With the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs in the rearview mirror, it’s time for one of my favorite annual traditions: digging into how playoff rosters are constructed and examining the characteristics of the players and teams that are playing for the Stanley Cup.
Player acquisition type
There are several ways to acquire players en route to building a playoff team: drafting and developing, trades, free agency, and even the waiver wire. Let’s take a look at how the 16 teams that made the playoffs this season assembled their rosters.
While the saying goes “build through the draft,” not all playoff teams follow that mantra equally. For example, Colorado, Minnesota, and Vegas relied heavily on trades, while Los Angeles boasts a roster that’s nearly 52 percent homegrown. One of the more interesting items that pops out to me is that the last two Stanley Cup champions, Vegas and Florida, have the lowest percentage of players that they drafted.
It’s also interesting to break down who is scoring goals by acquisition type.
When you take a simplistic approach and look at the average goals scored per game by acquisition type, you can see that players acquired via the draft still produce at a high rate compared to any other acquisition method. In the above chart, the exception is expansion, which is made up of just one player still on the Vegas Golden Knights, William Karlsson. He has three goals in his 10 playoff games so far (0.3 goals per game), which skews expansion into the method of acquisition scoring at the highest rate.
Draft rounds
Draft round distribution offers another lens into how playoff talent is sourced. Unsurprisingly, first-rounders make up a significant chunk of rosters, but value can also be found later.
It’s fascinating to see that 26 percent of Florida’s roster is made up of undrafted players, while only 25 percent of Tampa Bay’s roster consists of first-round draft picks.
Roster age breakdown
Youth and experience both have value in the playoffs. Here’s a look at the average age of each team:
I was surprised to see that the Washington Capitals are the youngest team remaining, while the Edmonton Oilers are the most seasoned. It’s also very interesting to see that the four youngest teams in the Eastern Conference were eliminated in the first round.
Height and weight of playoff rosters
The size of a player isn’t always an important factor in today’s NHL, but it’s still fun to examine the physical profile of each team’s playoff roster. Over the years, we’ve seen this fluctuate across the league, depending on which type of roster has won most recently (i.e., a team built on speed and skill versus a team built on size and physicality).
It’s hard to draw meaningful insights from simply looking at the average height and weight of playoff teams, but it is intriguing that the three tallest teams—Dallas, Vegas, and Washington—are still alive in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the three lightest teams—Colorado, Minnesota, and Montreal—have been eliminated.
The below visual is challenging to read, but it gives you some insight on the distribution of height and weight of the playoff rosters:
Nationalities of players
Another interesting angle to consider is where players were born. Here’s a look at the international makeup of each team’s playoff roster:
As usual, Canadian players have the highest percentage, but there’s plenty of international flavor. Colorado and Toronto have the most American-born players with 39 and 38 percent respectively. Minnesota had the highest percent of Swedish players with 23. Edmonton has the fewest number of American players with two: Trent Frederic and Ty Emberson. Edmonton is also “Canada’s team” with 67 percent of its roster being Canadian.
Cap hit snapshot
Finally, let’s talk some salary cap. The salary cap goes away in the playoffs, but if it were a thing, here’s a look at each team’s playoff roster salary cap, based on average annual values (AAV) of players who have made it into games.
This wraps up our 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs roster breakdown. If there’s another angle or stat you’d like me to dig into, feel free to drop a note in the comments or shoot me a message.
With leagues around the world winding down their seasons, and the 2025 NHL Draft just a month and a half out, we are entering draft rankings season. As is typical, NHL Central Scouting was the first major public service to finalize its 2025 NHL Draft ranking. We’ll be watching closely as the reputable lists continue to roll in because we publish a consensus ranking called the “Big Board.” The Big Board usually drops a week or two before the draft.
In the mean time, with all regular-season data in the books, we have our final “data-only” draft prospect watchlist for you. This year we did a preseason watchlist and a midseason version too, if you want to see what things looked like earlier in the process.
The Data Score watchlist
We organize our watchlist by “Data Score,” a rough metric we came up with here at Sound Of Hockey. Data Score begins with the bedrock of an NHL equivalency (“NHLe”). NHLe is a method to compare the scoring proficiency of players in the various professional and junior leagues across the globe. I used Thibaud Chatel’s model, which is the most up-to-date public research in the area. Check out Chatel’s Substack for an in-depth discussion of NHLe. For this project, I used Chatel’s newest model, which has been updated to account for 2024-25 season data, and applied it to player scoring data from the 2024-25 regular season.
