2025 NHL Draft: Top five prospects from less traditional hockey countries

Jun 3, 2025, 09:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 3, 2025, 10:04 EDT

Credit: Simon Wang (Tucker Nadon/OHL Images)

Last year, the most dominant countries at the NHL Draft were Canada (89 players) and the United States (39).

That’s not surprising – that’s typically how it always is. But we also saw two players from Austria, four from Norway (two in the first round!) and one from Slovenia helping to fill out the crop of 225. For those nations, it’s always good to see any NHL representation.

Between them, just five players saw NHL action this year – far below the 563 we saw from the two North American giants. So, fans of those countries take serious pride when their players make it to the best league in the world, and that journey often starts on draft day.

We’ve seen players from Italy (Anaheim Ducks prospect Damian Clara) and Slovenia (Tampa Bay Lightning pick Jan Golicic) selected in recent years. Who’s next to make their country proud? Here’s a look at five players from nations with IIHF rankings 13th or lower that you need to know for the 2025 NHL Draft:

Haoxi ‘Simon’ Wang, LHD, China (Oshawa Generals, OHL)

Number of players drafted from China since 2005: 2

A year after Kevin He became the first Chinese-born player to sign a contract, Wang is looking to become the highest to ever get drafted. In fact, don’t be surprised if he’s taken either late in the first or sometime in the second round. The Boston University commit was one of the first high-profile prospects to move to the OHL after the NCAA loosened its grip to allow CHLers, which immediately saw Wang jump from the OJHL to Oshawa. It was a big move, but one that also took some time for him to get comfortable.

Wang played some of his best hockey of the season in the playoffs, leaving a lasting impression with scouts. He only started to play at a high level competitively a few years ago, and he’s learning how to use his 6-foot-6 frame to his advantage. The Beijing, China native can skate well and has good offensive instincts. Moving forward, reading plays on the rush will be something he needs to work on.

Bruno Idžan, LW, Croatia (Lincoln Stars, USHL)

Number of players drafted from Croatia since 2005: 0

We’ve seen players with Croatian heritage play in the NHL, with Borna Rendulic being the most prominent, with 15 games played from 2014-16. But we’ve never seen a Croatian-born player drafted to the NHL, meaning Idžan could do something special. The native of Zagreb moved over to the USHL early in the season after putting up some great numbers in the AlpsHL and scored 22 goals and 44 points in 36 games with the USHL’s Lincoln Stars. He also has experience in two separate Division IIA World Championship events, which included a gold medal in 2024.

The University of Wisconsin commit has an excellent shot release and can be difficult to move around the net. He’s not the fastest skater, but he’s great around the net and isn’t afraid to shove guys around. Idžan could afford to improve the timing of his checks, but the raw strength is there and he adjusted well to the USHL. Producing in the USHL is one thing, but doing so at the next level is a whole other challenge. Idžan will need to improve his pace to become a legit NHL prospect, but the raw potential and shooting power should allow for him to get selected this year.

Noa Nsonsa-Kitala, LW, France (Marseille, Ligue Magnus)

Number of players drafted from France since 2005: 3

Nsonsa-Kitala caught my eye at the Division IA World Juniors this year, putting up five points in as many games. France struggled at that tournament, but NNK’s three-point effort against Denmark nearly prevented the Danes from earning promotion to the top tournament. Nsonsa-Kitala plays in the top French league, which isn’t exactly a prospect hotbed. But the lanky winger showed he can handle older competition, using his speed and good transitional play to keep himself relevant.

While it might seem lazy to compare him to a countryman, you can sense some Pierre-Édouard Bellemare in the way Nsonsa-Kitala buys in defensively. He-Kitala isn’t overly skilled, so he commits himself to a full 200-foot game every single night. He has a decent backhand, and I like his acceleration, but NHL teams will be more interested in the way he blocks shots and gets into scoring lanes.

Asanali Sarkenov, RW, Kazakhstan (Spokane Chiefs, WHL)

Number of players drafted from Kazakhstan since 2005: 2

Sarkenov moved to the WHL this past year, putting up modest numbers. But we’ve seen he’s capable of being useful physically – something that has actually got him in trouble in international events. At 6-foot-4, Sarkenov is an absolute unit and way above most Kazakh players in terms of skill.

That being said, Sarkenov will never be mistaken for a dangler, and his skating is average at best. But the winger showed how fearless he can be, taking on just about anyone physically in his first year in the Dub. Sarkenov is difficult to move from around the crease and can handle his own defensively. A lack of offense will hurt his chances of getting drafted, but Sarkenov’s combination of size and defensive acumen should keep him at least in the conversation.

Bor Glavič, G, Slovenia (West Kelowna Warriors, BCHL)

Number of players drafted from Slovenia since 2005: 4

It was a hectic season for Glavič, who left his native Slovenia for the first time to finish the year off with the West Kelowna Warriors. He was part of a heavy goalie rotation that saw six goaltenders suit up for at least one game, but Glavič had the most wins and put up some decent numbers. Early on, it looked like Glavič had some difficulties dealing with the quicker pace of play, but he got better as the season wore on.

Glavič isn’t a quick goaltender, but he’s got premier size at 6-foot-4. He uses that to hold the fort positionally and doesn’t give many holes to shoot at. I particularly like his blocker hand – it’s actually quicker than those of most other goaltenders his age. Passed over in 2024, Glavič is still a bit of a long shot to get taken this year. But there might be some long-term potential as he learns how to move faster laterally.

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