Ryker Lee – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: Victor Nuño – DYNASTY STOCK WATCH – Nashville Predators Edition

Victor Nuño — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:30:43 +0000

McKeen’s Hockey: Dynasty Stock Watch

Nashville Predators Edition

Team Outlook

The Nashville Predators remain in a complicated transition phase, attempting to balance short-term competitiveness with the need for meaningful internal growth. The summer of 2024 signings of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault were meant to accelerate a winning culture and stabilize the roster but instead preceded one of the worst seasons in franchise history, surpassed only by their inaugural campaign. Despite those struggles, Nashville has not fully pivoted toward a rebuild. Their roster still skews toward the middle of the league in average age, 15th overall, and the organization continues to signal a desire to compete rather than reset. That approach puts added pressure on their prospect pipeline to deliver impact contributors sooner rather than later.

There are still legitimate pillars in place. Luke Evangelista has taken another step forward and looks like a clear bright spot in the forward group, while Roman Josi’s health issues have fortunately not limited his overall effectiveness this season. Juuse Saros has also rediscovered his form, stabilizing the crease after some uncertainty. For dynasty managers, this is a critical evaluation window, identifying which young players are positioned to graduate into real roles, and which may struggle to find long-term fantasy relevance in a franchise still searching for its next true competitive identity.

Buy Candidates

NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 16: Nashville Predators right wing Matthew Wood (52) is shown during the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, held on April 16, 2025, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire)

Matthew Wood (RW, 20)

Why Buy?
Wood’s blend of size, skill, and shooting ability continues to make him one of the most intriguing assets in Nashville’s pipeline. At 6-foot-4, he protects the puck well, finishes from dangerous areas, and owns a heavy, accurate release that already looks like an NHL weapon. He has earned opportunities at the NHL level this season and has shown flashes as a legitimate scoring threat, particularly with his shot. While his overall impact has been uneven, his vision and playmaking remain underrated, and his game still projects best as a power forward who can create offense both off the rush and from set plays.

From a fantasy perspective, this is a classic buy window. According to Hockey Viz, Wood has not yet made Nashville’s offense more dangerous at either even strength or on the power play, which may cause some managers to cool on him prematurely. That data can be used as leverage in trade talks, even though it also shows that his shot is already well above league average in danger. Nashville lacks long-term top six wingers with size and finishing ability, and Wood has a clear path to filling that role once the coaching staff learns how to properly integrate him, particularly on the power play. With patience and the right deployment, he still carries legitimate 30-goal and top power play upside, making now an ideal time to acquire him before the results catch up to the tools.

Yegor Surin (C, 19)

Why Buy?
Surin is a strong example of a player whose box score alone undersells his overall impact. He plays with relentless energy, attacks the middle of the ice, and has the hands and creativity to make plays in traffic. His compete level is consistently high, and he has shown the ability to produce against older competition in the KHL. Surin can play both center and wing, contributes on the penalty kill, and generates offense through pace, pressure, and effort rather than relying on open ice. After flashing promise during his draft season, he has taken a meaningful step forward this year, raising his production to 27 points in 39 games for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, a notable jump given his role and usage in a strong KHL lineup.

From a fantasy perspective, Surin remains undervalued because he is not yet a household name and has not posted eye-catching totals, but the projection is compelling. Hockey Prospecting continues to peg him at a 45% chance of becoming a star, reflecting a profile that blends offensive upside with strong peripheral contributions in shots and hits. He looks like the type of player whose value could spike quickly once he transitions to North America and adjusts to the smaller ice surface. For dynasty managers, this is exactly the kind of player to acquire before the broader market catches up to the underlying indicators.

Ryker Lee (LW, 19)

Why Buy?
Lee is an emerging prospect on the rise. Despite being younger and less proven than other names on this list, his combination of processing speed, offensive awareness, and two-way responsibility makes him a fascinating long-term target. He has shown advanced play-driving ability for his age, with refined decision-making and improving skating that consistently puts him in the right areas to generate offense. Lee has been fantastic at Michigan State this season, posting thirteen points in sixteen games and establishing himself as a dynamic offensive presence capable of attacking off the rush and creating in tight spaces while remaining defensively reliable.

At a disappointing Under 20 World Junior Championship (U20WJC) for the Americans, Lee was a bright spot in spurts, scoring two goals and adding an assist in a depth role. His pNHLe in the NHL Rank King application is a bit down this season, but that should not be discouraging, as his usage and age context matter more than raw translation numbers at this stage. In dynasty formats, this is an ideal speculative buy. A slightly subdued U20WJC showing could allow savvy managers to acquire him at a discount, and Nashville’s patient approach with high-IQ prospects gives Lee a clear path to meaningful opportunity. Getting in early could yield significant return on investment as he continues to climb toward legitimate top six upside.

Sell Candidates

Zachary L’Heureux (LW, 22)

Why Sell?
L’Heureux plays a high-energy, physical style that makes him a fan favorite. He hits, agitates, and can score in tight areas, which has fueled the perception of him as a future impact winger. However, his offensive game has not progressed at the pace Nashville likely hoped. He relies more on effort than creativity, and discipline remains an ongoing concern. While his penalty minutes and physical edge can be attractive in certain fantasy formats, undisciplined play often limits ice time and trust at the NHL level.

From an analytics standpoint, his 2024–25 Evolving Hockey player card paints a clear picture: strong defensive impact but limited offensive contribution. He averages over three hits per game in just over twelve minutes of ice time, providing excellent peripheral coverage, but his playmaking, skating, and offensive processing do not project to consistent top six usage. With Nashville continuing to add more skilled forwards, L’Heureux increasingly looks like a bottom-six energy winger rather than a Tom Wilson–type difference maker. There is still value here, so do not sell him for nothing, but the odds of a true breakout are slim. With his name value remaining relatively high, this is an ideal window to move him before his role fully solidifies and his fantasy ceiling becomes clearer.

Brady Martin (C, 18)

Why Sell?
Martin’s draft stock rose on the back of his physical maturity and flashes of offensive upside. Making the Predators out of camp was certainly a feather in his cap. That said, his early NHL opportunity appears to be driven more by his strong defensive game than by high-end offensive acumen. While he plays a mature, responsible game, he has not consistently shown the pace or creativity typically associated with impact fantasy scorers.

From a fantasy perspective, the projection remains cloudy. His pNHLe via the NHL Rank King application has dipped this season, which more accurately reflects his likely points ceiling rather than his overall usefulness as a player. Martin profiles as someone who could provide solid peripherals (currently only 50th percentile for blocks, shots, and hits in the OHL) and reliable middle-six minutes, but not necessarily the type of scorer who moves the needle in dynasty formats. This sell recommendation is not an indictment of his NHL future, he looks like a safe bet to play meaningful games, but rather a recognition that his upside may be capped. With optimism still high around a recent draftee who cracked an NHL roster early, now is a good window to move him before the perception of breakout potential gives way to a clearer, more modest fantasy role.

Aiden Fink (RW, 21)

Why Sell?
Fink has one of the more entertaining offensive skill sets in the Predators’ system, built around quick edges, deceptive puck handling, and strong playmaking instincts. After dominating the AJHL, he transitioned smoothly to the NCAA and showed that his creativity and vision translate against higher-end competition. He reads defenders well, attacks off movement, and is effective facilitating offense rather than driving it alone. While he missed a significant portion of this season with a broken thumb, he is expected back soon, and a potential pairing with Gavin McKenna could boost his production and visibility down the stretch.

From a fantasy perspective, Fink profiles more as a high-end complementary piece than a true offensive driver at the NHL level. His pNHLe via the NHL Rank King application currently projects to be under 60 points, which suggests meaningful secondary offense rather than star-level production. Because he was not a high draft pick and has developed largely outside the spotlight, his dynasty cost remains affordable, but expectations should be managed. He may need time and the right deployment to carve out a role, likely as a top-six supporting winger with power-play utility. For deeper leagues, he remains a reasonable stash, especially if his production rebounds quickly upon return, but he is better viewed as a value add than a future centerpiece.

