The Nashville Predators will have a top-five selection at the NHL Entry Draft for the first time in more than ten years. It comes at a time when the franchise is desperate for a future first-line center but also when this prospect class lacks a runaway generational talent. As Nashville strategizes how to use its three first-round picks, let’s take a look at three centers likely to be taken in the first round next month.
Caleb Desnoyers | C | Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
Caleb Desnoyers is arguably the top prospect available from the QMJHL this season, and the QMJHL remains a league with a less-than-stellar reputation for high-end scorers becoming full-time NHLers. Regardless, Desnoyers has had remarkable staying power on draft boards this season. In his second year in the QMJHL, Desnoyers led the Moncton Wildcats in scoring with 35 goals and 84 points in 56 games.
Desnoyers has the complete makeup of a top-line center: he moves well, keeps his head on a swivel, covers tons of ice, is defensively responsible, scores, and so much more. He’s tenacious off the puck, hounding opponents and filling space as an F1, F2, or F3—wherever he’s needed. There’s a very mature aspect to his tracking abilities, and you can see him becoming a true 200-foot center in the NHL.
Desnoyers’ puck skills are very good, and his finishing ability is excellent. He doesn’t have the best hands in this class, but his stickhandling easily projects as that of a top-line player. His passing skills were inconsistent throughout the season, but I don’t see him struggling to refine that as he develops. He has a quick release and a robust scoring arsenal, but I do think he’ll need to speed up his decision-making to score 30 goals in the pros; similar to James Hagens, Desnoyers can lose some shots in his curl-and-drags and set-ups.
Some evaluators are concerned that Desnoyers won’t be much of a line driver in the NHL, but I think his ability to play as a heavy forechecker, shooter, and neutral-zone checker makes him a more attractive option (almost similar to Ryan O’Reilly). He has a significant wingspan that allows him to dive and dart through layers of defense and maintain possession, and I think there’s a really good foundation of puck protection skills overall.
Desnoyers’ skating mechanics are fine; his knee bend is good, chest remains upright, and leg recovery is solid, but he probably projects as an average skater in the NHL. I think there’s a very real chance an NHL team could shift him to the wing, but there is a clear pathway to become at least a 2C.
Anton Frondell | F | Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)
Anton Frondell might be one of the most divisive prospects at the top of this draft class. A teammate of another likely first-round pick in Victor Eklund, Frondell’s campaign probably asked more questions than it answered, but he remains an intriguing option at center heading into June. The 17-year-old split time between the HockeyAllsvenskan and the J20 Nationell this year, posting 11 goals and 25 points in 29 games on his way to a HockeyAllsvenskan championship. He also chipped in three points in five games at the 2025 U18 World Junior Championship.
The big takeaway when watching Frondell’s tape is how strong he is on the puck. He makes commanding passes across the ice, catches and cradles the puck well on his blade, and rips wrist shots and one-timers past unsuspecting goalies. He’s got arguably the best wrist shot in this draft class but isn’t just a one-dimensional sniper; on his best shifts, he’s dominant in the offensive zone, jamming at pucks, boxing out opponents around the crease, and weaving around the ice, directing his teammates.
Frondell’s skating mechanics are good; he moves well and builds up to a good top speed but lacks a truly elite first step.
The concern some have with Frondell is his inconsistencies shift to shift and whether he can truly drive a top line in the NHL. At Frondell’s best, he drives possession toward the net, drops his shoulder to out-muscle defenders, bullies opponents along the wall, and creates time and space for teammates. At his worst, he let Eklund do much of the heavy lifting but still found scoring areas and good puck-support positioning.
Frondell’s defensive positioning and tracking are similar to Desnoyers, but like any young player, he loses battles here and there and lunges for the puck instead of taking an extra stride. It can be hard to know which version of Frondell an NHL team will get, but his best-case scenario is an intriguing power forward that could be any goalie with a lethal release.
Jake O’Brien | C | Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
If you peruse through 2025 NHL Draft takes, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t like Jake O’Brien’s game. The Toronto native has now played two seasons with the Brantford Bulldogs, finishing the year as one of three Bulldogs in the top ten in OHL scoring with 32 goals and 98 points in 66 games.
The question then is just how much everyone likes O’Brien’s game. There’s no doubt he’s a talented player, but he also benefited from an impressive scoring environment this season; I like him as a first-round pick, but I think he’s got the lowest ceiling of these three players.
O’Brien is a bit lanky compared to Frondell and Desnoyers, despite standing at 6’2″; I’ve watched his tape hoping he’d leverage his height a bit more, and I think he’ll need to add some more bite and muscle to be a true top-six center in the NHL. Otherwise, there aren’t a ton of negatives shift-to-shift in O’Brien’s game. He’s sound at both ends of the ice, doesn’t make a ton of mistakes, and projects as a reliable middle-six playmaker.
He’s patient with the puck, drawing defenders into his reach before connecting a cross-zone pass or beating them with an impressive deke. He’s a true playmaker who makes crisp passes and is constantly scanning the ice to see where he can set up a teammate. O’Brien’s decision-making speed will need to take another step, but he processes the game at a good pace, anticipating opponents’ movements and exploiting their neutral- and defensive-zone tendencies.
O’Brien is likely an average skater in the NHL with good speed but okay explosiveness. He executes plays at his top pace and doesn’t often relegate to a glide before shooting or passing. O’Brien’s stickhandling skills are flashy, and he wins most of the challenges that come his way. He can occasionally work his way into a corner or let defenders force him to the perimeter, but he’s not afraid to dive into the slot or cross the Royal Road with a sizzlingly accurate pass.
His shooting skills are fine, but O’Brien will likely put up more assists in the pros. I found him puck watching a bit in the defensive end or when he wasn’t driving a rush himself, but he demands the puck in transition, so I’m not too worried about that. Overall, I really like O’Brien’s game, but it’s hard for me to find that extra gear that top NHL centers showcase each night.
