O'Brien would be a steal at this point in the draft, as Buffalo could try to replace center Dylan Cozens for the long haul with the sharpshooting O'Brien. He's coming off a 32-goal, 66-assist season in the OHL.

The Nets' full reset became complete when they traded Mikal Bridges for draft picks. The timing made sense before a hyped 2025 draft class. Winning the lottery would obviously justify their moves and strategy. They'll have the sixth-best odds at 9.0 percent to add Cooper Flagg, who'd receive top-option reps for a rebuilding roster.

Following the NHL Draft Lottery on Monday, NHL.com deputy managing editor Adam Kimelman and senior draft writer Mike G. Morreale make their predictions for how the first 16 selections of the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft could turn out.