Bill Zonnon – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #16

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 16:07:22 +0000

PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 12: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Owen Pickering (38) looks on during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Tampa Bay Lightning on January 12, 2025, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 16th (May 2025 - 20th)
GM: Kyle Dubas Hired: June 2023
COACH: Dan Muse Hired: June 2025

The Penguins made a notable splash at the 2025 draft, trading up seven spots to grab Ben Kindel at 11th overall. The dynamic forward immediately ranks as the organization’s second best prospect in McKeen’s rankings and projects as a key piece of their next competitive window.

Armed with 13 total picks, GM Kyle Dubas injected a major wave of youth into the system. Forwards Bill Zannon and Will Horcoff were among the standouts from that haul, both landing inside Pittsburgh’s new-look top 15 prospects.

This infusion of talent is part of a broader transition for a franchise inching toward life beyond Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. With longtime coach and two-time Stanley Cup champion Mike Sullivan gone, the Penguins are turning the page on an era while still trying to keep their competitive edge.

Dubas’s strategy has been clear: aggressively stockpile young players and draft capital without bottoming out. The process started last summer with the acquisition of Rutger McGroarty from Winnipeg in exchange for Brayden Yager. Throughout the year, Dubas continued to swing deals, adding Melvin Fernstrom from Vancouver and setting up a 2025 draft that will feature 11 selections—two of them in the first round.

On the ice, Ville Koivunen was one of the biggest risers in the organization. The Finnish forward impressed with seven assists in his eight-game NHL debut and led the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with 56 points, showcasing legitimate top six upside. On the back end, Owen Pickering split his rookie season between the NHL and AHL, solidifying his status as a long-term fixture on Pittsburgh’s blue line.

New head coach Dan Muse steps into a roster in flux, tasked with balancing development and competitiveness while the team’s iconic core still has something left to give. The post-Crosby era is on the horizon, but thanks to Dubas’s aggressive restocking, the Penguins now have the beginnings of a next wave worth watching.

Pittsburgh Penguins Top-15 Prospects

1 - Owen Pickering

Owen Pickering has had a nice first full professional season, where he split time between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Wilkes/Barre-Scranton Penguins. At both the NHL and AHL levels, Pickering was counted on to log heavy minutes many nights against opposing teams’ top players, and he did quite well for a rookie pro. The highlight of Pickering’s game is his unique combo of size, skating, and skill. He is a good-skating defender who can play physical and jump into the rush, but he’s also a very capable defender in his own end when he makes use of his big frame. Pickering won’t ever become that top-unit power play quarterback at the NHL level, but he’s a very promising prospect who can impact the game at both ends of the ice. Expect Pickering to earn a full-time spot with the Pittsburgh Penguins this fall, and be deployed on the penalty kill as he obtains more experience at the NHL level.

2 - Ben Kindel

The Penguins raised more than a few eyebrows when they selected Kindel 11th overall in this year's NHL entry draft, which was much earlier than all public scouting prognostications suggested that he would hear his name get called, including McKeen’s Hockey. As bold of a decision as it was by general manager Kyle Dubas and his staff, any scout who closely watched his play with the Calgary Hitmen would surely agree that he could become a very dangerous and valuable forward if his development continues on its current path and everything breaks just right. The cerebral forward is a tremendous playmaker, using his tremendous vision and hockey sense to set the plates of his teammates, including with some of the best stretch passes that you’ll ever see. He’s also very shifty and elusive as a skater and has a shot that gets way more power than you’d expect. In a lot of ways Kindel looks like Brayden Point did at the same age in the WHL, so that would be a wise target for him to emulate his game after.

3 - Rutger McGroarty

Rutger McGroarty struggled a bit with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last year to start the season, but he really picked up his play as the season went on. It’s totally obvious to any viewer that McGroarty knows how to play with skilled players, as he’s great at retrieving pucks, and he always wills himself into the battle. McGroarty is also a very capable offensive threat, but he is a better playmaker than he is a goal scorer. He can find teammates with little time and space, and he can make shifty plays that stun opposing defenders. It was a little surprising that McGroarty took so long to figure out his game at the AHL level, as many expected him to dominate early, but he’s a player that works himself into his opportunities and knows what he is as a player. He can play any role with any type of linemates, and this adaptive flexibility is what will make him millions at the NHL level. McGroarty should be a full-time member of the Pittsburgh Penguins this coming season.

4 - Ville Koivunen

Ville Koivunen was one of the most fun players to watch last season in the AHL. Originally taken in the second round by the Carolina Hurricanes, Koivunen was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of the Jake Guentzel trade. This trade has made Kyle Dubas look like a bit of a genius, where Koivunen torched the AHL last season and really looks to have the potential of becoming a strong top six NHL forward. The best part about Koivunen’s game is his relentless skill. He’s very shifty with the puck on his stick, which allows him to draw defenders in and make time and space for his teammates. With that being said, Koivunen is also relentless when he doesn’t have the puck; if he doesn’t have it, he’s working hard to get it. As a result, Koivunen is tracking well to become a strong offensive playmaker for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and we can expect to see Koivunen become a full-time member of the Penguins this upcoming season.

5 - Bill Zonnon

Bill Zonnon was the last of three QMJHL first-round picks in 2025, selected 22nd overall by the Penguins. This season with Rouyn-Noranda, he scored 83 points in 64 games, ranking second on his team and first in assists. Entering the year, Zonnon was seen by most as a player outside of the first round due to many factors : Wonky and technically unrefined skating, offensive game limited to passing, underwhelming physical game and involvement. However, since the beginning of 2025, Zonnon transformed his game. His stride strength and determination made his skating more efficient, and off the puck, he would chase down opponents relentlessly unlike few other prospects. Zonnon would even carry the puck end-to-end with speed on a consistent basis. His playmaking became even more impressive, with many high-level passing and vision plays. Zonnon became a perfect safe projection for the middle six of an NHL line up. While he might not have a tremendous upside due to limited goal scoring and puck handling abilities, his exceptional effort rate and in every single shift he gets makes me confident in his projection. There’s a chance Zonnon finds a role in the NHL earlier than most would expect.

6 - Will Horcoff

Last season, Will Horcoff left the NTDP to go to the University of Michigan in the middle of his season. Surprisingly, Horcoff performed better with the jump in competition. He was able to use his size to his advantage in every zone and was relied upon as a net-front presence because of this. His offensive play becomes much more varied in transition, Horcoff is a high-IQ forward and can find space to score and set up teammates very well. Defensively, it is not fun to have Horcoff bare down on you when he is pressuring opposing d-men. The completeness of his game is very impressive, and the Penguins could give a serious look at bringing him over to Wilkes-Barre as early as next summer.

7 - Harrison Brunicke

The Blazers did not make the playoffs this season, but it was through no fault of Brunicke, who was their number one defenceman and played a lot of great hockey during the campaign. He didn't stop playing there, though. Instead, he immediately headed over to the AHL to join the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in their quest for the Calder Cup, getting into their lineup right away and registering his first professional point in his very first game. He's a tall, rangy, right-shot blueliner with superb skating ability, which he knows how to use defensively when keeping tight gaps and breaking out pucks, as well as offensively when it comes to attacking in transition or activating off of the offensive blueline. While still a bit raw and unrefined, Brunicke has improved a lot over the past few seasons and isn't showing any signs of slowing down any time soon. He’ll be a strong contender to play for Canada at the World Juniors this December.

8 - Sergei Murashov

In Murashov’s 20-year-old season, he transitioned effortlessly from the MHL to dominating the ECHL. This played him into a stacked Wilkes Barre/Scranton goalie room where he proved that he was more than good enough to belong and even outplay some of the other goalies there. He’s an exceptional skater - very explosive, precise, and fluid. He’s also quite athletic, reacts very quickly to passes, and has shown elite positioning with a great understanding of potential dangers and using smart routes. His major weakness seems to be dealing with screens. Despite fighting hard to look around them, it looks like he hasn’t quite figured out a consistent way of doing so and can lose track of the puck through traffic. This is something that could be an issue in the NHL, but many goalies still find success despite that problem. Murashov’s raw skill set is of a very high level; his chances to become a tandem or even starting goalie in the NHL look to be promising, and with Pittsburgh's goaltending woes, he should have the runway to do so.

9 - Mikhail Ilyin

Mikhail Ilyin has quickly emerged as one of the KHL’s most intriguing young talents. He plays with an impressive calm and patience to his game, using smooth hands and strong skating to create offence with ease. He circles the offensive zone with his head up, scanning for options and delivering crisp, timely passes. Without the puck, his IQ shines as he finds soft areas in coverage to become a scoring threat. Defensively, he’s shown solid growth, battling harder, chasing down loose pucks, and using his size to separate opponents. His contract is up at the end of this season so it will be interesting to see where he goes next. He signed his ELC with the Pens this spring but has been loaned back to Severstal for the year. If all continues to go well, Ilyin could turn into a skilled two-way wing who can slow the game down and become a strong playmaking threat in the Penguin’s middle six.

10 - Tanner Howe

This season Howe was traded from the Regina Pats to the Calgary Hitmen, which saw him switch from one of the worst teams in the entire CHL to one of the very best. Talk about a dramatic change in fortunes. That upheaval came with some adjustments, however, as he went from being his team's captain and primary offensive driver beforehand, to a smaller but more appropriately fitting cog in a well-oiled machine afterwards. This might turn out to be a benefit to his long-term development, because it aligned much better with his best possible pathway to the NHL: as a hard-working, high-character support player, in contrast to someone you'd want as the primary driver on a line. He's sure to become a favourite of both fans and coaches in Pittsburgh thanks to his tenacious, hyper-competitive approach, infectious personality, and willingness to battle hard even when he’s sure to absorb a lot of punishment.

11 - Vasily Ponomarev

This summer, Ponomarev inked a three-year deal with Avangard Omsk of the KHL. Although the Penguins tendered an offer to the RFA, they still hold his rights. A natural two-way center, Ponomarev was a solid point producer at the AHL level but never really got more than a handful of chances in the NHL. It sounds like he will remain in Russia at least for the short term, if not the long term as well.

12 - Tristan Broz

Scoring 37 points in 59 games during his first professional season, Broz has found significant early success. He gets top nine minutes for Wilkes-Barre Scranton and is a feature on both special teams' units. Broz has made improvements in getting to the slot, and it has rewarded him with his production. He could feature eventually for the Penguins as their core continues to age, but he’ll spend at least another season in the AHL getting more comfortable offensively.

13 - Melvin Fernstrom

17 points in 48 games may not appear to be eye-popping, but for an 18-19-year-old rookie, it is jaw-dropping. Fernstrom, the reigning SHL rookie of the year, isn’t a play driver; he has an instinct for where the puck will be and can finish from anywhere. He’ll need another year of developing his game outside of the offensive zone and should prove to be a considerable offensive threat for Örebro and then Wilkes-Barre Scranton at the end of the season.

14 - Emil Pieniniemi

When he was drafted, Pieniniemi was viewed just as a large defenceman who could physically disrupt play. Last year, an unexpected offensive side clicked in a big way. Primarily as a great passer, he scored 60 points in 60 games for Kingston in the OHL. Pieniniemi will head straight to the AHL next year, where his path to the NHL might accelerate if his point production is anywhere near what it was last year.

15 - Joona Vaisanen

In his rookie season, Vaisanen was an important piece of a National Championship winning Western Michigan team. Vaisanen’s a good enough puck mover to earn 26 points in 42 games, but his real strength comes in shutting down the other team. He has shown he’s more than capable of playing in a pro-style defensive scheme, recording a +24. He’ll return to Kalamazoo for another year, where he should be a top four shutdown defenceman.

MCKEEN’S HOCKEY 2025 NHL DRAFT GUIDE: TWO-ROUND MOCK DRAFT

Brock Otten — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 15:33:54 +0000

1. New York Islanders - Matthew Schaefer - Defense

Even though this year doesn’t have the allure of the first pick next year (Gavin McKenna), the Islanders still hit the gold mine by winning the lottery with such low chances. There’s been some chatter about a Hagens selection given his local connection, but you can’t pick first overall based on that. The Islanders just locked up Ilya Sorokin long term as one of the better netminders in the NHL, so it truly makes sense to jump at the chance to draft Schaefer, a potential franchise defender who can play in all situations and eventually serve as the team’s captain.

2. San Jose Sharks - Michael Misa - Center

We’ve read some chatter that draft pundits believe Mike Grier could favour selecting someone like Martone or Frondell with this pick, given his desire to add size/tenacity to the lineup moving forward. We’d argue that Misa is just as competitive, but more skilled. This is an extremely well-rounded player who gives the Sharks a ton of flexibility moving forward. He can slot at the wing or move another of their top young forwards to the wing. He also gives them a little more dynamic, play driving ability than they currently have in the system.

3. Chicago Blackhawks - Caleb Desnoyers - Center

If there has been one modus operandi of the Hawks management in recent years, it’s that they’ve heavily focused on bringing in elite skaters. When we look at the players in this range, Desnoyers is the best skater of the remaining forwards. The Hawks could see Desnoyers filling a Jonathan Toews type role for them in the future, giving them a well-rounded two-way guy and helping to shore up their center depth moving forward.

4. Utah Mammoth - Anton Frondell - Center

Similar to the Hawks, Utah has also had an modus operandi related to size and physicality. If their picks aren’t big, they need to be competitive. The newly minted Mammoth could go a variety of directions. Porter Martone would provide that size on the wing they’ve been building up. Maybe they’re enticed by Roger McQueen and not scared by the injuries. And while Frondell isn’t huge, he plays a heavy, mature game. They liked a similar player in Cole Beaudoin last year, but Frondell has greater offensive upside. Utah’s interest stems from the hope that Frondell can be their Sasha Barkov or Anze Kopitar.

5. Nashville Predators - James Hagens - Center

This is a system that needs to add a high-end playmaker and that’s Hagens. Did he have a disappointing second half? Sure. Are there concerns about his size and ability to play center at the NHL level? Probably. But the Predators have trusted their U.S. scouts a lot in recent years and Hagens would really inject skill into a system that needs it.

6. Philadelphia Flyers - Porter Martone - Wing

On the one hand, this feels low for Martone, given that NHL teams are going to be drawn to his style of play in hopes that he can be a playoff warrior in the future. But, on the other hand, it’s also possible that teams take a run on the centers available at the top of this draft. That allows Martone to fall into the lap of the Flyers. The perfect complement to Michkov in the future? Maybe there’s hope that Martone could provide what the Flyers thought they’d be getting in Cutter Gauthier prior to the trade demand.

7. Boston Bruins - Brady Martin - Center

At this point it seems inevitable that Martin goes fairly high, perhaps even higher than this. NHL teams love his work ethic and his potential to be a top shelf NHL playoff performer. Look no further than what Sam Bennett is doing in the NHL playoffs currently. Martin is the kind of all situations impact forward that the Bruins need to kickstart their retool.

