Upside Hockey's 2025 NHL Draft Sleepers

Our Trevor Curtis highlights prospects that may be available in the third round and beyond

Upside Hockey’s prolific prospect profiler Trevor Curtis’s 2025 NHL draft eligible prospect profiles are all featured on our dedicated page for this with all featured prospects indexed in our table of contents alphabetically by last name. For the 2024 NHL Draft, for example, we had well over 200 prospect profiles completed. We’re now up to 185 for this draft class!

Here are some of Trevor Curtis’s favourite prospects potentially available in the third round and beyond in the 2025 NHL Draft, noting when they may likely get plucked in the second round:

C Hayden Paupanekis: He's not likely to be available in the 3rd, but he's a 6'4" center who is quite raw, and flashes offensive potential. He plays a power game, is quite physical, and has a competitive edge. He projects as a middle-six C. 22 goals and 43 points in 71 games, divided between Spokane and Kelowna.

C Matthew Gard: Much like Paupanekis, he's a 6'4" center, with a robust physical game, and specializes in shutting down the opposition's best players- but there are flashes of more. 36 points in 66 games with Red Deer (and 81 PIM), but he looked great at the U-18's, with 4 points in 7 games. Should be picked in the second.

Matthew Gard, Red Deer Rebels (Photo Credit: Taylor Lachance - Red Deer Rebels)

C Owen Martin: He's a 6'0" RHC, who put up an impressive 34 points in 39 games with Spokane. He's a responsible two-way pivot with speed and good puck-skill. Should be picked in the second.

C Jimmy Lombardi: Another 6'0" C, this one's a lefty, and he employs an energetic two-way game, highlighted by excellent playmaking skill. Put up 45 points in 63 games on a middling Flint Firebirds squad.

C Tommy Lafreniere: He's a RHC, 5'11", 170lbs, put up 56 points in 68 games for the 19th-place Kamloops Blazers. Potential diamond in the rough, with a fairly well-rounded skillset, and a good two-way presence.

D Owen Conrad: 6'3", 208lb rearguard, who put up 26 points in 64 games, but should've had more - he had 29 points in 59 games the year prior. His skating needs work, but he's an uncut gem - size, snarl, and a highly underrated two-way game. His skating needs some work, but I would easily take him in the second.

C Teddy Mutryn: 6'1", 208lb RHC with size and snarl, and a solid two-way game- but might not be suitable for top-6 duty. He'll move the needle though.

RW Shamar Moses: 6'1", 203lb RW who plays a power game, and flashes good potential.

LW Kristian Epperson: He's like a 6'0" honey badger. Draft re-entry, who put up 80 points in 58 games, with 87 PIM, and a +45.

RW Aidan Lane: Sample size is small, but he's a 6'2" RW, who plays a power game, and looked excellent upon joining the Soo Greyhounds - 7 goals and 13 points in 13 games.

D Carson Cameron: He played for a less than stellar team, and only put up 23 points in 63 games for the Petes. He's a 6'2" blueliner with a little bit of everything.

Other names to look for:
D Asher Barnett, D Carlos Handel, RW Vaclav Nestrasil, LW Vojtech Cihar, LW Tomas Poletin, D Max Psenicka, D Will Sharpe, D Karl Annborn, LW Melvin Novotny, RW Theo Stockselius, C Mikkel Eriksen, LW Max Westergard, LW Filip Ekberg, C Gustav Hillstrom, D Zeb Lindgren, D Noah Laberge, RW Bruno Osmanis, C Charlie Cerrato, RW Lirim Amidovski, LW David Rozsival

Later rounds:
C Carson Harmer, C Cole Chandler, F Philippe Veilleux, C Noah Read, C Shawn Carrier, C Harry Nansi, LW Lukas Sawchyn, LW Caden Taylor

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