2025 NHL Draft: Top 10 biggest risers

Jun 4, 2025, 10:00 EDT

Credit: Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff

The NHL Draft season is a long one.

It essentially starts at the World Junior Summer Showcase in late July for some players and ends with the Draft Combine in Buffalo. A lot can change during that time, for better and for worse.

What makes a draft riser? Most of it is subjective. A player moving themselves into the top 64 conversation will get more love than someone who went from a projected seventh-rounder to, say, a late third. Players who had great second halves or showed some serious translatable skills are also included.

Today, we’re going to look at 10 players who improved their draft stock the most this year, organized alphabetically by last name:

Mikkel Eriksen, C (Farjestad, Sweden U-20)

I’ve absolutely loved Eriksen the past two years and it’s good to see he’s more than just a skilled player on a smaller national team program. With Norway, Eriksen was one of the few forwards capable of generating quality scoring chances over the past two years, and he thinks the game at a high level. He isn’t that big, but he makes up for it with quick footwork and an accurate release. I think his U-18 World Championship performance should help boost his stock, but I like that he thrived in the Swedish U-20 league, too. I want to see him play against tougher competition next year, but there’s still a lot to like here.

Rémi Gélinas, C (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, QMJHL)

Gélinas was passed over twice and will be one of the oldest players in the draft at 20 years old. But after dominating the CCHL early in the year, he moved to the Huskies and put on a goal-scoring clinic. Gélinas was under the radar after playing the past few years in Jr. A (he’s Clarkson University-bound). The move to the QMJHL seemed to really open up some eyes. He moves well and likes to exploit open space, and he has added some muscle over the past two years, too. Gélinas is a late-round pick at best, but he wasn’t on anyone’s radar at the halfway point of the season. Now, a team might look to capitalize on his goal-scoring exploits.

Brandon Gorzynski, C (Calgary Hitmen, WHL)

Gorzynski moved up 31 spots on the final NHL Central Scouting list, and for good reason. The 6-foot-2 center is a great supporting forward who makes everyone around him better because he lets them focus on getting into scoring lanes. Gorzynski will never be a playdriver, but he works hard to win puck battles and is willing to compete in congested areas of the ice. He’s always moving and trying to chase down pucks. Gorzynski has the shot to be a solid producer at the junior level, but he also has the pure workman-like effort that teams absolutely crave.

Lev Katzin, LW (Guelph Storm, OHL)

Katzin had a fantastic showing at the U-18s to close out the season, highlighting how dangerous he can be with the puck. He was consistently one of Canada’s best players, especially on the power play. He’s been setting players up at speed and he’s got a decent shot as well. Katzin didn’t blow the doors off the OHL this year, but he was still one of Guelph’s best forwards. The biggest thing against him is his smaller frame – at 5-foot-8, he lacks muscle, but teams appreciate his brain. Katzin went from someone who felt like a longshot to get taken based off his size. Now, it feels like more people appreciate how good of a playmaker he is. We’ll see how much he can bulk up at Penn State.

Aidan Lane, RW (Brampton Steelheads, OHL)

It was a busy season for Lane, who spent time in prep hockey and the USHL before finishing the season with the OHL’s Brampton Steelheads. Lane is a highly skilled forward who put up great numbers at every level, but wasn’t getting a ton of high-end attention in the PHC with St. Andrew’s despite putting up incredible numbers. Once the NCAA allowed CHLers to commit, the future Harvard University forward jumped to the Steelheads and finished the regular season with 13 points in 13 games. That definitely helped Lane’s draft stock, showing what he could do with his bulky frame and quick hands. The biggest knock against Lane right now is his weak skating – he’s not quick and gets up to speed way too slowly. If he can fix that, there’s a chance Lane could become a middle-six winger.

Liam Pettersson, LHD (Vaxjo, Sweden U-20)

Pettersson received some love late in the season for his play in the Swedish U-20 league. He put up some good numbers during the regular season and then proceeded to blow out the doors with Vaxjo’s U-18 team in the playoffs. The physical, puck-moving defender loves to rush the puck up and act as a fourth forward at times. He’s great on both the power play and the penalty kill, which is always a plus at this point in a player’s development. Pettersson could afford to add more speed to his game, but he absolutely deserves to get drafted and potentially become another value pick out of Sweden. If all else fails, you have to imagine the Vancouver Canucks will be all-in on him.

Michal Pradel, G (Tri-City Storm, USHL)

Pradel went from playing against men in the second Slovak league this year to getting named to the USHL’s second all-rookie team. From there, Pradel was one of the top goaltenders at the U-18s, which included some fantastic performances against teams like the United States, Canada and Finland. The 6-foot-5 goaltender takes up a ton of the net, and he’s also so quick and agile, too. He was applauded for his ability to steal games in the USHL and he carried that over to this tournament, too. Pradel battles hard, sees cross-crease passes well and doesn’t let a bad goal bother him. Pradel will be one of the first goaltenders taken this summer because his mix of size and mobility makes him a great player to have in the system. Don’t be surprised if he’s a second-round pick.

Philippe Veilleux, LW (Val-D’Or Foreurs, QMJHL)

Initially, Veilleux was overlooked due to his small 5-foot-9 frame. Now, some scouts think Veilleux is a second-round talent. He’s such a smart forward who rarely loses a 1-on-1 battle on a rush. He’s great in transition and can drive the play in high-danger situations. With the puck, few players in the QMJHL can do what he does. But his weak defensive game and his lack of physicality will knock him down a few pegs. Not every player needs to be great at everything, but smaller players always need to work a bit harder. Fortunately for Veilleux, he seems to have the raw skill to stand out in a big way.

Mason West, C (Edina, MNHS)

There’s always one player who rises boards from the high school scene, and that’s West this year. He’s a 6-foot-6 center who loves to overpower defenders and beat opponents with skill. He spent most of the year playing high school hockey but then finished the season with some excellent performances with the USHL’s Fargo Force. Every time I watch him, he seems quicker and more responsive with the puck. The upside is tremendous, and he doesn’t struggle with traits that some other big forwards can, including slower hands and feet. A team looking to swing big could take West much higher in the second round.

Alexander Zharovsky, RW (Ufa, MHL)

Zharovsky went from not even being ranked by NHL Central Scouting at the halfway point of the season to potentially becoming an early second-round pick. He put up excellent numbers in the MHL while being so dangerous on the rush. He definitely needs to add more muscle, but if he can even add 15 pounds, he’d be significantly tougher to steal the puck off. He’s crafty, smart and dangerous in open space – he’s easily one of the top players to watch in Russia.

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