Vojtěch Čihař – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #27 Los Angeles Kings – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 18:00:13 +0000

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 26: Canada's Carter George #30 tends the net in the first period against Czechia during Preliminary Round - Group B action at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at 3M Arena at Mariucci on December 26, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. (Photo by Tim Austen/IIHF)

Prospect System Ranking – 27th (Last Year - 24th)
GM: Ken Holland Hired: May 2025
COACH: D.J. Smith (Interim) Hired: March 2026

What was once considered one of the league’s premier prospect pipelines has quickly thinned into one of the NHL’s more shallow systems. Unfortunately for the Kings, that decline in organizational depth has coincided with limited postseason success, including four consecutive first-round exits. The most significant blow to the depth chart came just prior to this year’s Olympic break, when Los Angeles moved its top prospect, Liam Greentree (36th), in a blockbuster deal to acquire Russian superstar Artemi Panarin. While the trade carries clear long-term implications for the organization’s prospect pool, it does represent a calculated gamble to add elite talent capable of immediately elevating the Kings’ offensive ceiling.

With Greentree no longer in the system, Los Angeles does not feature a prospect within McKeen’s Top 100. Goaltender Carter George (111th) now stands as the organization’s most intriguing young asset and highlights what has quietly become one of the stronger goaltending pipelines in the league. George is one of three netminders among the club’s top six prospects at McKeen’s, joined by Hampton Slukynsky (176th), who has enjoyed an impressive NCAA career that includes a national championship and a 45–14–2 record with Western Michigan. Meanwhile, Erik Portillo continues to provide reliable depth within the organization at the AHL level in Ontario. Another intriguing name between the pipes is Petteri Rimpinen, part of a nine-player 2025 draft class that represented one of the Kings’ larger prospect hauls in recent years. That group also includes Henry Brzustewicz (148th) and Vojtech Cihar (170th), both of whom appear on McKeen’s Top 200 list.

Although Los Angeles still holds valuable draft capital, which includes three second-round selections in 2026, recent additions such as Artemi Panarin and veteran Scott Laughton signal an organization intent on remaining competitive in the near term. Whether that approach ultimately lifts the Kings back into contention or keeps them stuck in the league’s competitive middle tier remains to be seen.

NHL	RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	2024-25 TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
LA	1	Carter George	G	20	6-1/195	OS-Soo (OHL)	46	23	17	2.73	0.907
LA	2	Henry Brzustewicz	D	19	6-2/200	London (OHL)	59	19	35	54	57
LA	2	Henry Brzustewicz	D	19	6-2/200	Ontario (AHL)	5	0	0	0	8
LA	3	Vojtech Cihar	LW	19	6-1/180	Kelowna (WHL)	31	12	19	31	14
LA	3	Vojtech Cihar	LW	19	6-1/180	HC Energie Karlovy Vary (Czechia)	27	4	4	8	8
LA	4	Hampton Slukynsky	G	20	6-1/180	Western Michigan (NCAA)	39	27	11	2.30	0.915
LA	5	Kenny Connors	C	23	6-0/190	Ontario (AHL)	65	15	26	41	30
LA	5	Kenny Connors	C	23	6-0/190	Los Angeles (NHL)	2	0	0	0	0
LA	6	Erik Portillo	G	25	6-6/210	Ontario (AHL)	30	18	7	2.45	0.907
LA	7	Jared Woolley	D	20	6-4/215	Ldn-Kit (OHL)	66	12	24	36	74
LA	8	Jimmy Lombardi	C	19	6-0/185	Flint (OHL)	65	36	36	72	69
LA	9	Koehn Ziemmer	RW	21	6-0/205	Ontario (AHL)	57	11	13	24	27
LA	10	Jared Wright	RW	23	6-1/180	Ontario (AHL)	54	17	13	30	11
LA	10	Jared Wright	RW	23	6-1/180	Los Angeles (NHL)	23	0	4	4	4
LA	11	Kristian Epperson	LW	20	6-0/180	Denver (NCAA)	40	11	11	22	14
LA	12	Ryan Conmy	RW	21	5-9/190	Boston College (NCAA)	35	9	18	27	10
LA	13	Martin Chromiak	LW	23	6-0/185	Ontario (AHL)	71	28	28	56	14
LA	14	Petteri Rimpinen	G	20	6-0/175	Kiekko-Espoo (Fin-Liiga)	35	13	11	2.29	0.911
LA	15	Jakub Dvorak	D	21	6-5/205	Ontario (AHL)	45	4	3	7	41

1. Carter George, G, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

The jury is still out on George’s 2025/26 season. The first half saw a bit of regression on a rebuilding Owen Sound Attack team, in addition to a disappointing WJC performance for Canada. However, since being dealt to the Soo Greyhounds, George has been lights out and played well during this year’s OHL playoffs. George isn’t the biggest netminder, but he’s very quick, and he tracks the play well, showing intense focus as a competitor in the crease. His composure was evident in his end of the year cup of coffee with Ontario of the AHL last year, where he was electric as an underage pro. Next season, he’ll start his pro career, and expectations are pretty high for George in the Kings’ organization. However, this is also an organization with two other terrific goaltending prospects. While George still looks like the front runner to develop into LA’s future starter, he’ll need to continue to show progress to keep up, especially if Slukynsky decides to sign after his sophomore season.

2. Henry Brzustewicz, D, London Knights (OHL) (Currently with Ontario Reign, AHL)

Brzustewicz has had a nice breakout season in his draft year plus one, thanks to the graduation of Sam Dickinson to the San Jose Sharks. He’s taken charge of the London Knights blueline and actually has a chance to lead the team in scoring when all is said and done this year. He’s playing in all situations and gaining valuable experience that will help him blossom into a potential two-way defender at the NHL level, too. Brzustewicz is mobile, physically assertive, and has a big point, which he uses to help generate scoring chances. His game hasn’t been without its warts this year at both ends; he’s still a raw, longer-term project. However, if all goes right, Brzustewicz has a chance to develop into a long-term NHL defender who could be a jack of all trades type for the Kings. He’ll return to the Knights next year, where he should be one of the better defenders in the OHL, in addition to being a key member of the United States’ WJC team.

3. Vojtech Cihar, LW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

Vojtech Cihar came over to the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets after being named the MVP of the 2026 World Junior Championship. He’s had a solid start to his tenure in Kelowna, although maybe not quite the offensive numbers that you would expect from the World Junior MVP. It took Cihar a little bit to adjust to the new league, but he is looking more and more comfortable with every game he plays. He is being trusted in a penalty killing role in Kelowna as well. Drafted out of the Czech pro league, Cihar was known for his hard-working mentality and physical approach. However, his offensive game has taken massive steps forward, as evidenced by that strong WJC performance. Now, his game is centered around his smarts and his skill with the puck. He is constantly in the right area and is able to find teammates in moments that many players can’t. As his offensive game continues to evolve, Cihar’s projection has moved from more bottom six type, to potential middle six type.

4. Hampton Slukynsky, G, Western Michigan (NCAA) (Currently with Ontario Reign, AHL)

Slukynsky has been a proven winner. In his first full USHL season, he won USHL goalie of the year and won the Clark Cup. He then followed that up by joining Western Michigan University, where he once again played incredibly well. He helped lead Western Michigan to the NCHC title and won the National Championship. He also won the Gold Medal with the US in the U20 World juniors, where he was once again spectacular in net. This season has been much of the same. Slukynsky has very controlled movements, with excellent poise and patience to limit mistakes. He has excellent lower body strength and flexibility that allows him to cover the entire bottom of the net efficiently and be difficult to move off his spots amidst chaos. When it comes to projecting his future role, his smaller frame will likely give him some issues at higher levels against better shooters, but his poise and athleticism, along with his ability to hardly waste any movement, are all NHL traits that should translate. His winning pedigree is hard to ignore and that ability to rise to the occasion at every stop could get him into those future roles.

