Wheeler’s final top 100 for NHL Draft features 51 CHL players
The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler has unveiled his final top 100 for the 2025 NHL Draft that features 51 CHL players.
The list is led by Erie’s Matthew Schaefer at no. 1 with Saginaw’s Michael Misa at no. 2.
“When you consider that Schaefer was less than two weeks away from being eligible for the 2026 draft, and the maturity and smarts that already exist in his game, there’s a lot to get excited about,” Wheeler wrote of Schaefer. “But it’s his brilliant, frankly incredible skating (he’s the best-skating D in the class) that really elevates his projection as a potential No. 1 D and two-way transition monster.”
On Misa, Wheeler added: “Misa’s a slippery player in the offensive zone. He’s a weaving skater in transition and has developed more of a scorer’s mentality and started to look for his own looks more, using his natural curl-and-drag wrister more intentionally and getting to the guts of the home-plate area with more consistency … he has a strong case to be the first player — and an even stronger one to be the first forward — picked in the draft and I strongly considered ranking him No. 1.”
Wheeler’s Top 10 is rounded out by Brampton’s Porter Martone (no. 4), Moncton’s Caleb Desnoyers (no. 5), Seattle’s Radim Mrtka (no. 7), Brantford’s Jake O’Brien (no. 9) and the Soo’s Brady Martin (no. 10).
Furthermore, 22 of the top 32 players listed play in the CHL. To view the full list, click here.
The New York Islanders own the no. 1 selection for the 2025 NHL Draft while the San Jose Sharks will pick at no. 2. The 2025 NHL Draft will take place June 27-28 in Los Angeles at the Peacock Theater.
