SteelFlyers Football Videos
Top Five Forwards Available in the 2025 NHL Draft
Photo Credit: NYTimes.com
With Thanksgiving now over and the Christmas season now upon us, I thought it would be nice if I were to provide you with a bit of light reading on this year’s top five forwards that will be available for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. This article is, of course, subjective, being that it’s based on my opinion and will ultimately depend on the needs or wants of whatever struggling teams get awarded the luxury of drafting this early.
So, with us keeping that in mind, here we go.
James Hagens
The consensus number-one pick for some time now has been James Hagens. An 18-year-old American-born center who last year captivated scouts and fans alike when he was able to score an impressive 39 goals and 63 assists for a total of 102 points in only 58 games played for the USA Hockey’s National Development Program. And, if that 1.75 points-per-game average wasn’t impressive enough, you might be surprised to know that when Hagens wasn’t putting the puck in the back of the net, he was busy getting back and playing defense, as well as made evident by his +43 average. Keep in mind that he accomplished all of this in his draft minus one season, mind you.
But, with him not being able to score this season at the same rate he did last year now that he has made the move to the NCAA to play for Boston College, some experts have started to question whether he is still deserving of that elevated pedestal that they previously placed him on.
And, while I get why they might be questioning their prior premonitions given the multitude of talented prospects that will be available this summer. I will say this: while I know that he has only been able to score four goals in 14 games played this year. Let us not forget that he is a true freshman playing on a team that has 12 players who have previously been drafted by an NHL franchise also on their roster. So, let us not glance over the fact that James has been able to compile 14 assists this year. I mean, come on, if you were playing on a team or line with guys like Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard, wouldn’t you pass the puck to them?
In my mind, Hagens is still one of the best players to come out of this draft class. Let’s not forget that last season, James broke Nikita Kucherov’s record for total points scored at the World Junior Champions U18 (WJC) Tournament when he totaled an unthinkable 22 points in seven games played! Not to mention the fact that his shot and ability to skate with the puck on his stick without EVER looking down is unmatched.
But still, if I’m being honest, earlier this season, I think James tried to do too much. For example, Hagens tried to skate the puck deep into the offensive zone every time he had it. Now, I’m sorry, James, but I’m pretty sure all of your opponents have received a scouting report on you, and that’s why when Hagens did so early on in the season, James had all five members of the opposition pounce on him when he crossed the blue line. Since then, I think he has come to the realization that he is no longer playing junior hockey and has adjusted accordingly; in saying that, I expect James to have a monster second half of the season, and with that, he will be able to maintain his rightful place in the discussions of players to be taken 1st overall this summer.
Porter Martone
The second prospect that I think we should talk about is an 18-year-old Canadian-born player named Porter Martone. Porter, who currently plays for and is the captain of the Ontario Hockey Leagues (OHL’s) Brampton Steelheads, is a 6’3, 207-pound winger who has been absolutely unstoppable throughout the last two seasons.
To prove that, all you have to do is look at his stats. During his draft minus one season last year, Porter was able to net himself 33 goals and 38 assists for 71 points. He was able to go then and add to his impressive season by totaling 17 points in seven games played at the World Juniors.
But as remarkable as those stats may sound, thanks to him already possessing the kind of size and strength most NHL power forwards can only wish they had, Martone is on pace this season to blow his previous career totals from last year right out of the water. That’s because, through just 24 games played this season, Martone has already managed to gather 20 goals and 30 assists for 50 points, which means he is currently projected to amass 56 goals and 84 assists for a total of 140 points this season.
In my mind, this young man is developing into someone who will be the face of one lucky NHL team’s franchise for the next 10-15 years. Yes, he is that good, and I can’t wait to see what he does at the next level because, honestly, he does not have much else to prove at the junior level.
Michael Misa
Now, with what I just said about Martone, you would think that he is Canada’s clear-cut top prospect for this draft, but you would be wrong because there is a 17-year-old who goes by the name Michael Misa, who might be Canada’s 1A prospect. And here’s why. Misa is a 6’1, 185-pound center/wing who plays for the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. But what’s interesting about him is that he was just the eighth player in CHL history to be granted exceptional status, which is when the league takes note of a player with extraordinary abilities and allows them to play in the league as a 15-year-old.