8. Seattle Kraken - Radim Mrtka - Defense

Is this the year that the Kraken finally uses a first-round selection on a defender? It has to happen at some point, right? The Kraken opt for Mrtka, a big Czech defender who could develop into a top four defensive anchor. How much offensive upside is there? Can the physical game reach another level? They could go for Jackson Smith here, but it seems more likely that they go for the more polished Mrtka, especially considering he played in Seattle of the WHL this year, so they’d be very familiar with him.

9. Buffalo Sabres - Victor Eklund - Wing

Eklund is the type of player that the organization badly needs to help them take that next step. He’s an absolute warrior on the ice and projects as that strong playoff performer because of his compete level. Yes, he’s not huge and needs to fill out, but he could be the perfect complementary winger in their top six. He already had success as a pro in Sweden this past year and could move through their system quickly, fitting their timeline perfectly.

10. Anaheim Ducks - Jake O’Brien - Center

The Ducks have some great goal scorers right now, but a top shelf playmaker like O’Brien could really help the organization moving forward. Anaheim has drafted out of the OHL a lot in recent drafts, and they obviously trust that region and their scouts from that region. O’Brien is going to need some time to bulk up and get quicker, but his upside is as high as any pivot in this draft class.

11. Pittsburgh Penguins - Roger McQueen - Center

The true wild card of the draft because of his health. If McQueen’s back wasn’t an issue, he’s likely a top five pick because of his unique skill set. But, on the heels of Cayden Lindstrom, NHL teams are likely to be pretty skittish. The Penguins are a franchise who can afford to take this home run swing. Their system needs help; they badly need a home run on the heels of the end of the Crosby era. However, the Penguins scouting staff also loves physically assertive and competitive players so don’t rule out someone like Kashawn Aitcheson here.

12. New York Rangers - Jackson Smith - Defense

Smith is unquestionably one of the highest upside players available in the draft this year. He is potentially the complete package on the blueline. However, there are some concerns over his ability to process the game. For that reason, he’s probably a longer-term project who will require patience. For the Rangers, while they could use a center more, it seems unlikely they reach on a player just for the sake of positional or organizational need. Smith gives the Rangers a potential home run and they’ve had some luck with a similar kind of player in K’Andre Miller.

13. Detroit Red Wings - Kashawn Aitcheson - Defense

The Red Wings have a type. Aitcheson is that type. The organization wants to build a team eventually engineered for the playoffs, so the focus has been on compete level and physicality. There may not be a defender who exemplifies those characteristics more in this draft. But his offensive game is underrated, and it gives him a solid chance of developing into a Kevin Bieksa style two-way type. The Wings traded Andrew Gibson and Brady Cleveland hasn’t developed well since being selected. Aitcheson is better than both.

14. Columbus Blue Jackets - Justin Carbonneau - Wing

One of the draft’s most creative and skilled offensive players, Carbonneau has excellent offensive upside. The Jackets have not shied away from the QMJHL in recent years and he would give them another high-quality offensive player on the wing to build around, given that their center depth is fairly solid. Could make a similar impact to Kent Johnson, who is coming off his best NHL season.

15. Vancouver Canucks - Braeden Cootes - Center

Sometimes things just work out. The Canucks badly need a young center with upside in their system and Cootes just happens to be one of the best players available. It’s likely that they’d be very familiar with him too, considering he plays with Seattle of the WHL. Cootes is a well-rounded two-way center who projects as an all-situations type.

16. Montreal Canadiens (via Calgary) - Carter Bear - Wing

With news that Bear’s achilles injury was only a partial tear and that he’s already back on the ice, his draft stock isn’t likely to take much of a hit. Montreal would see Bear as a strong fit in their organization as a complementary piece. He’s competitive and effective through the middle of the ice and would likely be the perfect fit with guys like Suzuki or Demidov.

17. Montreal Canadiens - Blake Fiddler - Defense

With back-to-back picks, the Canadiens take back-to-back WHL players. Yeah, the Canadiens have Reinbacher and Mailloux waiting in the wings as right shot defenders, but the main club badly needs one to pan out. You can never have too many solid defenders who can play the right side in the NHL. Fiddler is a solid two-way presence and gives them a great security blanket.

18. Calgary Flames (via New Jersey) - Jack Nesbitt - Center

This just feels like a fit. The Flames favored the OHL last year and their picks out of the league all had strong draft plus one years. Additionally, they’ve shown a desire to add size to their forward group. Nesbitt is a big pivot who showed really positive growth this year in Windsor. He is a potential all-situations, middle six center.

19. St. Louis Blues - Lynden Lakovic - Wing

While there are some concerns over Lakovic’s compete level and consistency, he’s still a high upside swing as a big winger with skill. The Blues don’t really have a player like this in their system right now, and at this point of the first round, the risks associated with Lakovic are worth taking.

20. Columbus Blue Jackets (via Minnesota) - Joshua Ravensbergen - Goaltender

It just seems inevitable that someone is going to bite on Ravensbergen in the first round. He has all the tools to develop into a topflight netminder. The Jackets are a likely candidate. They need a true incumbent in net. They have multiple first round picks. They’ve drafted a lot out of the WHL. Yes, they took Evan Gardner in the second-round last year, but he’s not the same quality of prospect as Ravensbergen.

21. Ottawa Senators - Jakob Ihs Wozniak - Wing

Ottawa is a team that hasn’t been afraid to go a little off the board in recent years. And they’ve primarily focused on players with unique skill sets or physical tools. Ihs Wozniak saved his draft stock with a strong second half and he has top six upside as a bigger scoring winger. Ottawa has also drafted heavily out of Sweden in recent years.

22. Philadelphia Flyers (via Colorado) - Cameron Reid - Defense

After selecting Martone earlier, the Flyers go back to the OHL again to take Kitchener’s Cam Reid. Reid is a highly mobile, two-way defender. He’s not big, but he’s very intelligent and projects as a solid second pairing type who could possibly quarterback a powerplay unit in the future.

23. Nashville Predators (via Tampa Bay) - Logan Hensler - Defense

Earlier the Predators selected James Hagens out of the NCAA, and they returned there with their second pick, opting for Wisconsin defender Logan Hensler. While his offensive production disappointed in his freshman season, his physical tools make him a potential defensive stalwart at the NHL level. It will also be interesting to see how his on puck game develops as he matures. The Preds traded for Andrew Gibson previously, so there’s obviously a desire to add prospects like this to their pipeline.

24. Los Angeles Kings - Sascha Boumedienne - Defense

There’s definitely a need for the Kings to add a quality defensive prospect to their cupboard and Boumedienne would be a great selection here. He improved drastically in the second half of this year, helping Sweden to a silver medal at the U18’s and Boston University to a second place finish in the NCAA. There’s a need to refine his game and improve his decision making, but the mobility is great, and he has great upside as a top four defender.

25. Chicago Blackhawks (via Toronto) - Malcolm Spence - Wing

After taking Desnoyers with the third overall selection, the Hawks take a similar player in Malcolm Spence, only Spence plays the wing. This gives Chicago another mature two-way player who skates well, who can help insulate some of their younger, higher skilled guys. Spence is leaving the OHL next year to play at Michigan (NCAA), but he could be an NHL’er in only a few years.

26. Nashville Predators (via Vegas) - Vaclav Nestrasil - Wing

The big Czech wing finished the season on a high, with a strong Clark Cup playoff performance for Muskegon. There’s a need to improve his skating, but Nashville hasn’t shied away from players who need to improve pace. With four picks inside the top 35, the Predators can afford to take a few big swings and Nestrasil has solid potential as a top six support player.

27. Washington Capitals - Henry Brzustewicz - Defense

The Capitals would have seen a lot of Brzustewicz this year while keeping tabs on defensive prospect Cam Allen, and there’s certainly been a previous connection to London with the likes of Connor McMichael and John Carlson. Brzustewicz is a raw, but toolsy two-way defender who is going to get a ton of ice time and development opportunities in London moving forward.

28. Winnipeg Jets - Milton Gastrin - Center

It seems likely that the Jets could take a center with their first this year, given the need to improve organizational depth. They have lots of options at this point in the draft, but after what happened with Rutger McGroarty, I wonder if they steer clear of an NCAA player. Gastrin is an athletic, two-way center who projects as a middle six type.

29. Carolina Hurricanes - Cullen Potter - Center/Wing

It seems like the Hurricanes always take the player who is highest ranked by the amateur scouting organizations left remaining on the board; in this case? Speedy forward Cullen Potter. One of the draft’s best skaters, there are concerns about his NHL effectiveness given his size and somewhat perimeter-oriented game. However, Potter is a player with significant NHL upside.

30. San Jose Sharks (via Dallas) - Mason West - Wing

It’s starting to feel inevitable that West goes in the first round this year after fully committing to hockey. He’s such a tremendous athlete and his upside is quite high, as long as you’re willing to exhibit patience. The Sharks already have a deep system and can afford to play the waiting game here. This is the type of home run swing you take when your system is already loaded.

31. Calgary Flames (via Florida) - Cole Reschny - Center

There’s definitely a chance that Reschny goes much higher than this. He’s one of the draft’s most intelligent pivots. However, he also has the feel of the type of guy who NHL teams are a little wary of, with average size and average athleticism. This would be a coup for the Flames, who solidify their center depth with two great first round selections.

32. Philadelphia Flyers (via Edmonton) - Will Horcoff - Center

When you’ve got three first round picks, you probably take a big swing with one of them. Horcoff is very raw and underdeveloped physically, but when his frame fills out, he could end up being a quality pro. He had some really great moments in the NCAA as a true freshman in the second half.

33. San Jose Sharks - Bill Zonnon - Center/Wing

GM Mike Grier has a type and that’s Zonnon. He loves forwards who bring consistent energy and physicality. Zonnon is one of the draft’s best forecheckers and he’s a capable offensive player too.

34. Chicago Blackhawks - Simon Wang - Defense

It seems likely that an NHL team jumps at Wang early, even if we have him ranked a little lower. The Hawks are probably a great fit. They have the depth to take a big swing like this that requires patience. They also put more emphasis on skating ability than pretty much any other organization at the draft.

35. Nashville Predators - Kurban Limatov - Defense

Last year, the Preds opted to take Russian Yegor Surin with their first-round selection and that looks like a tremendous pick. So why not go back and select mobile defender Limatov, who possesses significant upside as a two-way rock?

36. Philadelphia Flyers - Jacob Rombach - Defense

With a few high-end offensive defenders in the system, including taking Cam Reid earlier in this draft, they take big, stay at home defender Rombach out of the USHL. He could really help to be a calming presence on the blueline in the coming years.

37. Washington Capitals (via Boston) - Michal Pradel - Goaltender

The second goaltender off the board can often be a bit off the board and the Caps continue that trend by taking Pradel, a big netminder with a ton of potential as he gets stronger and improves technically. He gives them a future netminder to build around, a weakness in the system.

38. Seattle Kraken - Eric Nilson - Center

The son of former NHL’er Marcus, Eric is a potential middle six, two-way center who gives the Kraken another pivot to pencil into their lineup in the future. They haven’t drafted a ton out of Sweden, but he checks a lot of the boxes that they typically value.

39. Buffalo Sabres - Shane Vansaghi - Wing/Center

This is a franchise that needs to turn things around and become harder to play against. Vansaghi projects as a fierce competitor who can be tough to play against and who can provide a ton of versatility to the Sabres’ coaching staff in a few years. The Sabres would be very familiar with Vansaghi after watching Maxim Strbak this year.

40. Philadelphia Flyers (via Anaheim) - Daniil Prokhorov - Wing

There’s definitely a chance that this big, budding power forward goes earlier than this. However, he’d look great in the Philadelphia organization as a crease crasher, powerplay triggerman, and overall physical nuisance.

41. Montreal Canadiens (via Pittsburgh) - William Moore - Center

The Canadiens have gotten some good players out of the NTDP in recent drafts. It’s strange to think that it’s possible (like forecasted in this mock) that none could be selected in the first round. Moore is a rangy pivot who has the tools but just needs to get stronger to become more consistent. Montreal can take a swing here in hopes that he puts things together to reach his upside.

42. New York Islanders - Ben Kindel - Center

A bit of a drop for Kindel due to concerns over his frame and skating ability, but he’s a top tier playmaker and a potential all situations pivot. With Eiserman in the system, it would make sense to target a high-end playmaker to help get him the puck in the future. Insert Kindel.

43. New York Rangers - Cole McKinney - Center

The Rangers have loved the NTDP in recent years and after taking Jackson Smith in round one, they opt for a bit safer prospect in round two. McKinney is one of the draft’s best defensive centers and he improved a ton offensively over the course of the season. He is a great fit in the Rangers’ system.

44. Detroit Red Wings - Alexander Zharovsky - Wing

Detroit hasn’t drafted a ton out of Russia lately, at least not like in the glory days, however this seems like the kind of player that they should be targeting here, especially if they go “safer” again with their first-round pick. Zharovsky is a skilled and creative playmaker who has terrific offensive upside. Gives them a player that they don’t have a ton of in the system currently.

45. Philadelphia Flyers (via Columbus) - Ryker Lee - Wing

A late bloomer physically, Lee is an intelligent and well-rounded offensive player who just needs to get stronger and quicker. There’s a bit of a similar profile to Alex Bump here, when the Flyers took him and that’s worked out pretty well for them so far. Why not go back and try to strike gold twice?

46. Utah Mammoth - Ivan Ryabkin - Center

At some point, someone is going to pull the trigger on Ryabkin early, even if his year was pretty disjointed. The offensive upside is simply too tantalizing to pass up and the Utah franchise has been all about swinging for the fences on Russian players in recent years. This feels like a fit.

47. Vancouver Canucks - Semyon Frolov - Goaltender

It definitely seems likely that the Canucks could look to bring in a goaltender with one of their early round picks this year, given the lack of a clear-cut top prospect in the pool. It seems pretty clear that the Canucks are size queens at the position and that screams Frolov, a big, athletic type that is likely one of the first off the board for the position.

48. Philadelphia Flyers (via Calgary) - Cameron Schmidt - Wing

When you have THIS many selections, you’re going to come to a point where the risk is worth the reward on a player. Schmidt isn’t perfect as a smaller winger, but he has among the highest goal scoring upside of any forward available this year.

49. Montreal Canadiens - Jack Murtagh - Wing

Back-to-back NTDP selections for the Canadiens in this mock. This is a bit of a fall for Murtagh, but his poor U18’s might have left a sour taste in the mouth of some chiefs of staff. He’s got the potential to be a solid complementary piece and that could fit in really well in the Canadiens system down the line.

50. New Jersey Devils - Matthew Gard - Center

A big pivot with good two-way upside and enticing physical tools. The Devils need to upgrade the center depth in their organization and Gard would be considered one of the better pivots still left on the board.

