After the combined nine hours spent remotely making selections, the 2025 NHL Entry Draft is finally complete. While the first two picks were the ones that were expected, there was no shortage of surprises in the first ever decentralized draft.

With all 224 picks already made, we will now evaluate how all 32 teams did in the Entry Draft, going by division. In this installment we look at the Metropolitan Division.

Grading the Metropolitan Division

Carolina Hurricanes

2025 NHL Draft Selections

Pick no.	Player	Pos.	Team	League
41	Semyon Frolov	G	JHC Spartak	MHL
49	Charlie Cerrato	C	Penn State Nittany Lions	NCAA
62	Ivan Ryabkin	C	Muskegon Lumberjacks	USHL
67	Kurban Limatov	LD	MHC Dynamo Moscow	MHL
87	Roman Bausov	RD	HC Dinamo St. Petersburg U20	MHL
183	Viggo Nordlund	LW	Skellefteå J20	Sweden Jr.
221	Filip Ekberg	RW	Ottawa 67’s	OHL

Draft Grade: A-

This year’s Draft is one that is very on-brand for the Hurricanes. They traded back, took chances at some Russian players, and got better value in their selections. They traded down from the 29th overall selection, using the picks they got back to select projectable NHL talents in Semyon Frolov and Charlie Cerrato. Frolov quickly became one of the better goaltenders in the Draft and many thought he could be a first round pick.

His game is built on his pads, and has a real shot at becoming a 1B tandem goaltender. Cerrato is one of the best re-entry prospects after a dominant year with Penn State. His game is best defensively and in support, whether it be with sticks or with hits, and, from there, he attacks off the rush.

Ryabkin was previously viewed as high as a top five prospect. He was scoring at a 40-goal pace in the USHL after his production in the Russian junior leagues was on pace with Matvei Michkov and Ivan Demidov, but concerns over his fitness and discipline caused him to fall to 62nd. Still, he could be a hidden gem with his scoring touch.

Limatov is still a work in progress, but he is a big and mobile defenseman who plays an aggressive style and could have a shot at being a third-pairing defenseman at best. Bausov is a towering and rangy defenseman at 6’5″ who can match his opponents along the boards and swatting pucks away with his stick.In the later rounds, they took a pair of Swedes in Nordlund and Ekberg, two skilled wingers with boom-or-bust quality.

Nordlund is dynamic offensively with quick elusiveness in his skating, and Ekberg was the top scorer during IIHF U18 play, and is very good at surveying the play and timing himself with it, puts himself in positions where he can make multiple different plays, and knows the next play before the puck touches his stick. It’s likely Carolina has to wait a few years for these players to make an impact, but there should be at least two or three from their class. Can Carolina compete in the Metropolitan Division during the 2025-26 season?

Columbus Blue Jackets

2025 NHL Draft Selections

Pick no.	Player	Pos.	Team	League
14	Jackson Smith	LD	Tri-City Americans	WHL
20	Pyotr Andreyanov	G	Krasnaya Armiya	MHL
76	Malte Vass	LD	Färjestad BK J20	Sweden Jr.
160	Owen Griffin	C	Oshawa Generals	OHL
173	Victor Raftheim	LD	Brynäs IF J20	Sweden Jr.
198	Jérémy Loranger	C	Sherwood Park Crusaders	BCHL

Draft Grade: B

The Blue Jackets addressed needs in the Draft in getting both a big defender and a goaltender in the first round. Smith is one of the best all-around defensemen in his class, and is a very intriguing one with his 6’4″ frame, skating, and his aggressiveness on both ends of the ice. His puck-handling and creativity lead to outstanding plays.

Andreyanov, although not being the best goalie on the board, is viewed by some as the goaltender with the highest potential of this class. While he’s smaller at 6’2″, he’s an impressive skater with strong footwork, and is coming off a season where he dominated the Russian junior league.

Columbus made two great value selections in the middle rounds. Vass is a bruising shutdown defenseman who neutralizes play with his physicality and his relentless motor, taking away time and space from opponents. Griffin was a standout in the 2025 OHL Playoffs with the Oshawa Generals. He plays a hard-skill style as a defensive-minded centreman at just 5’10”, and is a heavy forechecker.

Raftheim is an all-around defender, and his skating and his constant jumps from the point down the weakside off the rush to go for chances stand out. Loranger is dangerous with possession, and while he’s not a true power shooter, he elevates his finishing game with his shot location. Even if it’s the first two picks being the only ones to arrive to the NHL, this could be a good Draft for Columbus. Can Columbus compete in the Metropolitan Division during the 2025-26 season?

