OHL tops NHL rankings
To be sure, it an elite group of high end prospects from the Ontario Hockey League for the 2025 National Hockey League draft. The OHL leads the way with three skaters in the top five of The Sports Network’s latest NHL Draft rankings as compiled by TSN’s director of scouting Craig Button.
The end of regular season edition of the TSN Top 64 was recently released and it features no less than 14 players from the OHL.
While injured Erie Otters defenceman Matthew Schaefer maintains his hold as the top ranked player for the 2025 NHL Draft, an exceptional season from Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa has pushed him into the No. 2 spot for the first time.
Button previously had Misa at No. 7 in September, No. 3 in November and No. 5 in January but the Oakville, Ont. native’s explosive ’24-25 OHL regular season was enough to position him as the top forward on the latest list.
After being granted exceptional status in 2022 to enter the OHL as a 15 year-old and then helping the Spirit to Saginaw’s first ever Memorial Cup championship in 2024, Misa managed to find a whole new level to his game this season.
Misa finished the regular season as the OHL’s top point producer with 134 points, edging out Ilya Protas of the Windsor Spitfires, who had 124. (Protas was selected by the Washington Capitals in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft.) Misa also finished second in the OHL in goals this season with 62.
“I question myself for questioning him,” said Button of Misa. “All the evidence was there. All you need to do is continue to watch the progression and the progression is there. He has been brilliant. He is a hell of a player.”
Rounding out the top three is Brampton Steelheads captain Porter Martone, who finished the regular season with 37 goals, 61 assists, 98 points in 57 games. (Martone, by the way, has Sault Ste. Marie roots through his dad, former OHL defenseman Mike Martone. The elder Martone was born, raised and played minor hockey in Sault Ste. Marie before being drafted into the OHL by the Peterborough Petes and playing four seasons with them and being their team captain.)
“Porter Martone, he is a winner,” Button said of the younger Martone. “He is in it to win it. There might be players with a little more skill and a little more flash and dash. I go into a game that I know is going to be hard, I want Porter Martone on my team.”
Following is a full list of OHL players included on the latest Button rankings.
1. Matthew Schaefer (D) – Erie Otters
17 GP, 7G, 15A, 22 PTS., +21
2. Michael Misa (F) – Saginaw Spirit
65 GP, 62G, 72A, 134 PTS., +45
10. Jake O’Brien (F) – Brantford Bulldogs
66 GP, 32G, 66A, 98 PTS., -2
12. Cameron Reid (D) – Kitchener Rangers
67 GP, 14G, 40A, 54 PTS., +39
3. Porter Martone (F) – Brampton Steelheads
57 GP, 37G, 61A, 98 PTS., +19
13. Malcolm Spence (F) – Erie Otters
65 GP, 32G, 41A, 73 PTS., +10
17. Kashawn Aitcheson (D) – Barrie Colts
64 GP, 26G, 33A, 59 PTS., +6
20. Brady Martin (F) – Soo Greyhounds
57 GP, 33G, 39A, 72 PTS., +25
24. Jack Nesbitt (F) – Windsor Spitfires
65 GP, 25G, 39A, 64 PTS., +12
37. Jack Ivankovic (G) – Brampton Steelheads
43 GP, 3.05GAA, .903SAV%, 25-12-5
41. Henry Brzustewicz (D) – London Knights
67 GP, 10G, 32A, 42 PTS., +24
49. Kristian Epperson (F) – Saginaw Spirit
58 GP, 27G, 53A, 80 PTS., +45
57. Aleksei Medvedev (G) – London Knights
34 GP, 2.79GAA, .912SAV%, 22-8-2
58. Ethan Czata (F) – Niagara IceDogs
68 GP, 21G, 34A, 55 PTS., -9