Part two of my annual look at the top Tier 2 (BCHL, OJHL, NAHL, USHS, etc) players available for the 2025 NHL Draft. These are the top goaltenders and defenders.
Goaltenders
Ryan Cameron - Goaltender - Lone Star Brahmas (NAHL)
6-foot-1, 170 pounds, Catches: Left
It’s been a bit of a roller coaster of a year for Cameron. The Boston College commit started the season playing for the U.S. at the Hlinka/Gretzky, where he was the team’s starting netminder. Since, he’s seen time with the Long Island Gulls U18 program (he’s spent the last three years with Long Island), spot duty with the US NTDP, and, most recently, with Lone Star of the NAHL. In the NAHL, he’s consistently been one of the league’s top netminders. In fact, as of writing this his .949 save percentage is only a few points off the NAHL all time (.952, held by current St. Thomas University goaltender Jake Sibell). What makes Cameron so effective? He’s an excellent athlete and he competes to make saves. He has very quick pads, is quick post to post, and is excellent in scramble situations, often denying second and third chance opportunities. Comparing his play from last year and some tape from the Hlinka, he’s also worked hard at the NAHL level to be more aggressive in his crease, playing to the top of the blue paint to better cutdown angles and to fight for sight lines; a crucial development given his “average” size for the position. He swallows up rebounds well to his upper body, but he needs to do a better job of controlling rebounds off his pads, as he has a tendency to kick pucks back to the middle of the ice, or he fails to find and cover up said shots, forcing him to make all those second/third chance saves. He can also struggle with his angles as he tries to play more aggressively, giving up both the far side and the short side, depending on the shooting angle. Unfortunately for Cameron, his worst game of the year came in his lone USHL appearance against the Chicago Steel when he was making a guest appearance with the NTDP. The upside here with Cameron is high enough that he should be an NHL selection this year, but given a few technical issues at his size, I wouldn’t expect it to be extremely high.
High quality save from Cameron from the Hlinka/Gretzky, as he denies Caleb Desnoyers on the breakaway.
Grades:
Athleticism: 55
Compete/Temperament: 55
Play Reading: 52.5
Technique: 52.5
Rebound Control: 50
Puck Handling: 50
OFP: 52.75
Carl Axelsson - Goaltender - Austin Bruins (NAHL)/Sioux Falls (USHL)
6-foot-3, 180 pounds, Catches: Left
A late born 2006, Axelsson decided to leave Sweden for North America this year after winning a J20 Championship with Skellefteå AIK. After being selected by Sioux Falls, the expectation was that he would spend the year in the USHL, however, some inconsistent play, combined with a crowded crease, has forced Axelsson to the NAHL with Austin, where he’s been since December. Axelsson also worked as the backup for Sweden at the World Junior A Challenge this year, receiving spot duty. The University of Minnesota-Duluth commit has largely been solid in the NAHL with Austin, although the crease hasn’t been solely his. Axelsson is best described as being average across the board. He’s pretty quick to challenge shooters and gets in and out of the butterfly well, however his lateral quickness and pushes are often not as powerful as they need to be. His rebound control is largely inconsistent. He will fight through traffic to make saves and is aggressive in cutting down angles, but he can kick out juicy rebounds into the slot, especially on shots to his body. Additionally, Axelsson’s positioning is inconsistent. He has a tendency to overcommit at times. A Minnesota Duluth commit, Axelsson is best described as a long term project with some workable attributes.
Axelsson puts his size to good use, challenging a point shot and making a second chance save too.
