Erie defenseman Matthew Schaefer is Pronman's No. 1 ranked prospect and the favorite to go first in the draft.

Our NHL draft and prospect expert looks at the best kids available in 2025, led by a defenseman who has proven his worth on and off the ice.

It’s pretty crazy to think that this is my first rankings of the season for the 2025 NHL Draft. In past seasons we’d be about three deep with an early season list and a top-32 at some point before the new year.

Welcome to Scott Wheeler’s 2025 rankings of every NHL organization’s prospects. You can find the complete ranking and more information on the project and its criteria here, as we count down daily from No. 32 to No. 1. The series, which includes in-depth evaluations and insight from sources on nearly 500 prospects, runs from Jan. 8 to Feb. 7.

The NHL Central Scouting bureau deems the Erie Otters' Matthew Schaefer its top pick for this year's draft despite the defenseman's broken collarbone.