Schaefer, 2025 NHL Draft prospects enjoy ‘cool opportunity’ to attend Stanley Cup Final

Ekblad, Reinhart, Draisaitl and Bennett did it together in 2014, before the Panthers, the Buffalo Sabres, the Oilers and the Calgary Flames selected them with the first four picks in the draft, respectively.

“Everything is so new when you’re 18, when you’re stepping into all these arenas and the media and the buzz around it,” Draisaitl said. “That’s a really cool time. It helps you kind of get an understanding of what it’s all about and what it takes.”

Led by David Keon, NHL senior manager of event communications and player development, the prospects gathered in the lower lobby of their hotel about 8:45 a.m. and piled into a black Honda Odyssey minivan.

They arrived at Baptist Health IcePlex, Florida’s new, state-of-the-art practice facility, about 9 a.m. When they walked into the dining room, it might have felt awkward at first, as if they were intruding in the Panthers’ private space on a huge game day.

But then they met Ekblad, Tkachuk and coach Paul Maurice, who made small talk and gave advice.