Summary

Player	Role	Key Insight
Matthew Wood	Buy	Power winger with size, scoring touch, and top six upside
Yegor Surin	Buy	High-motor, skilled forward with multi-cat potential
Ryker Lee	Buy	Smart, rising prospect with long-term top six potential
Aiden Fink	Sell	Intelligent winger that profiles more as a complementary piece
Zachary L’Heureux	Sell	Physical winger with limited offensive ceiling
Brady Martin	Sell	Safe projection but lacks high-end fantasy upside

2026 WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Daily Recap- January 2nd, 2026 – Game Summaries – Standout Performances – Notable Draft Eligible Prospects

Kyle Pereira and Linc Zdancewicz — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 16:32:53 +0000

RELEGATION

Germany and Denmark geared up for the right to stay up in the top division early on Friday morning, with the Germans suiting up for their third straight relegation round. The game commenced with a consistent attack from Germany, who struck early on from a David Lewandowski snipe to go up 1-0. Ferocity didn’t dissipate from there on, as both teams were called for different high-sticking calls. Germany killed their penalty, however, Denmark was unable to, with Maxim Schafer jamming the puck home to take a 2-0 lead. Later on, Denmark went back on the power play, where Mads Klyvo would get open to successfully convert this time for the Danes. The first period ended shortly after with a slight German advantage at 2-1.

At the outset of the second, Germany jumped on the puck early, getting possession and scoring quickly; Manuel Schams fired a shot that hit a Danish defender’s skate to go up 3-1 in the middle period. Less than two minutes later, Germany added to their lead from a beautiful Simon Seidl wrister, putting themselves fully in the driver's seat of this relegation game. However, the Danes didn’t stay down for long. On the power play, Mads Klyvo found a lane yet again to cut the lead to two, and just four minutes later, William Bundgaard maneuvered behind the net, finding Oliver Green to cut the lead to one going into the final period. However, in that fateful third period, the Danes would take consecutive penalties to give the Germans a two-man advantage early in the period, in which they would score from Dustin Wilhoft, who weaved his way to sneak the puck backhand to tuck his second of the tournament.

The third drew down with both teams scoring again, with Manuel Schams scoring for the Germans and Anton Linde for Denmark. Another penalty for Denmark gave Germany an even larger margin of victory on the stick of Lenny Boos. Finally, late Tobias Schwarz would pot an empty netter to ensure an even more dominant German victory. The Danes officially will be relegated next year, with the Norwegians coming back up into the Top division in Edmonton and Red Deer.

Ivar Stenberg of Sweden and Krists Retenais of Latvia during the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship quarterfinal game between Sweden and Latvia on January 2, 2026 in Saint Paul.
Photo: Joel Marklund / BILDBYRÅN

SWEDEN v LATVIA

The first quarterfinals matchup of the day, it would be the winner of Group A, Sweden, taking on Latvia. Sweden got off to a very quick start, wasting absolutely no time on a bad Latvian turnover on a defensive retrieval. It was Anton Frondell who struck first, about 10 seconds in, after he got a piece of the shot from Leo Sahlin Wallenius from the point. After as bad a start as they could have, the Latvians would find some momentum. Early, they were not exposing a weakness that the Swedes had shown previously; their defensemen struggled with breakouts when under pressure. But Latvia would put the pressure on and start getting some looks. It led to back-to-back power plays, and on the second opportunity, Kristers Ansons would fire a beautiful shot past Love Harenstam to tie the game up at one. But just as quickly as it seemed the Latvians found their stride, they would resort to a chess match with Sweden. While they did a good job forcing dump-ins and preventing the Swedes from consistently getting to the slot, Lucas Pettersson would work his way down low with the puck as Jack Berglund drove the slot, and Pettersson would put the puck exactly where it needed to be, and Berglund put it home.

Again, in the second period, Latvia would resort to a chess match. They weren’t pressuring the Swedish defenders, instead resorting to a sort of neutral zone trap. While it forced the Swedes to dump pucks in instead of enter the offensive zone with possession, and keep them to the perimeter for the most part, they were not skilled enough nor fast enough to hold Sweden’s stars off for long. Sascha Boumedienne would put home a nice set up from Alfons Freij while Berglund blinded Nils Maurins with his screen in front. Ivar Stenberg dominated possession for much of that offensive zone time as well, helping create the opening for the goal. Less than two minutes later, Felix Carrell would score as he stepped down from the point and took a smart feed from Victor Eklund to blast home, quickly turning what was a one-goal lead into a three goal lead.

In the third period, things started very chippy, with Alberts Smits throwing a late hit after the whistle on Linus Eriksson, who retaliated, creating a big scrum. But despite Smits trying to ignite his team, it would not matter, as Frondell would score his second of the game on an excellent shot to put his team up 5-1. Latvia would not go down without a fight, as Karlis Flugins would fire home a brilliant shot to cut the deficit to three, giving them a glimmer of hope. But after some more back and forth, with neither team willing to make a mistake, it would once again be the more skilled team who drew blood. This time, it was Leo Sahlin Wallenius who beat Maurins with a seeing eye shot from the point to re-claim the four-goal lead. However, Alfons Freij took a bad delay of game penalty, and Latvia would take advantage very quickly, as Olivers Murnieks would score just 12 seconds in on the man-advantage, cutting the deficit back down to three. But that would be all she wrote, as Sweden would send Latvia packing, while they punched their ticket to the semi-finals and a guaranteed shot at a medal.

MVPs:

Sweden: Jack Berglund, Anton Frondell, Ivar Stenberg

Latvia: Olivers Murnieks, Nils Maurins, Krisjanis Sarts

CZECHIA v SWITZERLAND

Czechia and Switzerland has been an anticipated one for the quarter finals because both teams have seriously pressured the top dogs in this tournament. The Swiss got to their game early in this one, shutting down the Czech pressure and adding pressure of their own to boot. Shortly after not scoring on their first power play, Leon Muggli launched one that squeaked under Marik to give the Swiss a 1-0 lead. From there the Swiss were still shutting down their opponents and overall giving more effort in the first, though the Czechs started to break through towards the intermission.

Czechia came out hot for the second, Tomas Galvas grabbed their first goal on some incredible edge work and a tricky shot, tying the Swiss a minute in. The game truly stayed close as both were vying for possession aggressively. Radim Mrtka’s stick was too aggressive as he was taken to the box for high-sticking, that penalty resulted in a Jamiro Reber goal from an impressive Jonah Neuenschwander feed to go up by one once again. The Czechs still played it close and Samuel Drancak finally broke through, willing his way past several Swiss defenders to bury his chance under Kirsch to tie it up.

Shortly after the equalizer, an awkward broken play off the faceoff lead to Adam Jiricek finding a loose puck by the boards and firing it into an open net, Kirsch did not see the shot and the Czechs grabbed their first lead of the game 3-2. Czechia seemed to grab control of the game from there, putting way more quality chances on net, scoring another one off the stick of Petr Sikora to put them ahead by two, a lead they would take into the third period at 4-2.

That domination would continue to start the third, controlling possession once again. Jiri Klima put the game officially out of reach at even strength, with the Czechs leading 5-2. As the desperation of the Swiss continued to mount, Ludvig Johnson took a boarding penalty that gave the opportunistic Czechs another great chance to extend their lead, and extend they would with Jakub Fibigr netting his first of the tournament. The period would shortly draw to an end after that, with the Czechs looking more than dominant after a slow start to this game, they move on to the Semis.

MVP’s

Czechia: Tomas Galvas, Petr Sikora, Samuel Drancak

Switzerland: Leon Muggli, Mike Aeschliman, Jamiro Reber.

USA v FINLAND

After a disappointing loss for both teams in their final group stage matchups, both USA and Finland are looking to bounce back. The first period would see both teams playing two totally different styles, with a lot of give and take. The US were flying up ice and moving the puck very quickly around the offensive zone, and it led to some excellent looks, especially on their power play opportunity. But Petteri Rimpinen was up to the task, and Finland’s defensive structure was still sound despite the US getting some good looks. Meanwhile, the Finns were playing composed, patient, and advantageous hockey. The US would turn the puck over multiple times in key spots, leading to several golden opportunities. This time, it was Nick Kempf who stood tall, matching Rimpinen’s start.

In the second period, the US would get off to a much faster start, killing off the rest of their penalty at the end of the first, then immediately finding the back of the net. Cole Hutson would announce his return in style with a great shot after a great rush and set up by LJ Mooney, who is finding a groove over these last few games. But the Finns would get things under control, scoring a goal of their own, with Heikki Ruohonen putting it home. Ruohonen won a battle in the corner off the dump and chase, with Max Westergard working along the wall before spinning back low and putting the puck on a platter for Ruohonen. About five minutes after evening the score, the Finns would make a crucial mistake and take a too many men penalty, giving the US another power play. This time, Cole Eiserman would not be denied, as Hutson yet again makes a great play, setting up a one-timer for Eiserman by threading the needle.

