2025 NHL Draft to be held in Los Angeles on June 27, 28

The 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on June 27 and 28, the NHL announced Saturday.

This will be the second time Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Kings have hosted the draft, but this year’s will be different; top prospects will be in attendance joined by fans and media, while NHL team executives, scouts and coaches will participate virtually. The previous draft in Los Angeles was in 2010.

“The NHL Draft is an amazing showcase of the future stars of the National Hockey League, so it’s only fitting for it to be held in Los Angeles -- a city filled with stars,” said Steve Mayer, president, NHL Events & Content. “With the support of the Kings, LA Tourism and Upper Deck, the prosects and our fans can expect a first-rate event with a new and creative approach. We are excited to share more details in the coming months. “

Defenseman Matthew Schaefer of Erie in the Ontario Hockey League is the likely candidate to be chosen No. 1 among four players in the running for that prestigious honor.

Schaefer (6-foot-2, 183 pounds) won't return to the lineup for at least another month while he recovers from a broken collarbone sustained playing for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, but his absence doesn't change the fact he's among the top prospects for the draft.

He will be challenged for the No. 1 spot down the stretch by centers James Hagens (5-10, 177) of Boston College in Hockey East, Michael Misa (6-1, 184) of Saginaw (OHL), and right wing Porter Martone (6-3, 208) of Brampton (OHL).

The first round of the 2025 draft will be held Friday, June 27 (ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS), and rounds 2-7 will be Saturday, June 28 (NHLN, ESPN+, SN, SN1).

“We have a proud tradition of holding world-class events in our city, and we are both honored and excited to once again be hosting the NHL Draft in Los Angeles,” Kings president Luc Robitaille said. “We would like to thank the NHL for working with us to present this event in its latest format and showcase the future stars of our sport to our great fans and the entire hockey community.”

This is the fourth straight year Upper Deck is the title sponsor of the draft. Upper Deck Company is the exclusive licensed manufacturer of trading cards for the NHL and NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA). Upper Deck has maintained NHL and NHLPA trading card licenses since the 1990-91 season and is credited with numerous innovations that have shaped the trading card industry over the past three decades. In 2016, the company launched ground-breaking technology with its patent-pending Upper Deck e-Pack® platform, allowing collectors to buy, trade and store collectibles at any time, from anywhere in the world.

Ticket information, fan events and other details for the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft™ will be announced at a later date. For historical information, including past draft selections, visit records.nhl.com/draft. NHL Network and NHL.com will provide extensive coverage of the event. NHL Social™ will have exclusive coverage on all social platforms, and those looking to join the conversation can use the official hashtag #NHLDraft. Fans can sign up for news and information on all NHL events at nhl.com/draft.