Could we see any big surprises at the 2025 NHL Draft?

We are just one week away from the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, and the event always has a few surprises up its sleeves. Whether it’s a team making a surprise pick high up in the draft, or even trading one of those high picks, when it happens, it’s always entertaining.

Steven Ellis joined Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk to talk about the what surprise picks or trades could be in store at the draft on Daily Faceoff Live.

Steven Ellis: I think it’s going to be Brady Martin. I’ve been really pushing Brady Martin for a long time, and it’s a name that’s creeped into the topic of pick four with the Utah Mammoth. I don’t think he’s going to be there past pick seven.

When you look at what Brady Martin brings to the game, you look at the Sam Bennetts, you look at the Matthew Tkachuks, the Brad Marchands. They’re so difficult to play against. And Martin has never been this high-end offensive producer in the OHL, but I don’t know if Connor McDavid would have gotten a lot of points on the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in a lot of the situations this year.

So what Martin was able to do this year with 72 points, very impressive. He battles so hard. We saw him playing with some quality players at the Under-18 World Championship, and he nearly won the MVP title for that. He got some MVP love at the Hlinka Gretzky when he only had four points, but that was because he does so much away from the puck.

When you look at what made Beckett Sennecke so good last year, it’s not the same. Martin’s not this towering presence, but in terms of that work ethic, and that ability to win shifts, Brady Martin reminds me of him a little bit.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Give me the percentage chance of a trade involving a top-five pick in this year’s draft. Do you think one of those top five teams move?

Steven Ellis: Zero, and that’s not based off of any real information. Historically it just does not happen. Utah and the New York Islanders are maybe two teams that you can argue would have a reason to do so. With the Islanders, it’s found money, maybe you try to capitalize on it in other ways. With Utah, you’ve got a really good pipeline, maybe you’re trying to get someone to get you some immediate help. But historically, we just don’t see it.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Frank, do you think there’s a shot at any one of those top-five picks moving?

Frank Seravalli: Yes, I think that there’s a very real chance. It might not even wait till Thursday though. I think there’s a real chance that one or more of the top-five picks moves.

You can watch the full episode here…