The opening night of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft is officially in the books, with all 32 first-round selections made from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
There were multiple trades between clubs swapping picks with one another, but no current NHL players were dealt on draft night.
While several of the selections early on are being looked at as home runs, other picks are being viewed as reaches that could either pay off handsomely or haunt franchises for years to come.
1. Columbus Blue Jackets Select G Pyotr Andreyanov With 20th Pick
The Blue Jackets raised eyebrows across the hockey world by selecting Russian goaltender Pyotr Andreyanov with the 20th overall pick, making him the first goalie taken in the 2025 draft. Most pre-draft rankings had Andreyanov going in the second or third round, with several other goaltending prospects ranked ahead of him.
Goaltending has been a revolving door for the Blue Jackets over the years. They recently traded Daniil Tarasov to the Florida Panthers after the emergence of Jet Greaves, and Elvis Merzlikins has been inconsistent as the team’s supposed number one. The organization clearly felt the need to address the position, but reaching this far for a goaltender is always risky.
Andreyanov, who played for Dynamo Moscow’s junior team in the MHL, posted a 2.45 GAA and .915 save percentage in 28 games last season. While those numbers are respectable, scouts have questioned his lateral movement and rebound control.
The ceiling for Andreyanov has been projected as a career backup at best, with some scouts comparing his style to that of a poor man’s Semyon Varlamov. Using a first-round NHL Draft selection on a goaltender with these limitations represents a significant gamble for a franchise that desperately needs to start making the playoffs again.
2. Chicago Blackhawks Select F Mason West With 29th Pick
The Blackhawks made one of the night’s most polarizing selections when they traded up to grab Mason West, a 17-year-old high school senior from Edina, Minnesota. West won’t turn 18 until August, making him one of the youngest players in the entire draft class.
What makes this pick particularly risky is West’s limited high-level hockey experience. He split time between Edina High School, where he dominated against lesser competition, and the Fargo Force of the USHL, where he showed flashes but struggled with consistency. In 15 USHL games, he managed just four goals and three assists – numbers that don’t typically warrant first-round consideration.
At 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, West possesses the size NHL teams covet, and his athleticism is undeniable – he was a three-star quarterback recruit with Division I football offers from Miami, Marshall, and Kent State before choosing hockey. He’s committed to Michigan State, where he’ll need significant development time.
The Blackhawks are clearly betting on his raw tools and hoping their development staff can mold him into an NHL player, but selecting a player who has yet to play a single shift at the college level with a first-round pick is always going to raise questions.
3. Philadelphia Flyers Select F Jack Nesbitt With The 12th Pick
The Flyers made an aggressive move to trade up, sending the 22nd and 31st overall picks to the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 12th selection, which they used on Windsor Spitfires center Jack Nesbitt. While Nesbitt had a productive season with 72 points in 67 OHL games, the price Philadelphia paid to move up has many scratching their heads.
Most pre-draft rankings had Nesbitt going somewhere between 18-25, making this a reach even before considering what the Flyers gave up. Scouts praise Nesbitt’s hockey IQ and two-way play, but there are concerns about his skating and whether his offensive production will translate to the NHL level. At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, he doesn’t possess elite size or speed.
The real issue is the opportunity cost. The Flyers, who already held the sixth overall pick, gave up two first-round selections to move up 10 spots for a player most projections have as a future bottom-six forward. In a deep draft where teams like Nashville and Pittsburgh were accumulating picks, Philadelphia went the opposite direction.
Trading multiple first-rounders for anything less than a projected top-line player is always questionable, and Nesbitt’s ceiling appears to be that of a responsible two-way center who might top out as a second-line player if everything breaks right.
4. Nashville Predators Select F Ryker Lee With 26th Pick
The Predators, who missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in a decade, used one of their three first-round picks on Ryker Lee from the Victoria Royals, a selection that goes against the type of player Nashville has traditionally targeted.
Lee, who stands 6-foot and weighs just 170 pounds, put up 61 points in 64 WHL games last season. While his offensive numbers are respectable, scouts have consistently flagged his skating as below-average for a player his size. In a league that’s getting faster every year, drafting a forward with skating concerns in the first round is always risky.
What makes this pick more puzzling is that it doesn’t address Nashville’s immediate needs. The Predators have multiple regrettable contracts on the books – including those of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault – and need players who can contribute sooner rather than later.
Lee’s slight frame and skating deficiencies suggest he’s years away from being NHL-ready, and his playing style doesn’t fit the physical, forechecking identity the Predators have cultivated over the years. With players like Ben Hemmerling and Lynden Lakovic still on the board, both of whom project as more complete players, this selection feels like a reach for a team that can’t afford many more misses.
5. Buffalo Sabres Select D Radim Mrtka With 9th Pick
The Sabres, picking in the top 10 for the fourth consecutive year, selected Czech defenseman Radim Mrtka ninth overall, a pick that could either accelerate their rebuild or extend their league-worst 14-year playoff drought.
Mrtka, who played for Brampton in the OHL, is undeniably talented offensively. The 6-foot-4 defenseman put up 66 points in 64 games and possesses a booming shot from the point. However, his defensive game remains a significant work in progress. Multiple scouting reports note that he requires sheltered minutes and favorable matchups to succeed, often looking lost in his own zone against top competition.
The concerning part isn’t necessarily Mrtka’s potential – he has legitimate top-four upside if he develops properly. The issue is that he’s walking into arguably the NHL’s most dysfunctional situation.
The Sabres have repeatedly rushed young players into prominent roles before they’re ready, stunting their development. With Rasmus Dahlin already manning the left side of the power play and Owen Power still finding his way, Mrtka might be forced into situations he’s not ready for.
Buffalo passed on players like Jake O’Brien and Porter Martone, both of whom project as more complete players who could have helped sooner. Don’t be surprised if the Sabres’ desperation to end their playoff drought leads them to ask too much from Mrtka too soon, potentially derailing what could otherwise be a promising career.
