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# NHL Draft First-Round Watch Post
- URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl-draft-first-round-watch-post/
- Published: 2025-06-27T22:00:59.000Z
- Updated: 2025-06-27T23:01:39.000Z
- Description: Where we get to live vicariously.
- Author: Cathy Squires
- Tags: NHL Draft

### Round 1 – tonight at 7pm on SN, TVAS, ESPN, ESPN+

Live from the Peacock Theater in LA are some of the draft prospects and none of the GMs. This "decentralized" draft will be sort of like an in-person zoom call draft, and guaranteed it won't be as much fun as the Sphere draft last year. 

[Decentralized format of 2025 NHL Draft will be ‘something that a sports fan has never seen’ | NHL.comProspects to attend live event while team executives stay home to optimize decision making![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-85.png)NHL logoNicholas J. Cotsonika![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/pmeowj3ywfvnstwy4qny.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/2025-nhl-draft-to-be-held-in-decentralized-format?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Key point for tonight:

> NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will emcee the first round Friday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS). The pace might be quicker, because each team will not need to thank the host city and congratulate the Stanley Cup champion. After each selection, the NHL will use high-tech graphics to profile the prospect. He will come up on stage, receive his hat and jersey, and take a photo.

> Then he will enter the “NHL Draft House.”

> In the past, he would meet team officials on stage, then go to the team’s table on the floor of the arena. This time, he will step in front of a giant screen that will connect him to the team’s front office wherever it is. A reporter will prompt a conversation.

and...

> After the NHL Draft House, the prospect will go through “the gauntlet,” a series of interviews, photo shoots and autograph signings.

> In the past, media from across the NHL would cover the draft in person. This time, most reporters will stay in their home cities, so the prospect will do a video conference as part of the process.

There will be some celebrities (likely mostly people I've never heard of) calling the picks. Lu Dort is said to be one of them. 

The draft order: 

1\. NY Islanders  
2\. San Jose  
3\. Chicago  
4\. Utah  
5\. Nashville  
6\. Philadelphia  
7\. Boston  
8\. Seattle  
9\. Buffalo  
10\. Anaheim  
11\. Pittsburgh  
12\. Pittsburgh (from VAN via NYR)  
13\. Detroit  
14\. Columbus  
15\. Vancouver  
16\. Now Islanders – Montreal (from CGY)  
17\. Now Islanders – Montreal  
18\. Calgary (from NJD)  
19\. St. Louis  
20\. Columbus (from MIN)  
21\. Ottawa  
22\. Philadelphia (from COL)  
23\. Nashville (from TBL)  
24\. Los Angeles  
25\. Chicago (from TOR in the Jake McCabe trade)  
26\. Nashville (from VGK via SJS)  
27\. Washington  
28\. Winnipeg  
29\. Carolina  
30\. San Jose (from DAL)  
31\. Philadelphia (from EDM)  
32\. Calgary (from FLA)