Now that the draft is complete and a lot of the heavy lifting has been accomplished in free agency, it’s already time to turn the page and start to get things in order for the 2025 draft class.

There was a time when NHL scouts had most of July and August to themselves after spending hundreds of nights in hotel rooms, and collecting air miles from their endless travel around the world. But things have changed over the years. After the draft, some teams bring their staff to the team development camp to catch a live view of the pool of players in the organization. Other teams elect to only bring their directors and send the others home to recharge their batteries.

Once the month of August rolls around, the 2025 scouting calendar begins in earnest.

Plymouth, Michigan will be hosting the World Junior Summer Showcase from July 26–August 3. The showcase includes teams from host USA, Canada, Sweden and Finland. The event provides the selection committees from each country a head start evaluating their teams for the World Junior Championship, which will be held in Ottawa this year from Dec. 26–Jan 5).

This year’s version of the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup U18 tournament returns to Edmonton and runs from August 5-10. That event marks the official beginning of the amateur scouting calendar for the 2025 NHL Draft.

Time flies. Before you know it, I will be writing about the "best available” players for every round of the 2025 draft. But for now, I wanted to provide some insight into five of the top prospects in the next class who you will be hearing more about in the coming months.

James Hagens, 5-foot-10, 168 pounds, Forward, Boston College (NCAA)

Hagens, for now, is the top-rated prospect for me. He’s an electric offensive talent who produced 39G-63A for the USNTDP's U18 team last season. At the U18 world championships alone he contributed 9G-13A in only seven games.

Hagens is a creative play driver who’s a threat off the rush and basically from anywhere in the offensive zone. He’s especially dangerous on the power play and a dual threat as a passer and shooter. Hagens is always in motion. He’s very difficult to defend. Like most offensive talents he has some work to do defensively, but it’s not an area of concern. I describe him as “average” in his zone, which is good enough when I factor in his offensive prowess.

Hagens is headed to Boston College this fall. He’s taking the same path as Macklin Celebrini and will very likely be compared to the most recent first overall selection throughout this draft cycle.

Porter Martone, 6-foot-3, 196 pounds, Forward, Brampton (OHL)

The most recent draft class included a ton of prospects with size and skill. Martone will extend the trend when he walks to the podium after being drafted in 2025.

Martone produced 33G-38A at the OHL level last season. He stood out at the U18 worlds playing for Team Canada and contributed 5G-12A in seven games.

Martone is hard to play against. His stature gives opponents fits along the wall and in the trenches. He’s a solid skater with a fantastic release. When he finds “quiet ice” in the offensive zone, especially between the hash marks in the middle, pucks are on and off his stick in a flash. His combination of size, pace, and skill project him as a top six power scorer in the NHL someday.

Anton Frondell, 6-foot, 178 pounds, Forward, Djurgardens (Sweden J20)

Frondell is an impressive player. He’s a highly competitive offensive threat who produced 23G-26A at the J18 and J20 levels combined last season.

What impresses me the most about Frondell is the way he approaches the game. He’s not the biggest or heaviest forward, but he is very adept at shielding pucks, using his reach to extend plays along the boards, and creating off the rush. He shoots the puck with authority. Frondell is especially dangerous ripping pucks from the weak side flank on the power play. His combination of skill and will is noteworthy. I would not be the least bit surprised to see Frondell competing for first overall in 2025. He’s a dynamic talent.

Michael Misa, 6-foot, 174 pounds, Forward, Saginaw (OHL)

Misa will be entering his third season at the OHL level in 2024-25 after being granted exceptional status in the spring of 2022 and subsequently being selected by the Spirit first overall in the OHL draft.

Misa is a player who brings more than just offence. His elite element is definitely producing goals and assists, and he’s contributed 51G-80A in his first two years in the OHL, but he also provides reliable attention to detail in all three zones. I was especially impressed with how Misa contributed to Saginaw’s “team game” at this year’s Memorial Cup. The Spirit won the event and Misa chipped in five assists in five games played.

Misa projects as a top six forward at the NHL level. His combination of skill, pace and attention to detail on and off the puck is impressive.

Logan Hensler, 6-foot-2, 192 pounds, Defenceman, Wisconsin (NCAA)

Hensler is a coveted right-shot defender who projects as a valuable two-way defenceman and can be deployed in a variety of roles. He’s heading to Wisconsin this fall.

Hensler is capable of making plays in the offensive zone and creating scoring chances for his group in the process. He leans distributor more than shooter. His combination of size, agility, and length make him difficult to defend when he walks the blue line to open up scoring lanes.

Defensively, Hensler isn’t overly punishing physically. He, again, uses his long stick and big frame to interrupt the flow of opponents trying to make plays around him, along the boards or off the rush.

Hensler projects as a potential top pairing NHL defenceman who can play heavy minutes in all situations.

LONG WAY TO GO

These are just some of the names to keep an eye on as we head towards “parts unknown” for the 2025 NHL Draft.

I will be attending the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup in August and providing in-depth scouting reports on prospects at the event. The 2025 draft class is sure to provide an exciting crop of new prospects for NHL clubs.

Until then, enjoy summer while it lasts!

Scout's Analysis: Who are the top prospects for the 2025 NHL Draft?

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