LOS ANGELES – The first day of the 2025 NHL Draft is complete – and it was definitely a long one.

A total of 32 NHL players heard their names called on Friday night in Los Angeles, including 27 in Daily Faceoff’s top 32 draft rankings. With Day 1 over, here’s a look at the best players still on the board, using the rankings from DFO’s final 120:

22. Malcolm Spence, LW (Erie Otters, OHL)

I feel confident that Spence will be a good NHLer. Maybe not a top-six player, but someone whom you can assign a job to do and he’ll get it done. The Mississauga native isn’t flashy, but he’s a hard worker who loves hitting everyone he can and getting anyone off their game. Spence isn’t a high-end producer in the OHL, but he has been a point-per-gamer for most of the past two seasons. He’s very versatile, although not necessarily a top-six play-driver. I think he will be one heck of a middle-six player, at the very least. I was disappointed about his play against London in the second round of the playoffs, though – but that’s also partly an Erie Otters problem.

24. Milton Gastrin, C (Modo, Sweden U-20)

Gastrin has been excellent in Swedish national team action, developing into quite a responsible two-way player. Gastrin will not be a point producer in the NHL, but he will do so many other things that excite you. He’s defensively responsible, wins a ton of face-offs and can play the wing when you need him to. We’ve seen him play with some of Sweden’s better players in international junior tournaments, and he has never looked out of place.

26. Blake Fiddler, RHD (Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL)

Standing tall at 6-foot-4, Fiddler is a big-bodied defender who clears forwards away from his net and pushes opponents to the perimeter. Fiddler averaged around 22 minutes a night this year and looked good with the puck. He’s mobile, and while he isn’t the quickest defender overall, he moves well for his size. Fiddler isn’t going to be a top-pairing blueliner, but his size and hockey IQ should allow him to have a solid career. I wouldn’t be surprised if he fell a bit at this point so a team could bank higher on a more skilled forward, but I think Fiddler would be a good value pick late in the first.

28. Jack Murtagh, LW (USNTDP)

Murtagh is a skilled puck handler who can absolutely fire a shot and is a bit of a workhorse, too. I think he’s a good skater and has the hockey sense you’re looking for in a second or third-liner. I’ve been impressed in most of my viewings this year, and he’s one of the primary reasons to watch the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. He’s speedy, works hard and when you put it all together, he’s a difficult player to contain. I think he can become a middle-six forward.

30. Cameron Schmidt, RW (Vancouver Giants, WHL)

Schmidt might be small at 5-foot-8, but he makes up for it in pure skill. He started the season as one of the league’s most productive forwards. His numbers started to quiet down as the season wore on, but he still showed his incredible puck skills and play reads every single night. Schmidt is a pure offensive forward with great speed and likes being in front of the net. I’m not sold that he’ll be able to translate his game to the NHL, but I like the potential.

33. Shane Vansaghi, RW (Michigan State Univ., NCAA)

Vansaghi has exactly what you’re looking for from a bottom-six forward: he hits hard, brings energy, and never gives up on a play. We saw him bounce all throughout the MSU lineup this year, and he has always found ways to produce. I think Vansaghi will be an attractive option for an NHL team looking to toughen up their lineup – he already possesses many pro traits. I wouldn’t be surprised if Vansaghi was one of the first players in this draft to become a full-time NHLer.

34. Max Pšenička, RHD (Portland Winterhawks, WHL)

A move to Portland later in the season really helped Pšenička earn the ice time he needed to showcase his true talent. He has a big 6-foot-4 frame, competes hard and is mobile, too. Defensively, he’s above average. Pšenička is great physically and thinks the game at a high level, but I want him to improve his shot selection and offensive awareness. There’s enough of a base to believe he could become something similar to Blake Fiddler – a good second or third-pairing defender.

35. Ivan Ryabkin, C (Muskegon Lumberjacks, USHL)

Ryabkin started the season as one of the top prospects but quickly fell out of the conversation after a brutal start back home in Russia. He was productive once he moved to Muskegon, though, scoring at a solid rate to quickly become one of the USHL’s most dangerous draft-eligible prospects. We’ve also seen him flesh out his physical and playmaking games, with his passing and hockey sense being two of his best traits. A boost of confidence in the USHL seems to have really helped Ryabkin’s stock after falling out of the first round in the eyes of many at the halfway point of the season.

