Last June 2025, they were called upon the stage in Los Angeles, California— finally entering the world of the National Hockey League. Nine months later, the top 3 draftees of the class of 2025: Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, and Anton Frondell, have officially signed their NHL contracts. With skates on and sticks taped, they hit the ice in hopes of changing their team's fate.
It is rare for a defenseman to be the top-ranked prospect. Since 2000, only four of them have been selected first overall: Erik Johnson (St. Louis Blues, 2006), Aaron Ekblad (Florida Panthers, 2014), Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres, 2018), and Owen Power (Buffalo Sabres, 2021).
Matthew Schaefer is becoming quite accustomed to being the first name called. In the 2023 OHL Priority Selection, the Hamilton-born defenseman was drafted first overall by the Erie Otters. He spent two standout seasons with the team, earning a spot on the OHL All-Rookie Team in 2024 and establishing himself as a premier defender.
Schaefer officially became the fifth defenseman to join that small list of the first overall drafted defensemen in 2025, proof to how highly the New York Islanders value his generational talent. But of course, being the first name called on stage comes with a price. Since he was the first overall pick, people expected his performance to be nothing short of outstanding—and he has proved them right.
As of March 29, rookie Matthew Schaefer has played 74 games and tallied 22 goals and 34 assists. His astounding 56 points put him in a three-way tie for the rookie scoring lead alongside Beckett Sennecke (Anaheim Ducks) and Ivan Demidov (Montreal Canadiens). Additionally, his 22 goals tie him for the rookie lead with once again, Beckett Sennecke (Anaheim Ducks) and Oliver Kapanen (Montreal Canadiens).
Michael Misa was the second name called, and was drafted second overall by the San Jose Sharks. Playing for the Saginaw Spirit from 2023 to 2025, he led the OHL with 62 goals and 72 assists for an incredible 134 points in just 65 games. His hockey IQ was recognized by OHL coaches, who voted him the "Smartest Player" in the Western Conference for the 2024–25 season. Notably, his performance marked the highest single-season point total in the OHL since Patrick Kane recorded 145 points.
After being granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada to enter the OHL at just 15 years old—a feat accomplished by only eight others—Misa was named the winner of the 2025 E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence. Presented by NHL Central Scouting, the award is given annually to the prospect who best exemplifies a commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness, and athleticism.
Misa became the first player in Saginaw history to win the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL's most outstanding player. He also became the first OHL player since Dave Simpson (London, 1981–82) to sweep the Red Tilson, the Eddie Powers Trophy as leading scorer, and the Bobby Smith Trophy as the top scholastic player in a single season.
Misa made his NHL debut on Oct. 14 against the Carolina Hurricanes, which unfortunately ended in a 5–1 home loss. Twelve days later, in his fifth game with the Sharks, Misa scored his first NHL goal during a 6–5 victory over the Minnesota Wild.
He is tied for 28th place among rookies with Gabe Perreault (New York Rangers), Dominic James (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Liam Ohgren (Vancouver Canucks); all three have recorded 7 goals and 9 assists for 16 points in 33 games.
The most recent addition to the Chicago Blackhawks, Anton Frondell was the third name called in the NHL 2025 Draft. Frondell recorded 20 goals and 8 assists for 28 points in 43 regular-season games in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), and became the fourth 18-year-old in the modern era to reach the 20-goal mark so quickly, drawing comparisons to players like: Thomas Sandstrom, Markus Naslund, and Daniel Sedin.
Frondell also helped Sweden win a gold medal in the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, recording 5 goals and 3 assists for 8 points in 7 games in the tournament. He was named the 'Best Forward' of the tournament and earned an All-Star Team honors after leading his country in goals, and ranking fourth in points overall.
Frondell officially joined the Chicago Blackhawks' roster on March 24, after he was recalled from the Djurgårdens IF in Sweden. In his first NHL game against the New York Islanders, he was included in the first line alongside Bedard, and recorded an assist that night which led to a goal scored by Ilya Mikheyev, helping the Blackhawks win 4-3 against the Islanders.
In 3 games, Frondell has recorded 2 assists and currently has 2 points, impressive for someone who just joined less than a week ago.
The potential for these three prospects to change their team's future lies in their ability to fill foundational "voids" that have historically separated rebuilding teams from true contenders
Matthew Schaefer provides the New York Islanders with a No. 1 defenseman capable of driving the transition game while logging 30-plus minutes a night—a staggering workload for an 18-year-old.
This rare ability to stabilize an entire defense has not only made him a franchise cornerstone and a topic of last month's Winter Olympic Games, but has also solidified his position as a topic for the Calder Trophy. It's becoming clear that Schaefer isn't just one of the top rookies in the league; he is already performing like one of its premier defenders.
Thousands of miles away in San Jose, Michael Misa has emerged as the ideal scoring partner for Macklin Celebrini. By establishing an elite 'one-two punch' down the middle alongside core talents like Smith, Wennberg, Toffoli, Eklund, and Graf, Misa is helping accelerate the Sharks’ evolution from a lottery team into a legitimate Pacific Division threat.
Anton Frondell brings a "heavy" skill set to the Chicago Blackhawks; in fact, a scout once famously described him as a "military tank" due to his competitiveness.
By slotting directly onto the top line alongside Connor Bedard, Frondell uses his forward frame to assist goals and clear the high-traffic areas. This physical presence creates the necessary time and space for a superstar like Bedard to operate, creating a duo that is balanced and at the same time, a lethal offensive threat to opponents.
The arrival of these three young stars signals a definitive turning point for their respective franchises. Given the elite production Schaefer, Misa, and Frondell displayed both before and during their NHL transitions, there is little doubt they will transform their teams' future. Their presence brings a renewed hope of clinching playoff spots and, ultimately, inching closer to the Stanley Cup. The future has finally arrived.