New Jersey Devils

2025 NHL Draft Selections

Pick no.	Player	Pos.	Team	League
50	Conrad Fondrk	C	U.S. NTDP	USHL
63	Ben Kevan	RW	Des Moines Buccaneers	USHL
90	Mason Moe	C	Madison Capitols	USHL
99	Trenten Bennett	G	Kemptville 73’s	CCHL
114	Gustav Hillström	C	Brynäs IF	SHL
161	David Rozsíval	RW	Bili Tygri Liberec U20	Czechia Jr.
178	Sigge Holmgren	RD	Brynäs IF J20	Sweden Jr.

Draft Grade: B-

The Devils didn’t pick until 50th overall, though it was a mix of good value and some head-scratchers. The hope is that Fondrk and Kevan can become decent bottom-six forwards. Fondrk is a skilled forward with passing skills and a precise one-time shot, and can be a scoring threat from the top of the circle and inside the slot. Kevan is a speedster with solid offensive qualities, weaving through traffic, beating defenders and getting to the net creatively. Without the puck, he chases down puck carriers to press them to the outside to steal possession.

Moe, like Kevan, came from the USHL, and he constantly creates space where he skates his routes, battles at the front of the net, and controls the defensive line. New Jersey took a chance at Bennett, a massive 6’8″ goalie, who was a third-string goalie in the OHL, but spent most of the year with the Kemptville 73’s in the CCHL. He was solid there, though, though it felt like an odd pick.

Hillström is a big-bodied forward with two-way value, primarily focusing on the defensive zone with his reach. While he’s not a dangerous shooter, he times his movements for rebounds. Rozsíval, whose uncle, Michal, was a Stanley Cup champion with the Blackhawks, is a hard-working puck-protector and a solid skater who is a threat on the forecheck. The Holmgren pick is confusing for the fact that he never played a game this season. It’s hard to draft any sure things picking where they did, but they got some pieces that could help them. Can New Jersey compete in the Metropolitan Division during the 2025-26 season?

New York Islanders

2025 NHL Draft Selections

Pick no.	Player	Pos.	Team	League
1	Matthew Schaefer	LD	Erie Otters	OHL
16	Victor Eklund	RW	Djurgårdens IF	Sweden-2
17	Kashawn Aitcheson	LD	Barrie Colts	OHL
42	Daniil Prokhorov	RW	HC Dinamo Saint Petersburg	MHL
74	Luca Romano	C	Kitchener Rangers	OHL
106	Tomáš Poletín	LW	Lahti Pelicans	Liiga
138	Sam Laurila	LD	Fargo Force	USHL
170	Burke Hood	G	Vancouver Giants	WHL
202	Jacob Kvasnicka	RW	U.S. NTDP	USHL

Draft Grade: A+

Even when they traded away Noah Dobson to Montreal, this is a Draft that altered the trajectory of the Islanders’ franchise. Schaefer is the obvious first overall pick, and no other prospect comes close to his top-line potential and immense developmental path. An elite puck-rusher who can control the play on both ends of the ice, he has clear no. 1 defenseman potential.

While it would’ve felt good to package one of the first round picks they got to trade up to get James Hagens, how they went out would work better in the long-term as they ended up with Eklund and Aitcheson. Eklund was a steal at 16th overall, and he shows serious top-six forward potential with his relentless motor and goes for puck retrievals, along with showing his finesse as a playmaker. If he can bulk up and get more muscle, even better. Aitcheson plays an old-school style of game, where he plays a punishing style of game, picking up net-drivers, shoving them off the puck, and harassing others along the boards.

On Day 2, Mathieu Darche continued stockpiling picks that can be projectable NHL talent. Prokhorov is looking to make his mark on the ice, and he gives the Islanders a high-end, offensively focused power forward who is eager to throw heavy hits, and battles off defenders behind the net to go to the net-front.

Romano is a fast and powerful skater who can take the puck from his own zone all the way to the offensive end, outracing defenders and dangling under sticks, fights for rebounds along the wall and shows solid physical abilities. Poletín is a rugged forward who plays with his skillset, and gives it his all on his shifts, using his motor with physical attributes on the forecheck, and wins battles along the walls to create space for his teammates.

Laurila is a puck-moving defensive defenseman who jumps to kill plays, and leads rushes after absorbing contact along the walls, working give-and-gos, and looks for teammates in the slot. Hood is a big goalie who battles around the crease and is willing to embrace contact when players try to screen him, and is excellent value in the later rounds. To wrap up the Draft, the Islanders took Kvasnicka, who shows solid passing and shooting skills. This is easily the best draft class of 2025, and one that transforms the Islanders’ prospect pool from a barren one to one that is completely restocked. Can the Islanders compete in the Metropolitan Division during the 2025-26 season?