And boy, did they ever make the right decision. Because over the past two seasons, Misa was able to collect a combined 51 goals and 80 assists for 131 points; which he is well on his way to either matching or surpassing those totals this season alone! Yes, you read that right. Michael already has 25 goals and 24 assists for 49 points this season, and if he keeps playing at this level, he is projected to amass a total of 66 goals and 63 assists for a total of 129 points this year. Folks, in case you’re not aware, those kinds of totals will put him in the same company as a guy named John Tavares, for whom this whole exceptional status rule was enacted.
So, it should go without saying that Misa is an exceptional talent. He is able to put points in bunches and makes it look easy while doing it. He is a player who could come in and provide instant offense at the NHL level and will make whatever team that does draft him competitive for a very long time.
Anton Frondell
For our first European-born player, I would like to introduce you to a kid named Anton Frondell from Sweden. Anton is a 17-year-old two-way center who currently stands in at 6’0 tall and 196 pounds.
As far as his play style goes. Well, as you can imagine, as with any Swedish player that has been drafted as high as this young man is being projected to go, Anton is a dangler, a guy who finds ways through seemingly impossible traps set by his enemies (in this case his opponents) to reach his desired location to release the puck. To go with that, Frondell possesses, you guessed it, the kind of release that makes others around him jealous.
So, with that being said, expect teams like the Ducks, the Redwings, and the Canucks, who love them some Swedes, to come calling for his services.
For my last pick for whom I think should be considered as one of this upcoming summer’s top five forwards, I have to go with a guy who, although he is currently hurt, I believe teams won’t be able to pass him by, and that’s Roger McQueen.
Roger McQueen
That’s because McQueen, who plays for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League, has something that you just can’t teach, and that’s SIZE! Roger is a 6’5, 192-pound center who plays with extreme grit and plenty of heart. And, as you or I would like to be able to do when Roger is lining up in the dot to take a face-off or heading into the boards to try to retrieve a puck in the offensive zone, McQueen takes full advantage of his size, and strength and uses it to take his opponent not only off their feet but entirely out of the play all together.
Now, as I said, he is currently hurt, but before he got injured, Roger was set to challenge Laurie Boschman for his team’s record of the most goals scored by a player in their draft year when he scored eight goals in eight games. (The record was 66 goals)
This comes after a season where McQueen finished with 21 goals and 30 assists for 51 points in 53 games played last year.
And, as we all know, when you have that kind of size and goal-scoring ability, GMs will likely be pushing people out of the way on the draft floor just so that they can reach the podium to call his name.
So, there you have it, my top five forwards that will be available for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. And I assure you that these are but a few players in this loaded draft class that will prove to be capable of being a rebuilding team’s cornerstone piece of the foundation they are trying to lay in their efforts to become competitive once again.
As for the others capable of being this type of player, look for similar articles I will have coming out in the near future on the top five defenders as well as the top five goaltenders of this draft.
The Flyers Should Claim Kasperi Kapanen off Waivers, and Here’s Why
Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Yesterday, the St. Louis Blues placed former first-round pick Kasperi Kapanen, who is signed to a one-year $ 1,000,000 deal that expires at the end of this season, on waivers with hopes that he will pass unscathed so that they could assign him to their American Hockey League affiliate the Springfield Thunderbirds.
But I think it would be wise for the Flyers to place a claim on him, and here’s why.
However, before we start, let me first say so we are all clear I know where you think this is going. Oh, Kasperi is Sami Kapanen’s son. Wouldn’t it be nice to have them together, seeing that Sami is working for the Flyers now in the position of both a Development Coach and a Pro Scout? But that is not my intent at all.
I assure you my intent to claim him is strictly business. Philadelphia is still in the middle of a rebuild and has had multiple players in recent weeks being rumored to either be shopped by the team or having other franchises calling about their possible availability.
Hearing that, I feel Kasperi could serve as an affordable fill-in who could play out the rest of this season if one or more of those rumored players end up being moved. But more on that in a minute.
Those rumored Flyers players include:
Scott Laughton
Scott’s name should come as no surprise here because it has been floating around the rumor mills for at least at the past couple of trade deadlines. For good reason, I might add. Scott, who is a former first-round pick, has also been the consummate professional who has done whatever has been asked of him since way back in 2012 when he was drafted. Whether that be to play center or wing, battle it out in the bottom six of the lineup, or play a more offensive role when penciled into the top six when injuries occur, Laughton has always been happy to oblige. In addition, Laughton is one of the team’s best penaltykillers and forecheckers.
