Blake Fiddler – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: Victor Nuño – DYNASTY STOCK WATCH – Seattle Kraken Edition

Victor Nuño — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:17:32 +0000

PHILADELPHIA , PA - OCTOBER 20: Seattle Kraken center Berkly Catton (77) is shown during the game between the Seattle Kraken and the Philadelphia Flyers on October 20th, 2025 at the Xfinity Mobile Center in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire)

McKeen’s Hockey: Dynasty Stock Watch

Seattle Kraken Edition

After a surprising playoff run in 2023 followed by a step back in 2024–25, the Seattle Kraken remain a team in transition. They have established a competitive identity built on depth, structure, and two-way responsibility, but they still lack high-end offensive difference-makers. The addition of Berkly Catton and the continued development of prospects like Shane Wright are critical to unlocking the next phase of the franchise: a team that can generate consistent offense and drive play through skill, not just balance.

The Kraken have also begun to cycle out some early expansion pieces and are entering a phase where their draft picks will shape the roster more than free agency or veteran fillers. For dynasty managers, this is the time to monitor which young players are rising into core roles and which ones may be getting squeezed out. Seattle has opportunities available in the top six and on the power play, and prospects who seize those spots could see their fantasy value spike quickly. Conversely, some well-known names may not have as clear a path to long-term impact as the public perception suggests.

Buy Candidates

Shane Wright (C, 21)

Why Buy?
Wright’s development curve has been slower than some expected, but that has created an excellent buying window in dynasty formats. His hockey sense, defensive reliability, and faceoff ability have already translated to the NHL level, and his offensive game has begun to round into form. Wright has shown that he can drive play, protect the puck, and create offense in tight areas. His shooting volume has improved, and he has started to attack the middle of the ice more consistently, which signals growing confidence.

His Evolving Hockey player card highlights a clear trend, showing that early in his career his defensive play lagged behind expectations, but it has since improved dramatically, allowing him to play with more confidence and structure. Now that the defensive foundation is in place, his offensive potential could flourish over his next hundred NHL games. Seattle does not have a locked-in second-line center behind Matty Beniers, and Wright is the most logical candidate to fill that role. His power-play role should increase, and his ceiling remains that of a top six, power-play contributor. If his offensive breakout comes as expected, you will want to be holding shares when it happens.

Berkly Catton (C, 19)

Why Buy?
Catton was one of the most dynamic players in his draft class, combining elite processing speed with creativity and relentless pace. His ability to read off linemates, find seams, and manipulate defenders makes him a natural play-driver. His Hockey Prospecting model still shows elite potential, and while Leon Draisaitl may be an overly optimistic comparable, his list of comparables is still impressive. Even if he never reaches superstar status, getting close would be a huge fantasy win.

Despite being a January birth date, Seattle chose to keep Catton in the NHL rather than send him back to the WHL. While he has a handful of points, the Kraken generate fewer expected goals and are weaker defensively when he is on the ice per HockeyViz.com. That is not unusual for a rookie adjusting to NHL pace, and Seattle may still manage his minutes carefully, similar to Wright's path. This presents a clear buying opportunity for dynasty managers. His elite skillset is intact, and if you can use this rocky start as trade leverage, you could land a long-term offensive gem at a temporary discount.

Jani Nyman (RW, 21)

Why Buy?
Jani Nyman continues to fly under the radar despite quietly carving out a productive and physical role in the NHL. His blend of size, balance, and scoring touch makes him a natural fit for Seattle’s long-term plans, and he has already shown the ability to finish from multiple areas of the ice. His shot is heavy and accurate, and he has demonstrated the confidence to use it at five-on-five. While his power-play time has fluctuated, he remains one of the few players on the roster with true goal-scoring instincts.

The cost of acquisition in dynasty leagues is still surprisingly low, which makes this the time to invest. The Kraken need reliable scorers, and Nyman’s style fits that gap perfectly. He could eventually develop chemistry with Catton, creating a playmaker-finisher duo that complements Seattle’s structure. Even if the offensive ceiling takes time to reach, his physicality already brings value, with more than a hit per game and consistently strong peripherals as shown in his Fantasy Hockey Life skater card. With a realistic projection as a 25 to 30 goal scorer who also contributes across categories, Nyman is the kind of underappreciated asset you want to acquire before everyone else catches on.

Sell Candidates

Ty Nelson (D, 21)

Why Sell?
Nelson remains a fan favorite thanks to his energetic playing style and strong offensive numbers from junior, but his AHL results suggest that his scoring may not fully translate to the professional level. He still activates frequently and has a heavy shot from the point, yet his transition game and play-driving have been inconsistent against stronger competition. With players like Vince Dunn and Ryker Evans already ahead of him on Seattle’s depth chart for offensive opportunities, Nelson’s path to a meaningful role looks limited.

His Fantasy Hockey Life skater card highlights real concerns about his transition play and overall ability to drive possession. He does remain a steady contributor for peripherals, though that also decreased in his transition from the OHL to AHL. His junior production and name recognition could net a solid return before managers catch on that his upside may be capped. Nelson should reach the NHL, but more likely as a depth or complementary defenseman than a reliable fantasy asset.

Jake O’Brien (C, 18)

Why Sell?
O’Brien is an excellent prospect whose fantasy profile may never quite match his on-ice value. His strong motor, high IQ, and dependable two-way play should make him a long-term NHLer, but his game lacks the volume and peripherals that translate to fantasy success. He is a pass-first (second and third) center who thrives on facilitating play. Unless he develops into a true 50-plus assist player, his fantasy ceiling will be limited.

One of his Hockey Prospecting comparables is Mathew Barzal, which feels fitting, as both are talented, creative players who can frustrate fantasy managers because if they are not scoring, they do not offer much else. O’Brien does not provide hits, shots, or defensive stats that pad fantasy categories, and his offensive contributions may come inconsistently early on. That combination makes him a sell candidate while his “recent first-round pick” label still holds weight. His fantasy stock may never be higher than right now.

Blake Fiddler (D, 18)

Why Sell?
Blake Fiddler brings size, strength, and a physical edge that NHL coaches love. He defends well, uses his long reach effectively, and shows composure under pressure in his own zone. He projects as a steady, defense-first blueliner with penalty-killing and matchup potential. The problem for fantasy managers is that his offensive game is limited. He does not create many primary scoring chances, and his transitional impact is fairly average.

Fiddler’s bloodlines are strong, as he is the son of former NHLer Vernon Fiddler, and his skating ability gives him a chance to carve out a long professional career. His pNHLe sits just above 60, but defenders typically get a small statistical boost from the model, and peripheral contributions in blocks, shots, and hits are just average, which might make him a tough fantasy hold. He will likely be better in real life than in fantasy. If other managers in your league are drawn to his pedigree or draft position, now is a good time to move him before his limited fantasy upside becomes more obvious.

Summary

Player	Role	Key Insight
Shane Wright	Buy	Two-way center trending upward with top six and PP opportunity
Berkly Catton	Buy	Elite processor with star upside and growing NHL readiness
Jani Nyman	Buy	Power winger with scoring touch and a clear path to the top six
Ty Nelson	Sell	Offensive numbers inflated by junior play, blocked in Seattle
Jake O’Brien	Sell	Safe middle-six projection, limited fantasy ceiling
Blake Fiddler	Sell	Defensive defenseman with minimal offensive upside

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – SEATTLE KRAKEN – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #6

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 19:49:09 +0000

Jake O’Brien

Prospect System Ranking – 6th (May 2025 - 6th)
GM: Ron Francis Hired: July 2019
COACH: Lane Lambert Hired: May 2025

The Seattle Kraken’s prospect system slips one spot but remains in strong shape. After parting ways with Dan Bylsma following just one season, the team brought in Lane Lambert as its third head coach since entering the league in 2022-23.

On the ice, the organization has already seen a wave of youth secure full-time NHL roles, with Shane Wright, Matty Beniers, and Ryker Evans all playing significant minutes in 2024-25. The next group is ready to follow suit.

Jani Nyman led Coachella Valley in goals and finished second among all AHL rookies with 28, using his elite release to emerge as a power play threat. After a brief NHL audition, he appears ready to compete for a full-time spot in Seattle. Berkly Catton, McKeen’s 12th-ranked prospect, capped his junior career with 109 regular season points and an additional 42 in the playoffs, leaving little left to prove before turning pro. He’ll likely join Carson Rehkopf, who graduates from the OHL after a productive 250-game career that saw him score at over a point-per-game pace.

They’ll bolster a deep group of developing talent that includes Jagger Firkus, David Goyette, Eduard Sale, Ty Nelson, and goaltender Niklas Kokko—each coming off promising rookie seasons with the Firebirds and pushing toward NHL readiness.

The Kraken also added another notable piece in 2025, selecting Jake O’Brien from the OHL, a versatile forward who debuts as McKeen’s 42nd-ranked prospect. In the second round, they grabbed right-shot defenseman Blake Fiddler from the Edmonton Oil Kings, adding mobility to their blueline pipeline.

Looking ahead, Seattle holds an enviable stockpile of draft capital: five first round and five second round picks over the next three drafts. Their slow and deliberate build hasn’t yet produced playoff success. Still, with an NHL roster already bolstered by homegrown talent and another wave of reinforcements on the way, the payoff appears to be just around the corner.

Seattle Kraken Top-15 Prospects

1 - Berkly Catton

After back-to-back 100-point seasons in the WHL you can bet that the Kraken are going to take a long, hard look at Catton in their training camp and preseason this upcoming fall. Playing in the NHL as a teenager is no easy feat, and teams always need to be careful when they allow it, but he's an exceptionally special talent, and it wouldn't surprise anyone if he more than proved that he was up to the task. The way that he can control the puck, see the ice and make correct decisions while flying full speed around the rink is a sight to behold for fans, and an absolute nightmare for opposing defenders. Where he deserves more credit than he usually gets, though, is with his defensive play, as his awareness is astute and he doesn't skip doing necessary dirty work in ways that many other top prospects do. Between Matty Beniers, Shane Wright and soon Catton, the Kraken might be set down the middle for a decade.

