NHL draft that took far too long has mercifully finished. Suffice to say, any of the 26 teams who voted for decentralization, you get a Z for that. Not an F, a Z. Let's never do that again. Back to centralization,

With the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, the Islanders selected Erie Otters (OHL) defenseman Matthew Schaefer to help stabilize their back end for years to come. Schaefer registered seven goals and 15 assists to go along with a +21 rating in just 17 games this past season after dealing with a collarbone injury.

The Penguins made three first-round picks for the first time since 1984 and made 13 picks in total at the 2025 NHL Draft.