Grades:
Athleticism: 50
Compete/Temperament: 50
Play Reading: 52.5
Technique: 50
Rebound Control: 50
Puck Handling: 50
OFP: 50.625
Dylan Lee Stack - Goaltender - Brunswick School (USHS-Prep)
6-foot-2, 175 pounds, Catches: Left
Prep school netminder who has split the year between Brunswick school and the Yale Jr. Bulldogs. Stack also recently made waves by signing with the Peterborough Petes of the OHL, but that contract kicks in next season. Stack is a bit of a blank canvas. The athleticism and compete are standout traits. He’s very quick post to post and he never gives up on a play, scrambling to make second or third chance saves. Due to this, he’s one of those netminders with a penchant for the highlight reel save. However, the rest of Stack’s game is a work in progress. He routinely gets caught too deep in his crease and can be susceptible to weaker goals from the perimeter. Stack also has a tendency to overcommit, taking him out of position, while opening up too much of the net. He needs to work on his angles as he challenges shooters, a reason why he probably prefers to stay deep. However, the old adage is that you can’t teach the natural qualities that he possesses, whereas the other components can be improved on. At this point, I’d put him as a draft long shot because of how raw his game is; NHL teams will likely want to see him competing at a higher level first to see how some of these flaws become exposed. He’ll compete for a starter’s spot in Peterborough next year and that could be his big ticket.
Sprawling, athletic save that showcases his post to post quickness.
Grades:
Athleticism: 55
Compete/Temperament: 55
Play Reading: 50
Technique: 47.5
Rebound Control: 50
Puck Handling: 50
OFP: 51.375
Ethan Phillips - Goaltender - Bishop Kearney (U18 AAA)/Rochester Jr. Americans (NAHL)
6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Catches: Left
Phillips is a big netminder who brings consistency to the crease. He tracks the play well. He uses his size well, challenging shooters when he needs to, but also playing deep in his crease when it calls for it. He swallows up most rebounds, especially to shots above the ice. Simply put, Phillips makes the saves that he needs to and rarely seems to give up “soft” goals. He moves fairly well laterally for a bigger netminder; his pads are pretty quick. However, there’s a need for him to be quicker in and out of the butterfly, and for him to move North/South more efficiently. He will compete to make saves, but he’s often left scrambling because he isn’t able to get up/down, left/right quick enough to adjust on second chances or quick passes. Additionally, due to these limitations, he can be slower to react to plays and isn’t able to challenge shooters quick enough. A Providence College commit, I’d look for Phillips to play in the USHL (with Sioux City) or in the OHL (with Flint) for a year or two before moving on to the NCAA. The end product here remains to be seen. Prep netminders can be tough to get a read on and haven’t been drafted a ton in recent years.
Phillips denies a breakaway attempt.
Grades:
Athleticism: 50
Compete/Temperament: 52.5
Play Reading: 52.5
Technique: 52.5
Rebound Control: 50
Puck Handling: 47.5
OFP: 51.125
Noah Tegelaar - Goaltender - Collingwood (OJHL)/Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
6-foot-3, 175 pounds, Catches: Left
Firstly, let’s ignore that Tegelaar was thrown to the wolves in his first OHL start against the London Knights. The first three goals against, no goalie in the league was stopping. The next one he would have wanted back because he was caught cheating to the slot. The final one, before he got pulled, was a fluke netfront bank in. He’s now back in Collingwood, presumably to finish the season. Not exactly top shelf goaltending development if you ask me. Tegelaar first came to my attention at the World Junior A Challenge where he was tasked with backstopping an overmatched Canada East team, consistently coming up with big saves to keep games closer than they deserved to be. Tegelaar is a big netminder who seals the bottom of the net really well. He collapses deep, but has quick pads and tracks the play well in scramble situations. Tegelaar also moves decently post to post for a bigger netminder and can sprawl out to make highlight reel saves. He’s far from perfect. Consistency is an issue that I’ve noticed. Sometimes he swallows up initial shots and prevents rebounds, other times, he struggles to corral pucks and gives up second/third chance opportunities. Sometimes he fights through screens for sight lines, other times he gets caught deep and is susceptible to point shots or perimeter shots. There’s also a need for Tegelaar to get quicker out of the butterfly as he can get caught scrambling, without that quickness up/down, or in his pushes when he’s already down. I do truly believe that there is something here. He shows enough in flashes to suggest that he could develop really well under the right tutelage, and once he fills out and gets stronger. There’s some early stages Matt Murray here.
Tegelaar’s best OHL save in limited action.
Collection of saves from the World Junior A Challenge.
