2025 NHL draft: Buzz on prospects, trades, free agency - ESPN

Although the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers may never stop celebrating, the NHL offseason has begun.

Over the past several days, Jonathan Toews agreed to sign with the Winnipeg Jets once free agency begins and there have been a flurry of re-signings, as well as a trade between the Chicago Blackhawks and Seattle Kraken, with Andre Burakovsky headed to the Second City.

The NHL draft will take place on Friday and Saturday in Los Angeles, featuring seven rounds of selections and (most likely) a handful of franchise-altering trades. Then on July 1, free agency officially begins.

To help make sense of it all, ESPN reporters Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski reached out to sources in front offices around the league for their takes on the draft, trades and the free agent class, and deliver the latest buzz around the NHL:

After the New York Islanders select Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick on Friday — any other decision would be a total shock — the San Jose Sharks will be on the clock. The majority of mock drafts and punditry believe their choice will be Saginaw (OHL) center Michael Misa, who had 62 goals in 65 games in 2024-25. But there is some buzz that the Sharks could opt for Swedish center Anton Frondell instead.

Both players can play center or the wing. Misa has the higher offensive ceiling, while Frondell is considered better defensively — although both could be considered well-rounded talents.

Where are the Sharks leaning? Sharks GM Mike Grier gave glowing remarks on both players.

He said Misa's interviews at the combine «went really well» and praised his work ethic. «He is a serious kid who's serious about hockey, serious about doing whatever he feels that he needs to do to play in the