The first-round order for the 2025 NHL Draft is set after the New York Rangers agreed to move their pick this year rather than in 2026, according to northjersey.com, part of the USA TODAY Network.
The order bears only a slight resemblance to the final league standings.
The draft lottery significantly changed the look when the New York Islanders won the first drawing and jumped from 10th place to first overall. The Utah Mammoth won the second drawing and rose from 14th to fourth.
The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers filled the 32nd and 31st spots, respectively, as Stanley Cup champion and runner-up, but they had already traded their picks.
The Rangers dealt their pick in the J.T. Miller trade and had the option of moving it this year or next. The 12th-overall pick now belongs to the Pittsburgh Penguins via the Vancouver Canucks.
The Nashville Predators and Philadelphia Flyers lead the way with three first-round picks each while the San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, Columbus Blue Jackets and Penguins have two each. The Penguins and Canadiens will have back-to-back picks.
Erie (Pennsylvania) Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer is expected to go No. 1 overall.
Here is the first-round order of the 2025 NHL Draft (barring additional trades) and how to watch the two-day event:
2025 NHL Draft: First-round order
- New York Islanders (won draft lottery)
- San Jose Sharks
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Utah Mammoth (moved up in second draft lottery)
- Nashville Predators
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Boston Bruins
- Seattle Kraken
- Buffalo Sabres
- Anaheim Ducks
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Pittsburgh Penguins (from New York Rangers via Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks got the pick in the Miller trade then dealt it to the Penguins in the Marcus Pettersson trade)
- Detroit Red Wings
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- Vancouver Canucks
- Montreal Canadiens (from Calgary Flames in the Sean Monahan trade)
- Montreal Canadiens
- Calgary Flames (from New Jersey Devils in the Jacob Markstrom trade)
- St. Louis Blues
- Columbus Blue Jackets (from Minnesota Wild in the David Jiricek trade)
- Ottawa Senators
- Philadelphia Flyers (from Colorado Avalanche in the Sean Walker trade)
- Nashville Predators (from Tampa Bay Lightning in the Tanner Jeannot trade)
- Los Angeles Kings
- Chicago Blackhawks (from Toronto Maple Leafs in the Jake McCabe trade)
- Nashville Predators (from Golden Knights via Sharks. Golden Knights gave up the pick in the Tomas Hertl trade and Sharks dealt it in the Yaroslav Askarov trade)
- Washington Capitals
- Winnipeg Jets
- Carolina Hurricanes
- San Jose Sharks (from Dallas Stars in the Mikael Granlund trade)
- Philadelphia Flyers (from Edmonton Oilers in a swap of first-round picks at the 2024 draft)
- Calgary Flames (from Florida Panthers in the Matthew Tkachuk trade)
2025 NHL Draft: How to watch, stream
NHL draft date, time: The first round is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, June 27. Rounds 2-7 will be on Saturday, June 28, starting at noon ET.
Location: L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Prospects, media and league officials will be there. Team executives will take part remotely from their home cities.
TV: ESPN on June 27, NHL Network on the 28th.
Streaming: Fubo carries ESPN and NHL Network. ESPN+ will stream both days.