From that basic NHLe, I then make adjustments for age, height, and position, as well as a modest upward adjustment to the NHLe for low-scoring, draft-eligible players playing in high-level professional leagues. I then normalize the resulting output and call it the prospect’s “Data Score.” This number no longer projects NHL scoring but is (hopefully) useful in describing the relative strength of prospects. I’ve gone through the methodology in more detail previously here and here.
Answering a few additional questions up front: First, this is a skater-only list. Second, I use a 15-games-played minimum threshold to be included on the watchlist. Third, scoring from international events (such as the World Junior Championship) is not included. Fourth, data from all levels of club play is included in calculating “Data Score.” However, for simplicity, the watchlist below actually displays the scoring data for only the highest league reached by the player. (For example, Radim Mrtka’s line displays his 10 games in the Czech Extraliga, Czechia’s highest pro league, before coming to North America to play in the WHL for the Seattle Thunderbirds and compiling three goals and 32 assists in 43 games.)
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I don’t consider this a prospect “ranking” in the traditional sense. I am not engaging in the challenging process of subjective prospect-to-prospect comparison here. Instead, I’m simply providing a list based on scoring and other translatable measures to facilitate further analysis or discussion. I suspect this is how the best-run NHL teams use NHLe data or other data-based measures.
Without further ado, here are the top-200 first-time-eligible draft prospects in Data Score:
Here are the top-200 re-draft prospects (prospects that were previously eligible but didn’t get selected) in Data Score:
The full Data Score watchlist is approximately 9000 entries long and will be made available shortly to Sound Of Hockey patrons.
Big picture data takeaways
This draft has solid high-end talent and depth in the forward group playing in the CHL. The Canadian-born class is also solid, generally speaking. It looks relatively weak in most other areas
The very top of the draft is, at best, average. Defenseman Matthew Schaefer and forward Michael Misa are blue chip players, but their data profiles fall short of last year’s top pick, Macklin Celebrini. Indeed, two other players from the 2024 class, Zeev Buium and Zayne Parekh, arguably had better data than anyone here. (To be clear, as a scouting matter, I’d prefer Schaefer to Buium or Parekh.)
The blue line class is also thin at the top. Schaefer is the only blueliner in the top 16 on the watchlist.
The European class is relatively barren, saved only by two Swedish forwards from Djurgårdens IF, Anton Frondell and Victor Eklund, each of whom could go in the top 10. Czechia’s towering defenseman Mrtka may also be drafted in that range, but it wouldn’t be surprising if no other European players get selected in the first round.
Finally, after a strong run, it was a down year from the United States National Team Development Program. At this point, I think it would be an upset if any Program player is drafted in the first round.
Focusing on first-time eligible prospects, the OHL continues to be the top development league. The top four prospects on the watchlist, defenseman Schaefer and forwards Misa, Porter Martone, and Jake O’Brien, all hail from the OHL. The OHL also has 30 of the top 200 first-time-eligible players on the watchlist, more than any other league. The WHL tracks in second with two top players, Ben Kindel and Cole Reschny, checking in at Nos. 5 and 6 on the watchlist, and 29 players overall on the list. The first non-CHL player on the watchlist is NCAA forward James Hagens at No. 7.
Breaking down the first-time eligible prospects by nationality, Canada has the most prospects by far in terms of volume (74 of 200) and total “Data Score” value. The United States trails by a significant margin and is followed by Russia, Sweden, and Finland, in that order.
Prospects notes
As mentioned, one use of the watchlist is to identify players that lack public buzz and notoriety as potentially undervalued targets. A few names stand out at the top. Kindel is No. 5 of the watchlist, despite being ranked 21st among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Likewise, Reschny is No. 6 on the watchlist and No. 25 for NHL Central Scouting. Both players are 5-foot-10 and likely fall into the “size concern” category, but both have been highly active and engaged as junior players (though in slightly different ways). Each could be a nice value for a team in the mid-to-late first round.
