We’re not even a full two weeks removed from the Stanley Cup Finals, but the offseason excitement continues to kick up.
On Friday and Saturday, hundreds of young hockey prospects heard their names called in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Teams who continue struggling, such as the Buffalo Sabres, look to the Draft for their next superstar. Playoff contenders might look to the Draft as means of reinforcing organizational depth, or looking for that missing player needed to get them over the championship hump.
The Carolina Hurricanes have a pretty solid roster foundation, thanks to past NHL Draft selections like Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and Jaccob Slavin. Good teams like Carolina, though, do their Draft scouting and look to see which players could add value.
Let’s take a quick look at the Canes’ 2025 Draft Picks, which include a goalie, four offensive players and two defensemen.
Round 2, 41st Overall – Semyon Frolov, G
With current starter Frederik Andersen nearing the tail end of his NHL career, Carolina is in big need of starting goalies.
The Canes already have Pyotr Kochetkov, whom they chose in the 2019 NHL Draft, plus 2021 draftee Nikita Quapp and NHL veteran Spencer Martin.
Carolina went goalie for its first pick of this year’s draft, choosing Russian netminder Semyon Frolov.
Playing with Spartak Moskva Jr., Frolov posted a 9-2-2 win-loss record, .915 save percentage and 2.05 goals against average in the regular season, which included two shutouts. Frolov helped his team win the 2025 MHL Championship.
Round 2, 49th Overall – Charlie Cerrato, C
The Canes’ only 2025 NHL Draftee who played in the United States, Cerrato tallied 42 points (15 goals, 27 assists) for Penn State last season. Cerrato led all Big Ten rookies in goals, assists and total points.
The Nittany Lions are coming off a Frozen Four appearance, losing to eventual runner-up Boston University.
Carolina is hoping that Cerrato, upon conclusion of his collegiate career, will be the next offensive gem to join their NHL roster.
Round 2, 62nd Overall – Ivan Ryabkin, C
The Canes drafted a champion in Ryabkin, the Russian center who helped his Muskegon Lumberjacks teammates win their first-ever Clark Cup (USHL Championship) last season.
Ryabkin registered 30 points during his 2024-2025 hockey campaign, netting 19 goals and dishing out 11 assists across 27 games. His 1.11 points per game led all Lumberjacks players – and ranked ninth in the USHL.
Round 3, 67th Overall – Kurban Limatov, D
Brent Burns is a Carolina hockey legend, but he’s 40 years old. Despite making a second Eastern Conference Finals appearance in three seasons last year, the Canes’ defense took a minimal step backwards, allowing the Florida Panthers to load up on goals.
The Canes are hoping they can add to their deep defenseman room by choosing Limatov, a defenseman from Russian club MHK Spartak Moskva.
Limatov showed his capability as a 2-way defenseman, recording eight goals and 15 assists in 46 regular-season games. Limatov added two goals and three assists across seven playoff appearances, showcasing his ability to perform in the clutch.
Round 3, 87th Overall – Roman Bausov, D
Carolina decided on defense for its second third-round pick of this year’s NHL Draft, choosing another Russian defenseman – this time, going with Bausov from Dynamo St. Petersburg.
Across 41 MHL games, Bausov scored two goals and dished out nine assists. Bausov brings a 6’5” frame to the Canes, giving them some much-needed physicality.
Round 6, 183rd Overall – Viggo Nordlund, LW
Carolina found a late-round offensive gem in Nordlund, who registered 49 points (24 goals, 25 assists) in just 40 games with Skellefta AIK (Sweden) last season. This means that Nordlund is good for one point per game, something any NHL roster covets, but the Canes were lucky enough to snap him up.
Carolina already has plenty of young, offensive firepower on its roster, but Nordlund’s addition will only increase production. The countdown to Nordlund’s NHL arrival is on.
Round 7, 221st Overall – Filip Ekberg, RW
The Canes definitely scouted Draft prospects well, because Ekberg is another high-level contributor.
Ekberg, who played with the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s last season, tallied 45 points (16 goals, 29 assists) in 53 games. His prior two seasons in Sweden, Ekberg totaled 21 goals and 23 assists across 53 games.
Ekberg was Carolina’s final pick of the 2025 NHL Draft. Here’s to hoping the Canes’ draftees make it to Raleigh soon!
Podcasts/Media
ACC Football
NFL/Carolina Panthers
You must be logged in to post a comment Login