Peyton Kettles – McKeen's Hockey

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: Summer of 25′ – Introducing Western Canada

Adam Tate — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 21:20:34 +0000

Welcome to a series at McKeen’s Hockey that aims to introduce you to some of the top prospects from each region for 2025. The disclaimer is that…it’s early. The names on these lists are not likely to be the exact same as the ones you see next June. However, we thought it was important for you to know some of the top players heading into the season.

Next up is the WHL, which has been well represented in the NHL Draft as of late. On average, six WHL players have been drafted in the first round of the last five NHL drafts, and that trend could continue next summer. At this early point, it feels a bit Forward heavy at the top of the draft eligible ranks for the WHL, but there are talented defensemen available for selection as well. There’s also the possibility of a goaltender being selected early.

Roger McQueen - Forward - Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

McQueen is a tall, right-handed Center playing for the Brandon Wheat Kings. Last season was his second in both the WHL and in Brandon, and as a result, he’s a late 2006 birthday in next summer’s NHL Draft. While being a late birthday in your draft year usually results in less progression runway, it probably won’t hurt McQueen’s case to be drafted early. Of all the WHL players eligible for next summer’s Draft, he probably has the best chance of being drafted in the Top Ten.

Listed at 6’5” 190-pounds McQueen plays a big, power forward type game, and is an equal opportunity shooter and passer in the offensive zone. He’s physical in all three zones and is not afraid to drop the gloves to stand up for his teammates or for himself. His skating is good for a player his size.

He approached a point per game last season and should eclipse that mark this coming year. He continued his excellent play in the WHL Playoffs, scoring four goals in four games. He also played in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last August and was more than a point per game on a stacked Team Canada squad. He would have played a large role for Canada at the year-end U18’s but ended up getting hurt in one of the opening games and missed the rest of the tournament.

As his game continues to improve, there are a couple of areas that he needs to work on this coming season. He needs to work on his puck possession, and not be too casual with the puck like he was at times last season. He also needs to work on not taking needless penalties that hurt his team. As a power forward, he crashes the net in the offensive zone often, but he took far too many goaltender interference penalties last season. He needs to be aggressive, but he needs to learn where the line is.

CLIP #1

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-mcqueen_good_shot_01.mp4

This goal is a nice power forward drive to the net where McQueen is able to use his foot speed to turn an unprepared defender on his way to the net. From there it’s just a matter of puck handling and waiting for the goaltender to make the first move.

CLIP #2

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-mcqueen_good_shot_02.mp4

This next goal is from last summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Slovakia, McQueen shows that he’s got a strong, accurate wrist shot that he’ll be able to use to his advantage over the course of the WHL season.

CLIP #3

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-mcqueen_good_pass_01.mp4

This clip is a good example of McQueen’s playmaking ability last season. Taking the puck across the offensive zone not only draws the attention of the three opposition players, but also gives his teammate the space he needs to drive the net for a possible pass. The puck handling turns the closest defender, which also opens up the passing lane to complete the play.

CLIP #4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-mcqueen_bad_01.mp4

This last clip demonstrates some of the carelessness with the puck that was mentioned earlier. McQueen brings the puck into the neutral zone and needs to make a better decision here. There are too many defenders strung out along the center red line to be able to puck handle through. A chip into an offensive zone corner or a regroup in the defensive zone would’ve been better here.

Cole Reschny - Forward - Victoria Royals (WHL)

Last season’s top rookie for the Royals, Reschny enters this year looking to become Victoria’s top center and scorer. The Royals will have a different look in their top six forward group as many of the players around him have graduated or been traded. There will be some pressure on him to make the team around him better this upcoming season.

A natural playmaker, Reschny excels at finding open teammates for easy goals. That’s not to say that he can’t put the puck in the net himself, as he did 21 times last season, but he looks to pass more often than shoot. His 38 assists were second on last season’s Royals squad and his point total was close to a point per game. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him eclipse that ppg this upcoming season.

Reschny does have some areas to work on in his game. He’s a good two way forward, but he can get caught puck watching in his own zone, leaving his check open. He’s also not overly physical and is a bit undersized for the center position. He’ll need to get stronger if he wants to play that position at the pro level.

