2025 NHL MOCK DRAFT ROUND 1 #hockey #national #league #podcast #crypto #arena #losangeles #misa
nhl draft is less than two weeks away which means it is NHL mock draft season so today we’re going to give you our 2025 NHL mock draft hey everybody welcome in to Clearing the Bench is your one-stop shop for hockey content if you go ahead and hit your subscription button right now you’ll be sure to be in on all of our future videos well the New York Islanders were the big winners at the NHL draft lottery moving all the way up into the number one position and now they have the opportunity to select Matthew Schaefer the consensus number one overall pick left shot D and he played for the Eerie Otter 6’2 185 lbs when you see his game on the ice there’s nothing this kid can’t do and he is silky smooth doing it off the ice he lost both his mother and then his billet mother in about a six-mon stretch and he did not let it bring him down and instead he uses it as fuel and when you see him in interviews he’s very eager to talk about these two ladies and how big of a part of his NHL career they will still be so when I look at the Islanders to me they’re in a no- lose situation right now unless somebody comes like I said out of the blue they’re going to be taking Matthew Schaefer when I look at the number two selection and here’s where I’m going to take a big turn compared to what most people are going to do and I have the San Jose Sharks taking Porter Martone out of Bmpton porter Martone is Corey Perry 2.0 and I know you know to you younger uh viewers out there Corey Perry may look like a busted up old man but in his career back in the day he was a 50 goal scorer he won the Rocket Rashard trophy he won the Heart Trophy as the league MVP and I believe now he is in his fifth NHL final the guy does everything when you see he scores he’s pesky that is exactly what Porter Martone does uh he is a big kid 63 205 he had 98 points in just 57 games this year and I think Mike Greer who is a big you know power forward type guy himself he’s about 6 foot 215 pounds he sees a guy like Martone and he says this could be the guy that we could surround Celibbrini Smith Quinton Musty and then you’ve got some other bigger guys coming up like Casper Holton and and Sam Dickinson and you could really turn that team into what as we’re seeing in these playoffs Rockom Sakum hockey that’s what you need you can’t just have a bunch of stick men out there and I mean skinny little guys running around you need guys to protect them as we’re seeing in these playoffs you don’t see too many small guys doing big things in the playoffs it’s mostly the bigger guys out there so I think even though everybody else has Michael Misa I am taking Porter Martone for the San Jose Sharks then at number three I do have Chicago taking Michael Misa michael Misa to me is going to probably be John Tvaris or Jonathan Tage 2.0 he’s excellent on special teams he can do it all he’s tough too funny thing is he fought Porter Martone it was just a quick fight but the fact that you know he went up against a guy like Martone who’s you know considerably bigger than him and he was still willing to drop the gloves tells me he would be a great fit for the Chicago Blackhawks they’ve got a lot of young skilled kids that are going to be coming up in the next year or two and I could see Misa probably playing in the NHL maybe he’s going to get nine games in next year and then the year after that I think he’s got a really good chance to make the big club so at number three I’ve got the Chicago Blackhawks taking Michael Misa at number four the Utah Mammoth i’ve got them taking Brady Martin when I look at Brady Martin I see another guy that Utah general manager Bill Armstrong recently traded up to in a previous draft to select and that was Connor Geeky when you look at Brady Martin and if you watch Connor Geeky very very similar as soon as they come over the boards they are very eager to put a body on somebody and then they’re very good at you know collecting loose pucks and then driving to the net i think that’s what Brady Martin is going to bring for the Utah Mammoth i think this number four pick could also be the first big trade possibly in this draft i see maybe Anaheim at 10 wants to move up and they want a guy you know maybe they’ve got their eye on a certain guy and I know that Patique loves size skill and snarl and Brady Martin you know to me I think that would be an excellent fit for Anaheim as well i know Anaheim is probably going to trade Trevor Zegris this off season so maybe you could take Anaheim’s 10 and Trevor Zegris and that would be enough to get you into the number four slot at number five I’ve got the Nashville Predators taking Caleb Doya of the Monton Wildcats the Nashville Predators after last off season you know they put some serious um mileage on those tires last off season and it did not pay off they have got to get younger upfront and I know that a lot of people you know are gonna say “Oh I like soand so more than this guy.” In my opinion Caleb Dayoy would be an excellent fit for the Nashville Predators you know he’s kind of a you know just a forward he can play center he can play the wing and he’s definitely got a nose for the net he knows how to score so I have the National Pres taking Dane Oier at five number six and this is going to be another surprise for most people I have the Philadelphia Flyers selecting Victor Ecklund i think he is going to be a sniper in the NHL he’s already playing with men in Sweden and he has proved that he is