51. Boston Bruins (via St. Louis) - Jack Ivankovic - Goaltender

Given his lack of size, it does seem likely that other goaltenders go before Ivankovic, even if it’s debatable whether he’s the most talented netminder in the class. The Bruins badly need goaltending in the system with the two Providence standouts (Dipietro and Bussi) set to be UFA’s. The Bruins have had good luck historically with smaller netminders like Tim Thomas, Byron Dafoe, and Andy Moog, so this…kind of makes sense.

52. Minnesota Wild - Petteri Rimpinen - Goaltender

With the Wild’s first pick of the draft (after dealing their first), they take a goaltender who had a heck of a season in Rimpinen. He was the Liiga ROY and the top goaltender at the WJC’s. The reality is that Wallstedt’s development has stagnated and Rimpinen can push him pretty quickly.

53. San Jose Sharks (via Ottawa) - Carter Amico - Defense

The Sharks are loaded. We’ve already said it. But if there is a need in the system currently, it is a potential standout stay at home defender. Amico may just be this draft’s best, but he missed most of the year with a knee injury. San Jose can be patient with him in hopes that he can develop into a potential partner for someone like Luca Cagnoni down the line.

54. Calgary Flames (via Colorado) - David Bedkowski - Defense

After drafting so many high-end offensive defenders in recent years, you’d think Calgary could look to use one of their high end picks this year on a physical, stay at home type to pair with them down the line. We’re a bit lower on Bedkowski than the rest of the industry, but we expect him to be drafted this high. Calgary has also loved the OHL in recent years.

55. Nashville Predators (via Tampa Bay) - Pyotr Andreyanov - Goaltender

Another goaltender taken early because it’s a strong goalie draft. The Predators go with another Russian, who could end up being the best goalie in this class. With so many picks in a strong goalie year, we’d be shocked if the Predators don’t use one on a goalie to groom behind Saros.

56. Tampa Bay Lightning (via Los Angeles) - Adam Benak - Center

When you don’t have a ton in your system and your best prospect (Issac Howard) sounds like he’s spurning you, you’ve got to shoot for the stars. There’s obviously a chance that he’s a faller even further than this because of his size, but you get to a point where the risk is worth it. Benak could certainly end up being a great player for the Lightning.

57. Seattle Kraken (via Toronto) - Ethan Czata - Wing/Center

The Kraken have loved them some OHL since joining the league and even though they took a similar player in Nathan Villeneuve last year, you can’t have too many of these types of players come playoff time. Czata is a staunch competitor and two-way forward who projects as a possible elite third line player down the road.

58. Vegas Golden Knights - Max Psenicka - Defense

The Golden Knights haven’t taken a defender in the first two rounds since Daniil Chayka and that isn’t working out. So, with their first pick in the draft, they go to the WHL to select Import defenseman Max Psenicka. He’s got some really intriguing tools, but he’s still learning to use them to develop an identity.

59. Pittsburgh Penguins (via Washington) - Ben Kevan - Wing

Kevan is a well-rounded offensive player with a chance of developing into a middle six piece in the future. He would instantly become one of the higher upside forward prospects in the system, even if there’s a need for him to get quicker and refine his critical thinking skills on the ice.

60. Anaheim Ducks (via Winnipeg) - Eddie Genborg - Wing

The Ducks have really loved drafting out of Sweden in recent years and here they take Genborg, one of the draft’s most physical forwards. The offensive upside may be a bit limited, but he’s the kind of player who fits in the system well because he projects as a solid complementary piece to the other talented players they have. He’d be a potential playoff warrior for them when the time comes.

61. Boston Bruins (via Carolina) - Everett Baldwin - Defense

Prep kid from Rhode Island who is heading to Providence. Outstanding upside as a two-way defender and one of the better skaters in the draft. He’s a long-term project who needs time to improve his decision making, but he’s a somewhat local kid they would likely be very familiar with.

62. Chicago Blackhawks (via Dallas) - Charlie Trethewey - Defense

Coming into the season Trethewey was seen as a contender for the top defender selected along with Schaefer. Not the case anymore after a poor year with the NTDP. However, he still has great upside as a two-way defender with good mobility. The Hawks can take that chance that he gets back on track.

63. Toronto Maple Leafs (via Florida) - Alexei Medvedev - Goaltender

The Leafs haven’t used a pick in the first three rounds on a goalie since 2016 (when they took Joseph Woll), so they’re due. They’d be very familiar with Medvedev and his development from scouting Easton Cowan this year. His timeline also perfectly lines up with when the pro system will need a new injection of youth. He has the upside to be an NHL netminder and is one of our top goalies available this year.

64. New Jersey Devils (via Edmonton) - Theo Stockselius - Wing/Center

Stockselius is a player flying under the radar a bit right now who could go higher than the pre-draft consensus says. He’s a high IQ type who could potentially be a very versatile player for the Devils down the line. As his frame fills out, it will be interesting to see how the offensive side of things becomes more consistent for him.

2025 MCKEEN’S NHL DRAFT GUIDE NOW AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DOWNLOAD!

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 19:05:49 +0000

We are very proud to release our 2025 NHL Draft Guide. The culmination of a season's worth of scouting, travelling and logging countless hours on video, we want to thank our dedicated team of scouts across the country.

140-page magazine (PDF format) for download
Top 300 NHL Draft Prospects
In-depth profiles with grades in five characteristics for forwards, six for goaltenders.
Best of skills rankings
A two round mock draft
Feature articles including interviews, top sleepers, plus much more ...

You can read about our final first round rankings in this free article

Subscribers can download the magazine here.

If you are not a subscriber and interested in learning more, you can learn more here.

Subscribers will receive access for three months and will include all of our other NHL draft coverage as well preparation for the upcoming season. If you choose not to subscribe and wish for a direct download, that will be available next week.

Check out our in-depth profile of #1 ranked Matthew Schaefer as an example of our coverage.

2025 NHL DRAFT: FINAL RANKINGS – TOP 32 – Schaefer and Misa clear 1-2 punch at top of draft- Magazine releasing June 13th

Kyle Watson — Sat, 07 Jun 2025 18:25:10 +0000

Our final 2025 NHL Draft Rankings have arrived!

For the second year running, we have compiled a ranking of the top 300 prospects eligible, instead of a top 224 with honourable mentions. This list follows our March top 100 ranking, our pre-World Juniors top 64, and preliminary top 32.

Our ranking is comprised of 176 forwards, 87 defencemen and 37 goaltenders. It is a strong class between the pipes, with Prince George Cougars netminder Joshua Ravensbergen at 30th, five goalies ranked in the top 64, and 10 in the top 100.

By nationality, Canada leads the way with 106 representatives, followed by the USA with 63, Sweden (36), Russia (20), Finland (20), Czechia (16), Slovakia (11), Switzerland (7), Germany (6), Denmark (4), Belarus (3), Latvia (2), and Norway (2).

It could be a milestone draft for a few countries. Oshawa Generals defenceman Simon Wang is projected to be highest-drafted Chinese player in NHL history. At the same time, Bruno Idzan, a winger for the USHL’s Lincoln Stars, looks to be the first player from Croatia to be selected. Alexander Levshyn, who has spent the last two seasons in the OJHL, has the chance to be the fourth Ukrainian to hear his name called on draft day this century.

Sascha Boumedienne is the most notable riser from our March ranking, jumping 24 spots into the first round. His 14 points in five games for Sweden are the most by a defender in U18s history.

An improved second half of the campaign in combination with a strong showing at the U18s propels Cole Reschny from 38th to 28th overall. The Canadian centreman scored twice, including the OT winner, in the quarterfinals against Czechia, and finished with five goals and eight points in five games.

Roman Bausov and Reese Hamilton each fell 63 places from our last list–the most of any player. Following them are Nathan Behm (-60), Maxim Agafonov, and Shamar Moses (-45).

Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa remain the clear 1-2 punch at the top of the draft on the back of two of the most impressive (albeit limited, in Schaefer’s case) draft-year campaigns in recent OHL history.

At the NHL level, the Erie Otters' superstar projects as a prototypical, modern-day No.1 defenceman.

“Schaefer is just the complete package, McKeen’s Director of Scouting, Brock Otten, explained. “A future perennial all-star who can play in all situations and be your future captain. This is someone you can build your franchise around.”

Misa, one of nine players to be granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada, elevated his game to new levels in his third season with the Saginaw Spirit. His 62 goals and 134 points are the most by a draft-eligible OHLer since Patrick Kane (62 goals and 145 points in 2006-07).

“Misa is such a dynamic and exciting offensive player. But what’s underrated is the fact that he has a pro frame and made significant gains off the puck this year, sliding back to center,” said Otten.

Beyond Schaefer and Misa, it could be a matter of personal preference or positional need for the remaining lottery picks.

“The sense we get from our scouts and people in the industry is that this class is viewed as heavily tiered,” explained Otten. “There is a group of 10-12 guys at the top. Then, a small group of 10 or so are locked in as first-rounders. After that? It could be the Wild West.”

This is reflected in our top eight players not changing from our March ranking: Schaefer, Misa, Porter Martone, Caleb Desnoyers, James Hagens, Anton Frondell, Jackson Smith, and Victor Eklund.

Martone, our third-ranked prospect, is one of the draft’s premier playmakers. Standing at 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, he offers an enticing blend of high-end physical tools and has drawn comparisons to fellow Peterborough, ON native, Corey Perry. In his third season in the OHL, Martone broke the Brampton Steelheads single season record for assists (61) and points (98).

Rising two spots to fourth overall is Moncton Wildcats pivot Caleb Desnoyers. The 18-year-old led one of the most dominant QMJHL teams in recent memory and finished with nine goals and 30 points in 19 playoff contests.

“You have to appreciate his consistency this year in leading Moncton to a Q Championship. He’s such a detail-oriented player. This is a longtime pro who should provide serious versatility to his future coach,” said Otten.

Following Desnoyers in fifth spot is James Hagens, our top-ranked prospect in October. The Boston College centreman enjoyed an impressive freshman campaign in the NCAA, scoring at a point-per-game pace on the top line in college hockey and winning gold at the World Juniors. However, Hagens did not reach the individual heights many expected of him this year, and as a result, slipped in our ranking.

Our sixth-ranked prospect, Anton Frondell, rounds out a run of three centers in a row, though it is not clear whether he will stick down the middle at the next level. The first half of the season was marred by injury for the Swede, as well as constant shifts between playing for Djurgardens men’s and J20 teams. He finished with the second highest points-per-game (0.86) by a draft-eligible player in Allsvenskan history, trailing only Elias Pettersson.

“Would we have liked to have seen him dominate the U18s? Sure. But we’re happier with how well he played in helping Djurgardens earn promotion back to the SHL,” explained Otten. “That should have more weight. He does so many of the little things well; things not consistently measured by offensive production.”

Jackson Smith of the Tri-City Americans is our seventh-ranked prospect. He led all WHL draft-eligible defenders with 11 goals, 43 assists, and 54 points this season and played on Canada’s top pairing as they won gold at the U18s last month.

Frondell’s teammate in Djurgardens, Victor Eklund, slots in two spots behind him in eighth. Despite a wiry frame, Eklund is at his most effective operating along the boards and below the dots. Like his brother William, Victor is a crafty winger with a tireless engine that has proven himself internationally and at the pro level in Sweden.

6-foot-5.75, 218-pound defenceman Radim Mrtka climbs eight spots from #17 in our preliminary ranking. Starting the season in Czechia, he flourished in Seattle following a November move to the WHL, posting three goals and 35 points in 43 contests.

Rounding out our top 10 is centreman Brady Martin. A fierce competitor equally as threatening in the corners as he is with the puck on his stick, the Soo Greyhounds star has shades of Tom Wilson and Brad Marchand in his game.

“I’ve been high on Martin all year. The rest of our Ontario scouts have been, too. The rest of our scouting team finally came around on him after his outstanding U18s performance,” explained Otten. “This is the kind of player built to be successful in the NHL playoffs, the kind of guy you win with.”

The McKeen's 2025 NHL Draft Guide will be available for download by subscribers next week, Friday, June 13th for release. If you are not a subscriber and would like a membership please link here. Subscribers can access our complete top 300 ranking here.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	HT/WT	DOB	NATION	TEAM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SV%)
1	Matthew Schaefer	D	6-2/185	5-Sep-07	Canada	Erie (OHL)	17	7	15	22	8
2	Michael Misa	C	6-1/185	16-Feb-07	Canada	Saginaw (OHL)	65	62	72	134	45
3	Porter Martone	RW	6-3/205	26-Oct-06	Canada	Brampton (OHL)	57	37	61	98	74
4	Caleb Desnoyers	C	6-2/180	11-Apr-07	Canada	Moncton (QMJHL)	56	35	49	84	39
5	James Hagens	C	5-10/175	3-Nov-06	USA	Boston College (HE)	37	11	26	37	24
6	Anton Frondell	C	6-1/195	7-May-07	Sweden	Djurgardens (Allsvenskan)	29	11	14	25	16
7	Jackson Smith	D	6-3/195	13-May-07	Canada	Tri-City (WHL)	68	11	43	54	48
8	Victor Eklund	RW	5-11/160	3-Oct-06	Sweden	Djurgardens (Allsvenskan)	42	19	12	31	37
9	Radim Mrtka	D	6-6/205	9-Jun-07	Czech	Seattle (WHL)	43	3	32	35	46
10	Brady Martin	C	6-0/180	16-Mar-07	Canada	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	57	33	39	72	68
11	Jake O'Brien	C	6-2/170	16-Jun-07	Canada	Brantford (OHL)	66	32	66	98	18
12	Roger McQueen	C	6-5/195	2-Oct-06	Canada	Brandon (WHL)	17	10	10	20	40
13	Lynden Lakovic	LW	6-4/190	12-Dec-06	Canada	Moose Jaw (WHL)	47	27	31	58	4
14	Cullen Potter	C	5-10/170	10-Jan-07	USA	Arizona State (NCHC)	35	13	9	22	6
15	Kashawn Aitcheson	D	6-1/195	21-Sep-06	Canada	Barrie (OHL)	64	26	33	59	88
16	Justin Carbonneau	RW	6-1/190	25-Nov-06	Canada	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	62	46	43	89	61
17	Braeden Cootes	C	5-11/180	9-Feb-07	Canada	Seattle (WHL)	60	26	37	63	18
18	Sascha Boumedienne	D	6-1/175	17-Jan-07	Sweden	Boston University (HE)	40	3	10	13	33
19	Ben Kindel	C	5-10/175	19-Apr-07	Canada	Calgary (WHL)	65	35	64	99	39
20	Cameron Reid	D	6-0/190	8-Apr-07	Canada	Kitchener (OHL)	67	14	40	54	44
21	Carter Bear	LW	6-0/180	4-Nov-06	Canada	Everett (WHL)	56	40	42	82	77
22	Blake Fiddler	D	6-4/210	9-Jul-07	Canada	Edmonton (WHL)	64	10	23	33	36
23	Eric Nilson	C	5-11/155	11-May-07	Sweden	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	37	12	26	38	56
24	Jakob Ihs Wozniak	RW	6-3/185	1-Feb-07	Sweden	Lulea (Swe J20)	40	23	34	57	18
25	Logan Hensler	D	6-2/190	14-Oct-06	USA	Wisconsin (B1G)	32	2	10	12	27
26	Jack Murtagh	LW	6-1/200	22-Aug-07	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	47	20	26	46	32
27	Jack Nesbitt	C	6-4/185	12-Jan-07	Canada	Windsor (OHL)	65	25	39	64	74
28	Cole Reschny	C	5-10/185	6-Apr-07	Canada	Victoria (WHL)	62	26	66	92	44
29	Milton Gastrin	C	6-1/185	2-Jun-07	Sweden	MoDo Hockey (Swe J20)	40	18	24	42	18
30	Joshua Ravensbergen	G	6-5/190	27-Nov-06	Canada	Prince George (WHL)	51	33	13	3.00	0.901
31	Kurban Limatov	D	6-3/195	20-Mar-07	Russia	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	46	8	15	23	44
32	Bill Zonnon	RW	6-2/185	3-Oct-06	Canada	Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)	64	28	55	83	32

2025 NHL DRAFT: TOP 100 PLUS HONOURABLE MENTIONS – March edition – FOR SUBSCRIBERS

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 14:34:18 +0000

Porter Mantone of the Brampton Steelheads. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

It’s time for an update to our 2025 NHL draft rankings. Back in December, prior to the World Junior Championships, we released our top 64. Now, not only are we updating, but we’re expanding to a Top 100 (plus honorable mentions). This will be our final draft ranking prior to the release of our Top 300 (along with our annual draft guide).