5. Kenny Connors, C, Ontario Reign (AHL)

A fourth-round pick in 2022 who spent 3 years at UMass Amherst, Connors earned his first NHL call-up in his first ever pro season. Connors was clicking at a point–per-game pace when he was called up by the Kings and did enough as a two-way player to earn a look with the big club. Connors was able to earn the trust of his coaches in Ontario thanks to his sound defensive game, positional ability, and general awareness when he doesn’t have the puck on his stick. Overall, Connors is a cerebral player, as he was able to develop that aspect of his game over the course of his collegiate career, and it’s already shown up as a plus factor for him in pro hockey. The question now becomes if he can add any sort of offense to his game, which would certainly raise his ceiling at the NHL level. However, even if he doesn’t, Connors’ combination of size and skill could help him carve a solid pro career.

6. Erik Portillo, G, Ontario Reign (AHL)

Portillo has seen his performance dramatically improve this season, pulling his save percentage solidly above .900 after having failed to do so in his sophomore AHL season. Portillo has always been known to stay deeper in the net, which is often the case with Swedish goaltenders. While that often burned him last year, Portillo has found a better balance this season, and it has allowed him to fully leverage his massive 6’ 6” frame. Lateral quickness and overall agility remain a bit of a concern, as Portillo’s feet and hands can sometimes lag behind the play. However, he does a great job of setting himself into a strong initial position. The more that he can increase his battle level and second save ability, the more his prospects of becoming an NHL goalie will increase. Portillo has done a better job this season of cutting down the shooter’s angle when he needs to; however, against faster and more skilled NHL competition, his reaction time and overall quickness will be further tested. There remains an intriguing goalie prospect here.

7. Jared Woolley, D, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

The big and athletic defender from the Knights has developed extremely well since being a sixth-round selection of the Kings. The second half of last season really saw Woolley blossom as a confident two-way threat, and that has carried over to this year, where he has already set personal bests in every offensive category. Finishing the year with the Kitchener Rangers, Woolley has taken a bit of a backseat offensively in the name of being more of a defensive anchor, but it hasn’t altered his NHL outlook. He’ll turn pro next season, and what the future truly holds for him remains to be seen. Given his rapid improvement level and athletic build, it would be unwise to put a cap on his NHL upside. A standout at recent Kings’ development camps, Woolley is very well liked within the organization and it does appear likely that he’ll develop into an NHL player in some capacity. Los Angeles will probably get a better read on his offensive upside next year as a first-year pro.

8. Jimmy Lombardi, C, Flint Firebirds (OHL)

A McKeen’s favourite at last year’s draft, we ranked him 59th. Lombardi has been a breakout star in the OHL this year for the upstart Flint Firebirds. With the supporting staff improving around Lombardi, he has embraced a leadership role as a two-way standout, and the offensive production has become incredibly consistent. A skilled and creative pivot who excels in transition, Lombardi has even more room to blossom as he continues to add strength to his frame and power to his stride. As mentioned, Lombardi is also a competitive two-way player who can excel in any situation. With such a well-rounded skill set, there are a lot of different paths to the NHL for him. Originally committed to Michigan, Lombardi recently signed his ELC and that likely eliminates him from NCAA contention next year. As such, he appears headed for another year in the OHL where he should continue to show growth as an offensive contributor. Lombardi could be a sneaky candidate to lead the league in scoring next season.

9. Koehn Ziemmer, RW, Ontario Reign (AHL)

After a consistent run with the Prince George Cougars of the WHL, Ziemmer, a former third round selection, turned pro this year with Ontario. Ziemmer’s calling cards have always been his high end shot and his high energy, physical approach. He projects as a potential half wall powerplay option because of his quick release. He’s also an intelligent player who can find soft spots in coverage and operate as a solid complementary piece because of his work ethic and supporting skill/touch. The biggest need for Ziemmer has always been to improve his quickness and explosiveness and that remains to this day. It was evident at the pro level this year that he needs to upgrade his skating to be a consistent offensive contributor at higher levels. Additionally, he’ll need to continue to improve his strength and conditioning to find consistent success as a physical power winger the way that he did in the WHL. Much like how LA has been patient with a similar player in Francesco Pinelli, the Kings will need to be patient with Ziemmer. With a few more years in the AHL, he could develop into that middle six goal scorer who can play a variety of different roles.

10. Jared Wright, RW, Ontario Reign (AHL)

The 2022 sixth-round pick is turning in a rookie pro season that belies his draft position, as he is fourth in goal scoring on the Ontario Reign . After spending three years at the University of Denver, Wright is on pace for 20 goals in the AHL in his first season out of college, which is the testament to the longer developmental path that he has taken. The offensive production is particularly exciting given that Wright himself has described himself as more of a checker, able to contribute in all three zones without the puck. Couple that with a strong work ethic and a great skating stride, and Wright clearly has the foundation of a game that should translate to a depth role in the NHL. Yet, if he can continue to build on the offensive season that he has had, then there is certainly a conversation to be had as to whether his ceiling in pro hockey may be higher than once thought. Wright could develop into a solid bottom-six player for the LA Kings down the line.

11. Kristian Epperson, LW, University of Denver (NCAA)

Epperson made the jump to the NCAA this year with Denver after a breakout season with Saginaw of the OHL last year. He’s a high energy, complementary offensive piece who projects as a middle six winger in the future.

12. Ryan Conmy, RW, Boston College (NCAA)

While undersized, Conmy has found success as a complementary offensive player at the NCAA level, first with New Hampshire, and now with Boston College after a transfer.

13. Martin Chromiak, LW, Ontario Reign (AHL)

Chromiak has improved steadily over four AHL seasons and has now put himself in position to earn a possible spot on the Kings. The issue for Chromiak is that he doesn’t project well as a bottom six piece, which means that he’ll need to prove that he can hack it as an offensive contributor.

14. Petteri Rimpinen, G, Kiekko-Espoo (Liiga)

Was Rimpinen a flash in the pan? That’s the million dollar question as he has failed to replicate his breakout season from last year. He doesn’t have the size teams are looking for these days, but he’s an elite athlete in the crease. Hopefully he gets back on track next season.

15. Jakub Dvorak, D, Ontario Reign (AHL)

Big stay at home defender with practically no offensive upside. However, he could possibly develop into an asset on the PK and as a dependable third pair type.

NHL PROSPECTS: Top 10 NHL affiliated performers at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship

Kyle Pereira — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 13:25:49 +0000

Goaltender Petteri Rimpinen of Finland lets in the 3-2 goal by Zayne Parekh of Canada (not pictured) during the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship bronze medal game between Canada and Finland on January 5, 2026 in Saint Paul.
Photo: Joel Marklund / BILDBYRÅN

The 2026 World Junior Championships in Minnesota have come and gone, with Sweden claiming gold, Czechia taking home silver, and Canada taking home bronze. With the tournament over, it has left some NHL teams happy with the guys that they had previously selected in recent drafts. But these 10 NHL prospects made their teams particularly happy.