2 - Jake O’Brien

An elite playmaking pivot, the Kraken made O’Brien the eighth overall selection in the 2025 draft. There’s no doubt that he has among the highest offensive upsides of any player selected in the most recent draft. The focus for O’Brien has to be on bulking up to help him to drive play more consistently at even strength. He’s an elite level processor who has the skill and vision to make passes few can execute. However, he can be too easily separated from the puck currently and it helps to explain why his numbers at five-on-five have lagged behind his exceptional power play production. An underrated component of O’Brien’s game is his defensive play. He can kill penalties, and his high IQ translates very well to being a disruptive force in his own end. Again, adding strength will help him be even more effective in this regard. O’Brien will return to Brantford of the OHL this coming year and is a candidate to lead the league in scoring on a strong Bulldogs team.

3 - Jani Nyman

Nyman’s first professional season in North America was a highly successful one as he led Coachella Valley in goal scoring and even found success in a cup of coffee with Seattle. This is a player who is ready for a full time NHL role next season. The big winger is a credible goal scorer thanks to his big shot, strong scoring instincts, and his ability to work to the inside. As he matures physically and continues to add muscle, he’s only going to become more dangerous and consistent. This will also help him round out his game to become a more effective player off the puck and in all three zones. As mentioned, look for Nyman to be a full-time NHL player next year, playing in Seattle’s top nine. He is a potential perennial 30-goal scorer and someone who can help finish off plays and clear space for Seattle’s terrific young playmakers.

4 - Carson Rehkopf

Traded from Kitchener to Brampton this past year, Rehkopf had another solid OHL season that saw him post 40+ goals for the second straight year. This saw him shift to the wing full time after seeing some time at center with Kitchener previously; the wing is where his NHL future is. He still offers very intriguing NHL upside because of the power game he flashes and the NHL quality shot that he possesses. His play away from the puck remains fairly inconsistent, but on the puck, he can be a load for defenders because of his strength and ability to protect the puck. He also projects as a power play weapon at the NHL level because of that heavy one timer from the flank. It will all come down to whether Rehkopf is able to find more consistency in his physical intensity level. He has top six upside but will need seasoning in the AHL to round out his game further.

5 - Jagger Firkus

There were definitely some growing pains for the reigning CHL player of the year as he began his pro journey this past season. However, we’d be lying if we said we didn’t expect that. Firkus is highly skilled. He’s a tremendous goal scorer thanks to his lightning quick release and instincts. His quick feet and agility allow him to escape pressure and control the pace of play. Yet, the growing pains were expected because Firkus is slight, and he needs to pack on muscle to play the kind of no fear game at the pro level that he did at the WHL level. With Coachella, he was kept to the perimeter too often and should work to further improve his explosiveness as an average sized winger to help him get the kind of separation he needs. Firkus’ offensive upside remains sky high. This is someone who could be a point-per-game NHL player. However, he’s going to need a few seasons to really improve his conditioning and adjust to playing against men. Thankfully, Seattle can be patient thanks to strong system depth.

6 - Niklas Kokko

After a great Liiga season and playoff run as a 19-year-old, Kokko transitioned seamlessly to the AHL for his 20-year-old season. He’s been a very reliable and high-end starter for Coachella. He’s smart and a great play-reader. He often makes the correct save selection or alteration to his positioning based on the play that he’s reading. He’s also a very good skater with very strong pushes and quick, active feet that he pairs with smart routes to travel through the crease with ease. He’s also pretty athletic, which gives him a good chance of making stretched saves. His only real problems are that he seems to completely lack any kind of rebound control and looks to lose track of the puck on the more chaotic rebounds or if the shot is blocked. His tracking otherwise seems fine, which is why it shouldn’t be much of a concern. His rapid development at a young age and skill set bodes well for his future as a potential starter in the NHL.

7 - Ty Nelson

After a successful OHL career with North Bay that saw Nelson improve considerably defensively, he took the plunge into the waters of the professional level this past year with Coachella Valley. It was largely a successful endeavour too, with Nelson’s offensive and defensive abilities translating well thus far. Nelson isn’t a long defender, but he’s stocky and strong as an ox. He hasn’t backed down an inch as a pro, showing a competitive streak in the defensive end that you don’t always see from rookie defenders, especially ones with Nelson’s offensive skill set. He didn’t receive a ton of power play time thanks to Coachella Valley’s depth, but he created well at even strength with his heavy point shot and strong puck rushing ability. His decision making with the puck was solid as a rookie pro too. With another strong year in the AHL next season, hopefully with even more ice time and responsibility, Nelson should position himself for a full-time role with Seattle.

8 - Blake Fiddler

Heading into the 2025 draft Seattle's prospect pool skewed heavily towards the forward positions, in terms of both quality and quantity, so there was a clear need to add at least one defenceman with one of their earlier picks. They lucked out nicely, getting Fiddler at 36th overall, more than 10 spots lower than his final ranking on the McKeen's draft board. Blake doesn't play center like his dad Vernon did over the course of the latter's long and respected NHL career, but he shares the same knack for being a shutdown specialist. The younger Fiddler is lanky, strong, and doesn't flinch when he has to stare down the most dangerous offensive weapons on other teams, all of which make him hard to beat defensively. There is some scoring prowess to his game at times too, usually coming from finding opportunities with his keen awareness, opposed to breaking things open through skill. Fiddler is a pretty safe bet to become an NHLer, which will help the Kraken buy time as they look to acquire other young blueliners.

9 - Lukas Dragicevic

Dragicevic joined the Raiders via trade last summer a month before the team made a separate deal to acquire another talented prospect in forward Tomas Mrsic, and the duo certainly made the most of the big changes, leading Prince Albert to their first divisional title since 2019-20. The right-shooting defender is a true power play specialist from the blueline, and he quarterbacked his squad to the third-best success rate in the league during the regular season. His best weapon is easily his shot, which is an absolute howitzer that he's not shy at all about using. The main knocks against him have always revolved around poor decision-making and poor effort, but while those issues haven't been removed from his game completely, they have been reduced by a lot. If the Kraken are patient with Dragicevic and can find the right partners for him then he could eventually reach his NHL ceiling as a middle-pair defender and go-to option when his team has a man advantage.

10 - Julius Miettinen

The Silvertips finished with the best regular season record in the WHL in 2024-25, and Miettinen was a huge part of that success, even in spite of missing nearly three months due to injury. Their record was notably better with him in the lineup than it was with him out. The big Finnish center is a major workhorse for that team, taking a ton of faceoffs and logging a lot of minutes, including both sides of special teams. There are few prospects out there who are better at working in tight to the net on power plays, and that includes goalie screens and defender tie-ups, which is crucial work that usually doesn’t show up on the score sheet. He’s also put in a ton of work on his skating and conditioning since coming over to North America, which has led to more influence all over the ice. Miettinen has “NHLer” written all over him.

11 - Eduard Sale

Sale is starting to earn the reputation of being a supremely talented player who simply can’t put consistently impressive seasons together. As a first-year pro with Coachella Valley (although still eligible for OHL play), Sale’s rather unspectacular AHL totals included a fair share of ups and downs, and minimal playoff action, but he did shine at the WJC with a six-goal, eight-point performance for the bronze medal winning Czechs, a team he captained. Very young, top six potential abounds.

12 - Ryan Winterton

Winterton hasn’t had a completely healthy season for as long as we can remember going back to his DY-1. But when he has played, he always looked like a future NHLer. This past regular season was his best and most well-rounded to date. It was no surprise that he got into 12 NHL games at this point, even if his -11 was cringeworthy. He’s knocking on the door, but things are getting crowded in Seattle.

13 - David Goyette

It was a tough first year of pro play for the physically underdeveloped Goyette, who - like many CHL stars before him - got a dose of reality discovering that the speed, size, and strength of AHL players requires better conditioning on his part and more attention to details. Patience will be key for Seattle, which can at least build on Goyette’s having ended last season on a high note. Nonetheless, there’s plenty of prospect competition on the AHL roster, so Goyette will need to show more.

14 - Oscar Fisker Mølgaard

Don’t let the slight drop in SHL points (in 13 fewer games) this past season fool you; the Danish forward saw his game improve in leaps and bounds as an all-rounder this year. By the time the Men’s Worlds rolled around, Mølgaard was one of the best players on the ice for upstart host Denmark, sneaking in seven points in 10 games. Seattle has plenty of reasons to be excited about his prospects as a middle six center with strong transitional abilities.

15 - Semyon Vyazovoi

After two very promising seasons in Russia’s second flight VHL, the former sixth-round draft pick arrived on the scene as a bonafide 1B in the KHL this year, even getting into nine playoff contests for Salavat, effectively taking over the starting job in the second round. He’ll be part of the same goaltending tandem this season and Seattle will be hoping he has his eyes on the prize that is the starting job for one of the league’s most competitive outfits.

2025 NHL DRAFT: Best value picks by round

Derek Neumeier — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 18:16:33 +0000

Round 1

Victor Eklund, RW — New York Islanders, 16th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 8th Overall

You'd be hard-pressed to find a single NHL scout who isn't a big fan of Eklund and what he brings, so it's through no fault of his own that he wasn't picked until 16th overall, as teams went in other directions beforehand to fill certain needs or select prospects who play more desirable positions. The Islanders surely aren't complaining, though, as they got to leave Los Angeles with the consensus top prize of the draft (Matthew Schaefer), a blue-chip young forward in Eklund, and a big bag of other goodies. From the moment they won the 2025 draft lottery a couple of months ago until now, they have completely rebuilt the foundation of the organization's future. That's tidy business.