Most notable, perhaps, are two BCHL players, Jeremy Loranger and Kale Dach, who check in at 16 and 18 on the watchlist, respectively. Loranger led the BCHL in scoring with 105 points, which was the fifth-most by a BCHL player in the last 15 years. His production puts him among the company of Bradly Nadeau, Tyson Jost, Alex Newhook, and Kent Johnson. Even so, he is barely ranked by most public sources. Size will certainly be an issue for Loranger (5-foot-8), but the data likely warrants at least a flyer pick. If teams are willing to roll the dice on the 5-foot-7 Cameron Schmidt (No. 43 for NHL Central Scouting), they should at least consider Loranger too.
Dach has bit more size (5-foot-11) and a very strong BCHL scoring profile (87 points, second in the BCHL). Even so, he, too, may be significantly undervalued by NHL Central Scouting, which has him as the No. 136 North American skater. The data suggests there may be more there.
What’s next?
Our 2025 NHL Draft coverage is just getting into gear here at Sound Of Hockey. As the draft gets closer, we’re planning to publish the Big Board, a seven-round Seattle Kraken mock draft, and much more. If you need more in the short term, check out our recent first-round mock draft, our post-Lottery analysis of five players who could be available to the Kraken at the No. 8 overall pick, or just drop us a question or comment below. You can also reach us on X @deepseahockey or @sound_hockey or on BlueSky @deepseahockey or @soundofhockey.com.
Header photo of Seattle Thunderbirds defenseman Radim Mrtka taken by Brian Liesse, courtesy Seattle Thunderbirds.
Curtis Isacke
Curtis is a Sound Of Hockey contributor and member of the Kraken press corps. Curtis is an attorney by day, and he has read the NHL collective bargaining agreement and bylaws so you don’t have to. He can be found analyzing the Kraken, NHL Draft, and other hockey topics on Twitter and Bluesky @deepseahockey.
The Seattle Kraken’s 2024-25 season ended in much the same way as their prior campaign: another year of watching the playoffs from afar, with their head coach again being shown the door—this time after just one season behind the bench. Now that the dust has settled on Dan Bylsma’s firing and Jason Botterill’s move into the general manager’s seat, speculation about who will succeed Bylsma will surely begin to heat up.
The Kraken are historically tight-lipped about who they are interviewing, but it never hurts to make some educated guesses about which coach could land behind the bench next season.
A chaotic offseason ahead on the coaching carousel
In the coming months, the coaching carousel is going to spin faster and more furiously than we’ve ever seen before. Including the New York Rangers—who already got their next guy in former Penguins coach Mike Sullivan—and the Anaheim Ducks—who opted to accept the PR fallout of putting Joel Quenneville back behind an NHL bench—eight out of 32 teams plan to enter next season with a new head coach at the helm. There’s still a chance more teams could part ways with their respective bench bosses as well.
What this means for the Kraken is that if they’re looking to lure one of the biggest available coaching names out there, they’ll face competition from around the NHL and may have to prove to their preferred candidate why Seattle is the right fit.
The good news on this front is that there’s a case to be made for Seattle as one of the more attractive destinations among the markets seeking new coaches. The organization has a strong prospect pool with young players knocking at the door, salary cap space and draft capital to improve this summer, and an ownership group committed to becoming a sustained winner in the near future.
That said, there are also draws in other cities, including the lore of more traditional markets like Boston, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh—not to mention the chance to coach a budding superstar like Connor Bedard in Chicago.
What the Kraken need in a coach
At the Kraken’s end-of-season presser, in which they officially introduced Jason Botterill as the next general manager of the team, I asked Botterill if he has any criteria in mind for his next coach. Here’s what he said:
“That’s something that we look forward to, just beginning our discussions and getting to know people a little bit better from that standpoint. I think one that’s— there’s going to be a lot of attributes that you certainly come into. I think finding someone who’s a leader down there in the locker room, has a strong voice and is certainly good at communication, but also good at utilizing the resources that this organization has. Whether you talk about R&D, the development staff, information from Coachella Valley, our strength and conditioning staff, there’s a lot of information.
“I think that a head coach [is like the] CEO down there and can certainly utilize that in building his lineup and building his roster, and we want to find someone who’s willing to utilize all that to put the best team forward on the ice for the Kraken.”
That says a lot without saying much, but it does give a glimpse into what may have been lacking in the relationship between Dan Bylsma and the front office and other departments—something Botterill hopes to correct with the team’s next hiring.
