The initial phase of the 2025 NHL Draft unfolds Friday evening at the Peacock Theater situated in Los Angeles, with minimal uncertainty surrounding the New York Islanders’ choice for the top selection. New York emerged victorious in the draft lottery held the previous month, securing the privilege of making the first pick for the fifth occasion in their team’s history, a feat not achieved since acquiring John Tavares in 2009.
Expectations are that the Islanders will opt for Matthew Schaefer, a 17-year-old defensive player from the Erie Otters within the Ontario Hockey League. Schaefer’s 2024-25 season was limited to just 17 games due to both mononucleosis and a fractured collarbone. Despite his curtailed playtime, Schaefer was honored with the Canadian Hockey League Top Draft Prospect Award and was ranked as the leading North American skater in the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s concluding assessments.
Michael Misa, an 18-year-old center playing for the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit, is broadly anticipated to be selected by the San Jose Sharks with the second pick overall. However, the sequence of the subsequent three picks — held by the Chicago Blackhawks, Utah Mammoth, and Nashville Predators, respectively — remains considerably less predictable.
Several players have been tipped to finalize the foremost group of five first-round choices, with one contender even speculated to be chosen prior to Misa by San Jose utilizing the No. 2 selection. In line with the nature of sports drafts, the potential exists for a team to either trade its selection or surprise onlookers by deviating significantly from established expectations.
Those with an interest in NHL betting and seeking to place wagers on the opening phase of the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday can examine incentives presented by leading sports wagering platforms, enabling them to pinpoint an offer ideally suited for the proceedings. Below is an overview of possible proposition bets to consider for the first phase.
Anton Frondell: Third selection overall (-160, FanDuel)
Frondell holds the distinction of being the highest-rated international skater according to the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. The Swedish center, aged 18, previously captained his nation’s bronze medal-winning squad during the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and played a role in Sweden securing silver at the World Junior A Challenge the following year. Frondell, who accumulated 11 goals and 14 assists across 29 games with Djurgarden during the past season, is physically imposing at 6-foot-1, 198 pounds, and is recognized as a robust two-way participant. While not immediately poised for the NHL, he could potentially complement Connor Bedard should the Blackhawks opt to recruit him.
Caleb Desnoyers: Fourth selection overall (-150, DraftKings)
Desnoyers has been positioned as high as No. 2 and as low as No. 7 in various mock draft simulations. An 18-year-old center originating from the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, he was instrumental in Canada’s triumphs in securing gold medals at the 2023 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship, and the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. During the prior season, the 6-foot-1, 178-pounder was awarded the Guy Lafleur Trophy as the QMJHL’s most valuable player in the playoffs after amassing 30 points in 19 games, supporting his team’s capture of the Gilles-Courteau Trophy as league champions. Similar to Frondell, Desnoyers — who additionally received the Mike Bossy Trophy acknowledging him as the QMJHL’s top draft prospect — is a two-way player who may evolve into the Mammoth’s central figure for years ahead.
Porter Martone: Fifth selection overall (+180, Draft Kings)
Mock drafts also project Martone being chosen in differing spots, with a consensus that his selection will occur no later than fifth. Nashville is likely optimistic that the 18-year-old right wing, hailing from the OHL’s Brampton Steelheads, remains obtainable at No. 5, given his physical dimensions at 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds, his scoring expertise, and his considerable hockey acumen. Martone tallied 98 points in 57 games with Brampton this past season, subsequent to contributing to Canada’s medal achievements at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (gold) and the IIHF U18 World Championship in both 2023 (bronze) and 2024 (gold).
James Hagens: Selection among the top five (+125, FanDuel)
Hagens is presently ranked third among North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau, with projections suggesting his draft position varying between second, fourth, and sixth in multiple mock drafts. The 18-year-old center from Boston College recorded the fourth-highest point total (37) by a freshman in NCAA Division I history during the recent season and participated as a member of the United States’ gold medal-winning team at the World Junior Championship. In 2024, Hagens earned the accolade of IIHF U18 World Championship MVP, establishing a tournament high with 22 points while the U.S. secured silver. Further, he aided his nation in clinching gold at the 2022 World U-17 Hockey Challenge — setting a competition record with 21 points — and the 2023 U18 World Championship. Noted for his speed and playmaking, Hagens stands as a favored candidate for a top-five selection.
Brady Martin: Selection among the top five (+120, FanDuel)
Martin did not secure a placement within the top 10 of the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s conclusive evaluations of North American skaters, instead positioning at 11th. Due to this, certain commentators predict he may be chosen as late as 15th in their mock drafts. However, the 18-year-old center from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL demonstrates attributes that a team possessing a top-five selection ought to prioritize. Martin is characterized as a determined competitor who delivers impactful hits and possesses substantial skill, underscored by his 33 goals and 72 points recorded across 57 games in the past season. The 6-foot, 178-pound player contributed to Canada’s gold medal victories at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship, achieving two goals against Sweden in the gold-medal match of the latter tournament.
