- Round 1 of the 2025 NHL Draft takes place on June 27.
- The Peacock Theater in Los Angeles will host the 2025 NHL Draft.
- Matthew Schaefer and James Hagens are the top prospects for the 2025 NHL Draft.
The 2025 NHL Draft is scheduled for June 27 and 28 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Falling in between the end of the Stanley Cup Final and the opening of free agency on July 1, the NHL Draft is always one of the most exciting days on the hockey calendar.
This year’s draft has the makings of an exciting event. There is no clear-cut No. 1 overall pick and the hockey odds for who gets picked first at this year’s draft could be tighter than ever.
When Is the 2025 NHL Draft?
The 2025 NHL Draft is scheduled for June 27 and 28 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Round 1 will be held on Friday evening, while Rounds 2 through 7 will take place on Saturday afternoon.
A total of 224 players (32 each round) will be selected at the 2025 NHL Draft.
Where Is the 2025 NHL Draft?
The 2025 NHL Draft will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Starting in 2025, the NHL will move to a decentralized format in the same vein as the NFL and NBA.
The format change represents a significant shift for the league, which has had one location host the draft since 1963 (save for the two years during the COVID pandemic).
In previous years, all 32 clubs sent dozens of representatives (general managers, executives, scouts, and coaches) to the draft venue. This year, those staffers will stay in their home city.
The prospects and some team representatives will still attend, but the general managers, scouts, and other executives will conduct their business from a war room in their local market.
It is unclear how many fans will be at the draft.
What Birth Year Is the 2025 NHL Draft?
Players born between Jan. 1, 2005, and Sept. 15, 2007, will be eligible for selection in the 2025 NHL Draft. Any player born after Sept. 15, 2007, must wait until the 2026 NHL Draft.
What Is the Minimum Age for the NHL Draft?
The minimum age for the NHL Draft is 18 years old.
Players from North America are eligible for the draft if they are between 18 and 20 years old, while international prospects can enter the draft between 18 and 21 years old.
Is the 2025 NHL Draft Deep?
The 2025 NHL Draft is considered relatively deep, especially at the top of the board.
In recent years, there has been a consensus top pick like Connor Bedard (2023) and Macklin Celebrini (2024). This year’s class won’t follow that pattern.
Scouting services, prospect pundits, and mock drafters can’t seem to agree on who will go No. 1 overall in June.
Who Are the NHL Draft 2025 Top Prospects
The top prospects for the 2025 NHL Draft are Matthew Schaefer, James Hagens, Porter Martone, Michael Misa, and Victor Eklund.
Scouts seem split on whether Schaefer, a defenceman currently playing for the OHL’s Erie Otters, or Hagens, a centre plying his trade at Boston College, gets selected first overall.
Schaefer was ranked as the top North American skater by the NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau during their midterm update. Hagens was listed second overall.
Things can change, but don’t be surprised if Schaefer and Hagens top the NHL odds for the No. 1 overall pick at the 2025 Draft.
While it would be a surprise to see Martone or Misa – two flashy forwards playing in the OHL – go first, there are those in the scouting community who believe they could end up going as high as second.
Eklund is the top-ranked European skater, according to Central Scouting.
What Is the 2025 NHL Draft Order?
The 2025 NHL Draft Order will be determined after the 2024-2025 NHL Season. This will be updated with the order at that time.