In the third period, it would be more and more of that same game. Just a masterclass of skill and smarts from both teams, waiting for the right opportunity. Finland, late in the game, found the back of the net, with a ridiculous pass from Aron Kiviharju to Leo Tuuva to tie the game. Then five seconds later, yes, literally five seconds later, Finland’s Joona Saarelainen would give them their first lead of the game, off another ridiculous pass from Tuuva this time. The US would pull their goalie, and as soon as the extra attacker hit the ice, Ryker Lee would finish off a brilliant pass from James Hagens in tight to beat Rimpinen in the slot, and the game was tied. It felt like the building was shaking, the energy was fully awakened in this building. And to overtime we went!

The Finns would establish possession and hold onto it for much of the OT period, outside of one good look for Teddy Stiga. That would pay dividends, as Finland’s Matias Vanhanen would play the puck to the bottom of the right circle, where Arttu Valila would beat Kempf on the blocker side, sending the USA’s hopes for a three-peat out the window, while they join their rivals Sweden and Czechia, while they await the outcome of Canada and Slovakia for the final semi-final spot.

MVPs:

USA: Cole Hutson, Ryker Lee, Cole Eiserman

Finland: Daniel Nieminen, Joona Saarelainen, Heikki Ruohonen

CANADA v SLOVAKIA

The final quarter-final matchup seemed to be the most predictable prior to the game but Slovakia came to play in the early part of the first. Both teams had their chances early, with Slovakia matching Canada physically. After several more close chances, Keaton Verhoeff fired a shot on net that was finished by his North Dakota teammate Cole Reschny to give Canada the lead with around six to go in the period. Just a minute later, Tij Iginla came streaking down the perimeter and released a tight shot that bounced right out the back of the net, putting Canada up 2-0.

The Canadians kept the pressure on tight, dominating chances with Michael Misa scoring an incredible goal by himself to further the blowout. After letting in his third goal on 12 shots, Michal Pradel was pulled in favor of Alan Lendak. On the very next shot, Carson Carels launched a blocked shot on net that got cleaned up by Sam O’Reilly to further beat up on the Slovaks. Tomas Pobezal took a costly penalty to put Canada on their dangerous power play, where Gavin McKenna passed a magical feed to Brady Martin to bury it for the 5-0 lead to end the first.

The second continued to be a dominant one for Canada, but the scoring didn’t appear until almost ten minutes in, when Porter Martone netted his fourth of the tournament, and shortly after, Cole Beaudoin got another in his belt when he lifted one past Lendak to put Canada up 7-0 midway through the second. As the period wound down, the Slovaks found themselves in an interesting chance in their offensive zone, and they converted off the stick of Jan Chovan, who found a lane through traffic to give the Slovaks a point just before the second intermission.

MVPsCanada: Michael Misa, Michael Hage, Keaton VerhoeffSlovakia: Tobias Pitka, Alan Lendak, Jan Chovan

INDIVIDUAL REPORTS

Leon Muggli (SWI) 1G

It seems that Washington has an abundance of riches in their prospect core, just look at the performance of Muggli from today. The entire tournament, he has been Switzerland’s best puck mover and finished tied as the leading scorer. Muggli’s skating and edgework along the blueline have been both excellent and not overly flashy. He is the perfect combination of aggressive and stable when running at the top of the offensive zone, and that was exemplified with his goal to take the early lead in this one. Muggli’s retrievals have also been a strong point as he has been able to get it out for the Swiss at those high-danger moments against both strong and weak opponents. His gap control in this game was very solid despite finishing as a -1 on the day. Muggli’s main strength comes from that composure in the neutral zone, going both ways. It’s just another feather in the cap of the Capitals for grabbing this kid when they did in 2024.

Michael Misa (CAN) 1G 1A

By far, Michael Misa’s best performance of the tournament, as he came out of the gate flying and looking like he was about to score 134 points again. His rushes were elite, and teammates Tij Iginla and Porter Martone were given chance after chance repeatedly in the first. Misa buried his first goal to put Canada up by three while he was doing what he does best, finding open ice without the puck. Misa’s knack for finding chances to score is impeccable, and it’s why he’s been one of the guys Canada leans on in these games. His assist came from the other really strong point of his game, on the rush to Porter Martone. Misa has thrived in making chaos on the neutral ice, making a lot of great pushes through the Slovak line to wear them out early. Lastly, Misa was showing a bit of spite and physicality in his game, something that was new to this quarterfinal matchup. If he continues to get involved physically, being unafraid to run into a defenseman in the middle of the offensive zone, then he will add another level of danger in open ice.

Anton Frondell (SWE) 2G

The Chicago Blackhawks 3rd overall selection last year, Frondell had as good a game as Sweden could have asked from him. He got the game started with a goal 10 seconds in, driving towards the net as the point shot came in, getting the deflection and beating the Latvian netminder. Then, with a strong lead already, Frondell really added salt to the Latvians wounds with a phenomenal shot. When Frondell is on, he is hard to slow down. He can shoot, he can dish out passes, and he’s a big, strong forward who can win battles all over the ice when necessary. If the Swedes want to strike gold at this tournament, he will be one of their biggest keys to success.

Joona Saarelainen (FIN) 1G 1A

The Tampa Bay Lightning 5th round draft choice had his best game of the tournament thus far. Against the US, it was clear early on which team was faster and playing with more pace. The US were generating chances left and right early in this game, using their speed and skill to try and overwhelm the Finns. Saarelainen stood out because of that, as he was one of the faster paced Finns out on the ice against the Americans. He was moving his feet all game long, and was noticeably quick in this contest, giving the Finns a different element when he was on the ice. While it took some time to manifest into points, it was Saarelainen and his linemates who played the heroes. In one shift, just five seconds apart, Saarelainen would get an assist on the game-tying goal and score the go-ahead goal with less than seven minutes remaining in regulation. While the US would force overtime, the Finns would still take it home. But it’s fair to wonder, if not for Saarelainen and his linemates, would the Finns have gone home instead? Going into a matchup with the very fast and skilled Swedes, who out-classed the Americans previously, they’re again going to need Saarelainen to stand out in his depth role to win his matchups and create offense.

DRAFT ELIGIBLES

Gavin McKenna (CAN) (1A)

McKenna kept his points streak alive against Slovakia but more than that, his more well-rounded game was on display for all to see early on. His passing prowess was on display for all to see once again on the power play, showing off how elite his skills were on multiple chances, finally converting off a feed to Brady Martin. What was even more exciting was the effort on display in the neutral and defensive zone that many pundits critiqued him for. Behind the net, on loose pucks, along the boards, we have seen a new energy from McKenna in this tournament when approaching his two-way game and scouts are taking notice. He has been key to Canada coming out energetic and keeping the foot on the gas pedal with his play. Lastly his knack for converting plays in the neutral zone has been excellent. Where other big teams have been exposed in the neutral zone on rushes, McKenna has made sure to turn many of Canada’s transitions into offensive zone possessions; he knows how to find those lanes quickly. McKenna’s instincts have been great, and he has made his first overall case stronger than ever through his first five games.

Ivar Stenberg (SWE) 1A

Stenberg, who is trying to add as much as he can to his case for being the first pick off the board in 2026, stood out in a big way against Latvia. This wasn’t the cleanest game for Sweden, nor was it for Stenberg, yet they still outclassed a weaker Latvian team. It comes down to just how much raw skill Stenberg has, which has allowed him to really shine at times here at this tournament and back with his club in the SHL. In fact, Stenberg had his best individual moment of this tournament on the powerplay in the second period. Late in the powerplay, Stenberg showed off how elite his ability is to control and protect the puck when it’s on his stick, holding off defenders and looking to set up his teammates. As the powerplay expired, he would continue playing a bit of keep-away with the Latvian defenders, before setting up what ended up being the crucial third goal of the game for Sweden.

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – NASHVILLE PREDATORS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #9

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 19:13:23 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 9th (May 2025 - 17th)
GM: Barry Trotz Hired: July 2023
COACH: Andrew Brunette Hired: May 2023

After a series of bold offseason moves, Nashville entered 2024-25 with lofty expectations. But a disappointing campaign has left them searching for a new direction. The most significant blow to the prospect pool came with the departure of goaltending prospect Yaroslav Askarov.

Still, GM Barry Trotz has a clear plan to speed up the retool. Fyodor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux both made the leap to full-time NHL roles this season, while sniper Joakim Kemell matched his previous AHL production with Milwaukee, putting himself on the cusp of an NHL spot.

