After the 2024 NHL Draft provided the most OHLers selected in the first round since 2016 with nine players, all eyes turned to what should be another strong crop in the 2025 Draft. Headlined by three potential top-five picks, this season’s OHL class shows that the league remains one of the top breeding grounds for high-end NHL talent. Yet, even besides those three individuals, many intriguing players are eligible for this year’s draft class.
With the season swiftly approaching, let’s analyze just a handful of this year’s top names to watch from the OHL.
Matthew Schaefer
Position: LHD
Height/Weight: 6’2/183 lbs
Birthday: September 5th, 2007
Place of Birth: Hamilton, Ontario
Team: Erie Otters
2023-24 OHL Stats: 3G/14A/17P in 56 GP
Schaefer has the opportunity to be the first blueliner off the board in June. The former first-overall pick in the OHL had a relatively quiet rookie season offensively, with just 17 points in 56 games. Yet, he still showed a lot of poise on the back end, even earning a spot on the OHL First All-Rookie Team. What has really drawn eyes to him lately is his performance at the Hlinka Gretzky tournament in August.
Schaefer captained Team Canada to a gold medal, consistently showing up as one of Canada’s standout performers. Whether it’s his smooth skating, his offensive abilities with the puck on his stick, or his skill to break up plays in his own end, Schaefer has shown he can be an elite two-way defenseman at his age level. To take the next step, his production will have to take a considerable leap in 2024/25, but there is no doubt that he has the tools to do so. Especially in the Hlinka tournament, he was constantly activating from the blue line to make plays deeper in the zone, whether for himself or his teammates. If he can continue to do that on his return to Erie, be prepared for a breakout year.
Porter Martone
Position: RW
Height/Weight: 6’3/196 lbs
Birthday: October 26th, 2006
Place of Birth: Peterborough, Ontario
Team: Brampton Steelheads
2023-24 OHL Stats: 33G/38A/71P in 60 GP
Martone is the one name that everyone should keep a big eye on at the top of the draft board. If he goes to the right team, there’s a chance he walks away as the best player, not just among the OHLers, but among the entire draft class.
Martone is a highly skilled winger with excellent puck skills. He has the ability to morph the flow of an entire team’s offense off of the blade of his stick. One of the best traits about Martone is that he can play various roles on a line. If you want him to be a trigger man, great; he has a wicked release which will blow goalies away game after game. Do you need him to play shotgun and feed another sniper on his line? No worries at all; he has the vision and ability to open up space for his teammates. Martone’s versatility will make him a threat whenever he steps on the ice, which he already showed in a 71-point rookie year. He isn’t perfect, as his off-the-puck play will need to progress as we inch closer to draft day, but he has the makings of a high-end NHLer.
Jack Ivankovic
Position: G
Height/Weight: 6’0/179 lbs
Birthday: May 22nd, 2007
Place of Birth: Mississauga, Ontario
Team: Brampton Steelheads
2023-24 OHL Stats: 14-5-0, .915 SV%
It’s hard not to talk about one of, if not the best, goalie in the entire 2025 Draft class. Although considered short for a goalie at just 6’0”, Ivankovic makes up for it with his outstanding reflexes and elite butterfly play. He seems to have great control over his lower body, whether it’s through his movements or reflexes. You will see him flashing his pads on countless saves a game, yet he rarely gives up high-danger rebounds. At times, Ivankovic can look chaotic in net, but that is primarily due to the lengths he is willing to go to not give up on a puck. Overall, he displays a calm demeanour, but when he wants to keep the puck out of the net, all bets are off.
The biggest storyline to watch for Ivankovic heading into this season is how he handles a full starter’s workload. In his rookie year, he played backup to Ryerson Leenders, who made 46 starts compared to Ivankovic’s 25. However, with Leenders being moved to Brantford, the Steelheads front office is putting their full faith in their 2023 7th overall selection, which should pay dividends. We already saw a flash of what Ivankovic can do as a team’s number-one starter in the Hlinka Gretzky with a .967% save percentage across a perfect 4-0 record en route to a gold medal. If he can even perform to even a fraction of that level for Brampton, there is no doubt in my mind that he hears his name called early on Day 2 of the draft.
Michael Misa, C (Saginaw Spirit)
Position: C
Height/Weight: 6’1/185 lbs
Birthday: February 16nd, 2007
Place of Birth: Oakville, Ontario
Team: Saginaw Spirit
2023-24 OHL Stats: 29G/36A/75P in 67 GP
Misa might be the most interesting name to watch in this crop; he is a total wild card regarding his draft position. Initially, he looked like a lock for the top five, but it will rely on how big of a leap he takes in his draft year. The former exceptional status grantee has already amassed 131 points across 112 OHL contests. With so many eyes on him since such a young age and double the experience of any other player in this class, it isn’t out of the question that he gets criticized harder than his peers. It is true that his second year in the OHL wasn’t the jump forward that we had hoped for, yet, Misa has the tools to become an elite talent at the NHL level.
Misa is an explosive skater. He is absolutely rapid with and without the puck, and his swiftness when it comes to transitioning the puck through the neutral zone is an asset that teams will covet. He also displays excellent scanning habits to pair alongside his vision when attempting to make plays. Misa also has a deceptive release, which compliments his playmaking ability and allows him to be a dual threat offensively. The most significant area for improvement will be rounding out his 200-foot game, which could come with more exposure to penalty kill time. The skill is there with Misa, and as long as he can show the urgency to improve his game, there is no reason that he is not a top-five talent in the 2025 Draft.
Jake O’Brien, C (Brantford Bulldogs)
Position: C
Height/Weight: 6’2/170 lbs
Birthday: June 16nd, 2007
Place of Birth: Toronto, Ontario
Team: Brantford Bulldogs
2023-24 OHL Stats: 13G/51A/64P in 61 GP
O’Brien has the potential to be the biggest riser of the OHL crop. I already view the Brantford forward as a late-first/early-second-round pick, but with his work ethic and room for growth, he could move up fast. O’Brien has a motor that never runs out of gas. He constantly moves his feet around the ice in both the offensive and defensive zone. He has great playmaking ability, yet he makes just as many chances with his relentless forechecking. I loved my in-person viewings of him during the 2023/24 season, especially when he was partnered with Marek Vanacker.
Going into the season, I am looking for the progression of O’Brien’s shot. His shot leaves a lot to be desired for as great of a playmaker as he is. Improving his shot will allow O’Brien to add more spacing to his game, allowing him to see an increase in goal-scoring and more opportunities to feed his teammates with the extra room on the ice. Either way, with O’Brien’s already well-rounded game and projectable tool set, he could become a middle-six forward at the NHL level with little issue.
Overall, it is another exciting crop of OHLers to watch out for this year. Check back here at RecruitScouting.com for more coverage of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft as the year goes on.