Going Over the 2025 Carolina Hurricanes Draft Class
Was there any doubt they wouldn't take more Russians?
Let’s bring the image back for another year.
I have a near 365 day streak on Duolingo of learning Russian. That isn’t even close enough to have a conversation with half the prospects that the Canes drafted in this year’s draft. Let’s go over the whole draft, pick by pick, with a deeper analysis than what I had posted on social media.
Pick 1 - Semyon Frolov, G (Ladia Togliatti/MHK Spartak Moskva/MHK Krylia Sovetov Moskva, MHL)
DY Stats: 28 GP, 2.21 GAA, .921% save percentage (Playoffs: 7 GP, 3.1 GAA, .908% save percentage)
The Canes really, really needed new life in the goalie prospect pool, especially after losing Patrik Hamrla. Enter Frolov, who immediately becomes the highest potential goalie out of them all. He’s got ideal size, standing at 6’3 and around 200 pounds, he’s technically strong, he’s a good skater. The one downside right now is his want and desire to seek chaos and become wild, which can be reigned in. He’s everything you like in a modern day goalie. According to Darren Yorke, he was their top rated goalie and you can see why in clips.
Pick 2 - Charlie Cerrato, C (Penn State University, NCAA)
DY Stats: 38 GP, 15 goals, 27 assists, 42 points
To those who watched the draft stream, you would’ve seen Matt and I look a little bewildered when the Canes took Cerrato. But we quickly found out about the player and we came around quickly. Personally, I didn’t do a ton of research on Cerrato during the draft cycle, but it’s easy to see why he was valued by the Canes.
The name of the game with Cerrato is the high floor he possesses. He went into Penn State and earned the trust and worked his way up the lineup. He’s a natural center, he’s got a solid 2 way game, he seems like a guy that has a long term NHL future as a great bottom 6 center.
Pick 3 - Ivan Ryabkin, C/W (a whole host of place across the USHL, MHL, VHL, KHL)
DY Stats: 41 GP (USHL+Playoffs), 26 goals, 20 assists, 46 points
DY Stats: 25 GP (KHL/VHL/MHL), 1 goal, 13 assists, 14 points
Again, we were SHOCKED Ryabkin was picked here but you can understand why he was picked here. On raw talent alone, Ryabkin is a top 10-20 talent in this class. What he can do with the puck on his stick is truly dynamic. Also, the way he plays the game is something teams love. It’s that physical style of game that he really leans into when the going gets tough. His shot is also a good trait, being able to score in multiple different ways. His skating could use some work, but you bet on that getting developed along the way. (Tracking data from Mitchell Brown).
Now, you might ask, why in the world would a player with Ryabkin’s skill drop that low? His draft year was rocky, finding himself leaving Russia amidst a ton of rumors and questions about his work ethic and personality. The combine didn’t help, with rumors of him coming in overweight and interviewing poorly. (Tracking data from Lassi Alanen).
Here’s the thing. You bet on the elite talent he possesses and work on the other aspects. If he hits, he’s a true top 6 forward with power play one potential. This is the “I’m going up to bat and swinging for the buildings across the street” pick for the Hurricanes. For a contending team that doesn’t have a need for instant impact players immediately, this is something that you have the chance to do.
Pick 4 - Kurban Limatov, LHD (Dynamo Moskva U18/MHK Dynamo Moskva/Dynamo Moskva, U18/MHL/KHL)
DY Stats: 55 GP (U18, KHL, MHL, MHL Playoffs), 10 goals, 18 assists, 28 points
I truly, utterly, cannot believe they got Limatov in the 3rd round. This is player most publications had in the late 1st-early 2nd for most mock drafts and player rankings (ranked as high as 31). The Canes took him at pick 67.
When you watch Limatov, you question how a 6’4, 190 pound defenseman can skate with the level of finesse that he does. He is a gorgeous skater, which meshes incredibly well with his playstyle. He’s extremely aggresive, whether that be offensively or defensively. This can lead to him making mistakes and creating a problem, but again, you bet on the high end skating and keep developing the rest of his game. (Tracking data from Lassi Alanen).
He’s good in transition, he involves himself in the offense, he’s made a ton of strides defensively, Limatov is one of my favorite picks the Canes made this weekend. This is a player that, if he gets the right development, he is a true top 4 defenseman in the NHL. He also gave us this absolute GEM of a quote.
Pick 5 - Roman Bausov, RHD (MHK Dynamo St. Petersberg, MHL)
DY Stats: 43 GP, 2 goals, 10 assists, 12 points
Big Russian defenseman, a trend the Canes love. Roman Bausov is no different, standing at 6’5 (!) and around 190 pounds. He’s described as being more of a shutdown, play killing defenseman with raw offensive skills. He skates decently well, especially for a 6’5 human being. If he can continue to develop the offense and fill out the frame, he has NHL potential.
Pick 6 - Viggo Nordlund, LW (Skelleftea J20/Skelleftea AIK, J20 Nationell/SHL)
DY Stats (HockeyAllsvenskan): 46 GP (incl playoffs), 30 goals, 31 assists, 61 points
DY Stats (SHL): 22 GP (incl playoffs), 0 goals, 1 assist
When you get to the 6th and 7th round, you get to take shots on hyper skilled guys that get overlooked due to a trait or two. Nordlund has dynamic offensive skills, with his playmaking and play creating standing out the most. Combine that with a good skating ability and you have an incredibly interesting player.
The downside with Nordlund is that he’s *listed* at 5’9 (some analysts wonder if he’s measured in bigger than listed) and he’s not physical. That’s something that shouldn’t be expected for a player of his size, but it’s something to not. (Tracking data from Lassi Alanen).
Again, this is a player you take around this spot and hedge a bet on the offense developing and becoming undeniable. If his talent develops into a NHL role, it’s close to top 6 level talent.
Pick 7 - Filip Ekberg, LW (Oshawa, OHL)
DY Stats: 53 GP, 16 goals, 29 assists, 45 points
This felt right, didn’t it. I was honestly shocked that he lasted until the end of the 7th but this year threw us all off with the players taken. Teams valued any player that had a listed height of over 6 feet talent and was fine letting more skilled players fall for the size. Which is how Ekberg, a player that absolutely dominated the last 30-40 games of his years, falls to pick 221. He’s listed at 5’10. (Tracking data from Mitchell Brown).
10 goals and 8 assists in 7 games at the U18 Championships. That led the tournament by 4 points. He went on a 25 game point streak to end his season, getting 46! points in that time. His offensive skill is great and his hockey IQ is high. The size might be a concern to some, but that shouldn’t be an issue. Once again, this is bet you take in the later rounds and see if he continues to develop his overall game.
Overall, this is a solid group of prospects that you got, especially given the draft capital they had going into the draft. They took a good mix of high upside players, boom or bust talents, and a higher floor player (Hi Cerrato) and addressed two big needs within the class, that being center and goalie. This was a solid two days at the office for the scouting department and front office.