fearless mechov’s got a little bit of fearlessness to him so you could take a guy you know with skill and guts and you could have him help Mechov maybe you know you try him out on the same line maybe you would have them on the power play together but I could see a combination of Victor Ecklan and Matt Bay Mechov being lethal in the future number seven the Boston Bruins i’ve got them taking the best playmaker in this draft and in my personal opinion that is Jake O’Brien when you look at what O’Brien is capable of doing he is also a guy with size 6’2 you know he’s got to put some meat on his bones he’s only 170 pounds but 98 points in just 66 games this year and I think his game is going to translate very well to the NHL he’s got in my opinion everything you need to be successful and I think Bruins fans would love him and I think you know if Pasta is still there a couple of years from now he would love playing with a guy like him as well then at number eight I’ve got the Seattle Kraken taking a kid from right in their backyard and I’ve got them taking Jackson Smith the defenseman out of Tri City and I think they’re going to take him first of all they need to start taking D prospects so far in all of their drafts they’ve taken forwards in the first selection uh I know that Radim Murka is you know right there in their backyard playing for the T-Irds but I just am not as high on Murka as most people are i think he’s a little bit wonky we’ll talk about him later you know I still definitely uh see the skill and the ability and you know the kid could play very well in the NHL in the future but right now I see the Seattle Kraken taking Jackson Smith number nine Buffalo here’s a name most people probably thought they would hear sooner james Hagens uh he’s dropped but I think he still could be a first liner in the NHL most people are projecting him to be a second liner he is very very determined he’s one of a lot of kids in this draft are puck hounds they want the puck and not because they’re puck hogs they want the puck because they think they know what they can do best with it and more often than not they distribute it as well as shooting it so I think a guy like James Hagens Buffalo’s got to figure it out sooner or later they’ve got all these high draft picks and I just hope that they don’t all go to waste or wind up trading away all their guys bowen Byum is all but gone they’re talking about trading JJ Purka why would you trade that guy if you’re Buffalo um I think Hagens could give him help in the not tooistant future number 10 the Anaheim Ducks roger McQueen i know that he is you know been a name that he’s kind of got a stink on him because of that back injury but you know this year he had four goals opening night 65 he’s got big time big time skills there’s not a whole lot that this kid can’t do and when you look at McQueen he just went through the NHL combine he just performed in all of the testing and there was nothing afterward to say that he wasn’t anything but 100% when he was interviewed by NHL draft class Adam Kimmelman and Mike Moriel he told both of them “I’m good to go.” So I could see Anaheim spinning you know the wheel here pat Verbique if this kid’s healthy and he turns out to be twothirds of the player he was down below he could be the big draft steel this year and again 65 192 he had 20 points in just 17 games this season next up I’ve got the Pittsburgh Penguins and they are selecting at number 11 and I think this is another name most people thought they were going to hear sooner and that is Anton Frondell out of Sweden i see Fondell and I’ve watched him play recently i just don’t see the it factor that everybody else is talking about i see a lot of the times it looks like he’s uh late coming out of the offensive zone on his back check and maybe he’s a little bit behind the play when it does come back into his Dzone i know a lot a lot of people are saying don’t bet against them i think he trains with Yesper Brock in the off season and everyone is saying that this guy is very determined and he would be the type of kid that’s going to try to prove everybody who passes on him wrong for passing on him but for me personally you know and I still have him going number 11 but I just have not seen the big it factor that everybody else sees for Anton Fondell and the Penguins they got to start putting some youth into their future very soon they’ve gotten old and stale real quick now the New York Rangers have right now the number 12 pick they have 48 hours before the draft to say whether they are going to give this pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins uh for some previous dealings that were made or if they would keep this pick and give the Penguins the New York Rangers next year’s number one pick if I’m the New York Rangers I just don’t see a scenario where you’re going to be picker that picking higher than 12 next year so I have the Rangers keeping this pick and I love this selection kawn Herson he is just what the Rangers are looking for i think Rangers and their Ranger fans have seen enough of Keandre Miller you know he looks like Tarzan plays like Jane he just has no physicality to him he’s got no meanness to him he’s not going to like blast you along the boards and Khan Ages he’s going to do that when you look at the guys that the Rangers have coming up right now a lot of these young players play a nasty brand of hockey will [ __ ] um Brennan Offman Adam Nstrom you’ve got uh By Brian Bard I’m not Brian Bard I’m sorry Brett Bard uh he is a pesky wing so the