Reinforcements are coming, too. Defenseman Tanner Molendyk and forwards Matthew Wood and David Edstrom are set to join Milwaukee, each bringing top six or top four potential. Overseas, Russian forward Yegor Surin continues to develop in the KHL, adding depth to a system that, while not elite, remains solid.

Perhaps the biggest reason for optimism lies in Nashville’s draft capital. Trotz has stockpiled an enviable arsenal of picks, with five in the first two rounds of 2025, including three first-rounders. With those selections, they took Brady Martin, Cameron Reid and Ryker Lee, all of whom take up the team’s top eight spots.

Martin is a big, physical forward who brings a relentless motor, the ability to play in all situations, and a penchant for hitting everything that moves. He immediately becomes Nashville’s top prospect.

For now, the pieces are in place. It’s just a matter of whether Trotz can turn a well-stocked draft board and a solid development base into the kind of talent infusion that powers a quick return to contention.

Nashville Predators Top-15 Prospects

1 - Brady Martin

Martin’s rapid ascension up draft boards late in the year was one of the biggest storylines of the 2025 NHL Draft. He finished the year very strongly in the OHL with the Greyhounds and then had an exceptionally strong U18’s for Canada, helping them capture gold. Martin, a farm boy from rural Ontario, personifies this workman like identity on the ice. He’s a relentless physical player and a true puck hound. He loves to get to the net. He can find success in any situation. His offensive game and upside are a polarizing topic of conversation, but we believe in his ability to put up points in the future and play on a scoring line. Martin, pending a tremendous NHL training camp, will return to the Greyhounds this year and look to emerge as one of the OHL’s premier players. With continued improvement to his skating, Martin should move quickly through the Nashville system to become an NHL regular sooner, rather than later.

2 - Tanner Molendyk

The one missing ingredient that the powerhouse Tigers needed before embarking upon their bold playoff run this spring was an elite puck-moving defenceman, which is why they paid a pretty penny to land Molendyk, who was one of the top prizes available overall leading up to the WHL trade deadline this spring. And totally unsurprisingly, his sublime, effortless skating ability has fit seamlessly into his new team's high-octane offensive approach, eventually leading to a league championship for Medicine Hat. Even though he doesn't rack up a lot of points his extreme mobility and breakneck pace still allow him to wreak havoc in a variety of other ways that tilt the ice in his club's favor, always keeping the opposing players on their heels or left in the dust. Molendyk might not reach quite the same heights as the Minnesota Wild's Brock Faber, who is a very similar kind of player, but it wouldn't be surprising if he got pretty close.

3 - Yegor Surin

2024 Predators first-round pick Yegor Surin earned his spot on Lokomotiv’s KHL roster through grit, hard work, and confident play. The young power forward quickly established a physical presence, using his strong frame to battle through contact and drive play. His forechecking has been ferocious, and he showed flashes of offensive upside with confident net drives, a heavy wrister, and solid playmaking. While Surin held his own in his first full KHL season, his puck decisions often felt rushed, as if he didn’t fully trust his instincts. With more experience, that confidence should grow, and his production will likely follow. He’s not NHL-ready yet, but his development is on track, even adding some championship DNA with a Gagarin Cup championship this spring. Surin projects as a future middle six, checking forward who brings energy, toughness, and scoring potential to Nashville’s lineup.

4 - Matthew Wood

Matthew Wood is the biggest wildcard in Nashville’s system. The 2023 first rounder could turn out to be a force, but he is far from a polished product. Wood spent last year with the Minnesota Golden Gophers after transferring from UConn, where he spent his first two NCAA seasons. He was a point-per-game player pretty much all through his NCAA career, which doesn’t indicate a lot of growth offensively. At his best, he looks every bit the skilled power forward teams dream of: big frame, soft hands, and a dangerous shot that can beat goalies clean. Some nights that player doesn’t show up though, leaving just a big, slower forward that makes mistakes with the puck. While there has been growth since his draft year, flashing his power game more, and growing as a playmaker, the improvements haven’t shown up on the scoresheet. If Wood can get more consistency in his game and improve his skating, the payoff could be immense. He is likely playing in the AHL this year, but there might be a top six forward in Nashville’s future here.

5 - Joakim Kemell

Going into last season, many Predators fans probably expected Joakim Kemell to make a strong push for a roster spot with the Predators, or at the very least return to the Milwaukee Admirals and put together a strong year in the AHL. Kemell didn’t necessarily have a bad training camp with the Predators, but he didn’t really force the Predators to keep him, either. Kemell was in-tough as a goal scoring option after the Predators brought in Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos, but the opportunity was there for Kemell to play more last season for a struggling Predators team. Kemell didn’t necessarily have a bad year for Milwaukee last year, either, but he hasn’t made the dynamic strides one would have hoped. The offensive ability is still there, as Kemell has the talent to make plays and score goals, but he really needs to develop consistency to forward himself as a legitimate top six NHL option. Kemell is projected to be a middle six offensive contributor at the NHL level but should get more games this season.

6 - David Edstrom

Edstrom has been the property of three NHL organizations already in his young career, but he’s stayed consistent. He played well in a third line center role for Frölunda, his presumed role in the NHL. Despite the big ask, he also played 1C for Sweden at the WJC In Ottawa and knocked it out of the park. Edstrom is a smart, versatile two-way center who does whatever is asked of him. Deployment in any zone, power play, penalty kill, you name it. He goes to the net, he’s tenacious in board battles, moves well off puck, and wins face offs. All signs point to Edstrom becoming a rock-solid bottom six center who can contribute in all three zones; although his limited explosiveness holds him back in transition a bit. Barring injury, it’s tough to see any surprises or deviations from that projection at this point in his development. The next step will be doing what he’s always done in the SHL, in the AHL. If he shows well there, it won’t be long until he’s in a Preds uniform.

7 - Cameron Reid

A strong skating defender with a high IQ, Reid was a first-round selection of the Predators in 2025. He is one of the better skaters in the OHL and this helps him to be an effective puck mover. Reid can also quarterback a power play with a strong point shot and excellent vision. The question marks surrounding Reid involve his defensive upside at the pro level. He’s not a huge defender, nor is he a physically intense player. There is a need for him to be more consistent in his own end. However, as he matures physically, his high IQ should help him to at least become adequate in the defensive end. Reid’s upside is that of a top four, puck moving defender. He’ll probably need at least a few years before he’s ready to challenge for a roster spot and would most definitely be behind the likes of Molendyk and Ufko for an offensive role over the next few seasons.

8 - Ryker Lee

One of the best indicators of how deep Nashville’s prospect pool is that Ryker Lee slots in at eighth. After lighting it up for Shattuck St. Mary’s for the better part of four years, Lee was incredible for the Madison Capitals this past season. He scored the most goals by a draft-year player in the USHL this season, and his incredible shot will be his money maker for years. Lee is overall, an offensive dynamo first and foremost. His stickhandling and vision are also advanced; all of these factors contributed to his first-round selection. The most negative factor in his game is by far his skating as a result, his strengths become limited in neutral ice. Lee will now be playing for Adam Nightingale at Michigan St. for at least the next two seasons. However, don’t count him out in that loaded lineup. He will be determined to make his mark for the Spartans this season.

9 - Reid Schaefer

Reid Schaefer battled with the injury bug all of last season, but he put together a strong sophomore pro campaign that was built on a good freshman season with the Milwaukee Admirals. When Schaefer’s in the lineup, he’s just tough to play against. He hounds loose pucks and opposing players, he’s always willing to engage with other players physically, and he never backs down from an opportunity to create havoc. This is what Schaefer needs to do to become a full-time NHL player with the Nashville Predators, and it’s great to see Schaefer stick to the game that got him here from the junior level. In terms of projections, Schaefer projects to be a hard-nosed third-line player at the NHL level, with the potential of having second-unit net-front power play time. There’s a chance he becomes more than a third-line player, perhaps a top six power forward, but he needs to keep working on his shot and playmaking abilities. We should see Schaefer become a full-time player with the Predators in the next one-to-two seasons.