Reschny has been representing Canada at the international tournaments for his age group. He participated in the World U-17 Hockey Challenge and had a good tournament, scoring eight points in seven games. He’ll also represent Canada in this summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he’ll be relied on to help provide offence while also being a solid two-way forward. It will be interesting to see if he can use the Hlinka Gretzky to springboard into a good start of his WHL season. If he can, it wouldn’t surprise to see Reschny selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft.

CLIP #1

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-reschny_pass_01.mp4

This first clip shows Reschny (#7 in black) creating a goal with a nice pass to the back door for an easy tap in. His vision in the offensive zone on this play is quite good. It's a five-on-five play but Reschny is able to take advantage of the poor defensive coverage to get himself open and then find his unchecked teammate at the edge of the crease.

CLIP #2

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-reschny_goal_01.mp4

Not just a playmaker, Reschny can score some pretty goals as well. He waits out both the defenseman and goaltender, taking advantage of each in turn to score, while making it look easy.

CLIP #3

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-reschny_pass_02.mp4

Another nice pass from Reschny in this clip, this time on a 5 on 3 power play. Reschny is able to use the time and space to thread a perfectly placed pass to the back door of the net, making another easy tap in goal for his teammate.

CLIP #4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-reschny_bad_01.mp4

This last clip is a good example of Reschny puck watching in his own zone, leading to an opposing player getting open for a goal. He starts the clip moving in the direction of the puck carrier who is already pretty well covered. Instead of watching the puck at this point, he needs to be shoulder checking to make sure no opposition player is crashing down towards the net looking for a pass.

Jordan Gavin - Forward - Tri-City Americans (WHL)

Entering his third season in the WHL, Jordan Gavin is another late 2006 birthday finally eligible for the NHL Draft. Gavin has been a mainstay in the Americans’ top six since his first full season with the team and has quietly become a good two-way player despite the team’s meager success.

He’s a more gifted playmaker than goal scorer and can play left wing or center as needed. He’s effective in all three zones and plays on all of Tri-City’s special teams. He’s basically a Swiss army knife whose offence has grown steadily over the last couple of seasons. Last year he was a point a game player, scoring 23 goals and 45 assists in 68 games. He’s expected to take another step offensively this coming season.

Tri-City hasn’t seen much success as a team in the last couple of seasons, and Gavin will need to continue to refine his defensive zone work in order to help the team push back into the playoffs. He seems to know what to do in the zone, to the point of calling out coverage switches to his teammates during play, but his effort level isn’t always where it needs to be. It’s something NHL teams will be keeping an eye on.

CLIP #1

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-jgavin_shot_01.mp4

This first clip shows Gavin (#13 in blue) scoring a nice goal on the power play. He reads the PK coverage and takes the space given to him, putting himself in a better position to score. He uses the defender as a screen and snaps a very accurate wrister into the top corner.

CLIP #2

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-jgavin_pass_01.mp4

This next clip is a nice passing play by Gavin and is a good example of his awareness in the offensive zone. As he skates in with the puck, he correctly reads that he can’t get to the net nor will a shot do much good. As he takes the puck below the net and turns, you can see that he’s looking for a passing option. He spots the trailing player and puts the puck right onto the trailer’s stick for a one time shot.

CLIP #3

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-jgavin_pass_02.mp4

This play is a result of Gavin reading bad coverage by Seattle. They’ve left him all alone at the blue line and if he gets the puck, he’ll be in behind the defense. As the play evolves, Gavin sees that the goaltender has overcommitted to his side as the puck is passed over. With no one covering the passer, Gavin slides it back over for an easy goal.

CLIP #4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-jgavin_bad_01.mp4

This clip is an example of Gavin’s defensive issues in his own zone. He doesn’t look like he’s sure about his positioning. He shoulder checks the defenseman at the blue line, which is good, but then he doesn’t commit to the puck carrier until it’s too late.

Benjamin Kindel - Forward - Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Kindel is a playmaking dynamo for the Calgary Hitmen. As a rookie in the WHL last season, he tallied 45 assists in 68 games, on a Hitmen team that just missed the playoffs. His assist total was Calgary’s best. It was also good for third amongst all rookies, ahead of Cole Reschny. Kindel’s point totals were also good for third on the Hitmen squad, behind only Oliver Tulk and 2024 1st round selection, Carter Yakemchuk.