With that being said, you can see why teams would want Scott and what kind of value he could bring to a playoff-caliber squad down the stretch.
As far as the Flyers go, while they do hold Scott in high esteem, his lack of point production looks like it could easily be replaced by newcomer Anthony Richard, who has shown he can be that same Swiss Army knife type of guy for a fraction of the three million dollar cap hit that Laughton is signed to for the rest of this season and the following one after that.
So, the Flyers might be willing to take someone up on an offer for him if they come with another first or second-round draft selection for this summer.
Joel Farabee/Bobby Brink
Either one of these guys leaving would sting a little more, considering Joel is a former first-round pick who is just 24 years old and finished last season with 22 goals and 28 assists for 50 points. And Bobby is a former second-round pick who is just 23. But let’s not forget with the addition of the highly anticipated winger Matvei Michkov. The Flyers now have Owen Tippett, Travis Konecny, and Tyson Foerster, who, when put together, have this team’s top four wingers pretty locked up.
So, the position rankings have changed a little, and with that, both Joel’s and Bobby’s play has suffered a little, as evident by Joel totaling just three goals and five assists for eight points this season. And Bobby having scored just three goals and six assists for nine points this year, not to mention the fact that both are currently minus players.
Besides, throughout his short career, Farabee has shown himself to be very streaky. What I mean by that is when he is on, he is on and puts up points in bunches. But when he is off, he appears to become almost nonexistent out on the ice. And that’s not at all acceptable when you’re getting paid $5,000,000 a season until the year 2028. And Bobby is no longer on his rookie deal. He is now being paid $1,500,000 to bounce in and out of the lineup.
So, while I feel both are assets to this team, their position at the moment is a bit loaded with guys. And both might benefit from a trade that would give them the kind of consistent playing time on someone else’s top two lines. Not to mention, the Flyers might benefit from another high-end draft pick or an existing prospect that already is in a team’s system that maybe I don’t know can take a faceoff and score goals, seeing that it appears to be a pretty big need at the moment.
With that being said, both Farabee and Brink’s names have come up in recent chatter, with the most serious inquiries coming out of Minnesota, where the Wild, who are currently seated in second place in the Central Division, have some ground to make up on Winnipeg if they hope to compete for a shot at the division title not to mention separating themselves from the likes of the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche who are nipping at their heels.
This is why I would say if Minnesota were willing to part with either Riley Heidt or Hunter Haight in a deal, Philadelphia should at least be willing to listen.
(In addition, Boston has also been rumored to check in on Farabee’s availability)
Morgan Frost
A final name that would make sense in this conversation would be Morgan Frost. Morgan’s name has been involved in the rumor mill for quite some time now. This, of course, stems from him constantly being in Head Coach John Tortorella’s doghouse. An example of this would be him being forced to take in the last couple of games from the press box as he was labeled a healthy scratch. For good reason, I might add. For this season, Morgan has only been able to post one goal and five assists for a total of six points in 16 games played. In addition to that, he is averaging a -10 on the season and a -32 for his career. At this point, I think it’s safe to say that Philly has seen just about enough of Frost’s inconsistent play to justify moving on from him.
Thankfully, given the fact that he is still 25 years of age and playing on an expiring contract that pays him $2,100,000, he will still be a restricted free agent after the season, and the Flyers might be willing to retain some of if the right trade were to come along. And, just because it did not work out here doesn’t mean that teams aren’t still interested in this former multiple season 100+ point scorer in juniors.
Now, while I agree he may not be ideal, Kapanen, who is 6’1 and 194 pounds, comes with the aforementioned NHL Pedigree, over 470 games of NHL experience, and is a former 20-goal scorer. He is still just 28 years of age, can play on either side of the face-off dot, and has managed to stay a plus player for the entirety of his career.
Kasperi Kapanen
Again, Kasperi is on an expiring deal that only pays him $1,000,000, and if others mentioned above do get moved, Kapanen is more than capable of filling in for them. He still exhibits breakaway-type speed, and tallies highlight reel goals when given the opportunity. So, the likelihood of him being able to revitalize his career here if given consistent playing time with any of the remaining young core of players on this team is not out of the realm of possibilities.