10 - Teddy Stiga

Throughout last season, Stiga demonstrated consistent growth and development. Early on we highlighted his play-driving ability, offensive zone speed, and three-zone support. As the season progressed, his dynamic skating, agility, and hockey IQ became more evident, making him a constant offensive threat. His non-stop movement and knack for finding open space created scoring opportunities for himself and teammates. Defensively, Stiga showcased his awareness with an active stick, strong positioning, and well-timed stick checks, contributing in all situations. Stiga's primary strengths lie in his high-end skating, puck-handling, and decision making. His relentless forechecking pressure and creativity in tight spaces further elevate his impact. While he has shown commitment defensively, continuing to build strength and refine his physical game would enhance his effectiveness. Looking ahead, Stiga projects as a reliable middle six scoring forward with special teams upside. His blend of skill, awareness, and competitiveness suggests he could thrive in a variety of roles at higher levels, but the lack of size is always a concern.

11 - Ryan Ufko

Ufko is a mobile, puck-moving defenceman and being a right-shot makes him that much more coveted. He excels at quarterbacking the power play and has a good point shot to complement that. Ufko had a good showing as a rookie with Milwaukee in the AHL, but another year of getting stronger, to make up for his size, and increasing five-on-five-point production should serve him well.

12 - Andrew Gibson

Gibson couldn’t quite match the offensive output he did the year before and maybe that had to do with being traded midseason from Soo to Oshawa. Moving to the AHL next season, Gibson should at worst be a physical, third-pairing defenceman who can punish attackers with his size. It would be an added bonus if he finds more to his offensive game, but for now, that looks unlikely.

13 - Aiden Fink

Just like everyone expected of the seventh-round pick from the AJHL, Fink went to the NCAA, where he put up a point per game in 2023-2024 and last year was the league’s third-highest point scorer. Fink is a crafty winger who plays with high intensity and a shot that picks corners. He should remain one of Penn State’s best players on an already stacked team.

14 - Jacob Rombach

With his 6-foot-7 frame, Rombach clears defenders from dangerous areas with his elite stickwork or his size and strength. He can skate fairly well for a player his size, which allows him to efficiently spark a transition, but his offence largely stops there. He’ll need to be paired with someone more offensively capable. Nonetheless, Rombach will have all the opportunities to develop as an elite shutdown defenceman at the University of Minnesota for the next few years.

15 - Jack Ivankovic

Ivankovic makes up for his below-average stature with elite athleticism, hockey IQ, and the ability to play the puck. He anticipates the game well and it leads to his glove feeling like it’s twice its actual size. A lack of rebound control and erraticism lead to inconsistencies in his game-to-game performance. Ivankovic should be the go-to starter for Michigan next season, where he’ll face better attackers but also have a more organized defensive structure in front of him.

2025 NHL DRAFT: Scouting Reports for First Round Picks – Cole Reschny, Pyotr Andreyanov, Will Horcoff, Vaclav Nestrasil, Ryker Lee, Mason West

Brock Otten, Jamison Derksen, Liam Crouse, Derek Neumeier, Kaeden Ireland — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 15:09:22 +0000

Each draft season, we try to bring you as many in-depth scouting reports as possible leading up to the draft. However, there were six players that were selected in the first round that we did not finish reports on. As such, we asked our team to submit more condensed reports on those six players so that every player drafted in this year’s first round has something filed.

Cole Reschny - Center - Victoria Royals

Drafted 18th by the Calgary Flames

By Derek Neumeier

Few prospects throughout the CHL — if any — had a stronger back half of their year than Reschny did in 2024-25. He was an all-around monster for the Victoria Royals, playing as their number one center and offensive linchpin, quarterbacking their powerplay, and handling a lot of tough matchups against the top players on other teams, including a head-to-head playoff showdown against Spokane Chiefs superstar Berkly Catton. It's hard to overstate just how much good work he did for that team, helping them to their best regular season record since 2015-16 and their first playoff series victory since 2018-19.

Reschny is one of the best puck managers to come up through the WHL in a while. First, he's deceptively strong for a slightly undersized forward, with an abundance of strength in his lower body and when bearing down on his stick. He then pairs those traits with buttery soft hands and superb peripheral awareness. Put those traits together it becomes incredibly difficult for opponents to win pucks away from him when he's really engaged, which is almost all of the time as someone who competes hard. If all that wasn't enough, he's also a top-tier playmaker who can easily find and connect difficult passes. He's a real expert at making the players around him look good, driving possession for his line and drawing defensive pressure until someone else gets open for a pass in a dangerous spot.

While Reschny has different parts of his game that are very appealing, there are still some imbalances as well. His shot usually isn't much of a threat, with a notable lack of power, though he at least possesses good precision and quick hands in tight. In other words, he can score, but not well from the medium distance or worse. His skating also leaves something to be desired, with a clear need for him to improve both his agility and straight-line speed before he turns pro.

When you step back and try to analyze Reschny’s overall long-term projection, the outlook is pretty optimistic. He already carries himself like a seasoned professional with the way that he approaches and thinks about the game, and there’s already a solid skill base that isn’t going to wane. Frankly, it would be shocking if he didn’t go on to become a longtime NHLer, as well as someone that goes on to be a core roster piece and maybe even wears a letter on his sweater. At the same time, though, it’s also hard to see him reaching as high of a ceiling as the other top prospects in this year’s draft class, as players with his matching limitations of size and skating don’t reach the highest echelons of the sport more often than not (with a few notable exceptions, of course, like Nick Suzuki and Kirill Kaprizov). Still, Reschny is a pretty special player already, and if he can find a way to add another gear to his skating as he develops, he could reach a whole new level entirely.

Skating

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SKATING-Reschny-skating.mp4

This short clip gives you a good idea of what Reschny’s skating is like, both the good and the bad. The balance and edges are pretty solid, and there’s nothing mechanically wrong with his skating. However, you can also see that he’s not especially quick with his movements. He creates space for himself like this all the time at the WHL level, but he’ll need to be able to execute these kinds of things a lot faster if he hopes to find similar success in the NHL one day.

Grade: 50

Shot

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SHOT-Reschny-hands-in-tight.mp4

As mentioned above, Reschny’s goal-scoring contributions are mostly limited to when he gets in tight, but boy does he know how to finish when he does get there. This overtime, game-winning goal against Czechia at this spring’s U18 tournament was outright surgical.

Grade: 50

Puck Skills

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SKILLS-Reschny-tip-pass.mp4

Reschny can really feast when he’s on the powerplay. He’s just so naturally talented at receiving pucks, getting them under his control, and distributing passes however he sees fit. This is an elite pass to his teammate for an easy backdoor goal.

Grade: 55

Smarts

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SMARTS-Reschny-smarts-poise.mp4

This clip highlights Reschny at his absolute best. Impeccable poise, awareness and timing by him to help open up this dangerous passing lane and connect with the target that he knew was going to be there. The opposing goalie never stood a chance.

Grade: 60

Physicality / Compete

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PHYSICAL-Reschny-battle.mp4

Even though Reschny is on the smaller side he doesn’t shy away from battles or going into the dirty areas of the ice. There’s some real stockiness to him, and he knows how to get leverage and win body positioning against bigger opponents.

Grade: 50

OFP: 53.75

Pyotr Andreyanov - Goaltender - Krasnaya Armiya Moskva

Drafted 20th by the Columbus Blue Jackets

By Liam Crouse

Pyotr Andreyanov was one of the biggest surprises from draft night, having been the first goalie taken off the board but also the 20th overall pick. But even though he may not have been our top goalie eligible for the draft, his potential to be a starter in the NHL is evident. He’s a highly athletic goalie, a phenomenal skater, and has also shown to be a solid play reader. But he still has drawbacks in his diminutive stature and erraticism. While he competes hard, his erraticism makes his job tougher, something he will have to clean up to succeed in the NHL

Athleticism

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PA64-Athleticism.mp4

Andreyanov’s identity is speed and athleticism, and it’s vehemently shown in this clip. He’s playing a very low stance, which reduces mobility, but with his natural flexibility, he can still generate power. He exploded out of his low stance, stretching out with both leg and glove, robbing the shooter.

Grade: 60

Technique

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PA64-Technique.mp4

While Andreyanov is aggressive and erratic, his technical foundation is great. Here, he starts by challenging the puck carrier way out of his crease. He then makes very subtle movements to re-adjust back to the top. Making a really strong push, he uses an economical route to cut through the crease. He gets his blocker down to stuff the shot as it’s in tight and makes a great save.

Grade: 55

Play Reading

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PA64-Play-Read.mp4

While it may not always be present, Andreyanov has shown good flashes of reading the play. Here, due to it being a penalty kill and there are passing options, Andreyanov stays a little deeper. When the puck goes to his short-side post, he doesn’t fully commit. He deepens and wings his lead leg back in anticipation of the slot pass, and with quick tracking, he’s able to laterally release into a butterfly for a nice save.