Cullen Potter, C — Calgary Flames, 32nd Overall

Mckeen's Final Ranking: 14th Overall

Not only did the Flames get to select a player at 32nd overall who was much higher on our final board, they also landed someone who is a hand-to-glove fit for what they needed in their prospect pipeline coming into the weekend. Potter is a center with electrifying speed and has enough skill to single-handedly open things up offensively, so those are three big boxes that Calgary can check off at once. Mix in 18th overall pick Cole Reschny, who is a different flavor of talented center, and Craig Conroy must be thrilled with how the first round worked out for him and his club.

Honorable Mention: Lynden Lakovic — Washington Capitals, 27th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 13th Overall

Round 2

Blake Fiddler, D — Seattle Kraken, 36th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 22nd Overall

Seattle's drafting has been forward-heavy ever since the franchise came into existence, and that trend continued into the opening round this year when they chose center Jake O'Brien at 8th overall. Their need to add a high-end defenseman remained glaring, so it made all kinds of sense that they picked Fiddler at 36th, since he was arguably the best one still available at the time. Even better for the Kraken, he's a well-rounded blueliner who can play a big role and handle different kinds of responsibilities, so that's helpful for the team considering their overall shortage of options.

Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, RW— Vegas Golden Knights, 55th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 24th Overall

Nobody doubts the talents that Ihs-Wozniak possesses or the desirability of what's in his toolbox, and his production over the past two seasons is undeniably pretty impressive. So then why did he almost slide entirely out of the draft's first two rounds? It's because his actual usage of those talents and tools wavers quite a bit, with questions that arose about his intensity, work rate and hockey sense. The reason why I really like this pick by Vegas, however, is because the Golden Knights have such a strong and established team culture, led by players like Jack Eichel and Mark Stone (Alex Pietrangelo did a great job with this as well, but his NHL future currently looks uncertain). In other words, I believe that they're the kind of organization that is capable of getting the most out of Ihs-Wozniak and maximizing his potential. Of course, only time will tell if they actually succeed.

Honorable Mention: Will Moore — Boston Bruins, 51st Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 35th Overall

Round 3

Kurban Limatov, D — Carolina Hurricanes, 67th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 31st Overall

No other team in the NHL has drafted Russian prospects as much as Carolina has in recent years. In fact, the numbers aren't even remotely close between them and the next-closest franchise. Do the Hurricanes consider this to be some kind of market inefficiency, where prospects from that nation are undervalued or under-scouted because of various challenges stemming from the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War? The effectiveness of this strategy won't be fully known for a while, but there are some early signs that are encouraging, like their selection of Limatov this year. In terms of raw talent and upside, Limatov probably should have gone a lot higher, as a defender with an impressive package of size, skating ability, athleticism and puck skills. It's not hard to imagine him getting picked a full round earlier if he had spent his entire season somewhere in the CHL or USHL, which is a thought that Carolina likely had as well.

Cameron Schmidt, RW — Dallas Stars, 94th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 38th Overall

It's safe to say at this point that the Florida Panthers have rewritten, or at least revised, the book on how to construct a successful NHL roster after just winning back-to-back championships. That was evident at this year's draft, as teams prioritized size even more than they normally do. However, Florida's success this spring was also due in large part to a revitalized Brad Marchand, who has been one of the shortest players in the NHL throughout his entire career. He is evidence that smaller guys can still thrive when they're skilled and tenacious enough. For Schmidt, there are elements of his game that he shares with Marchand, even though that's not an apples-to-apples comparison between them. And while it's understandable how he slipped out of the first two rounds, the Stars look like they made quite a value pick by landing him at 94th. After all, they took a similar kind of risk a few years ago on a different short forward by the name of Logan Stankoven, and that turned out to be a homerun for the organization.

Honorable Mention: Hayden Paupanekis — Montreal Canadiens, 69th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 56th Overall

Round 4

Adam Benak, C — Minnesota Wild, 102nd Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 52nd Overall

Like Schmidt above, Benak is a prospect who possesses traits that are definitely appealing, yet they're tied up in a small frame that raises questions and concerns. But the early 100s is an ideal spot to take a chance on a prospect like this, and the Wild were the right kind of team to do it, considering they were only able to make one selection (late in the second, defenseman Theodor Hallquisth) throughout the first three rounds. If they wanted to come out of this draft with a prospect who could turn into a top six forward for them one day after a successful development process, they probably couldn't have done better at 102nd overall than Benak.

Gustav Hillstrom, C — New Jersey Devils, 114th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 58th Overall

Hillström checks off some boxes that teams are frequently looking for in players these days: size, mobility, versatility, two-way effectiveness. There were even times this season where he looked like one of the best options for that type of player in the entire draft, though they were fleeting. Still, this is a quietly clever pickup for New Jersey in this spot. Their NHL roster already sports a couple of fantastic pivots in Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, and it's not difficult to imagine Hillström potentially slotting in behind them in the not-too-distant future to give them a different kind of element down the middle of the ice.

Honorable Mention: Jimmy Lombardi — Los Angeles Kings, 125th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 59th Overall

Round 5

Atte Joki, C — Dallas Stars, 146th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 116th Overall

In today's salary cap NHL, every single dollar matters for the league's top contenders. Those teams need players who can take on depth jobs on their rosters and provide as much positive value as possible. This kind of logic is why I love this pick so much for the Stars. Joki is a good prospect, and at times was even Finland’s best forward at international tournaments throughout the season. He’ll become a professional level in player in Finland soon, and if everything goes according to plan he’ll sign his entry-level contract in a few years next, then make the jump to North America, and shortly after that slide affordably into a Bottom 6 support role in Dallas, where he’ll get to play to his strengths behind the team’s big-ticket forwards. An incredible opportunity lies in front of him, he’ll just need to seize it

Everett Baldwin, D — Tampa Bay Lightning, 151st Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 63rd Overall

Trying to separate the wheat from the chaff with American prep school and high school prospects is no easy task, given the massive geography involved, the variety of different leagues and circuits, and the wildly inconsistent distribution of talent. Some of the players drafted under these circumstances go on to become superstars, while others simply flop as disappointing busts. That being said, Baldwin is someone that we found and liked at McKeen’s Hockey this season, so we were thrilled to see him eventually get selected, even though it was nearly 100 spots later than where we had him ranked. One of the smallest defenseman drafted this year, he plays with a ton of speed and loves to press the attack offensively.

Honorable Mention: Petteri Rimpinen — Los Angeles Kings, 152nd Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 79th Overall

Round 6

Burke Hood, G — New York Islanders, 170th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 53rd Overall

I scouted Hood pretty heavily this season, and there were multiple times when I was watching him where I thought to myself “This guy really reminds me of how Ilya Sorokin looks and plays.” And wouldn’t you know it, now he is a member of the Islanders as well, where he will slowly be groomed to be a potential understudy for Sorokin before the Russian netminder’s big NHL contract expires. Hood unexpectedly won the starter’s net with the Vancouver Giants this season and became one of the best goalies in all of Canadian junior hockey from February until his 18th birthday in April, even after accounting for a brief and disappointing playoffs.

Carlos Händel, D — Montreal Canadiens, 177th overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 67th Overall

Händel is a very interesting case study. At his best, the young German defender is a highly dynamic offensive threat who can make highlight-reel plays with the puck. The problem is that those kinds of outbursts don’t happen consistently, while his defending without the puck needs some serious work. Luckily for him, however, the Canadiens seem like the perfect organization for appreciating his upside and getting the most out of his development, which they will be able to pursue steadily and carefully.

Honorable Mention: Jan Chovan — Los Angeles Kings, 184th overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 66th Overall

Round 7

Jeremy Loranger, C — Columbus Blue Jackets, 198th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 129th Overall

Once considered a reliable source for finding draft-eligible talent, the BCHL has fallen on hard times in recent years and just saw a major exodus of players midseason when the changes to the CHL-NCAA transfer rules were formalized. Loranger was the cream of that crop this season, and even led the entire league in scoring as a 17-year-old, but his success rang a bit hollow considering he played on one of the few teams that actually manage to recruit and retain serious talent, and many of their opponents were so hollowed out that they barely put up a fight. Nevertheless, he’s a slick, slippery winger who owns a deep bag of puck tricks, and he’s heading off to face better competition in the fall in the NCAA ranks.

Filip Ekberg, RW — Carolina Hurricanes, 221st overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 84th Overall

Ekberg was the breakout star of this spring’s IIHF U18 tournament, leading it in scoring with 18 points in just seven games. All scouts know that you shouldn’t put too much weight into a player’s performance in a single tournament, but his play there also sparked the idea among our scouts that maybe he had a lot more to offer than what was seen with Ottawa in the OHL this season, where he never seemed totally comfortable and the team as a whole struggled. In contrast, NHL scouts remained skeptical about his overall upside, and he nearly slid all the way out of the draft. His hands are good, his shot is good, and he has quick-strike ability in dangerous ice, and that’s more than a lot of other prospects taken around him can boast.

Honorable Mention: Grayden Robertson-Palmer — Detroit Red Wings, 204th overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 126th Overall

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 NHL SCOUTING REPORT (VIDEO + GRADES): Blake Fiddler, D, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

Kaeden Ireland — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 15:15:32 +0000

Blake Fiddler. Photo by Andy Devlin - Edmonton Oil Kings

D - Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

6-foot-5, 220 pounds, Shoots: R

DOB: 09.07.2007 - Nashville, Tennessee

Blake Fiddler’s draft year wrapped up following the conclusion of the U18 World Championships, with the USA falling to Sweden in the semis, and prior to that, Edmonton being sent home by Prince Albert in round one of the WHL playoffs. While these outcomes are disappointing, Blake Fiddler looks to be a likely pick in the first round of the draft.

