The 2025 NHL Draft class looks different than the 2023 and 2024 classes. So does the complexity of the Blackhawks’ first-round decision.
There’s a much broader range of options for their No. 3 pick this year than for their No. 2 pick last year or their No. 1 pick the year before. Four forwards — Anton Frondell, Caleb Desnoyers, James Hagens and Porter Martone — all seem to be squarely in play, and there’s still an outside chance that coveted forward Michael Misa drops to them.
“I think our [rankings] versus any other team’s is going to be different, and [they’re] going to be different from public [rankings],” Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson said after the draft lottery.
The complexity comes from not only the Hawks having a lower pick but also this class being considerably weaker — at least in the opinion of Chris Peters, scouting expert for FloHockey.
“The reality of this draft [is that] even at the top, there is not one sure thing,” Peters said. “There isn’t one guy where you say, ‘That guy is absolutely going to be a star.’ [Defenseman Matthew] Schaefer and Misa are the closest to it . . . but I can’t tell you that either one of them will ultimately be a franchise cornerstone player.”
Here’s how Peters analyzes the Hawks’ options ahead of the NHL’s first decentralized draft, scheduled for June 26-27:
Martone, the people’s choice
Many fans have attached themselves to Martone since the lottery result.
Considering the Hawks’ existing pool of forward prospects, most of whom are speedy but undersized, Martone seems like an ideal complementary piece at 6-3, 208 pounds already. He also racked up 98 points in 57 games for the OHL’s Brampton Steelheads this past season.
But there are two red flags: He’s inconsistent, and he’s a below-average skater. For those reasons, Peters isn’t convinced Martone makes sense for the Hawks. He’s simply not their usual type, although an exception can always be made.
“The thing is, he is big, but he’s not an intense, physical player,” Peters said. “He has power in his game, and he’s hard to knock off the puck. But his compete [level] can wane. That’s been the biggest complaint about him over the last two years.
“You might be giving up two inches to another option, but is height really going to be the defining factor? While Martone is big, he’s not mean. He’s aggressive, but not over the top. There’s some concern about whether he would be able to play at the pace the Blackhawks are trending toward.”
Martone also is the only one of the top five forwards who definitely will be a wing in the NHL. The other four at least have a chance to be centers.
His proponents point out that while he isn’t as powerful as his size suggests, he’s also a better playmaker and more creative than it suggests.
Hagens and Frondell
On the other end of the spectrum, Hagens might too closely resemble the Hawks’ existing forward prospects, to the extent he wouldn’t add anything new to the pool.
He’s small (5-11, 176) but an effortless skater with finesse and agility. However, while his skills have tantalized scouts for years, he didn’t individually drive play quite as much as expected as a freshman at Boston College, where he had 37 points in 37 games.
Historically, Davidson has said he doesn’t draft based on need, but he acknowledged this year might be slightly different.
“My philosophy is we do like to go ‘best player available,’ but sometimes the discussions are so close where you have to break that [tie] somehow,” he said. “Is it position? Is it the style of play? Is it what we’ve got already versus what one of these players provide?”
Frondell represents a balance between Martone and Hagens. At 6-1, 198, he’s bigger than Hagens and has demonstrated more ability to take charge and drive play. His skating isn’t elite but is better than Martone’s.
He had 25 points in 29 games for Djurgardens this season in the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second-division pro league. That’s a highly impressive number for a 17-year-old. Peters pointed out it’s higher than David Pastrnak and William Nylander’s production at the same age in the same league.
However, Frondell struggled against his peer group at the under-18 world championships a few weeks ago, meaning every NHL GM witnessed “his worst hockey of the season,” Peters said.
Desnoyers, the best fit?
That leaves Desnoyers, who will be the first product of the QMJHL drafted in the top 10 since Alexis Lafreniere in 2020. Desnoyers’ season hasn’t ended yet, as he’s headed to the Memorial Cup (Canada’s junior club championship) with the Moncton Wildcats.
In the regular season, he had 84 points in 56 games, elevating his play — and his draft stock — greatly from fall to spring. Still, the QMJHL is a weaker league, so it’s harder to determine how much those 84 points mean.
He’s not as flashy as other forwards discussed here, but he’s probably the most well-rounded, especially in terms of defensive acumen.
“[Desnoyers] might not be the sexiest pick because he doesn’t have the point total that Misa does, but he’s producing,” Peters said. “He’s highly skilled [with a] huge motor. He’s a really good two-way center, he’s physical, and he also has the ability to score.”
His strong work ethic and consistency also align with the Hawks’ usual preferences.
“He would be a hand-to-glove fit,” Peters said. “He’s noticeable every game, regardless of whether or not he scores. He just plays the game loud, and I’ve liked that about him.”
Caleb Desnoyers is something else, man. Complete player. Skilled. Nasty stuff here. https://t.co/z1h4CSXZzx
— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) May 10, 2025
Other possibilities
There’s no guarantee the Islanders and Sharks, holding the top two picks, will take Schaefer and Misa, the top two prospects in public rankings. This draft year, starting with the lottery, already has been unpredictable.
Could the Islanders opt for Hagens, a Long Island native, and allow Misa to slip to No. 3? Or could the Islanders look into trading down to take Hagens, giving the Hawks an opportunity to trade up? Anything is possible, and Peters thinks finding a way to nab Misa would be the Hawks’ best-case scenario.
“He’s physical, he engages, he hunts pucks . . . and on top of that, he’s got this tremendous scoring ability,” Peters said. “I don’t think he’s as dynamic a scorer as [Connor] Bedard, but there’s definitely a lot to like about his game. In terms of offensive upside, his appears to be the highest.”
The Hawks also own the Maple Leafs’ first-round pick and two second-round picks, which they’ll probably try to package together in a trade to either get another top-20 pick or acquire an established player. Davidson will be busy with more than just the No. 3 selection on draft day.
But the weakness of this draft class could reduce the trade value of those picks. Peters grades the prospects projected to go in the 20s this year as equivalent to second-round players in most other years.