Grade: 52.5

Compete/Temperament

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PA64-Compete_temp.mp4

Andreyanov’s erraticism can turn badly quickly, and it does here. He starts playing low and trying to look through traffic, and starts to panic, moving around too much. The extra slide he did put him in a bad spot where he couldn’t react to the loose puck, and he started to freak out by pushing too far. Being the hyper-competitor he is, he got back to his crease quickly and made a save, but the whole play was ugly

Grade: 52.5

Rebound Control

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PA64-Rebound-Control.mp4

Rebounds are a weakness of Andreyanov, and you can see here how he just allows the puck to bounce off his chest without reacting with his glove to suppress it at all.

Grade: 47.5

Puck Skills

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PA64-Puck-Skills.mp4

Andreyanov is an average puck player, mostly only being active on power plays like here, but even though he isn’t aggressive in moving the puck, he can still make a tape-to-tape pass when needed.

Grade: 50

OFP: 53.375

Will Horcoff - Center - University of Michigan

Drafted 24th by the Pittsburgh Penguins

By Brock Otten

The son of former Edmonton Oiler two-way standout Shawn Horcoff, Will is an intriguing, but raw centerman cut from a similar cloth. He made the gutsy decision to leave the U.S. NTDP half way through the year to join the Michigan Wolverines early and that decision paid off in a big way, as it allowed Horcoff to shine on a greater stage. He also returned to the U.S.’ U18 team at the end of the year at the IIHF U18’s, playing a key role en route to a bronze medal. It was this late season surge, in combination with his immense physical upside, that made Horcoff an attractive first round selection and late season riser on many lists.

At the University of Michigan, Horcoff impressed with his work on the powerplay, demonstrating strong offensive zone awareness and a willingness to get to the net and work the half wall to extend possession. At the U18’s, Horcoff impressed with his ability to create coming out of the cycle, showing great vision and passing ability coming off the wall. Despite still being slight, he protected the puck well, shielding defenders to extend possession and exhibited poise with the puck, again, showcasing a high IQ as an offensive player. However, at the NCAA level, Horcoff hasn’t been able to be as consistent winning those 50/50 battles and his even strength production and scoring chance generation lagged because of this. Horcoff also needs to upgrade his quickness. With his long legs, he can build to an adequate top speed that does allow him to carry in transition and get to the net. However, his edgework and explosiveness need to improve in a big way to make him a more difficult cover. As his conditioning improves and his frame fills out, he should be able to improve at least his power generation.

As Horcoff develops, both physically and from a skill perspective, he projects to be a very versatile player. He has shown the ability to play both center and the wing. He can play a variety of roles on the powerplay, including netfront. His reach, two-way awareness, and improving competitiveness should also make him a very good defensive player, much like his father. Of course, upgrading his quickness will be the key, but that should happen after a few years in college.

From a projection standpoint, Horcoff could develop into a quality middle six player who can be utilized in any situation. Identifying his true upside currently is a difficult task considering how underdeveloped he is physically. When that frame is filled out and he’s playing at 6’5, 225+, he could be an entirely different player and that’s what the Pittsburgh Penguins are banking on.

Grades:

Skating: 50

Shot: 52.5

Skills: 55

Smarts: 55

Physicality/Compete: 55

OFP: 53.625

VIDEOS

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/VIDEO-1-william_horcoff_-_2nd_period_7_50_-_8_2.mp4

Horcoff’s first point as a Wolverine after leaving the NTDP. He showcases his strong vision from the wall as he sets up a goal from behind the net.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/VIDEO-2-william_horcoff_-_2nd_period_12_3_-_12_15.mp4

Strong defensive effort and awareness from Horcoff here. He hustles to support the backcheck and reads the drop along the wall. He then makes a quick transition up ice.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/VIDEO-3-william_horcoff_-_1st_period_0_46_-_0_58.mp4

Horcoff is skilled enough to be a strong transitional player once his skating picks up. Again, we love how he attacks the middle of the ice consistently.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/VIDEO-4-william_horcoff_-_3rd_period_8_37_-_8_49.mp4

Quick play coming off the wall as Horcoff, again, gets himself into the middle of the ice. His shot shows a lot of promise, but his release needs work as he has a tendency to heel or misfire shots, especially under duress.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/VIDEO-5-william_horcoff_-_1st_period_13_18_-_13_30.mp4

A good look at Horcoff’s inability to build speed. He tries to accelerate out of a pivot, but his footwork isn’t clean and he gets bottled up in the neutral zone. Credit to Horcoff for staying with the play to get it out of the neutral zone.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/VIDEO-6-william_horcoff_-_1st_period_37_38_-_37_50.mp4

Horcoff’s game offensively is predicated on those quick touches. Great two-man game here as he works to the inside and draws a penalty. Although, again, you see the lack of quickness as he can’t create separation to earn a clean look.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/VIDEO-7-william_horcoff_-_1st_period_30_36_-_30_48.mp4

Another impressive passing play by Horcoff, again showcasing his vision and ability to make decisions quickly.

Vaclav Nestrasil - Wing - Muskegon

Drafted 25th by the Chicago Blackhawks

By Kaeden Ireland

Vaclav Nestrasil played his first full season in North America this year with Muskegon and made vast strides in development. His improvements and adjustments to the USHL were very visible, and to cap it off, Vaclav also finished 8th in league playoff scoring with 13 points in 14 games.

Nestrasil projects to be a defensively responsible middle-six winger who competes hard every shift. He has some offensive potential with his hands, shot in tight, and creativity with the puck.

Skating

Nestrasil’s skating is unorthodox, but he makes it work with his effort level and pace once he gets up to speed. One key area Nestrasil must improve is his acceleration.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SKATING-NestrasilSkating.mp4

Nestrasil could use some work cleaning up his acceleration, as seen in this clip.

Skating: 52.5

Shooting

Vaclav’s wrist shot lacks consistency; he won’t be a primary shooting threat from the wing, but on rebounds and loose pucks, he does a good job of getting low and elevating shots into the upper third of the net to beat goalies. Nestrastil’s snapshot is a nice alternative to his wrist shot, as he can catch goalies off guard with rather unpredictable, snappy shots down low.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SHOT-NestrasilShot_Skill.mp4

A nice clean finish with time by Nestrasil.

Shooting: 55

Smarts

Nestrasil isn’t afraid to try more elaborate passes, often looking to pass through the bodies of defenders to his teammates for shooting opportunities. His passes can come off as a bit panicky, but his decision making did slightly improve over the past season. I would like to see Nestrasil learn to find safe outlets more consistently as he’s struggled with turnovers.

Smarts: 50

Skills

Nestrasil can pull off some very impressive moves, but like his passing abilities, he turns the puck over far too frequently. For a 6’6 forward, protecting the puck when attacking a defender head-on will be more difficult due to the longer stick, so he will need to learn to use his body to protect the puck better.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SKILLS-NestrasilSkills.mp4

Nestrasil showcases his creativity with this fun deke to get away with the puck down low.

Skills: 55

Compete/Physicality

Vaclav is still a physical project. He stands at 6’6 but weighs under 190 pounds at the moment, leaving plenty of room to add to his frame. Nestrasil makes his physical presence known by putting his body on opponents, whether it be small bumps away from play or big hits that put defensemen on the ice; Nestrasil puts every inch of his 6’6 frame to use. No doubt, his growing physical dominance is one reason why he went as high as 25th overall. It’s encouraging to see how in post-draft interviews Nestrasil emphasized how coachable he was when improving his physical game, leaning on Muskegon staff to noticeably get rougher and more chippy down the stretch.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PHYSICAL-1-NestrasilPhys.mp4

Massive hit here to catch the Waterloo defenseman on a recovery.

Nestrasil competes for pucks constantly, using his long reach to close gaps and put the heat on puck carriers, forcing them to pass off or face a barrage of stick checks. Nestrasil’s compete makes him a likely bet to crack Chicago’s top penalty-kill unit in the future. His forechecking and backchecking also stand out as noteworthy traits that suit him to an NHL middle-six role.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PHYSICAL-2-NestrasilCompeteandSmarts.mp4

While Vaclav does give up the middle of the ice here on the PK, he recovers by charging over and getting the block before making a great pass to his trailing teammate.