#10 Will Zellers, Boston Bruins

The USA’s attempt at a three-peat ended with a disappointing finish, as they lost to Finland in the quarterfinals and were sent packing early. But if there was one bright spot, it was the player they nearly didn’t even bring with them. Zellers played incredibly well, scoring eight total points, including five goals, in five games. His shot was put on display, with several fantastic goals. The best one easily comes in his game against Switzerland, where he snuck a beautiful shot in right by the ear of the Swiss netminder. His ability to attack the high-danger areas was clear all tournament, and he was an electric presence on the ice. He was a clutch performer, scoring three straight game winning goals against Germany, Switzerland, and Slovakia in the group rounds. While his play did slow down in the knock-out games, his tournament was the most impressive on a team with several players who did not meet expectations.

#9 Alfons Freij, Winnipeg Jets

Freij, the first of several Swedes on this list, was fantastic on the back end. He was quarterbacking the Swedish powerplay unit, and it led to him scoring three of his seven total points. He was feeding Anton Frondell one-timer opportunities, drawing defenders in to open up those passing lanes before sliding pucks straight through to Frondell for high-danger opportunities. He controlled play incredibly well from up top, setting up a ton of opportunities throughout the tournament. His skating ability was also on display, showing off smooth edges as he looked to move pucks up ice. While he had some shaky moments in his own end, Freij still popped off the page with his ability to impact the neutral and offensive zones with his skating, passing skill and willingness to play an aggressive offensive style.

#8 Joona Saarelainen, Tampa Bay Lightning

Saarelainen finished with six points, including four goals, across seven games. He largely played second line minutes for Finland, helping them get past the USA in the quarterfinals, before falling just short of a medal. But he stood out in a big way for Finland. Saarelainen played at a fast pace, which especially stood out when Finland was playing a more meticulous, patient style for much of the tournament. He also wound up finishing the tournament as the leader in scoring chances generated. He easily could have scored more goals, but was robbed several times. That includes the bronze medal game against Finland, where he had excellent looks as both a passer and shooter in the low slot. His role as the net-front man on the Finnish powerplay also allowed him to generate some outstanding looks. Saarelainen also stood out in the neutral zone, again due to his skating, generating rushes and chances off those rushes. It wasn’t the best tournament from a point production standpoint, but he generated excellent looks and proved to be an important top-6 piece to a very impressive Finnish squad.

#7 Jack Berglund, Philadelphia Flyers

Berglund, the captain of the gold medal winners, had an incredible tournament. He led a star-studded Swedish team in points, with three goals and seven assists, playing as the third-line center. That’s a testament to just how well he played. He impacted the ice in all three zones, playing a bruising, heavy-weight style which proved incredibly useful against big teams like Finland in the semi-finals and Czechia in the gold medal game. He played a key role on the penalty kill, where he would generate two assists while shorthanded, including the opening goal in the gold medal round. His forechecking was on display all tournament long, forcing teams into mistakes and extending offensive possessions. His three goals came largely from his ability to get to the net-front and win those battles for positioning. He proved to be an absolute workhorse while also putting up points for Sweden en route to gold.

#6 Leo Sahlin Wallenius, San Jose Sharks

Wallenius, yet another Swede on this list, was pivotal in the race to gold. Not only was he an important piece as a puck mover and offensive generator, but he was an important penalty killer as well, throughout the entire tournament. His positioning on the penalty kill, staying in his spots and keeping his assignments in check, helped Sweden to kill off the penalties early against Czechia in the gold medal game. His blocked shot, which led to him hopping off the ice in that game, also showcased how bad he wanted that win. His ability to transport pucks up the ice and chip in with 6 points in this tournament, while playing top pairing minutes, was crucial to a successful tournament.

#5 Anton Frondell, Chicago Blackhawks

Frondell, the Blackhawks third overall pick in 2024, played a crucial role for Sweden as expected. He recorded eight points across the seven games, including five goals. He was using his heavy frame very well all tournament, winning battles along the wall to help extend possessions and skating through stick and body checks. His skating also popped at times, especially through the neutral zone where he helped generate rushes and scoring chances off those rushes. But perhaps the most important thing Frondell brought to the table was his shot and ability to get to the net front. His one-timer was a weapon at times, on a very successful Swedish powerplay. But perhaps his best goal, that didn’t get on the scoresheet, was when he played hero in the semi-final shootout against Finland. He called the game, sending Sweden to the gold medal round, in a contest where it could be argued that Finland played the better game overall. His clutch performance, ability to use his frame to drive offense and create opportunities, and his shot paired with his smarts allowed him to be a key piece for Sweden yet again.

#4 Vojtech Cihar, Los Angeles Kings

Cihar, who helped lead Czechia to the gold medal round and a silver medal finish, recorded 11 points in the tournament. Not only did he produce well, but he played the most minutes on the penalty kill amongst Czech forwards. His skating, positional awareness away from the puck, anticipation, and work ethic was as clear as day, especially in those PK minutes. But perhaps the reason he went on to win tournament MVP came down to some incredible skill plays in key moments. His remarkable goal against Canada to re-take their lead, where he fired the puck just under the crossbar while falling down in tight to the net, was a highlight reel for the ages. His ability to rise to the occasion, especially against Canada in the semi-finals, was the biggest stand out from his game. Unbelievable tournament from the 2025 second rounder.

#3 Michael Hage, Montreal Canadiens

Hage, the first-round selection of the Canadiens in 2024, had an electric tournament, leading the entire crop of players in points with 15 across Canada’s seven games. His passing skills on the powerplay were excellent, part of the reason why the Canadian man advantage looked like a well-oiled machine. His skill on the puck was also evident, with quick, nifty moves to create a new angle to open passing lanes. Hage’s skating was also a positive trait, flying up ice for rushes, generating offensive opportunities flying down the boards and setting things up. He was constantly looking to get the puck in the high-danger areas and did so consistently. He looks like a true difference maker because of his skill, skating and smarts he put on full display in this tournament. He was a constant bright spot for Canada.

#2 Adam Jiricek, St. Louis Blues

Jiricek, who went on to score six points, including five goals, played a pivotal role in his silver medal finish. He won the best defenseman award, voted on by the media in attendance, for a reason. Not only did his five goals tie him with Zayne Parekh for most goals by a defenseman, but he was vital in all three zones. He played very well against rushes, gapping up well and angling plays to the outside. He was also a strong puck transporter, while being a key piece of the Czech attack. Jiricek was completely unafraid to jump up in the play and help out offensively. His highlight reel overtime goal against Finland is a prime example of that, as he stepped up into the play, navigated the zone very well away from the puck, before finding soft space at the net front and scoring a between the legs goal past Petteri Rimpinen.

#1 Zayne Parekh, Calgary Flames

It was tough to choose between the top four names as to who was deserving of the top spot. But Parekh was absolutely incredible for Canada and absolutely earned the top spot. His skating was on full display, with how he jumped up in the rush and helped lead attacks up ice consistently, acting as a fourth forward at times. His work on the power play was remarkable as well, with both his passing and shooting ability on full display at all times. His shot in particular was incredible, with some excellent shots from distance beating goalies with consistency. While his play in the NHL hasn’t popped yet, if this tournament is any indication, he has the ability to be a game-breaking talent on the back-end for years to come. The Flames have a special talent on their blueline, with his ability to walk the blueline and command the play from the point allowing him to be an absolutely dynamic presence for Canada all tournament long. It’s only a matter of time before he figures it out in the NHL.

