The 2025 NHL Draft will begin on June 27th, but the New Jersey Devils will have to wait until the 28th as they don’t have a first round pick. They possess two second round picks, a third, a fourth and two sixths.
Related: 2025 NHL Draft Guide
Second Round Targets (Projected: #50 and #62)
In recent seasons, the Devils have drafted exceptionally well in the second round. Their last three round two selections were Seamus Casey (2022), Lenni Hameenaho (2023) and Mikhail Yegorov (2024), all of whom have the potential to become legitimate difference makers at the NHL level. You may note the omission of defensemen; there don’t appear to be any worth taking over these names below. And besides, the Devils already have enough of a defensive logjam ahead of them with young guys like Simon Nemec, Seamus Casey and Anton Silayev all looking promising.
Alexander Zharovsky, RW, Tolpar Ufa (MHL)
The 6-foot-1 Alexander Zharovsky had quite the whirlwind of a season. After dominating the MHL in Russia with 50 points in 45 games, including 44 points in his last 29, he received a call-up to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for the Gagarin Cup Playoffs. While he had just one point in seven games, it was a pretty cool and helpful experience for the 18-year-old, and he certainly didn’t look out of place.
#2025NHLDraft F Alexander Zharovsky with a beauty for his first MHL goal pic.twitter.com/mRuWl9sxNS
— Medved Prospekt (@MedvedProspekt) September 4, 2024
The Hockey Writers’ Draft Analyst Dayton Reimer said, “Zharovsky is a magician with the puck. He is so good at finding openings and using a quick speed burst and incredibly fast puck handling to catch defenders off guard and create an opening to drive the net.”
His shot is just average, but his hockey IQ, slick hands and above average passing ability make him someone who is a prime candidate to breakout in the KHL next season, just as many young Russian skaters have in recent years. If the current standings don’t change, the Devils will pick first at #50. Most major outlets have him projected in the 47 and 53 range, but ‘Smaht Scouting’ has him as their 20th-ranked skater in their recent rankings, saying, “He’s just so much fun, he’s dynamic and creative to a degree that I haven’t seen from many guys past this point in the draft.” The Devils should be thrilled if he’s still there at 50, and should even consider trading up a few spots for him.
Kristian Epperson, LW, Saginaw (OHL)
The 6-foot-tall Kristian Epperson went undrafted as one of the younger players in the 2024 Draft, after he saw a strange step backwards in production with the U.S. National Development Team. He then went to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this season, where he was stellar with 80 points in 58 games, along with a plus-45 rating. However, many have counted him out, deeming him as a product of linemate Michael Misa, who may go first overall this year.
Like everyone in these rounds, his toolkit isn’t perfect, but his playmaking ability and overall raw talent is not far off from anyone projected to go in the latter half of the first round. He also has some physicality to his game and his defense has improved tremendously in the last year. If his average-ish skating improves even a little, he can potentially become a middle-six player in the NHL.
He’s a bit of a wild card, ranked anywhere from 36th to 77th in major rankings. Take it with a grain of salt, but Hockey Abstract’s NHLe ranking has been successful in the past at projecting how a player’s production will translate to the NHL level; Epperson’s ‘36.5’ is 12th in the entire draft and actually ranks ahead of top talent like Matthew Schaefer (34.3), James Hagens (32.2) and Roger McQueen (29.1). It would be wise for the Devils to use their second pick, currently projected at #62, on Epperson if he’s still there.
L.J. Mooney, RW, US Development Team (NTDP)
Let’s get it out of the way now: Yes, L.J. Mooney is short (5-foot-7). But so were Cole Caufield and Alex DeBrincat in their draft years, and they turned out just fine. Aside from that, there’s an undeniable offensive capability within Mooney (Logan Cooley’s cousin) that likely clears many of the other options. He had 78 points in 77 games for the US National Program this year, and tacked on 11 points in seven games at the World U18s. He’s committed to the University of Minnesota for next season.
The Hockey Writers’ Draft Analyst Jim Bay said, “Mooney is everywhere on the ice, especially in the offensive zone. His motor is elite, as is the energy he uses to recover pucks. Despite his well-below-average size, the forward fears nothing and will do whatever it takes to stand out or disrupt the puck carrier. When his skill and confidence blend with his reliably elite motor and pace, the undersized forward is very difficult to contain.”
