mover who uses clever fakes and sharp directional changes to beat defenders, Alex had a consolidated ranking of 78th, providing great value in the fourth round.
NHL Draft Grades, Part 3, coming soon.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee- Imagn Images
The post 2025 NHL Entry Draft Grades: Part Two appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.