There was no debate at the top of Corey Pronman’s 2025 NHL re-draft.
Matthew Schaefer remained exactly where he started. No. 1 overall.
The Athletic’s prospect guru recently revisited the 2025 draft class, re-ranking players based on what they have shown since being selected. For the New York Islanders, Schaefer’s spot was never really in question after a Calder Trophy-winning season established him as the clear prize of the class.
The more interesting movement came with the Islanders’ other picks.
Defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson made one of the biggest jumps among the Isles’ selections, moving from No. 17 in the actual draft to No. 8 in Pronman’s re-draft. That kind of rise suggests his stock has improved significantly since draft night and reinforces why the Islanders were so high on his combination of physicality and upside. Pronman has always been high on the offensively gifted defenseman, and his OHL last season did nothing to suppress those feelings, only grow them.
Re ranking the 2025 nhl draft class https://t.co/DUAtXIIocZ
— Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) August 24, 2026
Daniil Prokhorov also climbed sharply. Originally taken 42nd overall, the right wing moved all the way up to No. 18. The Russian power forward has shown glimpses during the last two development camps as to why he could be viewed as a potential steal, though he has a lot more to prove at the professional level, whether it’s in Russia or North America,
Victor Eklund went in the opposite direction, though only slightly. Selected 16th overall, Pronman had him at No. 27 in the re-draft, a drop of 11 spots. For whatever reason, Pronman has always been less bullish on Eklund than most in the Isles’ fanbase. Maybe it’s because of his lack of size, or that he doesn’t do one thing exceedingly well. He still views him as a first-round talent, but his perspective versus the organization’s will be worth following.
Tomas Poletin was another major riser. The left wing, originally selected 106th overall, climbed to No. 52, making him one of the more notable value picks in the Islanders’ class.
Taken together, the exercise paints a pretty encouraging picture for GM Mathieu Darche.
Schaefer remains the unquestioned No. 1 player from the draft. Aitcheson and Prokhorov have both improved their standing considerably, while Poletin has already outperformed his original draft slot in Pronman’s eyes. Eklund’s drop is worth noting, but the broader takeaway is positive.
The Islanders didn’t just land the best player in the 2025 draft. They may have found several players who, one year later, already look like they should have gone much earlier.
