How do 2025 NHL Draft's best prospects compare with 2024's top 10?

Every year, I like to rank this years draft class against last years to frame the class better for readers.

I take the top 10 players picked in 2024 and the top 10 projected picks in 2025, using TSNs Bob McKenzie scouts poll , to determine the player pool.

1.

Macklin Celebrini, C, 2024 draft Macklin Celebrini is clearly on a level of his own compared to this peer group, which was the case going into his draft, but it remains that way with the 2025 draft and, in hindsight, compared to how the 2024 draftees have developed a year later as well.

2.

Matthew Schaefer, LHD, 2025 draft 3.

Ivan Demidov, RW, 2024 draft Ivan Demidov had a fantastic KHL season and is trending toward being a star scoring winger in the NHL.

Comparing him to Matthew Schaefer would be reasonable, but my lean would still be toward the potential No.

1 defenseman.

4.

Michael Misa, C, 2025 draft 5.

Porter Martone, RW, 2025 draft 6.

Berkly Catton, C, 2024 draft Berkly Catton versus James Hagens is often something Ive thought about in this draft class.

The distinctions would be that Hagens pure skill level is arguably higher, whereas Cattons skating and compete are slightly better.

Its very close, though, and your preference may vary.

7.

Caleb Desnoyers, C, 2025 draft 8.

Artyom Levshunov, RHD, 2024 draft 9.

James Hagens, C, 2025 draft 10.

Anton Frondell, C, 2025 draft 11.

Jake OBrien, C, 2025 draft A common thought has been that the 2025 draft is a weak group.

I would probably agree its average at best and arguably below-average.

Yet in this exercise, seven of the top 11 prospects have been represented by the 2025 class.

So what gives? Most draft classes are typically defined by their top 3-5 players.

2024 had a classic star No.

1; 2025 doesnt.

That creates a different tiering of talent.

Otherwise, the classes are rather similar.

One major caveat is that 2024 had some players who didnt qualify for this exercise (Sam Dickinson, Zeev Buium), who I believe would be top 5-8 players in this ranking.

Advertisement 12.

Zayne Parekh, RHD, 2024 draft 13.

Carter Yakemchuk, RHD, 2024 draft The 2024 draft was known for the strength of the defensemen in that crop, whereas the 2025 draft is center-heavy.

Its no surprise, then, that between 6 and 13 in this exercise, its a run of purely center and defensemen.

14.

Beckett Sennecke, RW, 2024 draft 15.

Roger McQueen, C, 2025 draft Roger McQueen versus Cayden Lindstrom has often been a topic of conversation this season, as two highly talented WHL centers who missed most of their draft seasons due to back injuries.

Lindstrom is faster and much more physical, but McQueens skill and hockey sense are clearly superior, and he is taller, too.

16.

Victor Eklund, RW, 2025 draft 17.

Tij Iginla, LW, 2024 draft 18.

Anton Silayev, LHD, 2024 draft 19.

Cayden Lindstrom, C, 2024 draft 20.

Jackson Smith, LHD, 2025 draft (Photos of Matthew Schaefer, Macklin Celebrini: Michael Miller / ISI Photos / Getty Images, Christian Petersen / Getty Images).

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