2025 NHL Draft Thread

[Paulie Walnuts]

It will be neat to see what the war room looks like and how it’s presented.

[mile]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1874075083741991254

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Draft-eligible D Radim Mrtka (6'6",198lbs), who is expected to be selected in the first round, has joined the Thunderbirds after playing in 3 different tiers of hockey in Czechia so far this season. Despite having to adjust to playing in North America on one of the worst teams in the WHL, he has so far put up 10gp/2g/6a/8pts,+3, 10 PIM. Very impressive. Strangely enough, he is already tied for 2nd in D scoring on the T-Birds.

He reminds me a lot of Yakemchuk, big skilled good skater.

[devo22]

will be interesting to see if Ryabkin can rebuild his draft stock in the USHL. Seems to have been a lost year for him so far.

[Sandman]

I’m excited to see what he can do in the USHL. This might be the best move for him.

[Sandman]

Dec.31st Draft Update:

-Of course, C Mike Misa is on top of the OHL standings with 32gp/30g/32a/62pts,+23, 21 PIM, but only has 3 pts in his last 4 games. His Saginaw Spirit are tied for 11th-overall in the OHL standings.

-While at the WJC, Martone has slipped to 5th in OHL scoring with 26gp/21g/33a/54pts,+16, 41 PIM. He played 11:46 for Team Canada in the first game of the WJC, and 7:13 in the second game with no points in either contest, leading to his being scratched for games #3 and #4.

-After starting slow, C Jake O'Brien is heating up with 12 points in his last 5 games- which puts him in a tie for 11th in OHL scoring with 35gp/20g/28a/48pts,-6, 8 PIM, for the 10th-place Bulldogs.

-With 6 points in the last 5 games, LW Malcolm Spence is in 21st in the scoring race, with 31gp/16g/24a/40pts,+17, 22 PIM. D+1 LW Kristian Epperson is tied with Spence, contributing 31gp/13g/27a/40pts,+25, 58 PIM to the Saginaw Spirit to land in 21st in OHL scoring, and 5th in plus/minus. He's a 6'0",185lb fiery winger with good tools who I believe will be drafted this summer.

-C Ethan Czata keeps truckin', with 4 points in his last 5 games, tied for 29th in OHL scoring with 36gp/16g/21a/37pts,+12, 41 PIM. He's a two-way C with size (6'1",175lbs) and some snarl.

-C Jack Nesbitt, who measures 6'4" and 182lbs, has put up 8 points in the last 6 games, for 36gp/15g/18a/33pts,+16, 37 PIM. He already plays a sound defensive game with physicality, but is showing that he's no slouch in the other end of the rink.

-C Luca Romano has slipped to 52nd in OHL scoring, after only 3 points in his last 6, for 34gp/14g/17a/31pts,+5, 8 PIM. Tied with Romano is power forward RW Shamar Moses (6'1",202lbs), who has posted 6 points in the last 4 games for 34gp/9g/22a/31pts,-7, 25 PIM.

-LD Cameron Reid (6'0",175lbs) has 4 points in the last 5, good enough for 8th in scoring by D, with 35gp/6g/24a/30pts,+14, 20 PIM. He's a skilled, well-rounded defenseman who should be picked in the first round of the upcoming draft- but we've said that before about defensemen.

-LD Kashawn Aitcheson (6'1",198lbs) has 4 points in the last 5 games, and sits in 13th in scoring by D, with 32gp/10g/15a/25pts,+12, 52 PIM. Aitcheson loves the rough stuff, and initiates contact whenever he can- he's also a solid two-way D.

-RD Henry Brzustewicz (6'2",194lbs) managed to post 5 points in the last 3 games, good enough for 18th in scoring by D with 34gp/6g/17a/23pts,+14, 47 PIM. He's a bit raw, but has excellent potential with good puck skill, mobility, and a well-rounded game.

-LD Matt Schaefer (6'2",183lbs) is away at the WJC, but sits in 20th for scoring by D in the OHL (10th-overall in plus/minus) with 17gp/7g/15a/22pts,+21, 8 PIM, for the 9th-place Erie Otters. Schaefer had 2 points in 2 games before suffering a broken collarbone.

-With only 4 points in the last 10 games, RW Travis Hayes (5'11",170lbs) has slid down in the scoring race, with 35gp/10g/10a/20pts,even, 30 PIM. There's not much to work with on the Greyhounds though, as they are 16th out of 20 teams in the standings, and 17th in goals-for. He's not huge, but has endless motor and plays a hard-nosed style- driving the net, and battling along the boards. He's the brother of Blackhawks' draftee Gavin Hayes, and Penguins' prospect Avery Hayes.

