Following the results of Monday’s Draft Lottery, the Kraken are slated to pick No. 8 overall when the 2025 NHL Draft begins on June 27. (How did Seattle end up here, and how does the Lottery even work? Check out our pre-Lottery primer.)

Last summer the Kraken selected Berkly Catton at No. 8 overall–a pick that is looking like a sound investment so far, as Catton’s 145 total points across 72 regular and postseason WHL games (so far) are 14th-most in the last 25 years.

Could the Kraken find a similar high-end producer this year? Or is this the season Seattle finally drafts a defenseman in the first round? There is a relatively high degree of uncertainty in the prospect hierarchy this year as we enter the final pre-draft stages before Jason Botterill oversees his first draft as general manager.

Let’s take a look at how the first eight picks of the draft could play out, with a few final Kraken-related thoughts to conclude.

2025 NHL Mock Draft – Top Eight (Version 1.0)

1. New York Islanders: Matthew Schaefer | D | Erie Otters (OHL) 

2025 Stats: Games: 17, Goals: 7, Assists: 15, Points/game: 1.29
Rankings: NHL Central Scouting: 1 (NA Skaters) | Data Score: 83.17

The Islanders won the NHL Draft Lottery, moving up from No. 10 to No. 1 overall. In so doing, they earned the right to select Matthew Schaefer, a dynamic all-around presence on the blue line who should be the Islanders’ No. 1 defender for many years to come. He is a true premium prospect in a year otherwise short on blue chip talent. He missed the large majority of his draft eligible year when he broke his collarbone at World Juniors, but there is no sense the injury is a long-term concern, and he did enough before the injury to prove he’s a true difference maker. If I were ranking all of the defense prospects from this year and last year’s loaded blue-line class, Schaefer would still probably be at the top.

2. San Jose Sharks: Michael Misa | F | Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

2025 Stats: Games: 65, Goals: 62, Assists: 72, Points/game: 2.06
Rankings: NHL Central Scouting: 2 (NA Skaters) | Data Score: 85.65

The Sharks fell from No. 1 to No. 2 at the Draft Lottery, but, in some sense, that makes their draft easier. There are probably only two blue-chip prospects in this class, and San Jose gets the other one in Misa. There is no better scorer in the draft. Misa could form a lethal, long-term top-two center combination with Macklin Celebrini or join Celebrini and Will Smith to form a “Big-Three”-type line, at least in crucial situations. It’s a scary thought for the rest of the Pacific Division.

3. Chicago Blackhawks: Porter Martone | F | Brampton Steelheads (OHL)

2025 Stats: Games: 57, Goals: 37, Assists: 61, Points/game: 1.72 
Rankings: NHL Central Scouting: 6 (NA Skaters) | Data Score: 70.02

I went back and forth between Martone and Anton Frondell at this pick, as both can bring a similar long-term complimentary scoring profile alongside the play-driving Connor Bedard. At the end of the day, I leaned toward Martone due to his more consistent amateur production. 6-foot-3 with the physicality to match, Martone has the makings of a perfect power forward to compliment Bedard, but he needs to hit a few more development markers before I’d safely characterize him that way. In the worst case scenario where Martone’s net-front mentality and skating don’t develop, he is still a middle-six, complimentary scoring forward with NHL size.

4. Utah Mammoth: Anton Frondell | F | Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan) 

2025 Stats: Games: 29, Goals: 11, Assists: 14, Points/game: .86
Rankings: NHL Central Scouting: 1 (Euro Skaters) | Data Score: 57.56

Just as Chicago secures an offensive winger for Bedard, Utah secures a potential long-term compliment for Logan Cooley in Anton Frondell. Frondell is a scorer, with one of the best pure shots in the class. He also brings size (6-foot-1, 198 pounds) and an all-around skillset to contribute in any situation at center or on the wing. His production floundered to begin the season, but Frondell ended his year in Sweden on a tear that reminded the scouting world of the upside he possesses.

As mentioned above, I considered giving Frondell to the Blackhawks. If that happened, I’d project Martone here.

5. Nashville Predators: James Hagens | F | Boston College (NCAA) 

2025 Stats: Games: 37, Goals: 11, Assists: 26, Points/game: 1.00
Rankings: NHL Central Scouting: 3 (NA Skaters) | Data Score: 58.68

Hagens was once thought of as the top prospect in this class following a couple brilliant years for the U.S. National Team Development Program. His stock has suffered from a good, but not great, draft season playing college hockey, and questions about his size (5-foot-11, 177 pounds). Both factors suggest a “ceiling” on his game for some. Hagens is dynamic with his feet, though, and a high-end playmaker and processor at the center position. His “fall” to No. 5 isn’t quite as dramatic as Shane Wright’s fall was, but it could play out similarly with a player who was once a high-end amateur at a very young age gradually establishing himself as a strong pro.