New York Rangers

2025 NHL Draft Selections

Pick no.	Player	Pos.	Team	League
43	Malcolm Spence	LW	Erie Otters	OHL
70	Sean Barnhill	RD	Dubuque Fighting Saints	USHL
89	Artyom Gonchar	LD	Magnitogorsk Stalnye Lisy	MHL
111	Mikkel Eriksen	C	Färjestad BK J20	Sweden Jr.
139	Zeb Lindgren	LD	Skellefteå AIK J20	Sweden Jr.
166	Samuel Jung	RW	Karpat U20	Finland Jr.
171	Evan Passmore	RD	Barrie Colts	OHL
203	Felix Färhammar	LD	Örebro HK	SHL

Draft Grade: C+

The Rangers decided to send the 12th pick to the Penguins, so they didn’t draft until they landed Malcolm Spence at 43rd overall. He was the best player on the board entering the second round, as he’s a tough forward who can score, especially at the high slot, and gets open at the right moment to fire his one-timer.

A tongue injury limited him in the OHL, but he still put up 32 goals. NHL draft scouts were high on Barnhill, who is a big right-shot defenseman who is just scratching the surface of his potential. There is NHL potential with his skating, though he has to improve with his decision-making. Gonchar, the nephew of longtime NHLer Sergei Gonchar, was a questionable choice, and while he is a solid puck-mover, he’s a longshot to make the NHL.

Eriksen stands out as someone who can slow down the pace of the game and waits for the best play to present itself before he makes his play. At the highest, he could be a depth player who could carve out an AHL role. The Rangers left value on the board with their other selections, though.

Lindgren’s biggest asset is his skating, and profiles as a puck-mover through his passing, keeping plays alive in the offensive zone, and with his defense. Passmore is a tall and rangy defenseman, forcing his opponents towards the wall, bringing plays to a stop. Färhammar is a two-way defenseman, an avid puck-mover with a physical edge and plays the body when possible to break up plays and preventing scoring chances. Can the Rangers compete in the Metropolitan Division during the 2025-26 season?

Philadelphia Flyers

2025 NHL Draft Selections

Pick no.	Player	Pos.	Team	League
6	Porter Martone	RW	Brampton Steelheads	OHL
12	Jack Nesbitt	C	Windsor Spitfires	OHL
38	Carter Amico	RD	U.S. NTDP	USHL
40	Jack Murtagh	LW	U.S. NTDP	USHL
48	Shane Vansaghi	RW	Michigan State Spartans	NCAA
57	Matthew Gard	C	Red Deer Rebels	WHL
132	Max Westergård	LW	Frölunda HC J20	Sweden Jr.
157	Luke Vlooswyk	RD	Red Deer Rebels	WHL
164	Nathan Quinn	C	Quebec Remparts	QMJHL

Draft Grade: A-

The Flyers stayed true to their identity and prioritized size in the Draft, as their prospect pool lacked size. Their first three picks are 6’3″, 6’5″, and 6’6″, and most of the picks they’ve made are tough and physical. Martone is described as both a power forward and a playmaker in one hockey player.

They passed on a center at 6th overall, but he is the best winger available at the Draft, and has thrilling potential with his playmaking. Neither he nor Nesbitt are the best skaters, but they are more than capable scorers. The decision to trade up for the latter left value on the board from a player perspective, though in fairness, the Flyers are going more towards a scheme and identity fit. At the highest, Nesbitt could be a bruising third-line center.

Amico is an excellent value selection, despite missing most of the season with injury. When healthy, he showed very impressive flashes of his aggressiveness, agility, and his range, clearing the front of the net before getting the play started. Murtagh is an explosive winger and an avid scorer, has a physical element in him, and turns puck battles into scoring chances.

Vansaghi and Gard continue the theme of bruising forwards who are going to be a nightmare to play against. The former is a menace when on the forecheck, and also has his moments as a playmaker, especially below the goal line and in transition. Gard drives attacks to the outside and clamps down opponents with his stick, supporting the play down low. He’s also just as effective on the forecheck, combining his skills with his physicality.

Philadelphia spent their pick on a player with size and competitiveness, and while they did leave talent on the board, they got better with their first six picks. The rest of the draft was icing on the cake. Westergård is a two-way winger whose offense runs through his off-puck instincts and anticipating the play, driving to the inside in all situations. Vlooswyk’s mobility, stick work and hockey instincts stand out, and is at his best when tying up his opponents along the walls. Quinn drives to the net, constantly taking the inside lane to the goalie. Can the Flyers compete in the Metropolitan Division during the 2025-26 season?