-The Peterborough Petes are one of the worst teams in the CHL, and are the lowest scoring team in the OHL (with a paltry 83 goals) by a margin of 14 goals. There's no doubt that playing there has damaged the fortunes of D Carson Cameron (6'2",194lbs), who has still managed to register 35gp/6g/11a/17pts,-18, 14 PIM, but would no doubt have much better numbers on a different squad. Cameron's numbers from 2023-24 (26 points in 59 games) promise much better totals than he has managed to put up this season. Similarly, teammate C Caden Taylor (6'3",185lbs) would be posting better numbers on a higher-scoring club than his 35gp/10g/7a/17pts,-16, 22 PIM (he had 18 points in 31 games for the Petes in 2023-24). Incredibly, Taylor and Cameron are tied for 2nd in scoring on the lowly Petes, and I think they are both much better than their numbers would suggest.

-One of my personal favorites, C Brady Martin (6'0",174lbs) looks to be injured currently, but has a stat line of 28gp/15g/14a/29pts,+9, 42 PIM for the 16th-place Soo Greyhounds, who are 4th-worst in goals-for. Martin has a nasty disposition, and will go through you, or around you. He plays a tight two-way game with pace, and is as intense and hard-working on defense as he is in the other end of the ice.

-C Caleb Desnoyers is still killin' it over in the Q, sitting 5th in scoring (but second in ppg, behind a player who has 2 points in 1 game) after piling up 17 points in 9 games in December, for 29gp/21g/27a/48pts,+32, 14 PIM. As a testament to the kind of player he is, he also leads the Q in plus/minus.

-Speaking of killin' it, power-winger Bill Zonnon (6'2",190lbs), fresh off of a 6-point game on New Year's eve, has amassed 14 points in 7 December games, which puts him in third-place in the Q scoring race with 33gp/20g/31a/51pts,+7, 22 PIM.

-RW Justin Carbonneau (6'1",192lbs) and his teammates in Blainville-Boisbriand are struggling a bit lately, going 4-5-1-0 in their last 10, with JC only being able to muster 5 points in 8 December contests for 34gp/23g/24g/47pts,-2, 34 PIM. His teammate, C Mateo Nobert (6'0",168lbs) has only 3 points in that span for 34gp/15g/24a/39pts,-3, 18 PIM.

-C Nathan Quinn (5'10",168lbs) has 10 points in 7 December games for the 13th (out of 18) place Quebec Remparts, for 33gp/11g/25a/36pts,+3, 13 PIM. Obviously, Quinn is an intelligent playmaker with top-notch vision, and plays a detailed two-way game.

-LW/C Zachary Morin (6'2",174lbs) keeps chuggin' along, producing 8 points in 7 December games for the 12th-place Sea Dogs, for 27gp/10g/16a/26pts,+8, 4 PIM. He's a bit raw, and needs a bit of work on his skating, but he has high potential with how well he sees the ice.

-What's up in Chicoutimi? They are 3rd in the Q, and have the 5th-best goals-for, so why are D Alex Huang and LW Emile Guite' struggling to produce? Huang (6'0",162lbs) put up 4 points in 9 December games, for 34gp/1g/14a/15pts,+2, 12 PIM, and Guite' likewise had 4 points in that span, for 33gp/7g/7a/14pts,even, 8 PIM. At the start of the current season, both were expected to be first-rounders, but they have since slipped.

-C Ben Kindel (5'10",175lbs) has helped the Hitmen to a 7-3 record in the last 10, bringing them up to a tie for 7th in the WHL, by piling up an incredible 20 points in that span- and most of those games were without the services of Tanner Howe, who is away at the WJC. Kindel is now tied for 6th in the WHL with 33gp/22g/31a/53pts,+10, 20 PIM, on course for 108 points in 67 games.

-C/LW Carter Bear (6'0",176lbs) may be 8th in WHL scoring with 29gp/24g/28a/52pts,+29, 26 PIM, but his ppg of 1.76 is third (plus/minus is 6th), after a December that saw him play only 4 games, with 6 points. Bear has endless motor, and is the hardest-working player in this draft class, with detailed attention to the defensive side of the game.

-C Cole Reschny (5'10",187lbs) may not have as many points as Ben Kindel, but he will more than likely be picked higher in the draft due to his NHL projection, and a more pro-style, two-way game. 33gp/12g/31a/43pts,+11, 32 PIM puts him in a tie for 23rd in WHL scoring, for the 6th-place Victoria Royals after putting up 11 points in 9 December games.

