Carolina Hurricanes Draft - Pick Grades and Analysis
Carolina added seven players to their prospect pool during the 2025 NHL Draft.
After live streaming for a ten hour span over the past 24 hours, I can confidently say that the NHL’s decentralized draft stinks. At the very least, it needs to be changed. It’s ridiculous, because other leagues have had their drafts figured out for years, and yet the NHL still manages to trip over its own feet. Nevertheless, we’re here to talk about Carolina’s 2025 draft class. The Hurricanes went into the draft with six picks and wound up making seven of them, trading down twice and even (gasps) trading up! In this post, I’ll dive into each pick, provide analysis on the player, give a grade, and then give an overall grade for the entire class when we’re done.
41st Overall - Semyon Frolov
The Hurricanes used their first round pick (29th overall) first to trade down to acquire the 34th and 62nd overall selections, plus a fifth round pick in 2027. They then traded picks 34 and 189 for picks 41, 49. With their first selection in the draft, they selected goaltender Semyon Frolov from the Spartak Moscow system. Frolov was widely considered one of the top goaltenders in the draft and was ranked second in Europe. Standing at six foot three, Frolov is an athletic goaltender with great skating, cross crease movement and puck tracking. It looks like he can get happy feet occasionally, struggling a bit with positioning, but that’s a trait that can be worked on with the development coaches. An interesting comment from Hurricanes AGM Darren Yorke mentioned that Cam Ward had been working with the goalie coaches on this pick, which is the first time I’ve seen any mention of him working with the team. It makes a ton of sense to have Ward’s input as a veteran of 701 NHL games.
Frolov makes a ton of sense as a Hurricanes pick. He’s a big goalie, athletic and a good skater. There’s legitimate upside with this pick, and I could see Frolov turning into a starter if things work out his way. Spartak has produced NHL talent in the past, and it’s not the first time that the Hurricanes have drafted from them, either. You might remember Alexander Nikishin. Not that Frolov will turn into Nikishin, but he’s a very intriguing prospect. Frolov immediately becomes the top goaltending prospect in the Hurricanes’ system, pushing ahead of Ruslan Khazheyev. The goaltending pipeline is still a little thin, as there’s not a ton behind those Frolov and Khazheyev. Still, the Hurricanes went a long way to improve a position of need while also taking the best player available. That’s commendable.
Pick grade: B
49th Overall - Charlie Cerrato
Carolina’s second pick was Charlie Cerrato, a double overage player that impressed as a freshman for Penn State this past season. During his first year of eligibility, Cerrato played for the US NTDP, then went to Youngstown in the USHL for his second year. Hurricanes AGM Darren Yorke mentioned that Cerrato could have gotten drafted this past year but instead was drafted after an impressive year with Penn State. Cerrato finished with 42 points in 38 games for the Nittany Lions, finishing as a finalist for Big Ten freshman of the year. Cerrato is a really good two-way center that will likely stick at the position at the pro level, making him an attractive selection for the Hurricanes. He’s defensively responsible, has good two-way ability, and there’s some skill in his game as a playmaker. He has a decent shot and there’s third line upside in his game. I’ve seen some reports about Cerrato’s hockey sense only being average, but there’s a lot to like about the rest of his game. He’s a competitor, a strong two-way forward and one that plays a game that’s tailor made for the Hurricanes. It wouldn’t shock me if he plays NHL games sooner rather than later due to his age, playing college hockey, and style of play.
Yorke also showed that sentiment, stating that Cerrato was strong on faceoffs and played the way the Canes wanted to play. While I think that the Hurricanes could likely have gotten him with the 62nd pick, it does address a big need in the system. Carolina’s center depth in their prospect pool was bad to say the least. Their center prospects consisted of Ryan Suzuki, Skyler Brind’Amour and Justin Robidas, although the latter had converted to the wing for the most part. And Suzuki and Brind’Amour don’t really classify as prospects due to their age. Cerrato certainly doesn’t solve the depth issue at center, but he’s a good prospect that should play pro games.