I mean, hell, they’re paying Ryan Poehling nearly double that right now, and he has a big fat goose egg in the goal column, so why not take a chance on him? What’s the worst thing that could happen? He doesn’t produce? So, you put him back on waivers.
OK. Let’s be honest with the Flyers still looking to shed some unwanted players and their inflated salaries, Kapanen could allow the team to feel comfortable enough to make a deal consisting of one of the other players mentioned above as they did for Sean Walker at the deadline in order to garner some much-needed draft capital.
Making a Case for the Flyers to Draft Defenders with Some Grit this Summer
Photo Credit: Barrie Colts
Currently, the Flyers are battling it out with the Nashville Predators for the right to draft James Hagens number one overall this summer, seeing as they both are currently tied for the worst record in the league, totaling only nine points in 13 games played. And this is sad because if you think about it, the Flyers have been “in the middle of a rebuild” since they made their initial move of trading Jakub Voracek back to the Blue Jackets in 2021.
But it hasn’t been all bad. The Flyers were able to get what looks to be like a future superstar in making with their selection of Matvei Michkov. Not to mention, them trying to kick start this rebuild off right by building a team from the back out when they decided to select multiple goaltenders over the years like Aleksei Kolosov (who we have seen make the jump recently with the injury to Ersson), Carson Bjarnason who is still playing in the WHL, and Yegor Zavragin who is currently taking the KHL by storm and might prove to be the best of them all. But we all know that goalies usually take some time to develop.
Working under that same train of thought, the Flyers have put a renewed focus on acquiring some offensively talented youth on the back end. And, with management adding players in recent years like 23-year-old defender Cam York, whom they took in the first round of the 2019 Draft, 22-year-old Jamie Drysdale, who they acquired in a trade for the now despised Cutter Gauthier, and them taking 22-year-old Emil Andrae back in the second round of the 2020 Draft one would say that they have managed to do just that.
However, with all these defenders now becoming regulars in the lineup, one thing that has become abundantly clear when I watch the Orange and Black play is the lack of anybody on the blueline playing with physicality. In numerous games this year, I’ve noticed that the Flyers’ defensive core is not finishing their checks. They choose to retreat rather than challenge their opponents at the blue line and are getting bodied by the opposition’s power forward in front of the net, thus letting them get behind them which is a big no-no. This makes our defenders widely ineffective in their effort to clear the screen from in front of their goalie. So, noticing this, what do they then do? Well, I can tell you that they aren’t even bothering to try and lift their opponents’ stick when a shot is coming in like they should be doing . Instead, they chose to abandon their man to try and chase the player with the puck along the boards.
But I’m not blaming these young, offensively-minded, skilled defenders for this. For that is not part of their game. However, it does not negate the fact that the Flyers lack an actual physical presence on the back end. You know, a player with the kind of grit that bullies’ guys like Chris Pronger and Radko Gudas did while playing for the Flyers.
Now, I’m a realist; in no way am I expecting the team to produce a generational talent like Chris Pronger out of thin air. But I do think it is possible to find a junkyard dog like Dustin Byfuglien or a Brooks Orpik. This type of player could not only provide adequate help in all the problem areas listed above, but they would also be able to deliver the kind of jaw-rattling hits that wear down the competition in a seven-game playoff series. Much like Byfuglien and Orpik did for multiple post-season runs for their respected clubs, which saw them both become Stanley Cup Champions.
And, while we are on the topic, Nicolas Deslauriers can not be expected to be the only protector out there, especially when he is only playing five to seven minutes a night. We need a player on the back end with a little backbone who’s not afraid to drop the gloves so that the team’s highest-paid player Sean Couturier (who makes $7.75 million a year), doesn’t feel the need to have to step up and come to the aid of the teams’ young star Matvei Michkov whenever the opposing team takes a cheap shot on him. I mean, I respect Coots for it. But it would be nice not to have to lose him for five minutes at a time when that happens.
To their credit, though, the Flyers thought they were going to get that when they stepped up and gave Buffalo a first and a second-round pick for the 6’4 208-pound defender Rasmus Ristolainen, but since joining the Flyers, this once feared physical presence has become nothing more than a $5.1 million unnoticeable body to throw out there so that other more talented players take a rest.