6. Philadelphia Flyers: Caleb Desnoyers | F | Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) 

2025 Stats: Games: 56, Goals: 35, Assists: 49, Points/game: 1.50
Rankings: NHL Central Scouting: 7 (NA Skaters) | Data Score: 53.43

Draft analysts have linked Desnoyers to the Flyers since before the season, and the match continues to make sense with play style, value, and draft need all coalescing here. Desnoyers is a physical two-way forward who can play anywhere on a line, drive play, and produce middle-six complimentary scoring. He is one of the better prospects to come out of the QMJHL in recent years.

7. Boston Bruins: Roger McQueen | F | Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

2025 Stats: Games: 17, Goals: 10, Assists: 10, Points/game: 1.18
NHL Draft Rankings: NHL Central Scouting: 8 (NA Skaters) | Data Score: 48.93

The Bruins are not afraid of risk or bucking consensus in taking first-round swings for upside–as evidenced by last year’s first-round pick Dean Letourneau. The 6-foot-6, skilled McQueen is perhaps the biggest home run swing in the draft. He has as an assemblage of hockey traits that measure up against anyone in this class–even Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa.

There were times in the last couple years, when McQueen was healthy and performing, that he was discussed as one of the top prospects in this draft year. He can use his size to win the puck, has a heavy shot, and has soft, skilled hands one might find on a 5-foot-10 first-round pick. On the other hand, his skating lacks a dynamic gear, the “special” sequences are too intermittent for player of his skill level, and, most significantly, there is not a lot of information on his “back” injury that forced him to miss much of his draft season. Bob McKenzie’s reporting suggests that some teams may be “red flagging” McQueen’s injury issues. The NHL Draft Combine medical checks will be a big milestone for McQueen if he is going to go in the top 10.

If McQueen fails his medical check-in, the physical but productive OHL forward Brady Martin could be the pick, as he reads as a Bruins-type player to me, in the Trent Frederic mold. In fact, I considered giving the Bruins Martin anyway. If the Bruins were still at the peak of their powers, I’d be more confident in that projection, but McQueen’s upside is too alluring for a team that has hemorrhaged talent over the last couple years. 

8. Seattle Kraken: Jake O’Brien | F | Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

2025 Stats: Games: 66, Goals: 32, Assists: 66, Points/game: 1.48
NHL Draft Rankings: NHL Central Scouting: 4 (NA Skaters) | Data Score: 65.88

This is more or less the best-case scenario for Seattle at No. 8 with the last of what I’d characterize as “second-tier forwards” landing here (although there might be one more in Victor Eklund). O’Brien is a 6-foot-2, playmaking, right-shot, center-capable forward who brings offensive and transition skill reminiscent of Wyatt Johnston, according to Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects. Brantford relied on him heavily in all situations, including on the penalty kill. I struggle to project him as a game-breaking, star forward, and he does not have pro-level physicality at this stage. But the tools are there to contribute in the top six. 

(If the profile of a slender, 6-foot-2 right-shot forward who played center for the Bulldogs sounds familiar to you, it should: It also describes Seattle’s 2021 third-round pick, Ryan Winterton.)

Other “early” Kraken draft thoughts

One might reasonably question the decision to draft a forward in the first round for the fifth straight season and instead favor the selection of a defenseman. In general, I favor drafting forwards high due to the scarcity of high-end frontline playmakers in trades or free agency and the relatively stable projection of high-scoring forwards to an NHL career.

That said, I favored drafting one of the skilled defensemen (Zeev Buium, preferably, or Zayne Parekh) at No. 8 overall last year. The difference this time is I don’t see a defense prospect on the level of Buium or Parekh (outside of Schaefer, of course). Jackson Smith, Kashawn Aitcheson, and Radim Mrkta are all interesting defense prospects in their own ways, but at this stage, I prefer O’Brien by a comfortable margin. So, my “early” instinct is the Kraken will pick a forward again.

One might also reasonably question whether Seattle could trade this pick based on the team’s commitment to be “aggressive” this offseason and its repeated insistence that it doesn’t intend to actually draft with all of its stockpile of first- and second-round picks over the next three years. While I wouldn’t rule it out entirely, top-10 picks rarely move, and I find it more likely Seattle would trade a future first-round pick rather than this one. This year’s draft is fairly characterized as “below average,” so teams may value future assets more highly anyway.

If O’Brien is not available at No. 8, which is a distinct possibility, I’d likely consider Eklund or the other prospect that fell from the top-seven group above. (At the moment, I’d prefer Eklund over McQueen for Seattle, but the medicals are so important to that decision.)

I also like Cole Reschny, Ben Kindel, and Carter Bear—all of whom are “undersized” WHL playmakers. Yet, all could be a reach at this point in the draft, based on where they’d likely be selected otherwise. I’d give Bear stronger consideration at No. 8, but he suffered a significant Achilles injury playing for Everett, and that can’t be ignored when a team is drafting this high. If draft pick trades were more frequent in the NHL, I’d say a trade down for Reschny or Bear would be very intriguing. Kindel could linger toward the bottom of the first round or even early second round. If Seattle was somehow able to acquire him later, in addition to a pick at No. 8, it’d be a coup.

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Who do you see the Kraken drafting at No. 8 overall? Leave your picks in the comments below or on X @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey or on BlueSky @deepseahockey or @soundofhockey.com.