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – LOS ANGELES KINGS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #24

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 11:59:33 +0000

PARADISE, NV - JUNE 28: Liam Greentree is drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the first round during the Upper Deck NHL Draft on June 28, 2024 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 24th (May 2025 - 25th)
GM: Rob Blake Hired: April 2017
COACH: Jim Hiller Hired: February 2024

The Los Angeles Kings’ prospect depth has taken a hit in recent installments, dropping 10 spots over the last two seasons. That’s the natural cost of seeing nearly all of your top-ranked prospects graduate in quick succession. Quinton Byfield, Brandt Clarke, Jordan Spence, Alex Turcotte, Samuel Helenius, and Akil Thomas have all taken steps forward at the NHL level, ushering in a new wave of youth for the big club.

Leading what remains of the pipeline is Liam Greentree, a late 2024 first-round pick who vaulted from 86th in our rankings. His 119-point campaign with the Windsor Spitfires made him one of the OHL’s top performers, pairing size with an elite scoring touch.

Beyond Greentree, the brightest spots lie in goal. Erik Portillo is already an established AHL starter, while Carter George and Hampton Slukynsky bring significant promise. George’s numbers dipped this season on a weak Owen Sound team, but he remains a top goaltending prospect and has already transitioned to the Ontario Reign. Slukynsky, meanwhile, enjoyed a storybook year—earning an NCAA Championship with Western Michigan, All-Tournament and All-Rookie honours, and a World Junior gold medal.

The Kings added nine more names at the 2025 draft, headlined by Henry Brzustewicz, taken 31st overall. He joins second-round pick Vojtech Cihar (second round, 59th overall) and third-rounder Kristian Epperson (third round, 88th overall) in rounding out the team’s top 15 prospects.

The silver lining for L.A. is that they’ve avoided mortgaging their future for short-term gains. While they lack a second-round pick in 2026, they still hold seven selections in the upcoming draft and remain in the enviable position of icing a strong playoff contender while continuing to add young talent.

For now, the Kings find themselves outside the “mushy middle” of prospect rankings—not a deep system, but one with enough quality in key spots, especially in goal, to keep the future intriguing.

Los Angeles Kings Top-15 Prospects

1 - Liam Greentree

This past season couldn’t have gone a whole lot better for Greentree, the 26th overall selection last year. He emerged as one of the top offensive players in the OHL, which in turn helped the Windsor Spitfires capture a division title. Greentree is such an intelligent offensive player. He understands how to best utilize his skill set on the puck and off of it. He’s calculated in his approach and difficult to separate from the puck thanks to his skill and frame. His pace of play really improved this year too, thanks to a stronger and more explosive stride. He still has work to do in terms of speed and explosiveness to be a top scorer at the professional levels, but his progress has been encouraging. Another year in the OHL next year would do wonders for Greentree as he continues to improve his skating and two-way game on a strong Windsor team. Additionally, he should be an offensive leader for the Canadian WJC team. This looks like a very strong pick by the Kings as Greentree has the sense and skill to be a high scoring winger for them in the near future.

2 - Carter George

On talent alone, Carter George stands as one of the NHL’s best goalie prospects. As an 18-year-old, he is already very refined technically and is far ahead of his peers and even many of his seniors in that aspect. His positioning, footwork, anticipation, and intelligence are all elite whilst being calm and composed. His only downside is that athletically, he is closer to average, but it is still very sufficient for the NHL level. With how he plays, he won’t need to play athletically, but he’s still proven he can pull the rabbit out of the hat when needed. George plays a lot like Henrik Lundqvist in the way he positions himself to read and react to play. Everything he does is fluid, methodical, precise, and done with intensity. He just finished his second year as a two-time arguable best OHL goaltender and even dipped his toe in the AHL and showed out. Continuing down this path, it should come to no one's surprise that he ends up as an elite NHL goalie.

3 - Henry Brzustewicz

The Kings’ first-round selection in 2025, Brzustewicz is a bit of a blank canvas waiting to be modeled. The “tools” are all present. He skates well. He has good size. He can make creative plays with the puck in the name of creating offence, especially inside the offensive zone, a trait that makes him a potential power play quarterback. The same could be said of a quality point shot. Defensively, he is physically engaged and shows a willingness to take away time and space, consistently winning those 50/50 battles for the puck or positioning. However, what’s not present is the consistent execution of all of these tools. Brzustewicz is raw in this regard; his lower IQ grades are what prevented him from being drafted higher. He’ll return to London this year and should take on a very large role for the Knights. Under the tutelage of the Hunters, expect Brzustewicz to improve his decision making, execution, and consistency.

4 - Hampton Slukynsky

Slukynsky, much like his fellow prospect George, is a very controlled, highly efficient goalie. While he may not possess high-end speed or athleticism, his positioning and skating are so good that it doesn’t matter. He also boasts some elite tracking, allowing him to make a variety of glove saves and use it to consistently keep up with play. His real strength comes from how calm he is. Nothing breaks Slukynsky; everything is very purposeful, and precision is of the utmost importance. Again, much like George, Slukynsky doesn’t possess any detrimental weaknesses. At worst, sometimes he can be down a little early on a tight play, but he remains very calm and in control. All of this has helped him continue a strong development curve of being the best USHL goalie and then being elite in the NCAA, where he led Western Michigan to its first national championship. While Slukynsky will have strong competition if he stays in LA, the Kings could be seen with two starting level goalies on their hands.

5 - Koehn Ziemmer

A nasty ankle tear in November 2023 threw a wrench into Ziemmer's ongoing development but coming back to Prince George for his overage year helped him get things back on track, as he once again got to play a Top six forward role on one of the league's better teams. And funnily enough, because skating was never his strong suit before he didn't have to make any major stylistic adjustments upon returning. His game is built around his control of the puck: protecting it with his strength and wide balance until he can whip a hard and accurate shot or pass. He has a real dog-on-a-bone mentality when he's battling for puck possession down low in the offensive zone. Even though Ziemmer needs to stay pigeonholed in his style in order to be effective, he's still a good specialist and there are jobs in the NHL for guys who play like he does.

6 - Erik Portillo

Portillo’s staple is being a very calm and positional goalie. He shows great positional awareness and good play reading to predict passes and player movements. However, in his exceeding calmness, he seems to lack a competitive edge. He generally doesn’t move with much intensity and in this past year, seemed to almost not be fully engaged with his games. Despite being a good skater, the lack of intensity can cause him to be a bit behind on plays, and he struggles to make big saves on cross-ice passes. He also tends to make some questionable decisions in his save selection, opening up when sliding or just completely misreading the situation because he wasn’t able to track the puck. He took a major step back this past season in Ontario after being very impressive the year prior, which calls into question his future with the organization. His skill set could be translated to an NHL role if honed properly, but severely lacking intensity can be a serious concern, especially how he could get buried behind other goalie talent in LA.

7 - Ryan Conmy

Conmy excelled in his freshman and sophomore seasons at the University of New Hampshire—scoring 31 points in 34 games (2023–24) and improving to 33 points in 34 games (2024–25). Conmy is an intelligent, fast, hardworking winger with solid shot placement, offensive instincts, and tenacity on the puck. He finds open ice, generates offence, and plays bigger than his 5-foot-10 frame. This is why he played in all situations at New Hampshire. Now at Boston College, following a transfer for his junior season, Conmy will benefit from higher level teammates. With his blend of speed, shot accuracy, and two-way capability, he projects as a bottom-middle six NHL winger with upside on special teams. Continued offensive growth and reliable defensive play will be key to unlocking his pro potential. His play at BC this year will indicate whether he is ready to sign his ELC and turn pro, or whether a senior year would be beneficial.

