Eight Current, Incoming NCHC Players Taken on Day Two of 2025 NHL Draft

LOS ANGELES – After two National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) players were drafted in the first round on Friday, eight more current or incoming NCHC skaters were selected on day two of the 2025 NHL Draft Saturday at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
 
Seven NCHC teams saw a rising sophomore or incoming freshman hear their name called at the NHL Draft on Saturday. Among the 10 NCHC players drafted in 2025, Arizona State, Denver and North Dakota are home to two each, while Western Michigan, Colorado College, Omaha and St. Cloud State had one player each drafted.
 
Two current NCHC players were selected in the 2025 NHL Draft, including Western Michigan rising sophomore defenseman Zack Sharp in the fourth round on Saturday. Sharp went to the San Jose Sharks with pick 124 overall. The Naperville, Ill. native helped the Broncos win the 2025 National Championship and both NCHC titles, totaling nine points (5g/4a) while playing in all 42 games. He blocked 29 shots and was a +19 on WMU’s blue line. 
 
The other current NCHC player chosen, Arizona State rising sophomore forward Cullen Potter, was drafted at the end of the first round by the Calgary Flames on Friday night. ASU incoming freshman forward Ben Kevan was the first NCHC player off the board on Saturday, going in round 2 at pick 63 to the New Jersey Devils. Kevan played for Des Moines in the USHL last season and played with Potter on the 2025 U.S. U-18 National Team, helping Team USA take bronze at the IIHF U-18 World Championship in May.
 
Denver incoming freshman Kristian Epperson was the lone NCHC draft pick in the third round. The Saginaw Spirit (OHL) forward was taken by the Los Angeles Kings with pick 88 overall. Fellow DU incoming freshman forward Brendan McMorrow was also drafted by the L.A. Kings in the seventh round with pick 196. McMorrow was named team MVP of the Waterloo Black Hawks this past season after tallying 24 goals and 18 assists for 42 points in 58 games, while helping Waterloo make the Clark Cup Finals.
 
North Dakota incoming freshman defenseman Sam Laurila was taken by the New York Islanders in the fifth round with the 138th overall pick. Laurila spent last year with the Fargo Force in the USHL, where he finished with 41 points in 57 games and was named a finalist for the league’s top defenseman. UND incoming freshman forward Cole Reschny went 18th overall in the first round to the Calgary Flames on Friday.
 
Colorado College incoming freshman forward Wilson Björck also went in the fifth round, five picks after Laurila, at 143 overall to the Vancouver Canucks. The Stockholm, Sweden native tallied 91 points (37g/54a) in 84 games with Djurgardens IF in Sweden the last two seasons.
 
In the seventh round, Omaha incoming freshman forward Jeremy Loranger and St. Cloud State incoming freshman forward Nolan Roed were selected. Loranger, who played for Sherwood Park in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) last season, was taken off the board at pick 198 by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Roed, who suited up with Tri-City in the USHL this past season, went to the Colorado Avalanche with pick 214 overall.
 
Of the 10 NCHC players selected in the 2025 NHL Draft, eight are forwards and two are defensemen. The eight incoming freshmen played in five different junior leagues last season, with four in the USHL and one each in the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and BCHL.
 
Five other future NCHC committed players were also drafted during the NHL Draft on Saturday, while former Denver forward Alex Weiermair was drafted in the sixth round by the Vegas Golden Knights. To read about the NCHC’s day one draft picks, click here.

To see all college hockey related draft picks in 2025, click here.

NCHC PLAYERS SELECTED IN 2025 NHL DRAFT