Kindel uses his vision to create scoring chances all over the offensive zone and has a knack for finding the open man. He’s a key piece of Calgary’s power play, positioned on the wall where he can stretch passes across the offensive zone or send the puck back up to Yakemchuk for point shots. Kindel also possesses a good shot and should look to use it more this coming season.

One of the areas that Kindel needs to improve upon is his strength and balance. He’s a good skater, but last season he was easily knocked off his feet. He has good footspeed but there were times where his first steps seemed to lack power, especially towards the end of his shifts. It looks like he’s added about 10 pounds to his frame over the summer, and that should help.

Kindel will have the opportunity to represent his country for the first time as he has been named to Team Canada for this summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup. It will be interesting to see where the coaching staff slots him into the lineup, and that will show how much trust they have in his even strength game.

CLIP #1

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-bkindel_pass_01.mp4

This pass by Kindel (#23 in black) is one of the reasons why he led the Hitmen in assists last season. Finding the open man and being able to pass through three opposition players are skills that will help Kindel make a name for himself.

CLIP #2

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-bkindel_pass_02.mp4

This clip demonstrates Kindel’s passing ability on the power play. Being able to load up a pass to get it through the PK box, and have the pass be accurate, will keep Kindel on the power play for years to come.

CLIP #3

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-bkindel_shot_01.mp4

Not just a playmaker, Kindel has a bit of scoring touch as well. This goal comes on the penalty kill for Calgary. Kindel reads the play well and shows a bit of flashy scoring ability on the shorthanded breakaway.

CLIP #4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-bkindel_bad_01.mp4

This clip highlights Kindel’s lack of skating power and balance. There are a couple of opportunities during this clip to be stronger on his skates and he just doesn’t have the strength to do that here. It needs improvement if he’s to take the next step.

Jackson Smith - Defense - Tri-City Americans (WHL)

The first defenseman on our list, Smith is a strong and capable two-way defender who will look to improve upon a good rookie season for the Americans. He’s a bit of a do everything defenseman who can skate and create offence as well as take care of the defensive zone. He’s one of the later birthdays (May 5th, 2007) on this list, which means more time for progression than some of his counterparts. He also has the opportunity to become Tri-City’s top defender this upcoming season, with some graduations and the trade of Lukas Dragicevic to Prince Albert.

Smith has a number of standout traits, not the least of which is his size. Listed at 6’3” / 190 lbs, he already has great size and has the frame to add more muscle. Despite already being a bigger man, his skating is a plus and he’s able to generate good footspeed. He uses these traits to make his way up and down the ice to be involved in the play in all three zones. He’s a good passer and shooter, and tallied 29 points (8 goals, 21 assists) in 62 games last season.

One of the main areas that Smith will need to work on this season is his defensive reads and awareness. The Tri-City team in general struggled on the defensive side of the puck and that needs improvement across the board. Smith’s reads were spotty at times, reading the play perfectly on one shift, and then missing an assignment on the next.

Smith’s overall play has been good enough that he’s representing Canada internationally for the second time. He’s on the roster for this summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup and was on last year’s World U-17 Hockey Challenge team.

CLIP #1

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-jsmith_hit_01.mp4

This first clip show’s Smith at his defensive best, using his skating to gap up properly to the attacking forward, then keeping him wide along the boards. Good stick placement prevents the forward from passing the puck and then Smith finishes him off with a heavy body check.

CLIP #2

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-jsmith_pass_01.mp4

This play demonstrates more of Smith’s skating ability while also showing his skills as a passer. Creating zone exits and entries with his skating are great to see, even with pressure from the opposition. The passing play at the end is pretty high level as he hides his intentions until the last minute, keeping the defenders and the goaltender guessing until it’s too late.

CLIP #3

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-jsmith_shot_01.mp4

Smith also possesses a good accurate wrist shot and is able to use it often due to his skating. In this clip, he creates another zone exit and entry using his skating footspeed and agility. Once he’s turned the defender and is past him, he quickly takes a shot before the goaltender is ready, placing his wrist shot perfectly into the top corner.

