Three 2025 NHL Draft Steals

It's too soon to say which teams made the best draft picks, but there are a few selections that stood out on day two of the 2025 NHL Draft.

Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman walks onto the stage to announce the first overall pick by the New York Islanders in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With the 2025 NHL Draft in the rearview mirror, there's plenty of optimism surrounding each organization. Whether it was the players they selected or the roster moves they made, each team believes they are set up for success as the free agency window opens. It's too soon to say which teams made the best draft picks, but there are a few selections that stood out on day two of the draft. There were three specifically that could become the steals of the 2025 NHL Draft.

Minnesota Wild - Adam Benak, Forward, Fourth Round

There were several players with first or second-round talent that dropped outside of the first 64 picks, and Adam Benak is one of them. The Wild were able to land one of the smartest and most defensively apt forwards in the 2025 draft class in the fourth round. The Czech forward made the jump to the USHL this past season and excelled. In 56 games with the Youngstown Phantoms, he recorded 17 goals and added 42 assists. His playmaking stood out in addition to his defense. He's undersized, and the emphasis on bigger players in the second or third round pushed Benak further down the board. To the delight of the Wild, they plucked an extremely bright prospect at an incredible value.

Los Angeles Kings - Petteri Rimpanen, Goalie, Fifth Round

Rimpanen was a standout performer at the 2025 World Junior Championship for Finland, and the Kings land "Mr. Showtime" in the fifth round. In addition to the sterling play internationally, Rimpanen graduated to the top Finnish league, Liiga, and performed admirably. In 40 games with Kiekko-Espoo he went 16-9-14 with a 2.35 goals-against average and .912 save percentage. Los Angeles already has a strong goaltending prospect in NCAA National Championship-winner Hampton Slykynsky and now they have another promising puck-stopper in the pipeline.

Carolina Hurricanes - Viggo Nordlund, Forward, Sixth Round

Do not doubt the scouting and drafting of the Carolina Hurricanes. This organization consistently finds talent where others overlook it. That could be the case again in their sixth round pick. Viggo Nordlund spent last season with the Skelleftea organization in the Swedish Hockey League. In 40 games at their J20 league, he recorded 24 goals and 25 assists. He also appeared in 15 games in the top league in the SHL, which is quite the accomplishment for an 18-year-old. The Canes may have done it again by selecting Nordlund, who could be the next diamond in the rough making an impact in Carolina.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!

• Mitch Marner Makes Golden Knights Western Conference Favorite
• Newly Acquired Defenseman Solidifies Canadiens' Defenseman
• Flames Sign Defenseman to Massive Extension
• 2025 NHL Draft Tracker: Day 2
• Gut Feeling Pays Off for Penguins Draft Pick