Craig’s List: Matthew Schaefer Rises to No. 1 for the 2025 NHL Draft

There is a new player at no. 1 for the third consecutive edition of TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button’s 2025 draft rankings.

Erie Otter defenseman Matthew Schaefer has risen to the top spot on Button’s list, usurping the former no. 1 holders Brampton Steelheads forward Porter Martone (November) and Boston College center James Hagens (September).

Schaefer has seven goals and 22 points in 17 games with Erie this season, his second in the Ontario Hockey League. The first overall pick in the 2023 OHL Draft, he had 17 points in 56 games as a rookie in 2023-24.

Internationally, Schaefer has been golden, winning U17, U18 and Hlinka Gretzky Cup titles. He made the Canadian World Junior squad, but after a promising start in which he had a goal and an assist against Finland, he broke his collarbone in the next game against Latvia.

While the 17-year-old blueliner will miss the next few months with the injury, Button likes Schaefer’s ability to make a significant impact on the game.

“Players who really control the game are rare,” Button said. “I see Schaefer as Drew Doughty-esque. No matter what the situation is, no matter who (they’re) up against, they control the game.

“The skating is great. He’s competitive. He’s in the tough areas of the game.”

As no. 2 on Button’s list is Djurgarden’s forward Anton Frondell, who rises from no. 5 in November’s ranking.

Frondell missed time earlier this season with a knee injury, but is back on track, skating in 13 games for Djurgardens in Sweden with three goals and three assists.

He also suited up for Sweden at the World Junior A Challenge, scoring two goals with four points in five games to help the Swedes earn silver.

In the same way that Schaefer controls the game from the blue line, Button likes how Frondell can do the same as a forward, comparing him to Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.

“Frondell reminds me of Barkov, and what is Barkov doing? He controls the game from the center ice position,” Button said. “He’s thick, big, confident and exceptionally smart. Like Barkov, he’s not going to be a 100-point guy, but he’s going to help you win.”

Rounding out the top 5 are forward Porter Martone of the Brampton Steelheads, center James Hagens of Boston College and Saginaw Spirit center Michael Misa.

As no. 6 on the list is Caleb Desnoyers of the Moncton Wildcats, the third leading scorer in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League this season.

Desnoyers has 23 goals and 56 points in 34 games as a sophomore, and has already tied his rookie point totals (56) in 26 fewer games. He also registered a goal and an assist for Team CHL during the CHL/USA Prospects Challenges as the CHL swept both games of the series. The Wildcats lead the QMJHL’s Eastern Conference with a 31-6-2 record with a 10-point lead over second place Rimouski and Desnoyers a big reason for their success.

“Caleb makes teams better and everyone around him better,” Button said. “He doesn’t do it with a lot of flash. He just does it with real, consistent substance. Highly intelligent, highly competitive. His skills are not of a ‘wow’ nature, but his influence is significant.”

Joining Desnoyers among the top QMJHL scorers this season is Blainville-Boisbriand Armada winger Justin Carbonneau, who enters as the No. 14 on the list.

Carbonneau, 18, is sixth in league scoring with 27 goals and 53 points in 38 games. He also suited up for Team CHL at the CHL/USA Prospects Challenge, registering two assists.

At 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, Button views Carbonneau as a modern-day power forward.

“To me, Carbonneau is today’s type of power forward,” Button said. “When I use the word power, it’s not so much the physical body control or physical grind, it’s that he can skate, he’s got size and he makes you handle that ability because he’s such a strong skater and he’s hard-driving.”