Fiddler displayed a will to get involved with the puck unlike any other defensive prospect I’ve seen this year, nearly always opting to carry it when he had time to wind up coming out of the defensive zone. He also showed his ability to incorporate his large frame effectively, clearing the net and imposing his will on opposing forwards. Fiddler is still very raw, but it’s evident the tools and hunger to get involved are there, and the opportunity is there for him to become an effective NHLer.

However, there are some areas of play that Fiddler showed he still needs time to iron out as he progresses in his development. Blake is a bigger guy, leading to a tendency to get beat with speed on the rush and struggle to escape pressure with his feet when starting without forward momentum.

Blake’s offensive intelligence is slightly above average; he doesn’t exactly create elaborate offensive plays by manipulating opponents and attacking cross-ice seams, but he does know when to activate on time and save an offensive possession and can shred a neutral zone defence. He also has a fairly projectable shot from the blueline, using his feet to get pucks on net.

With the draft coming up soon in June, Fiddler can be almost guaranteed to hear his name called on day one. A 6’4” right-shot defenseman who is physically mature, can carry in transition, and has posted good numbers during his draft year is extremely attractive to add to most NHL teams’ prospect cupboards. I think Fiddler’s IQ limits his upside and will see him ending up outside of lottery range, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go soon after.

While Fiddler is still very raw, I think it’s fair to say his most realistic ceiling is closer to that of a solid complementary second-pairing defenseman rather than a leader of a defence corps, given his difficulty breaking the puck out and lack of in-zone offense. However, there is a shot, given his long development runway afforded to him by his size, transition game, and skating abilities, that he can become a true top-four defenseman.

Skating

Blake Fiddler’s skating has its strengths and weaknesses. On one hand, he uses a windup to get a head of steam and can look pretty smooth when skating in open spaces. This worked quite well for him this year, accumulating over 140 zone entries via stickhandling (Instat).

On the negative side, Blake’s heavier stature prevents him from being as poised on his feet. Watching Oil Kings games, it’s very clear that Blake is a bigger guy and sometimes struggles with the finer aspects of skating, despite his actual footwork looking very good. Oftentimes, he neglects moving his feet and overreaches, leaving him vulnerable to both passes and dekes. He doesn’t quite have the swift changes in direction we’ve seen from guys in previous years, like Tanner Molendyk or even a larger player like Shai Buium, to mirror shifty attackers.

Fiddler will be more of a net-front-oriented player whose main focus is clearing the crease with his strength and box-out abilities as well as shutting down passing lanes in front of the net. Offensively, Fiddler has shown the ability to readjust angles laterally with his edgework and charge into the boards to rescue pucks, as well as break the puck in using his built-up speed, so I don’t envision his heavy frame putting too much of a damper on his offensive output.

The reason I believe Fiddler’s skating deserves a grade of 55, indicating above NHL average, is based on his ability to use skating in transition. While his size does limit him, not many players his size possess the ability to drive the puck up ice through the neutral zone the way he does. Not many players his size even possess the skating tools he has.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSkating1.mp4

Here is a bit of a rough look against the rush by Fiddler. He stops moving his feet and fails to stop an opponent with speed. Fiddler just isn’t nimble enough, shuffling over to take the body when he gets the puck chipped by him.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSkating2.mp4

Fiddler’s skating, once he gets going, is very solid, but his acceleration is not exactly explosive when escaping a pesky forechecker, as seen in this clip. He fails to get enough separation from Medicine Hat’s backchecking forward, and he loses possession. This clip displays how Fiddler’s heavier frame can make him look pretty clunky in his first strides.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSkating3.mp4

Fiddler needs to start moving his feet earlier here if he wants to be able to make a play on this dump-in.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSkating4.mp4

Fiddler’s offensive agility can be pretty slippery. He’ll regularly squeak by a check with a swift sidestep. It definitely seems Fiddler’s offensive game is further developed than his defensive game, and there are encouraging traits to be found that can be projected to his progression as a defender.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSkating5.mp4

A nice burst of speed from Fiddler through the neutral zone.

Grade: 55

Shot

Blake Fiddler shoots a lot. As previously mentioned, if there’s an opportunity to get involved offensively, Fiddler will be first in line. He calls for the puck frequently and attempted shots over 4.5 times per game on average over the year. Fiddler’s shot of choice is his wrister, and he blends footwork into this shot well, finding lanes through traffic to get shots on net. He doesn’t have the hardest shot or the quickest release, which is why his goal totals didn’t rival fellow draft-eligible defensemen like Kashawn Aitcheson.

At the next level, I don’t expect Fiddler to take nearly as many shots, as currently, many come off the rush, and those looks will be more limited in the pros. He will also be forced to become more selective in his shots, throwing less junk to the net after holding the line with a timely pinch. However, he possesses translatable traits that could make him an effective contributor from the blueline, such as shooting low and getting pucks through when he moves his feet, generating rebounds.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerShot1.mp4

In this clip, Blake Fiddler shows off how he’ll get results from his shot. He uses his feet to throw a defender off and open a window to get the shot through. In this case, the goaltender makes an easy save, but it’s a good example of the best part of Fiddler’s shot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerShot2.mp4

Fiddler’s shot attempt numbers are gargantuan currently, but many of his attempts are from non-threatening locations after a rush. Many of his massive volume of rush entries end like this clip: a weak shot into the shin pads of a defender or wide of the net.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerShot3.mp4

Here we can see Fiddler activate from the blueline and clean up a rebound. Fiddler’s timing and tendency to activate from the point make him a threat to watch for wingers guarding the point.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerShot4.mp4

Too often a dangerous chance is wasted by weak, slow releases that are easily stopped by goalies. Here, there was an opportunity to make a play to one of his two teammates, cutting to the net had he set himself up in a better position to take the middle of the ice.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerShot5.mp4

Another good example of Fiddler adjusting angles to get a shot past the primary layer of traffic and generating a potential scramble for a loose puck in front of the net.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerShot6.mp4

In this clip, Fiddler makes a nice play to jump up and gain the offensive zone. The shot, however, simply isn’t beating goalies in any pro league. His shot lacks zip and a quick release, making him much less dangerous than he could be. One positive thing to note in this clip is that he shoots to the left side of the net with the intention to catch the goaltender moving across in reaction to his lateral movement. A nice detail, but it won’t be effective given Fiddler’s shooting level.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerShot7.mp4

While Fiddler is good at using his feet to find lanes, it’s important to note that he struggles with overshooting. In this clip, there are two looks that simply should not be shots. Far too often, Fiddler forces a shot when he’s pressured instead of looking for a teammate. This problem remains consistent with his breakout game as well.

Grade: 55

Skill

Fiddler’s puck skills are passable, as he can do enough to get defenders off their mark before using built-up speed to get by them; however, in a more confined space, Fiddler has shown he struggles with getting away cleanly. Oftentimes, he’ll resort to a poor shot that poses little scoring threat.

Where Fiddler really stands out is his ability to beat the first man on the rush. Blake uses his built-up speed in combination with direction changes to cut to open ice while holding the puck well-protected on his far side. So often when watching Oil Kings games, Fiddler would rush up and blow by the first layer of defenders, affording Edmonton a numerical advantage entering the zone. Whether it's from a drop pass after Fiddler establishes the rush or a dump-in, Blake manages to consistently give his team the upper hand on the rush. Fiddler also quite frequently likes to go on the forecheck after making his skill moves and dumping the puck in, which has been effective in winning his team possessions.

When an opposing player is barreling towards a flat-footed Fiddler, he seems to over-rely on shielding the puck in a standstill and sending it up-ice into open space for a teammate to retrieve. NHL players, particularly the power forwards that Fiddler will be facing, are much larger and quicker, reducing the amount of time Fiddler has to make a decision as well as making it impossible to turn and hold the puck away from them. So, how can Blake evolve his game and fix this issue? The best answer would be to execute his defenseman-to-defenseman passes more consistently and work on some body fakes to buy himself that extra second to make passes.

In the NHL, I would recommend whichever team drafts Fiddler pair him with a more agile and efficient passing defenseman with some good coverage in the defensive zone, allowing Fiddler to take a large role in front of the net. In short, while the flashy skills are good, Fiddler isn’t the guy you want to lead the breakout every time.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSkills1.mp4

Here, Fiddler makes a nice creative deke, thinking quickly to tap the puck through the Czech opponent and gaining his team an odd-man rush. Not exactly the smoothest play, but he gets the job done.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSkills2.mp4

Plays like this simply can’t happen. Fiddler has to be more aware of his role on the breakout as a future bottom-four defenseman with some puck-carrying upside: make the safe exit carrying the puck or pass off to ensure you don’t turn it over in the defensive zone. Blake needs to learn to use his skills in a more limited capacity, as he’ll be relied on to make the safe play first.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSkills3.mp4

This clip is much closer to what Fiddler will be expected to do at the NHL level. He winds up with space and makes a simple move to blow by the opponent and enter the zone safely. He then drops the puck back to hand off possession to his teammate, giving him time to get back into position.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSkills4.mp4

It’s the little things that matter when NHL teams are looking for reliable blueliners, and Fiddler does struggle with some simple pass execution. Whether it’s plays like this clip or hitting his teammates in stride on the breakout, Fiddler needs to refine his touch a bit and leave the pass for the next player in a spot where they can receive it in stride.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSkills5.mp4

Here’s a clip that encapsulates Fiddler’s transition game well. He receives the puck on the boards and attacks the middle of the ice, using his opponent's momentum against them to push by and gain the offensive zone. This is when Fiddler is at his best, making a hard cut into open ice by using his momentum.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSkills6.mp4

In the offensive zone, Fiddler doesn’t quite make this pass easy to receive. He throws himself a bit off balance when pivoting to release the pass, causing it to spin, making the pass reception difficult.