Rangers are trying to put together a team you know everybody’s going to want to model it after what Florida is doing you got to have skill but you got to have guys that are willing to muck it up kon Aes is definitely a guy who likes to muck it up and here’s a little side story for you he fought Porter Martone twice so far in his career and then he gets to the NHL combine and you know they just pair up kids at you randomly or supposedly it’s randomly and when Khan Ages goes into his hotel room to see who his roommate’s going to be for the combine week who is it none other than Porter Martone so he said they looked at each other and they just cracked up and now they’re buddies they put it all behind him uh I think both of those kids are going to be very very successful in the NHL and I think Ranger fans would absolutely love Khan Aes number 13 the Detroit Red Wings uh this kid got hurt this year but he had 40 goals anyway carter Bear coming off an Achilles injury still had 40 goals he is a sniper with desire and they say he’s the nicest nicest person in the world everybody who has spoken with him from scouts to coaches to GMs say he is so likable and so manageable he wants to do anything it takes to win detroit could use some of that right now cbj is picking 14 and I’ve got them picking Tage Thompson 2.0 lynden Lacavovic if you watch Lakovic he looks just like Tage Thompson he’s big he’s lanky he’s not a hitter he’s not physical or any of that but he’s got a crazy long stick and just like Tae Thompson in tight even though he’s so big and he’s got that crazy long stick he’s able to do things at his feet that are very precise and he’s able to put the puck wherever he wants just like Tae Thompson is i think CBJ’s got a lot of firepower coming in their future and in five years laugh at me now but the Columbus Blue Jackets could be serious Stanley Cup contenders at number 15 I have the Vancouver Cook Kooks rather taking Justin Carbono and he played in the queue this year 89 points in just 62 games 6 foot1 192 pounds so he’s got size he’s got skill vancouver you know they lost JT Miller who knows what’s going to happen with Person so they’ve got to make you know a decision and I think bringing in a guy like Carbono would be just perfect for them and I think a team like Montreal with two picks right after that if Vancouver doesn’t take him they’re going to jump all over him with one of those two picks so let’s get to the two Montreal Canadians picks at 16 and 17 at number 16 I’ve got them taking Logan Hensler logan Hensler to me is just a player he plays at Wisconsin that he is very very high hockey IQ sees the play ahead of time he’s able to put himself in good position he’s very good two-way player he can join the play as well um when you look at a guy like Hensler and his abilities he’s a guy that he can use his skill and his IQ because he’s in the right position he doesn’t need to make a big flashy play he’s already there to do it and he can just ride a guy off the boards and he could do something that you know makes it look easy when actually it’s more of a difficult play than he than it looks 6’296 lbs and he had 12 points in 32 NCAA games right shot D very coveted in the NHL at number 17 I’ve got a kid who’s going to Michigan malcolm Spence malcolm Spence also plays for the Eerie Otterers where Matthew Schaefer played this year 62 200 lb going to Michigan 73 points in 65 games for Erie in the OHL 6’2 200 lb what’s not to love about him and I think with what Montreal’s got going on they got to put a little bit of size in there with those forwards and I think size and skill right now you’ve got Slovakovski you know Caulfield’s on the smaller side but you do have some other kids that are going to be making it into the NHL for Montreal in the near future and I just think a guy like Malcolm Spence and Logan Hensler would just be perfect fits for what the Canadians are doing right now excuse me at number 18 I’ve got the Calgary Flames taking Braden Coots out of the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL he is a future captain this kid is a big-time leader 63 points in just 60 games this year and again you know the WHL is pretty much rockam sakum robot uh hockey you see kids come out of there and for the most part they make the jump right into the NHL and they’re not shocked by all the physicality because they’ve already seen it so I see a guy like Braden Coots just really fitting the bill for the Calgary Flames next up I’ve got the St louis Blues and they are selecting center out of Windsor Jack Nesby st louis has got a lot of young forwards that are going to be making it into the NHL and sticking in the next couple of years nesbit is just in that same realm of players and Montgomery likes those muckers he likes kids that are willing to go in the corner and go get the puck that’s what Nesbbit is really really good at too and when you look at a guy like Nesbbit and you see other players that are you know getting drafted right around there they don’t have his size 64 183 lbs 64 points in 65 games so I think St louis would absolutely fall in love with him 20th Columbus Blue Jackets are picking again and I’ve got them taking Cameron Reed and he is a left D out of Kitchener columbus has got all the firepower they need already up front they’ve got to start putting some guys on the back end and I think Reed would just be a perfect fit you know you’ve already got some guys back there that know their roles and you know now you bring in a kid like Reed and when I look at Reed and I see