CLIP #4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-jsmith_bad_01.mp4

This clip is an example of Jackson’s spotty defensive reads. He sees that the puck carrier is about to beat and turn his defensive partner but reacts too late to get into better position to help eliminate the threat. Jackson is also a better skater than he shows in this clip and needs to use his speed to get into better position.

Joshua Ravensbergen - Goaltender - Prince George Cougars (WHL)

The only goaltender on our early list this year, Joshua Ravensbergen was a revelation in the WHL last season. In his rookie year he was in the top ten of the WHL for wins, save percentage, goals against average, and led the league with six shutouts. He shared the Cougar net with Ty Young during the regular season before taking over in the playoffs. He’s another late 2006 birthday, so he was ineligible for this past NHL Draft, but is up for selection in 2025. Ravensbergen is also representing his country for the first time, playing for Team Canada in this year’s Summer Showcase.

Ravensbergen has prototypical NHL goaltender height with his measurements listed as 6’4” / 180 lbs. He’s a right-handed catching goaltender, which has become more common. He’s a very athletic player and is in and out of his crouch quickly. His lateral movement is good and he’s able to cover the net well moving side to side.

Like all young goaltenders, there are holes in Ravensbergen’s game currently. The biggest issue is his puck tracking. He doesn’t always track the puck well and it has cost him goals. There’s also a tendency to overcommit to shooters which causes him to lose his net and get scored on once in a while. He tries to rely on his athleticism to overcome these issues, but they should be correctable with coaching and drill work.

Barring a total collapse of his game, Ravensbergen should be the first WHL goaltender drafted next summer and could be one of the first goaltenders drafted overall.

CLIP #1

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-ravensbergen_bad_01.mp4

This first clip demonstrates Ravensbergen’s issues with tracking the puck. Puck play behind the net can be an issue for goaltenders in general, but Ravensbergen’s tracking is well behind the play here. It would also be good to see more lateral push when he moves right to left to help cover/seal the side of the net where the puck goes in.

CLIP #2

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-ravensbergen_bad_02.mp4

This is another play where Ravensbergen doesn’t track the puck as well as he needs to. He doesn’t see that the puck is no longer in the middle of the ice until it’s too late.

CLIP #3

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-ravensbergen_good_01.mp4

This clip shows Ravensbergen’s athleticism and read and react ability. The lateral movement here is good as is his recovery and correction on a bit of an overslide on the initial save. He’s able to get in and out of his crouch quickly in order to be ready for his next save.

CLIP #4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-ravensbergen_good_02.mp4

This is a good series of saves by Ravensbergen after a couple of turnovers right in front of his net. He’s in and out of his butterfly quickly so he doesn’t leave the top of the net more open than it needs to be. He also does a good job of sealing the short side post after the initial save and rebound.

Reese Hamilton - Defense - Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Reese Hamilton is a mobile, two-way defenceman entering his second year with the Calgary Hitmen. His first season was a success despite missing all of December with a lower body injury. He was a better player after the injury, scoring most of his points upon his return to the lineup. He ended his season with 8 goals and 23 assists in 42 games, good for third amongst WHL rookie defencemen and second amongst Hitmen defenders.

Hamilton’s game is based upon his skating and his ability to get up and down the ice quickly and efficiently. His offensive skills work well with his skating as he’s often seen slashing into the offensive zone to make a play or score a goal. He’s also used on Calgary’s power play as a puck distributor, along with Benjamin Kindel. Defensively, Hamilton relies on positioning and stick work to contain opposing players. He’s not very big, nor very physical, so that part of his game is lacking. He also needs to work on his defensive awareness and not get caught out of position as much.

Hamilton has represented Canada at last year’s World U-17 Hockey Challenge and was a member of the U-18 World Championship team. He’ll play for Canada at this summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup as well. He’ll be in the mix for a middle pair role on the Hitmen this coming season.

CLIP #1

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-rhamilton_good_01.mp4

This first play shows Hamilton (#9 in black) using his skating to slash into the offensive zone to get to a free puck. Once he has possession, he uses his skating and puck handling to protect the puck until he’s ready for a last second pass into the slot for a goal.

