Sun Devils at the 2025 NHL Draft
Cullen Potter headlines the trio of Devils who hope to hear their names called this weekend
Happy NHL Draft Day to all who celebrate!
In the 10 seasons of Arizona State hockey, the Devils have had a handful of commits come to campus after being drafted. Joey Daccord committed in the 7th round (No. 199 overall) in 2015 by the Ottawa Senators, and is now making his career with the Seattle Kraken. Josh Doan was a 2021second round pick (No. 37 overall) by the Arizona Coyotes, reflecting the highest drafted commit in ASU history. A number of transfers have brought draft pedigree with them to Tempe, including current players Cruz Lucius (Carolina 2022), Noah Powell (2024 Philadelphia), and Cole Spicer (2022 Boston).
When the Draft begins tonight at 7pm Eastern, three Sun Devils will be anxiously waiting to see which NHL team will call their name.
The son of the most decorated U.S. women's hockey player, Cullen's arrival in Tempe was met with great anticipation following his de-commitment from Michigan State. As a 17-year old freshman, Potter experienced a brief adjustment period before showing he could compete with players 3-4 years older than him, registering 13 goals and 9 assists for 22 points.
After the NCAA season, Cullen followed in his mother's footsteps, winning a bronze medal for Team USA at the 2025 U18 World Championships in Dallas. During the NHL Draft Combine earlier this month, Cullen impressed scouts with his speed and agility, being ranked by The Athletic as the best available skater in this year's draft class.
A near-consensus first-round pick, Cullen has drawn comparisons to Frank Nazar and Jeff Skinner in his ability. If Potter is drafted in the first round tonight, he will not only reflect the highest draft pick to play for Arizona State, but also the first current Sun Devil to be selected in the NHL Draft.
An incoming freshman from Fairfield CA, Ben was a member of the 2025 U18 gold medal team with Cullen Potter. Kevan will arrive in Tempe after two seasons in the USHL with the Des Moines Buccaneers, where he tallied 37 goals and 63 assists for 100 points in 110 games.
Scouts rave about Ben's speed and creativity, citing his ability to create separation from defenders to stay a consistent threat on the rush. He's not afraid to attempt high-difficulty plays in the offensive zone and is a high volume shooter, averaging 5.7 shot attempts and 3.5 shots on goal per game.
The potential drawback to his game is a lower than average scoring efficiency (converting just 7% of "Grade A" scoring chances), as well as a high turnover rate at 7 giveaways per game. No player is completely perfect coming in to the draft, and whoever selects Kevan in the second or third round will be gaining an offensive playmaker with strong opportunities for development at the NCAA level.
Ranked No. 145 by NHL Central Scouting, the 19-year old defenseman from Slovakia spent the 2024-25 season with Ben Kevan with the Des Moines Buccaneers. An offensive minded defenseman, Baran put up 4 goals and 26 assists for 30 points in his lone season in the USHL.
Skating ability is the common theme for our potential draft picks, as Baran has been praised for his effortless movement through the neutral zone and his NHL-caliber puck-carrying skills. He gives a strong presence on the power play, averaging over 3:00 of power play time per game, and has a 90% passing accuracy. Based on his play at the USHL level, he would project as a two-way defenseman.
While not wholly a reflection on his own skills, Baran finished with a minus-21 rating (on the ice for 21 more goals against than scored) while playing on the Buccaneers top defensive pairing. That combined with his lack of physicality for his frame (6' 1", 187 lbs.) push him down the rankings list to a potential 5th round draft pick.
How to Watch
The first round of the NHL Draft will be broadcast tonight live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles starting at 7pm Eastern/4pm Pacific on ESPN and streaming on ESPN+ (subscription required). Rounds 2-7 will be broadcast starting at 12pm Eastern/9am Pacific tomorrow on NHL Network, also streaming on ESPN+.