what his capabilities are you know he’s not going to jump off the page at you but in a few years when Columbus is getting better and you slot him in he’s probably going to be a guy that you don’t notice and in the NHL when you don’t notice a defenseman who’s getting minutes that’s a great thing so CBG CBJ rather at 20 taking Cameron Reed out of Kitchener number 21 and this is another name that everybody is falling in love with and he is moving up the board big time as well and I am talking about Cole Rashnney when I see Cole Rashnney I see a guy he’s not the biggest guy he’s 5’10” 187 pounds he’s committed to North Dakota 92 points this year in just 62 games he could play wing he could play center and when I look at a guy like him I just think to myself he’s got the skill set that you really really need in Ottawa they’ve got so many guys that are good and they’ve got like that brawn but when you look at them they don’t really have a guy who again another puck hound um I think they would love him in Ottawa i think the teammates would love him in Ottawa because he’s also very pesky uh he wants the puck on his stick and I think that’s you know the direction that Ottawa is going and he also has some snarl to him and he’s got leadership so I think he would just be an excellent fit in Ottawa and then next up at number 22 the Philadelphia Flyers and they are going to take Colin Potter the speedster out of Arizona State he is also another puck hound if you watch his tape you’ll see a lot of times he comes down on the rush maybe the play doesn’t work out and then it’s going up the other end and he will bust his butt to go up lift the guy’s stick and do a turn and burn again for the second time on the same shift he is very very good at that that you know that like pick and uh go for him is really really something he excels at and he to me is could be the best skater and I know Matthew Schaper is an awesome skater i think that Colin Potter could be just as good if not better of a skater and remember his mom Jenny Potter she’s in the US Hockey Hall of Fame i think she played on three Olympic teams she is also somebody who can bring a lot of knowledge to a kid like Potter and obviously he picked up everything she was teaching him because when you watch him he’s got big- time speed and if you were to put him with again another guy with for mechov and also in earlier when we had the Philadelphia Flyers they took Victor Ecklan now you would have three guys that could really just tear it up and all of them are big- time skilled so it’s not like you’re just getting a guy who can only skate in a straight line so Philadelphia Flyers taking Colin Potter at number 22 number 23 the Nashville Predators are picking again and I’ve got them taking Sasha Bomeden out of Boston University 6’3 185B defenseman excellent excellent skater you know he’s not going to bring it most offensively he only had 13 points in uh 40 games this year but he’s got good size 6’2 185 and you know he’s a kid that when you see him he’s smart you can see him thinking the play he’s another guy puts himself in excellent position so he doesn’t have to make any last second like you know floppy adjustments he’s already there very very silky smooth skater as well i like what I see when I see him and again these are kids that you know the NHL is changing the playoffs it’s still big- time nasty hockey but to get there the skill level you know some of these smaller players they’re not so muscular are doing very well the Clayton Kellers of the world the Logan Coulies of the world so when I look at uh the Nashville Predators uh Bomedian would be a guy that he would just fit them to me uh in an excellent way just excellent so number 24 the Los Angeles Kings and I’ve got them taking a big banger in Blake Fiddler it looks like there could be a bidding war for the Kings defenseman Gabberov this off season a lot of teams want him and they could be offering him big money if he goes you’re going to start to need to get some size and snarl back there and Blake Fiddler his skating needs some work his dad played in the NHL and his dad was a pesky player so I could see Fiddler in a few years being a good fit for the LA Kings number 25 the Chicago Blackhawks and Jack Myrtto of the US NTP team 53 points in 56 games he’s got an allaround game um I saw him play against Arizona State this past season i liked what I saw you know his skating needs a little bit of work but again he’s more of a 200 foot guy to me he’s you know not like so offensively minded or defensive defensively minded I’m sorry he just brings it down the middle can play both center and left wing so he’s versatile and he’s a guy you know like I said 53 points in 56 games playing for the national development team those are some pretty good numbers and with all the other skill that Chicago’s got coming up in the future he would just need to fit in as opposed to stand out number 26 the Nashville Predators with a number another selection and I’ve got them taking the only goalie in the first round Joshua Ravensburg out of Prince George goalies take a long time to marinate and this kid is the best goalie in this draft um there’s some other you know goalies that could be better than him in the future but right now Ravensburg’s the big name and I think you know again you’ve got time to let him marinate it’s not like you have to plug him in in the next couple of years look at all the bigname goalies you know that have gone and it’s taken them a while spencer Knight Ascarov you know those are big name