NHL Draft

A Rangers-Centric Recap of Round One of the 2025 NHL Draft

A new era of the NHL Draft began with awkward screens, delayed picks, and zero Rangers moves—at least for now. Here's how it all played out.

Roberto Solis-Byxbee

28 Jun 2025 — 6 min read

Gary Bettman came out on stage to open the 2025 NHL Draft and, as is tradition, the crowd in Los Angeles rightfully booed him. After going through the usual pomp and circumstance, Bettman took a stroll back through an archway and revealed the NHL Drafthouse, part of the new format that makes up the decentralized draft. This was the first official year the draft picks wouldn't be joined by their organization on stage upon being selected.

After a brief discussion with the Islanders management via televideo, Bettman walked back up to the podium and to the surprise of no one announced defenseman Matthew Schaefer as the number one overall pick. Schaefer in tears walked back through the archway into the NHL Drafthouse and was met by Mathieu Darche on a giant television screen and had an emotionally charged conversation that would have maybe been more meaningful to be private.

Everyone should form their own opinion on the new format and method the NHL is implementing this year, but my own personal take is it feels awkward and disjointed. I already miss the days the team announced their own pick and handed their newest player a brand new jersey. The NHL Drafthouse is an impressive feat of audio/video engineering and all but these conversations are awkward and hard to watch. The remote conversations from both the celebrity announcing each pick and from the team's management were oddly reminiscent of the pandemic.

Something else to be mentioned regarding this version of the NHL draft is that it dragged. Cable television had this scheduled to end at 10:30 p.m. EST and we were well past 11 p.m. EST and there are still several picks to be made. Whether the NHL decides to keep this process or not, they will need to heavily review how they can optimize the evening.

Rangers Activity

For better or for worse, there was no Rangers activity on the first day of the draft. Despite all the rumors surrounding Drury and his attempts to move K'Andre Miller to break into the first round, there was either nothing available, or nothing worth making a deal for. Instead the Blueshirts are biding their time and waiting for their first pick of the draft at 43rd overall. Check out our piece on some enticing options the Rangers could be looking at in the second round, as well as a full breakdown of who the Rangers could select with every pick they have in rounds two through seven.

Metropolitan Activity

Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina traded the 29th overall pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for two second round picks in 2025 and a fifth round pick in 2027. This was great value and a bold move for the Hurricanes, especially considering one of the picks they got back was only five spots later at 34th overall.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Jackson Smith (D), 14th overall
Pyotr Andreyanov (G), 20th overall

One of the players I wanted the Rangers to take, Jackson Smith ended his junior season on fire and it's a shame he went to a team within their division.

The Blue Jackets were the first team to take a goalie and surprised everyone by going off the board to take Andreyanov. While he isn't the highest ranked goaltender in the draft, there's something to be said about the scouting infrastructure in Russia and there not being as many eyes on his games compared to other prospects in North America.

New York Islanders

Matthew Schaefer (D), 1st overall
Victor Eklund (RW), 16th overall
Kashawn Aitcheson (D), 17th overall

The Islanders sent Noah Dobson to Montreal and made the most out of the two picks they got back, taking the best two players available, with both Eklund and Aitcheson projecting to be solid NHLers.

Philadelphia Flyers

Porter Martone (RW), 6th overall
Jack Nesbitt (C), 12th overall

The Flyers sent two of their first round picks to interstate rival Pittsburgh for the opportunity to take behemoth centerman Jack Nesbitt at 12th overall. Call me a cynic but the Flyers traded up to take a player that may have been available at their later pick in Nesbitt.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Benjamin Kindel (C), 11th overall
Bill Zonnon (RW), 22nd overall
Will Horcoff (C), 24th overall

The Penguins took Kindel a little earlier than most teams had him projected, but with 99 points for the Calgary Hitmen he led all WHL draft eligible players in points. The Penguins made an unexpected move and sent the Rangers' pick (12th overall) to the Flyers for two later picks in the first round. To paraphrase Chip23, the Penguins made a reach pick and then decided to trade back, some odd work from the NHL GMs.

Washington Capitals

Lynden Lakovic (LW), 27th overall

Lakovic is a beast of a player but often doesn't play up to his gigantic size. Regardless, this is a player perfectly molded for the way the Washington Capitals play and they'll let him continue developing and hope he can grow into his frame.