Christenshilton Jun 10, 2025, 07:00 at
Closekristen Shilton is ESPN’s national NHL reporter.
Expect something unexpected.
That was a modest look at the upcoming draft of this year’s NHL Scouting Combine. A 90 future NHLERS group passed the pace in interviews, dinner and fitness tests, but the scouts and executives marveled at what could be an unpredictable first round when they would make their choices on June 27th and 28th.
“There could be 16 or 18 players who were seen in the top 10,” one scout said. “It’s one of those classes. Deep. People with great characters. Many of these players have unique skill sets. There are tough decisions for the team.”
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Another executive noted that there was a “rich embarrassment” in the forward position of a club with a high selection. So, Ellie Otters defender Matthew Schaefer might seem like the overall choice of New York Islanders’ consensus No. 1, but what will happen from there?
conspiracy!
“Internal conversations have intensified,” the executive joked.
One name that has appeared quite well as a potential wildcard? Carter Bear.
Everett Silvertips Forward did not attend a Combine fitness test after suffering an Achilles tendon injury in March, but expects NHL training camp to be fully healthy when it begins in the fall. Bear was seventh in WHL scoring with 40 goals and 82 points in 65 games last season, ranking 10th on the NHL Central Scouting’s North American skaters’ final list and 13th overall on ESPN analyst Rachel Driley’s latest bigboard.
But if there’s a jumper, the bear might be a man. Despite failing to go through the entire combine process, his work on ice so far has clearly attracted serious attention from multiple clubs.
We have seen the team become creative in recent years – Juraj Slavkovsky is heading first to Montreal in 2022 – and there may be another surprising first round waiting for us all in June. Until then, there will be news and notes from Combine Week.
Eklund, the best (competitive) friends of Frontell
Victor Eklund is not denied.
He was planning to play for the line with his teammate Anton Flandre. And their coach, Robert Kinby, if they can’t get a momentary peace until it happens, at Dajru Gardens.
“I think I told him like ten times,” Eklund said. “He was like, ‘Yeah, yeah.’ But in the end we reached [play together]. ”
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2 Related
The integrity of the two top prospects in the upcoming NHL draft has actually been made for years. Ekland, who scored 19 goals and 31 points in 42 matches last season, and Flander, who scored 11 goals and 25 points in 29 games, began playing against each other as native Swedish kids.
“I remember playing him when we were 10, and he actually moved on top of me,” recalls Eklund. “Like, [he put] A pack between my legs, and I can’t forget it. He says he doesn’t remember it, but I know. But we’ve been playing against each other, and when we both started playing, we really got to know each other. [our team]. ”
Frondel confessed that he remembers actually remembering Ekland (“It was really good,” he laughed).
“Victor is easy to play with. I don’t think I played with someone who has that much energy,” Flander said. “Even when we play against men, he wins every fight. Victor wins every fight in the pack. It’s easy to find him in the open spot. Most of the time, I get the pack on tape.
Ecklund was enthusiastic by praise Flander to explain why he was constantly smitten with the coach about being the final pair in January.
“Anton, he’s a tank on the ice,” Eklund said. “He has missile-like shots. He’s a really great, great player. I think from the start, if we get the opportunity, we’ll take it, we’ll be the best and we’ve done pretty good.
And yeah, the coach is probably tired of me, so they [had to] Finally we’ve put together. ”
Michael Miss is on
Michael Misa learned the difficult way that perseverance is a virtue.
Saginaw Spirit Forward is expected to become the OHL center. However, when he entered the league two years ago, the mind was deep and deep in the middle, so Massa was instead stabbed into the wings. He excels there, and that helped him build the foundation for where he is now – it could be a top two selection in the draft.
But Misa really packed her own time and showed itself until she returned to the central spot.
It was eventually the Mass draft year, leading the OHL in scoring with 62 goals and 134 points in 65 games.
It’s enough to say, Mass is not keen to change positions again soon.
“I grew up in minor hockey and I was always mainly center,” Misa said. “My first two years [in the OHL]we had many good centres much older. So I had to make that jump into the wing. But going back to this year, what I was trying to do in the draft year goes back to the center and ultimately feels confident in the middle. It’s mainly where my roots are. ”
Saginaw’s Michael Misa is confident that he will be able to support the NHL teams soon after the 2025-26 season. Michael Miller/ISI Photos/Getty Images
Being able to dominate at the centre spot gave Mass a boost to enter the draft. There, he is predicted to be one of the first players to leave the board. And anyone who chooses Mass has a skater ready to wear a suit right away in the NHL.