Once again, I think that this has not gone unnoticed by the team because, throughout the past two drafts, the team’s general manager, Danny Briere, has tried to rectify this issue by drafting the 6’6, 230-pound blueliner Matteo Mann back in the 7th round of the 2023 draft and the 6’4 186-pound Spencer Gill in the second round of the 2024 draft.
But to be honest, if I were an NHL player, neither of these QMJHL defenders would intimidate me. Mann is slow and skates very awkwardly, and if he doesn’t do something about that, he will never reach the ranks of the NHL. And as far as Gill goes, while he is more physical, he chases hits and is so uncomfortable with the puck on his stick that it is concerning. What I mean by that is while Gill is still young, I feel the team reached when selecting him, for in my mind, a second-round pick should not be so uncomfortable handling a puck that he blindly rushes passes to teammates skates while their backs are still turned to him, or giving up puck possession by dumping the puck down the ice causing an icing just because a player from the opposition starts to skate towards him.
Therefore, I think the team needs to utilize a couple of their potential six selections in the first two rounds on prospects that can fill this void sooner rather than later.
Kashawn Aitcheson
The first of which I would suggest be used on the 6’1, 198-pound OHL’s Barrie Colts defender Kashawn Aitcheson, who plays with that snarl that we need while also being able to offer something offensively as well.
Aitcheson is expected to go somewhere in the mid-teens of the first round, and for good reason. Kashawn is an absolute shutdown defender! Commonly being tasked by his coaching staff to cover guys like the OHL’s Porter Martone and Michael Misa (who will both be Top 5 picks this summer), Aitcheson just smiles and says that he loves a challenge. For he knows the only way they are going to get their name on the score sheet that night is if he gets under their skin enough that they act out and take a penalty against him. An antagonist, if you will.
Now, you may be wondering how Kashawn is able to do all this. Well, that’s because while he does play a physical game, excelling at all those things that I stated that the Flyers’ defensive core currently lacks, he also has excellent mobility, which allows him to be able to turn on a dime and skate stride for stride with either the oppositions top players when they are on a fast break towards his goalie, or with his teammates when he has the opportunity to join them on a rush.
If the Flyers drafted Aitcheson, they would be getting an almost instantaneous upgrade to their starting six, for he is a player who not only could make the team’s opening night roster as early as next year but a player who would be able to complement one of their current offensive defensemen while —providing that stay-at-home type of security they need to allow them to do their jobs.
Carter Amico
The second is the 6’5 205 pound American-born right-hand shooting defender Carter Amico. In my opinion, Amico could be a good backup plan for Aitcheson, or better yet, in addition to.
And that’s because Carter is just a solid old-school stay-at-home defenseman who plays the game the right way. Whether he is winning board battles by annihilating his opponent or making the opposition regret their decision to stand in front of the net, Carter does it with style and grit. For he is an absolute punishing presence, who proves to be a menace any time the opposing team comes across his blue line.
Amico is currently being given a second-round grade and can be found playing for the USA’s National Development Team. But he will most likely take a little longer to develop given his size, even though he moves well for a big man, so expect him to honor his previous commitment to play for Boston University, where Carter will hone his craft until he can join the ranks of the NHL.
Folks, Philadelphia needs to channel their Broad Street Bullies mentality and draft these young men because right now, there is no balance to the Flyers’ defensive core to the point they look as though they are just running with four wingers and one center out there. Wide-open hockey with little to no thought in playing actual defense that is leaving our young and inexperienced NHL goalies like Aleksei Kolosov and Ivan Fedotov hung out to dry. And if they don’t, this franchise is going to be in an endless state of rebuilding.
Let’s be honest: the term “Defense Wins Championships” applies in this sport, too. And, honestly, I’m tired of this city blaming the goaltending year in and year out. Too many times, we trade away or get rid of a goaltender for their poor play. But we forget that in order for our goalie to even have had to face a shot from the opposition, five other players on his team had to make a mistake.
So, the Flyers have to decide whether they want to be flashy and continue to employ only offensive-minded defensemen who, when you compare their plus-minus ratings on a nightly basis to a round of golf they, would set course records. Or do they want to win games and thus bring in some defensemen who, gee, I don’t know, “actually play some defense”?
Just a thought: let me know what you think.