Nathan Behm – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: Affiliated prospects who have made rapid progress this season – North America Part One

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 13:22:13 +0000

Early on in the season talent evaluators are often hyper focused on draft eligible players as they try to determine early rankings and watch lists. But what about the prospects already affiliated with NHL teams? Previously drafted (or signed) players often show off remarkable progression early in the year that is worth discussing as it elevates their projection as NHL players. This piece aims to highlight some of those players; players who have impressed our scouting staff with their improved play this season.

Here are the North American based prospects Part One:

Brock Otten - Director of Scouting

Harry Nansi - Wing, Owen Sound Attack, OHL (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Nansi had his supporters in the scouting community heading into the 2025 NHL Draft. Suffice to say, we were not one of them. We ranked Nansi 238th and a lot of that had to do with my own concerns over Nansi’s upside; I had him ranked 34th among Ontario players in my own personal rankings. We weren’t alone in having concerns about Nansi as NHL Central Scouting dropped him over 100 spots in their final rankings, leaving him unranked ahead of the draft. While he was unquestionably an intelligent player with an intriguing frame, we didn’t see NHL skating ability or skill. The Toronto Maple Leafs ended up selecting Nansi in the fifth round and the early returns of that pick have been extremely promising.

As part of a dominant first line for the Owen Sound Attack, Nansi currently finds himself in the top five of OHL scoring, along with his linemates Pierce Mbuyi and Tristan Delisle. The trio has also been deadly on the powerplay helping Owen Sound to one of the best records in the OHL’s Western Conference.

The reality is that Nansi still has some drawbacks to his game that could limit his effectiveness at higher levels. He’s still not a high-level skater, who lacks first step quickness. He’s still not a creative player who can get boxed in when pressured. His pace of play is best described as a crawl. At even strength, his production has been fairly pedestrian; a few goals at five-on-five and outside the top 40 of even strength production (as of writing this). He’s not necessarily a physical player in a traditional sense; he’s active in puck pursuit but there’s room for him to become a tougher player on/off the puck, especially if his projection puts him in the middle of an NHL lineup as a support player.

So why am I choosing him for an article highlighting players who have taken massive steps forward? Because, despite having identifiable areas of growth, he has been highly effective in a lot of other ways and has proven to be an excellent selection for a mid-round pick. While his first step quickness and edgework still need work, his top speed has improved, allowing him to be a more effective and consistent offensive contributor. Additionally, he’s made great strides as a playmaker, able to take advantage of his physical gifts and puck protection ability. While his goal-scoring production has lagged at even strength, he’s been an effective distributor. He’s top five in primary assists at both even strength and on the powerplay. He’s able to extend possession so effectively with how he shields the puck and his vision is excellent. He draws in pressure and dishes off; it’s that classic case of opening up space for his linemates to exploit.

What we’ve seen from Nansi in his post draft year is very encouraging and bodes well for him improving his NHL projection. Without continued growth as a skater, there could be a place for him as a complementary playmaking winger in the NHL.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1-harry_nansi_-_2nd_period_1_4_-_1_16.mp4

An example of Nansi’s ability to maintain possession through checks by keeping the puck in his hip pocket. He’s been a load to handle for opposing defenders this year as he looks to extend possession and funnel pucks to the middle.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2-harry_nansi_-_2nd_period_1_4_-_1_16.mp4

An example of Nansi’s vision and playmaking ability. He’s directly set up at least a half dozen goals so far this year from his office behind the net. Here, he psychs out the defender with the no look pass to the slot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/3-Nansi-Skating-Issues.mp4

A couple clips to help show Nansi’s need to improve his skating further. He can struggle to build speed and change direction quickly and this causes him to have to alter his pace a lot of the time at even strength. But, even then, as you can see in the front half of this clip, he has the vision to make a smart play to help Owen Sound create a chance from the point.

Linc Zdancewicz - U.S. Regional Scout

Dean Letourneau, Center, Boston College (Boston Bruins)

Dean Letourneau had a lackluster DY+1 season for Boston College last year as he moved along in what seemed to be a lengthy development path. However, he has come alive in his sophomore season for the Eagles, recording 11 points and five goals in 13 games, nearly quadrupling his point total in a third of the games played. How has this season come about and what issues has Dean Letourneau fixed from his freshman season. The main issues from his first year at BC were his lack of awareness and vision, struggles as a puck carrier, and the underuse of his physicality.

