Ways to watch the 2025 NHL Draft for free: Time, live stream, details

The NHL season for 2024-25 wrapped up last week, but fans are already looking ahead as the 2025 NHL Draft kicks off tonight.

The New York Islanders have a 3.5% chance of snagging the first overall pick. It’s been a while—since 2009, in fact—since they had the top choice.

So, who will they select? Most analysts seem to agree that Matthew Schaefer is the likely pick. His journey to the draft has been marked by two incredibly challenging personal losses.

Related: Exploring the top three strategies for the 2025 NHL Draft

Other players to watch for early selections include James Hagens, Michael Misa, Anton Flandre, Porter Martone, and Brady Martin, also hailing from Long Island.

Here’s what you need to know to catch all the action, including the channels to watch and the timings for both days of the draft.

2025 NHL Draft Date and Start Time: When is the 2025 NHL Draft?

The first round will kick off on June 27th at 7 PM on ESPN.

For rounds 2 through 7, tune in on June 28th starting at 11 AM ET on the NHL Network.

How to watch and stream the 2025 NHL Draft for free:

No cable? No problem. You can watch the NHL Draft through various live TV streaming services. One solid option is Hulu + Live TV, which offers a three-day free trial before starting at $82.99 per month. This plan includes top channels, and the tournament will span four days.

2025 NHL Draft Order:

The New York Islanders will kick things off with the first overall pick. Here’s the first round draft order:

1. New York Islanders
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Chicago Blackhawks
4. Utah Mammoth
5. Nashville Predators
6. Philadelphia Flyers
7. Boston Bruins
8. Seattle Kraken
9. Buffalo Sabres
10. Anaheim Ducks
11. Pittsburgh Penguins
12. Pittsburgh Penguins (via NYR)
13. Detroit Red Wings
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
15. Vancouver Canucks
16. Montreal Canadiens (via CGY)
17. Montreal Canadiens
18. Calgary Flames (via New Jersey)
19. St. Louis Blues
20. Columbus Blue Jackets (min)
21. Ottawa Senators
22. Philadelphia Flyers (via Col)
23. Nashville Predators (via TB)
24. Los Angeles Kings
25. Chicago Blackhawks (via TOR)
26. Nashville Predators (via VGK via SJ)
27. Washington Capitals
28. Winnipeg Jets
29. Carolina Hurricanes
30. San Jose Sharks (via Dal)
31. Philadelphia Flyers (via EDM)
32. Calgary Flames (via FLA)