These NHL Draft moments stole the spotlight in round one

The first round of the 2025 NHL Draft was jam-packed with talented prospects, surprising trades, and plenty of tears. As the dust clears surrounding the top 32 picks, here are some of the top takeaways from Friday night's draft.

Biggest winner: New York Islanders

The Islanders were able to land two supremely talented defensemen and a dynamic forward all in one go. Kicking things off with the first overall pick, consensus top prospect Matthew Schaefer was the first draftee for the Isles and he will almost certainly make an immediate impact on New York's roster.

GM Mathieu Darche also surprised fans and media by hanging onto picks No. 16 and 17, choosing Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson with the two selections acquired from the Montreal Canadiens. There was a lot of speculation that Darche would use those picks in a trade package, but Islanders fans should be glad he didn't.

Eklund is a winger that embodies a similar style to Seth Jarvis: relentless, attacking, and driven by offense. Aitcheson plays a very different game compared to Schaefer that is defense-first and some call it more similar to old-time hockey. These three first-round selections prove that Darche can hang with the big guns as he adjusts to his new role with the Isles.

" Matthew the hockey player is outstanding. The human being is as outstanding as the hockey player... We ended up getting guys we never thought would be there at 16 and 17, so we are really excited about that."

GM Mathieu Darche to ESPN

Smartest selection: Boston Bruins pick James Hagens seventh overall

The Bruins were chomping at the bit to select James Hagens when he was still available at No. 7. The Boston College center was projected as high as No. 3, so the B's had luck on their side when it came time for the team's first round pick. Hagens was brught up in rumors as the prospect the Isles were trying to trade for, so he was certainly highly sought after.

A player who emulates the style and flair of Jack Hughes, he is quick to read plays and generate scoring chances. But being able to be the first forward back when the play changes direction elevates Hagens’ skill to the next level. He is the type of player that makes everyone around him better, and the Bruins are thrilled that they were able to snatch him up.

Biggest surprise: Flyers trade up to select Jack Nesbitt

When the trade was announced between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers ahead of pick No. 12, it became obvious that Flyers GM Daniel Briere had his eye on someone in particular that he didn't want to risk waiting for. That player shockingly turned out to be Jack Nesbitt, who was ranked 17th by TSN, 20th by The Hockey News, and was even projected to be asecond-rounder by Elite Prospects.

But Philly couldn't wait for Nesbitt, who notched 25 goals and 64 points in 65 games with the OHL's Windsor Spitfires. With a large 6-foot-4 frame and strong defensive abilities to match, Nesbitt brings a lot to the table, but fans did not expect it to be so early in the draft.

Biggest letdown: the new format

There's not much left to say about the decentralized draft, other than it was a complete fail on the part of the NHL. Technical difficulties, long pauses in between conversations, and annoying echos plagued the virtual setup that saw GMs attend the draft via video conference instead of in person.

Fans also missed out on the drama that is being able to see all 32 managers in the same room. The red trade button was perhaps the best thing that came out of Friday night's festivities -- that's the only thing that should remain when they inevitably go back to the old format next year.

Best moment: emotional scenes for Matthew Schaefer and Meredith Gaudreau

The tissue box was working overtime Friday night. First, the Islanders had an extremely touching gesture for first overall pick Matthew Schaefer. The 18-year-old defenseman has been public about the difficulties he's faced in his life, including the loss of his mother to breast cancer in February of 2024.

When his name was called and he went on stage to meet Bettman, there was a special detail on Schaefer's jersey that immediately moved him to tears. The Islanders had a breast cancer awareness ribbon sewn into the jersey, which Schaefer kissed and pointed to the sky in remembrance. His emotions were nothing short of powerful, and he spoke about his mom at length in the interview with ESPN following the draft.

A short time after, the Columbus Blue Jackets brought out Johhny Gaudreau's wife, Meredith, to announce the 14th overall selection. Johnny and his brother Matthew passed away following a tragic accident last summer, and Meredith has shown remarkable courage as teams around the NHL continue to honor their memory.

Meredith was met with a standing ovation and chants of "Johnny!" from the fans in attendance. She took a moment to compose herself before thanking the Jackets and the NHL for their support over the past season. It was two classy moves from the Islanders organization and from NHL fans that stood out more than any official hockey business on Friday.