Preseason Top 30 for the 2025 NHL Draft

It's the end of August and that means a new OHL season is right around the corner. It also means that it's time for me to release my first draft ranking for 2025. To assess these players we've seen them in the OHL (mostly) and for some we've seen them at the U17's and at the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup. Of course, a ton is going to change between now and the actual 2025 draft. A lot will likely change before I make my first in season list in October/November. Here was last year's preseason list, as an example.I'm really excited about this group. Early on, it looks like a really strong crop. Lots of quality late birthday 2006 players. The 2007 born players looked great at the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup. Looks like we'll have a couple high end Imports. If I was a betting man, I'd say that the OHL could easily have double digit players in consideration for the first round by season's end.If you want a piece that goes into a little more depth, with some video, I did a preseason look at the region for McKeen's Hockey (found here).Here's the list:1. Porter Martone - Wing - Brampton SteelheadsThe 2023/24 season was a very solid one for Martone. He was terrific for Canada internationally, captaining them to U18 gold in April. He took a nice step forward in the OHL with the Steelheads. As such, he's now pretty universally viewed as a top three selection heading into the year. He's the type of player NHL teams have to be drooling over. He models his game after the Tkachuk brothers and it's easy to see why. Given Martone's well rounded skill set and physical intensity, he projects as the kind of guy who could excel in the NHL playoffs; his game is perfectly tailored to success there. I really liked the improvements made to Martone's skating last year. I felt like he got much quicker and it really helped his offensive consistency. I also really love Martone's vision and passing ability, given his tenacity. He can outwork defenders down low and has the playmaking chops to consistently create chances from the turnovers he creates. SO what's next? In order to push James Hagens at the top of the draft, Martone is going to need to become one of the best offensive players in the OHL. He's going to need to challenge for the Eddie Powers. I also want to see the physical intensity/power forward game become even more consistent. I want him to be a pain in the arse to play against every shift. Lastly, team success will play a role here. Most, including myself, are expecting Brampton to be among the best teams in the OHL this year. Can Martone lead the Steelheads to an OHL championship?2. Matthew Schaefer - Defense - Erie OttersI can't say enough awesome things about Schaefer. Had the opportunity to interview him a few times in the past when I was doing the THN podcast and he was just such a mature young man. I've heard nothing but amazing things about his character and I think he's got the potential to be an NHL captain down the road. On the ice, Schaefer is such a well rounded player too. It all starts with his skating ability, which based on what I saw at the Hlinka/Gretzky, has managed to improve even more. He's so dynamic in all four directions. It makes him so difficult to contain. He's a breakout machine with how he handles pressure in the defensive end and advances play with his feet. Defensively, his game has already made considerable strides and I think it will continue to do so. He understands how to leverage his mobility to be a defensive asset and now it's about getting stronger to win those one on one battles more consistently. IMO, he's the top defender in this 2025 class and he's proven that with his incredible International play. Now, it's about doing it at the OHL level. If Schaefer can take his offensive play to another level in Erie, he could easily challenge for the top three, along with Martone. 3. Michael Misa - Center/Wing - Saginaw SpiritRanking Misa third does feel a little unfair given his talent level, but Martone and Schaefer are just special prospects in their own right. I think everyone knows that Misa is incredibly talented, as a former exceptional status player. His speed and ability to create in transition is impressive. However, I think what a lot of people don't realize is how mature Misa's game is already away from the puck. He's a terrific two-way player who shows really advanced instincts and anticipation as a defensive player. It's one of the reasons why Saginaw was able to have such a strong year, because their forward group buys into being competitive in all three zones. That said, I'd be lying if I said that I felt Misa had shown us his full offensive potential. He's functioned primarily as a complementary piece in Saginaw thus far. Will this be the year where we see him take over games the way that he's capable of; can he drive play consistently and dominate touches? The shot is elite, will he look to shoot more and get between the dots more to use it? Will his decision making and strength on the puck improve, allowing him to really take control of time of possession, utilizing his quickness the way that he should be able to? Is he a center or a wing long term? Lots of questions. This year should provide some answers. Tons to like, even with those questions.4. Malcolm Spence - Wing - Erie OttersSpence is such an intriguing player because of his athleticism and safe NHL floor. He's such an explosive straight line skater. He can use it to impact the game in a variety of different ways. He gets after it on the forecheck. He closes quickly along the wall and can