by
The 2025 NHL entry draft commences on Friday night as the world’s best young talent converges at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The New York Islanders hold the number one overall pick, and will, in all likelihood, select Matthew Schaefer, projected by most scouts to be the best player available. In this article, explore how to bet on the 63rd edition of the draft, including insights on the best markets to bet on and how to manage your risk. Read My Top Sportsbooks’s expert 2025 NHL Draft predictions and access stats and tips for betting on the NHL draft.
- 2025 NHL entry draft
- First round
- Friday, June 27, 2025
- 7 PM EST
- Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, CA
- ESPN, ESPN+
NHL Draft Predictions: Who do Sportsbooks Favor to Go #1?
Matthew Schaefer is such a big favorite to go #1 that sportsbooks are not offering odds on the top pick. Instead, bettors can guess which players go number 2, 3, 4, in the top 5, top 10, and more. Michael Misa is a big favorite to go #2, while Anton Frondell is the likely #3 pick. The top 5 odds can be viewed here.
Top 5 NHL Draft Pick 
Anton Frondell -1400 -1400 Caleb Desnoyers -400 -400 -400 Porter Martone -130 -135 -135 James Hagens -120 -130 -130 Brady Martin -115 -110 -110 Jake O'Brien +500 +500 +500 Roger McQueen +600 +650 +650 Radim Mrtka +800 +900 +900 Victor Eklund +2800 +2800 +2800 Kashawn Aitcheson +3300 +3300 +3300 Jackson Smith +4000 +5000 +5000
Want to better understand NHL betting online? Explore NHL draft betting odds in 2025.
2025 NHL Draft Matchups: Jackson Smith Ahead of Keshawn Aitcheson?
Matchup markets in the 2025 NHL draft give bettors a unique opportunity to back a player to get drafted earlier than another. If you think a player will get snatched up quick and another will fall, you can effectively double your edge. There are matchup bets available at top online sportsbooks like BetOnline and BetUS, including: Braeden Cootes vs Jack Nesbitt, Jack O’Brien vs Roger McQueen, Justin Carbonneau vs Lynden Lakovic, Milton Gastrin vs Bill Zonnon, Sascha Boumedienne vs Benjamin Kindel and Will Horcoff vs Ivan Ryabkin.
I would like to highlight a H2H draft matchup betting line between Keshawn Aitcheson and Jackson Smith. Both players are considered lottery prospects and play physical defensive styles. But Smith is the consensus number 2 defender behind Schaefer, and is pegged by many pundits to be a #2 defender at the NHL level. Meanwhile, Aitcheson is rated optimistically as a #4 or #5 defender and is much more green.
Aitcheson will need years to develop to his highest potential while Smith is a more proven, ready-for-the-pros prospect. ESPN rated Smith as the 8th-best player on the board while putting Aitcheson down at #19. Yet BetOnline is offering (+135) on Jackson Smith to be drafted first. Not only do I believe there is some value on Smith at any plus-money number, this price at BetOnline is a full 15 cents better than what Bovada is offering at the moment.
Draft Positions: Will Prokhorov be Drafted in the 1st Round?
Daniil Prokhorov is best described as a “freight train on skates” according to ESPN, and his archetype fits what plenty of teams in the league are looking for. Gone are the days where every team had an enforcer, so Prokhorov’s bite on the back end is a welcome sight for old-school coaches. The Russian plays as a physically imposing winger for Dynamo St. Petersburg, using every inch of his 6’ 5” frame.
Rumors around the league suggest the Montreal Canadiens fancy his strength and could look to select him in the middle of the first round. At a current price of (-200) to be selected Friday night, Prokhorov’s betting odds could look like a bargain in retrospect. But concerns of an 18-year-old failing to live up to his massive size in skill as well are valid.
BetUS is offering that line of (-200), which is a full dollar better than what is available at Bovada. I think this is enough value compared to the market average that if you like Prokhorov, it’s worth a shot.
Overall Pick Markets: Expert 2025 NHL Draft Predictions
Draft betting markets in all sports are typically trademarked by the “X overall pick” options, which allow users to bet on specific draft picks. For example, Bovada has Michael Misa at (-230) to be the number 2 overall pick in this year’s draft. It takes more precision to be right on these picks. But there is opportunity to find value if you believe a team likes a certain player a lot, and will be likely to pick them with a certain draft selection.
Purely from a market perspective, there are some opportunities to take plus-EV bets in this 2025 NHL draft. The number 3 overall pick market has seen Anton Frondell priced anywhere from even money to (-200), for example. The Swedish two-way forward is projected to be a first-liner in the league after one of the most productive under-18 seasons in Allsvenskan history. Bovada has Frondell at (+100), a bet worth taking based on the line alone.
Other options include Caleb Desnoyers at #4. Desnoyers is listed at (+200) at BetUS, but (+120) at Bovada. This disagreement should raise the eyebrows of most hockey betting sharps. Desnoyers is a consistent, reliable two-way forward that fits the ideal description of most high draft picks. I think it’s worth taking a stab on 2:1 odds when other books have him around even money.
Odds are accurate at time of writing but subject to change.
Top Sportsbooks for NHL Draft Betting
Explore some of the best hockey betting sites below. Each website is reviewed by My Top Sportsbooks for user experience, customer service, new member promos, and more.
Sports Betting Sites 