Grades:
Athleticism: 52.5
Compete/Temperament: 55
Play Reading: 55
Technique: 50
Rebound Control: 50
Puck Handling: 47.5
OFP: 52.25
Michael Newlove - Goaltender - Burlington Cougars (OJHL)/Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
6-foot-2, 170 pounds, Catches: Left
Newlove is a really fun goaltender to watch and a really cool story. Passed over in the OHL draft after playing for a poor Credit River team, Newlove then used an excellent U18 year with the Halton Hurricanes to help him get selected by Windsor (first overall) in the U18 draft. He is ultra-athletic and a throwback to the Tim Thomas, Dominik Hasek, Jonathan Quick era with the way that he competes to make saves anyway he can. Yes, that means that technically he’ll have some things to work on as he moves up to higher levels, because he has a tendency to drop to the butterfly early and scramble to make saves. However, I think goaltending coaches at higher levels are going to love the physical tools here, especially when you consider that he’s not undersized like your typical hyper-athletic, scramble style netminder. Only played one full OHL game this year against Niagara and he was excellent in that game, making a few really high-end stops to secure the victory for Windsor. The key for Newlove will be finding a way to improve his rebound control. Gets to spots to make saves, but he can give up too many second chance opportunities. Additionally, he can sometimes give up soft goals that squeeze through his body, something that can be fixed. Lastly, something that separates Newlove from the pack is the way that he handles the puck. He scored a goal in the OJHL earlier this year and he’s ultra confident in playing the puck like a third defender. That’s a rare quality these days. If I’m an NHL organization, Newlove is the kind of goaltending prospect that I’m hoping other NHL teams aren’t on to, with the hope that I can grab him with a later pick. He possesses massive upside.
Newlove’s game in a nutshell. A couple of big saves in that aforementioned win versus Niagara.
Grades:
Athleticism: 55
Compete/Temperament: 57.5
Play Reading: 52.5
Technique: 50
Rebound Control: 47.5
Puck Handling: 55
OFP: 52.875
Alexander Levshyn - Goaltender - Toronto Patriots (OJHL)
6-foot-3, 163 pounds, Catches: Left
A really nice story. A Ukranian netminder who left the Dynamo Moscow program in order to play in Toronto (first with the Toronto Red Wings U18 program, now with the Patriots of the OJHL). However, he’s a legitimate prospect who is dazzling in Ontario Tier 2 this season. He’s a good athlete who has lightning quick pads. He is a fierce competitor who never seems to quit on a play; scrambling to find ways to make saves ala Jonathan Quick or Dominik Hasek. He does all that in a 6’3 frame. There’s no doubt that Levshyn would have caught some eyes at last year’s Division 1 U18’s, where he nearly led Ukraine to promotion to the main group. This year at the Division 1B U20’s, he led Ukraine to promotion and was the top goaltender at the event. Now that he’s performing well in a quality league and has a commitment to a solid program (Clarkson), the interest could be even greater. However, he is very raw. The rebound control needs massive improvement. Technically, he’s underdeveloped, with a tendency to flop out of position or miss his angles. But, you can’t teach his size, athleticism, and play tracking ability. Look for him to be a pick this year, especially if he can finish the year strong and get the Patriots past the first round or two in the playoffs.
Grades:
Athleticism: 55
Compete/Temperament: 57.5
Play Reading: 52.5
Technique: 47.5
Rebound Control: 47.5
Puck Handling: 47.5
OFP: 51.75
Jaden Cholette - Goaltender - Cranbrook Bucks (BCHL)
6-foot-3, 187 pounds, Catches: Right
A goaltender who has certainly bounced around in hopes of advancing his skill and earning looks. Originally a 6th round selection of the London Knights (OHL), Cholette has played in the CCHL, at a prep school south of the border (Mount St. Charles), and now finds himself in the BCHL. Currently without an NCAA commitment, Cholette has put himself on the scouting radar by being one of the BCHL’s top netminders this year. A right gloved netminder, Cholette shows well as a play tracker. He’s got good size and he’s aggressive in challenging shooters or battling for sight lines. He’s not the most athletic or the quickest post to post, but he competes to make second/third chance saves. Technically, Cholette seems to be prone to giving up goals short side and his overall positioning could use some work from a consistency standpoint. But, scouts could be intrigued by his year over year improvements in combination with his size in the crease. One of those guys you draft in the late round and stash, hoping that an NCAA program can help him improve further.