be a defensive asset. He can be very dangerous as a straight line attacker offensively. Combine that with his physicality and you get a very versatile player who can be utilized in almost every situation. We've seen that Internationally, where Spence has excelled as a two-way force for Canada at the U18 level. I guess my questions revolve around his offensive upside. I've found his decision making with the puck to be very inconsistent as an OHL player thus far. Additionally, his execution as an offensive weapon has been inconsistent. Sometimes he looks skilled, other times, he struggles to coral passes at full speed or maintain possession. The same can be said of his finishing ability. All the pieces are there, but the puzzle is far from complete. If Spence can really take over games this season the way that he's capable of, we could be looking at a potential top 7-8 selection. If not, I worry that he could fall as an older player over concerns that his development has plateaued. 5. Brady Martin - Center/Wing - Soo GreyhoundsIt was great to see Martin perform so well for Canada at the Hlinka/Gretzky in a limited role. I think he really opened some eyes. He was so good in the last few months of last year's OHL season and it seems like he's really found the confidence needed to be an effective player at this level. Martin is a unique player. He's tenacious and physical; his motor never stops. However, he's also incredibly slick and skilled with the puck. He routinely beats defenders one on one and he's very determined to get pucks to the middle of the ice. Martin is also a strong defensive presence, making him the kind of player that you can plug anywhere into your lineup...just as the Canadian coaching staff did at the Hlinka/Gretzky. Even with limited ice time, I'm not sure if you noticed that it was Martin on the ice at the end of the game to protect the lead in the gold medal game. I have absolutely no doubt that he's going to have a terrific year in the Soo. The only negative is the skating. Martin needs to get quicker. His stride is not the most efficient. But, similar to Cole Beaudoin, I think NHL teams could overlook this given Martin's compete level. 6. Jake O'Brien - Center - Brantford BulldogsEfficient is the word that I would use to describe O'Brien. That's owing to his terrific IQ; this is a very smart player. He's one of those guys who always seems to be in the right place at the right time in all three zones, and he always seems to make the right play with the puck. His best asset is unquestionably his passing ability. He can really thread the needle. He's extremely dangerous working down low or coming off the wall, part of the reason why he was so effective on the powerplay with Brantford last year. He didn't have the best Hlinka/Gretzky performance and I think it did magnify some of the things that he needs to improve on. O'Brien doesn't ooze athletic tools. He's probably best classified as average as a skater and average physically. He's at his best when he's able to slow the game down and can struggle to play with pace. We saw that last year as an OHL rookie (even despite his Emms Family Award winning year) and we saw it at the Hlinka/Gretzky. O'Brien's efficiency and intelligence will make him coveted; I expect him to have another solid year for Brantford. There's some Robert Thomas here. However, without some improvements, he could end up being more of a second/third round bet, rather than a first.7. Carson Cameron - Defense - Peterborough PetesDon't let the fact that Cameron was cut from the Hlinka/Gretzky team fool you, he's a very effective defender. Don't forget that Beckett Sennecke wasn't even INVITED to the Hlinka/Gretzky camp last season and ended up getting drafted third overall. It's not the be all and end all. Right now, Cameron's most effective as a defensive player. He's highly competitive. He's very mobile. He's got great defensive instincts. He's this year's Ben Danford. Offensively, he's a bit of a work in progress and I'd guess that's what got him the axe by HC staff this summer. His exits and breakouts aren't always the cleanest. His decision making with the puck and the quickness of his decisions need to improve. However, he has shown flashes of being a capable puck mover and point producer. A lot of that has to do with his skating ability and his solid point shot. This is an aggressive ranking for a player that I've liked a lot dating back to his Canada Winter Games performance. I think there's a lot to like here and I'm excited to see the progression this year.8. Kashawn Aitcheson - Defense - Barrie ColtsWhat a pleasant surprise Aitcheson was last year for Barrie in what was kind of a frustrating year for the franchise. He really stepped up when the team lost Beau Akey and consistently impressed when I saw the Colts play. A true two-way force, Aitcheson is incredibly physical. He has a penchant for the big hit and he really make his presence known and felt on the ice. Offensively, he's a solid presence in the o-zone with how he gets pucks to the net and holds the blueline. He can jump up in the play or lead the rush, but without high end skating ability, I do wonder how effective he'll be doing that at the higher levels. As an older draft eligible, it'll be about finding a way to continue to improve this year, especially offensively. Most importantly, can the four way mobility and quickness improve? Aitcheson's two-way effectiveness and physicality make him a pretty solid bet to be a top 75 pick this year IMO, even this early in the game.9. Cameron Reid - Defense - Kitchener RangersI think what was most impressive about Reid is that he