Pick grade: C+
62nd Overall - Ivan Ryabkin
This one stunned me initially, but in hindsight, it absolutely shouldn’t have been a surprise. If there was one player that was going to fall to the Hurricanes in this draft, it was Ryabkin. He was arguably the most polarizing player in the draft class, playing for four different teams and failing to impress a lot of scouts. Concerns about his work ethic and a reported bad showing at the combine caused Ryabkin to slide down draft boards all year. Still, when you watch him play, you can see that there’s a ton of skill. Ryabkin is one of the best goal scorers in the draft and has elite skill with the puck. Despite his size, Ryabkin actually has physical maturity and plays a strong physical game that can win puck battles. The upside here is incredible. He could be a 25-goal scorer at the NHL level, which is something that you absolutely take a swing on in the late second round. If he hits, this is a home run for the Hurricanes. If not, it’s still a bet that you make every day of the week. You don’t go up to bat in the ninth inning down a run hoping to hit a single. You’re hoping to hit a home run. That’s exactly what this is.
I’m fascinated to see Ryabkin at development camp this week. There’s a lot of potential here, and he’s going to be one of the most interesting players to follow over the course of his career as a prospect. I’m also curious to know where he’s going to play next season. He finished the year by winning a championship with Muskegon, but there’s certainly a possibility that he could play with another team. Ryabkin could be a top prospect available for the CHL import draft, so it’s possible that he plays in the CHL next season. I don’t believe that he would return to Russia, so I would imagine that staying in North America is what will happen. If there’s a team that can get the most out of Ryabkin while also getting his attitude in check, it’s the Canes.
Pick grade: B+
67th Overall - Kurban Limatov
Limatov is a modern defenseman. He’s an elite skater, good defensively, has great hockey sense and has a ton of upside offensively. Limatov skates circles around the competition and has at least 65 (scale out of 80) skating, which puts him in a very good tier. This is a player that could play top four minutes at the NHL level and play in a variety of roles. I see someone like Limatov and I see a player that could be an incredible value pick for the team. There’s a long way to go here, but there’s legitimate potential. The fact that Limatov is that good of a skater at six foot four is incredible. There’s a legitimate chance that he could play in the KHL at least for a little bit this season, too. Limatov is aggressive in all three zones and has the swagger and confidence you want a prospect to have. When asked who the best defenseman in the NHL was, he responded with “me, in five years.” What a baller.
Oddly enough, the Hurricanes traded up in the draft to select Limatov. They traded pick 125 and Dallas’ 2026 third round pick for the 67th pick in the draft. It’s very rare to see the Hurricanes trade up for a player, which shows you just how much they value him. The second they did, Nick and I both said on stream that the Canes would like to take Limatov. It just made too much sense. And, after trading down twice, it’s okay to trade the picks that the Hurricanes did. PuckPedia had it as an even swap in terms of draft pick value as well. Carolina had a player on their list and they went out and got him. Commendable.
Pick grade: B
87th Overall - Roman Bausov
Bausov was the first pick of the Hurricanes’ draft that we truly had no clue about on the live stream. Upon further reflection, it makes some sense here. Bausov is six foot five, a good skater with good physicality. With his size and skating, there’s third pairing upside. He could be a shutdown defender that can close gaps quickly, which will play at the NHL level. Bausov needs to fill out a bit, and with his frame, that shouldn’t be a problem. At this point in the draft, you’re looking for specific traits that you can build on. With Bausov’s size and skating, there’s enough to build on.