Grade: 55

Smarts

Blake Fiddler’s smarts are around average, but he’s comfortable with his role defensively. He knows he doesn’t quite have the mobility to bounce from defender to defender, so he opts to play to his strengths and play either in front of the net to box out forwards or just outside of the crease, looking to break up passing lanes. In man-on-man defence, he uses his body and reach to keep the puck away from opponents well and can read attackers, assess their intentions, and then block them from where they want to go. Fiddler does have some rough defensive lapses where it seems like he zones out watching the play and can float out of position, but this is one category where I believe he looked a bit better as the season progressed. Another area where he improved was his discipline. Fiddler took significantly fewer stick infractions as the year went on and learned not to overreach as much.

One part of Fiddler’s carry-heavy mindset that needs to change is his struggle to find safe passes on the breakout. Too often, Fiddler gathers the puck and scans, only to try to make a play that just isn't there. He’ll try a stretch pass or a blind drop pass, resulting in a good share of turnovers. Often, his breakout passes are hard to receive cleanly and lead to a lot of turnovers, and when they do click, oftentimes the recipient is in a poor place to make a play. I think Fiddler could benefit from using his defensive partner more often and overall just trying to do a bit less on routine puck recoveries and breakouts.

Ultimately, Fiddler’s inability to make safe breakouts as a projected bottom-four defenseman is the biggest red flag with his game and is a key reason why I wouldn’t consider drafting him inside the top twenty come June.

On a positive note, I like how Fiddler makes his decisions once he’s in open ice in transition. He doesn’t skate into traffic; he targets open ice, and when he gets overwhelmed, he knows to either find a safe outlet pass or dump it in and begin the forecheck. Hopefully, Fiddler can incorporate his decision-making on the rush into his breakout game when at a standstill or low speed.

Offensively, Fiddler’s IQ is fine but nothing special. He settles into his role at the blueline and makes safe passes, but he does shoot a bit too frequently. He moves his feet when handling the puck to change angles and is great at pinching to hold the zone. However, Fiddler won’t be a zone-offence QB. He just isn’t dynamic enough, nor does he have the passing abilities to find key seams to create high-danger chances. In fact, if you look through Blake Fiddler’s assists from the 24-25 season, nearly all were small, safe passes in which the actual scoring chance was created by a teammate. His offensive passing game simply isn’t effective whatsoever in creating chances. However, that’s ok for the role he will hold in the NHL; he holds his own at the blueline and facilitates play somewhat safely. Again, Fiddler would be a nice complement to an agile, creative-passing defenseman.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSmarts1.mp4

This is a great example of Fiddler making a great activation and then an incredible scoring chance… yet he completely ignores it. Fiddler doesn’t even look to make the pass to the slot and elects to try passing to a teammate who is on the ground. He isn’t offensively intelligent enough to generate consistent scoring chances from his activations.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSmarts2.mp4

Fiddler absolutely needs to clean up this pattern in his game. Make the simple play and don’t risk getting stripped in the defensive zone when there’s zero need to try anything.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSmarts3.mp4

Another completely unnecessary turnover where Fiddler could have reversed the puck behind the net to his defence partner. It’s a very rough look this late in the season; Fiddler has shown little improvement in his breakout decision-making.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSmarts4.mp4

Being a defenseman, Fiddler ultimately will need to cut down the number of rushes he makes. This clip displays a situation where Fiddler makes a nice play to chip the puck off to his teammate before driving to the net for the return feed. While this is a smart play, NHL coaches likely want to minimize the number of times Fiddler drives deep, removing the possibility he’s able to defend the counterattack should there be a turnover. Ultimately, whichever team drafts Fiddler must be comfortable in letting a depth defenseman occasionally take pucks deep into the zone and have a forward cover his spot in order to maximize Fiddler’s impact.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSmarts5.mp4

Smart pinches are a staple of Fiddler’s game in the offensive zone. Here, he closes off the space for the Prince Albert forward, forcing him to chip the puck out to his teammate,e facing a 1v2.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSmarts6.mp4

An almost disastrous pass by Fiddler trying to force a stretch feed that was almost poached by a Raiders forward.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Fiddler-Smarts7.mp4

Again, here’s the cross-ice stretch pass Fiddler forces, trying to boost his team up ice in transition. This is one he needs to holster and look for a higher-percentage play.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerSmarts8.mp4

Fiddler is very good at knowing when to jump up and intercept imperfect passes. He does this frequently and maintains a good success rating in getting the turnover and turning the puck back up ice.

Grade: 52.5

Physical/Compete

Fiddler’s physicality will be above the NHL average at the next level. He utilizes body positioning well in front of the net and when leaning on the puck carrier to keep them to the outside. His physical game is limited by his mobility. Often, he can’t match the changes in direction and speed of attackers, preventing him from using his body to knock them off the puck and finishing through hits.

In front of the net, Fiddler puts in considerable effort to box out opponents. As a defenseman with lesser mobility in terms of direction changes. It’s crucial Blake will be able to hold his own in front of the net, and he seems to have the box out down. I would like to see a bit more nastiness with some more cross-checks and shoves, but they certainly aren’t absent from his game. He could also be a bit more aggressive on his hits, which often are more tactical, where he uses his body to either pin attackers or separate them from the puck.

In terms of compete, Fiddler gets involved in board battles, trying to pull the puck out with his stick, and engages in physical battles, pushing opponents to the outside, but doesn’t quite do it with the fire he’ll need to at the next level. I would love to see a bit more tenacity when initially engaging in physical battles.

Offensively, Blake has incredible competitiveness. He’s always looking to be involved by jumping up and calling for the puck to help drive the bus in transition.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerPhys1.mp4

In this clip, Fiddler works hard to box out his opponent with a few whacks before bulldozing him out of the crease. This will be his main role in the NHL in the defensive zone, as he lacks the mobility of a lighter defender.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerPhys2.mp4

After making a poor read and passing to nobody, Fiddler follows up with a lack of intensity to get the puck back and offers a slow hit. Fiddler isn’t the kind of guy who will spring from the netfront to win pucks in the corners.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerPhysicality.mp4

This clip may not display a massive Kronwall-esque hit denying the zone in transition, but Fiddler manages the gap well and puts his body in the way before holding off the now puckless attacker to make his pass. Just a simple play to show how Blake’s frame can help him execute the simple plays needed at the pro level.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerPhys3.mp4

Here’s a good physical play by Fiddler, throwing a bump into Brayden Yager in order to escape cleanly with possession of the puck.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerPhys4.mp4

Here, Fiddler lacks urgency getting back into position after a rush. This won’t fly outside of junior, however, due to Blake’s strong desire to get tons of touches and make rushes, I’m willing to bet that under any competent pro development program, he’ll shore up these occasional inconsistencies with that work ethic.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FiddlerPhys5.mp4

It’s plays like this that make me sure Fiddler can implement more nastiness into his game.

Grade: 55

OFP: 54.375

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 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 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW: PART ONE – Standout performances in the tournamnent

Brock Otten and Derek Neumeier — Mon, 05 May 2025 21:52:46 +0000

Well, another IIHF U18’s is in the books, and it was a historic tournament for Canada, who captured back-to-back gold medals for the first time in the history of the event. In the gold medal final, the Canadians routed Sweden, capping off a terrific and dominating tournament performance. In the bronze medal game, the United States defeated Slovakia in overtime, sending Slovakia home empty handed for the third straight year; the Slovaks have lost three straight bronze games.

As is the case every U18’s, there were some outstanding performances that helped to raise the draft stock of said individuals. How much stock do you put in a single tournament from a scouting perspective? It’s really circumstantial. For some players, a strong performance can flaunt the in-season adjustments that a player has made, helping them execute at a high level versus their similarly aged peers. For others, a disappointing performance can be attributed to fatigue, poor usage, or…simply poor play.

In part one of our post tournament coverage, Scouting Director Brock Otten and Associate Scouting Director Derek Neumeier have chosen to focus their attention on the players who stood out in a positive way. These are their tournament favourites.

Brock Otten’s Favourites

FRISCO, TEXAS - MAY 3: Canada’s Brady Martin #28 skates to the bench with teammates after scoring a first period goal against Sweden during Gold Medal Game action at the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Comerica Center on May 3, 2025 in Frisco, Texas, USA. (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF)

Brady Martin - Center/Wing - Canada

How could you not be impressed with Martin in this tournament? He was the straw that stirred the drink for Canada almost every game. We saw that in the semifinal too, when he was ejected for a late hit. The offense just lacked spark without him. I’ve been a huge Martin fan all year long and his performance at this tournament felt validating. His skating has come a long way from a year ago and when you combine that with his motor, I no longer have any concerns about his game translating. His pace of play is just fine. Additionally, I feel like his skill and offensive upside is massively underrated. I remember having the same arguments with people about Mike Richards so many years ago; sometimes these well-rounded, intense junior competitors get underrated. What was most interesting to me was how well Martin responded to a move to the wing. I actually really liked him there and could see him on the wing at the next level too. It would help simplify things for him. His puck management and decision making were so much better at the U18’s then they have been in the OHL this year. He finishes this tournament as a top ten candidate for me.

Jack Ivankovic - Goaltender - Canada

It wasn’t an easy year for Ivankovic. His stats for Brampton weren’t terrific, especially for a smaller netminder. I came away disappointed in several of his live viewings this year. However, you can’t argue with the way that he’s performed for Canada internationally. He was dominant at the Hlinka/Gretzky and he was dominant at the U18’s. He has all the tools to be an NHL netminder and where he gets selected this year will be fascinating. One thing worth mentioning that is not discussed enough; Ivankovic is a terrific puckhandler. He was so good at making plays to help clear the zone or set up the breakout and his confidence with the puck is refreshing in a time where it’s a bit of a lost art for netminders. We do see him confidently handle the puck and make plays at the OHL level, but not at the level that we saw in these U18’s. I hope we see more of it in the future.