Erie Otters defender Matthew Schaefer remains on top, despite not playing since our last release due to a collarbone injury suffered at the World Juniors. However, we have no doubt that Schaefer will return stronger than ever. He has been skating recently and is gearing up for a return for the OHL playoffs. At this point, Schaefer is our clear number one and we don’t expect that to change.

The other players in our top ten are all the same, with some minor shuffling. Michael Misa moves ahead of James Hagens based on his strong production with Saginaw, mixed with Hagen’s drop in production with Boston College post World Juniors. We feel that both players have similar projections as top six pivots, but we feel Misa’s frame gives him a greater opportunity to be a more complete pro. Caleb Desnoyers is the other big riser. While, admittedly, we do have some minimal concerns about his offensive upside, we appreciate his pro style of play and safe floor, in combination with the improvement he has shown offensively over the course of this season. Roger McQueen is the big “faller” inside our top ten due to injury and durability concerns. He has recently returned to action and we’re eager to see how he performs down the stretch.

Among the biggest risers, Bill Zonnon, Cole McKinney, and Jake O’Brien standout. O’Brien is knocking on the door of the top ten, moving from 23 to 13 thanks to his elite playmaking ability and three zone awareness. McKinney elevated his play in the second half to become the top pivot on the US NTDP, giving our scouts a better indication of his offensive upside. Zonnon is an energetic forward with a pro frame who has been a favourite of our Eastern scouts thanks to consistent production.

Among the biggest fallers are Malcolm Spence (from 13 to 23, switching with O’Brien), Luca Romano (24 to 44), Ivan Ryabkin (26 to 39), and Tomas Pobezal (from 39 to 81).

You may have caught our recent, and annual second chances series that outlined the top “re-entries” available for 2025. Kristian Epperson (49), Francesco Dell’Elce (82), Petteri Rimpinen (84), and Sam Laurila (98) cracked our Top 100. Additionally, Jamiro Reber is listed as an honorable mention.

Overall, the picture is becoming more and more clear regarding this draft class. Simply put, the majority of our scouts are not enamored with the depth of this group. “In a normal year, when we put together our March list, the debate for the first round is often charged, with the regional scouts all fighting to have their personal, regional favourites included in the top 32,” said Director of Scouting Brock Otten. “But this year, the debate was more about who actually deserved to be ranked in the first round…there was significantly less table pounding.”

“The way I see it” continues Otten, “there is a clear drop off after about the 20th position. There are unquestionably some solid players available outside this range, but few high upside players. Potential role players are the name of the game this year. As a staff, we’re really hoping some players step up in their respective league playoffs and at the U18’s to help give this draft class a little more excitement.”

You can expect our final draft ranking to be released in late May, coinciding with the release of our annual draft guide.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS
1	Matthew Schaefer	D	Erie (OHL)	6-2/180	5-Sep-07	17	7	15	22
2	Michael Misa	C	Saginaw (OHL)	6-1/185	16-Feb-07	62	59	67	126
3	James Hagens	C	Boston College (NCAA)	5-10/175	3-Nov-06	35	10	25	35
4	Porter Martone	RW	Brampton (OHL)	6-3/205	26-Oct-06	54	32	60	92
5	Jackson Smith	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-3/195	13-May-07	65	7	41	48
6	Caleb Desnoyers	C	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-2/180	11-Apr-07	56	35	49	84
7	Victor Eklund	LW	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	5-11/160	3-Oct-06	42	19	12	31
8	Anton Frondell	C	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	6-1/195	7-May-07	29	11	14	25
9	Roger McQueen	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-5/195	2-Oct-06	14	9	9	18
10	Lynden Lakovic	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-4/190	12-Dec-06	45	24	31	55
11	Radim Mrtka	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-6/205	9-Jun-07	41	3	31	34
12	Brady Martin	C	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-0/175	16-Mar-07	55	30	37	67
13	Jake O'Brien	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-2/170	16-Jun-07	64	32	64	96
14	Cullen Potter	C	Arizona State (NCAA)	5-10/170	10-Jan-07	34	13	9	22
15	Justin Carbonneau	RW	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-1/190	25-Nov-06	61	46	43	89
16	Kashawn Aitcheson	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-1/195	21-Sep-06	63	25	33	58
17	Cameron Reid	D	Kitchener (OHL)	6-0/190	8-Apr-07	66	14	39	53
18	Ben Kindel	C	Calgary (WHL)	5-10/175	19-Apr-07	62	34	64	98
19	Braeden Cootes	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/180	9-Feb-07	58	25	36	61
20	Carter Bear	LW	Everett (WHL)	6-0/180	4-Nov-06	56	40	42	82
21	Jack Murtagh	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-1/200	22-Aug-07	42	20	24	44
22	Cameron Schmidt	RW	Vancouver (WHL)	5-7/160	19-Jan-07	59	39	37	76
23	Malcolm Spence	LW	Erie (OHL)	6-1/200	22-Sep-06	62	32	38	70
24	Joshua Ravensbergen	G	Prince George (WHL)	6-5/190	27-Nov-06	50	33	12	2.93
25	Jack Nesbitt	C	Windsor (OHL)	6-4/185	12-Jan-07	63	24	39	63
26	Cole McKinney	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/200	16-Mar-07	45	21	29	50
27	Eric Nilson	C	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	5-11/155	11-May-07	37	12	26	38
28	Logan Hensler	D	Wisconsin (NCAA)	6-2/190	14-Oct-06	32	2	10	12
29	Henry Brzustewicz	D	London (OHL)	6-2/200	9-Feb-07	65	10	29	39
30	Blake Fiddler	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-4/210	9-Jul-07	62	9	22	31
31	Shane Vansaghi	RW	Michigan State (NCAA)	6-2/210	11-Oct-06	35	6	10	16
32	Bill Zonnon	C	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/185	3-Oct-06	62	28	53	81
33	Jakob Ihs Wozniak	RW	Lulea (Swe J20)	6-2/185	1-Feb-07	40	23	34	57
34	Nathan Behm	RW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-1/190	18-Apr-07	57	31	35	66
35	Adam Benak	C	Youngstown (USHL)	5-7/160	10-Apr-07	53	16	38	54
36	Kurban Limatov	D	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-3/195	20-Mar-07	45	8	15	23
37	Carter Amico	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-5/225	15-Mar-07	13	0	3	3
38	Cole Reschny	C	Victoria (WHL)	5-10/180	6-Apr-07	60	23	63	86
39	Ivan Ryabkin	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-0/195	25-Apr-07	18	11	8	19
40	Milton Gastrin	C	MoDo Hockey (Swe J20)	6-1/185	2-Jun-07	40	18	24	42
41	Will Moore	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-2/175	24-Mar-07	49	21	22	43
42	Sascha Boumedienne	D	Boston University (NCAA)	6-1/175	17-Jan-07	35	3	9	12
43	Conrad Fondrk	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/190	1-Jun-07	40	13	14	27
44	Luca Romano	C	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/175	25-Jun-07	65	25	26	51
45	Alexander Zharovsky	RW	Tolpar Ufa (MHL)	6-1/165	22-Feb-07	45	24	26	50
46	Max Psenicka	D	Portland (WHL)	6-4/175	18-Jan-07	22	1	5	6
47	Jack Ivankovic	G	Brampton (OHL)	5-11/180	22-May-07	41	23	12	3.13
48	Maxim Agafonov	D	Tolpar Ufa (MHL)	6-2/195	10-Apr-07	33	6	7	13
49	Kristian Epperson	LW	Saginaw (OHL)	5-11/180	7-May-06	55	26	51	77
50	Vaclav Nestrasil	RW	Muskegon (USHL)	6-5/185	6-Apr-07	51	14	19	33
51	Jimmy Lombardi	C	Flint (OHL)	6-0/180	16-Feb-07	61	13	28	41
52	Gustav Hillstrom	C	Brynas (Swe J20)	6-1/175	20-Jan-07	43	16	22	38
53	Pyotr Andreyanov	G	Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)	6-0/205	22-Jan-07	37	23	6	1.75
54	Arvid Drott	RW	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	6-0/180	11-Aug-07	40	18	18	36
55	Matthew Gard	C	Red Deer (WHL)	6-5/190	7-Apr-07	63	18	17	35
56	Ethan Czata	C	Niagara (OHL)	6-1/175	29-May-07	65	20	33	53
57	Hayden Paupanekis	C	Spokane-Kelowna (WHL)	6-4/195	4-Feb-07	68	22	19	41
58	Charlie Trethewey	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-1/200	2-Aug-07	51	6	12	18
59	Aleksei Medvedev	G	London (OHL)	6-2/180	10-Sep-07	33	22	7	2.72
60	Daniil Prokhorov	RW	MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg (MHL)	6-5/210	27-Apr-07	41	19	7	26
61	William Horcoff	C	Michigan (NCAA)	6-5/190	23-Jan-07	18	4	6	10
62	Tyler Hopkins	C	Kingston (OHL)	6-1/180	23-Jan-07	64	19	31	50
63	Lasse Boelius	D	Assat (Fin-U20)	6-0/180	16-Mar-07	34	4	14	18
64	Eddie Genborg	RW	Linkopings (SHL)	6-1/180	20-Apr-07	28	2	0	2
65	Semyon Frolov	G	MHK Krylia Sovetov (MHL)	6-3/200	17-Jan-07	5	2	2	2.75
66	Ben Kevan	RW	Des Moines (USHL)	6-0/180	3-Jan-07	46	12	29	41
67	Peyton Kettles	D	Swift Current (WHL)	6-5/195	1-Sep-07	51	5	9	14
68	Zeb Lindgren	D	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	6-1/195	14-Apr-07	38	4	15	19
69	Everett Baldwin	D	St. George's School (USHS-RI)	5-11/175	15-Jan-07	22	10	10	20
70	Ryker Lee	RW	Madison (USHL)	5-11/180	8-Nov-06	48	27	33	60
71	Michal Svrcek	LW	Brynas (Swe J20)	5-10/175	26-Jan-07	30	14	16	30
72	Zachary Morin	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/185	25-Jan-07	54	16	20	36
73	Jacob Rombach	D	Lincoln (USHL)	6-6/200	1-Apr-07	50	3	15	18
74	Alex Huang	D	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-0/170	30-Jul-07	62	6	33	39
75	Tommy Lafreniere	C	Kamloops (WHL)	5-11/170	16-Jan-07	66	24	32	56
76	Haoxi (Simon) Wang	D	Oshawa (OHL)	6-6/210	27-Jul-07	29	0	2	2
77	William Belle	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/220	14-Jan-07	50	4	11	15
78	Jan Chovan	RW	Tappara (Fin-U20)	6-3/185	9-Jan-07	39	11	12	23
79	Luka Radivojevic	D	Muskegon (USHL)	5-9/165	3-Jan-07	28	1	16	17
80	Shamar Moses	RW	North Bay (OHL)	6-1/200	6-May-07	58	12	35	47
81	Tomas Pobezal	C	HK Nitra (Svk)	5-10/180	18-Sep-06	42	15	8	23
82	Francesco Dell'Elce	D	Massachusetts (NCAA)	6-0/170	23-Jun-05	38	6	16	22
83	Vojtech Cihar	LW	Karlovy Vary (Czechia)	6-0/175	29-Mar-07	43	4	5	9
84	Petteri Rimpinen	G	Kiekko-Espoo (Fin)	6-0/175	25-Apr-06	40	16	9	2.36
85	Carlos Handel	D	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-0/170	31-Mar-07	50	3	23	26
86	Burke Hood	G	Vancouver (WHL)	6-3/195	30-Apr-07	41	18	13	3.21
87	Melvin Novotny	LW	Leksands (Swe J20)	6-1/185	3-Apr-07	41	12	26	38
88	Sean Barnhill	D	Dubuque (USHL)	6-5/205	8-Jan-07	46	4	4	8
89	Tomas Poletin	LW	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	6-1/200	30-Apr-07	25	13	7	20
90	Roman Bausov	D	MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg (MHL)	6-5/180	28-Apr-07	39	2	9	11
91	Mason Moe	C	Madison (USHL)	6-1/185	26-Mar-07	41	13	24	37
92	Reese Hamilton	D	Calgary-Regina (WHL)	6-0/170	26-Mar-07	59	4	10	14
93	Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen	D	Michigan (NCAA)	6-0/180	18-Dec-06	35	3	6	9
94	Nathan Quinn	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	5-11/170	29-Aug-07	52	17	29	46
95	Samuel Meloche	G	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-2/190	22-Jul-07	49	29	13	2.96
96	Maceo Phillips	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-6/225	25-Feb-07	47	2	4	6
97	Eduard Bondar	D	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	6-5/195	31-Jan-07	52	3	9	12
98	Sam Laurila	D	Fargo (USHL)	6-1/185	2-Sep-06	50	7	28	35
99	Owen Conrad	D	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-2/210	10-Mar-07	62	7	19	26
100	Malte Vass	D	Farjestads (Swe J20)	6-2/185	28-Mar-07	40	2	9	11
HM	Karl Annborn	D	HV 71 (Swe J20)	6-1/185	6-Mar-07	39	3	21	24
HM	Lucas Beckman	G	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-1/180	23-Aug-07	51	30	18	2.68
HM	Carson Cameron	D	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/190	27-Jun-07	60	7	16	23
HM	Hayden Harsanyi	C	Medicine Hat-Saskatoon (WHL)	5-10/175	10-Jan-07	34	11	12	23
HM	Dmitri Isayev	LW	Avto Yekaterinburg (MHL)	5-9/150	26-Jun-07	43	22	23	45
HM	Atte Joki	C	Lukko (Fin-U20)	6-1/190	21-Jul-07	40	15	17	32
HM	Viktor Klingsell	RW	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	5-10/185	10-Feb-07	43	17	22	39
HM	Nathan Lecompte	C	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	5-10/165	19-Jan-07	56	14	35	49
HM	Jeremy Loranger	C	Sherwood Park (BCHL)	5-9/160	15-Jun-07	50	37	57	94
HM	Jamiro Reber	C	HV 71 (SHL)	5-10/170	4-Sep-06	47	8	7	15
HM	Grayden Robertson-Palmer	C	Phillips Academy (USHS-MA)	5-11/195	29-Aug-07	30	16	23	39
HM	David Rozsival	RW	Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia U20)	6-0/185	1-Jun-07	30	17	20	37
HM	Lukas Sawchyn	LW	Edmonton (WHL)	5-10/175	27-Feb-07	64	15	38	53
HM	Theo Stockselius	C	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	6-2/180	24-Jul-07	40	22	29	51
HM	Mason West	RW	Edina (USHS-MN)	6-5/205	3-Aug-07	31	27	22	49
HM	Max Westergard	RW	Frolunda (Swe J20)	5-11/160	3-Sep-07	41	19	31	50

2025 NHL DRAFT: TOP 32 – MARCH EDITION – Top 20 coming into focus with depth an issue with this class

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 14:24:13 +0000

Among the biggest fallers are Malcolm Spence (from 13 to 23, switching with O’Brien), Luca Romano (24 to 44), Ivan Ryabkin (26 to 39), and Tomas Pobezal (from 39 to 81).

