2025 NHL Draft: Ranking the top 15 overagers, from Francesco Dell'Elce to Charlie Cerrato

Each year, overage players or re-entry players account for roughly one of the NHL Drafts seven rounds of picks.

Accordingly, I do a separate ranking of overage players eligible for each draft class.

This top-15 list (plus its nine honorable mentions) looks at the top overagers I think are eligible in the 2025 class.

Its made up of 2006- and 2005-born players.

The players at the front of the list are prospects I believe should get selected in the drafts mid-to-late rounds in their second or third go at it.

The others are players Id consider for development camp invites, or would at least keep a peripheral eye on.

This overage list combines with my missed cuts list (released later this week) and my final top 100 draft board (released June 2) to make up my 2025 NHL Draft package of roughly 150 reports in total.

1.

Francesco DellElce, LHD, 6-foot-0.5 (UMass) DellElce was on my missed cuts list back in 2023 after I saw him play at St.

Andrews College and liked the potential and the skating.

I didnt list him as an overager in 2024 following a decent but not pick-me season in the BCHL with the Penticton Vees, but he impressed scouts this year with an excellent freshman campaign at UMass and is now expected to get picked in his third year of eligibility.

DellElce played huge minutes for a Minutemen program with a track record of developing pro D prospects, often pushing and exceeding 25 minutes and registering 24 points in 40 games to be named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.

Advertisement DellElces game is about his edges, his four-way mobility and his elusiveness.

Hes a good athlete who has worked to fill out a once-slight frame and improve his game defensively in space.

He has learned to play harder and harder, and hes now able to direct and influence play consistently with his feet, timing and instincts.

He can evade and absorb pressure in his own zone or at the line and hes got a lethal shot, which is complemented by good offensive instincts to get open and/or attack into a look.

And hes also a June birthday, so hes on the younger side as a double overager.

Mobility and instincts can take you a long way nowadays, and hes still got time to really refine and hone in on his identity in college before he turns pro.

2.

Benjamin Rautiainen, C, 6-foot (Tappara) Rautiainen is a skilled forward (hes listed as a center but played wing against men this season and projects there) who led Finlands junior league in scoring last year with 80 points in 44 combined regular-season and playoff games and finished third in scoring by under-20 players in Liiga this season, registering 33 points in 50 games (including 10 goals, most by a rookie at Finlands top level).

He also had some flashes for Finland at this years World Juniors.

Hes a talented one-on-one player who can be really noticeable inside the offensive zone because of his poise and comfort on the puck.

He played real minutes against men this year and while hes a double overager, hes a June birthday, so he was on the younger side of the class in his first year of eligibility and wont turn 20 until this summer.

He had some double-digit shot attempt games against men as a teenager this year.

Hes going to have to continue to produce to climb levels, but he should be an AHL playmaker at minimum.

This is a weak Finnish draft class, and theres a chance hes their first player picked.

He attended the Leafs development camp in 2023 and is now expected to be a mid-to-late round pick.

3.

Charlie Cerrato, C, 6-foot (Penn State University) Cerrato became a top-six center for a Nittany Lions team that went to the Frozen Four and elevated as his freshman year went along, finishing the season as Penn States second-leading scorer with 42 points in 38 games.

Hes an average-sized center without a dynamic offensive quality, and thats why hes ranked 110th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.

But he plays very hard, he plays heavy, hes strong, hes got good skill, he was a very good college center for most of this year (even if there were some ups and downs for him and Penn State), he can protect pucks, he grinds, he sees the ice well and hes a gamer.

I expect him to get picked in the third round.

Advertisement Heres his former co-GM with the USHLs Youngstown Phantoms, Jason Deskins: Creates a ton with his effort and heaviness as opposed to being an opportunistic scorer, which I think will be the reason he succeeds.

Winning player that always plays his best when it matters the most.

He is a savage.

Middle-six NHL potential in my opinion.

4.

Bryce Pickford, RHD, 6-foot-0.25 (Medicine Hat Tigers) Pickford has now been a part of two WHL championships.

A second-round pick in the WHL bantam draft, he was a depth D on the 2023 title-winning Seattle Thunderbirds and then had a breakout season this year with the 2025 title-winning Medicine Hat Tigers, playing to above a point per game and breaking the 30-goal mark as a defenseman between the regular season, playoffs and Memorial Cup (where he has played well early and has continued to score).

NHL Central Scouting ranked him 100th among North American skaters on their final list but he has played really good hockey since then in some of the final viewings scouts will have of the draft class.