The first two issues I’ve identified held him back from producing real offense in his freshman season, however, he has flipped the script. Letourneau’s in zone offense has been expanded this season to where he has unleashed his terrifying shot upon the Hockey East. He has become much more aware of open space and has finally made use of his gargantuan reach and size in the zone.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1-Letourneau-Bardown.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2-Letourneau-One-Tee-off-a-setup.mp4

These two goals are emblematic of how comfortable Letourneau has become with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone. The confidence he has built from this increased awareness has led to a lethal shot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/3-Letourneau-Reach-Assist-Behind-the-net.mp4

This play shows how well Letourneau can and has been taking advantage of his long reach in the offensive zone. I think only Dean Letourneau alone can make this play in NCAA.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/4-Letourneau-Rush-Support-Shot-v-UMass.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/5-Letourneau-Off-Puck-Smart-Entry.mp4

Both of these clips show Letourneau’s increased speed along with his increased awareness when entering the zone. He slips into an open spot to fire a quality chance in both clips, with plays like these, no wonder he has seen almost a 4x increase in points thus far this season.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/6-Letourneau-Puck-Carrying-v-UMass.mp4

I’ll add this clip here to show off how his puck carrying skills have improved too, his increased speed and confidence with the puck are on display here as he steals the puck off his teammate and generates a zone entry about 5 strides later.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/7-Letourneau-Opening-Shift-v-Maine.mp4

Finally, Letourneau’s use of his size has completely changed this season, he is rough and downright mean at points. Here is his first shift in BC’s second outing against Maine this season, he is wild, energetic, and a little off balance. Letourneau has been more physically imposing this season which has led to successes on offense and defense. Yes, he can improve his balance while skating but I prefer an uncontrolled monster to what was on display last season.

Overall, the strides Letourneau has taken have sped up his development to where he may only see one more season at BC before he is fully with the Boston Bruins as their second- or third-line center.

Jeremy Tremblay - QMJHL Regional Scout

Mateo Nobert, Center, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, QMJHL(Vegas Golden Knights)

After decent production last year with the Armada, Nobert was drafted by Vegas 85th, in the third round. Even with some flaws in his game, Vegas saw the interesting profile of Nobert. All season long, he was showing some skill, his offensive abilities, and his two-way potential. But the physical game and his physical strength were not there yet. While Nobert is 6-foot-0, his 143 pounds were simply not enough for him to play physically. Between the start of the season last year and this year, he went from 143 pounds to 179 pounds which. 36 pounds of muscular mass in one year is a lot and it changed pretty much every aspect of Nobert’s game. He can now play a more physical game, finishing some hits. His overall strength has improved, and it shows in skating speed, his power in his shots, and his puck protection. Now that he can play physically, Nobert will need to learn how to use his new frame to his advantage. He still needs to improve his decision making with the puck, but the progress after getting drafted only a few months ago is hard to miss. Not bad for a player that will be 18 all season long. I will not be surprised to see Nobert slowly make his way to the NHL the way he is improving!

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1-NobertGoal1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2-NobertWellPositionedCloseToNet1.mp4

These are clips of Nobert’s game from last season, to visualize his improvements. Nobert was not often physically involved in a game because of his frame.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/3-Nobert2025Hit1.mp4

This clip shows well that Nobert is looking bigger on the ice and that he is not afraid anymore to hit. He almost doubled his number of hits per game.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/4-Nobert2025Skating1.mp4

The strides of Nobert were already good last year, but it was lacking some power. Now, his acceleration looks a lot better.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/5-Nobert2025Goal1.mp4

We can see in this clip that Nobert's confidence is better than last year. Last year, Nobert was averaging 3.7 shot attempts per game and 0.95 passes to the slot. This year, he is averaging 4.3 shot attempts per game and 1.68 passes to the slot, showing that Nobert is creating more by himself.