Botterill didn’t say this directly, but I have to think there’s also a desire to hire a coach who’s a relatively sure thing to get success out of this team. At this point, we know Bylsma wasn’t a unanimous pick to become the most recent coach, and it had been a long time since he had been a head coach at the NHL level. So something tells me that whoever Seattle lands on this time around will be somebody who has been behind an NHL bench recently and has had success in the league.
The candidates
Friend of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast and senior writer for ESPN.com, Greg Wyshynski, put together a comprehensive list of all the coaching candidates out there. It’s behind the ESPN paywall, but it’s worth a read if you have access. Wyshynski placed the candidates into categories like “The Big Bosses,” which includes Jay Woodcroft and Rick Tocchet; “The Fresh Firings,” including Drew Bannister, Derek Lalonde, Peter Laviolette, John Tortorella, et al.; and “The Well Traveled,” with guys like Bruce Boudreau, Gerard Gallant, and Mike Yeo, among others.
Since Wyshynski wrote that on April 25, there has already been some clarity in the coaching market, with Sullivan heading to the Rangers and Quenneville to the Ducks and David Carle committing long-term to stay at the University of Denver.
I’ve also often wondered if any coaches who reached the playoffs but bowed out quickly could become available—like Jared Bednar or Jon Cooper (Cooper would probably have to leave of his own volition)—but both of their general managers stated definitively that they’ll be back with Colorado and Tampa Bay, respectively, next season. Similarly, I’ve always thought Rod Brind’Amour would fit in Seattle if he were ever to hit the market, but with the Hurricanes getting deeper into the playoffs and his son playing in the organization, Rod the Bod feels highly unlikely to make his way to the Northwest.
Thinking about the list of candidates that Wyshynski put together, I’m whittling my list down to a few specific individuals that I think could end up being in the conversation to become the next coach of the Kraken. This is not based on insider knowledge, and I won’t pick a favorite or anything like that; I’m just connecting dots to figure out who could be a fit.
Rick Tocchet
Lots of folks have assumed Rick Tocchet—who recently excused himself from the dumpster fire up the road in Vancouver—will want to go to one of his former teams from his playing days, like the Philadelphia Flyers or Pittsburgh Penguins.
I’m not totally convinced, though. Those clubs finished last and second-to-last in the Metropolitan Division this season, and while the Flyers have some exciting young talent, they appear far from being competitive again. Meanwhile, the Penguins are heading into several seasons of misery as they phase out their aging core of veterans.
I know the Kraken have missed the playoffs in three of their first four years and were near the bottom of the Pacific Division this year, but I still believe they’re heading toward consistent playoff contention. The potential for an immediate payoff from joining the Kraken feels higher than for other teams seeking coaches.
Tocchet, 61, makes sense for Seattle because he clearly believes in open communication with the players and brings a harder-nosed approach that could push both veterans and rookies. It speaks volumes that although the Canucks are coming off a disappointing year that featured several soap operas, the Vancouver front office very much wanted him back.
There’s also a history between Tocchet and Seattle, and we do believe the front office is interested in hiring him. Remember, Tocchet was expected to be named the team’s first head coach back in 2021, but in the 11th hour, for some unknown reason, the Kraken changed course and went with Dave Hakstol.
Tocchet has a career coaching record of 286-265-87. In two and a half seasons with the Canucks, he went 108-65-27 and won the Pacific Division in 2023-24. That season, Vancouver defeated the Nashville Predators in the first round of the playoffs before being ousted by the Edmonton Oilers in seven games.
Jay Woodcroft
Another available coach who appears to be a hot commodity this offseason is Jay Woodcroft, who has a shorter track record than Tocchet but a good one nonetheless.
Woodcroft, 48, has an interesting story. He started his coaching career as Detroit’s video coach back in 2005. He then became an assistant under Todd McLellan in San Jose and followed him to Edmonton two months after both were let go by the Sharks in 2015. His first pro head-coaching gig came with the Oilers’ AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, in 2018. After a successful stint as interim head coach of the Oilers—he guided them to the Western Conference Finals—he was made the full-time head coach the following season.
The Oilers thrived under Woodcroft in his one full season behind the bench, racking up 109 points in the standings before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup winners, the Vegas Golden Knights, in the second round of the playoffs.
Things got off to a very rocky start in Edmonton in 2023-24, though, and after a 3-9-1 record dropped the Oilers to the bottom of the Pacific Division standings, Woodcroft was shown the door. Interestingly, the last game he coached that season was against the Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena, a game Edmonton won 4-1. Regardless, Woodcroft was fired the next day.