You can expect our final draft ranking to be released in late May, coinciding with the release of our annual draft guide.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1	Matthew Schaefer	D	Erie (OHL)	6-2/180	5-Sep-07	17	7	15	22	8
2	Michael Misa	C	Saginaw (OHL)	6-1/185	16-Feb-07	62	59	67	126	45
3	James Hagens	C	Boston College (NCAA)	5-10/175	3-Nov-06	35	10	25	35	24
4	Porter Martone	RW	Brampton (OHL)	6-3/205	26-Oct-06	54	32	60	92	72
5	Jackson Smith	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-3/195	13-May-07	65	7	41	48	46
6	Caleb Desnoyers	C	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-2/180	11-Apr-07	56	35	49	84	39
7	Victor Eklund	LW	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	5-11/160	3-Oct-06	42	19	12	31	37
8	Anton Frondell	C	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	6-1/195	7-May-07	29	11	14	25	16
9	Roger McQueen	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-5/195	2-Oct-06	14	9	9	18	29
10	Lynden Lakovic	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-4/190	12-Dec-06	45	24	31	55	4
11	Radim Mrtka	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-6/205	9-Jun-07	41	3	31	34	40
12	Brady Martin	C	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-0/175	16-Mar-07	55	30	37	67	64
13	Jake O'Brien	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-2/170	16-Jun-07	64	32	64	96	18
14	Cullen Potter	C	Arizona State (NCAA)	5-10/170	10-Jan-07	34	13	9	22	6
15	Justin Carbonneau	RW	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-1/190	25-Nov-06	61	46	43	89	61
16	Kashawn Aitcheson	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-1/195	21-Sep-06	63	25	33	58	88
17	Cameron Reid	D	Kitchener (OHL)	6-0/190	8-Apr-07	66	14	39	53	44
18	Ben Kindel	C	Calgary (WHL)	5-10/175	19-Apr-07	62	34	64	98	39
19	Braeden Cootes	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/180	9-Feb-07	58	25	36	61	18
20	Carter Bear	LW	Everett (WHL)	6-0/180	4-Nov-06	56	40	42	82	77
21	Jack Murtagh	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-1/200	22-Aug-07	42	20	24	44	26
22	Cameron Schmidt	RW	Vancouver (WHL)	5-7/160	19-Jan-07	59	39	37	76	42
23	Malcolm Spence	LW	Erie (OHL)	6-1/200	22-Sep-06	62	32	38	70	55
24	Joshua Ravensbergen	G	Prince George (WHL)	6-5/190	27-Nov-06	50	33	12	2.93	0.903
25	Jack Nesbitt	C	Windsor (OHL)	6-4/185	12-Jan-07	63	24	39	63	72
26	Cole McKinney	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/200	16-Mar-07	45	21	29	50	55
27	Eric Nilson	C	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	5-11/155	11-May-07	37	12	26	38	56
28	Logan Hensler	D	Wisconsin (NCAA)	6-2/190	14-Oct-06	32	2	10	12	27
29	Henry Brzustewicz	D	London (OHL)	6-2/200	9-Feb-07	65	10	29	39	73
30	Blake Fiddler	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-4/210	9-Jul-07	62	9	22	31	36
31	Shane Vansaghi	RW	Michigan State (NCAA)	6-2/210	11-Oct-06	35	6	10	16	28
32	Bill Zonnon	C	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/185	3-Oct-06	62	28	53	81	32

2025 NHL DRAFT: Bill Zonnon, C, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies – Detailed Scouting Report (Videos + Grades)

Jeremy Tremblay — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 20:25:57 +0000

Bill Zonnon

Bill Zonnon (#6)

2025 NHL Draft Eligible

Position: C, Shoots: L

H/W: 6-foot-2 190 pounds

Date of Birth: 2006-10-03

In this stronger than usual crop for the QMJHL this year, many names have caught the eyes of scouts. If one thing is sure, it is that Bill Zonnon has made a name for himself since his QMJHL debut in 2022, after being drafted by the Huskies of Rouyn-Noranda sixth overall a few months earlier. Now playing his third season for the organization, he is one of the biggest pieces of the team's core.

Even more, after playing his two first seasons as a winger, he was transferred to center for the current season, now operating as the first line center of his team. Playing center may be a challenge for some, but for Zonnon, this is a position that comes naturally for him as it fits him better with what he brings to the game and his playstyle. The result as of today? Bill Zonnon is currently on pace for close to 100 points, with good results defensively and a big impact on the ice other than points. After a draft year minus one season with 58 points in 68 games, where does the explosion come from?

Well first, playing with Antonin Verreault cannot do too much harm, the league's leading scorer last season and having another great season right now. But he was also playing with Verreault last season, so why does he have twice the points this year so far? Despite having some difficulties with his involvement in the offensive zone in the first two months of the season and struggling with his positioning (being new at center surely was not helping!), Zonnon was putting points on the score sheet at an impressive rate.

While he still accumulates points, Zonnon’s involvement in the offensive zone has just exploded. He jumps more in the slot, creates more plays by himself with the puck and adjusts his speed and involvement in a better way, understanding where to get positioned according to his teammate’s positions. That may seem like small detail, but it has changed everything in Zonnon’s game. Add to that that he is responsible defensively and has a terrific work ethic, we have here a player who will certainly catch the eyes of NHL teams.

If there is one thing that we need to keep in mind before getting excited by Bill Zonnon, it is that he is on the older side of the draft. Born on the 3^rd of October, it is only three weeks and a half after being eligible for the 2024 NHL draft. A good question to ask ourselves in this case is: If he had been drafted last year, would we be happy with his development curve at this point? I think it is the case, as Zonnon brings so much to the table. Due to the well-rounded nature of his skill set, there are a lot of different ways that he could become an NHL regular, and that versatility makes him an intriguing selection inside the first two rounds.

Skating

While Zonnon’s skating is definitely not a problem, it’s hard to say that it is a strength for him. He is not the most fluid skater, with long and lanky strides that are not the most efficient energy-wise. However, Zonnon’s strength and explosiveness are what make his skating ability such an important asset in his game at the QMJHL level. He possesses sudden bursts of speed, creating plenty of space between him and his closer pursuer. He is hard to stop when he starts moving his feet and having a 6-foot-2 frame certainly doesn’t hurt.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SKATING-1-ZonnonSkating1-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SKATING-2-ZonnonSkatingOnTheRush1-1.mp4

As you can see in these two clips, Zonnon (#6) is explosive on skates. More often than not, this all starts with some cross strides where he accumulates enough momentum to keep a good speed while skating straight. In the second clip, Zonnon makes a good read seeing that there is a chance of an odd man rush if he joins the breakout. With powerful strides, it’s suddenly a 4 on 2. It happens often that Zonnon makes those kinds of plays only by skating fast and getting positioned at the right place to help the offensive transition.

Where there are more question marks in his skating ability is on the mobility side. He is not the most agile skater, rarely using his edges to pivot on a small area or to create space for himself. Too often we see Zonnon lose his balance as the puck changes direction quickly, struggling with his stability when his mobility is tested. Zonnon is definitely more of a North-South skater, carrying the puck from one end to the other with hard and strong strides. His playstyle is slowly transitioning to a powerfoward type, which is exactly how his skating could be used in the most efficient way.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SKATING-3-ZonnonSkatingTechnic1-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SKATING-4-ZonnonTransitionAndPlaymaking1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SKATING-5-ZonnonHighSpeedPassing1-1.mp4

The goals of those three clips are to show where Zonnon struggles with his skating. When space and time are not given, when the puck goes one way then another quickly, his flaws are easier to see. He can get behind plays and be out of position simply by struggling with quick pivots and agility.

Zonnon is by no means a bad skater. Yes, there are things to work on, but the overall result is promising. Giving him space to gain speed and momentum is a mistake that could be costly. The main thing about Zonnon is that he is just such a hard-working player and it sometimes compensates for the problem with his skating. Can skating be an obstacle to play in the NHL one day? Maybe, but with today’s coaches and trainers, he should be able to become more agile and stronger on his edges.

Grade: 52.5

Shot

This is one of the most improved parts in Zonnon’s game this season. As said in the introduction, in the first quarter of the season, his offensive involvement was an issue. The shots were not happening as often as today, he was not moving his feet enough to get inside the slot and be a good pass option. His shot has never been the powerful weapon that he could use to score from everywhere in the offensive zone. He had to jump in the slot and make plays happen, which were not happening enough until after the first 2 months.

I don’t know if anyone talked to him or he just figured out the missing pieces, but in one week, his offensive game completely changed. He was now on the ice generating offensive chances, rushing to the net with the puck or moving his feet to get in open space to receive a pass. He seems everywhere in the offensive zone when his team has control of the puck.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SHOT-1-ZonnonShotAndEasyGoal1-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SHOT-2-Zonnon2on1Goal1-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SHOT-3-ZonnonShotPowerforward1-1.mp4

A majority of his goals are tip-in or rebound near the net. This isn’t a bad thing at all, it just demonstrates how proactive Zonnon is around the opposite net. He gets in the slot, fights in front of the net and takes every rebound he can. However, there are also moments where he can snipe the puck with precision, and it makes you think that he could use it more often. Both accuracy and power are good enough for him to score at a higher level, but he will need to shoot more. He is currently only averaging 3 shots on net per night, scoring on average at 0.5 goal per game. He is on pace to score 38 goals this year, which is 20 more than last year!

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SHOT-4-ZonnonGetInPositionAndShoot1-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SHOT-5-ZonnonShootingAbility1-1.mp4

If there is a thing that he should work on, it is the speed of his release. He takes too much time to shoot the puck, giving time to his opponent to try to deflect or even stop the shot. He often waits to get closer and closer to the net, looking for the perfect shooting lane, but his shot doesn’t often get through his opponents. However, if the defenders are giving him time to shoot, he can show how powerful his wrist shot can be.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SHOT-6-ZonnonShotPP1-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SHOT-7-ZonnonShotRelease1-1.mp4

With his playstyle, there is a lot of untapped potential in Zonnon’s scoring ability. He will surely adapt with ease at a higher level with how he scores goals, but the speed of his release will need to improve if he wants to score more in the NHL where defenders are smarter and faster.

Grade: 52.5

Skills

If there is a shady area in Zonnon’s game, this is certainly the one. Even after 3 seasons in the QMJHL, he still has raw skills. That means that his skills could improve a lot in the future, giving him a higher potential, but also that they may not, limiting said upside. He possesses a great diversity of skills, some good hands to control the puck and he can sometimes surprise us with an impressive move to pass through a defender. Although this is not something that happens often, it’s always great to see what a player can do.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SKILLS-1-ZonnonGreatHandsSC1-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SKILLS-2-ZonnonHandsAndShot1-1.mp4

As shown in the two clips above, Zonnon has some tricks in his hat that are quite surprising. He isn’t afraid to challenge a defender one-on-one to charge to the net, but when he uses his hands to make a move like in those two clips, the scoring chance is even better. His puck handling is not as smooth as you could wish, but he is quick enough to make plays happen in the QMJHL. Zonnon’s skill limitations could prevent him from making plays like that in the NHL, but if it works, it’s a big plus. His game doesn’t revolve around skills, so it doesn’t really affect his projection.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SKILLS-3-ZonnonLimitedSkills1-1.mp4

Zonnon is a big player, 6’2” on paper, but he looks even bigger when he is on the ice. The disadvantage regarding the fluidity of his moves is apparent, but he also has a bigger range with his stick, making his puck protection solid. It is very difficult to take the puck from him when he moves and spins, even if he is not the most agile. Playing now at center, Zonnon has developed some skills at faceoffs, winning more and more faceoffs each game. With his skill level and the way he plays, center is the best fitting position for him.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SKILLS-4-ZonnonSkillsShootout1-1.mp4

A little bonus here to show how Zonnon does in a shootout situation. There are definitely some skills there, finishing with a precise shot right between the legs of the goaltender.