Cole Reschny - Center - Canada

One of the hottest players in the CHL coming into this tournament, Reschny lived up to the hype after joining Canada later in the round robin. He’s not really a high pace guy, which considering his lack of size is going to be cause for concern for NHL scouts. But you can’t argue with his consistent high level of performance. He’s such an intelligent, detail-oriented player. Equal parts playmaker and finisher, he finds a way to settle into soft spots playing through the middle. I’m not sure I can remember him making a poor play or read all tournament long. Really, the only thing separating Reschny from a guy like Jake O’Brien is a few inches in height.

Filip Ekberg - Wing - Sweden

The tournament’s top forward, Ekberg deserved that honor with a record setting tournament, as he became Sweden’s top scorer at the event. It wasn’t an easy year for him in the OHL with Ottawa. He never seemed to settle in, even if his offensive production improved late in the year. Is this the Dave Cameron effect? Quite frankly, I think Ekberg saved his draft stock with this performance. He’s put himself back in Top 100 consideration, when without this tournament, he might have been a potential no-draft. His size/skating combination is still a bit concerning, but he was tenacious and determined to get to the middle in this tournament. He showed off more individual skill and creativity than we’ve seen from him previously too.

Sascha Boumedienne - Defense - Sweden

The tournament’s top defender, Boumedienne earned that award with his strong play for Sweden. Boumedienne really impressed me late in the season with Boston University and it’s clear that he was riding a confidence high entering the tournament. He’s a strong skater. He moves the puck well. He even shows promise in the defensive end, having increased his physical intensity over the course of the season. He just needs to cut down on the turnovers in the defensive end; puck management is going to be an area of focus for him. However, I like the season long progression capped off by a strong U18 performance and he’s someone who should push for the Top 20 in Los Angeles.

William Moore - Center - USA

I’ll fully admit that I haven't been a Moore fan this season. I’ve come away disappointed in nearly every viewing of the NTDP. However, there’s no denying that Moore was largely good in this tournament for the U.S. Getting Horcoff and Potter back really helped to bring out the best in Moore’s playmaking ability. His pace of play is still not outstanding considering he is a strong skater, but he did a really good job of managing and protecting the puck. Whenever the U.S. needed a big play, it seemed like he was at the center of it, setting it up from the wall; getting pucks into the slot. He also stood out defensively and at the faceoff circle, even if I wished his physical intensity was greater. Some of the members of our team have been advocating for him to receive a first round grade all season long, perhaps I’ll be more receptive to that.

Derek Neumeier’s Favourites

Braeden Cootes - Center - Canada

Canada played some incredibly smart, tenacious, two-way hockey this tournament en route to a perfect record and a decisive gold medal victory, and no prospect exemplified all of those attributes better than Cootes did. Not only did the canuck captain lead the team in scoring with 12 points, but he was also one of their hardest workers and their most defensively responsible forward. He set an example that his teammates followed. Not only does Cootes get to leave Texas with another addition to his trophy case, he also left a great impression upon scouts, who were curious to see how he would play alongside players of a similar skill level, in contrast to his long and hard season in the WHL where he had to do a lot of heavy lifting on a rebuilding team without much support around him.

LJ Mooney - Wing - USA

This was a difficult season for Mooney, as he missed a chunk of games due to injury and then didn’t quite look like himself for a while after he came back, so he was surely motivated to have a strong U18s and leave a positive final impression on NHL scouts. And boy, did he ever deliver. He was a serious spark plug for the Americans, bringing a ton of offensive pop when the puck hit his stick on the offensive zone, spinning off checks to drive possession and make high-danger passes. There’s a dynamic “it” factor to his game when he really gets going. Teams will still have concerns about his size and durability (especially since he got hurt again late in this tournament), but he probably did enough to ensure that he gets picked at some point in the draft.

Blake Fiddler - Defense - USA

A dual citizen of the United States and Canada, Fiddler made the definitive choice to represent America prior to this event, which gave him the chance to log more minutes on a comparatively weaker blueline (although it must sting a bit for him that Canada won gold while he had to settle for bronze). He really made the most of that extra ice time and larger role, doing a lot of great work in all three zones and standing out as one of the best defenders in the entire tournament. The right-shot shutdown specialist was a fringe 1st-rounder coming into the U18s but likely did enough here to solidify a high ranking on a lot of NHL draft lists.

Cullen Potter - Wing/Center - USA

His good-but-not-great point totals might not suggest it, but Potter was one of the most dangerous offensive players at this year’s U18s, from the first day all the way to the last. He’s one of the fastest players available for the 2025 NHL draft, and he was eager to show that speed off down in Texas, using it to frequently open up ice and generate chances for himself and his linemates. He’s far from a one-trick pony, however, as he thinks the game extremely well and is laser-focused when reading the play as it unfolds around him. After competing against much older competition all season in the NCAA it was great to see just how well Potter measured up against players his own age, and he passed that test with flying colors.

Radim Mrtka - Defense - Czechia

Mrtka became incredibly familiar with being a workhorse, minute-munching defenseman for the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds this season, so he only needed to make minimal adjustments when he was asked to play the exact same role for Czechia in this tournament. There was no disputing who their go-to, all-situations blueliner was going to be, and he delivered the exact kind of performance that they needed him to. The Czechs didn’t advance to the final four, but Mrtka sure did his part in the semifinals against Canada, registering an assist and nearly scoring the game-winning goal with an overtime breakaway.

Michal Pradel - Goaltender - Slovakia

Slovakia was an underdog to even make the medal rounds in this tournament, and it probably wouldn’t have happened were it not for the stellar performance of Pradel, their number one goalie. He was a rock between the pipes, posting shutouts over Finland and Latvia, and he almost led his team to a bronze medal with 29 saves, only to be defeated in overtime of that game by the Americans. The hulking netminder is very well-balanced and already plays a style of goaltending that is common in the NHL, so he’ll likely draw a lot of draft interest from clubs. Don’t be surprised if he gets picked early in the second round.

2025 IIHF U18 World Championships – Division B – Team Preview – Players to Watch

Chapin Landvogt — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 13:52:40 +0000

It’s been a few years since we saw the U18 Worlds hosted by USA hockey in Frisco and Allen, Texas, back in the spring of 2021. At the time, the pandemic still played a considerable role in shaping schedules throughout the hockey world, but the tournament proved very special in that the names Bedard and Michkov were already all the rage. Double underagers, they each made heavy offensive contributions (usually of a highlight variety) and then faced off in the tournament final, one decided by a Team Canada that would eventually see 22 players drafted in the following years.

Sure, the tournament was filled with many other talented and highly sought players, but it wasn’t one to remember for Team USA, which bowed out in the quarterfinals. This year’s edition feels somewhat similar to the host back in 2021 in that it lacks the all-out star power of recent years and will include a handful of outside additions from Canadian junior ranks and the NCAA. We nonetheless are terribly excited about seeing this year’s US squad duke it out in Group B action against annual contender Sweden, a loaded Czech program, the most impressive German ensemble in quite some time, and eternal quarterfinal participants Switzerland. Viewing things from the outset, this group could potentially present three of the four teams that will end up playing for a medal. Each of the Czech Republic, Sweden, and the USA feature numerous players of NHL interest for the next two drafts. At the same time, it’s anybody's call as to which of Germany or Switzerland is most likely to be heading to the relegation round and either could be good for a surprise along the way.

Here’s what to expect from each of the Group B contestants from April 23rd through May 3rd.

Czechia

Adam Benak

We keep getting excited about the progress the Czech program has made over the past 5-8 years but there’s no denying that they’ve simply reached a point where contention for a medal should be expected at both the U18 and U20 levels year after year. The nation keeps generating talents that are desired in junior leagues across North America and northern Europe while others manage to play pro at home already at this young age. Once all of this year’s nominees have arrived in Texas, Coach David Cermak will be able to dish out a ton of ice time to a handful of specific players who have everything required to make this team a gold medalist.

Alas, therein lies the problem as a number of the top nominees are still busy in primarily North American league playoffs. In some cases, they might not make it whatsoever. This could lead to the scouting world getting to see some special aspects like 15-year old defensive phenom Lukas Kachlir and Liberec product David Roszival, who had a sneaky good year at the perhaps underscouted Czech U20 level, not to mention hulking underage forward Simon Katolicky. But we’re going to assume that most of the big guns will be there at some point and then this Czech outfit will be one we expect to see battling for a medal on May 3rd.

Players to watch

Adam Benak - F

It feels like we've been gushing about Benak forever thanks to many dazzling performances at no less than the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. However, he finally brought his show to the USHL this season and it was magical. As he continues to get quicker on his feet and with the puck, we watched him create magic all season long for the Youngstown Phantoms, where his silky hands led to what seemed like unending offensive creation. Worries about size are still legitimate, but his 59 points in 56 games indicate he has no plans on letting it hold him back. He’s still involved in the USHL playoffs, so the Czechs will have to wait for his services, but when he arrives, he’ll likely become the tournament’s top powerplay producer.

Vojtech Cihar - F

A well-built winger with good speed and the knack of regularly making his way to the goal, Cihar already took a regular shift at the WJC and is coming off an entire season at the pro level (4 goals, 9 points) in the Czech Republic’s top league. He should be a key player in the top six for this team while adding a physical dimension to the attack.

Simon Katolicky - F

Only 16, Katolicky is already 6-foot-4 and inching towards 190 pounds. He’s been playing his junior hockey in Finland and has suited up for Czechia internationally 46 times over the past two seasons, for whom he regularly occupies the Ovechkin spot on the powerplay, albeit from the right side faceoff circle. Long story short, he brings size, skating, and a heck of a shot. He’ll be a hot topic for the 2026 draft and truth be told, if his playing style is any indication, Jaromir Jagr is definitely his idol.

