The first night of the 2025 NHL Draft is officially in the books, with 32 names selected at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Friday night, June 27. In a decentralized format (the first non-pandemic decentralized draft), prospects gathered in the theater while team executives, scouts, and coaches participated virtually from their home markets.
While there were four separate trades during the Draft — all involving draft selections — most of the early selections are being labeled as steals by analysts, with several players falling past their projected positions. Note: The New York Islanders traded defenseman Noah Dobson to Montreal for draft picks before the draft began.
Who are the best value picks from the opening night of the NHL Draft?
1. New York Islanders Select Matthew Schaefer With 1st Pick
Starting with the most obvious selection, the New York Islanders are going to get considerable bang for their buck after selecting defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick in the NHL Draft.
Projected as the consensus opening pick for the entire season, the selection of Schaefer was a no-brainer for new GM Mathieu Darche, who wasn’t hired until after the Islanders won the draft lottery with just a 3.5% chance. The 17-year-old from Hamilton, Ontario, becomes the fifth player in Islanders history to be selected first overall and the first since John Tavares in 2009.
Schaefer, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 186 pounds, managed 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) with a plus-21 rating in just 17 games with the Erie Otters this season. His campaign was cut short by mononucleosis early in the season and a broken clavicle suffered while playing for Canada at the 2025 World Junior Championship. Despite missing 46 games, scouts remained unanimous in their assessment of his elite talent.
The young defenseman has overcome tremendous personal tragedy, losing his mother Jennifer to breast cancer in February 2024 and his billet mother Emily Matson to apparent suicide just two months prior. In an emotional moment, Schaefer kissed the pink ribbon patch the Islanders added to his jersey — featuring his mother’s initials — before breaking into tears on stage.
“I appreciate you taking a chance on me,” Schaefer said in a video conference with the Islanders. “I promise I won’t disappoint.”
NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr projects Schaefer as “a true No. 1 cornerstone for years to come,” praising his elite skating, mobility, and ability to control play from the blue line. Many scouts believe he has the tools to become a top-10 defender in the league while wearing a letter as part of a team’s leadership group. The Islanders are known for their defense-first mentality, and Schaefer will aid that approach for years to come.
2. Boston Bruins Select James Hagens With 7th Overall Pick
Another no-brainer selection, James Hagens carries some of the best offensive upside of any player taken in the opening round of the Draft, making him exceptional value at seventh overall.
The 18-year-old center from Hauppauge, New York — close to defenseman Charlie McAvoy’s hometown — was once considered the consensus No. 1 pick before the 2024-25 season. Though he slipped slightly in rankings after posting 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 37 games for Boston College, many scouts still view him as a future top-line center with elite playmaking abilities.
Standing 5-foot-10 and 177 pounds, Hagens brings exceptional hockey IQ, elite puck-handling skills, and dynamic skating ability. He finished fifth all-time in USNTDP history with 187 career points, behind only Jack Hughes, Cole Eiserman, Will Smith, and Clayton Keller. His vision and passing ability make him a natural play-creator in all situations.
The Bruins struggled to score for much of the 2024-25 NHL season, part of the reason why they missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Hagens represents their highest draft pick since selecting Tyler Seguin second overall in 2010. As a local product who could potentially return to Boston College for another season, Hagens will soon be filling up the scoresheet and has the potential to be a top-six player for years to come.
Some scouts have compared his style to that of a Jack Hughes-type player, though questions about his size and ability to win battles against bigger defenders contributed to his slide. However, at No. 7, the Bruins secured a player many had ranked in the top three just months earlier.
3. Seattle Kraken Select Jake O’Brien With 8th Pick
Speaking of players who have considerable offensive potential, Jake O’Brien fits the bill perfectly. The Kraken continued their tradition of selecting centers in the first round — their fourth in five drafts — by taking the Brantford Bulldogs’ playmaking wizard.
The 6-foot-2, 170-pound center produced 98 points (32 goals, 66 assists) in 66 games last season, finishing third in team scoring. His production ranks among elite company: since 2010, only 10 draft-eligible OHL skaters have scored more points than O’Brien, including names like Connor McDavid, Mitch Marner, and Dylan Strome.
