The 2024-25 NHL season is just a month old, but some front offices could be more focused on how to prepare for the future, with Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz dropping the “rebuilding” hint on the radio local.
In other words, let the guard begin for the 2025 NHL draft class.
Draft-eligible players are in leagues around the world, so we've created a guide of which teams or areas to keep an eye on as the season progresses.
United States National Team Development Program
This was the easiest choice of the group. On any given night, you'll see several NHL general managers, front office employees and more than 20 scouts at NTDP games. It is the most concentrated group of the best prospects in the world. The team stays together throughout the season and plays in international tournaments.
The program has been churning out prospects at a good clip over the last decade, and this season should be no different.
Of this current group, William Moore, Charlie Trethewey, Jack Murtagh and LJ Mooney are attracting a lot of attention as potential first-round picks.
Beyond that top four, Cole McKinney, Conrad Fondrk and Mason Moe are drawing interest as forwards. Donato Bracco, Asher Barnett, Carter Amico and Drew Shock have drawn a lot of interest from defensive scouts.