I remember being in his last press conference at CPA, and he seemed to know the firing was coming. He had clearly had enough with Sportsnet columnist Mark Spector and answered all of his questions with one word: “No.”
Woodcroft does appear to be a good fit with Seattle as well, in that he strikes me as a forward-thinking coach. I am curious, though, how he can fare without the luxury of having superstars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Peter Laviolette
Beyond those two fairly obvious names, I have a hard time finding a perfect fit among other available candidates. There’s a big group of coaches who have been fired recently, including veterans like John Tortorella and Peter Laviolette. I could eat my words, but I don’t think I see the Kraken hiring Torts.
I don’t really see them hiring Laviolette either, but they certainly would know what they’re getting in a guy like him. Laviolette has coached nearly 1,600 regular-season games in the NHL and 170 playoff games. He had long stints in Nashville, Carolina, and Philadelphia, then a three-year stay in Washington and two years with each of the New York teams, most recently getting fired by the Rangers after a 39-36-7 season. He won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006 and coached the Flyers and Predators to the Stanley Cup Final in 2010 and 2017, respectively.
Jay Leach
I’m including Jay Leach here because he was a candidate last year and is well regarded by the Kraken organization for the work he did with the blue line as an assistant under former head coach Dave Hakstol.
When Leach did not get the head coaching job last summer, he returned to the Boston Bruins organization, where he had previously been the head coach of their AHL affiliate in Providence.
I think Leach will be a good head coach, but I also still think Seattle is looking for somebody with a proven NHL track record right now. This is why I don’t foresee them hiring Leach or other up-and-comers like Mitch Love (currently an assistant coach for Washington) or Pat Ferschweiler (just won the NCAA championship with Western Michigan).
What do you think, folks? Who will the Kraken hire, and who else do you think they’re considering as candidates to be their next head coach?
Darren Brown
Darren Brown is the Chief Content Officer at soundofhockey.com and the host of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast. He is a member of the PHWA and is also usually SOH’s Twitter intern (but please pretend you don’t know that). Follow him @DarrenFunBrown and @sound_hockey or email darren@soundofhockey.com.
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.
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.
Curtis Isacke
Curtis is a Sound Of Hockey contributor and member of the Kraken press corps. Curtis is an attorney by day, and he has read the NHL collective bargaining agreement and bylaws so you don’t have to. He can be found analyzing the Kraken, NHL Draft, and other hockey topics on Twitter and Bluesky @deepseahockey.
The first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is in the books, and for fans needing to scratch the hockey itch, the postseason has delivered. There were thrilling matchups and shocking exits. Both the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning failed to advance. Fans were treated to two Game 7s, including a thriller in which the Winnipeg Jets tied the game with just 1.6 seconds remaining, then completed the comeback in double-overtime.
With the second round now underway, let’s take a look at each series. No wild card teams made it through, and every team remaining has a legitimate shot to hoist the Stanley Cup. Buckle up—these are going to be fierce battles.
Let’s start in the East!
Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes
Blaiz’s prediction: Washington in seven
The Capitals have been surprising teams all year and finished as the best team in the East. The first round of the playoffs did not change that perception, and Washington will move on to the conference finals.
Washington Capitals
Washington survived a physical series with Montreal. The Canadiens out-hit the Capitals in four of five games, and though the series ended in five, it was tighter than the final line suggests. Montreal’s young core showed promise for the future.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Jack Hughes-less Devils were expected to struggle without their star forward. Still, they made Carolina work for every inch. The Hurricanes showed resiliency in the clincher, erasing a 3-0 deficit and winning in double overtime to close out the series in five games.
Regular season matchups
The teams split the season series 2-2. Carolina won both its games in regulation, while Washington needed a shootout in one of its wins.
How Carolina advances
The Hurricanes play a disciplined dump-and-chase system, excelling in puck possession and shot suppression. They allowed the fewest shots in the NHL this season (24.9 per game) and led the league in unblocked shot attempts (50.3) per moneypuck.com. That kind of volume imbalance wins games.
Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov shared duties in the crease. Andersen was knocked out in Game 4 after a collision with Timo Meier. Kochetkov, who played 57 games during the season, closed out the first-round series, but Andersen is practicing and expected to start Game 1 against Washington.