Kyle Pereira - U.S. Regional Scout

Jayson Shaugabay, Winger - University of Minnesota-Duluth (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Shaugabay, a former fourth-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning (115th overall) is having a breakout NCAA season this year. As a freshman last season, the Warroad, MN native produced 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) in 36 games with UMD. This year, through 14 games, he’s already matched his assists total from last season, while racking up 19 total points. He’s been a part of one of the best lines in college hockey, and has been one of the main drivers behind it.

The shifty, playmaking winger has always been a dangerous play creator. He was lauded for his dangerous passing abilities and smarts, as well as his dazzling stickhandling, back when he was selected by the Lightning. This year has been no different. He continues to thrive as a playmaker, leading the team in passes to the slot (28).

The parts of his game that needed improvement came down to his skating ability and being able to play at his size at a higher level. For his size, while he is listed at 5-foot-9 and 165 pounds on Elite Prospects, his latest measurements put him at 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds (Tampa Bay Lightning development camp and UMD’s roster). As for his skating, while he is still not a burner, there is noticeable improvement with his lower-body strength and balance, as well as top speed.

Because of these improvements to his skating and adding a bit more weight to his frame, as well as how he translated his high-level playmaking from the USHL to college, he is quickly establishing himself as a top prospect in Tampa Bay’s pipeline.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1-Shaugs-old-assist-highlights-2023.mp4

A compilation of Shaugabay (#17) with Green Bay in his draft year, showing off his playmaking abilities

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2-Shaugs-new-assist-highlights-2025.mp4

Shaugabay (#17) this season, showing off his playmaking at the collegiate level.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/3-Shaugs-Old-Skating-2022-23-2.mp4

Here’s another draft year compilation, this time showing his skating deficiencies at the time. His strides were short and his acceleration was lacking. Back checkers often were able to quickly catch up to him and force him to stop up or curl back up the boards. Defenders also fared pretty easily against him when he skated up ice, as he was easy to push off pucks and close off along the boards.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/4-Shaugs-Updated-Skating-2025-26-2.mp4

Now, in 2025-26, his mechanics are very noticeably cleaner. He comes out of his crossovers significantly better and he utilizes his strong edges much more when coming up ice, making him harder to defend off the rush. Contact can still give him some issues, but he also looks stronger and able to push through contact much more often.

Kyle Dalla Zanna - Western Canada Regional Scout

Nathan Behm - Wing - Kamloops Blazers (Chicago Blackhawks)

Nathan Behm is putting up points at a torrid pace this season. The 66th overall selection by the Chicago Blackhawks in last year’s NHL Draft is now playing alongside top 2026 prospect and WHL scoring leader JP Hurlbert (ranked 24th overall in our first draft ranking), and their immediate chemistry has enabled Behm to maintain a position within the top five amongst league leaders in points since the start of the season.

Behm's dual-threat offensive game has taken a big step forward this season. He’s a high-skill attacker with a knack for finding seams, but his shot has been his biggest asset this season. He possesses a missile of a release that can beat goalies from anywhere, and his ability to score off the rush has been especially notable.

In his draft year, our team had qualms about Behm’s engagement and pace of play, which explains his selection outside the top two rounds. He coasted through shifts a little too often for our liking and would shy away from the hard areas. Even Blackhawks Director of Amateur Scouting Mike Doneghey voiced similar characteristics in their team’s draft recap. Behm has improved these areas of his game, and if he continues to do so, there is a strong possibility he reaches a middle six finisher as an NHL projection.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1-Behm-Rush-Goals.mp4

Three clips highlighting Behm’s finishing ability off the rush and his chemistry with JP Hurlbert.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2-Behm-End-to-end-Assist.mp4

An excellent end-to-end effort that showcases Behm’s hands, playmaking, and improved pace which leads to an assist.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/3-Behm-FC.mp4

Behm engages this defender on the forecheck, cutting his lane off to separate him from the puck and create a turnover.