CLIP #2

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-rhamilton_good_02.mp4

In this clip, Hamilton is able to take advantage of a coverage mistake by the opposition. Getting that open in the slot isn’t the easiest task, but Hamilton makes it look easy with his glide speed and mobility. Once he has the puck, he has the skills to beat the goaltender one on one.

CLIP #3

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-rhamilton_good_03.mp4

Zone exits and entries with the puck are common for Hamilton. He’s able to use his skating to create time and space for himself in order to bring the puck up through all three zones.

CLIP #4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-rhamilton_bad_01.mp4

Hamilton will rely on his skating to make up for bad defensive reads, but it doesn’t always work. It seems that he is out of position outside of the camera view at the beginning of this play and has to work just to get close to the open man skating down the middle of the ice. Hamilton doesn’t have time to get in front of the attacker, and the result is a goal against.

Peyton Kettles - Defense - Swift Current Broncos (WHL)

Not all of the defensemen coming out of the WHL are the smaller, offensive type. Peyton Kettles is a prototypical, modern day, defensive defenseman. He has great size and has a desire to punish opposing forwards, but he’s also a very good skater and doesn’t get caught out of position often. His birthday comes very late in this draft cycle (September 1st, 2007) so he’s got a longer path of development available than most of the other players eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft.

Listed at 6’5” / 190 pounds Kettles is a big man. He has the frame to continue to add muscle, so he’s only going to get stronger. With his height comes a long reach and he’s able to use his stick effectively to disrupt puck possession by opposition players. His skating allows him to be in good position in terms of gapping up on attacking forwards and he doesn’t get turned often. His reach and physicality make life difficult for opposing players when playing in his zone. He compares well to Charlie Elick, the 36th overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Offensively, Kettles doesn’t offer much. He’s got some offensive awareness but is a bit limited skill-wise. He’ll flash occasionally in the offensive zone but to expect regular point contribution is likely an overestimation. He makes good zone exit stretch passes and isn’t a minus player with the puck on his stick.

Kettles could always work on adding more offence to his game, but the area in need of biggest improvement is keeping his emotions in check on the ice. He takes unnecessary penalties, usually far away from the puck. If he can stay out of the box more, he’ll be an even more effective player.

Kettles was a member of Team Canada’s World U-17 Hockey Challenge Team Red and will be playing for Canada at this summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

CLIP #1

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-pkettles_good_01.mp4

This first clip shows Kettles (#4 in white) going up against the leading scorer in the WHL last season, Jagger Firkus. He handles the assignment well, using his feet and an active stick to stay close and disruptive. He gives Firkus no room and is able to poke the puck away when Firkus tries to create space for himself.

CLIP #2

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-pkettles_good_02.mp4

This next clip shows Kettles ability to stretch the ice with an accurate outlet pass. His ability to move the puck out of his zone with his passing or his skating is definitely an asset.

CLIP #3

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-pkettles_good_03.mp4

As mentioned, Kettles (#4 in red) does flash offensive ability on occasion. This rush to the net and follow up pass show some good offensive instincts. The shot on net is not quite as strong.

CLIP #4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-pkettles_bad_01.mp4

Kettles likes to be physical, but he needs to control himself better than he does in this clip. Even though the referee immediately in front of Kettles doesn’t call a penalty, the one at center ice does, and rightly so.

Blake Fiddler - Defense - Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

Right-handed defensemen with skating ability and size are always in demand in the NHL. Add in the possibility of some two-way offensive pop, and you’ve got a player that teams will look to draft in the early rounds of the NHL Draft. Blake Fiddler, the son of former NHL’er Vern Fiddler, could be that kind of player, if things go his way this upcoming season in the WHL.

Fiddler possesses some offensive skills at the WHL level but it’s unclear if they will translate to the pro level currently. He will need to improve that part of his game this upcoming season to make up for the departed Marc Lajoie and give scouts reason to believe he can be an offensive contributor at the next level. His skating is good, and he is a mobile, two-way defender. His gap play while defending is a work in progress but showed improvement towards the end of last season. His play in his own zone is also a work in progress and he gets caught out of position trying to do too much at times. He’s a willing hitter and brings a bit of aggression in own zone.