Grades:
Athleticism: 50
Compete/Temperament: 55
Play Reading: 55
Technique: 47.5
Rebound Control: 47.5
Puck Handling: 50
OFP: 51.25
Defense
Everett Baldwin - Defense - St. George’s School (USHS-Prep)
6-foot-0, 175 pounds, Shoots: Right
Coming into this project, Baldwin was the “tier 2” player I had the highest hopes for because I had read and been told great things about him. He did not disappoint. This is a high upside defender. A lot of that is owing to his outstanding skating ability. Has some of the best straight line acceleration of any defender that I’ve watched this year. Very aggressive all over the ice because he understands that his quickness can allow him to play that well. Baldwin is very active in transition and will consistently look to lead or join the attack. Even joining the USHL and playing with the NTDP, he showed confidence in his carrying ability. At the prep level, he’s certainly more aggressive inside the offensive zone in terms of getting shots off and looking to play down low, but that’s to be expected. From a skill perspective, he escapes pressure well; his hands and feet work in sync. Like any prep player, used to dominating touches against lower level players, Baldwin’s puck play and decision making will need refinement. He had a few bad turnovers at the USHL level. However, it did seem that with every game played at that level (between Cedar Rapids and the NTDP), he mitigated risk better. Perhaps most impressively, Baldwin has a positive impact in the defensive end too. He’s a staunch rush defender with his mobility and he plays with some jam, looking to be aggressive by defending high. He’s not big and he’s not always effective, but he does try to apply himself physically; he’s tenacious. Baldwin is a long term project; he’ll play with Cedar Rapids full time next year before heading to Providence, but the upside is going to be too significant to pass up inside the first three rounds.
Grades:
Skating: 57.5
Shot: 50
Skills: 55
Smarts: 50
Physicality/Compete: 52.5
OFP: 53.375
Jonathan Kapageridis - Defense - Cobourg (OJHL)/North Bay Battalion (OHL)
5-foot-11, 176 pounds, Shoots: Left
One of the highest scoring ‘07 defenders in Tier 2 hockey in Canada this year, Kapageridis is a Vermont commit playing out of the OJHL. He played for Canada East at the World Junior A Challenge and has also signed with North Bay in the OHL, where he intends to play next year before attending Vermont. Kapageridis’ bread and butter is small area skill. He routinely escapes pressure thanks to his hands and this allows him to successfully start breakouts or keep plays alive in the offensive end. His production largely comes from his ability to find space as a trailer in transition or from his ability to work inside when holding the offensive zone blueline. He skates well in straight lines and this allows him to be effective as a transitional attacker too. Defensively, his game is a work in progress. He flashes the ability to be effective physically, but he’s not consistently engaged when defending the net front. He has a tough time tying up forwards at the OJHL level there and that does not bode well for him as he moves up the ladder. Additionally, he can be careless with the puck in the defensive end and can be pressured into turnovers. In his few games against better competition this year (one in the OHL versus Kingston and in the WJAC versus Sweden and the United States), he looked largely overwhelmed. There’s a need for him to improve his overall mobility profile (he tends to lose his edges a lot and can be pushed off the puck), in addition to becoming a more consistently engaged defender. He also needs to do a better job of getting his shots through traffic from the point as way too many get blocked. At this point, I’m not sure I see a path to being an NHL player without significant improvements in certain areas.
Kapageridis draws in pressure with the threat of his shot and then sets up the one timer goal.
