NHL Productions' award-winning "Welcome to the NHL," presented by BODYARMOR Sports Drink, returns to take fans behind the scenes with exclusive access to several of the top prospects for the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft.
The second episode of the two-part show, titled "Class of 2025," will debut Thursday on SN1 (7 p.m. ET) in Canada and Friday on ESPN+ (7 p.m. ET) in the United States. It also will air on NHL Network on Saturday (4 p.m. ET).
The first episode, titled "Meet the Prospects," premiered June 24.
"Class of 2025" covers all angles of the 2025 draft with prospects including Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, Porter Martone and James Hagens, their families, and the teams about to choose them.
The raw emotions of draft day are on full display. For Schaefer, that means thinking about his mother, Jennifer, who died of breast cancer in February 2024. There's a picture of the two of them sewn into the lining of his suit jacket, along with a ladybug.
"A ladybug was a big thing for me," he said. "I saw them as signs when my mom passed away."
There are more tears after Schaefer is picked No. 1 by the New York Islanders and is handed his jersey by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, and Schaefer sees the very personal touches the Islanders added to it.
From Los Angeles to Elora, Ontario, cameras followed Brady Martin, where farm responsibilities kept the forward and his family at home for the draft. An outdoor party included a television mounted on a tractor that showed Martin hearing his name called by the Nashville Predators at No. 5.
After Martin thanks general manager Barry Trotz for taking the chance to select him, Trotz said, "There's no chance taken on you. You're going to be a great young man for us and a great player."
In addition to the Predators, cameras are inside the draft rooms for several other teams including the Boston Bruins when they get a final call before making their decision to select Hagens with the No. 7 pick.
After the high of the draft experience wears off, it's time for the players to head to development camp, and then for some of them, a chance to make their NHL debut.
Schaefer's first game comes against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, seen from the viewpoint of his father, Todd Schaefer.
"Pinch me that Matthew Schaefer is on the ice with Sidney Crosby," Todd said.
After the game, Matthew has a special gift for his father and then is off to the next stop on his burgeoning NHL career, with one final message.
"The work doesn't stop here," he said. "Just getting started."
