2025 NHL Draft Rankings – Horn’s Top 64 for December

With the 2024-25 season well underway, and the 2025 World Junior Championship just around the corner, I thought it was high time to take another look at the 2025 Draft class. The 2025 NHL Draft is still 6 months away, but there has already been some movement with a few prospects really asserting themselves early on.

While it’s safe to say these rankings are still quite early and will be subject to plenty of change in the coming months, it still appears that this year’s draft class will be roughly average, much like the 2024 Draft was. It’s looking more forward heavy than last year’s draft, with only two defenders cracking my preliminary top-10 and just one in the top seven spots.

This draft looks to be a big bounceback for the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), a league that has historically produced an inordinately large number of top prospects. The OHL has had fewer high end prospects in some recent draft classes, but guys like Porter Martone, Michael Misa, and Matthew Schaefer appear poised for a takeover. In contrast, the US National Team Development Program (NTDP) doesn’t look poised to produce quite the group of talent that we’ve come to expect from them, with a few program grads playing in the NCAA next season (James Hagens and Logan Hensler come to mind), but not a ton of standout talent from their U18 squad. 

17. Joshua Ravensbergen, G, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

There hasn’t been a goalie drafted in the first round since the 2021 Draft saw both Sebastian Cossa and Jesper Wallstedt going in the top-20. I think Joshua Ravensbergen will be the one to break that streak. He’s got the size and athletic makeup (6-foot-5) to be a difference maker in the NHL, and he anticipates the play well. The biggest question is how much he is propped up by a dominant Prince George Cougars team that had four 90+ point scorers last season. Ravensbergen’s size and play style are exactly the combo that teams look for in first round goalies, so I like his chances of being the one to break the streak. 

18. Lynden Lakovic, LW, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)

Lynden Lakovic is a 6-foot-4 winger who is a strong skater and can create a ton of offense with his skill and shot. He scored 39 points in the WHL last season, and looks poised to surpass that total by Christmas this season. Lakovic’s skating and hands are good enough to make defenders miss, and while his playmaking and hockey sense could use some polishing, he looks like someone who could become a serious offensive weapon in the NHL someday. If he can keep producing points at his current rate, Lakovic’s size and skating will make him a favorite among NHL teams in this draft cycle. 

19. Malcolm Spence, LW, Erie Otters (OHL)

Malcolm Spence is a worker. He’s consistently putting pressure on defenses with his hustle plays in transition, and battles hard for pucks to win possession. It helps that he’s got a great top-speed, which allows him to be a serious factor all over the ice. Spence’s offensive game doesn’t wow you, with enough skill to project as a first round talent, but not enough to be a no-doubt top-six NHL winger. I think Spence will have a ton of fans in the NHL this year, and will go in the top half of round one, much like Jett Luchanko did in the 2024 Draft.

20. Jack Ivankovic, G, Brampton Steelheads (OHL)

This is getting out of hand! Now there’s two of them! That’s right, two goalies have earned spots in my first round at this point, with Jack Ivankovic quickly earning respect in the prospect world. While Ravensbergen perfectly fits the mold of the modern NHL goaltender (in other words, he’s massive), Ivankovic isn’t quite as vertically gifted, coming in at 6-feet tall. However, don’t let his size fool you as Ivankovic is a phenomenal goalie, with that otherworldly ability to remain calm in the face of chaos that makes him look like a future NHL starter. Ivankovic has won gold with Team Canada at the U17 World Hockey Challenge, the U18 World Championship, and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in the past year, and has earned a camp invite from Hockey Canada for the upcoming U20 World Juniors in Ottawa.

21. Cullen Porter, C, Arizona State University (NCAA) 

Cullen Porter is an elite skater, probably the best in this draft class at this point, who puts tons of pressure on his opponents off the rush where he is incredibly difficult to keep up with. Porter has a good shot and lots of skill with the puck, making him a dangerous player in 1-on-1 situations. His size won’t help him in the Draft process, measuring at 5-foot-10, and he can get pushed to the perimeter a bit in the offensive zone. However, his success in the NCAA this year as a 17-year-old has shown that his motor is strong enough to compete and that he can find some success pushing up the middle of the ice. If he grows much more, or develops a bit more of a direct offensive style, Porter could become a clear top-16 talent in this year’s draft. 

22. Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, RW, Lulea J20 (J20 Nationell)

Jakob Ihs-Wozniak is a big winger with a ton of exciting offensive tools. He skates well, shoots the puck extremely hard, and makes skill plays under pressure quite regularly. After tearing up the Swedish junior circuit last season, Ihs-Wozniak even earned himself a couple of games in the SHL. His play at the J20 level has already earned him a few more pro games this season, even though his engagement and physicality can be lacking at times. Ihs-Wozniak is likely to be a polarizing player in this draft, but I like his skating and skill enough to be quite high on him early on in this process.

23. Brady Martin, C, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

Brady Martin is a highly skilled center prospect with good enough hands to safely project as an NHLer, especially when paired with his powerful motor that puts him right in the thick of the action on a nightly basis. While I see enough skill for Martin to someday be a second-line center in the NHL, if that doesn’t quite come to pass he still has the tenacity and physical play to find professional success as a reliable bottom-six center. If there are NHL teams who seriously believe in his offensive game, I could see someone with Martin’s play style going as high as the top 12 or 13 picks next June.

24. William Moore, C, USA U18 (NTDP)

William Moore will be an early pick in the 2025 Draft, as centers with good size (6-foot-2), strong skating, and good offensive touch almost never stay on the board long in the NHL Draft. The question of just how high will depend largely on his ability to further develop his playmaking and his defensive play. Moore has a really exciting playstyle, fighting hard for space down the middle-third of the ice and carving through the neutral zone to get into the slot. Adding some extra muscle to his slight frame will likely help him a lot as well, better enabling him to win puck battles and push through contact on his way to the net.

25. Radim Mrtka, RD, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

Radim Mrtka did himself a big favor at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last Summer. Mrtka is a massive (6-foot-6), right-shot defender who played massive minutes in all-situations for Czechia in that tournament, helping drive them to a silver medal finish. He is a very natural puck carrier and mover in the offensive zone, walking the blueline better than you’d expect for a 17-year-old of his size. Mrtka’s size and mobility mean his defensive potential is sky high. After beginning the season split between Czechia’s pro league and top U20 league, Mrtka has joined the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL and has looked like a future pro. He’ll be a fascinating one to watch this year for sure, with his ultimate draft position relying heavily on how much offense he can produce. 

26. Cameron Schmidt, RW, Vancouver Giants (WHL)

Cameron Schmidt is going to be a very polarizing player in this year’s draft process, as a very undersized winger who is a borderline-elite skater with a ton of offensive skill. If he were 6-feet tall he’d almost certainly be in the top-10 conversation, but coming in at just 5-foot-7, his size will be a major factor when teams try to assess his projection.

Cameron Schmidt: 9 goals. 7 games. OT magic. pic.twitter.com/U5C9BucLB9

— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) October 12, 2024

Schmidt will need to outwork larger opponents if he wants to succeed in the NHL, and he has shown flashes of a high enough compete level to be a real menace someday. I can see myself ranking him a lot higher than this as the year goes on, especially if he can continue to ramp up his physical play, but I’m going to start out a bit more cautious.

27. Milton Gastrin, C, MoDo J20 (J20 Nationell)

Milton Gastrin is the next in a long line of talented hockey players to come out of the small town of Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, a line that includes players like the Sedin twins, Peter Forsberg, Victor Hedman, and many more. Gastrin is a reliable two-way center who has been excellent offensively against his peers in Sweden, while still showing the defensive commitment to earn a handful of games in the SHL already early on in his draft year. He’s unlikely to be a high-end offensive creator in the NHL, but I could see Gastrin becoming a really strong third-line center or middle-six winger someday.

28. Kurban Limatov, LD, MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)

Kurban Limatov is a riser early on in the 2025 Draft process, thanks to a hot start that has seen him more than double his point production in Russia’s top junior league from last season. Limatov is a 6-foot-3 defender who skates well and isn’t afraid to use his large frame to his advantage defensively. I don’t have especially high hopes for his offensive game, though he’s shown some flashes of skill on the breakout and along the blue line in the offensive zone so I think it’s possible he develops into a really solid two-way defender in the NHL someday.

29. Braeden Cootes, C, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

Braeden Cootes is a well-rounded forward prospect who shows NHL-caliber skating and some good offensive tools as well. He competes hard and plays much bigger than his 6-foot tall frame might suggest, constantly battling along the boards and jockeying for position in front of the net. The main factor that will determine whether Cootes can become a top-six forward in the NHL or a middle-six one will be his offense, and while he’s been off to a hot start in that department this season, I don’t see a special level of offense in his game at this point.