8 - Jared Woolley

Is Woolley a serious breakout candidate this year with the London Knights? His game really took off in the second half of the season and into the playoffs, as he emerged as a two-way force in the OHL. He’s going to get more ice time and responsibility this coming season and that could translate to a serious increase in offensive production. There’s a very real possibility that Woolley pairs with new Kings’ prospect Henry Brzustewicz on the top pair of London. For Woolley it’s all about continuing to refine his skill set. Continue to improve his mobility and linear quickness as a skater. Continue to improve his decision making with the puck and ability to start the breakout. Continue to improve his composure and reads in the defensive end. The 6-foot-5 defender has the upside to be an impactful NHL player in some capacity, and this season should give us a better indication of what his true ceiling is as a two-way player.

9 - Francesco Pinelli

Pinelli was a prolific scorer in junior, but he hasn’t quite found his game at the next level yet. This year, his offensive output only slightly improved in his second full season with the Reign. Francesco loves to shoot, and that’s evidently his best trait, closely followed by his creativity with the puck. He’s created many chances this season (and potted numerous assists) by getting to the netfront and ripping shots off loose pucks and rebounds. His stickhandling is deceptive and hard to read, and combined with his above-average speed, it makes him a big threat in space. When Francesco gets into one-on-one situations with goalies, it’s tough to stop him, as he has a deep bag of tricks and finishing moves. Pinelli averaged around 15 minutes per game this season, a number the Kings are likely hoping will increase as he works into a full-time top six role. LA has struggled to turn its once-great prospect pool into an NHL roster, and Pinelli may be another casualty of their development shortcomings.

10 - Kristian Epperson

The 2023-24 season was not a good one for Epperson. He ended up getting demoted from the NTDP’s U18 team and subsequently was not drafted in 2024. The 2024-25 season was the exact opposite. The move to Saginaw of the OHL proved to be an excellent move for his development as he gained instant chemistry with star forward Michael Misa and after a terrific year, the Kings selected Epperson in his second go-around at the draft. Epperson brings consistent energy on and off the puck and he is skilled enough to both finish off plays and create them; he’s the ideal complementary piece on a scoring line. There’s a need for his quickness and strength on the puck to improve further and that’s why the move to the University of Denver next year is an intelligent one for him. Expect him to spend a few years in the NCAA before turning pro. If all goes well, the Kings will have a potential middle six piece on their hands.

11 - Petteri Rimpinen

At 6-foot-0, Rimpinen has to compensate for his lack of stature with quicker reaction time and agility. He made the jump to Liiga last season, posting respectable numbers into the playoffs. Now, he’ll look to take another step this season in Liiga for Kiekko-Espoo.

12 - Caeden Herrington

Herrington has the kind of tools that get scouts excited, standing 6-foot- 2 as a right shot defenceman who isn’t afraid to get physical. He put up 16 goals in the USHL last season thanks to his penchant for joining the rush and getting shots off. He’ll join the collegiate ranks this season at the University of Vermont, where he’ll need to smooth out his overall game and skating to become pro-ready.

13 - Vojtech Cihar

Cihar was a top sixty pick for LA, and it’s not hard to see why. He competes for pucks but matches that with an exciting set of hands and a nose for scoring chances. Slightly on the smaller end, he’ll need to continue to build up his physical tools to let the skill shine through at the pro North American level. He’s slated to spend another season playing in the pro Czech ranks.

14 - Jimmy Lombardi

Add Lombardi’s name to the list of CHL prospects making the jump to the NCAA this season, as he’s slated to suit up for the University of Michigan after spending two years in the OHL. Lombardi never quite established himself offensively for Flint, but his skill level was obvious with a smooth set of hands. The NCAA will allow him to develop physically and add the missing two-way elements to his game.

15 - Jakub Dvorak

Dvorak is a towering, rangy defenceman who made the jump from Czechia to the AHL last season. With his combination of size, mobility, and a clean first pass, there is bottom pair NHL potential. As a second-round pick, the Kings are probably hoping for a bit more than that, and he’ll look to take another step forward in the AHL this season.

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

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

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

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

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

Czechia

Adam Benak

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

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

Players to watch

Adam Benak - F

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

Vojtech Cihar - F

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

Simon Katolicky - F

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

Radim Mrtka - D

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

Matej Pekar - F

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

Tomas Poletin - F

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

Max Psenicka - D

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

Ondrej Stebetak - G

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

Germany

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

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

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

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

Players to watch

David Lewandowski - F

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

Carlos Händel - D

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

Maxim Penkin - F

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

Maxim Schäfer - W

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

Dustin Willhöft - W

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

Sweden

Djurgårdens Anton Frondell.
Photo: Kenta Jönsson / BILDBYRÅN

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

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

Players to watch

Viggo Björck - F

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

Sascha Boumedienne - D

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

Anton Frondell - F

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

Milton Gästrin - F

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

Eddie Genborg - F

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

Theodor Hallquisth - D

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

Jakob Ihs-Wozniak - F

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

Ivar Stenberg - F

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

Switzerland

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

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

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

Players to watch

Guus Van der Kaaij - D

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

Jeremiah Mundy - F

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

Jonah Neuenschwander - F

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

USA

Cole McKinney

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

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

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

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

Players to watch

Blake Fiddler - D

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

Cole McKinney - F

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

L.J. Mooney - F

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

Will Moore - F

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

Jack Murtagh - F

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

Cullen Potter - F

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

Charlie Trethewey - D

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2025 WORLD JUNIORS: Draft-Eligible Players to Watch

Brock Otten — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 20:00:55 +0000

There is a general rule when watching first-time draft-eligible players at the World Junior Championships; a good performance should help raise a player’s stock, but a poor tournament should not considerably lower a player’s stock. Historically, this is a tough tournament for underagers to excel at. Not everyone is ready for the limelight like Connor Bedard was in 2023 when he set the new scoring record for a U18 player, or like Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi were when they led Finland to a gold medal in 2016, combining for 30 points. Auston Matthews had a single goal when he played for the US as a U18 player. Sergei Fedorov, Scott Niedermayer, David Legwand, Brian Leetch, and Sebastian Aho are among the many who were held pointless. Bottom line, there are more failures than success stories and it’s important to keep that in perspective when evaluating draft-eligible players at this tournament.

That said, we’d be lying to you if we said we weren’t keeping tabs on certain players to see how they perform. This year, there are several players to keep an eye on and we’ve got you covered with that list.

Matthew Schaefer - Defense - Canada

Our new top-ranked player for the 2025 NHL Draft (as per our recent update), there wasn’t a lot of skepticism about Schaefer making this team. However, there was no guarantee, given his age, that he would receive a prominent role. After the exhibition schedule, it certainly appears that Schaefer is going to receive significant ice time and responsibility for Canada. He was one of the team’s top defenders in the tune-up games and he is poised to have a big tournament. The Canadian scoring record for a U18 defender at this event is held by Ryan Ellis with seven and Schaefer could challenge that.

Porter Martone - Wing - Canada

The power winger is likely to be a bottom-six player on this Canadian team, perhaps even a victim of the numbers game in the press box. The key for him will be providing physicality without crossing the thin line that exists in IIHF hockey.

Jack Ivankovic - Goaltender - Canada

Unlikely to see significant time ahead of Carter George or Carson Bjarnason, but stranger things have happened at this tournament. Realistically, Ivankovic is here to gain experience for future events. If anything, this serves as a great break from the OHL for Ivankovic, who has struggled the last month for the reeling Brampton Steelheads.

James Hagens - Center - USA

Hagens enters the tournament as the first-line center for the United States as part of an all-Boston College unit with Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault. Their chemistry should really help them in a short tournament and all three could be right up near the top of the tournament scoring leaders. As we approach this tournament, Hagens is finding himself off the top spot on several current 2025 lists (including ours). A dominating performance here could go a long way to proving to scouts that he is still the top player this year.