37. Eric Nilson, C (Djurgardens, Sweden U-20)

Nilson has been a fringe first-rounder for most of the year for me, and while he fell here, I still really like him. I don’t think he has high-end skill and he’s definitely not a play-driver. But he’s a great passer who can also wire home shots, too. He was productive in the Swedish U-20 league and has some pro experience with Djurgardens’ Allsvenskan team. I can see Nilson becoming an effective bottom-six forward because he’s so committed to winning every battle while still maintaining his position in his own zone.

39. Cole McKinney, C (USNTDP)

McKinney was one of the USNTDP’s top forwards all year long, and he was also one of the most aggressive. McKinney is a mid-sized, two-way center who can play on the penalty kill, block shots and win a ton of faceoffs. He’s not going to be a play driver in the NHL, but he’s detail-oriented and astute. McKinney is also not afraid to land a big hit to channel some energy. I hope he gets stronger when he heads to college to really maximize his pure power, but the overall package right now is a solid base to build around.

40. Nathan Behm, RW (Kamloops Blazers, WHL)

Behm had a breakout season with the Blazers, which saw him finish with more than 30 goals and more than 60 points. He has always been a decent goal scorer at every level, but he has found a way to put more muscle behind his shot while being better defensively, too. His skating is still a work in progress – he’s not particularly quick and can be beaten by mid-range skaters. But his play with the puck has been incredible this year and I think there’s some serious potential as a secondary scorer.

41. Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, RW (Lulea, Sweden U-20)

Ihs-Wozniak struggled out of the gate this year, but he ended the season as one of Sweden’s top young players. He closed with a great showing at the U-18s, which scouts were thrilled to see after a quiet Hlinka Gretzky Cup. That helped him get back into the first-round conversation, although I don’t think he’s rounded enough to make it happen. Ihs Wozniak is streaky, but the goal-scoring instincts are definitely there. He just needs to figure out how to be more consistent if he’s going to excel at the next level. But in terms of raw talent, Ihs-Wozniak has loads of it and I love his shot.

42. Kurban Limatov, LHD (Dynamo Moscow, KHL)

There’s a lot to like about Limatov’s complete package. The 6-foot-3 defender is mobile, hits as hard as anyone and is a great puck distributor. He’s one of the best skaters playing in Europe right now, using his mobility to beat players at speed and get himself out of danger. Limatov can put anyone on their rear end, and if you get him first, he’ll get you back with a hard shot. I think he needs to be smarter at distributing the puck under pressure, but the raw talent is there.

43. Jack Ivankovic, G (Brampton Steelheads, OHL)

I was really high on Dustin Wolf in 2019 – I thought he was a second-round talent. He (six-foot) is slightly bigger than Ivankovic (5-foot-11), but I feel exactly the same about the Steelheads keeper as I did about Wolf. If it wasn’t for Ivankovic’s small frame, we’d be talking about a potential top-20 pick this year. Ivankovic played his way onto Canada’s World Junior team and looked good in his one start. The athletic keeper does an excellent job of tracking shots and is as competitive as they get in the crease. His save percentage wasn’t great in the OHL, but he’s been left hung out to dry a bit too often this year. More often than not, he’s finding a way to steal a game or two for the Steelheads. But if he doesn’t grow… it’s just going to be a tough hill for him to climb.

44. William Moore, C (USNTDP)

You’re not going to get flash or pure skill out of Moore, but you’ll find someone who can play a role and get the job done. The two-way forward has good size at 6-foot-2, and he’s not afraid to outmuscle players. He doesn’t get too fancy or anything like that with the puck – instead, he spends a lot of time around the net at both ends of the ice. When Moore is really on his game – when he desperately wants the puck or has a chance to get a second, third, or even fourth look at a chance – he can be so dangerous. Still, I’m worried there isn’t enough intensity or pure skill to make him more than just “a guy” at the next level.

46. Jacob Rombach, LHD (Lincoln Stars, USHL)

The first thing that stands out about Rombach is his size; he’s 6-foot-6 and isn’t afraid to make people pay. The Lincoln Stars blueliner is excellent at forcing turnovers and has a good shot, although some scouts wish he’d use it more. He’s not the most skilled defender, but after spending the past two years in the USHL, you can tell he’s got the maturity and hockey IQ to be effective in his own zone. Rombach has all the makings of a no-nonsense shutdown defender, and while his offense is definitely limited, that’s not the draw here.