Radim Mrtka - D

If a 6-foot-6, 200-pound righty shot defenseman who skates well, checks like a bull, and can lead your attack with a solid first pass is your idea of a unicorn, then Mrtka is your unicorn du jour for this year’s tournament. He possesses everything necessary to take over a game. He’ll without a doubt be the go-to man for coach Cermak on the blueline and is one of the key reasons the Czechs are expected to be a medal contender.

Matej Pekar - F

One of the youngest players in this summer’s draft, Pekar’s rookie season in the WHL was decent but nothing to get all too excited about. Having gone the Swiss juniors route in recent years, Pekar is your classic puck-rusher who’ll shake ‘n bake his way into scoring positions if you give him the time and space. This should allow him to eat some teams apart if they’re busy giving other forwards on this Czech side most of their attention. Both passer and shooter, he won’t hesitate to rip off wristers when he sees the net.

Tomas Poletin - F

A returnee from last year’s squad, the 6-foot-1, 196 pound power forward has spent several years in Finland’s U20 junior circuit and even got into 20 Liiga games this season, including playoffs. As for friendly matches and various test games with the nation’s U17 and U18 teams in recent years, he’s always been at the top of the scoring lists. He’s hard on the forecheck and makes his way to the net regularly.

Max Psenicka - D

Vladimir Dravecky may have to step up to the plate a bit until Psenicka arrives, but once (or if) the steady 6-foot-4, 190-pound defenseman arrives from the WHL playoffs, he’ll be a go-to player on the blueline and will give the Czechs the kind of size and righty-shot combo that few teams possess. A player not too different from Mrtka, Psenicka joined the Portland Winterhawks later in the season but immediately became a defensive mainstay with a solid eye for his teammates. Could be literally and figuratively a huge boost to this team’s blueline.

Ondrej Stebetak - G

As we write this, Stebetak is still battling it out for his Portland Winterhawks in a grueling seven-game series against the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. Should his side lose the next game, he’ll be on his way to Texas. And truth is, the Czechs have a vested interest here because Stebetak is talented enough to be the end all, say all, difference at the U18 Worlds. Still, he’s played 13 playoff games over the past 22 days, so we don’t know what’ll be in the tank if he makes it down!

Germany

David Lewandowski of Germany lduring the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship game between Germany and Latvia on December 30, 2024 in Ottawa.
Photo: Mathias Bergeld / BILDBYRÅN

Coach Patrick Reimer is entering this tournament knowing that he’s going to be coaching at the pro level next season. Thus, this is his last hoorah at the U18 level for now and what he’s got is essentially the most anticipated German side in recent years. Having only just regained a spot at the top level again with a flawless D1A U18 Worlds in Denmark last spring, Reimer will be making use of a handful of players who were keys to that promotion, several of whom were already key contributors to Germany’s WJC efforts this past winter.

Particularly the forward group is chock full of players who have taken excellent strides (many at the pro level) in recent years and bring a much higher rate of offensive acumen than just about any German outfit in recent memory. Nonetheless, it’s uncertain how solid this goaltending group can be and if we’re honest, the blueline is currently looking like it’s only one very solid pairing deep. There’s potential within the remaining six defenders, but it’s definitely going to require at least three of them to step up to the plate and show there’s more in them than they’ve indicated internationally to date, even if we were very excited about Max Bleicher this time last year.

With all that in mind, the team is here to stave off relegation. This realistic goal will be plenty hard to achieve and even if the squad believes it can duke it out with anyone it faces, the fact is that the preliminary bout against archrival Switzerland on April 27th will likely be all-decisive in determining if the team heads to the quarterfinals or once again has to decide its fate in a relegation round. On paper, their chances against Switzerland are clearly better than they otherwise have been in recent years.

Players to watch

David Lewandowski - F

As we enter this tournament, Lewandowski is far and away Germany’s top prospect for the 2025 NHL draft. Already talked about heavily throughout Germany’s hockey scene in recent years, it took him all of seven DEL games this season to decide that he’s best suited strutting his stuff in North America. A jump to the Saskatoon Blades, and the ensuing 41 points in 56 total games, gave the hockey world a clear sample of his possibilities and even if his scoring abilities were anything but dominant, his quick and successful adaption to the rough-n-tumble ways of the WHL answered some of the key questions we’ve had in recent years. More importantly, he’s gotten a taste of the North American scene, and you can be certain that he knows all too well what this tournament can mean for his draft chances this summer. Key first line and powerplay roles await him.

Carlos Händel - D

It’s been a long time since a German defenseman was able to head to a Canadian junior league and make an impact, much less at age 17, but righty shot Händel did just that this season for the Halifax Mooseheads. Having just turned 18, Händel is an extremely confident player who wants the puck on his stick and won’t let a few bad bounces get him off his game. Expect him to be on the ice for every important situation Team Germany faces seeing as how he already averaged over 22 minutes of TOI at last winter’s WJC.

Maxim Penkin - F

The 15-year-old gained “exceptional status” to play in Germany’s top U20 league (DNL) this past winter and proceeded to score at more than a PPG pace while then becoming the league’s playoff MVP for the champion Adler Mannheim. Not a shabby start! Likely possessing the strongest offensive skillset since Tim Stützle, Penkin will already be a top nine player at the upcoming tournament and scored in the test game against Canada. He may not make a lot of music in Texas, but just getting to see him at this early stage should be a real treat for the whole hockey world.

Maxim Schäfer - W

A behemoth of a 17-year-old, Schäfer is already 6-foot-4 and moves around the ice with the coordination and purpose of an older player. He’s also coming off what was almost an entire season of top league DEL play, but his 44 points in 18 U20 league games showed that he can dominate teenagers his age and older. three points in five WJC games - played in Canada no less - indicate that he’s ready to make an impact in Texas. However, he’s currently still playing for Berlin in the DEL finals with his team two wins away from the title. Would be a boon if he’s in Texas by April 27th!

Dustin Willhöft - W

A spit in the bucket weightwise, the 5-foot-8 mini might is coming off a dominant year in Germany’s top junior circuit (104 points in 43 games) and was already Germany’s top performer at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where hardly any offensive opportunities were created without him being right in the middle of them. He has a motor and a heck of a shot, but it’s his vision and set-up abilities that will have you (and his teammates) smiling.

Sweden

Djurgårdens Anton Frondell.
Photo: Kenta Jönsson / BILDBYRÅN

Coach Tommy Paananen has nominated a team that has every scout’s mouth watering. Especially when it comes to the forward group, the team is more than “locked and loaded” for a medal in Texas, if not gold itself. An 8-3 romping of Team Canada in a pre-tournament test game verified that. About the only player missing from this dream team attack is Victor Eklund, but that’s because he’s aged out. The group is three scoring lines deep and that’s even considering that the main man up front, Anton Frondell, is still busy vying for promotion for his Djurgarden club, so he’s bound to miss two, if not three of the preliminary round games.

The team will nonetheless have to see one of the goaltenders stand tall at times, with Love Härenstam being the expected frontrunner despite being statistically behind his two netminding colleagues, and the defensive group will need to prove itself capable in the transition and puck-moving game because the bulk of them are of the defense-oriented variety. How Paananen makes it all work will be interesting to see but it’s clear that he has many pieces to work with once everyone is on board. Anything less than a medal would be a terrible disappointment, with all eyes clearly focused on gold.

Players to watch

Viggo Björck - F

An absolutely dynamic offensive dynamo who excels in puck possession (and protection), Björck is entering this tournament as one of the top three prospects for the 2026 draft. A wonderkid in many respects, his strong strides and tricky righty shot release have led to a gawd awful number of points in Sweden’s junior ranks in recent years. He got into one game of pro play this winter and sure enough, he scored his first pro goal. Having led Sweden’s U20 circuit in regular season scoring (then finishing second in the playoffs), we’ve got every reason to believe that Björck could already be Sweden’s go-to offensive force over the next two weeks. He’s that good.

Sascha Boumedienne - D

If there’s one player on this team that the scouting community hasn’t seen too little of, it’s Boumedienne. The son of a former part-time NHL defenseman, Boumedienne headed to the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL last season and excelled as a two-way defenseman with a strong understanding of the defensive side of the game. He’s now completed his first season of college hockey with the BU Terriers and just missed out on a national championship, having logged no less than 22 minutes of TOI over the final six games. He understands tournament play very well, knows what it’s like to live under a microscope, and in Texas, he’ll have one last shot at rounding out his profile as that of a late first rounder. Expect this staff to give him plenty of ice time along the way.

Anton Frondell - F

The ride continues for one of the most exciting offensive juggernauts in the 2025 draft. Frondell brings a variety of weapons to the table but impresses most through his incredible maturity and solid decision making for a player his age. And, well, he just loves to generate offense. Having spent the bulk of the season putting up 25 points in 29 HockeyAllsvenskan games, he’s shown he’s able to play with some of the best players Sweden has to offer. Alas, he and his team have been so good that they’re now in the midst of the championship series and he’s sure to miss the tournament’s beginning, as he continues to hold a top nine role for his team. He’ll be a key once he arrives, and we just hope he won’t be too worn out when the time comes.

Milton Gästrin - F

A bit of a power forward with solid size and both playmaking and finishing abilities, Gästrin got into eight SHL games this season and has been absolutely incredible for Sweden in international friendlies the past two years. The captain of the U17 national team last winter and the assistant captain of his MoDo U20 squad, we’re not doubting that his word weighs heavy in this locker room. The tournament will also be an opportunity for him to entrench himself as a first-round option for a team this summer.