Liam Staples - Ontario Regional Scout

Jordan Charron - Wing - Soo Greyhounds (Pittsburgh Penguins)

It is a very positive reflection—one that raises the question of how many foresaw this outcome when the hockey landscape shifted with the CHL–NCAA eligibility rule changes, and how many players would benefit, and how quickly those benefits would take shape. Chase Reid and the Soo Greyhounds are experiencing that right now but Jordan Charron is another example of that. Charron began the 2024-2025 campaign playing for his hometown team, the Ayr Centennials in the GOJHL, originally selected in the sixth round by the ‘Hounds, Charron planned to go the NCAA route, he is committed to St. Lawrence University for the start of the 2026-2027 season but, once the new rule changes become official, he signed to play with the “Hounds.

Charron finished with 10 goals, 11 assists for 21 points in 48 games last season. Attracting the eye of the Pittsburgh Penguins who selected Charron in the fiftth round, 154 overall in the 2025 NHL Draft. Charron was invited to the Penguins rookie camps and showcase in the summer. Safe to say, the work Charron put in this past summer is paying off as he has already surpassed his goal and point total from a season ago currently sitting at 17 goals, seven assists for 24 points in 25 games as of November 23rd. His skating has taken a noticeable step forward from last season - quicker feet, a faster first step, and improved overall pace.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1-Jordan-Charron-Goals.mp4

Charron possesses a pro level shot, showcasing he can score in a variety of different ways. What is most impressive is his explosiveness off that first step.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2-Jordan-Charron-Transitional-Play.mp4

Charron’s improved foot speed and lateral agility are shaping him into a dangerous player in transition.

Ben Misfeldt - North American Video Scout

Will Horcoff - Center, University of Michigan (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Will Horcoff was seen as more of a long-term project last season. A player who had a lot of tantalizing attributes but struggled to put them together in an impactful way. He was disappointing through the first half with the USNTDP but transitioned well to NCAA hockey. It was easy to see the potential in Horcoff last season - an intelligent, 6-foot-5, two-way forward with a pro style game, though I doubt many saw this year’s offensive explosion coming.

Two months into the 2025-26 season, Horcoff has been a goal scoring machine for the University of Michigan, with an astonishing 14 goals in 16 games. He has arguably made the biggest leap of any 2025 drafted player considering he had just 19 goals in 82 games during his time with the USNTDP. He has improved on his sluggish skating, has realized the advantage his size and reach can bring, and has developed into an elite net-front presence. He has done all that while also improving on his already sound defensive game.

Inevitably, the goal scoring will cool off as the season progresses (he’s shooting at nearly 27%) but even half the goal scoring rate would be seen as an improvement. The projection for Horcoff ahead of the draft was as more of a middle-six forward. As he adds strength to his frame, Horcoff projects to be a menacing player to play against. If he continues to improve his skating, I can envision him developing into a prized two-way top six centre at the NHL level.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1-ben_-_will_horcoff_-_3rd_period_16_41_-_16_46.mp4

Here is an example of Will Horcoff’s strong net front presence. He easily positions himself between the defender and scores off the deflection. Goals and scoring chances from right around the net have been a common theme for Horcoff this season. He wasn’t known as a goal scorer before this season, but this year has figured out how to be a handful around the net, a very translatable NHL skill.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2-ben_-_will_horcoff_-_1st_period_14_30_-_14_39.mp4

This clip shows Horcoff’s wonky skating stride as he pursues on the forecheck. He’s very upright and the short strides are not generating near the power that his long legs are capable of. Despite that, he still makes a good read and intercepts the pass. The fact that he’s still able to get around relatively well with a flawed stride indicates there is a lot of potential with his skating.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/3-ben_-_will_horcoff_-_1st_period_14_17_-_14_27.mp4

Horcoff already showed his defensive prowess last season with Michigan but has been at another level this season. Here he keeps his head on a swivel, stays high enough to be in position to block the pass and reads the puck carrier’s pass like a book. There are always a few solid defensive disruptions like this one each game.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2025 NHL DRAFT: Early Season Favourites – WHL – McQueen, Ravensbergen, Behm & Reschny

Derek Neumeier — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 22:00:34 +0000

Time for another series at McKeen’s from our scouting staff. The 2025 NHL Draft season is well underway and our scouts have been busy soaking in the action around the globe. Analyzing early season play can be difficult; perhaps even a bit of a ruse. Hot starts aren’t always sustainable and cold starts are not always indicative. However, players can still catch our attention in positive ways and that’s what this series intends to highlight.