One concern: Carolina struggled on the road, going 16-21-4 this season. Without home-ice advantage, they’ll need to steal one in Washington to stay in control.
How Washington advances
The Capitals thrive in physical games, and Carolina won’t bring that same intensity. Washington must stay aggressive but disciplined.
The Caps averaged the second-most goals in the NHL (286) but were held to just 23 shots per game by Carolina in the regular season. Still, Logan Thompson posted a .923 save percentage and 2.23 GAA in Round 1, providing a strong backstop.
A notable moment: On April 2, Washington lost 5-1 to Carolina in a game that saw 142 combined penalty minutes. Most of the chaos came after the game was already out of reach, but that kind of game could still disrupt the Hurricanes’ structure—expect Tom Wilson to test that theory.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers
Blaiz’s prediction: Toronto in seven
The Maple Leafs play just as well on the road as they do at home. They just need to stick to their game and not overreact when they lose a game or three. They nearly coughed up a 4-1 lead in Game 1 on Monday but held on for a 5-4 win to take an early series lead.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs are in their best position to win a Cup in decades. They won their division for the first time in 25 years and dispatched Ottawa in six games, three of which went to overtime. It was only their second series win in their last 10 playoff appearances.
Florida Panthers
The reigning champs made quick work of the Tampa Bay Lightning, eliminating them in five games. Florida stumbled into the playoffs with a 3-6-1 finish, but it got a boost when Matthew Tkachuk returned from a lower-body injury that cost him the final 25 regular-season games.
Regular season matchups
Florida won the season series 3-1. Toronto scored just four goals in its three losses, though two of those games were decided by one goal—not counting empty-netters.
How Toronto advances
Auston Matthews needs to show up. He had only two goals in the first round, including a minus-four performance in a Game 5 shutout loss. He bounced back in Game 6, scoring the opening goal. Toronto will need full buy-in from its stars to advance.
Anthony Stolarz, who backed up Florida during their 2024 Cup run, has been excellent for Toronto this season and has led the NHL in save percentage two seasons in a row. He left Game 1 midway through the second period after taking a couple of shots to the head. If he’s unavailable, Joseph Woll—who started 41 games this season—will step in. Woll looked shaky in Game 1 but gave Toronto just enough saves to preserve the win.
Home ice could matter. Florida had a winning road record, but only just barely (20-19-2). Toronto was 27-13-1 at home and nearly identical on the road. Sound Of Hockey looked at this earlier in the year and found home teams are called for 3.2 percent fewer penalties on average. Staying disciplined will be key.
How Florida advances
Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, and Brad Marchand are elite agitators who can draw penalties. Per moneypuck.com the Panthers ranked fourth in the NHL in penalties drawn, and they scored five power-play goals against Toronto in the regular season.
But Florida also brings skill. Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart lead the offense. Florida averaged 3.00 goals per game (15th in NHL), compared to Toronto’s 3.26 (seventh). Sergei Bobrovsky doesn’t post gaudy numbers but is a proven playoff performer, despite his uninspiring performance in Game 1. He just needs to keep the Leafs’ stars quiet.
Winnipeg Jets vs Dallas Stars
Blaiz’s prediction: Winnipeg in five
The Presidents’ Trophy winners have been solid all season, starting 15-1 to become the fastest team in NHL history to reach 15 wins. The first round pushed the Jets to the limit, but they faced the hottest team in hockey—the St. Louis Blues—who had won 12 straight late in the regular season and rode that confidence into the playoffs. The Jets will get back to their game and take care of Dallas. Expect to see more of the Winnipeg white-out in these playoffs.
Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg needed seven games and double OT to escape the St Louis Blues. Cole Perfetti’s goal with 1.6 seconds left forced OT—the latest game-tying goal in a Game 7 in NHL history.
Dallas Stars
Dallas limped into the playoffs after losing seven straight but was able to hold onto home ice advantage in its matchup with the Colorado Avalanche. After trading wins through six games, Colorado held a 2-0 lead entering the third period of Game 7. Then Mikko Rantanen erupted for a hat trick and four points, lifting Dallas to a comeback series win and a storybook moment against the Finn’s former team.
Regular season matchup
Winnipeg dominated the series 3-1, allowing just five goals in four games (one of which was an empty-netter). Connor Hellebuyck and Jake Oettinger started all four games against each other. Hellebuyck posted a .965 save percentage, while Oettinger struggled and was pulled once.