Pickfords a 6-foot, 190-or-so-pound right-shot defenseman with a huge shot and an aggressive play style on both sides of the puck.

He plays with an eagerness to attack and jump offensively, but also closes gaps and is physical defensively.

He closes plays early, defends hard and has continued to be a go-to guy on both special teams even after the Tigers acquired arguably the best defenseman in junior hockey in Tanner Molendyk at this years deadline (he plays big minutes on both the PK and PP for them).

Pickfords known as a worker on and off the ice who is extremely dedicated, wore a letter this year as a newcomer to the team and really made a difference in Medicine Hats room.

Hes not the most cerebral or high-IQ player, but he plays tough minutes, takes charge of his shifts and has great instincts offensively and defensively.

He was supposed to go to Colorados rookie camp last fall before falling sick.

5.

Sam Laurila, LHD, 6-foot-0.25 (Fargo Force) Laurila, a North Dakota commit, was passed over coming out of a depth role at the NTDP but generated a lot of attention from scouts this season as one of the top defensemen in the USHL, leading the Force in scoring with 41 points in 57 games and playing well at the Chipotle All-American Game.

Hes got a comfortable and strong point shot.

Hes got active feet and is a good skater.

Hes capable of involving himself in all three zones and played a very influential style this year.

And hes a strong athlete who plays hard defensively and should become a successful two-way D in college.

Heres Fargo head coach Brett Skinner from a conversation earlier this year: Hes having a great season for us.

I think he has really kind of proven the detractors wrong from the offensive side of things.

The NTDP time was great for his defensive base.

Hes a great defender.

I couldnt teach a kid to defend like that in 10 years if you gave me.

But for me, knowing that, it was really pushing him to the offensive side and he has really taken to it.

Its natural for him.

He does have the skill and the ability to do it, so it was just pushing him in the right directions.

It has been fun to watch him take off.

It has been a really useful year for him.

Coming out of the program, its tough, theres only one puck and so much ice time and power play.

Sammy has now been in critical situations offensively as well as defensively that hes going to use as experience moving forward.

6.

Petteri Rimpinen, G, 6-foot (Kiekko-Espoo) Rimpinen had a great year, winning the directorate award as the top goalie at the World Juniors, leading the Finns to a silver medal, playing 40 games in Liiga, and then after not starting Game 1 of Kiekko-Espoos first-round series, taking it in Game 2 and holding it through to the second round.

He finished with a .912 regular-season save percentage in Liiga and a .920 playoff one to go with his .933 at the World Juniors and finished the year as NHL Central Scoutings eighth-ranked European goalie despite being only 6-feet.

Hes really good laterally and athletic.

He can move a lot in the net but will battle for pucks on second and third chances with his mobility and competitiveness.

Hes got good hands up high.

He tracks the puck and the play really well.

He should be a late-round pick.

Advertisement 7.

Mazden Leslie, RHD, 6-foot-0.25 (Vancouver Giants) Leslie, who ranked 94th on my list, was the only player on my 2023 draft board who went undrafted.

That year, despite having been a top prospect in minor hockey and a 50-point defenseman in his draft year as the most productive defenseman on a below-average team in Vancouver, and despite having pro size, Leslie was ranked 125th in North America by NHL Central Scouting, well back of his statistical contemporaries.

Some of that was because his offensive game isnt where his defensive game was and he had to learn to play a little less as an individual.

But he also played 25-plus minutes per game for most of that season against matchups he probably wasnt ready for as a 17-year-old.

Two years later, NHLCS has him ranked about in the same spot (133rd in North America) after captaining the Giants this year and registering 21 goals and 72 points in 66 games as a 19-year-old (second among all WHL D in goals and points).

Next year, hes committed to making the jump to the NCAA at Bowling Green.

Though his skating and defensive play are still average, he has made progress in tightening up, hes strong and competitive and plays physically and wants to make a difference in games, and he has continued to show that he can move and shoot pucks.

Id consider him in Round 7 or track him in college at the very least.

Leslie was invited to the Canucks rookie tournament last year and then earned an invite to main camp.

8.

Daniel Nieminen, LHD, 6-foot (Pelicans) Nieminen is an excellent skater who has been an important top-six defenseman for Finlands 06 age group internationally.

He played at last years World Juniors, is eligible to return this year and played good minutes in Liiga last season, including in the playoffs.

He didnt get a pro call-up with the Pelicans or even into Mestis games in his draft year, which I think hurt him becoming a late-rounder, but he led all under-18 D in scoring at its top junior level, played to excellent on-ice results, and then proved his skating and two-way play could work against men this season.