Compete/Physicality: 55

OFP: 53.375

Ryker Lee - Wing - Madison Capitals

Drafted 26th by the Nashville Predators

By Jamison Derksen

Ryker Lee was one of the top offensive players in the USHL this season, finishing fourth in the league scoring race with 68 points. His Madison Capitols improved from being a fringe playoff team in 2023/24 to being in contention for first place in the East, thanks in large part to the infusion of offense brought by Lee. The Nashville Predators liked what they saw from him this season, and made him the 26th Overall selection in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Lee is a high risk / high reward pick, as his skating and defensive game need a lot of work, but he is among the most skilled players in the draft. It is worth noting that Lee hit a huge growth spurt recently, as he was listed at 5’4 heading into the 2022/23 season, so there is plenty of room for development in the physical game, as well as his skating. Right now as a pro he projects to be a middle-six winger that contributes on a top powerplay unit.

Skating:

Lee’s skating is certainly his biggest knock right now. When he’s not in a full-out sprint, he straightens up his stance quite a bit and can go shifts without displaying anything resembling pace at all. His acceleration is also a struggle, but once he gets going, his speed is average in the USHL. Obviously, that will need to improve in order for him to have an NHL career.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Lee-Skating-upd.mp4

Grade: 50

Shot:

Ryker Lee is dangerous as a shooter, particularly with his wrist shot in the USHL. He scores a lot off of wrist shots around the top of the right circle, but when he’s not the puck carrier, he often finds ice in the slot. His slapshot is only for one timers, and is seldom used, despite its effectiveness. One improvement Lee will need to make to his wrist shot is that he needs to shorten his reach back when loading, it makes him too easy to read at times and takes too much time to get a shot off.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SHOT-Lee-Shot.mp4

Grade: 55

Skills:

Lee is among the most talented players in the 2025 draft class. His puck control and creativity are fantastic, and he is able to handle tough passes with no problem at all. Lee loves to challenge defenders one-on-one as a puck carrier, and often makes them look silly. However, he does have a tendency to overhandle the puck, so he can definitely stickhandle himself into positions where he is on the outside and isn’t really a threat. This is a junior habit that will need to be broken.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Lee-Skill-2-updated.mp4

Grade: 57.5

Smarts:

Lee’s hockey IQ is a bit of a mixed bag. One of the things he’s best at is drawing opponents to himself to create space for teammates. He also has the aforementioned issue of overhandling the puck, though he has shown the ability to adapt on the fly and make a new play when he stickhandles himself into trouble. Positionally, he finds space excellently in the offensive zone, whereas in his own zone he can be pretty spotty.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Lee-IQ-2.mp4

Grade: 52.5

Physical/Compete:

Right now, Lee doesn’t shy away from physical play, but he does need to get stronger. He will throw the occasional check, but often gets outmuscled and pushed around in puck battles. His soft hands with the puck can also result in some dangerous turnovers when they don’t end up on the highlight reel. He will also need to work on being engaged defensively with more consistency, especially given that he likes to take liberties with the puck.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/PHYSICAL-Lee-Physical.mp4

Grade: 50

OFP: 53

Mason West - Wing - Fargo Force/Edina High

Drafted 29th by the Chicago Blackhawks

By Brock Otten

West was one of the draft’s most heavily discussed players this year for a variety of reasons. Firstly, his in-season improvement and end of the season play in the USHL helped to propel him up draft boards based on his raw tools and physical upside. On our draft board, West went from an honorable mention outside of our top 100 (at midseason) to 49th on our final rankings. Secondly, the discourse surrounding his future as a football player and desire to play football again next year has brought about concerns. Leading up to the draft, West committed to Michigan State for hockey and this helped to alleviate some concerns that he would pick football. However, he still intends to return to Edina High to start at quarterback for his senior year. The concerns here are three-fold. For one, West could get hurt. For two, West will be repeating the high school hockey level for much of the year, likely splitting between Edina High and Fargo again. For three, if West performs at a high level in football, will a highly regarded school come calling with a scholarship and NIL money, forcing West to re-evaluate his sporting future?

Regardless of the above, it was plainly obvious that a team would opt to select West in the first round given his tantalizing upside and the Blackhawks did just that. West compares himself to Anders Lee of the New York Islanders and that’s fitting considering Lee once had to make a similar choice surrounding football and potential scholarship offers.

West’ high end athleticism is visible on the ice. He’s a big kid who moves very impressively. Builds to a solid top speed moving North/South, but has refined balance and edgework that allows him to put defenders on his back to protect the puck in motion. For that reason, he’s a tough check for high school defenders right now; near impossible for them to separate him from the puck. He also was successful in beating USHL defenders the same way later in the season. West shows strong vision with the puck and a clear understanding of how to use his size to be a factor away from the puck. He could probably stand to get to the net and play through the middle a bit more often, however, he forechecks and backchecks with ferocity. We wouldn’t call him an overly physical player (perhaps shocking given his football background), but maybe that’s something he grows into. His shot shows promise if he can work on his release; it’s heavy, but he can have a tendency to whiff under pressure. From a skill perspective, again, there’s upside. He handles impressively well at full speed for a big man, although he can keep the puck too far out, leaving him susceptible to stick checks. He needs to operate more in his hip pocket, using his size to his advantage in transition.

So, what is West’s upside? The Anders Lee comparison is apt. In a best-case scenario, West develops into a similar kind of impactful, well-rounded player. Yes, there are concerns; the ones we outlined above. However, repeating the USHL (or even finding a WHL program to close out the season with) will not be a bad thing for West who is still quite raw. We saw the difficulty that a similar kind of player in Dean Letourneau had jumping to the NCAA this year out of prep. In the long run, Michigan State is a great landing spot for West and in three-four years, he could end up looking like a real steal for the Blackhawks.

Grades:

Skating: 55

Shot: 50

Skills: 55

Smarts: 55

Physicality/Compete: 52.5

OFP: 53.625

VIDEOS

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/VIDEO-1-mason_west_-_2nd_period_5_18_-_5_31.mp4

At the high school level we see West’s quick strike ability as he jumps on a loose puck and generates a high end scoring chance.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/VIDEO-2-mason_west_-_2nd_period_6_37_-_6_50.mp4

Again, at the high school level, West’s frame and reach are at work as he plays through a defender to make a pass to the slot that results in a goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/VIDEO-3-mason_west.mp4

The rest of the clips are all from his time in the USHL with Fargo. Both clips here showcase West’s speed and athleticism and how it can impact the game off the puck. He disrupts a clean zone entry and he closes ground quickly on the forecheck.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/VIDEO-4-mason_west_-_3rd_period_0_41_-_0_53.mp4

How about an NBA style box out to help initiate the breakout?

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/VIDEO-5-mason_west_-_1st_period_0_18_-_0_30.mp4

A terrific play on the forecheck as West gets inside leverage, secures possession, which in turn leads to a scoring chance from the slot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/VIDEO-6-mason_west_-_2nd_period_26_58_-_27_11.mp4

A look at West’s ability to create off the rush, but the pass is just a bit behind his teammate, and they can’t connect. The precision on his passes will be an area of focus for him.

A note on the 20-80 scale used above. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.

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

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

1. New York Islanders - Matthew Schaefer - Defense

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

2. San Jose Sharks - Michael Misa - Center

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

3. Chicago Blackhawks - Caleb Desnoyers - Center

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

4. Utah Mammoth - Anton Frondell - Center

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

5. Nashville Predators - James Hagens - Center

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

6. Philadelphia Flyers - Porter Martone - Wing

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

7. Boston Bruins - Brady Martin - Center

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

8. Seattle Kraken - Radim Mrtka - Defense

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

9. Buffalo Sabres - Victor Eklund - Wing

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

10. Anaheim Ducks - Jake O’Brien - Center

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

11. Pittsburgh Penguins - Roger McQueen - Center

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

12. New York Rangers - Jackson Smith - Defense

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

13. Detroit Red Wings - Kashawn Aitcheson - Defense

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

14. Columbus Blue Jackets - Justin Carbonneau - Wing

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

15. Vancouver Canucks - Braeden Cootes - Center

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

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

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

17. Montreal Canadiens - Blake Fiddler - Defense

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

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

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

19. St. Louis Blues - Lynden Lakovic - Wing

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

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

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

21. Ottawa Senators - Jakob Ihs Wozniak - Wing

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

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

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

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

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

24. Los Angeles Kings - Sascha Boumedienne - Defense

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

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

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

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

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

27. Washington Capitals - Henry Brzustewicz - Defense

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

28. Winnipeg Jets - Milton Gastrin - Center

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

29. Carolina Hurricanes - Cullen Potter - Center/Wing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

34. Chicago Blackhawks - Simon Wang - Defense

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

35. Nashville Predators - Kurban Limatov - Defense

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

36. Philadelphia Flyers - Jacob Rombach - Defense

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

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

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

38. Seattle Kraken - Eric Nilson - Center

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

39. Buffalo Sabres - Shane Vansaghi - Wing/Center

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

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

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

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

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

42. New York Islanders - Ben Kindel - Center

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

43. New York Rangers - Cole McKinney - Center

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

44. Detroit Red Wings - Alexander Zharovsky - Wing

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

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

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

46. Utah Mammoth - Ivan Ryabkin - Center

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

47. Vancouver Canucks - Semyon Frolov - Goaltender

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

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

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

49. Montreal Canadiens - Jack Murtagh - Wing

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

50. New Jersey Devils - Matthew Gard - Center

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

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

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

52. Minnesota Wild - Petteri Rimpinen - Goaltender

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

58. Vegas Golden Knights - Max Psenicka - Defense

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 – USA – Hagens, Moore, Trethewey & Lee