Derek Neumeier - Assistant Director of Scouting & Head Western Scout

Roger McQueen - Center - Brandon Wheat Kings

6’5, 193lbs - 2006-10-02

Out of all the prospects at the top of the 2025 draft class, McQueen will likely end up being the one who gets the most intense scrutiny from scouts, and the reason why is understandable: he’s a player who is capable of checking off every single box that you’d want to see in a forward, but also one who, so far, hasn’t been able to consistently put all the pieces together. Whether or not McQueen will ever be able to reach his full potential is a million-dollar question for teams and their scouts and development staffers, because if he does then he could realistically become the single best player to come out of this entire draft. On the flip side, however, it’s much harder to gauge what his game will look like if he ends up finishing closer to this floor than his ceiling.

McQueen is a giant center with natural athleticism and a fluidity to his movements, and that right there is enough of a base to get any scout excited. But as if that wasn’t enough, he also shows flashes of legitimately high-end upside with his shooting, handling and playmaking abilities. There are some shifts where he is an outright dominating presence, controlling the puck with gusto and generating offense while opposing defenders struggle helplessly to contain him. The problem, however, is that those kinds of shifts are still the exception more than the rule, and a lot of times he leaves you wanting more because he just can’t quite blend everything together in the right way. There are still too many puck decisions that end in turnovers or situations where he is trailing the play instead of being ahead of it. Making matters even more murky, he’s further along in his development than others because he’s a late-2006 birthday, he’s already in his third season in the WHL, he’s battled injuries at multiple different points in recent years, and Brandon as an organization has a very inconsistent track record lately when it comes to developing their primary prospects.

Scouts are eagerly awaiting McQueen’s return from his most recent health setback, and will surely flock to go see him once that happens. If they like what they see upon his return, and if the right progress continues to be made over the remainder of the season, then there is a non-zero chance that his name will be the very first one to be called come next June’s draft.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/McQueen-dangle-entry.-Then-net-chance.mp4

This is a quintessential McQueen shift, at least at this point in his career. You can see the good (the wide dekes to protect the puck in open ice, the speed in transition, the dangerous look at the goal mouth) as well as the bad (the initial fumbling of the pass, the turnover from failing to beat the defender one-on-one). That said, it’s abundantly clear just how fantastic he could become if he’s able to refine these kinds of moments with enough practice, training, experience and development.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/McQueen-dangles-persistent-goal.mp4

McQueen can be quite a handful to slow down once he really gets going thanks to his skating and reach, as this clip illustrates. The play almost gets broken up, but because he is right in the defender’s kitchen he’s able to win back the loose puck and fire it past the goalie.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/McQueen-snipe.mp4

For a guy his size McQueen can have a pretty deft feel for the puck. Just watch how much precision he displays when he takes this shot. You can also see how he dials back some of the power of his release to produce more accuracy.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/McQueen-reach-goal.mp4

The opposing defenders could have played this one a little better, but this goal nevertheless still shows just how much of a difference-maker McQueen’s enormous reach is. Even if a footrace ends in a draw or a narrow loss he will still be able to win a ton of touches on pucks, which is an advantage that he will maintain even when he begins moving up levels.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/McQueen-failed-hit.mp4

Another part of McQueen’s game that’s a huge question mark right now is his physical play, which can be seen in the awkward hit he throws in this clip. He still has a long way to go when it comes to growing into his body and adding muscle, but even then, he doesn’t seem like much of an inherent bruiser. Will he ever reach a point where he can utilize his size to manhandle opponents in ways that help drive puck possession?

Joshua Ravensbergen - Goaltender - Prince George Cougars

6’5, 192lbs - 2006-11-27

Scouts always need to be extra careful when ranking or selecting goaltenders in the 1st round, because that position is easily the hardest one to evaluate among prospects. Nevertheless, there are signs and traits with goalies that are usually predictors of future success, and Ravensbergen certainly displays a lot of them, which is why there is already a considerable amount of buzz about his chance of being chosen within the first 32 selections of the 2025 draft.