How Winnipeg advances
Hellebuyck is the likely 2024-25 Vezina winner, with a 2.00 GAA and .925 save percentage. He struggled in Round 1 (.830 save percentage) and will need to bounce back. Winnipeg’s power play led the NHL at 28.9 percent, so special teams will be critical.
Injuries to Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey loom large, though both are day-to-day. If one or both return for Game 1, that’s a huge boost.
How Dallas advances
Dallas was solid all year, but the Stars have looked shaky for a month. They need to re-establish their game and get healthier. Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen are both on their way back from injuries, which would be a huge boost. After eliminating the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7, head coach Pete DeBoer said, “I believe you’re going to see them both play in the second round, but I don’t know if it’s going to be Game 1 or Game 3 or Game 5.”
Oettinger has to be better. He struggled in all four games against Winnipeg during the regular season, including one appearance where he was pulled. Rantanen needs to be consistent—he had just one point in the first four games, then exploded for 11 in the final three. That version of Rantanen gives Dallas a real shot.
Vegas Golden Knights vs Edmonton Oilers
Blaiz’s prediction: Vegas in six
I don’t like this pick; I don’t like it at all. If I’ve learned anything from Vegas Golden Knights’ eight seasons in the NHL, it’s to never count them out. I keep thinking they’re going to collapse, but they just keep winning. After taking the Pacific Division, I feel obligated to pick them here as well. Maybe it’s reverse psychology—hopefully this jinx works and Edmonton advances.
Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas beat Minnesota in six, but the series was close. Game 5 swung the series when an apparent game-winning goal for Minnesota was overturned after dual reviews for a kicking motion and then offside. Gustav Nyquist was confirmed to be offside before the goal, and Vegas went on to win in OT, then closed it out in Game 6.
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers fell behind in every game against the Los Angeles Kings, but rallied four times to win the series in six. Calvin Pickard replaced Stuart Skinner after Game 2 and won four straight.
Regular season matchup
The season series was split 2-2. The first three games were played earlier in the season, which can sometimes make the outcome less indicative of current playoff form. Edmonton won the final meeting 3-2 on April 1.
How Vegas advances
The Golden Knights finished third in the NHL during the regular season and had the third-best goal differential (+60). Their power play was second-best (28.3 percent), and their defense limited shots to just 26.1 per game (fourth fewest). They’ll need to contain McDavid’s speed and play their structured game.
Adin Hill posted a respectable .906 save percentage, but his 2.47 GAA ranks sixth in the NHL. The team protects him well, and he’s been dependable.
How Edmonton advances
The Oilers’ resiliency was impressive, but constantly chasing games is not sustainable. They need better starts.
It’s unclear if Skinner or Pickard will start Game 1. Pickard was solid in his appearances but played a “bend-don’t-break” type of game. Goaltending has always been a question mark for this club, and it remains so now. Edmonton may simply ride the hot hand for the rest of the playoffs. While stealing a game would be a bonus, the goalie’s job in Edmonton (more so than for other playoff teams) is to keep the Oilers in it and give their stars a chance to win.
Edmonton leads the NHL in shots per game (32.0). Vegas limits those chances well, so the Oilers will need to get the puck to the net and capitalize.
Sound Of Hockey picks
Every team left has a path to the Final. There is no runaway favorite and no true Cinderella story. Here’s how the Sound Of Hockey crew sees the Cup Final shaping up. I’m sensing a trend here…
Wrapping up
The only bummer about the second round is that we go from four games per night to two. Still, the matchups are strong and should not disappoint.
Leave your picks for the second round and Cup winner in the comments!
Blaiz Grubic
Blaiz Grubic is a contributor at Sound Of Hockey. A passionate hockey fan and player for over 30 years, Blaiz grew up in the Pacific Northwest and is an alumni of Washington State University (Go Cougs!). When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about hockey, he enjoys quality time with his wife and daughter or getting out on a golf course for a quick round. Follow @blaizg on BlueSky or X.
The Seattle Kraken entered Monday’s 2025 NHL Draft Lottery with the sixth-best odds to win the Lottery and move up to a top-two pick. Overall, the Kraken had a 15.4 percent chance of seeing their pick position improve, 34.1 percent chance of sticking at the No. 6 overall pick, and 50.5 percent chance of losing a position or two.