What makes O’Brien such exceptional value is his complete game. He’s known for his elite vision and deceptive playmaking, consistently finding teammates through the tiniest seams in coverage. His 23.8% shooting percentage came from smart shot selection and getting to high-danger areas. As one scout noted, he’s “a pass-first guy to the max,” but does it in a crafty, deceptive way.
O’Brien earned OHL Rookie of the Year honors in 2023-24 and was named captain of the Eastern Conference team for the Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game, where he earned MVP honors with three assists. It also helps that O’Brien is known for being a defensively responsible forward and not just one-dimensional, making him exactly the type of two-way center teams covet.
Kraken GM Jason Botterill praised O’Brien’s creativity and hockey sense, noting how the team has tried to build through the center position. With his June 16 birthday making him one of the younger players in the draft, O’Brien has significant room for growth and development.
4. Columbus Blue Jackets Select Jackson Smith With 14th Pick
The Blue Jackets have been searching for a defenseman who can shoulder the responsibilities of being a top blue liner on a team that needs to take the next step. In a move that surprised even their own management, they found that player when Jackson Smith fell to them at 14th overall.
“Some of our scouts that watched him all the time rated his skating as a ten, and that happens very rarely,” said Blue Jackets President of Hockey Operations Don Waddell. “We did not expect Smith to be available at 14.”
The 6-foot-4, 199-pound defenseman from Calgary brings a rare combination of size, mobility, and offensive ability. He posted 54 points (11 goals, 43 assists) in 68 games with the Tri-City Americans of the WHL, showcasing the offensive upside that had him ranked as high as sixth overall by some services.
Smith was crucial to Team Canada’s Under-18 World Championships gold medal in April, scoring four goals in seven games. He patterns his game after Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen and, fittingly, Blue Jackets star Zach Werenski, combining smooth skating with strong defensive play and the ability to quarterback a power play.
“I think I have a lot of offensive upside to my game,” Smith said. “I move on the blueline really well, I can find lanes, get pucks through and score goals, but I can also defend the rush incredibly well. I kind of feel like I’m a ‘full package’ kind of guy.”
Having committed to Penn State University, Smith will bring his talents to the Nittany Lions program. Known for his strong skating, ability to play heavy minutes, and defensive awareness, Smith has the potential to anchor the Columbus blue line for years to come. Some scouts project him as a future top-pairing defenseman who can handle the pressure of matching up against opposing teams’ top lines.
5. New York Islanders Select Victor Eklund With 16th Pick
It was a surprise to many that a player with Eklund’s potential and upside was still available by the time the Islanders were ready for their second selection of the opening round, acquired along with the 17th pick in the Noah Dobson trade with Montreal earlier that day.
The 18-year-old Swedish winger, younger brother of San Jose Sharks forward William Eklund, brings a unique combination of skill and grit despite his 5-foot-11, 169-pound frame. He led all under-20 players in Sweden’s second-tier Allsvenskan league with 19 goals and 31 points in 42 games, helping Djurgårdens IF earn promotion to the Swedish Hockey League.
Eklund’s point-per-game rate of 0.60 or better puts him in elite company among draft-year Swedish players, alongside names like Elias Pettersson, William Nylander, and David Pastrňák. NHL Central Scouting ranked him as the second-best European skater behind teammate Anton Frondell (who went third overall to Chicago).
What sets Eklund apart is his fearless, tenacious style of play. He models his game after Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, combining creative playmaking skills with a willingness to play in the dirty areas of the ice. His competitiveness and motor are ranked among the best in the draft class by Elite Prospects.
“I’m more of a guy who gets into the game, into the physical parts, and being in the boards, having a few hits and stuff,” Eklund explained, contrasting his style with his brother William’s more finesse-oriented approach.
Having represented Sweden at multiple international tournaments, including the 2025 World Junior Championship where he posted six points in seven games, Eklund checks all the boxes of the next great Swedish player in the NHL. The Islanders are going to be thankful for years to come that Eklund was still there for the taking, as he projects as a top-nine forward who could elevate to top-six with continued development.
