Kashawn Aitcheson was pure value at No, 17. His love of open ice hitting is going to make him a fan favorite from the second he joins the organization, and he’s a brilliant complement to Schaefer, who plays a more positional, control style game. There’s a very real chance Schaefer and Aitcheson can be a top line pairing for the next decade.

Welcome to my complete review of the 2025 NHL Draft classes of all 32 teams, including thoughts on almost all of the 224 prospects selected. This annual year-end analysis follows a season of travel and countless viewings and conversations with coaches,

Acquired as part of the Noah Dobson deal with the Canadiens, the Islanders selected Eklund, the 18-year-old Swede, with the No. 16 overall pick. Eklund is ranked as the second-best international prospect by NHL.