kids and they are still finding their way so I think Joshua Ravensburgen and he’s a big guy 6’5 is going to be an excellent player for the Nashville Predators in their future number 27 the Washington Capitals and here’s a name everyone’s going to go “Did you forget about this guy?” Nope I didn’t forget about him i am just not nearly as high on him as everybody else is and that is Redeem Murka of the Seattle Thunderbirds i’m not saying I don’t like this kid i’ve still got him going in the first round but I just don’t see him going top 10 15 or even top 20 like a lot of other people do he’s big you know he’s a good player but to me he’s kind of wonky and when you watched Seattle I didn’t say “Oh man there that guy right there.” I didn’t so um I know a lot of people really like him and again defenseman you know they say you rather draft him and get him on the cheap than have to trade for him at the deadline a couple of years later and you might be giving up um overvalue for them so I still have um Radine Murka going in the first round just not nearly as high as everybody else does next up number 28 Winnipeg Jets and I’ve got them taking right-wing Ben Kindle has this for some scoring 99 points in just 65 games playing for the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL again very physical out there so a kid like him playing in the NHL and I see him not being shocked at all and you know he’s not the biggest guy 5’10 180 pounds but that scoring prowess to me is something that I think is definitely going to translate look at Cole Perfetti is finding his way for Winnipeg right now who knows if Nikolai Eers is going to go in free agency and you would have him learning from a guy like Kyle Connor so I think you know later in this first round Ben Kindle is going to be an excellent selection next up number 29 the Carolina Hurricanes and I’ve got them taking another leftwing Bill Zanin he had 83 points in just 65 games this year and I’m sorry in 64 games this year 62,90 pounds you know when you look at kids like that and they can put up the numbers that they do I say to myself usually that translates very well to the NHL zan’s not a guy that a lot of people are talking about but in recent weeks his name has started to come around more often and when I watched tape on him I liked what I saw and I think again his game would definitely translate well to the NHL and Carolina you know they’re going to have to start figuring out and a guy uh another big scoreer to go along with Aaho before he gets too old you know they’ve got Logan Stanco in there so Carolina Hurricanes taking Bill Zanin number 30 and the San Jose Sharks are picking again and I have them rolling the dice on 6’6 185 lb rightwing Nestra Seal he’s going to UMass this guy is so much fun to watch i don’t know what it is about him but when you watch tape on him it’s just always very very enjoyable and I think San Jose um if they were to take Martone second and now you would add a guy 66 Nestra Seal now you would have it all up front you would have massive size and you would have guys like Will Smith and Celebr Holton in providing the brawn i think he would be an excellent fit for San Jose and again Mike Greer he he was a big guy and this year there’s lots of big guys to choose from number 31 the Calgary Flames are selecting Ken and I’ve got them taking center Ivan Ryopkin out of Moskegan he only had 30 points in 27 games but I really liked him when I saw him on tape i think he’s a player that um Calgary’s got some younger players and they got to start finding their way they’re kind of middle of the pack they had a pretty good year last year better than most people expected some of their younger players um you know they grew into their game conor Zer’s had a little bit of injury issues but when he’s healthy you know he’s really to me a sniper and you know you saw Huberedo had a little bit of a bounceback year last year so I could see um you know Calgary to me their lineup is not so great that you know you see a kid like Riopkin and maybe he could crack that lineup in just two to three years and with the final number 32 pick I have the Philadelphia Flyers taking a little bit of a reach in most people opinions but not mine bryce Pikford of the Medicine Hat Tigers he plays defense he scores he hits he fights he lit it up in the WHL playoffs he had goals in 10 straight games and he’s a defenseman and again he’s been in a slew of fights and you know those Flyer fans they love the guys that drop the gloves so Bryce Pickford would be my final selection in this year’s first round so there you have it there’s our 2025 NHL mock draft let me know what you think in the comments section let me know if there’s some players that you think would get selected higher lower or maybe we didn’t even select them at all put it down in the comments section we can have a back and forth if you could please hit your like button your subscribe button and as we always do here at Clearing the Benches let them know you’re out there
With the 2025 NHL entry draft in los angeles at crypto.com Arena less than two weeks away today clearing the benches has put out their complete first round mock draft. Our draft will differ considerably from most other Internet drafts, but we provide statistics and factual information to back up our opinions.. #hockey #nhl #draft #podcast #crypto #arena #losangeles #ice #misa #schaefer #sanjose #sharks #anaheim #ducks #devils #newyorkrangers #islanders #trade #trending
3 comments
Excellent draft
Misa easily 1st pick..
Great draft!