Pick grade: C
183rd Overall - Viggo Nordlund
Nearly two hours went by before the Hurricanes picked another player. They decided to draft Swedish forward Viggo Nordlund, a talented winger that produced at over a point per game pace at the U20 level. Nordlund’s one on one skill stands out, and he’s one of the craftier players in this draft class. There’s no harm in taking a smaller forward at this point in the draft, especially one with this kind of offensive upside. The rest of the NHL is taking huge forwards that have no offensive upside or awful skating, while the Hurricanes are still taking skilled forwards that could play in the middle six at some point.
Seeing how other teams were taking players that struggled in the CHL this past season at this point in the draft, the Hurricanes did well to draft a player that had a strong season. I know some fans wanted the Hurricanes to draft bigger forwards, but at this point in the draft, there aren’t going to be any available that fit the team’s needs. Most players available have awful skating or hockey sense, sometimes both, and that doesn’t fit Carolina’s draft philosophy. Taking a sixth round flyer on Nordlund is good work. At this stage in the draft, you’d be happy if he plays in any pro games for the Hurricanes. If he does, that’s a win.
Pick grade: B
221st Overall - Filip Ekberg
Seventh round picks are always a shot in the dark. Ekberg makes a lot of sense as a Hurricanes pick. He was the MVP of the U18 tournament after a fairly disappointing season in the OHL with Ottawa. He was apparently fighting an illness or injury at the beginning of the year, which limited his production and hurt his play. He picked it up during the second half of the season and showcased his potential at the U18s. There’s a lot of skill in Ekberg’s game, and I could see him really taking off in his D+1 season for the 67s. Ekberg is another one of those players that you take a flyer on at this point in the draft.
Again, the Hurricanes take advantage of a smaller, skilled forward falling down in the draft. A healthy Ekberg could be one of the top players in the CHL next season given his shiftiness and dynamic style of play with the puck on his stick. When he’s on his game, Ekberg looks really good. The only downside to this pick is that he only has two years to develop before having to turn pro. I could see the Hurricanes trying to get him over to Europe after one more year with Ottawa, that way he can get some experience against older, better competition before heading to the AHL. Once again, this is another strong pick from the Hurricanes.
Pick grade: B
Overall Draft Grade - B
This was a solid draft for Carolina. Since they didn’t pick until 41st overall, it’s hard to give the team anything higher than a B. There’s a ton of potential with this draft class, but there’s also a lot of risk here. Carolina did what they usually do in the draft: draft often and draft skill and upside. The ceiling of this draft class could very well push this draft up to an A grade when we look back on it five years from now. It could also wind up being a disappointment. They took some huge swings this year by drafting Ryabkin, Nordlund and Ekberg. There’s one “high floor” player in Cerrato, but even he could turn out to be a bit of a disappointment at the NHL level. Carolina knows the risks, though, and taking players like that are how they are going to remain a contender for years to come. Right now, it’s an exciting new draft class with a lot of possibilities. We’ll be seeing all seven players at Development Camp this week, so if you get the chance, stop by Invisalign Arena. Thanks again to everyone that tuned in for the live streams both days! We had a blast and I hope you all did too. We’re hoping to do something like that again in the future.
Carolina stuck to their guns in this draft, taking players that fit the mold of what they’re looking for. The team drafted skill, upside and skating ability once again, not compromising to draft “safe” players. They may have reached for a few players such as Cerrato and Bausov, but both players have a lot of projectable traits that could allow for them to turn into NHL players. Taking a swing on Ryabkin is a move that could define this draft class if it pans out. Overall, it’s a solid draft class for the Hurricanes. They did well to acquire more picks and made a point to draft players that they knew had a chance to make it to the NHL. Daily Faceoff gave the Hurricanes an A- for their class. While I admire the grade, it’s a bit high given the fact that the Hurricanes aren’t picking a superstar unless they get very lucky. This draft could just as easily turn into an F as it could an A for the team, given some of the risks that they took. The reason they do it is because they’d much rather get top six forwards, top four defenseman, and a potential starting goalie rather than depth pieces. If you swing for the fences, sometimes you’re going to strike out. This will be a fascinating draft to follow.