47. Luca Romano, C (Kitchener Rangers, OHL)

Romano has hovered around this spot for me for a while. He’s a good skater, puts a lot of mustard behind his shot and can hold his own physically despite being a mid-sized center. What makes him intriguing is just how energetic he is and how he chases everyone around the whole game. I think he’ll be a decent bottom-six forward, and some added muscle will help. I was hoping for better numbers this year, but Romano established himself as a legit OHL goal-scorer.

48. Alexander Zharovsky, RW (Ufa, MHL)

Zharovsky has been another big riser this year, and for good reason. He put up excellent numbers in the MHL while being so dangerous on the rush. He definitely needs to add more muscle, but if he can even add 15 pounds, he’d be significantly tougher to steal the puck off of. He’s crafty, smart and dangerous in open space – he’s easily one of the top players to watch in Russia.

49. Eddie Genborg, RW (Linkoping, SHL)

He wants to hit everyone in sight – period. I don’t see much high-end offensive potential but he’s hard to play against, at the very least. He does a lot away from the puck, which is something I value quite a lot. Genborg is absolutely relentless, plays a reliable two-way game and didn’t look out of place in the SHL. I have full belief he’ll become an NHLer one day in a bottom-line role because he can be a menace without getting himself in too much trouble.

50. Haoxi ‘Simon’ Wang, LHD (Oshawa Generals, OHL)

The Boston University commit was dominant against OJHL competition with the King Rebellion, but he needed a bit more time to adjust to OHL action in Oshawa. But the one thing scouts can all agree on: there’s high upside here. He only started to play at a high level competitively a few years ago, and he’s learning how to use his 6-foot-6 frame to his advantage. The Beijing, China native can skate well and has good offensive instincts. Moving forward, reading plays on the rush will be something he needs to work on, but the raw talent is there. You just might need some patience.

52. Michal Pradel, G (Tri-City Storm, USHL)

Pradel was one of the best goaltenders from start to finish at the U-18s, and a big reason why the Slovaks played for a medal for the third straight year. The 6-foot-5 goaltender takes up a ton of the net, and he’s also so quick and agile, too. He was applauded for his ability to steal games in the USHL and he carried that over to this tournament, too. Pradel battles hard, sees cross-crease passes well and doesn’t let a bad goal bother him. Pradel will be one of the first goaltenders taken this summer because his mix of size and mobility makes him a great player to have in the system.

53. Ethan Czata, C (Niagara IceDogs, OHL)

Czata started the year with a disappointing showing at the Hlinka Gretzky, but he showed he could be equally dangerous as a shooter and a passer in the OHL. He’s a good two-way forward who can play many different situations, but I think he’ll be used more in a bottom-six role. He put up good numbers this year, but I’d like to see him add more finesse and deception into his game next season. I do think Czata will be an NHLer one day, though.

54. Benjamin Kevan, RW (Des Moines Buccaneers, USHL)

Kevan struggled to produce in his second year in the USHL, which was disappointing after blowing the doors off the league as a 16-year-old. He became streaky and wasn’t able to elevate his game to the next level. That being said, Kevan is still an excellent skater who handles the puck well and can make some quality passes. He also has plenty of skill while being defensively responsible. At this point, though, I’m not sure he’s more than a depth forward, but still one I’d be willing to be patient with.

55. Conrad Fondrk, C/LW (USNTDP)

When he’s hot, Fondrk can be a difference-maker. The first half was a bit ugly, but I liked him at the CHL USA Prospects Challenge, and I think he’s better than his stats might suggest. That’s because he’s a solid 200-foot player who brings speed and a great shot to the table every night. I feel like he’s more competitive than when we saw him a year ago where it seemed like he just stapled himself to high-end shooting areas and didn’t grind it out like many would have hoped. An injury ended his season early, but I think scouts will love his shot and his penalty kill abilities.

56. Kristian Epperson, LW (Saginaw Spirit, OHL)

Epperson is the top re-entry prospect in this draft skill-wise, something that didn’t seem likely heading into the campaign. The 18-year-old was passed over after falling out of favor with the USNTDP U-18 team and was ultimately loaned to the U-17 team to finish his two-year tenure there. He shifted gears to Saginaw, where he became an 80-point scorer in the team’s top six. He’s a great distributor who plays a smart off-puck game. The University of Denver commit has received criticisms about his attitude but, overall, the skill might be worth it for some teams.

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