NEW YORK/TORONTO (April 15, 2025) – Matthew Schaefer (Hamilton, Ont.), a defenseman for the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League, ranks No. 1 among North American skaters, edging Saginaw Spirit center Michael Misa and Boston College freshman James Hagens for top spot as NHL Central Scouting released its final NHL Draft rankings presented by BODYARMOR Sports Drink. Anton Frondell (Stockholm, Sweden), a forward for Djurgarden in Sweden’s second division, tops the list of international skaters ahead of the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft set for June 27-28 in the city of Los Angeles at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater.

Schaefer produced 7-15—22 in 17 GP with Erie of the OHL this season and added 1-1—2 in two games for Canada at the 2025 World Junior Championship where he sustained an injury that kept him out for the remainder of the regular season. Schaefer’s 1.29 point-per-game rate ranked third among OHL defensemen in 2024-25 (min. 15 GP) and best among draft-eligible blueliners. Schaefer could become the second Erie player to be selected with the first-overall pick after Connor McDavid (2015) a decade earlier – McDavid is also the last OHL player to be taken with the first pick. Over the last quarter century (since 2000), four defensemen have been selected with the first overall pick in the NHL Draft: Owen Power (2021), Rasmus Dahlin (2018), Aaron Ekblad (2014) and Erik Johnson (2006).

“Matthew Schaefer is the No. 1 defense prospect in this Draft Class,” says Vice President of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr. “He is the complete package playing a dynamic style that generates results and influences the outcome of games. Schaefer easily projects as a future All-Star in the NHL.”

Misa (Oakville, Ont.) won the OHL scoring race by a 10-point margin (62-72—134 in 65 GP) and recorded the league’s highest single-season point total since John Tavares and Patrick Kane in 2006-07. Misa was granted “exceptional player” status to enter the OHL early, helped Saginaw win the Memorial Cup in 2023-24 and served as the Spirit’s captain in 2024-25. His brother, Luke Misa, was a fifth-round pick by the Flames in the 2024 NHL Draft (150th overall).

Hagens (Hauppauge, N.Y.) ranked fourth among NCAA Division 1 freshmen in points with 11-26—37 in 37 GP with Boston College, playing on a team stacked with players already selected in the NHL Draft including Gabriel Perreault (No. 23 in 2023 by NYR) and Ryan Leonard (No. 8 in 2023 by WSH). The trio also teamed up on a line to help Team USA win gold at the 2025 World Junior Championship, with Hagens producing 5-4—9 in 7 GP including a goal in the gold medal game. Noah Hanifin (No. 5 in 2015) is the only player who has been a top-five NHL Draft pick selected out of Boston College.

Rounding out the top five North American skaters are No. 4-ranked Jake O’Brien (Whitby, Ont.), a forward with Brantford who finished tied for seventh in OHL scoring with 32-66—98 in 66 GP and No. 5-ranked Radim Mrtka (Havlickuv Brod, Czechia), a 6’5” defenseman who patrols the blueline for Seattle of the Western Hockey League.

A pair of forwards from Stockholm skating for Djurgarden in Sweden’s second division top the list of international skaters, led by 17-year-old Anton Frondell followed by 18-year-old Victor Eklund. Frondell produced at a near point-per-game pace (11-14—25 in 29 GP) finishing with the second-most points ever recorded by a player age 17 or younger in Sweden’s second division behind William Nylander in 2013-14. Eklund, the brother of Sharks forward William Eklund (No. 7 in 2021), finished with 19-12—31 in 42 GP marking the most points in that league by a player age 18 or younger since Elias Pettersson in 2016-17.

The remaining top five on the international skaters list include: No. 3-ranked Milton Gastrin (Ornskoldsvik, Sweden), a forward for Modo’s junior team; No. 4-ranked Vojtech Cihar (Chomutov, Czechia), a forward skating for Karlovy Vary in Czechia’s top men’s league who helped his country earn bronze at the 2025 World Junior Championship; and No. 5-ranked Alexander Zharovsky (Klin, Russia), who finished tied for the 10th-most points in Russia’s junior league with 24-26—50 in 45 GP.

Joshua Ravensbergen (North Vancouver, B.C.) of Prince George (WHL) is the No. 1-ranked North American goaltender and Pyotr Andreyanov (Volsk, Russia) of CSKA Jr. (RUSSIA-JR.) tops the list of international goaltenders.

The final rankings feature the top 224 skaters and 32 goaltenders in North America as well as the top 140 skaters and 15 goaltenders internationally.

Celebrating its 50th year of operation, NHL Central Scouting provides evaluation and scouting of draft-eligible players to NHL member clubs. Headed by Vice President of Central Scouting Dan Marr, NHL Central Scouting employs eight full-time scouts throughout North America. To report on prospects playing internationally, the NHL employs the services of J-P Vuorinen and his staff at European Scouting Services based in Finland.

For NHL Draft history visit https://records.nhl.com/draft.