The NHL Draft Lottery debuted a brand-new system to determine the first 16 positions of the upcoming NHL Draft on Monday night. ESPN broadcast league commissioner Gary Bettman running the ping pong ball machine that spat out random numbers that corresponded with specific scenarios with the draft order pre-determined.
At the end of the (mostly convoluted) process, the New York Islanders shockingly shot up the board to win the No. 1 overall pick. The team originally had the 10th-best odds (3.5 percent chance) after finishing the regular season 35-35-12 (82 points).
The Islanders will have their pick of the top prospects eligible in the draft, with ironically no general manager currently in place to guide them. New York moved on from Lou Lamoriello on Apr. 22 after seven seasons at the helm.
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ā NHL (@NHL) May 5, 2025
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2025 NHL Mock Draft: Islanders land top defensive prospect, Sharks give Celebrini backup
Now with the draft order determined, it's time to take a look at where each prospect (as ranked by NHL.com) will fall on the board.
Pick No. | Team | Selection |
|---|---|---|
1 | New York Islanders | Matthew Schaefer (D) |
2 | San Jose Sharks | Michael Missa (C) |
3 | Chicago Blackhawks | James Hagens (C) |
4 | Utah Hockey Club | Jake O'Brien (C) |
5 | Nashville Predators | Radym Mrtka (D) |
6 | Philadelphia Flyers | Porter Martone (RW) |
7 | Boston Bruins | Caleb Desnoyers (C) |
8 | Seattle Kraken | Roger McQueen (C) |
9 | Buffalo Sabres | Kashawn Aitcheson (D) |
10 | Anaheim Ducks | Carter Bear (LW) |
11 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Brady Martin (C) |
12 | New York Rangers | Logan Hensler (D) |
13 | Detroit Red Wings | Jackson Smith (D) |
14 | Columbus Blue Jackets | Lynden Lakovic (LW) |
15 | Vancouver Canucks | Jack Nesbitt (C) |
16 | Montreal Canadiens (via Calgary Flames) | Justin Carbonneau (RW) |
The Islanders would be nuts to pass up on top prospect Matthew Schaefer, especially with the franchise's top defenseman Noah Dobson, 25, needing backup on the blue line. Fellow defensemen Adam Pelech, 30, Scott Mayfield, 32, and Ryan Pulock, 30, aren't getting any younger and New York will need to have an injection of youth waiting in the wings.
Most notably, the San Jose Sharks - who owned the best odds entering Monday - did not win the lottery and will instead have to wait for which prospects New York passes on. That being said, there is a plethora to still choose from and No. 2 centerman Michael Missa will be a worthy choice. He'll compliment 2024 No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini if head coach Ryan Warsofsky decides to play them on the same line.
Besides the Islanders, another team made the 10-spot jump up on the board. The Utah Hockey Club (soon to be re-named) moved from No. 14 to No. 4 and could see the franchise's fortunes amplified with a top prospect. Utah inherited the Arizona Coyotes' farm system in the move up north, which was already stacked, and they'll add to it with centerman Jake O'Brien.
The rest of the selections made could vary vastly depending on workouts and the priorities of general managers after pre-draft trades and free agent signings are made. Of the remaining squads in most need of youth, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins are set up nicely for success.
The NHL Draft is set to take place June 27-28 at L.A. Live's Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.