Eddie Genborg - F

Like Gästrin, Genborg is another big, solidly built power forward winger with a strong drive to the net. His production for his club’s U20 team as a 17-year-old was fantastic and his development was at a point where he got into 28 SHL games this season, albeit with little tangible results (2 goals, -1 rating). Nonetheless, some view him as worthy of a 1st round pick this summer, so this tournament will be his final opportunity to convince the scouting community that that’s where he belongs.

Theodor Hallquisth - D

Tall and gangly, Hallquisth is a righty shot defenseman who has a knack for blocking shots while he defends with a long stick that he aptly uses to master the pokecheck. A player who forwards smashed their teeth against trying to get by this winter, Hallquisth has also gotten into 12 SHL games and loves to push up the middle to the slot, adept at carrying the puck himself. We can expect him in a top four role in Texas, but we are curious to see how he’ll match up with some of the smaller skill forwards that teams like the USA and Czech Republic will be throwing out on the ice.

Jakob Ihs-Wozniak - F

A tournament returnee, Ihs-Wozniak is one of this year’s draft prospects who has seen his stock drop a bit, having not been selected to the WJC squad, yet who brings many key attributes to the table, not the least of which being a 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame that doesn’t prevent him from getting around the ice somewhat smoothly. A righty shot, Ihs-Wozniak dressed for 13 games for Lulea, which is currently battling for the SHL championship. Internationally, all he’s done is regularly produce for Sweden’s junior teams, so he’s got an offensive role in the bag at this tournament.

Ivar Stenberg - F

What a winter it’s been for Otto Stenberg’s little brother Ivar, who - as a 17-year-old - got into 25 regular season (3 points) and 12 postseason (6 points) contests for Frölunda. His trajectory has been up and up all season, as his combination of speed, hockey sense, and quick hands already allowed him to dominate the U20 circuit offensively (53 points in 27 games). He’s not eligible to be drafted until 2026, but we fully expect him to use this tournament to continue building on his profile and are hearing that he’s planning on spending the next two springs gunning for his older brother’s statistical U18 Worlds records.

Switzerland

We’re going to be generous by stating that coach Schumacher and his staff will have their work cut out for them in Texas. Despite being able to almost always stave off an appearance in the relegation round, Switzerland hasn’t had a lot of success in recent years and this tournament may not be any different. With the first game against Sweden not even 48 hours away, the world is still waiting for the Swiss to announce the final roster.

Still, there really won’t be any surprises as the team will consist almost entirely of players who spent this past season playing in the nation’s top U20 league, some of whom not getting beyond a middle six role. Sure, the team will be interesting in some respects, like with Lian Bichsel’s little brother Finn expected to make the cut while underagers Clemens Troxler and Jonah Neuenschwander will probably slot into top nine roles.

One way or another, there’s simply no star power for this year’s class and international events have given us little reason to believe this rather nameless group is going to be able to do much more than keep the results close. Critical will be the game against archrival Germany on April 27th. That’ll be the most important game of the tournament for both teams and the Swiss are well aware that Germany is bringing one of the most anticipated waves of players it’s been able to throw onto the ice in recent years. Expect that game to decide if this team will once again have the honor of facing the uphill battle posed by quarterfinals or instead have to duke it out for class retention.

Players to watch

Guus Van der Kaaij - D

The likely captain for this year’s outfit, Van der Kaaij is dual Swiss Dutch citizen and is a solidly built athlete who has seen his star rise this past season more than any other Swiss prospect. Although his U20 stats were just average (better in the playoffs), it’s his all-round game and defensive wherewithal that has raised eyebrows while he’s been lauded for his leadership capabilities. Moreover, his 11 SL games in which he collected two assists, and a +6 rating showed a high level of maturity and a knack for picking up the pace with the higher level. He then got into seven NL games, six of which were in the playoffs. Rest assured that he’ll be made heavy use of in Texas.

Jeremiah Mundy - F

Entering the season, the 6-foot-3, 196-pound forward who is half Canadian was seen as perhaps Switzerland’s top prospect for the upcoming draft. Having flipped over to the Davos program before the season, he proceeded to see that status go lost while always being a top six forward to the tune of 16 goals and 30 total points in 54 games. In addition, he was never called up or loaned out to a pro team, so his good but average stats are only applicable for a league that isn’t an international measuring stick. Is he as good as he was advertised before this season? His performance as a top six forward in Texas will be his last chance to show he is in time for this summer’s draft.

Jonah Neuenschwander - F

First eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft, Neuenschwander just turned 16 not even a month ago and already measures in at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds. In addition, Swiss Hockey even brought him along to the WJC this past winter as a 15-year-old and gave him three games of experience, so he should be a top nine forward during this event. All that pales in comparison to the fact that the burly forward got into 15 games of top league NL action this past season while putting up 45 points in 48 total games for his U20 squad, something that saw him finish fourth overall in playoff scoring. He’s a star on the rise in a time where the Swiss program is in desperate need of one.

USA

Cole McKinney

If you’ve been following us all winter long, you’ll know that this hasn’t been the best season for the famed USNTD program, one that experienced a whole lot of losing against USHL clubs and less than inspiring results in some of the international bouts throughout. That the team recently dropped a 4-3 OT decision against Norway in a test game surely had some in the hockey community rolling their eyes but we’re viewing this team with the belief that it can get things together in time for the quarterfinals and then push for a medal when all is said and done.

The reason for this is that by adding WHL defenseman Blake Fiddler, OHL defenseman (and underager) Chase Reid, NCAAers Cullen Potter and William Horcoff, and USHLers Casey Mutryn and Benjamin Kevan, the team will be getting some considerable reinforcements from the outside, all of whom have past ties to USA Hockey in some capacity. From a scouting perspective, we won’t be disappointed if we get to see any of underagers Mikey Berchild, Sammy Nelson, or Teddy Mutryn either, but that’ll likely mean that someone else isn’t carrying his weight.

There are enough tournament-built requisites throughout the line-up for coach Moore to play any type of game that comes but it’d be a big advantage if this US team doesn’t find itself having to chase the scoreboard much. Goaltending and the blueline have proven to be shaky to date, but both Germany and Switzerland should be gimmes in the preliminary round and as long as the outside additions can gel with the core by the time the games start to really count, this team should be in medal contention. Of course, we all thought that back in 20-21, when the team couldn’t get over the oh so deadly hill that is the quarterfinals, where four teams always see their tournaments end.

If that should be the USA’s fate, the program may want to find a different venue the next time it’ll be hosting this vaunted event. The dominant U18 program the past decade plus, the story this team will write over the next 10 days is one of the most anticipated of the tournament.

Players to watch

Blake Fiddler - D

A huge 6-foot-4, 210-pound righty shot defenseman with NHL pedigree, the Nashville-born Blake Fiddler was a do-it-all mechanic for the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL this season and already starred for Team USA at last summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Widely considered a first-round talent, Fiddler may be the best US defenseman in this class and the team will need him to bring his A-game all tournament long. If he solidifies things, this should have an impact on the other talented, but inconsistent blueliners dotting the line-up.

Cole McKinney - F

Probably the biggest riser within the program this past winter, McKinney has a prime opportunity to use this tournament to make a major jump up draft lists. The University of Michigan commit has been one of the program’s more productive players in recent months and is a weapon of all trades. He’s got moves, he’s got deadly wristers and snapshots, he possesses a playmaker’s vision, and he’s proving himself opportunistic on the ice, showing a strong read of where the puck is going to be. He’s a given as an offensive catalyst for a team who’ll need him to step up to the plate in order to play for a medal.

L.J. Mooney - F

Incredibly small, Mooney moves around on the ice like few on this team can. Flashing electric edgework and slick directional changes, Mooney’s hands keep up with his feet and also deliver the best playmaking on the team. Naturally limited in the physical department, he’s an energetic waterbug who’ll look to create space by beating one opponent before finding the next open teammate. Enthusiastic and hungry to create opportunities, his 5-foot-7 height won’t play much of a role at this tournament, so we expect him to be making a serious impact off the rush.

Will Moore - F

A tall forward with a back-n-forth game, Moore has spent the past two seasons clipping at just under a PPG average but could at any time take the bull by the horns and be this team’s offensive catalyst. Is that time now? The Boston College commit has added a bit of playmaking side to his previous profile as an adept sniper and as things stand, he could very well line up with center Potter and left wing Horcoff for a new trio entering tournament play. We’d like to see him use this platform to suggest himself as a surefire 1st round draft pick this summer. His prospect standing is still in flux.

Jack Murtagh - F

Solidly built and consistently a producer, Murtagh looked like a bonafide 1st rounder heading into this season, having shone at the World Hockey Challenge last year. There were ups and downs this winter and as much as the Boston University commit looks like a solid pro in the making, there’s no telling whether we'll see him be all he can be in Texas. If he is, then this team will be getting a player who looks for his teammates but adores picking corners as much as anything else. Look for him to make his presence known.

Cullen Potter - F

Originally a member of the USNTDP, Potter decided to head to college early and pretty much thrived while being one of the youngest players in the NCAA. Having just turned 18 in January, his quick and deceptive game built off of great acceleration and the readiness to shoot with aplomb had Potter’s inclusion on this team being a no-brainer. And it may perhaps prove to be just the jumpstart the US needs, seeing as his natural talent combined with his experience against much older and stronger competition should have him ahead of the game in Texas. To be noted is that Potter is just 5-foot-9 and not even 170 pounds, thus fast but can be pushed around.

Charlie Trethewey - D

Off to Boston University next fall, Trethewey feels like one of the players on this team who most needs to clarify his identity in this event. In general, he has most of the prerequisites of a defensive defenseman with just enough offensive acumen to get rushes started or contain pucks in the offensive zone in a positive manner, but for all the big hits we’ve seen him throw, there have been misses and positioning problems. For the long term, there’s much to build on here, but for the U18 Worlds, he needs to bring an A-game, if he’s got it in him at this juncture.

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