Ravensbergen is currently writing a pretty remarkable story for himself. He went from being undrafted into the WHL to winning the starting job on a championship-contending Prince George team as a 17-year-old last season, while also saving his very best hockey for the playoffs, where he put up a .931 save percentage and helped guide the Cougars to the Western Conference final. His start to the 2024-25 campaign hasn’t been up to that same level, though, and has even been outright disappointing at times, but there’s still just so much to like about his game overall that he’s going to be given a long leash for trial and error before his stock takes a serious hit.

The foundation of his success is built around his huge frame, which he is still in the process of filling out, and his top-notch quickness and athleticism, which are both still improving as well and should be able to advance a whole lot more from here. Take a look around the NHL these days and you’ll notice that most of the top goalies roughly fit this kind of description. There are probably a lot of goaltending coaches employed in the league who are already keeping tabs on Ravensbergen because they’d love the chance to work with him one day if their team were to draft him. However, make no mistake: there is still a lot of work that still needs to be done. His stats thus far in the WHL are well below the kind of numbers that top goalies at that level usually put up, and those struggles can be chalked up to some quirks with his technique and inconsistencies with his focus and confidence.

Ravensbergen has a genuine shot at becoming a starting netminder in the NHL one day, but there’s also a very real chance that his development falls far short of that status and he ends up taking his career primarily throughout the minors and maybe Europe. That’s a high-risk, high-reward gamble, but there are undoubtedly some teams out there that are already considering making it with their first-round picks.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ravensbergen-rush-save-quick-resets.mp4

This sequence provides a nice, quick summary of Ravenbergen’s strengths. He squares up to the shooter without leaving much daylight to shoot for, reacts briskly to the shooter’s attempt to tuck the puck around him, then displays how fast he is when it comes to getting into and out of his butterfly to reset for subsequent threats.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ravensbergen-quick-scramble-saves.mp4

Similar work from him here in this clip. Yes, he’s scrambling a little, but he’s also reacting aggressively to the shooter and sticking with him while letting his size seal off the ice by default.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ravensbergen-slide-pad-save.mp4

For such a big goalie Ravensbergen moves surprisingly well laterally. Not only is he quick when moving from post to post, but he’s usually pretty fluid and precise as well, whether that involves stretching out a limb or trying to stay square and upright, as he does in this clip.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ravensbergen-stretch-pad-save.mp4

Having long legs will always be an advantage for goalies, so long as they can get them in the right positions at the right times. And it doesn’t always need to be pretty to be effective.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ravensbergen-leaky-goal-against.mp4

Here’s a prime example of the kind of allowed goals that Ravensbergen needs to cut down. He has ample time to prepare, he’s square to the shooter and it’s not even a particularly dangerous shot, but it still manages to squeak right through him. And this is not an isolated incident for him. The good news is that, given his exemplary tools, this problem should be fixable with the right experience and coaching.

Nathan Behm - Wing - Kamloops Blazers

6’2, 200lbs - 2007-04-18

Behm is currently one of the best-kept secrets in the scouting community, but that likely won't last for very long. While there hasn't been a lot of attention paid to the rebuilding Kamloops Blazers lately, their newest budding star has been one of the WHL's top scorers through the first stretch of the 2024-25 season, and if that continues then he is sure to start drawing in more eyeballs.

In some ways, he is a deceptive and surprising player upon first impression, because he has the looks and build of a north-south power winger, yet he is finding his success so far predominantly from playing more of an east-west, finesse kind of game. He has fantastic touch and feel for the puck, he makes almost as many plays off of his backhand as he does his forehand, and there is a genuine craftiness in how he reads enemy defensive structures and then carves them up. Mix in some skating chops that he uses to create space for himself both laterally and in straight lines and the end result is a forward who can deal offensive damage in a variety of different ways.

