Anton Frondell heats up and other draft eligibles making their case
Anton Frondell has had an up-and-down draft year, but is heating up as the calendar inches closer to the 2025 NHL Draft.
Eklund, the 6-foot-1, 198-pound center, has 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 27 games for Djurgarden in HockeyAllsvenskan — Sweden’s second-tier pro league — since he was promoted up from the U20 team.
“Frondell has been a player whose value, in consensus, has gone down over the course of the season, certainly not for our group,” FCHockey scout Samuel Tirpak said. “He was still recovering from an early-season injury, however, the things that would make him a successful long-term NHL player were always there, such as strong puck-possession game, being a good and consistent checker in both offense and defense, winning puck battles and being an effective player that generates a ton of offense with that style of play which should translate really well into NHL.
“Simply put, he is that typical, modern-day power-forward and his current production level is, in my opinion, just a culmination of those things coming together at a right time in combination with being fully healthy, of course.”
Frondell’s recent tear has helped that perception.
Frondell, in four games last week, registered seven points (three goals, four assists). The 17-year-old powered his squad to a 4-2 victory against Almtuna IS with a pair of goals and two assists in 13:38 minutes of ice. He added a goal and an assist in a shootout loss to Södertälje SK while logging a season high of 18:48 minutes.
“He’s a big center with some high-end attributes that create a tantalizing ceiling,” FCHockey scout Kareem Elshafey said. “His one-timer is probably his most dangerous weapon, and he does well to sneak between coverages in the offensive zone to make that an option for teammates. Frondell’s in-zone offensive play is one of his strengths. Another key to Frondell’s success in the offensive zone is his ability to make short passes with opponents bearing down on him. Whether it be a touch pass, a nifty slip pass, or a cheeky backhand dish, he is able to get the puck into open space for his teammates.”
Michael Misa | Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Michael Misa is reaching all kinds of milestones as his sensational draft year continues. He notched another seven points (four goals, three assists) in four games over the last week to bring his Canadian Hockey League-leading total to 113 points (54 goals, 59 assists) in 54 games.
Misa, with Saginaw in the Ontario Hockey League, had multi-point games in three of those four outings, helping him surpass Cole Perfetti for the franchise lead for most points in a single season.
Ryker Lee | Madison Capitals (USHL)
Ryker Lee of Madison in the United States Hockey League, landed at no. 43 on FCHockey’s Winter ranking for the 2025 draft and has been on a tear lately. The 6-foot, 181-pound center has 16 points (six goals, 10 points) in his past 10 games.
That includes a three-game point streak last week which saw him net seven points (two goals, five assists).The Shattuck St. Mary’s product, who is committed to Michigan State University for the 2025-26 season, had his biggest showing in a 10-4 win over the United States National Team Development Program, with a goal and four assists.
Mason Moe | Madison Capitals (USHL)
Mason Moe, Lee’s teammate, has also been heating up recently. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound forward has 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in his last 10 games, and had a big week in three Madison wins — netting seven points (two goals, five assists) in the process. Moe registered three points (one goal, two assists) in the Capitals demolition of the USNTDP team. He followed that up with a pair of assists and then another two-point outing in two wins over the Fargo Force.
Moe, who is committed to the University of Minnesota for the 2025–26 season, has 35 points (13 goals, 23 assists) in 33 games.
Jake O’Brien | Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
Jake O’Brien is having a nice draft season for one of the top competitors in the OHL’s Eastern Conference. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound playmaker is up to 84 points (29 goals, 55 assists) in 58 games, and trails only Misa and Porter Martone in assists among draft eligible players in the OHL.
O’Brien, no. 19 in FCHockey’s winter rankings, registered at least one point in all four Brantford wins. He opened the week with three points (one goal, two assists) against Sault Ste. Marie and followed it up with a pair of assists in a win over Peterborough. He failed to register a shot in a 4-2 loss to Kingston, but found his way onto the scoresheet with an assist. He rounded out the week with another helper in a 5-1 win against Ottawa.
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