Grades:
Skating: 50
Shot: 45
Skills: 55
Smarts: 50
Physicality/Compete: 45
OFP: 49.5
Camron Hankai - Defense - Haliburton (OJHL)
6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Shoots: Left
Hankai is a player that has a really solid framework, but who, in my opinion, isn’t quite sure about the kind of player he needs to be for future levels. By that I mean, I don’t currently see an identity for the NCAA or the pro level. Yet, there is enough projectable parts to suggest that he could grow into an interesting prospect one day. I remember when he was draft eligible for the OHL, a few scouts I know were high on him as a potential defensive defender at the OHL level because of his solid mobility and pro frame. Yet, at the OJHL level, I would argue that he’s become a better on puck player than off puck player. He has that pro frame, but he’s very much a stick on puck defender who could learn to become more aggressive. He doesn’t win enough puck battles given his size and is too passive when defending down hill. He shows good defensive zone awareness, but without that physical intensity, I wonder about his effectiveness in the defensive end moving up the levels. On puck, Hankai flashes small area skill that helps him escape defensive pressure and sticks. He has solid mobility for his frame and he stops/starts well, using his edges to help him create time and space…especially in the defensive end when it comes to avoiding forecheckers. He gets his shot through to the net and shows promise as a puck mover. Yet, I’m not confident that he’s going to be a true fit as a puck mover or powerplay quarterback at the higher levels. So then we’re left with the question of…what is Hankai moving forward? He’ll be attending Bowling Green at some point. Does he sign with Brantford (OHL) next year? Does he look to go the USHL route? Does he head to Bowling Green as a true freshman? If I’m an NHL scout, I’m not ready to use a draft pick on Hankai, but I am starring his name to keep an eye on for the future to see how all the moving parts of his game come together.
Great play by Hankai to start the breakout, evading the forecheck with a skilled play.
Great pinch by Hankai as he works his way down low and gets the puck back to the point, although his teammate fumbles it at the blueline.
Grades:
Skating: 52.5
Shot: 47.5
Skills: 52.5
Smarts: 52.5
Physicality/Compete: 47.5
OFP: 51
Jonathan Brown - Defense - Shattuck St. Mary’s (USHS-Prep)
6-foot-2, 201 pounds, Shoots: Right
To an extent, Brown is this year’s version of Colin Ralph. There’s nothing glamorous or dynamic about his game, but he skates well, has a pro frame, and shows great instincts at both ends of the ice. Now, Brown isn’t as big or as skilled as Ralph, thus explaining the lack of hype around his game, however, it’s easy to see why Brown is on the scouting radar. He is a really solid four way mover and he’s an aggressive stick on puck defender who takes away space really efficiently. He’s very tough to get around in transition; he defends pace very well by taking away space early. He’s not an extremely physical defender in the classical sense; he’s not a big hitter. However, he does tie up checks, win battles along the wall, and suffocate attackers. Brown is also efficient with the puck in the defensive end. He is patient and poised. He’ll look for a stretch pass when he has time and space, or chip the puck into space when he doesn’t. He keeps things simple. He flashes an ability to lead or join the rush offensively, but these instances are rare. Inside the offensive end, he’ll try to get pucks on net from the outside, or he chips pucks back into the corners; again it’s about keeping things simple. Headed to Yale at some point, it’ll be interesting to see how the rest of Brown’s game comes together. However, there’s definitely pro upside as a stay at home defender. The question is, can he be John Marino or is he merely a future pro depth option?
A glimpse of Brown’s effectiveness at both ends (he’s #5).
Grades:
Skating: 55
Shot: 45
Skills: 47.5
Smarts: 55
Physicality/Compete: 52.5
OFP: 52
Dylan LeBret - Defense - Shattuck St. Mary’s (USHS-Prep)
6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Shoots: Right
If teammate Jonathan Brown is to be considered the poor man’s Colin Ralph, then LeBret would be the poor man’s Jonathan Brown. He’s a similar kind of player to Brown, but not quite as dynamic or aggressive. Once thought to be one of the better defenders in this age group in the United States (he was thought of as a strong candidate for the NTDP team), his offensive game hasn’t quite developed the way some thought it would. He still has a solid defensive framework to fall back on. He’s fairly mobile. He shows great defensive zone awareness and anticipation as a stick-on-puck defender. He takes care of the puck and plays a safe brand of hockey, limiting turnovers and miscues. He can start the breakout effectively with good vision up ice. However, what’s the projection as a pro? As mentioned, Brown is the more mobile and more aggressive of the two, giving him a better defensive projection at higher levels. As of right now, with a weaker shot and a lack of creativity offensively, I can’t see LeBret as a point producer at higher levels. He’s set to attend the University of Maine, but Tri-City of the WHL acquired his rights and I would suspect he could end up there for a year or two before heading to Maine.