At this point, there is still an air of mystery to Behm, which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your perspective. He hasn't been a big blip on scouting radars for very long, owing largely in part to never playing for Canada internationally. And there's also the question of what his game would look like right now if he was on a deeper or more buttoned-down team, having to compete more directly for ice time or receiving fewer green lights to experiment and take risks. All that being said, what's most important right now is that he is improving rapidly and continuing to establish himself as a must-know prospect, and scouts will be watching him like hawks to analyze how his development progresses between now and the draft.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Behm-entry-east-west-assist.mp4

Much of Behm’s success comes from how slippery he is when he’s handling the puck on the attack. When the play is in motion opposing defenders have a difficult time predicting what he’s going to do next. Just watch the Moose Jaw player in this clip trying to stick to Behm, and how he is kept guessing until it’s too late and the chance has been sprung.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Behm-steal-entry-assist.mp4

Here’s another good look at Behm going east-west to open time and space for himself. The pass he makes is too soft and that won’t fly at higher levels, but there’s plenty of time for him to focus on improving something like that. What’s more important is that he creates the opportunity at all.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Behm-dangle-backhand-assist.mp4

Behm’s skill with making plays off of his backhand was mentioned above, and here is what it looks like in action. It’s not often that you see a player make a beautiful backhand stretch pass like that.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Behm-rush-smart-assist.mp4

This is a chaotic clip, and there are a lot of different ways that it could have unfolded. So it speaks volumes about Behm’s patience and hockey sense that he’s able to sift through all the chaos and make a picture-perfect pass for the assist.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Behm-light-hit.mp4

If there’s one area of Behm’s game that’s a concern right now it’s that he can be a little lackadaisical or sleepy at times. A little too calm and laid-back. That’s especially true for his physical play, which is surprisingly absent for a player his size. He’s going to need to learn more about how to utilize that advantage, including for situations like finishing his checks, as seen in the clip above.

Cole Reschny - Center - Victoria Royals

5’10, 187lbs - 2007-04-06

You'd be hard-pressed to find a single scout working in the west who doesn't like or respect Reschny. There are just so many different elements of his play and persona that grade highly: he has razor-sharp hockey sense, he's mature beyond his years, he's as consistent as a finely-tuned watch, he has innate leadership abilities, he has a no-quit work ethic, and you could go on and on. They would have also noticed how the Royals, who had been in a serious funk for years, took a big step forward last season and made the playoffs thanks in large part to their newest star-in-the-making.

At the same time, however, it would be difficult to find many (if any) scouts who believe that Reschny belongs in the upper echelons of this draft class, even with all the positive attributes mentioned above. Those hesitations stem, whether fairly or unfairly, from his short stature and some limitations to his skating ability, which is a specific combination that can often lower the ceilings of prospects even if they are exceptional in other areas. As much of a difference-maker as he is in the WHL, the concerns about how much of a difference-maker he will become in the NHL one day are valid.

This puts Reschny's draft stock in a bit of a curious position. It seems unlikely at this point in time that he would slide outside of the first round, but it's also equally unlikely that he will move much higher up than where individual scouts currently see him. The good news for him is that he's in an excellent environment to keep developing, being used in all situations for Victoria and routinely logging more than 20 minutes of ice time in games. Will he somehow be able to find another gear and prove his doubters wrong?

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Reschny-slick-assist.mp4

Nobody can deny Reschny’s proficiency as a playmaker. Not only does he have the vision to find the smallest of offensive openings, he also possesses the passing skill necessary to actually get the puck to its target. It’s easy to envision him maintaining his entrusted usage on the power play even as he moves up levels.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Reschny-smart-assist.mp4

There aren’t many 17-year-old prospects, in any draft year, who would have the wherewithal to recognize a pass opportunity like this, and fewer still would be able to connect it so quickly and without telegraphing his intentions.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Reschny-sneaky-backdoor-goal.mp4

This is not an exciting goal for Reschny, but it does showcase just how well he sees the ice and calculates the play as it proceeds around him. He knows the exact spot where he needs to go, while also knowing that he needs to get there quietly and without drawing any attention to himself.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Reschny-reception-pivot-shot.mp4

Reschny’s skill level isn’t truly high-end, but he has more than enough to surprise his enemies and open up good looks at the net for himself or others.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Reschny-failed-backcheck.mp4

As already mentioned, the worries with Reschny are about his size combined with his less-than-ideal skating ability in relation to his size. It already gets him into some trouble in the WHL, and the problem is only going to be more pronounced in the AHL and NHL. There are a couple of examples of that in this clip, most notably the attempted backcheck that doesn’t work out. He’ll either need to find a way to get quicker or sustain his ability to think one step ahead of almost everyone else on the ice.