Mark Dubreuil — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 14:00:08 +0000

_{William Moore}

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.

Mark Dubreuil - Regional USA Scout

James Hagens - Center - Boston College

5’11, 177lbs - 2006-11-03

Hagens entered the 24-25 season as the consensus number-one prospect for the 2025 NHL entry draft after a successful season playing with the U18 NTDP, which also saw him break the record for most points at the U18 World Junior Championships, with 22 points in 7 games. However, a slower-than-expected start by the B.C. freshman, (in combination with strong starts from contenders) has left room for discussion for challengers to dethrone him as the top prospect for the first overall pick.

As of this writing, Hagens has begun to ascertain himself at the college level and has registered 6 points in his last 4 games. The transition from playing in the USHL last season, to NCAA hockey has been a slower-than-expected process, but he possesses all the intangibles that should eventually lead to a successful draft year season. Hagens has high hockey I.Q. and can read the ice well. He also has good speed and compete, which complement his vision and allows him to find open teammates through traffic or in transition.

As mentioned earlier, there are some notable contenders for the first overall spot, such as power forward Porter Martone, versatile center Michael Misa and the slick skating defenseman Matthew Schaefer, all out of the OHL, but it still remains Hagens position to lose. If he can manage to finish the season off on an offensive-dominant trajectory, Hagens may still hear his name called first come draft day in June. Look for a strong finish at Boston College to maintain his status as the top prospect of this draft class.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/James-Hagens-Goal-Open-Space-1.mp4

In this first clip, we see Hagens use his hockey I.Q. to find the open space and set himself up for an easy tap-in goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/James-Hagens-Vision-Pass-1.mp4

Yet another clip where Hagens uses his high hockey I.Q. to wait out the defender and slide a perfect pass across to his teammate who has no problem burying it into an open net.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/James-Hagens-Pass.mp4

Here we see Hagens enter the zone to receive a pass from the corner, then immediately backhand pass it to a teammate who snaps one home from the hash marks.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/James-Hagens-Work.mp4

In this last highlight, Hagens has some work to do along the wall in order to get the puck up to a streaking teammate, who eventually gets rewarded with a goal.

William Moore - Center - USA U18 NTDP

6’2, 175lbs - 2007-03-24

The young forward playing for the NTDP in his second season seemed to check off all the boxes for a top 15 pick in the 2025 NHL draft...size, speed, skill, compete, however, Moore is another player who has seen his stock drop since the beginning of the season due to a lack of offensive touch and questionable play away from the puck. There are some flaws in his game that need to be refined in order for him to maintain his status as a potential top-half pick in the first round of this draft.

Moore projects to be a middle-six forward with some solid two-way play. Listed at 6’2” he has some decent skating and physical attributes, the qualities all NHL teams look for when considering a prospect to be selected by their respective club. The young forward also displays good puck skills and can create offense depending on who he is playing with on a line. Moore’s offensive upside remains to be seen, but there is potential for development in his overall game.

Like any other draft-eligible prospect, there needs to be a progression in his game that is translatable into an NHL career and at this time Moore has not demonstrated the trajectory to make him a high first-round selection. Again, there is a lot of time remaining in this season and a strong finish can definitely help the case of seeing him climb the rankings as the season unfolds, but Moore needs to round out his game and show more offensive upside than he is currently displaying.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/William-Moore-Shot.mp4

In this first clip of Moore, we see how deadly his shooting is. Not many goalies are going to be able to stop that kind of shot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/William-Moore-Shot-Slot.mp4

Here is another clip of Moore posting up in the slot and letting a great shot go to pick the top corner with that quick release.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/William-Moore-SH-Goal.mp4

Moore shows off his quick feet and nice hands in this highlight, where he retrieves the puck in the neutral zone and is off to the races, then dekes the goalie out for a nice tuck.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/William-Moore-Work.mp4

In this clip, we get to see some of that compete from Moore who wins the board battles and is able to drop it back to his defenseman, and eventually leads to a goal. Nice work and effort in this clip.

Charlie Trethewey - Defense - USA U18 NTDP

6’1, 200lbs - 2007-08-02

Another product of the U18 NTDP program, Trethewey is one of the youngest prospects in the 2025 NHL draft class with an August birth date, missing the cut-off by around six weeks. He is a relatively mobile, right-shot defenseman with a really good shot, who displays good skating mechanics and a willingness to provide physicality when needed. These are all characteristics of a highly touted prospect, however, as with Moore, we are not seeing that progression that we would like to witness, although this year’s NTDP has been struggling as a whole since day one.

There seemed to be some serious offensive upside in Trethewey’s game last season, but it hasn’t evolved this year as expected. He’s a Boston University commit and in order for him to be deemed a first-round worthy prospect, he needs to be more involved offensively. There are also some concerns with this defensive game and some of his decisions with the puck on his stick. Turnovers are an issue at this point with Trethewey and in order for his game to progress in a positive trajectory, he needs to be more responsible in his own zone and pick the right play more often.

Trethewey possesses a lot of pro-quality traits and if he can add the sum of all parts it would definitely help his case to be selected in the higher end of the first round. He is a decent skater who likes to attack and join the rush, he defends well, has some physicality and competes in his game, and he sees the ice well. As mentioned, there are some question marks about his decision-making and reads during games, which lead to odd-man rushes or turn-overs. So again, there’s some work to do before we can determine whether or not Trethewey is a top-end first-round prospect.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Charlie-Trethewey-Shot.mp4

Trethewey’s shot is on display in this clip. He beats the goalie cleanly with a hard and accurate shot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Charlie-Trethewey-Puck-to-Net.mp4

Another example of good shooting abilities, where the young defenseman gets a puck through traffic that leads to a nice deflection and goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Charlie-Trethewey-Work.mp4

In this clip we witness some of the positive defensive zone coverage and Trethewey winning a puck battle that eventually leads to his team getting puck possession.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Charlie-Trethewey-Give-Away.mp4

And now the bad. In this clip, Trethewey tries to do too much and runs out of options, which leads to a turnover in the defensive zone and a scoring chance for the opposing team.

Ryker Lee - Forward - Madison Capitols

6’0, 181lbs - 2006-11-08

Lee was a standout at Shattuck St. Mary’s in the USHS U18 prep program last year where he amassed 99 points in 57 games before moving on to the USHL at the end of the season. This year, he started out his draft-eligible season on fire with the Madison Capitols and was among the top scorers in the league for a time. Lee still leads his team in scoring and is fifth in the entire USHL as of this writing.

Now, there are some concerns about Lee’s play away from the puck and his defensive responsibilities when he’s cruising around the ice. The Michigan State commit has to show a little more compete and defensive awareness in his game. There are flashes of his willingness to work hard and play responsibly, but Lee has to be more consistent in those actions. Progression is the name of the game if a prospect wants to be selected high in any draft class.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Ryker-Lee-Shot.mp4

In this first clip, we see how deadly and accurate Lee’s shot is, easily beating the goalie point blank.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Ryker-Lee-Pass.mp4

Some more offensive production by Lee here, where he looks off the shot and slides it over to his teammate who buries a goal on the PP.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Ryker-Lee-Work.mp4

Here we see some of Lee’s work ethic, where he chases down an opposing player all the way from the offensive zone into the D-zone and strips the puck away that leads to a turnover.