The 2025 NHL Draft is still a ways off, but in my 2025 NHL Mock Draft, we’ll have a dramatic turn of events; the Nashville Predators have emerged victorious in the lottery (using Tankathons simulator), securing the coveted first overall pick. With the top selection in hand, the Predators wasted no time in selecting the highly touted Porter Martone.
A dynamic forward with exceptional skill and a powerful frame, Martone is considered a potential franchise cornerstone and is expected to inject a much-needed dose of excitement into the Predators’ lineup.
2025 NHL Mock Draft 2.0
1. Nashville – Porter Martone, RW, Brampton (OHL)
2. Chicago – James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA)
3. San Jose – Michael Misa, C, Saginaw (OHL)
4. Buffalo – Roger McQueen, C, Brandon (WHL)
5. Seattle – Matthew Schaefer, D, Erie (OHL)
6. NY Islanders – Anton Frondell, C, Djurgården (J20)
7. Anaheim – William Moore, C, U18 (NTDP)
8. Pittsburgh – Caleb Desnoyers, C, Moncton (QJMHL)
9. Utah – Jackson Smith, D, Tri-City (WHL)
10. Philadelphia – Malcolm Spence, LW, Erie (OHL)
11. NY Rangers – Logan Hensler, D, Wisconsin (NCAA)
12. St. Louis – Ivan Ryabkin, C, Dynamo Moscow (MHL)
13. Detroit – Cole Reschny, C, Victoria (WHL)
14. Boston – Victor Eklund, LW, Djurgården (HA)
15. Vancouver – Brady Martin, C, Soo (OHL)
16. Montreal – Blake Fiddler, D, Edmonton (WHL)
17. Ottawa – Carter Bear, LW, Everett (WHL)
18. Columbus – Jack Murtagh, LW, U18 (NTDP)
19. Montreal (from Calgary) – Cameron Reid, D, Kitchener (OHL)
20. Nashville (from Tampa Bay) – Charlie Trethewey, D, U18 (NTDP)
21. Calgary (from Florida) – Milton Gastrin, C, Modo (J20)
22. Philadelphia (from Colorado) – Pyotr Andreyanov, G, CSKA (MHL)
23. Carolina – Cullen Potter, C, Arizona State (NCAA)
24. Calgary (from New Jersey) – Jake O’Brien, C, Brantford (OHL)
25. Columbus (from Minnesota) – Kashawn Aitcheson, D, Barrie (OHL)
26. Dallas – Justin Carbonneau, RW, Blainville-Boisbriand (QJMHL)
27. Los Angeles – Cameron Schmidt, RW, Vancouver (WHL)
28. Philadelphia (from Edmonton) – Emile Guite, LW, Chicoutimi, (QJMHL)
29. Chicago (from Toronto) – Luka Radivojevic, D, Muskegon (USHL)
30. Nashville (from Vegas) – Lynden Lakovic, LW, Moose Jaw (WHL)
31. Winnipeg – Radim Mrtka, D, Trinec (Czechia)
32. Washington – Joshua Ravensbergen, G, Prince George (WHL)
The remainder of the draft saw a flurry of activity, with teams making shrewd selections and laying the groundwork for future success. Surprises and unexpected trades kept the excitement level high, leaving fans and analysts alike eager to see how these young prospects will develop into future NHL stars. The 2025 NHL Mock Draft is still just a bunch of guessing and conjecture for now, but hopefully, it’s setting the stage for a new wave of talent to grace the ice in the years to come.
How Does the NHL Lottery Work
The NHL Draft Lottery involves 14 ping pong balls, creating 1,001 possible combinations. Each team is assigned a specific number of these combinations, with the worst teams receiving the most. For instance, the San Jose Sharks, with the worst record, have 185 combinations, giving them an 18.5% chance of winning the first pick.
An independent accounting firm oversees the lottery, tracking which teams are associated with each combination. One combination is removed from the pool, resulting in 1,000 total possibilities.
The first draw determines the team that receives the first overall pick. However, since the 2021 rule changes, a team can only move up a maximum of 10 spots. So, if a team ranked between 12th and 16th wins the first draw, they move up accordingly, and the team with the worst record (in this case, the Sharks) receives the first pick.
A second draw then determines the next highest pick, with the same 10-spot movement limit.
While the lottery determines the top picks, selections in rounds 2 through 7 are awarded in reverse order of the final standings after the playoffs. As the season goes on, each team’s chances will change, and each NHL Mock Draft will reflect that as we get closer to the real thing