Grade: 52.5

Smarts

When the season started, I felt that Zonnon was not displaying his full smartness on the ice. He was never taking into account the position of his teammates when he was moving on the ice, trying to do too much by himself. He was often playing in a simple way, staying on the periphery with the puck and never attacking the slot. As described before, Zonnon’s game has changed a lot since the start of the season and his play is a lot smarter and more creative.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SMARTS-1-ZonnonIntensityAndHighPressureShift1-1.mp4

This is an average shift by Zonnon. Playing for the first time at center this season, Zonnon had a lot to learn. But in this clip, we can see how good he is at cycling in the right place, always taking the right position for a center to create something or intercept a play. It is not only his implication when he has the puck that we are talking about, but also his awareness away from the puck. His feet are always moving, trying to stay a valid pass option for his teammates. That is great hockey IQ from him.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SMARTS-2-ZonnonPositioningAndGoal1-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SKILLS-3-ZonnonLimitedSkills1-1.mp4

In the first clip, Zonnon ends the play with a nice off puck play, faking to go towards the front of the net just to stop right before to be a dangerous pass option. Nice goal from him, but it all comes from his understanding of the play in front of him. In the second clip, we can see that Zonnon’s positioning helps his playmaking greatly. He is not the most creative player, but when there is a passing lane, he will take advantage of it. It could be great to add to his game more craftiness in his passing, creating more chances by himself from his passing. His decisions with the puck are often safe and taking a little risk sometimes can create greater plays. Nonetheless, Zonnon has shown that he sees the passing opportunities in front of him.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SMARTS-4-ZonnonPlaymaking2-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SMARTS-5-ZonnonPlaymaking3-1.mp4

Zonnon can execute passing plays, even at high speed. In the second clip, I’m not even sure how he sees his teammate on the left, but what a pass! Could we say that Zonnon’s playmaking is still underrated? He is slowly becoming a dual threat in the offensive zone, and this is making his resume even better. What about the defensive side of his game? Well, Zonnon is working hard and makes the life of his opponent difficult. He keeps a great position, but he sometimes becomes absorbed by the puck and forgets about his defensive mission.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SMARTS-6-ZonnonPuckWatching1-1.mp4

While this is something that happens sometimes with him, being good defensively at this age is hard and for a first-time center, Zonnon does the job pretty well.

Grade: 55

Physicality/Compete

You need a high level of compete and tenaciousness if you want to be able to play at a high level, and it is exactly what Zonnon brings to the game. Intensity, hard work, passion; he is the type of player who does not back down from anything and will outwork every other player on the ice. The first time I saw Zonnon play last year, he was just working so hard and skating like he had infinite energy. The forecheck and even more the backcheck are ceaseless, putting heavy pressure on anyone that is carrying the puck. By working so hard and with intensity, Zonnon is often causing turnovers.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PHYSICAL-1-ZonnonBattleOneOnOne1-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PHYSICAL-2-ZonnonForecheckHardwork1-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PHYSICAL-3-ZonnonEffortAndScoringChance1-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PHYSICAL-4-ZonnonCompeteCausingTurnOver1-1.mp4

You can feel a little bit of fear from the defender when the 6-foot-2, 190-pound forward is rushing towards him to take the puck. He puts a lot of stress on the player that is first to the puck, putting him in a situation where he has to think fast and often makes a mistake from it. Even when he is lying on the ice, like in the third clip, Zonnon is intense and does not stop trying! In addition, what Zonnon does best is creating chaos in the offensive zone with the constant pressure and pursuit. Although it is undeniable that Zonnon excels in those situations, we have to think that he is bigger, stronger and faster than most players on the ice. Of course, he will have an easy time winning his battles in the corners, but at higher levels, his opponents will be much closer to him in size and combativeness. That’s why his stability and physical tools need to get better.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PHYSICAL-5-ZonnonHeavyForecheck1-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PHYSICAL-6-ZonnonHit1-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PHYSICAL-7-ZonnonHit3-1.mp4

As shown in the clip, Zonnon uses his size and strength to finish his forechecks with a hit. It is never bad to force a defender to make a quick decision, but you have to not take yourself out of the play just to complete a hit. Zonnon is getting better at judging if it is worth finishing the hit or not, keeping his momentum to put pressure on the next player. He possesses plenty of physical tools, but is not fully developed.

Grade: 57.5

OFP: 53.875

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.

2025 NHL DRAFT: DECEMBER RANKING – TOP 64 + Honourable Mentions – PRE-WJC

Brock Otten — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:10:07 +0000

Matthew Schaefer of the Erie Otters. Photo courtesy of the OHL.

Ahead of the 2025 World Junior Championships in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, we are updating our draft ranking for the 2025 NHL Draft. For this update, we’re expanding our list to a top 64.

Now sitting atop our list is Erie Otters (and Team Canada) defender Matthew Schaefer, supplanting Boston College (and Team USA) pivot James Hagens. In reality, we like both players and the decision to move Schaefer ahead was not unanimously supported by our scouting team. However, we believe that Schaefer is the complete package as a potential number one defender. Not only does he project as an all-situations minute eater, but he is a natural born leader who could captain and be the face of an NHL franchise too.

While the World Juniors are not always the best showcase for draft eligible talent; it can be tough for underagers to be impactful players. It will be interesting, nonetheless, to see Schaefer (and Porter Martone) square off against Hagens. All three should be playing key roles for potential medal favourites.

Not at the World Juniors is Saginaw center Michael Misa, our third ranked prospect. Misa’s transition back to the middle of the ice has allowed him to become one of the CHL’s most dynamic and highest scoring players. His skating ability, tenacity, and creativity allow him to impact the game in so many different ways and we see him as a potential franchise center.

The previously mentioned Porter Martone rounds out our top four, a group that we consider to have separated themselves from the pack to create a clear grouping of potential first overall candidates. Martone is a pesky power forward who is likely to develop into a first line winger who can play in all situations for his future NHL team. It’s rare to find a winger who can be on the ice whether his team is down a goal or up a goal with a minute to go.

Filling up the rest of our top ten are Brandon center Roger McQueen, Swedish winger Victor Eklund, Tri-City (WHL) defenseman Jackson Smith, Swedish forward Anton Frondell, Moncton pivot Caleb Desnoyers, and Moose Jaw power winger Lynden Lakovic. McQueen is the prototype of the modern-day top NHL pivot, with size and skill, however, injuries have disrupted his development and that is cause for concern. He is slated to return to action around February and will need a huge finish to his WHL season in order to push his way back into top four consideration. Anton Frondell is another player worth discussing as the previously hyped forward has also struggled with injuries and consistency. He has the kind of well-rounded game that makes him a potentially valuable pro player, but have we previously over projected his potential upside?

Among the highest risers on this list are Kitchener defender Cameron Reid, Barrie defender Kashawn Aitcheson, NTDP winger Jack Murtagh, Swedish pivot Eric Nilson, and Kamloops winger Nathan Behm. Reid has been one of the highest scoring defenders in the OHL this year with the surprising Kitchener Rangers; his mobility and two-way sense are very impressive. Aitcheson has really impressed us with the improvements made to his decision making and puck play, helping to elevate his potential upside as a top four, throwback defender. Murtagh has been the best player on the U.S. NTDP U18 team this year and projects as a Ryan Leonard type of top six complementary piece at the NHL level. Eric Nilson, the son of former Calgary Flame and Florida Panther pivot Marcus Nilson, is the same kind of determined two-way player that his father was, however, he’s shown positive progression offensively that has us reevaluating his upside. Lastly, Behm is the kind of intriguing athlete on the wing that NHL teams have been focusing on developing in recent years. There’s room for improvement in a lot of areas, but when he puts everything together and grows into his frame, he could be a real solid top six asset.

One of the biggest fallers on our list is Russian forward Ivan Ryabkin. He remains in our first round for now, but we would be lying if we weren’t concerned about the kind of season he has had and the lack of progression he has shown. As is, his game needs to mature a lot in order for him to be a successful NHL player. The upside is still incredibly tantalizing, but at some point, his lack of production and development needs to be held against him.

You can expect our next ranking sometime early in the new year as we expand our midseason list to a top 100, with honorable mentions.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1	Matthew Schaefer	D	Erie (OHL)	6-2/180	5-Sep-07	17	7	15	22	8
2	James Hagens	C	Boston College (NCAA)	5-10/170	3-Nov-06	16	5	15	20	4
3	Michael Misa	C	Saginaw (OHL)	5-11/160	16-Feb-07	30	30	31	61	21
4	Porter Martone	RW	Brampton (OHL)	6-3/195	26-Oct-06	26	21	33	54	41
5	Roger McQueen	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-5/190	2-Oct-06	8	8	3	11	18
6	Victor Eklund	LW	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	5-11/160	3-Oct-06	24	8	7	15	31
7	Jackson Smith	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-3/190	13-May-07	30	2	22	24	26
8	Anton Frondell	C	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	6-0/195	7-May-07	7	1	2	3	6
9	Caleb Desnoyers	C	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-2/190	11-Apr-07	26	17	25	42	14
10	Lynden Lakovic	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-4/190	12-Dec-06	29	16	22	38	4
11	Radim Mrtka	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-6/200	9-Jun-07	9	2	5	7	10
12	Justin Carbonneau	RW	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-1/190	25-Nov-06	31	22	23	45	26
13	Malcolm Spence	LW	Erie (OHL)	6-2/200	22-Sep-06	29	15	22	37	20
14	Cameron Schmidt	RW	Vancouver (WHL)	5-8/150	19-Jan-07	26	24	14	38	16
15	Cullen Potter	C	Arizona State (NCAA)	5-9/160	10-Jan-07	16	4	4	8	6
16	Brady Martin	C	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-0/175	16-Mar-07	28	15	14	29	42
17	Cameron Reid	D	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/160	8-Apr-07	33	6	23	29	20
18	Kashawn Aitcheson	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-1/190	21-Sep-06	29	10	13	23	48
19	Logan Hensler	D	Wisconsin (NCAA)	6-2/185	14-Oct-06	17	0	7	7	19
20	Jack Murtagh	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/180	22-Aug-07	20	10	12	22	10
21	Joshua Ravensbergen	G	Prince George (WHL)	6-4/180	27-Nov-06	24	16	4	3.06	0.899
22	Carter Bear	C	Everett (WHL)	6-0/175	4-Nov-06	26	22	24	46	22
23	Jake O'Brien	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-2/170	16-Jun-07	33	18	23	41	8
24	Luca Romano	RW	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/170	25-Jun-07	32	14	15	29	8
25	Blake Fiddler	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-3/195	9-Jul-07	27	4	8	12	18
26	Ivan Ryabkin	C	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-0/170	25-Apr-07	15	1	11	12	26
27	Ben Kindel	C	Calgary (WHL)	5-10/165	19-Apr-07	29	19	27	46	18
28	Eric Nilson	C	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	5-11/155	11-May-07	23	8	20	28	14
29	Braeden Cootes	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/170	9-Feb-07	29	13	17	30	10
30	Nathan Behm	RW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-2/185	18-Apr-07	31	18	19	37	10
31	Kurban Limatov	D	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-4/185	20-Mar-07	26	5	11	16	16
32	Will Moore	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-2/160	24-Mar-07	29	11	11	22	2
33	Henry Brzustewicz	D	London (OHL)	6-1/195	9-Feb-07	32	5	15	20	45
34	Jack Nesbitt	C	Windsor (OHL)	6-4/175	12-Jan-07	33	13	16	29	30
35	Cole Reschny	C	Victoria (WHL)	5-9/160	6-Apr-07	29	11	27	38	28
36	Shane Vansaghi	RW	Michigan State (NCAA)	6-1/190	11-Oct-06	16	2	9	11	16
37	Arvid Drott	RW	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	6-1/180	11-Aug-07	24	13	12	25	10
38	Adam Benak	C	Youngstown (USHL)	5-7/160	10-Apr-07	26	8	16	24	20
39	Tomas Pobezal	C	HK Nitra (Svk)	5-10/170	18-Sep-06	26	12	5	17	14
40	Milton Gastrin	C	MoDo Hockey (Swe J20)	6-2/180	2-Jun-07	20	7	12	19	12
41	Jakob Ihs Wozniak	LW	Lulea (Swe J20)	6-3/180	1-Feb-07	22	7	21	28	6
42	Carter Amico	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-5/205	15-Mar-07	13	0	3	3	10
43	Cole McKinney	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/190	16-Mar-07	26	8	15	23	21
44	Ben Kevan	RW	Des Moines (USHL)	5-11/165	3-Jan-07	16	6	10	16	23
45	Conrad Fondrk	C	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/175	1-Jun-07	28	6	12	18	2
46	Vojtech Cihar	LW	Karlovy Vary (Czechia)	6-1/170	29-Mar-07	25	3	4	7	6
47	Luka Radivojevic	D	Muskegon (USHL)	5-10/155	3-Jan-07	19	0	10	10	8
48	Alex Huang	D	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-0/160	30-Jul-07	31	1	13	14	8
49	Charlie Trethewey	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-1/190	2-Aug-07	29	4	6	10	16
50	Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen	D	Michigan (NCAA)	6-0/170	18-Dec-06	18	1	4	5	2
51	Pyotr Andreyanov	G	Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)	6-0/205	22-Jan-07	17	10	3	1.83	0.942
52	Zeb Lindgren	D	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	6-2/175	14-Apr-07	22	2	9	11	20
53	Haoxi (Simon) Wang	D	King Rebellion (OJHL)	6-6/210	27-Jul-07	35	3	15	18	69
54	Maxim Agafonov	D	Tolpar Ufa (MHL)	6-0/180	10-Apr-07	20	4	3	7	16
55	Bill Zonnon	LW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-2/180	3-Oct-06	31	16	29	45	18
56	Ethan Czata	C	Niagara (OHL)	6-0/160	29-May-07	33	15	20	35	35
57	Sascha Boumedienne	D	Boston University (NCAA)	6-1/170	17-Jan-07	16	0	3	3	23
58	Peyton Kettles	D	Swift Current (WHL)	6-4/185	1-Sep-07	20	2	3	5	34
59	Eddie Genborg	LW	Linkopings (Swe J20)	6-2/185	20-Apr-07	22	16	13	29	22
60	Zachary Morin	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/185	25-Jan-07	25	10	14	24	2
61	Jimmy Lombardi	C	Flint (OHL)	6-0/180	16-Feb-07	32	5	13	18	17
62	Jack Ivankovic	G	Brampton (OHL)	5-11/180	22-May-07	21	12	7	3.49	0.898
63	Carlos Handel	D	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-0/160	31-Mar-07	28	2	9	11	8
64	Jan Chovan	C	Tappara (Fin-U20)	6-2/180	9-Jan-07	25	9	8	17	4
HM	William Belle	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-4/215	14-Jan-07	28	2	5	7	18
HM	Lasse Boelius	D	Assat (Fin-U20)	6-0/180	16-Mar-07	23	3	8	11	6
HM	Donny Bracco	D	USN U18 (USDP)	5-10/160	26-Jul-07	29	0	9	9	6
HM	Carson Cameron	D	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/175	27-Jun-07	33	5	9	14	14
HM	Kieren Dervin	C	Kingston (OHL)	6-1/170	31-Mar-07	1	0	0	0	0
HM	Semyon Frolov	G	MHK Spartak Moskva (MHL)	6-3/170	17-Jan-07	4	2	1	1.48	0.945
HM	Matthew Gard	C	Red Deer (WHL)	6-4/190	7-Apr-07	31	8	11	19	36
HM	Emile Guite	LW	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-1/165	31-May-07	30	6	5	11	8
HM	Love Harenstam	G	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	6-1/185	18-Jan-07	8	3	5	3.52	0.899
HM	Lev Katzin	C	Guelph (OHL)	5-8/170	13-May-07	8	5	10	15	0
HM	Viktor Klingsell	LW	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	5-10/170	10-Feb-07	24	7	10	17	0
HM	Ryker Lee	RW	Madison (USHL)	5-9/150	8-Nov-06	20	10	14	24	4
HM	Samuel Meloche	G	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-3/195	22-Jul-07	27	14	6	2.75	0.898
HM	L.J. Mooney	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-7/150	8-Mar-07	14	1	9	10	4
HM	Tomas Poletin	C	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	6-1/195	30-Apr-07	15	11	3	14	6
HM	Max Psenicka	D	HC Plzen (Czechia)	6-4/175	18-Jan-07	13	1	0	1	0
HM	Nathan Quinn	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	5-11/160	29-Aug-07	30	11	21	32	13
HM	Sam Spehar	C	Sioux Falls (USHL)	5-10/170	20-Apr-07	20	8	8	16	2

2025 NHL DRAFT: DECEMBER RANKING – TOP 32 – PRE-WJC

Brock Otten — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:10:01 +0000

Matthew Schaefer of the Erie Otters. Photo courtesy of the OHL.