Strong defensive hold from LeBret as he breaks the play up with a stick check and then drives the middle lane on the counter to open up a shooting lane.
Grades:
Skating: 52.5
Shot: 45
Skills: 45
Smarts: 55
Physicality/Compete: 50
OFP: 50.375
Nolen Geerdes - Defense - Rogers High (USHS-MN)
5-foot-11, 177 pounds, Shoots: Left
Really the only thing missing from this young defender’s game is size and high-end skating ability. There’s a reason why he’s one of the ten finalists for Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey Award this year. Geerdes is a highly intelligent puck mover who relies on his excellent hands, terrific vision, and quick thinking to create offense. He doesn’t need quick feet at the high school level to be extremely effective because he’s consistently one step ahead of the competition mentally. He makes quick one touch passes, both inside the offensive zone and outside of it to initiate the breakout. He routinely stretches the ice, hitting teammates in stride to help create odd man opportunities. Inside the offensive zone, Geerdes draws in pressure then hits teammates through tight windows to create scoring chances in the slot or the opposite flank. He controls the point on the powerplay, collapsing opposing coverage by working inside. Geerdes also owns an excellent wrist shot that he gets on net well. He can score from the slot and finds soft spots in coverage to earn looks. Defensively, he has an active stick, and he anticipates the play well, helping to offset a lack of reach or quickness. He may not be extremely physical, but he does take away space and is an excellent shot blocker. As mentioned, really the only concern is the lack of dynamic skating ability. He lacks speed North/South, and explosiveness in all four directions. How will that affect his game as he moves up the levels, especially considering that he is only average sized? That is the risk you take in selecting Geerdes this year. I like that he’s headed to Western Michigan at some point (likely after a USHL stint) because the program has brought in some high-end forwards but lacks a true powerplay quarterback and play creator from the back-end.
Heck of a shot here from Geerdes.
A small snapshot of the skill Geerdes possesses, as he goes through two defenders and finishes the play off in tight. We also see the movement limitations from Geerdes’ wide stride that cause him to have to rely on his hands (and a pick play).
Grades:
Skating: 45
Shot: 52.5
Skills: 55
Smarts: 57.5
Physicality/Compete: 50
OFP: 51.875
Oliver Turner - Defense - St. Andrew’s College (PHC)/Erie Otters (OHL)
6-foot-4, 190 pounds, Shoots: Right
Massive and impressive stay at home defender who has been a defensive stalwart for the St. Andrew’s College program this year. He’s a really impressive physical specimen. His reach is extremely disruptive and he’s very aggressive at taking away space. Defends high in the defensive zone and neutral zone, shutting down attackers before they build speed to play around him. Turner also brings a consistent physical element, not so much in the way of big open ice hits, but by pinning, sealing, and pushing opponents off pucks. As he further matures physically and his conditioning improves, I’d look for the physical component of his game to dial up even further. What’s really impressive about Turner is his lateral quickness. He closes gaps and pushes to seal the wall very quickly, stopping attackers in their tracks. For such a bigger defender, this is impressive, and it gives him a real solid defensive projection for higher levels. Offensively, there’s really not much to speak of. He can make a clean exit pass, but he’s not extremely confident or comfortable with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone. His point shot is currently nonexistent. In his limited OHL action this year with Erie, Turner also struggled a bit with the pace of play, both in retrievals (his transitional skating does need some work) and timing of his aggressiveness. The team drafting Turner will be hoping that he can develop into a Jan Rutta type at the next level; someone who can be a defensive stalwart and play regularly on the penalty kill, but whose offensive upside is limited.
Look at how Turner blows up this chip and chase opportunity by closing on the puck quickly, using his reach and strength to take his man out of the play.
Grades:
Skating: 52.5
Shot: 40
Skills: 45
Smarts: 55
Physicality/Compete: 60
OFP: 51.875
A note on the 20-80 scale used above. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.