He’s projected anywhere between 33 and 77, but it really all depends on how detrimental his size is to an organization. Like with Epperson, if he’s still available with the Devils’ second selection, it’s a gamble worth taking. With the right team around him by the time he hits the pros, his size shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
Daniil Prokhorov, RW, St. Petersburg (MHL)
Daniil Prokhorov stands at 6-foot-6, and there’s a possibility he’s not done growing as he just turned 18 a few weeks ago. While the point totals may not be there just yet (27 points in 43 MHL games), 20 of those were goals. It’s hard not to imagine a parallel to the development track of Tage Thompson, a similarly tall player who struggled at first but became an elite scorer once he got comfortable in his frame.
He doesn’t shy away from physicality and has no issue doing the dirty work in and around the crease. He struggles a bit both defensively and with managing the puck, but that’s all teachable. The raw talent alone and the fact he’s that tall makes him someone who has much higher upside than most, even if it takes awhile.
He’s projected between 57 and 66 by most major outlets, but similar to Beckett Sennecke last season, it would not be a surprise to see him shoot up some draft boards quickly.
Third Round Targets (Projected: #94)
Petteri Rimpinen, G, Kiekko-Espoo (Liiga)
The 2025 World Junior Championships (WJC) put 19-year-old Petteri Rimpinen on everyone’s radar, as his stellar .933 save percentage (SV%) earned him the nickname “Mr. Showtime”. However, he stands at only six-feet tall, which already made him go undrafted in 2024 and makes many doubt his NHL future.
It wasn’t just a fluke run in the WJC that has shown Rimpinen is a great goalie; he had a .912 SV% in 40 games playing at the top level of pro hockey in Finland (Liiga), and a .920% in the playoffs. David Phillips of FC Hockey said, “He is a hyper-athletic goaltender with a knack for being in the right place at the right time. He attacks shooters with an aggressive play-style, moving to the top of his crease whenever possible. Rimpinen, who went undrafted in his first year of eligibility, has also demonstrated incredible tracking habits.”
The bottom line is that if Rimpinen was 6-foot-4 with the same exact production, he would be viewed as one of the premier goalies in the Draft. But he’s not, and that could work towards a team like the Devils’ favor. He’s projected to go anywhere from 45 to 168, depending on the outlet. But if he’s still there in the third round, his pro success and ability to raise his game when the lights get bright should make it a gamble worth taking, especially in a “weak” draft like this.
Filip Ekberg, LW, Ottawa (OHL)
Filip Ekberg is a certain wild card: The 5-foot-10 winger was underwhelming for the Ottawa 67’s, notching 45 points in 53 games. But the World U18s put him on everyone’s radar, as he had a tremendous 10 goals and 18 points (!!) in seven games for Team Sweden. He was then named tournament MVP.
Filip Ekberg has channeled his inner Gretzky this week.
— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) April 30, 2025
9 goals and 16 points in 5 games.
pic.twitter.com/UgXtPSFEc1
Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff said, “My biggest complaint about Ekberg’s season was how underutilized he was by Ottawa 67’s coach Dave Cameron. Ekberg then seemed to be launched out of a cannon in Sweden’s opening game, scoring four goals and five points. He was easily one of the best players on the ice on any given night and deserved all the MVP love he got. I think he’s one of the more pure-skilled forwards in this draft class, and that he just needed the right opportunity to prove that. For me, mission accomplished.”
He’s projected to go anywhere between ~86 and 104, but prior to the U18s, he looked to be more like a sixth or seventh round pick. The truth is that it’s hard to find a weakness with Ekberg; he does almost everything pretty well aside from physical engagement. That doesn’t always mean the scoring will translate to the pro level, but Ekberg should be a no-brainer if he’s still there for the Devils.
Philippe Veilleux, LW/RW, Val-d’Or (QMJHL)
Philippe Veilleux has some legitimate scoring talent; he led his team with 87 points in just 64 games. Like Mooney, he’s overlooked by many because of his 5-foot-9 frame.
The Hockey Writers’ Draft Analyst Justin Giampietro said, “He’s a terrific play driver, getting rushes started and whatnot, and he’s also crafty inside the offensive zone. He takes advantage of open space, able to utilize every inch that the defense sacrifices.”
His skating leaves a bit to be desired, and his overall lack of physicality/defensive engagement leaves some worried. Nonetheless, the well over point-per-game scoring pace is tremendous value if he falls to the third round. Most seem to expect him to fall between 87 and 98, with a few outliers, like TSN’s Craig Button who has him at #45.
Looking Ahead
While this draft may not have the talent that previous editions had, there are still many players with great tools and the potential to round out their game and become NHL difference makers. It’s essentially no risk, all reward, as picks in these rounds (especially in a weaker draft) aren’t usually likely to boom. But the Devils have done it in the past (see: Jesper Bratt), so we’ll see if they can strike gold again.