Ahead of the 2025 World Junior Championships in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, we are updating our draft ranking for the 2025 NHL Draft. For this update, we’re expanding our list to a top 64.

You can expect our next ranking sometime early in the new year as we expand our midseason list to a top 100, with honorable mentions. The top 32 are available to all in this article. Subscribers can access the top 64 plus honourable mentions by linking here.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1	Matthew Schaefer	D	Erie (OHL)	6-2/180	5-Sep-07	17	7	15	22	8
2	James Hagens	C	Boston College (NCAA)	5-10/170	3-Nov-06	16	5	15	20	4
3	Michael Misa	C	Saginaw (OHL)	5-11/160	16-Feb-07	30	30	31	61	21
4	Porter Martone	RW	Brampton (OHL)	6-3/195	26-Oct-06	26	21	33	54	41
5	Roger McQueen	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-5/190	2-Oct-06	8	8	3	11	18
6	Victor Eklund	LW	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	5-11/160	3-Oct-06	24	8	7	15	31
7	Jackson Smith	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-3/190	13-May-07	30	2	22	24	26
8	Anton Frondell	C	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	6-0/195	7-May-07	7	1	2	3	6
9	Caleb Desnoyers	C	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-2/190	11-Apr-07	26	17	25	42	14
10	Lynden Lakovic	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-4/190	12-Dec-06	29	16	22	38	4
11	Radim Mrtka	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-6/200	9-Jun-07	9	2	5	7	10
12	Justin Carbonneau	RW	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-1/190	25-Nov-06	31	22	23	45	26
13	Malcolm Spence	LW	Erie (OHL)	6-2/200	22-Sep-06	29	15	22	37	20
14	Cameron Schmidt	RW	Vancouver (WHL)	5-8/150	19-Jan-07	26	24	14	38	16
15	Cullen Potter	C	Arizona State (NCAA)	5-9/160	10-Jan-07	16	4	4	8	6
16	Brady Martin	C	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-0/175	16-Mar-07	28	15	14	29	42
17	Cameron Reid	D	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/160	8-Apr-07	33	6	23	29	20
18	Kashawn Aitcheson	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-1/190	21-Sep-06	29	10	13	23	48
19	Logan Hensler	D	Wisconsin (NCAA)	6-2/185	14-Oct-06	17	0	7	7	19
20	Jack Murtagh	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/180	22-Aug-07	20	10	12	22	10
21	Joshua Ravensbergen	G	Prince George (WHL)	6-4/180	27-Nov-06	24	16	4	3.06	0.899
22	Carter Bear	C	Everett (WHL)	6-0/175	4-Nov-06	26	22	24	46	22
23	Jake O'Brien	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-2/170	16-Jun-07	33	18	23	41	8
24	Luca Romano	RW	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/170	25-Jun-07	32	14	15	29	8
25	Blake Fiddler	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-3/195	9-Jul-07	27	4	8	12	18
26	Ivan Ryabkin	C	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-0/170	25-Apr-07	15	1	11	12	26
27	Ben Kindel	C	Calgary (WHL)	5-10/165	19-Apr-07	29	19	27	46	18
28	Eric Nilson	C	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	5-11/155	11-May-07	23	8	20	28	14
29	Braeden Cootes	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/170	9-Feb-07	29	13	17	30	10
30	Nathan Behm	RW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-2/185	18-Apr-07	31	18	19	37	10
31	Kurban Limatov	D	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-4/185	20-Mar-07	26	5	11	16	16
32	Will Moore	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-2/160	24-Mar-07	29	11	11	22	2

2025 NHL DRAFT: Summer of 25′ – Introducing the QMJHL

Jeremy Tremblay — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 13:05:11 +0000

Caleb Desnoyers

Last season was a disappointing year for the QMJHL, leaving us wanting more. Not a single player was selected in the Top 50 in 2024. However, we didn’t have to wait long for a turnaround, because this group is the best from the region in a long time. There could be as many as four first rounders, not something we see often from the QMJHL. This season promises to be exciting!

#1 Caleb Desnoyers – Center – Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

Caleb Desnoyers is the most anticipated prospect from the QMJHL for the 2025 NHL draft. His first steps in the QMJHL have not gone unnoticed as he maintained a production of almost a point per game last season, putting him in most of the early top 15’s. Of course, the production is a shiny thing to look at, but the detail in his game is much more impressive.

The first feature in his game that catches the eyes is how his game is already mature. Whether in the offensive or defensive zone, more often than not, he places himself at the right place, waiting for a pass or defending the coming offensive attack. For a center, the ability to understand the game that well is a must. Desnoyers is definitely a highly intelligent player, understanding the game at a level already higher than the QMJHL. He takes advantage of the slightest error from the opponent to crash to the net or make a smart pass to an open teammate. His reaction time is quick, making him remarkably effective with the puck.

Using his quick thinking, Desnoyers can clearly be tagged as a dual threat. He has a powerful wrist shot that he likes to use with speed going towards the net. His shot lacks a little precision, but it is not something to stress about. But what has stood out for me in the offensive zone is his playmaking. He sees so well where his teammates are and when to make a pass. What helps him create so much offence is his skating ability. He is not the fastest skater, but a very agile skater with a lot of control of his direction.

However, Desnoyers offensive game comes with a lot of inconsistency. He uses his abilities well, but he is most dangerous on the counter attack. Can he take over shifts by creating when not given a pace or numbers advantage?. His physical play is also a little inconsistent, as he lacks strength currently. Improving that could easily solidify his position in the rankings. Desnoyers may look like a complete player, but there are always many things for him to improve. He has shown last season what tools he brings to the game, and I personally hope to see a big step forward in his productivity coming into the next season.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-zDesnoyersDY-1Overtimeplays-1.mp4

Desnoyers (#18) is a dangerous player at 3 on 3. We can already see how well he understands the open space on the ice. In the first half of the clip, Desnoyers makes the defender stop moving his feet, then goes around him and rushes to the net. After that, in the second half, we see his playmaking. At step ahead of the play, he executes a perfect pass in front of the net and they score.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-zDesnoyersDY-1Goal1.mp4

He possesses a great release. Just look how he turns his body towards the net to be able to shoot anywhere he wants in the net.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-zDesnoyersDY-1Breakawaychance.mp4

Desnoyers makes plays like this often. He hides in the back of the play, then suddenly jumps in the play, grabs the puck and flies to the net. His reading here gets him on the breakaway, giving him a great scoring chance.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-zDesnoyersDY-1Transition.mp4

Desnoyers is not the player that plays with the highest pace of play. He prefers to wait in the weeds for an opportunity. Even in transition, he doesn’t try to enter the offensive zone with great speed, which sometimes gives him difficulties in trying to keep possession once in the zone.

#2 Justin Carbonneau – Winger - Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)

I cannot hide how much impressed I was with the improvement of Justin Carbonneau as the past season went on. First time watching him, he didn’t do much other than score a nice goal in the shootout. I kept his name somewhere just in case. Well, a few months later, he already stood out from other players, just controlling the game as he wanted. He may be less well known than big names like Desnoyers, Guité and Huang, but it is only a question of time before he is considered in the same tier as those other QMJHL players.

Carbonneau is always trying to create something in the offensive zone whenever he gets the puck. He plays with a fast pace, often controlling the game with his mobility. He likes to move with the puck from the periphery of the offensive zone before finding a breach in the defence and cutting in the middle. He has a decent shot that can surprise goaltenders from every angle, but it could use a little more power. He is also a crafty playmaker, trying to open lanes with his speed and mobility or by beating defenders one on one with skill. Furthermore, his amazing skills really give him the wow factor when he controls the puck on the ice.

With all that, there is still a big part of his game that Carbonneau needs to refine if he wants to get better. I would like to see him work in the defensive zone as hard as he works to get the puck in the offensive zone. Defensively, he tried too often to cheat and that puts him out of position. He could also try to play more in high traffic areas without the puck and not just on the periphery. He has so many tools that could translate well into the NHL, but his mind isn’t there just yet. In the end, Carbonneau could just become a more dangerous player on the ice if he could improve those bad habits.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-zCarbonneauDY-1SplitTheD1.mp4

I was there live when he (Carbonneau, #8) did this play, and it was mighty impressive. This really shows off his skill level with the puck. So close to scoring, but we can see a lot of his abilities here and the “wow factor”.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-zCarbonneauDY-1ImpressiveSC1.mp4

This is not the type of play I see often. From the corner to the front of the net with a little jump, it was very close to being a goal. He’s got the skills and the creativity and that could go far.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-zCarbonneauDY-1OffensivePlay1.mp4

He is such an imposing presence when he has the puck. In this clip, he goes coast to coast passing through every player on the way. And after all that, he passes the puck perfectly in front, but his teammate wasn’t able to finish the play.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-zCarbonneauDY-1Skills1.mp4

Carbonneau has incredible hands. It looks easy for him passing the puck through players. But many times, he tries too much instead of passing the puck to a teammate or making a simpler play. This is working well in the QMJHL, but at the next level, he’ll need to refine his decision making.

#3 Emile Guité – Winger - Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)

Emile Guité was rewarded by the QMJHL for his impressive season last year, winning the award of the best rookie of the year, and it was well deserved. Drafted just behind Caleb Desnoyers, the first overall pick in 2023, Guité has shown why he was drafted so high. He possesses NHL qualities that make him a potential first-round pick for the 2025 NHL draft.

He processes the game at a very high speed, moving the puck quickly in a tactical place to keep the pace of the play. His understanding of the game really helps his teammates to play on another level, making them better every time he is with them on the ice. When Guité is in the offensive zone, he likes to shoot the puck from the slot as often as possible and he knows how to get in this area by himself. The majority of his shots were taken there and it shows how he really is an intelligent shooter. He has no difficulties finding a shooting lane that has the most chance to generate something. Furthermore, Guité has a powerful one-timer that he uses often on the power play. Don’t leave him alone in front of your goalie, because he will not miss this chance to score with his smooth hands. His playmaking follows the level of his other skills, as he brilliantly uses the open space to make a dangerous pass in the slot. His head is always up, and he doesn’t hesitate to make quick passes in the offensive zone that generate scoring chances.

Guité is one of the youngest players from the QMJHL for this draft. And clearly, we can see that he is still raw, but with all that he brings, his development curve could just explode next season. However, being on the younger side of the draft also has its disadvantages. Guité is currently underweight, and even for his size, 6’1, he has difficulties playing physically along the boards. Once he gets stronger, I can’t wait to see what type of player he could become. Another thing that could be beneficial for him to work on is the intensity with which he plays. His feet are not always moving, as he prefers to slide into the play. That could help him improve his compete level and better use his high IQ on the ice.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-zGuiteDY-1BreakawayGoal.mp4

Guité (#86 white) has smooth hands as shown here. What a goal on a breakaway!

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-zGuiteDY-1Shift1.mp4

Here is a strong shift by Guité. He starts his shift with a nice blocked pass, proceeds with a breakout play and then, in the offensive zone, he places himself at the right place and makes a perfect shot to score.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-zGuiteDY-1PassingPlayPP.mp4

Guité’s playmaking is excellent. You can see him scan the position of his teammate several times before receiving the puck. He already had in mind the next play he was going to make.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-zGuiteDY-1PhysicalPlay2.mp4

As a young player that is not totally used to his 6’1 body, Guité has difficulties winning battles along the boards. He is still not heavy enough, but that will come sooner than later.

#4 Alex Huang – Defender - Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)

Here is another player from the Chicoutimi Saguenéens who is a name to remember for the next draft. Quite possibly the best defender of this QMJHL group, Huang is exactly what you are looking for in a top 4 defenceman nowadays. His confidence grew a lot in the second half of the season, and he could realistically be the number 1 defender on his team this season. With more ice time, what type of player will he be?

Huang is already a two-way defender, helping the attack a large amount of time on the rush. He has a great vision and sees openings on the play to generate offence. On the power play, he is the quarterback of his team, moving the puck with his excellent four-way mobility. He has great edge work, manipulating his opponent on the direction he will take. Despite his skating ability and hockey sense, I find that Huang brings most of it only on the power play. It could really help his draft stock if he could improve his offensive confidence and create more plays at even strength. He maintains composure under pressure and has good enough hands to push further his offensive contributions. The talent is clearly there.

Defensively, Huang is more of a project but the tools are there. He has a good reach with his stick and he is not afraid to use his body to push opponents. He puts himself in front of shots without fear and he is positioned well enough to block passes. Many times, he is caught watching the puck instead of keeping his position, unbalancing the defensive structure. His offensive eagerness sometimes takes over, putting in trouble the defence when he misses a breakout play.

There are plenty of qualities that make Huang a player to watch for the upcoming season. He will not even be 18 when he gets drafted, so he has a lot of time in front of him to improve many facets in his game.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-zHuangDY-1Mobility1.mp4

Huang (#12) is an agile and mobile skater. His four-way mobility can help him evade an adversary in many ways.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-zHuangDY-1NiceGoal1.mp4

He is not the defender that is afraid to get involved in the offence. He tries as much as he can to help the offence, like here, as he sees that his pinch could get him the puck. Then, with the puck, he shows us his mobility and puck control to score a nice goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-zHuangDY-1BadPassingPlay1.mp4

Huang likes to be involved in the offensive rush, but sometimes, his decision-making with the puck can be questioned. Here, as he supports the attack and gets deeper in the offensive zone, he tries a weak shot to the net that nearly creates an odd-man rush. These types of play at a higher level could be unforgivable.