Fiddler possesses good size with a measured listing of 6’4” / 207 lbs on USA Hockey’s Hlinka Gretzky roster for this summer’s tournament. It would seem that he added an inch or two and almost 15 pounds from the end of last season with the Oil Kings. It will be interesting to see if the growth has affected his skating at all.

CLIP #1

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-bfiddler_good_01.mp4

This clip shows Fiddler’s offensive awareness and ability to create on the power play. It’s not a perfect play, but it is effective in creating a goal.

CLIP #2

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-bfiddler_good_02.mp4

Fiddler likes to carry the puck out of his own zone to create zone exits and offensive zone entries. He’s a good passer as well, and looks to pass before skating the puck out in this clip. Seeing no good passing options, he decides to skate the puck out himself and is able to use his puck handling to get by the two defenders at center ice.

CLIP #3

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-bfiddler_good_03.mp4

Fiddler’s gap play is on display in this clip. His initial decision to funnel the puck carrier to the wall is good, but he doesn’t use his stick well enough to break up the play, instead laying the body to separate the puck carrier from the puck. It would be good to see him use his stick better before attempting a body check in this instance.

CLIP #4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-bfiddler_bad_01.mp4

This last clip for Fiddler shows him trying to do too much in the defensive zone, likely looking to force a turnover to take the other way up the ice. What results is Fiddler struggling to maintain position and relying on his stick too much. He’ll need to work on his effort level defensively before trying to create offense as his career moves forward.

Cameron Schmidt - Forward - Vancouver Giants (WHL)

With the biggest boom or bust potential of this initial list, Cameron Schmidt is a confident and supremely talented offensive player whose size and defence will determine what round of the Draft he gets drafted in.

Schmidt burst onto the scene with 31 goals in 59 games and was just under a point a game player in his first season in the WHL. He brought speed, offensive flair, and the ability to stretch teams defensively along with his goal scoring prowess. He ended up in the top ten of WHL rookie scoring despite missing almost 10 games. He represented Canada at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge and will be on Canada’s Hlinka Gretzky team this summer.

Now comes the challenging part. Schmidt is listed at 5’7” / 153 lbs on Canada’s Hlinka Gretzky roster. He’s currently very small for the NHL and there will be questions about how much growth is left for him as the Draft gets closer. He also needs to dramatically improve his defensive game in order to play at the pro level. Zach Benson is a small player in the NHL from the WHL, but he plays the game a lot stronger and more defensively than Schmidt does. These issues will follow Schmidt all year unless he proves that he can be more of a responsible two way player and not just a sniper.

CLIP #1

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-cschmidt_good_01.mp4

This first clip is Cameron Schimdt (#19 in black) in a nutshell. He’s very fast and is able to get his shot off while moving at speed. His goal scoring ability is high level.

CLIP #2

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-cschmidt_good_01.mp4

Another goal scoring clip for Schmidt here. His puck handling in the slot on this play is quite good, and he’s able to place his shot into the top corner of the net quite easily.

CLIP #3

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-cschmidt_good_03.mp4

This clip shows Schmidt’s offensive awareness and counter attacking ability. His read on the play is good and where he brings the puck is smart. He positions the defender to screen the goaltender and uses an excellent puck release to put the puck in the net.

CLIP #4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-cschmidt_bad_01.mp4

As mentioned, Schmidt needs to work on his defensive game. Everything about his decision making and effort level is questionable here, from the initial read at center ice to the slow coast into his own zone as the opposition is scoring.

CLIP #5

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/5-cschmidt_bad_02.mp4

Schmidt gets caught puck watching in his own zone in this clip. As the player closest to the goal scorer, there has to be a much better effort made to try and stop him from getting that shot off. This would drive NHL coaches crazy.

Peyton Kettles – McKeen's Hockey

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Roger McQueen - Forward - Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

Cole Reschny - Forward - Victoria Royals (WHL)

Jordan Gavin - Forward - Tri-City Americans (WHL)

Benjamin Kindel - Forward - Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Jackson Smith - Defense - Tri-City Americans (WHL)

Joshua Ravensbergen - Goaltender - Prince George Cougars (WHL)

Reese Hamilton - Defense - Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Peyton Kettles - Defense - Swift Current Broncos (WHL)

Blake Fiddler - Defense - Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

Cameron Schmidt - Forward - Vancouver Giants (WHL)