As it turns out, luck was not on Seattle’s side Monday because the drawings ended with the Kraken locked in at the No. 8 overall pick for the second straight season. The New York Islanders won the first draw, moving up from the No. 10 position to first overall. And the Utah Hockey Club won the second draw, moving up from No. 14 to fourth overall. These teams both leaped over Seattle, pushing the Kraken down two spots. (If you want to know more about how the Lottery works, check out our Lottery explainer.)
Last summer, the Kraken took Spokane Chiefs standout Berkly Catton at No. 8. Who could be available for them at the No. 8 spot this year? Let’s take a look at a few potential candidates:
O’Brien is a high-scoring OHL forward still growing into his 6-foot-2 frame. Recently compared by Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects to Wyatt Johnston, O’Brien has done nothing but score this season and rise up draft boards. Bob McKenzie of TSN has O’Brien as his No. 7 overall skater after talking with professional scouts. Corey Pronman of The Athleticdescribes O’Brien as “a finesse player with tons of feel, poise and craftsmanship on the puck, with an ability to put pucks into spaces for both his linemates but also himself.” O’Brien is NHL Central Scouting’s No. 4 North American skater, and he is No. 4 in my Data Score metric.
Roger McQueen | F | Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) | Games: 17, Goals: 10, Assists: 10
McQueen is a 6-foot-5 forward with a strong shot and at times impressive puckhandling skills to match. McQueen missed the majority of his draft-eligible season with a back injury, which will be an important question mark many teams need answered about the hulking forward. Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoffnotes that McQueen is “hard to miss out there, bringing out traits similar to those of Cayden Lindstrom last year – including on the injury front, unfortunately. McQueen can push players away like it’s nothing, and he’s got the all-around talent to be thrust into just about any role.” McQueen is ranked No. 8 overall by McKenzie, No. 8 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, and No. 20 in Data Score.
Victor Eklund | F | Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan) | Games: 42, Goals: 19, Assists: 12
Brother of San Jose Shark William Eklund, Victor is a smaller, skilled but relentless forward who helped his Swedish team earn promotion from HockeyAllsvenskan to the SHL, the top league in Sweden, this season. For long stretches of the season, he outperformed his more heralded teammate Anton Frondell. According to Smaht Scouting, Eklund is “a player with an intense motor, capable of producing and processing high IQ plays at very high speed, moving smartly through the ice, and with a quick change of direction to create space and shoot.” He is the No. 2 European skater according to NHL Central Scouting and he is No. 10 in Data Score.
Jackson Smith | D | Tri-City Americans (WHL) | Games: 68, Goals: 11, Assists: 43
The 6-foot-3 Smith is among the next tier of defense prospects after the likely No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer. And Smith’s local junior hockey roots certainly aren’t a mark against him, given Seattle’s previous drafting habits. According to Ellis, Smith is “quite well-rounded for his age which scouts love.” “He’s a pain in the rear end to try and beat in 1-on-1 situations because he loves getting in your face as much as possible.” On the other hand, Good Friend of the Sound Of Hockey Podcast Chris Peters recently noted that he has questions about Smith’s overall hockey sense. Smith is No. 10 on McKenzie’s list, No. 13 among North American skaters for NHL Central Scouting, and No. 19 in Data Score.
Speaking of local defensemen, Radim Mrkta, who played much of his draft season with the Seattle Thunderbirds, is a towering 6-foot-6 right-shot defenseman who has been gradually ascending draft boards this season. According to Pronman, the Czech-born “Mrtka can transport pucks down ice, activate and join the rush, walk the line and even side-step pressure in control. He shows good poise and comfort on the puck, with a willingness to hold onto it and make a play.” Mrtka is the No. 5 North American skater for NHL Central Scouting, No. 11 overall for McKenzie, and No. 29 in my Data Score stat.
He was a force in the WHL after making the move to North America, racking up three goals and 32 assists in 43 games and helping the T-Birds to an unlikely postseason berth.
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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.
Curtis Isacke
Curtis is a Sound Of Hockey contributor and member of the Kraken press corps. Curtis is an attorney by day, and he has read the NHL collective bargaining agreement and bylaws so you don’t have to. He can be found analyzing the Kraken, NHL Draft, and other hockey topics on Twitter and Bluesky @deepseahockey.