“I feel like I’m ready to do that jump next year,” Misa said. “Making the NHL next year is ultimately my goal. Getting the center experience this year definitely helped my game. And I’m also about to be defensive to a 200-foot player that’s so reliable.
Misa said being at the center would allow him to be more “involved” in the play. “It’s not only offensive, it’s defensive and reliable,” he said.
Will Horcoff sets up Scouting Combine Record
When the NHL team asked Michigan forward Hokoff which animals would leave the ice, he answered the silverback gorilla.
Based on his horizontal jump at the combine, Hokov may be better associated with the Impala. Because, like Antelope, Hokov can clear incredible distances with a single boundary. His 124.75 inch mark sets up a new combine record.
“I knew I had the opportunity to do that,” said Hokov, whose previous best jump was 122 inches. “It was just whether I did it or not. And I did. I’m happy about it.”
William Hokoff set up a new combine record with horizontal jumps. Joe Hrycych/Nhli via Getty Images
Hokov – former son of Nullershawn Hokov – focused on his horizontal movements, but wanted to look good in the vertical category as well. But his strategy had to be changed.
“It was a little strange. I jumped higher with my hips in my hand than I had my arms,” Hokov said. “In the U-18 Worlds, we jumped 4½ inches higher than here. We don’t know what happened there.”
The 6-foot-4, 181-pound center added, “I’m a competitive guy,” so the contradictions in his numbers were baffling. Still, Hokov was generally pleased with how his work paid off in front of the 31 NHL scouts and executives he met throughout Combine Week.
“I think I can be a skilled strength in the NHL,” Hokov said. “I want to play the way I want [Ottawa Senators forward] Brady Tokachuk. that [mean streak] It’s something I added this season and I think I’ll continue to do it consistently from next season. ”
Oh, why do gorillas choose?
“He’s the leader,” Hokov said. “And he’ll protect his family.”
Players were forced to confront their mistakes
The purpose of a combine is to advance your best feet.
However, it does not rule out some missteps from the past reappearing.
That was true in certain team interviews, with executives asking prospects to defeat footage of themselves from the season. And the video wasn’t exactly positive.
“Pittsburgh did that,” the Moose Joe Warriors moved forward with Linden Rakovic. “They didn’t show my highlights. They probably showed my low light, but asked me to disassemble it. It was good. I thought I handled it well. They weren’t my biggest clip, but I know it, and I thought I broke it pretty well.”
Outlook like Moose Jaw’s Lynden Lakovic showed some so-great game tapes and asked to break it down for the executives of the NHL team. Michael Miller/ISI Photos/Getty Images
Carlos Handel was equally caught off guard by watching his poor play return to the front and center during the convention and greeting.
“Carolina did that,” the Halifax Mooseheads defender said. “They showed me some bad clips and wanted, for example, how I would react. [to it]but they wanted to know how my coach wanted to attack there and how I wanted my opinion on it. [play] It was. “
Without anything else, these interviews kept their outlook on toes throughout the week.
“Most [talks] Lakovic said. “But there were a few things that were a little more intimidating.”
Can Nashville do it all?
The Nashville Predators didn’t expect to become a lottery team. But the best planning plans sometimes go crazy.
Nashville ultimately finished season 30-44-8, but the lottery was only one of three choices in the fifth round, delivering the fifth overall pick. And there is a talent to choose, which could potentially help predators.
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Boston College’s James Hagens, Flandre, or Brantford’s Jake O’Brien is present in the fifth slot and can bolster Nashville in the middle, each of which could delay the NHL lineup. Brampton’s winger Porter Merton is also a perfect fit for Nashville.
The Predators signed Stephen Stankos in free agency last summer, and he will be a great coach for young players who are similarly entering the league.
Speaking of Stancos, the predators didn’t put him on board to rebuild. They’ll want to go back to the playoff mix next season. The way to finally use the 23rd overall pick (taken from the Tampa Bay Lightning) and the 26th pick (from the Vegas Golden Knight) will tell you a lot about what’s coming from the Predators this season.
