Who Are NHL Central Scouting’s Preliminary Players To Watch in 2025 Draft?

It’s that time of the year again for San Jose Sharks fans…to think about the Draft.

While only seven games into the season, the winless San Jose Sharks look like they’ll be vying for another top-five pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. There are plenty of options for the Sharks choose from even if they do not win another Draft Lottery.

NHL Central Scouting recently released a preliminary players to watch list, and there are 24 draft-eligibles with “A” ratings.

Boston College’s James Hagens is currently slated to be the first-overall selection. After leading the United States National Team Development Program in scoring last season, the 5-foot-10 center is tied with Gabe Perrault for BC’s leading scorer through three games.

Porter Martone, who has put up over two points per game to kick off his OHL season, is a consensus top-five pick. The 6-foot-3 right winger captained Canada’s Under-18 World Championship team and put up 17 points in seven games last year, after putting up 71 points in 60 games with the Mississauga Steelheads as a 16-year-old.

Roger McQueen, Anton Frondell, Michael Misa, and Ivan Ryabkin are also projected to be among the top forwards in the upcoming NHL Draft. William Eklund’s younger brother Victor also earned an ‘A’ rating and has four goals and eight points through 11 HockeyAllsvenskan games.

However, the San Jose Sharks could definitely use a defenseman in the upcoming Draft. While the Sharks’ future core boasts top-10 picks Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Eklund up front and Yaroslav Askarov in net — the blueline doesn’t appear to be as set up. Sam Dickinson and Shakir Mukhamadullin headline the group, and will hopefully be joined by another top prospect soon,

Matthew Schaefer was the top defenseman on the Daily Faceoff‘s preseason rankings. While he has missed the start of the season with illness, the 6-foot-1 left-handed defenseman is expected to return for the OHL’s Erier Otters soon. He put up 17 points for the Otters last season and also represented Canada at the Under-18 World Championship.

Wisconsin’s Logan Hensler, a 6-foot-2 right-shot defenseman, was the second-highest scoring blueliner with the USNTDP last season and is also slated to be a top selection in 2025.

6-foot-6 right-handed Radim Mrtka was the only European defenseman given an ‘A.’ The Czech-born blueliner has one assist in 10 games in the Czech Extraliga, Czechia’s top professional league.

Barrie Colts’ Kashawn Aitcheson, Tri-City Storms’ Jackson Smith, and Edmonton Oil Kings’ Blake Fiddler are also among the seven defensemen given an ‘A’ on the preliminary rankings. The full preliminary rankings can be found here.

Hopefully, the San Jose Sharks can add another top talent at the 2025 NHL Draft to help them turn the corner on their rebuild.

Keep in mind, a lot can change in the Draft rankings from now to June!