Top five late-round steals from the 2025 NHL Draft so far
Over the past year, we’ve looked at the best late-round picks from the 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 NHL Drafts.
Today, it’s time to check in on some steals from the 2025 NHL Draft. The sample size isn’t huge, given that the draft was half a year ago. But we’ve seen some special performances early on from players punching above their weight.
For this exercise, we’re only looking at players taken after the 100th overall pick. Some of them are having offensive explosions, while others are finding ways to stick out in other aspects of the game. We even saw a few of these guys play decent roles for their respective countries at the recent World Juniors.
Time will tell as to whether these five players are true steals. They all still have a long way to go before reaching the NHL. But when you’re hot, you’re hot – and scouts have taken notice of these young men:
Ethan Wyttenbach, LW (Calgary Flames)
Drafted 144th overall, fifth round
Wyttenbach had a solid 51-point season last year in the USHL – but it’s not out of the equation that he’ll beat that in fewer college games this year. Wyttenbach has been one of the NCAA’s most dangerous wingers, putting up over 30 points so far with Quinnipiac. Some players just excel when they get to college more than anyone could have expected. In Wyttenbach’s case, he’s going to absolutely earn some Hobey Baker consideration.
The biggest knock against Wyttenbach last year was his below-average skating, and it still needs improvement. But he never stops moving, always chasing after guys, even if he doesn’t have the pure footspeed. Beyond that, he creates his offense thanks to a deceptive release and his consistent ability to get into high-danger scoring areas like it’s nothing. Wyttenbach is a highly skilled forward who can adapt to any role thrown at him. As long as he continues to get quicker, he has a legit path forward to a middle-six role in the NHL, even as an undersized forward.
L.J. Mooney, RW (Montreal Canadiens)
Drafted 113th overall, fourth round
Producing in college as a small player is one thing – the NHL is a completely different animal. But if any team can get the most out of their more petite forwards, it’s the Canadiens. Mooney has been one of the University of Minnesota’s top forwards this year, and he used that to parlay himself into USA’s top six for the World Juniors. He didn’t score, but I thought he looked good on the power play. That has always been a huge strength of Mooney’s, but he has also played some solid 5-on-5 hockey with Minnesota, where his speed and hockey sense have really shone through.
Mooney has always been one of the most skilled 2007-born forwards. He was dominant with the Pittsburgh Penguins elite team and highly productive in his two years with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. His puck-handling dynamism, as well as his energetic nature, have contributed to his success. Mooney is as fearless as they come – but unless he magically bulks up, it’ll still be a long road forward for the 5-foot-8 forward, whether it’s fair or not.
Ryan Miller, C (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Drafted 130th overall, fifth round
I was really high on Miller last year, and I still am. The Portland Winterhawks captain put up just 31 points in 50 regular season games last year but impressed with 13 points in 16 postseason outings. Now, he’s averaging more than a point per game with the Winterhawks while also being one of the toughest forwards on the ice every shift. Seriously, his energy and fearlessness make him a difficult son-of-a-you-know-what to contain, especially around the net.
Miller feels like a true late bloomer. It took a while for the offense to catch up, but he’s a consistent game-breaker in the WHL. I doubt he’ll have the offensive acumen to be a difference-maker in the NHL, but I think his ability to retrieve pucks and win most of his battles will make him a solid bottom-six option. It’ll just take a few years.
Love Härenstam, G (St. Louis Blues)
Drafted 179th overall, sixth round
Härenstam struggled internationally last year, particularly at the U-18 level. It seemed he never looked as comfortable as he needed to when the pressure rose, and he was fine in the Swedish U-20 league. But he has been a revelation this year with Södertälje SK in the second-tier Swedish league. Härenstam had three shutouts in his first eight victories and has hovered around a .920 save percentage throughout the whole season.
Härenstam isn’t always facing top-end competition, but he has occasionally stolen games for his club. And that’s been true internationally, as well. Härenstam played his best international hockey when it mattered earlier this month, leading Sweden to gold at the World Juniors while taking home top goaltender honors in the process. Härenstam was once a highly touted goalie – he was once seen as the top netminder for the 2025 draft – but the results simply didn’t follow. His athleticism has always been a big talking point, but his positioning is much more grounded and sound this year. Härenstam looks like a goaltender with a legit NHL future right now.
Benjamin Rautiainen, LW (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Drafted 108th overall, fourth round
From getting passed over twice to dominating the Liiga’s scoring race, Rautiainen has absolutely made a name for himself. The six-foot winger was one of Finland’s better players at the World Juniors last year, and he had a breakthrough 33-point rookie campaign with Tappara. It took him just 36 games to break past the 50-point barrier this year, and he has at least one point in every game since Nov. 28.
Currently on pace for 83 points, Rautiainen is looking to become the second Liiga player (of any age) to surpass the 80-point mark in the 21st Century. For context, Saku Koivu’s 74-point campaign is by far the gold standard by a U-21 player in one of the top pro leagues in Europe. Rautiainen’s Liiga contract goes until the spring of 2027, and it’s safe to say the Lightning will want Rautiainen to work on his skating and defensive play to boost his odds of making the NHL. Those two elements of his game are still well below average, but if he can improve both even just a little bit, Rautiainen could potentially find himself in a middle-six scoring role one day.
Other notables: Brendan McMorrow, RW (Los Angeles Kings, 196th overall); Max Westergard, RW (Philadelphia Flyers, 132nd overall); Harry Nansi, LW (Toronto Maple Leafs, 153rd overall); Ludvig Johnson, LHD (Utah Mammoth, 174th overall)
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