His mobility drives his game, with an ability to get back to pucks, pull away from pressure, gap up and defend well with an active stick and also a competitive spirit.

He has shown some real skill and poise on the puck, absorbing pressure as well.

Hes not a dynamic offensive type, but he can make plays against his peers and should always have value in transition (both ways).

Id consider him for a late-round flier or development camp invite.

9.

Tomas Galvas, LHD, 5-foot-10 (Liberec) Galvas, despite being a small and slight D, was one of the players on my board last year who didnt get picked.

He skates effortlessly, played the last two seasons at Czechias pro level to positive two-way results, and has excelled internationally at U18s and the World Juniors, playing big minutes.

Hes a natural handler who blends good touch with his four-way mobility to rotate around coverage, shape play crossing over and maneuvering across the blue line, or carry pucks past the first layer of pressure.

I like the way he jumps in and out of coverage while still recognizing where his responsibilities are and when he needs to hop back out to the blue line.

I like the way he jumps on pucks and gets them out of danger so that he can spend less time defending.

He makes little plays under pressure to seamlessly outlet pucks from his own zone, uses his feet to annoy opposing carriers as much as a player his size can, and thinks the game at an advanced level all over the ice to limit some of his physical deficiencies.

He works to help compensate for his size (alongside his superb mobility).

Hes got good posture and looks taller on the ice than he is.

Hell try to push and involve himself when he can.

He handles the puck smartly and has plus-level four-way mobility, but excels in particular at skating backwards, which gives hope that hell continue to be able to defend up levels.

There arent many defensemen his size in the NHL, so theres always inherent risk there, but he has defended well at the pro level already and with some more strength and reps, there could be something there.

He should be a good AHLer at minimum and Id consider a seventh-round flier or development camp invite.

10.

Aidan Park, C, 6-foot-1 (Green Bay Gamblers) Park is a player I quite liked in the summer and fall of his draft year last year, but who others and I cooled on in the second half of last season.

After playing his draft year at Shattuck, he then played his first full season in the USHL this year and was one of the leagues leading scorers, racking up 35 goals and 69 points in 57 combined regular-season and playoff games.

Hes a Michigan commit who is talented, smart and competitive.

He plays a mature game.

Hes got some two-way elements.

Hes got a desire to win and stays on pucks and plays the game with pace, whether hunting pucks or pushing through arms and sticks to drive to the slot or the net in control of them.

He then has good-to-very-good hands in tight when he gets there, which allows him to tuck and finish plays around the crease and has made him a tremendous bumper/goal-line guy on multiple power plays now.

He keeps his feet moving to stay involved, get open and track pucks, and has shown he can play both center and right wing.

Hes a C-grade prospect who should become an impactful collegiate player as an upperclassman and if he doesnt get picked, I wonder if he makes a case for a pro contract in four years.

I think hes got the tools to be a top-nine AHLer, for sure.

11.

Kristian Epperson, LW, 5-foot-11.5 (Saginaw Spirit) Epperson was viewed as a legit talent coming out of Shattuck and into the NTDP and then had a decent U17 season at the program from a production standpoint, but criticisms of his attitude and difficulty with several coaches have followed him across multiple levels and teams, souring his reputation.

He saw his role reduced at the NTDP, missed a bunch of games with Saginaw this year for unspecified reasons, and even left the bench mid-game without an injury during a game against Kingston this year.

He has also interviewed poorly with NHL scouts over the course of this season and recently changed agents.

He has some tools and identity to his game and was still productive in the OHL as an 18-year-old, though, registering 30 goals and 84 points in 63 combined regular-season and playoff games with Saginaw.

There are some who point to him playing with OHL Most Outstanding Player Michael Misa (and Sharks prospect Igor Chernyshov in the second half), though, as well.

As a hockey player, Epperson can play a competitive, pesky style off the puck, forechecks effectively, plays a bit of a power forward game, is strong for his size and can play in the dirty areas and show some skill and hockey sense when hes on.

Without the concerns about how difficult he has been to deal with, he might have been a mid-round pick.

It sounds like hes going to fall further than he should on talent.

Hes committed to playing at Denver next year.

12.

Brendan McMorrow, C, 6-foot (Waterloo Black Hawks) McMorrows game is about his motor.

He works and skates, involves himself, gets after it in and out of stops and starts and will make the odd play.

The statistical profile isnt there, and he might get picked again, but I think hes a great fit for Denver and wouldnt be surprised if he becomes a really solid bottom-six college player right away and works his way into the conversation to get signed as a potential depth AHLer in a few years.