Logan Hensler - Defense - USA

It hasn’t been an easy freshman year for Hensler at Wisconsin, who entered the year neck and neck with Schaefer as the top defender available, but now finds himself firmly behind the talented Canadian. However, Hensler has a chance to be a pretty versatile defender for the U.S. at this event and that could really help him gain a hold of the second-best defender title.

Vojtech Cihar - Wing - Czechia

There’s no guarantee that Cihar plays much of a role for a Czech team with serious medal aspirations, however, the talented winger has had a terrific year in the Czech league and is firmly on the draft radar as a top two-round candidate. Can he find a way to carve out a role?

Carlos Handel - Defense - Germany

Handel hasn’t had the kind of offensive impact, especially of late, as many had hoped he would when he joined Halifax of the QMJHL for his draft year. However, he’s still a pretty highly regarded prospect and he’s going to likely get top-four ice time for Germany at this event; an excellent opportunity for him to shine on the big stage.

David Lewandowski - Center - Germany

Another German standout who has crossed the pond to play in the CHL, Lewandowski has excelled for Saskatoon of the WHL. The big pivot plays a power game that should help him match up well against some of the other big powers in Germany’s division. Look for him to play a top-three-line role.

Rio Kaiser - Defense - Germany

A lesser-known prospect eligible for this year, Kaiser is still someone on the draft radar because of his size and intriguing athleticism on the backend. He hasn’t received a ton of ice time in the DEL this year, but he could play a prominent defensive role at this tournament and open up some eyes.

Bruno Osmanis - Wing - Latvia

Playing a good chunk of the year in the Allsvenskan (Swedish second-tier pro league), Osmanis has actually produced well playing against men in a limited role. This sets him up well for success at this event, where he’s going to be counted on by Latvia to be one of their go-to offensive players.

Luka Radivojevic - Defense - Slovakia

Our scouting team has been pretty divided on Radivojevic this year, so the fact that he should get decent ice time for Slovakia could help with that division. He’s been playing better lately after the move to Muskegon of the USHL, but how impactful can he be at the higher levels given his lack of size? We’re curious to see how he defends at this event, against the world’s best.

Jan Chovan - Center - Slovakia

Chovan came into the year with a fair amount of hype after a good U17 year and a strong Hlinka/Gretzky Cup performance, but his production in the Finnish U20 league has been underwhelming. The big pivot can play a heavy, two-way game and that should make him an ideal bottom-six player for the Slovaks. Would Chovan consider a post-WJC move to the OHL, where Sudbury owns his rights?

Tomas Pobezal - Center - Slovakia

Pobezal is on pace for a legendary season in the Slovak men’s league, right on par with the likes of Marian Hossa and Marian Gaborik. That has him right in the conversation as a top 50 selection this year. He may not be flashy, but Pobezal is gritty, intelligent, and versatile. Look for him to play a middle-six role for the Slovaks.

Victor Eklund - Wing - Sweden

Another potential top-five selection playing in this year’s tournament (along with Schaefer, Martone, and Hagens). There’s no guarantee that Eklund receives a lot of ice time for the Swedes, but he’s the kind of dynamic offensive player who can have an eventual impact in the tournament.

2025 WORLD JUNIORS: Team Preview – Team Czechia

Matej Deraj — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:00:28 +0000

Czechia has enjoyed a successful couple of years in the World Juniors, claiming a silver medal two years ago and then following it up with a bronze in 2024. While they are not among the favorites to win gold this time, their recent performances make them a team to take seriously. Reaching the semifinals for the fourth consecutive year is certainly within reach for this squad. However, they lack a true star player who could carry them to a medal.

At the previous World Juniors, the backbone of the Czech team was Sabres forward Jiří Kulich, who captained the team. Kulich won the scoring title at the tournament with 12 points and was named to the All-Star Team in both 2023 and 2024. While Czechia no longer has a player of Kulich's caliber, there are several candidates who could make a significant impact on their results
Last year’s No. 1 goaltender, Michael Hrabal, is expected to reprise his role as the starter. Although Hrabal struggled as an underager at the last tournament, he delivered his only standout performance against Canada (3-2 win) in the quarterfinals, helping his team reach the semifinals.

The defense will be anchored by Adam Jiříček (#16 in the 2024 NHL Draft), who recently returned from an injury, and Kings second-round pick Jakub Dvořák, who missed last year’s tournament. However, Czechia will miss Dominik Badinka (#34 in the 2024 draft), a Hurricanes prospect who declined invitations to previous U20 tournaments. Another surprising omission on the back end is Radim Mrtka, a projected first-rounder in the upcoming draft.

Czechia's top player is probably forward Eduard Šalé, who is having a solid season with the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the AHL. The Kraken prospect was initially expected to miss the tournament but will return for his final World Juniors. Šalé is set to lead the offense alongside other contributors such as Miroslav Holinka, Adam Jecho or Jakub Štancl.

Czechia boasts 14 drafted players, including two first-rounders (Jiříček and Šalé) and two potential high picks in Adam Novotný and Vojtěch Čihař. This is one of the stronger Czech teams in recent years, but their offensive depth is weaker than in the past two tournaments. If Šalé is at the top of his game, he could be one of the best forwards at the World Juniors. Their main rivals in the group stage will be Slovakia, and a victory against them would almost guarantee a top-two finish in the group, a favorable position for medal contention. However, Czechia has shown they can compete regardless of their group placement and should never be underestimated.

Key Players

Eduard Šalé, RW

Šalé has two World Juniors medals under his belt and has scored at a point-per-game pace in both tournaments. A skilled winger, he struggled at the junior level last season (38 points in 49 OHL games) but has played well in professional hockey, with over 50 games in the Czech league. Now thriving in the AHL with Coachella Valley, Šalé is expected to lead the Czech squad and will be crucial to their success as he aims to complete his medal hat trick.

Michael Hrabal, G

Hrabal, the team’s clear starting goaltender, was drafted 38th overall in 2023, making him the second-highest goalie pick of his draft class. At 6’6”, Hrabal combines size with excellent athleticism and quickness. Even though his performance last year was subpar, his clutch performance against Canada in the quarterfinals proved his potential. He currently plays for UMass in the NCAA, where he has posted solid numbers as a 19-year-old.

Adam Jiříček, D

The younger brother of the Wild´s newest prospect, David Jiříček, walks in his brother's footsteps. He played on the same team in his draft year, was a first-round pick, and missed half a season due to an injury sustained at the World Juniors. Now healthy, Adam Jiříček should be the key defenceman for Czechia at the World Juniors. He's a plus skater, plays a two-way game, and loves to join the rush. He defends well, uses his frame and helps his team in every situation.

Jakub Dvořák, D

Dvořák, a 6’4” defenseman drafted in the second round by the Kings in 2023, missed last year’s tournament but returns as a key player on the blue line. Mobile for his size and strong defensively, Dvořák also adds a touch of offense to his game. He plays for the Ontario Reign in the AHL and is expected to log heavy minutes in all situations.

Jakub Štancl, LW

Štancl is a two-way winger who drives to the net and fights for every puck. He’s also a solid skater with a decent shot. Štancl is one of three Blues prospects on the team (Jiříček, Ondřej Kos). He spent three years in Sweden and even got a shot at the highest level in the country, the Swedish Hockey League. He has been with the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL this year, averaging more than a point per game. Štancl is a good complementary winger and should help his team to create more scoring chances.

