Monday Mock Draft: 07/21/2025 - NHL Minors Eligible Draft

2025 Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft

The 2025 NHL rookie class brings one of the most exciting groups of young talent in years. From franchise-changing centers like Macklin Celebrini to dynamic defensemen like Lane Hutson and Zayne Parekh, there’s no shortage of prospects ready to make an immediate impact in dynasty leagues.

This 12-team, 3-round mock draft reflects not only raw upside but also NHL readiness, role opportunity, and long-term ceiling - all crucial factors in dynasty formats. Whether you’re building around elite scoring, shoring up your blue line, or taking a swing on upside, there’s plenty of value to be found throughout these 36 picks.

Minors-eligible players are considered to be players with less than 100 NHL games for this exercise.

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1–12 (Round 1)

1. Lane Hutson — D — Montreal
   One of the league’s most creative young defensemen, already quarterbacking a power play and driving offense.

2. Macklin Celebrini — C — San Jose
   Franchise-caliber center with elite vision and scoring touch, ready to carry a rebuilding team.

3. Matvei Michkov — RW — Philadelphia
   Game-breaking winger with elite hands and finishing ability, already showing star potential.

4. Ivan Demidov — RW — Montreal
   A silky, creative winger who flashes high-end offensive instincts and playmaking.

5. Will Smith — C/RW — San Jose
   Dynamic forward with slick puck skills and a knack for creating chances off the rush.

6. Zayne Parekh — D — Calgary
   Electric offensive defenseman with a cannon shot and great instincts on the power play.

7. Matthew Schaefer — D — NY Islanders
   Smooth-skating, two-way defenseman who can contribute at both ends and log big minutes.

8. Michael Misa — C — San Jose
   Explosive skater with elite creativity and vision, just beginning to tap into his upside.

9. Cutter Gauthier — LW — Anaheim
   Big, physical winger who scores in bunches and plays a complete 200-foot game.

10. Zeev Buium — D — Minnesota
    Calm and composed defender with top-pairing upside, effective in transition and in his own zone.

11. Olen Zellweger — D — Anaheim
    Fast, creative blueliner who drives offense with elite skating and offensive instincts.

12. Porter Martone — RW — Philadelphia
    Power winger with strong puck protection and an ability to create around the net.

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13–24 (Round 2)

13. Marco Kasper — C/LW — Detroit
    Competitive two-way center with grit and enough skill to anchor a middle-six line.

14. Anton Frondell — C — Chicago
    Smart, versatile forward who can play in all situations and chip in offense.

15. James Hagens — C — Boston
    High-IQ playmaker with great hands and natural offensive creativity.

16. Vincent Eklund — LW — NY Islanders
    Energetic winger who wins battles and has sneaky scoring upside.

17. Cutter Desnoyers — C — Utah
    Defensive-minded center who brings energy and excels on the PK.

18. Shane Wright — C — Seattle
    Responsible two-way center still finding his offensive ceiling but trusted in key minutes.

19. Isaac Howard — LW — Edmonton
    Large-frame forward who protects the puck well and thrives in the dirty areas.

20. Frank Nazar — C/RW — Chicago
    Crafty and quick forward who creates space and thrives in transition.

21. Artem Levshunov — D — Chicago
    Big, poised defenseman who eats minutes and shows flashes of offensive upside.

22. Brady Martin — C — Nashville
    High-motor, responsible center with improving offensive instincts.

23. James O’Brien — C — Seattle
    Reliable depth center with strong defensive awareness and good work ethic.

24. Ryan McQueen — RW — Anaheim
    Physical winger who brings energy, grit, and some scoring punch.

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25–36 (Round 3)

25. Beckett Sennecke — RW — Anaheim
    Creative winger with good puck control and a developing all-around game.

26. Mackie Samoskevich — LW/RW — Florida
    Offensive winger who adds speed and finesse to his line.

27. Jackson Blake — RW — Carolina
    Tenacious winger who plays with pace and sparks offense with his skating.

28. Ryan Leonard — RW — Washington
    Goal-scoring power winger who thrives in traffic and along the boards.

29. Berkly Catton — C — Seattle
    Slick playmaker with elite offensive instincts and quick feet.

30. Tij Iginla — C/LW — Utah
    Physical, skilled forward who drives the net hard and creates chaos for defenders.

31. Dalibor Dvorsky — C — St. Louis
    Two-way center with a mature game and strong puck distribution.

32. Alexander Nikishin — D — Carolina
    Big, physical defender who punishes opponents and keeps plays simple.

33. Sam Dickinson — D — San Jose
    Reliable blueliner with smooth skating and a strong defensive stick.

34. Jimmy Snuggerud — RW — St. Louis
    Natural goal scorer with a deadly release and great hockey sense.

35. Cole Eiserman — LW — NY Islanders
    One of the best pure shooters in his class, capable of scoring from anywhere.

36. Conor Geekie — C — Tampa Bay
    Big-bodied center with soft hands and a powerful presence down low, excels at cycling and puck control.

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Team Summaries

Fixed Order Draft Table (Rounds 1–3)

Team	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3
Team 1	Lane Hutson — D — Montreal	Marco Kasper — C/LW — Detroit	Beckett Sennecke — RW — Anaheim
Team 2	Macklin Celebrini — C — San Jose	Anton Frondell — C — Chicago	Mackie Samoskevich — LW/RW — Florida
Team 3	Matvei Michkov — RW — Philadelphia	James Hagens — C — Boston	Jackson Blake — RW — Carolina
Team 4	Ivan Demidov — RW — Montreal	Vincent Eklund — LW — NY Islanders	Ryan Leonard — RW — Washington
Team 5	Will Smith — C/RW — San Jose	Cutter Desnoyers — C — Utah	Berkly Catton — C — Seattle
Team 6	Zayne Parekh — D — Calgary	Shane Wright — C — Seattle	Tij Iginla — C/LW — Utah
Team 7	Matthew Schaefer — D — NY Islanders	Isaac Howard — LW — Edmonton	Dalibor Dvorsky — C — St. Louis
Team 8	Michael Misa — C — San Jose	Frank Nazar — C/RW — Chicago	Alexander Nikishin — D — Carolina
Team 9	Cutter Gauthier — LW — Anaheim	Artem Levshunov — D — Chicago	Sam Dickinson — D — San Jose
Team 10	Zeev Buium — D — Minnesota	Brady Martin — C — Nashville	Jimmy Snuggerud — RW — St. Louis
Team 11	Olen Zellweger — D — Anaheim	James O’Brien — C — Seattle	Cole Eiserman — LW — NY Islanders
Team 12	Porter Martone — RW — Philadelphia	Ryan McQueen — RW — Anaheim	Conor Geekie — C — Tampa Bay

Final Thoughts

With so much young talent entering the league, dynasty managers have a rare opportunity to reshape their rosters around cornerstone players for years to come. The 2025 rookie draft pool is deep, with first-rounders offering potential franchise players and later rounds providing hidden gems who could outplay their draft slots.

As always, draft with both patience and vision — and don’t be afraid to take risks on players you believe in. This class has the potential to define your team’s future, and now is the perfect time to lay the foundation for a dynasty championship run.