Top Picks Predicted for NHL Draft: Desnoyers at 4th Position and McQueen in Top 10
The 2025 NHL Draft is set to take place on Friday night, and all eyes are on the promising young talent that will be entering the league. One player who stands out as the clear favourite for the top pick is Matthew Schaefer.
Brett Crown, a sports writer with a background in Sport Management from Florida State University, has been following the draft closely. Crown combines his knowledge of stats and game theory to find values when sports betting, and he believes Schaefer is the best bet for the top pick.
NHL.com writers Adam Kimelman and Mike Morreale each did a final 2025 mock draft, and both have Schaefer going first overall. Kimelman and Morreale also suggest Roger McQueen as a good bet to be a top 10 pick in the draft. McQueen has -225 odds to be drafted inside the top ten picks of the 2025 NHL Draft, according to sports betting site Bovada.
Schaefer impressed significantly during the NHL Draft Combine interviews, showing maturity, leadership, and versatility on the ice. He played heavy minutes and excelled in all situations, including power-play quarterbacking. He has also deeply impressed NHL teams, having been interviewed by 16 different clubs, which is a high number for a top prospect.
The first four picks in both Kimelman and Morreale's mock drafts are the same: Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, Anton Frondell, and Caleb Desnoyers. Misa has -300 odds to be selected second overall, while Frondell has -240 odds to be selected third overall. Desnoyers has -145 odds to be selected fourth overall.
Kimelman has McQueen going fifth overall to the Nashville Predators, while Morreale has McQueen going tenth to the Anaheim Ducks. However, both mock drafts suggest a high selection for McQueen, making him a strong contender for the top 10 picks.
Bovada offers various betting options on player draft positions, top "x" pick odds, and specific betting options for individual selections. Legal sports betting on the NHL Draft is available at Bovada.
When he's not watching games, Brett Crown enjoys golfing, playing cornhole, and hanging out by the pool. Schaefer, on the other hand, will be focusing on making history as the first pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
[1] Source: NHL.com [3] Source: Future Watch Magazine [5] Source: The Hockey News
- Brett Crown, a sports writer, believes Matthew Schaefer is the best bet for the top pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, combining his knowledge of stats and game theory with sports betting.
- According to sports betting site Bovada, Roger McQueen has -225 odds to be drafted inside the top ten picks of the 2025 NHL Draft, making him a strong contender for the top 10 picks.
- Both NHL.com writers, Adam Kimelman and Mike Morreale, have Schaefer going first overall in their final 2025 mock drafts, and suggest McQueen as a good bet to be a top 10 pick.
- The first four picks in both Kimelman and Morreale's mock drafts are the same: Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, Anton Frondell, and Caleb Desnoyers, with Misa having -300 odds to be selected second overall, Frondell having -240 odds to be selected third overall, and Desnoyers having -145 odds to be selected fourth overall.