I enjoyed watching him play at the NTDP and with Waterloo in the USHL this year.

Hes a worker who plays a style that coaches like and I thought he deserved a mention here.

Advertisement 13.

Linards Feldbergs, G, 6-foot-1.25 (Sherbrooke Phoenix) Feldbergs was the story of the 2025 World Juniors with a Latvian team that won two games for the first time ever at the tournament, upsetting Canada 3-2 in a shootout, beating Germany 4-3 in overtime, playing USA and Finland tight in a difficult group, and then taking Sweden to the buzzer in a 3-2 loss in the quarterfinals.

He was also really solid for a rebuilding Sherbrooke team as a rookie in the QMJHL, playing to a .903 save percentage in the regular season and a .918 save percentage in their surprising two-round playoff run.

Feldbergs is a very athletic goalie who has good hands and speed, gets to a lot of pucks and has worked on his reads and decision-making.

He also, by all accounts, works his tail off and is a student of the game.

He was a bit of an unknown coming into this season after having played exclusively in Latvia to this point and now hes NHL Central Scoutings 13th-ranked North American goalie, with a chance at being a late-round pick or development camp invitee.

14.

Jamiro Reber, C, 5-foot-10 (HV71) The youngest re-entry player on this list, Reber was born just two weeks away from being a first-year eligible in this class and played this entire year in the SHL.

It was for an HV71 team that finished last in the regular season and had to beat MoDo in the relegation series to stay up but he registered eight goals (tied for first among all U19 skaters in the SHL this season) and 15 points (second to Penguins prospect Melvin Fernstroms 17) in 47 games and had another four points in six games in the relegation round.

Reber first caught my eye at the Hlinka two summers ago, where he was a standout on the puck for his craft, skill, skating and good work ethic.

Hes a 5-foot-10 forward (hes a natural center who got better in the faceoff circle against men as this year went on), but hes competitive enough that he deserves your time and not to be ruled out.

Hes going to have a long pro career, even if its not in the NHL, and I could see him becoming a top-nine AHLer.

15.

Anthony Cristoforo, RHD, 6-foot (Windsor Spitfires) Cristoforo isnt ranked by NHL Central Scouting as a re-entry this year, but he has been a top player on a top team two of his three years in the OHL.

In his first season, his play took him off the table at the trade deadline when the Spitfires were looking to add.

That year, his 41 points in 63 games were one more than top-10 pick Jamie Drysdales 40 in his 16-year-old OHL season (in the same number of games), and three more than top-10 pick Brandt Clarkes (in six more games).

He was also a big part of Canada Reds silver medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, where he wore an A and performed well at both ends (although he played a limited role at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup).

Last year, though, he didnt take the steps scouts wanted to see him take on a rebuilding Spitfires team and wasnt named to Canadas roster for the U18 worlds.

And when his draft year was over, hed actually produced three fewer points (38) in four more games (67) than his rookie season.

Some of that, though, was being asked to do too much (play 25-plus minutes per game in his draft year) on a bad team, and that was reflected in his season this year with a better cast around him.

I dont know what more he could have done to get into the late-round pick/development camp invite conversation.

His 61 points in 65 games were fifth among all OHL D, and his plus-53 rating was fifth among all players and second only among defensemen to Londons Sam Dickinson.

Hes also, by all accounts, a leader who has taken on PP, PK and their toughest matchups with great success.

Hes average-sized with average-to-above-average tools but hes smart, hell sacrifice his body and block shots, he makes good reads and his puck play is crisp.

Id want him in my organization, even if its as a depth AHL D.

I view him as a well-rounded, heady, offensively inclined defenseman who skates well (its not dynamic but hes got good edges), defends well enough and more often than not makes the right decisions and plays hard.

I felt hed take a big step this year, and he did, and I think it warrants a look.

Wilson Bjorck, C, 6-foot (Djurgardens IF) Philippe Blais-Savoie, LHD, 6-foot-0.5 (Colorado College) Diego Buttazzoni, LW, 5-foot-9 (Portland Winterhawks) Alexis Cournoyer, G, 6-foot-3 (Cape Breton Eagles) Remi Gelinas, C, 6-foot-0.5 (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies) Roman Luttsev, C, 6-foot (Loko Yaroslavl) Luke Mistelbacher, RW, 5-foot-11.75 (Swift Current Broncos) Julius Sumpf, C, 6-foot-1.25 (Moncton Wildcats) Andrei Trofimov, G, 6-foot-2 (Magnitogorsk) (Photo of Francesco DellElce: Zac BonDurant / Getty Images).

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