The NHL Scouting Combine is over, yet there is still no consensus on how the top 10 of the 2025 NHL Draft should go. However, based on what has been reported, it is fair to assume that certain teams may be headed down a specific path.
Are the New York Islanders going to trade down from one? Will the Chicago Blackhawks move their pick up or down? What are the San Jose Sharks doing? All of these questions will be answered on June 27th, 2025.
The Blackhawks are almost certainly drafting a forward. The only defenseman going in the top six is Matthew Schaefer, who likely won’t even be there when Chicago comes up to pick. The assumption is that Michael Misa will also be unavailable at that time.
That leaves four forwards for Chicago to realistically consider unless something unexpected happens in the top two. Most could play center, but some may be better wingers in the long term. The Blackhawks need both.
This is how they stack up against each other after the combine:
1. James Hagens
At the start of the 2024-25 season, it felt like James Hagens was a lock to be the number one overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Now, unless someone stuns, he likely won’t go higher than third and could even slip to the lower half of the bottom ten.
Hagens dominated with the USNTDP before this year. At Boston College, he had a good year, but more was expected from him. He wasn't Macklin Celebrini who won the Hobey Baker as a freshman a year prior, so he started to slip.
The problem is that college hockey is becoming a harder league than the CHL. If Hagens wanted to have 150 points playing there, he could have. That also would have likely locked him into being the first overall pick. Instead, he took Will Smith’s spot at BC and played well between Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault on the top line.
Hagens was also a top player on Team USA’s World Juniors team that went on to win the Gold Medal. No matter what, he's been noticeable.
This is a smaller player, which doesn’t help his case to be selected higher. However, there are plenty of young, smaller offensive stars in the league like Jack Hughes, Cole Caufield, and Logan Cooley. Although the Blackhawks already have some smaller forwards like Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, passing on Hagens may fill them (and a lot of other teams) with regret one day.
2. Porter Martone
If Kyle Davidson sees a lot of these guys having the same ceiling, then the tie breaker could work in Porter Martone’s favor if the way he plays is something Chicago’s brass likes.
Martone is a big, physical power forward who will create time and space for himself and others in the NHL. Specifically, it is easy to picture Martone on a line with Connor Bedard, a smaller center.
Connor Bedard needs to shoot the puck more, and a player like Martone will help give him more room to do that. He can also score himself, which also makes him a good match for Bedard, who is an underrated playmaker.
Matthew Tkachuk is a comparison at the highest level for Martone. If he became that type of bruiser who could also have 80+ points consistently, that would be just what the Hawks need.
If Davidson is confident in his stance that Bedard and Nazar are true centers, Martone could be a home run draft pick.
3. Caleb Desnoyers
Caleb Desnoyers is the truest center in the 2025 NHL Draft. Think of guys like Sasha Barkov, Nico Hischier, or Anthony Cirelli. To predict that he will be as good as those guys is unfair, but he plays the same two-way style of game as they do.
Chicago is lacking centers like that in the organization. Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar will make their money in the offensive zone, so having a guy like Desnoyers around would go a long way, assuming he reaches his potential in the NHL.
His offensive ceiling might not be as high as a guy like Hagens or Martone, but his play in all three zones makes him worth considering with this draft pick.
4. Anton Frondell
Anton Frondell is similar to Caleb Desnoyers. He plays a strong two-way game that may allow him to become a good second-line center in the NHL. You know that you’re going to get an honest effort from him on every shift.
Frondell has a notable one-time shot and can shoot the puck with a little extra juice. Being Swedish gets him compared to other European stars from around the NHL, largely due to his production overseas this last season.
Like every other player in this class, there is a bit of risk associated with taking Frondell. However, he has the skills (and proven production in big-time leagues) to become a star in the National Hockey League. At minimum, he should be able to carve out a role on a good team.
These guys could go in any order, and one of them could even be selected in the top two. Anything is possible, but this is the way they should be ranked going in based on what we know following the scouting combine.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
