With the attention at the NHL Draft drawn on the very best it has to offer, it’s easy for other players to go under the radar for many reasons. Although each league has its share of top prospects, some prospects may still end up as draft-day surprises.
With top prospects this season, like Kieron Walton, going in the sixth round and players like Luke Mistelbacher and Kristian Epperson managing to go undrafted, success isn’t linear.
Here are a few 2025 NHL Draft Prospects with the potential to take off soon.
Ontario
Harry Nansi – C
An incredibly raw product, Harry Nansi has the toolkit necessary to be an impactful NHLer but is still waiting to unlock it consistently. Lucky for Nansi, he has time to grow as a September 2007 birthday.
He’s a big, active forward with a high motor but cannot bulldoze opponents with his 6-3 size. He lacks ideal skating and is a bit simple in his routes, but he makes up for it with his ability to separate with his body. He’s still finding the ability to finish the puzzle, but if his inconsistency doesn’t improve, he may always be viewed as a player with one piece missing.
Nansi is highly likable and has the tenacity to be a valuable prospect as he matures, but he still has a way to go in his development.
Western Canada
Hayden Paupanekis – C
Since being traded from Spokane to Kelowna, Paupanekis has looked more comfortable driving offensive play. The 6-4 center is not the quickest forward but has solid acceleration and edgework for his size.
Paupanekis is very easy to see as an NHL center. With his size and ability to grasp a fast-paced team, he can battle for pucks and use his physical advantages to win possession.
A potential breakout candidate for next season in the WHL if the well-rounded tools can flesh out more. Even if he’s not a star player, the skill level is there to, at the very least, be a capable 4C.
Quebec/Maritimes
Maddox Labre – LHD
A bright spot on a poor Victoriaville team this season, Labre is a smooth skating defenseman who utilizes his size to compete at both ends. He’s a safe, defense-minded defenseman with solid offensive tools that haven’t been fully realized in a system where the offense has been tough to come by.
Labre should still find himself drafted even with unspectacular results on paper, but if not, he could be a surprise as a D+1 next season if he’s on a roster with more going for it.
USA
Ashton Schultz – C
The Chicago Steel has not been dominant this season. At this point, they are far gone from the days of Adam Fantilli and Macklin Celebrini. Ashton Schultz is a top prospect from the USHL on a team lacking much in the offensive category.
A solid two-way center with good tenacity and workmanship, Schultz is a detail-focused player who excels at spotting the little details on the ice and being aware of how to impact the overall play, even if he’s not doing the standout play.
He’s not a flashy player, but Schultz does enough off the puck to make him a potential NHL bottom-six forward who plays a responsible 200-foot game.
Sweden
Malte Vass – LHD
Malte Vass doesn’t always appear on the scoresheet, but he performs well reliably from shift to shift, which makes him an intriguing prospect.
Vass is a physical defenseman with good defensive awareness and can shut down plays. His high-intensity level allows him to work and engage in play consistently.
He doesn’t stand out on offense enough to warrant a top-64 pick, but he could be a valuable draft selection later. Although he is willing to play the puck down the ice, one big thing that could unlock his potential is creating more breakouts instead of just shooting the puck upwards.
Finland
Niklas Nykyri – LHD
Topias Hynninen is the overage player from Finland, getting the most hype from scouts, understandably, with a fantastic performance this season with Jukurit. Still, in the long term, Niklas Nykyri may be the more projectable NHL player.
With a respectable seven points in 25 Liiga games for HIFK, the 6-2 defenseman has shown the ability to compete at the pro level, especially on the defensive side of the game, where his maturity allows him to compete against men.
His upside may be a bottom-pairing defenseman, which is still enough to be on a Finland Four Nations roster. Still, his maturity is worth a late-round gamble, especially for a player who has been able to play the entire season against pros.
Russia
Mikhail Fyodorov – LW
Mikhail Fyodorov goes against many of my beliefs about an NHL prospect as a lightweight, undersized forward who isn’t dominant. Still, a lot in Fyodorov’s game is hard not to be interested in.
For a smaller player like Fyodorov, he plays with a lot of tenacity and effort that makes up for his size. His skating fluidity allows him to dodge hits from bigger opponents, and he is willing to compete to get pucks, even if his frame doesn’t allow him to win physical battles.
He’ll need to bulk up a lot to be an NHLer, and he may be a good KHLer, but Fyodorov is a likable player who has the upside to be something at a higher level.
Europe
Maxim Schafer – LW
Regional scouts have discussed the 2025 German draft class as one of the strongest in terms of potential national team depth. Although top prospects David Lewandowski and Rio Kaiser leaving for the CHL has led to fewer eyes on the area, Maxim Schafer is one player to watch late in Germany.
The 6-4 Eisbaren Berlin winger has appeared in the DEL, the highest pro level of German hockey, and with the U20 team at the World Juniors, where he had three points and a team-leading two goals. For his size, he shows solid skating and mobility with the puck.
Schafer may be worth a pick in the later rounds, but like his fellow countrymen Lewandowski and Kaiser, he may have to move to North America for a real look at his game.
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