Tomáš Galvas, D

Galvas was one of my favourite players from my region coming to the 2024 NHL Draft, but he was passed on by every team and went undrafted. Mainly due to his size, since 5´10” defencemen are rare in the NHL and he's only 154 pounds. His biggest asset is his skating – he's a smooth skater, agile and very quick. He likes to join the rush, carry the puck and create plays. He played well at the last World Juniors and should be an important member of the Czech defence, getting a likely power-play role.

Adam Jecho, RW/C

Jecho boasts a 6-foot-5 frame but has the offensive skill of much smaller players. He's someone who reminded me of Flames´ prospect Samuel Honzek in his draft year. Jecho has smooth hands, fluid skating, creates opportunities and works well around the net. He was an important member of the Czech squad that won silver at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He and Miroslav Holinka are teammates at Edmonton Oil Kings, they should bring their chemistry to the national team as well.

Miroslav Holinka, C/W

Holinka left a great impression at the Maple Leafs development camp before the season, rising in the team´s prospect system, as he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2024 NHL Draft. He is a two-way, versatile forward, able to play all three positions. He may lack a standout trait but he's definitely useful in all situations and should be an important member of the Czech team. He's playing with the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL, averaging almost a point per game.

Jiří Felcman, C

The Blackhawks prospect has spent most of his career in Switzerland. He plays with the SCL Tigers in the country´s top-tier league (NL), which is one of the best in Europe, a remarkable achievement for a foreign-born 19-year-old. Felcman is a true power forward, he's 6´4” and 200 pounds, plays with an edge, and works well as a net presence. He's going to play at his first World Juniors.

Petr Sikora, RW/C

Sikora has been up and down the lineup of the Czech reigning champions Oceláři Třinec, but he tried to use the best of every opportunity. He´s a feisty two-way forward, he´s dangerous on the forecheck and works well in front of the net despite his average 6-foot frame. Sikora is useful on special teams and should help his team no matter the line he´s on. He´s a Capitals pick (#178) from the sixth round of the last draft.

Sleeper Player

Vojtěch Čihař, RW/C

Čihař is having a great draft year with Karlovy Vary in the Czech league, cementing his status as the top prospect in the league after Radim Mrtka´s departure. He's been playing on the first line and using his opportunity very well. He is a versatile two-way forward with strong skating and a decent size with an offensive touch to his game. Čihař is a candidate for the first two rounds of the upcoming draft and if he puts up a solid performance at the WJC, his stock should go up.

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 – Europe – Pobežal, Čihař, Mišiak & Tomka

Matej Deraj — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 14:00:04 +0000

_{Tomáš Pobežal}

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.

Matej Deraj - European Scout

Tomáš Pobežal – Center/Wing – HK Nitra

5´10”, 179 lbs – 2006-09-19

Pobežal is having a great season with HK Nitra in the Slovak top-tier league. He's already passed the double-digit mark in goals and he's on pace to have the third-best draft year in the league´s history, trailing only greats Marián Hossa and Marián Gáborík. Pobežal is making the most of his limited opportunity, averaging around fifteen minutes a night with sheltered power play time. He´s a valuable player in each situation and deserves a spot in the top two rounds with his play.

Pobežal is a smart center who´s able to play on the wing as well. He sees the ice well and finds good spots. He´s a 200-ft player with solid defensive awareness, reliable in all three zones. Pobežal plays a high-paced game and his compete level is tremendous. It sticks out as one of his best traits, on top of the offensive game. He´s highly competitive, finishes every check, draws a ton of penalties and loves to get under the skin of his opponents. He´s always chirping and looking for scrums. The physical edge to his game is admirable, as his smaller frame is not as limiting.

The shooting percentage is obviously unsustainable, but it´s nice to see him net more goals since he´s always been a volume shooter but with less success. Pobežal has clear NHL upside, in my opinion, as a smaller, but highly competitive, versatile middle sixer, who can provide secondary scoring -someone like Yanni Gourde in previous seasons. Players from Central European leagues tend to get overlooked, so a strong World Juniors outing should help Pobežal get on the radar.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/tomas_pobezal_clip1.mp4

Pobežal is relentless around the net and scores a nice goal. He goes behind the net, fakes a wraparound and goes back to put the puck in the net. He works hard and fights for every puck.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/tomas_pobezal_clip2.mp4

He shows quick thinking and solid hockey sense in this clip, as he´s able to find teammates in good spots and helps to create some scoring chances with quick reactions and passes.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/tomas_pobezal_clip3.mp4

Pobežal is active on the forecheck and throws his body around. He initially makes a mistake, when he goes for a hit instead of picking up the loose puck, but shrugs it off and continues to fight for the puck, which helps his team to gain possession in the offensive zone.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/tomas_pobezal_clip4.mp4

Again, quick thinking on Pobežal, who reads the situation well, shows his soft hands with a nice move and immediately shoots for the net, but misses wide. He stays active in front of the goal and tries to get involved.

Vojtěch Čihař – Right Wing/Center – Energie Karlovy Vary

6´1”, 176 lbs – 2007-03-29

Čihař has quietly built a strong case for himself as one of the most intriguing Czech prospects in the 2025 NHL Draft. He was not a well-known prospect prior to the season, but now he´s making his way up to the 2nd to 3rd round territory. He´s getting a great opportunity on Karlovy Vary´s first line in the Czech top-tier league, getting some powerplay minutes as well. He has scored seven points (3+4) in his first 20 Extraliga games and the ice time continues to grow. Čihař also made his U20 National Team debut in November and is expected to be in the mix for the World Juniors. Should he appear at the Christmas tournament, his stock will go up.

Vojtěch Čihař is a versatile forward who´s been playing on the right wing, but he does have a history of playing in the middle as well. He has a decent size, although it´d be beneficial for him to add on more muscle. Čihař is a strong and elusive skater; he´s fast and puts pressure on defensemen on the forecheck. He has the potential of being a checking and more physical winger if he builds a stronger frame and starts using his body more often. He´s already quite strong in board battles and wins a lot of pucks. Defensively, he plays a polished two-way game, hustles hard on the backcheck and supports his teammates in all three zones. Čihař works well as a net-front presence; he´s effective on rebounds and tip-ins. Although he is not afraid of flashy moves and has moments of brilliance, his overall offensive ceiling is limited and doesn´t stand out as a scoring threat. His hockey sense is adequate, but also not exceptional.

He has earned considerable ice time and his role is comparable with former first-rounders selected from the Czech Extraliga, such as Martin Nečas or Jiří Kulich. Čihař doesn´t have the same kind of potential in my opinion, but could be a nice second-to-third-round pick with the possibility of rising even higher. He projects as a middle-six winger with a well-rounded game and relentless work ethic. He should be a fairly safe pick with a nice projectable game.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/vojtech_cihar_clip1.mp4

Nice preseason goal by Čihař, who displays his quick feet, loses a defenseman with an effective move and surprises the goalie.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/vojtech_cihar_clip2.mp4

Čihař may not have exceptional skills, but he´s strong on the puck, works well on the zone entries and is hard to get knocked off the puck.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/vojtech_cihar_clip3.mp4

Although he´s not a typical puck-handling forward, he´s able to pull off a flashy move from time to time. This one was brilliant and helped him create a scoring chance, unfortunately, the puck didn´t go in.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/vojtech_cihar_clip4.mp4

Čihař plays a simple and effective game, but sometimes, his first instincts are not ideal. In this clip, he tries to create a counter-attack, but commits a turnover instead of clearing the puck and the opponent has a dangerous chance.