30. Reese Hamilton, LD, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Reese Hamilton is an offensive defenseman who has struggled a bit defensively despite his excellent skating. He carries the puck through the neutral zone with confidence, and can create a ton of offense from the blue line, but Hamilton’s defensive play lacks physicality, and will need to show signs of improvement for him to be drafted any higher than this. Hamilton’s skating is powerful, and his speed is his best defensive trait, allowing him to back-check and try to engage defensively even if he pinches in on the play offensively.

31. Sascha Boumedienne, LD, Boston University (NCAA)

Sascha Boumedienne is one of the more graceful skaters in this year’s draft, and has enough speed to get you really excited about what he could do in the NHL someday. His defensive game is largely based on his agility and speed, much like his Boston University teammate Tom Willander, though he doesn’t quite have the steadying presence that makes Willander such a great defender. Boumedienne has enough offense in his game to be intriguing, but will need some serious growth in his decision making if he wants to end up being selected in the first round come draft day.

32. Artyom Vilchinsky, LD, SKA (MHL)

Pretty much everything you heard in the 2024 Draft about Anton Silayev is going to come back up again (to a lesser extent) with Artyom Vilchinsky, a massive Russian defender (6-foot-4) who is great defensively but doesn’t provide a ton of offense. He’s got a good physical game and is quite mobile for his size, two things that should help him make a lot of defensive stops at the pro level. There are questions around his fitness level and hockey sense, but NHL teams are going to take a good long look at Vilchinsky because of his size and defensive game.

Second Round:

33. Charlie Tretheway, RD, USA U18 (NTDP)

Ranking Charlie Tretheway involves a bit of a projection, since he’s got a ton of tools that scream top-four defender, but hasn’t been able to put them all together consistently at this point. His game certainly leans to the offensive side, with a heavy shot and good enough playmaking to become a real contributor on the power play. Tretheway will likely be a polarizing player this season, with believers ranking him closer to the top-16, banking on some continued defensive growth.

34. Owen Conrad, LD, Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL)

Owen Conrad is a big defender who moves well for 6-foot-3 and keeps a calm demeanor in all facets of the game. He moves the puck well from the blue-line, with enough hockey IQ to make a few challenging passes. 

Related: Every NHL Team’s Top Prospect – 2024-25 Preseason Update

Conrad isn’t going to score much if he makes the NHL, but he is reliable enough offensively that it certainly won’t be a detriment. He is a strong kid, often taking his opponents out of the play completely when he finishes his checks. 

35. Émile Guité, LW, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)

Émile Guité is a gifted offensive player, with good enough hands and a powerful shot that allowed him to score 25 goals as a rookie in the QMJHL last season. However, Guité’s skating is a clear weakness, and he can lack compete in the offensive zone when he isn’t in possession of the puck. This combination of factors make him the type of prospect who will need to prove he can score a lot in order to cover some of his weaknesses, something that Guité is actually quite capable of doing. 

36. Alex Huang, RD, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)

37. Blake Fiddler, RD, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

38. Luka Radivojevic, RD, Orebro (USHL)

39. L.J. Mooney, RW, USA U18 (NTDP)

40. Cameron Reid, LD, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

41. Conrad Fondrk, LW, USA U18 (NTDP)

42. Cole McKinney, C, USA U18 (NTDP)

43. Viktor Klingsell, LW, Skelleftea (J20)

44. Jack Murtagh, LW, USA U18 (NTDP)

45. Tomas Pobezal, C, HK Nitra (Slovakia)

46. Adam Benak, C, Plzen (Czechia?)

47. Jordan Gavin, LW, Tri-City Americans (WHL)

48. Pyotr Andreyanov, G, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)

49. Bill Zonnon, LW, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)

50. Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen, LD, USA U18 (NTDP)

51. Filip Ekberg, LW, Almtuna (Allsvenskan)

52. Donato Bracco, LD, USA U18 (NTDP)

53. Haoxi Simon Wang, LD, Oshawa Generals (OHL)

54. Bruno Osmanis, RW, IF Björklöven (HockeyAllsvenskan)

55. Max Westergård, F, Frölunda HC (J20 Nationell)

56. Carlos Handel, RD, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

57. Lasse Boelius, LD, Ässät U20 (U20 SM-sarja)

58. Jack Nesbitt, C, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

59. Benjamin Kevan, RW, Des Moines (USHL)

60. Benjamin Kindel, C, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

61. Henry Brzustewicz, RD, London Knights (OHL)

62. Ryker Lee, RW, Madison Capitals (USHL)

63. Aiden Lane, RW, Brampton Steelheads (OHL)

64. Michal Svrcek, C, Brynäs IF J20 (J20 Nationell)