Pittsburgh Penguins

2025 NHL Draft Selections

Pick no.	Player	Pos.	Team	League
11	Benjamin Kindel	C	Calgary Hitmen	WHL
22	Bill Zonnon	C	Royun-Noranda Huskies	QMJHL
24	William Horcoff	C	Michigan Wolverines	NCAA
39	Peyton Kettles	RD	Swift Current Broncos	WHL
73	Charlie Trethewey	RD	U.S. NTDP	USHL
84	Gabriel D’Aigle	G	Victoriaville Tigres	QMJHL
91	Brady Peddle	LD	Waterloo Black Hawks	USHL
105	Travis Hayes	RW	Soo Greyhounds	OHL
130	Ryan Miller	C	Portland Winterhawks	WHL
148	Quinn Beauchesne	RD	Guelph Storm	OHL
154	Jordan Charron	RW	Soo Greyhounds	OHL
169	Carter Sanderson	LW	Muskegon Lumberjacks	USHL
201	Kale Dach	C	Sherwood Park Crusaders	BCHL

Draft Grade: B

The Penguins had 13 picks, and while they did add much-needed talent, they did reach to take some of the picks they took. The biggest surprise was when they took Kindel at 11th. He has real upside as a top-six forward, and is both dangerous with his shot and even more lethal with his playmaking and puck-handling, though there was a lot of talent left on the board.

Zonnon and Horcoff bring size and can be valuable middle-six or bottom-six forwards. Zonnon aids his teammates where he aids his teammates on the defense, on the transition, and on entries to the offensive zone. When no play is open, he relies on his forecheck. Horcoff, whose father, Shawn, once captained the Oilers, stands out as a net-front presence and his physical reads, disrupting plays and pressuring puck carriers while on the backcheck.

However, the Penguins could have swung bigger with their three first rounders, though all three of them should be NHLers. However, they still retooled a shallow prospect pool. Kettles shuts down the oppositions’ best players, denying the middle with his reach before landing perfectly timed pokes, and getting away from opponents from the net. Trethewey is mobile and explosive, bringing a heavy shot and a big hit with him, and matches attackers step-by-step on the rush before laying the body.

D’Aigle is a big goaltender, and his movement around the net makes him one of the better goaltenders in the QMJHL when picking up pucks through screens, and sees the ice very well and controls rebounds nicely. Hayes, one of two Soo Greyhounds drafted by Kyle Dubas this year, drives to the net to screen goaltenders, battles larger defenders to do so, and generates turnovers on the forecheck and in the neutral zone.

Miller is one of the best playing along the boards, throwing reverse hits, and sticks with every play, going hard to the net to create traffic. Beauchesne jumps from spot to spot in the offensive zone, firing shots from the point, jamming on loose pucks on the walls, prevents breakouts and locates teammates in the slot.

Charron pursues puck carriers and is a forceful battler, working to get possession back, and seeks to retrieve pucks back for his teammates. Dach is a natural playmaker, where his game features one-touch passes, hands in tight spaces, delay tactics and handoff plays. The Pens did have a missed opportunity to get better talent, but most of the picks they got are net positives with the number of picks they had. Can the Penguins compete in the Metropolitan Division during the 2025-26 season?

Washington Capitals

2025 NHL Draft Selections

Pick no.	Player	Pos.	Team	League
27	Lynden Lakovic	LW	Moose Jaw Warriors	WHL
37	Milton Gästrin	C	Modo Hockey	SHL
96	Maxim Schäfer	LW	Eisbären Berlin	DEL
155	Jackson Crowder	C	Chicago Steel	USHL
180	Aron Dahlqvist	LD	Brynäs IF J20	Sweden Jr.

Draft Grade: B+

Despite having just five picks, the Capitals got excellent value with their first two picks of the Draft, and they’re both solid bets to be middle-six players. Lakovic has the potential to be a big, dual-threat producer. He’s a big 6’4″ forward who hasn’t figured out the physical side of his game yet, but he plays with a pace and has legitimate scoring upside.

The ceiling is high for him, as he looks at creating the best play and has a powerful shot. Gästrin is one of the more complete players in this year’s Draft, and he can be a reliable two-way center. His play-driving abilities down the middle has been consistent at every level he’s played at, and at the highest, he can be a third-line center in the NHL.

Schäfer can be the ideal bottom-six forward for Washington. He is an aggressive forechecking winger, timing his rebound chances and getting away from coverage for open shots with his big frame and his good hockey senses. Crowder is a hard worker and a checking forward, winning battles and finding and open teammates.

Around the net, he gets in open space for a shot or battles for loose pucks. Dahlqvist stands out at the defensive side of the puck, using his 6’3″, 200 lbs. frame to shove away other players at the net-front or deliver big hits, which made him a mainstay on the penalty kill. Given the lack of draft capital, Washington got good value and drafted players who can be impactful in the future. Can the Capitals compete in the Metropolitan Division during the 2025-26 season?

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