#5 Bill Zonnon – Winger - Rouyn-Norando Huskies (QMJHL)

Zonnon will already start his third season in the QMJHL this season. He is one of the oldest players in the draft, while being born less than a month away from being available for the 2024 NHL draft. He will have to produce a lot more to convince scouts that despite his age and experience in the QMJHL, he can bring a lot to the game.

Zonnon is definitely not a player that is difficult to find on the ice. The 6’2” and 179 lbs forward is always working hard, charging like a train for the opponent who has the puck. What amazes me the most is how hard he backchecks. I have honestly never seen a player back check as often and with as much intensity. He generates a lot of speed on his skates with his will to get the puck, his explosiveness being impressive at times. He plays heavily along the boards, showing his astonishing level of compete. However, he must be careful not to get penalties as he is sometimes too intense.

With all this intensity, he still is a smart player. He plays a great two-way game, more often well placed than not. He does not hesitate to take the place of the defender if he attacks with the puck, as I have seen him doing a lot. Zonnon’s tools are still raw, needing some refining. It is rare that we can see his one-on-one skills to beat a defender, but when he does, we comprehend that he uses his hands only in times of need. He mostly uses them in a tight area to evade pressure.

With all this, the thing that kept him from being higher in this ranking is the way he generates offense. Finishing at near one point per game last year, it is not the production that is the problem, but more the way he produces. Playing with the likes of Antonin Verreault, who has finished first in points in the QMJHL, has its benefits, but it also boosts your stats. He does make smart passes in the offensive zone, keeping the play active. He has a decent shot but could definitely use it more. Generating offensive chances by himself was something difficult last season, hopefully he will take a step forward and produce a lot more. That would certainly help his ranking before the draft day. Currently, scouts may question his offensive upside as a pro.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-zZonnonDY-1TwoWayPlayAndPlaymaking.mp4

This shift shows the two-way game of Zonnon. First, he backchecks hard to stop the odd-man rush. Then, once his team has recovered the puck, he helps on the offensive rush, finishing this clip with a fancy no-look pass.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-zZonnonDY-1NiceGoal1.mp4

When Zonnon has time to make plays like that, it shows what his offensive potential could be. He is not the craftiest offensive player, but a very effective one.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-zZonnonDY-1SmallSkills1.mp4

Even if Zonnon has skills, they look limited. He uses moves like one in this clip to get out of the danger, but never to go towards the net. His hands aren’t quick enough to pass around junior opponents right now and that could limit his offensive projection.

#6 Owen Conrad – Defender - Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL)

Here is a big defenceman that could make his way up into the ranking of many teams as the season goes on. As teams tend to draft more and more big players that can hit, play fast with the puck and be responsible in their own zone, Conrad’s game may be just what they are looking for.

Looking already strong from his 6’2 209 lbs at only seventeen, he is primarily a shutdown defender. He can body check, hold his adversary on the board behind the net and push players in front of the net. He still has to learn how to use his body effectively in defence. He tends to finish his hit when the player already loses possession. These decisions to recover the puck aren’t always the right one as they put him out of position. Similarly, Conrad has some adjustments to make with his pinching down the wall. Trying to cause a turnover, he pinches too far, creating an odd man rush the other way because of his poor timing with his pinching. Nonetheless, these abilities are on their way to becoming an important asset of his game and could be interesting to see his improvement there this season.

Conrad is a generally intelligent defender that uses his vision well to make breakouts. He regularly makes a good first pass to exit his own zone. He is not currently the defender that will carry the puck to the offensive zone, due to his limited skating speed. He has decent mobility and uses most of it on the power play. What about his offensive? There are moments that show some confident plays, controlling the puck well at the blue line and trying to get the puck to the net. But there is a lot of work here for Conrad, like creating more plays with his passing and jumping more into the attack, which I think he has the potential to do.

If everything goes well for Conrad, we might have a two-way defender that helps produce points but also has a solid defensive game. There is a lot he needs to work on to get there, but the project could be appealing for some teams on draft day.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-zConradDY-1DefensivePlay1.mp4

Conrad (#10) plays hard in the defensive zone. He can pin a player along the board with his strength, use his rangy poke check and also battle in front of the net. This clip shows these abilities well.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-zConradDY-1OffensivePokeCheckMiss1.mp4

I have seen Conrad do many plays like this one, and it’s rarely a success. His pinching is poorly calculated, creating an odd-man rush the other way.

#7 Philippe Veilleux – Winger – Val-d’Or Foreurs (QMJHL)

Last season was a season to forget for the Foreurs as they finished dead last with only 15 wins in 68 games. While being one of the two teams that didn’t make the playoffs, The Val-d’Or Foreurs had at least one thing to look forward to; the future for them could become interesting, with Philippe Veilleux leading the group as the past season was better than expected for him and a few others.

Veilleux is a spectacular player with his quick stickhandling. He can pass between the opposing defence or move the puck quickly around one player before attacking the net and generating a great scoring chance. He constantly sets up plays with his quick passes in the slot, making the defensive structure move as he intends. He plays a low pace game, hiding behind the play to jump into the attack whenever he sees the chance. This has the advantage of surprising the opponent, but also making the play harder for his teammates as he is often far from the play.

This combination of playmaking and stickhandling is always more effective when you have the puck. The main struggle in Veilleux’s game is when he doesn’t have the puck. He plays with low intensity, never really going along the boards to fight for the puck. Plenty of times, he is caught behind the play and takes time to get into his position. His skating definitely doesn’t help him. It lacks power and explosiveness, giving him difficulties to evade players or catch up to the opponent.

With the obvious size problem with Veilleux (currently listed at 5’10), the question remains as to what extent, what he does on the ice could be translatable to the NHL at some point. He is a rare type of player where the skillset is diverse and crafty, but the rest of his game is a big project. With the Foreurs possibly struggling again this season, it will be interesting to see how much Veilleux will be able to show his progression.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-zVeilleuxDY-1QuickHandsAndGoal1.mp4

There is an example of what Veilleux (#44) could do even with little space. He has quick hands and his ability to score close to the net is remarkable.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-zVeilleuxDY-1Decision-Making1.mp4

Veilleux’s vision allows him to make good passes like this one in the offensive zone. He is pretty effective with the puck.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-zVeilleuxDY-1PuckWatching1.mp4

Many bad habits from him in this clip. First, we can see his lack of intensity to backcheck, and then, he is caught puck-watching, going towards the puck carrier instead of keeping his coverage. That mistake nearly cost a goal to his team.

#8 Xavier Lebel – Winger - Québec Remparts (QMJHL)

Xavier Lebel is possibly one of the biggest risers for me from the QMJHL last season. Playing with the second-worst team in the league, putting points on the scoresheet was not an easy thing. But in the last 13 games of the season, he managed to get 10 of his 28 points. Thanks to a lot of his tools, Lebel could be an entertaining player to follow this upcoming season.

The skillset of Lebel is still pretty raw, but there are a lot of flashes that show what he could become. He has great hands, can move the puck around players and get into dangerous scoring areas by himself. However, he tends to get stressed and loses control of the puck a little too easily under pressure. He needs to slow down his pace of play to see better potential options. When Lebel plays more calmly, he uses his great speed to go around the defender and cut to the net. He will need to work on his stability on his skates, as he is often pushed on the ground way too easily by the opponent when he tries to crash to the net.

While not the biggest player, only 5’10, Lebel does play aggressively, and he will try to attack the net. This is where he had most of his goals this season. One of the surprising traits in his game is how good his playmaking ability is. He has great vision, and he can make simple passes to move the play, but also makes passes to the slot, generating chances for teammates. Sometimes, he even wants to pass a little too much, forgetting that he could use his shot to score.

As the next season is closing in, Lebel could become a pleasant surprise for the Remparts if he starts producing more points. He was only playing around 15 minutes per game last season and if the team could make him play more, that could easily help his development. And if his composure and physicality also improve? You might have a player that will get drafted sooner than later.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-zLebelDY-1GreatVision1.mp4

This clip is an amazing one to show the vision of Lebel (#9). He is the one starting the play with a nice breakout pass. Then, he joins the rush, takes a drop pass and sets up a nice goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-zLebelDY-1SkatingTransition1.mp4

He is a strong skater and can use his speed to pass around a defender and crash to the get.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-zLebelDY-1PhysicalPlayAlongBoard1.mp4

Lebel will need to improve his puck protection and stability. He is too easily pushed away from the puck. Here, he lost the puck two times because of his lack of physical strength.

#9 Nathan Lecompte – Center/Winger – Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)

Yes, Chicoutimi has another player in the top 10 here. Nathan Lecompte has been a productive player wherever he has played. He had more than one point per game in the QM18AAA at the age of 15 and 16 and he continues in the QMJHL to show his offensive prowess.

Nathan Lecompte may not be the biggest player from his 5’9 frame on the ice, but he is a tenacious one. He works very hard along the board and is not afraid to fight in front of the net. He is relentless every shift, moving his feet a lot with intensity and energy. Even better, he is quick on his skates, using his speed to evade players while in the offensive rush or when crashing to the net. He did a lot of the last one in the games I watched. He was waiting for the perfect moment to push towards the net to be a dangerous pass option. Lecompte has a great vision, whether with or without the puck. When he controls the puck, he sees passing lanes and effectively finds open teammates.

While Lecompte played center for most of the games, his future is surely as a winger. Not only because of his size, but also because of his playstyle. He is not the most effective player in his own zone and can be turnover prone. He gets rid of the puck easily whenever someone comes to pressure him. Furthermore, his prime goal this season should be to adapt his game to his 5’9 body, learning how to win battles along the boards and play more calmly at times. Will his game translate well to a higher level of hockey? His offensive vision might, but the AHL or NHL are a lot bigger and more physical. I suppose that if he gets plenty of points this season, there is a big chance he gets drafted.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-zLecompteDY-1NiceGoal1.mp4

This clip shows his anticipation in the offensive zone. Lecompte (#42) sees that the play is getting close to the net. He keeps a great position to receive the puck and gets rewarded with a goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-zLecompteDY-1PatienceAndPass1.mp4

A great clip to see his understanding of the game. As he sees a teammate crashing to the net, he understands that the best play for him is to slow down the play and get behind his teammate with the puck. Once he received the puck, his defender was just joining the rush and Lecompte made a perfect pass.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-zLecompteDY-1TurnOver1.mp4

Lecompte often looks stressed with the puck close to the boards. Here in the defensive zone, instead of slowing down the play and passing the puck to his defender behind the net, he tries to dump the puck at the center of the ice above 3 opponents. His attempt failed as the puck got intercepted and the other team scored on the play.

#10 Liam Kilfoil – Center - Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

Liam Kilfoil has officially made Team Canada for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup 2024. Even if he will surely not have the biggest role for this stacked, talented team, it will be interesting to see his impact on the game in the bottom six as Kilfoil didn’t have the most productive season last year with 20 points in 62 games.

He is a decent skater, using his speed in transition most of the time. He has a little power forward in him from time to time where you can see him crash to the net with the puck even if he is not the biggest player. However, given those power forward tendencies, you’d like to see him become more involved along the wall, rather than floating as a passing option.

Most of the goals that I saw from Kilfoil were from the front of the net. He doesn’t have a powerful shot, as he doesn’t seem to have the strength for now to rip the puck. What is helping him offensively is his vision and positioning. Even if he plays a simple game, he is effective with the puck and makes good passes that progress the play.

Kilfoil has a lot of work in front of him if he wants to one day make a bigger impact on the game. His lack of puck control and explosiveness prevent him from creating space for himself to make his plays. If he could improve this part of his game, would it be enough for him to get drafted? We will see how his season will go.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-zKilfoilDY-1NiceGoal1.mp4

There are moments in Kilfoil’s (#9) game that can be surprising. Here, he uses his momentum to enter the zone with speed and cut to the net, scoring a nice goal against one of the best teams in the QMJHL.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-zKilfoilDY-1CompeteGame1.mp4

Even if Kilfoil does not play physically consistently, he is still an intense player. I would like to see him hit here and there sometimes, but he has plenty of energy.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-zKilfoilDY-1BadExplosiveness1.mp4

We can see in this clip the lack of explosiveness of Kilfoil. In a straight line against a lanky defenceman, Kilfoil should have won this race, but instead he ended up being hit and losing the puck.

Honorable Mentions:

Louis-Alex Tremblay – Defense - Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)

Being a small defender is never an easy thing when it comes to projection to the NHL. There are not a lot of 5’9 defenders and those who are there are high-end in a multitude of abilities. Louis-Alex Tremblay possesses many abilities that are good in the QMJHL, but will they be for a higher level of hockey?

First, Tremblay has a powerful shot. He uses it quite often, trying smart angles to generate a rebound in front of the net. His slap shot is also powerful and he displays it generally on the power play. What he could use more is his vision. He sees the ice well, making precise passes, but in the offensive zone, he doesn’t take many chances, preferring to play things safely a lot of the time.

As the offensive side of his game is quite intriguing, the defensive side still has some work to do. He is not the most physical player, and he can try to push players or to poke check, but his range and strength prevent him from being truly effective. If there is one thing he does well in his own zone it is the breakout. With his vision, he thinks fast and often makes the right decision with the puck.

For the next season, Tremblay will surely have more responsibilities, probably also more power-play time. He will have to produce a lot to get the attention of NHL scouts and even as a productive defender, will his size get in his way of getting drafted?

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-zTremblayDY-1SlapShotGoal1.mp4

Tremblay (#77) can really shoot the puck. His slap shot is heavy and precise and he can score some nice goals with it!

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-zTremblayDY-1PhysicalAndPositioning1.mp4

Even if the clip is on the power play, we can see his difficulties to physically stop an opponent.

Mateo Nobert - Center - Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)

Mateo Nobert was drafted third overall in the 2023 QMJHL draft. There is still a lot of expectation towards him as he didn’t fully play to his potential in his first season in the league. There are flashes of a skilled offensive player that can create many scoring chances, but we hope that these moments become more of a regular thing for Nobert.

Born in August, he is still at the beginning of his development curve and at times, it shows in his game. Nobert needs to process the game faster if he wants to succeed at a higher level. He looks like he knows what he wants to do, but he does it just a little bit too slow. When the ideas match the skills he possesses, he will be a more considerable offensive threat. He has great hands, can skate decently fast and he is deceptive in his change of direction.

Physicality is not a part of his game for now as he is easily pushed away from the puck by an adversary. There was some improvement with his puck protection, and we see that his potential could be very interesting once he takes a big step forward in this area. For now, it's hard to say what he could become as we expect him to improve a lot this season.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-zNobertDY-1NiceGoal1.mp4

These moments when Nobert takes advantage of the opening in the opposing defence are what we expect to see more in the future. He has a great shot that can beat a goalkeeper just like that.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-zNobertDY-1DefensivePlay1.mp4

We can see in this clip his difficulties along the boards to win a battle, where the other player only needs to play with his body to keep Nobert away.