Alex Mišiak – Right Wing/Left Wing – HKM Zvolen

5´11”, 176 lbs – 2007-06-22

Alex Mišiak is the younger brother of a Blackhawks 2nd round prospect Martin Mišiak, however, their play styles differ. Whilst Martin is more well-rounded, has a bigger frame and plays center, Alex is a smaller, highly skilled winger who excels in finding dangerous spots and creating scoring opportunities. He´s more offensively-minded than his brother and doesn´t have the same ceiling, yet he´s still an intriguing prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft. He´s a decent skater, mobile and elusive with some potential to reach top speed since he´s very fast already.

Mišiak had an impressive start to the season with two goals in the first two matches in the Slovak top-tier league. He´s netted another three since then and added two assists, but his ice time has been all over the place. He usually displays a solid compete level and shows his willingness to fight, which pleases every coach. He engages in physical battles and brings a feisty edge; however, his defensive game still needs improvement, especially in his positioning and commitment to his responsibilities in his own zone.

Physically, Mišiak is still developing and has yet to reach his full potential. His brother has a great frame for pro hockey (6´1”, 201 lbs), but Alex is listed at 5´11” and 176 lbs. He still needs to grow more muscle to avoid getting bullied around the boards, but his competitive edge is promising. Mišiak has the potential to grow into a speedy middle-six winger who is able to bring secondary scoring and play on the powerplay. He´s probably a mid-round pick for now with no certainty of playing in the NHL, but he´s a fun prospect with some upside.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/alex_misiak_clip1.mp4

Mišiak knows how to operate in high-danger areas, he´s always in a good spot in this clip. He doesn´t get the pass but waits for his opportunity and scores on the rebound.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/alex_misiak_clip2.mp4

Good play by Mišiak, who gets to the middle, receives a pass and displays some solid puckhandling skills to create an opportunity for himself, but doesn´t convert.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/alex_misiak_clip3.mp4

Mišiak shows a good compete level in this clip, going into battles and helping his team to gain possession of the puck.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/alex_misiak_clip4.mp4

It´s encouraging to see Mišiak trying to get physically involved, but he needs to add more strength.

Lukáš Tomka – Right Wing/Left Wing – HC Banská Bystrica

6´1”, 198 lbs – 2007-02-08

Tomka has been a pleasant surprise since the beginning of the season. He had a quiet, but nice Hlinka Gretzky Cup and then made the first team of Banská Bystrica. He´s been playing in Slovak top-tier league. He´s still waiting for his first point, but he has had some nice moments and played well in the team´s bottom six, usually as a 3rd or 4th line right winger. Tomka is well built for that role – he´s 6´1”, closing in on 6´2”, almost 200 pounds, with a lot of potential to grow as a checking power forward.

Tomka has a strong frame and withstands physical battles well, given he´s been playing among men since the start of the season. He´s not afraid to throw his body around, competes well in physical battles, and works in front of the net. He has a high hockey sense, good vision and is able to get into high-danger areas. Despite these strengths, his weak shot and lack of better puck skills don´t allow him to capitalize on scoring chances just yet. Improving his shooting ability would be a nice step toward becoming more dangerous in the offense.

Tomka has a decent work ethic and his physical tools allow him to be an effective bottom-sixer. If he has an NHL future, it´s definitely in the role of a checking, 4th line winger who can help his team in various ways. It´d be nice to see him on the North American ice at some point. Tomka is a smart player and if he can improve his offense, I could see him going in the later rounds of the 2025 NHL Draft.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/lukas_tomka_clip1.mp4

Tomka has a mean side to his game and is able to crush opponents, although it´s not evident when playing among grown men. When he´s playing against his peers, he´s able to land a lot of hard bodychecks and create pressure on his opponents, which leads to turnovers.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/lukas_tomka_clip2.mp4

Tomka is able to get into dangerous spots but is unable to convert. In this clip, he gets the puck in the slot but doesn´t score. However, what I admire is the fact he doesn´t waste any time worrying about the missed opportunity, he immediately gets on the forecheck and tries to win the puck back, which shows great compete level.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/lukas_tomka_clip3.mp4

The quality of the competition in this clip is poor, but Tomka does the right thing; he picks up the puck and finds a teammate between the circles, who scores.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/lukas_tomka_clip4.mp4

A clumsy shift by Tomka, who needs to work on his offensive skills, especially puckhandling.

Vojtěch Čihař – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #27 Los Angeles Kings – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Prospect System Ranking – 27th (Last Year - 24th) GM: Ken Holland Hired: May 2025 COACH: D.J. Smith (Interim) Hired: March 2026

1. Carter George, G, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

2. Henry Brzustewicz, D, London Knights (OHL) (Currently with Ontario Reign, AHL)

3. Vojtech Cihar, LW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

4. Hampton Slukynsky, G, Western Michigan (NCAA) (Currently with Ontario Reign, AHL)

5. Kenny Connors, C, Ontario Reign (AHL)

6. Erik Portillo, G, Ontario Reign (AHL)

7. Jared Woolley, D, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

8. Jimmy Lombardi, C, Flint Firebirds (OHL)

9. Koehn Ziemmer, RW, Ontario Reign (AHL)

10. Jared Wright, RW, Ontario Reign (AHL)

11. Kristian Epperson, LW, University of Denver (NCAA)

12. Ryan Conmy, RW, Boston College (NCAA)

13. Martin Chromiak, LW, Ontario Reign (AHL)

14. Petteri Rimpinen, G, Kiekko-Espoo (Liiga)

15. Jakub Dvorak, D, Ontario Reign (AHL)

NHL PROSPECTS: Top 10 NHL affiliated performers at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship

#10 Will Zellers, Boston Bruins

#9 Alfons Freij, Winnipeg Jets

#8 Joona Saarelainen, Tampa Bay Lightning

#7 Jack Berglund, Philadelphia Flyers

#6 Leo Sahlin Wallenius, San Jose Sharks

#5 Anton Frondell, Chicago Blackhawks

#4 Vojtech Cihar, Los Angeles Kings

#3 Michael Hage, Montreal Canadiens

#2 Adam Jiricek, St. Louis Blues

#1 Zayne Parekh, Calgary Flames

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – LOS ANGELES KINGS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #24

Los Angeles Kings Top-15 Prospects

1 - Liam Greentree

2 - Carter George

3 - Henry Brzustewicz

4 - Hampton Slukynsky

5 - Koehn Ziemmer

6 - Erik Portillo

7 - Ryan Conmy

8 - Jared Woolley

9 - Francesco Pinelli

10 - Kristian Epperson

11 - Petteri Rimpinen

12 - Caeden Herrington

13 - Vojtech Cihar

14 - Jimmy Lombardi

15 - Jakub Dvorak

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

Czechia

Players to watch

Adam Benak - F

Vojtech Cihar - F

Simon Katolicky - F

Radim Mrtka - D

Matej Pekar - F

Tomas Poletin - F

Max Psenicka - D

Ondrej Stebetak - G

Germany

Players to watch

David Lewandowski - F

Carlos Händel - D

Maxim Penkin - F

Maxim Schäfer - W

Dustin Willhöft - W

Sweden

Players to watch

Viggo Björck - F

Sascha Boumedienne - D

Anton Frondell - F

Milton Gästrin - F

Eddie Genborg - F

Theodor Hallquisth - D

Jakob Ihs-Wozniak - F

Ivar Stenberg - F

Switzerland

Players to watch

Guus Van der Kaaij - D

Jeremiah Mundy - F

Jonah Neuenschwander - F

USA

Prospect System Ranking – 27th (Last Year - 24th)
GM: Ken Holland Hired: May 2025
COACH: D.J. Smith (Interim) Hired: March 2026