-RW Cam Schmidt (5'7",157lbs) has slipped to 28th in WHL scoring, with 30gp/26g/14a/40pts,-4, 20 PIM. He has had some difficulty after missing a few games due to injury, and only has 5 points in his last 10.

-LW Lynden Lakovic (6'4",190lbs) has been impressive, with 13 points in his last 10 games- but even more impressive is that he's been able to perform that feat on the lowly Moose Jaw Warriors, who are tied for last place in the WHL, and have the 5th-worst goals-for. Lakovic is tied for 32nd in scoring, with 31gp/17g/22a/39pts,-13, 4 PIM. He uses his size well as leverage to win position and drive the net, has a good skillset, and he moves well for a player his size.

-Another WHL power-forward, LW Nathan Behm (6'2",198), has almost duplicated Lakovic's performance, putting up 33gp/19g/19a/38pts,-1, 10 PIM on a Kamloops squad that are 19th out of 22 teams, and have scored only 1 more goal than Lakovic's Warriors. Behm has good hands and a nose for the net, but he's also a skilled playmaker who can dangle at times. He could stand to use his body more, and his physicality has ebbs and flows, but his biggest improvements must be his pace, and a tweak of his skating.

-C Braeden Cootes (6'0",183lbs) is yet another player whose numbers are suffering because of the team he plays for. Cootes is the Captain, and leading scorer of the Seattle Thunderbirds, who are third-last in the WHL, and third-lowest scoring. In 9 games this December, he eked out 10 points, to give him totals of 32gp/14g/18a/32pts,-2, 10 PIM. Cootes is a well-rounded, all-situations player who does everything well- one of my favorites.

-LD Jackson Smith (6'3",190lbs) is a sure-fire first-rounder, and with 4 points in 8 December games, he sits in a tie for 18th in scoring by D, with 32gp/2g/23a/25pts,+5, 28 PIM. Jackson is a physical, two-way stud who can play a shutdown game with his excellent mobility. He's a fine puckmover, and can help you in any area of the game.

-LD Will Sharpe (6'1",195lbs) continues to plummet numbers-wise, with only 4 points in 9 games in December, to place him in a tie for 20th in D scoring with 32gp/3g/20a/23pts,-1, 20 PIM for the 10th-placed Lethbridge Hurricanes. He is still on pace to get a very respectable 50 points in 67 games.

-Though he will never score a ton of points, C Matthew Gard (6'5",193lbs) can provide a detailed and physical shutdown game, highlighted by his smarts and defensive IQ, along with his mobility. He flashes some creative playmaking as well. Red Deer is 16th out of 22 teams, but as one would expect, they rely on keeping the goals-against to a minimum- and they are the lowest-scoring team in the league, which affects Gard's numbers- 34gp/8g/11a/19pts,-4, 38 PIM.

-C/LW David Lewandowski (6'1",176lbs) has 2 goals in 4 games for Germany at the WJC, which actually puts him first on the team in goals and second in points. For the 5th-place Saskatoon Blades, he plays further down the lineup, with 20gp/7g/8a/15pts,+13, 4 PIM. He employs some power in his game, and displays an excellent shot.

-RD Blake Fiddler (6'4",209lbs) isn't flashy, but he's the ultimate shutdown D with his smarts, angling, impressive reach, and physicality. I think he's capable of more offense in the future, and he might be a guy who can anchor a pairing with one of the more free-wheeling guys on your team. 3 points in the last 5 games, and 30gp/5g/9a/14pts,+6, 18 PIM overall, but he had 4 points in 5 games as Captain of Team USA at the Hlinka. His WHL team, the Edmonton Oil Kings are 13th, both in the standings, and in goals-for.

-C James Hagens (5'11",176lbs) has 16gp/5g/15a/20pts,+15, 4 PIM for Boston College, and 4gp/2g/4a/6pts,+4, 2 PIM at the WJC for Team USA, tied for 6th in the tournament.

-RD Logan Hensler (6'2",196lbs) has 17gp/0g/7a/7pts,-3, 19 PIM for the U of Wisconsin, and 4gp/0g/1a/1pt,+3, 6 PIM for Team USA.

-LW Victor Eklund (5'11",161lbs) has an impressive 24gp/8g/7a/15pts,+5, 31 PIM in Sweden's Allsvenskan (the second-highest men's league), and has 4gp/2g/3a/5pts,+5, 2 PIM for Team Sweden at the WJC-tied for 13th in the tournament. He's a speedster, a well-balanced offensive forward, and a solid two-way performer.

-C Will Moore (6'3",161lbs) and C/LW Jack Murtagh (6'0",185lbs) are tied in NTDP scoring for 5th-overall, with 22 points a piece. Moore has 31gp/11g/11a/22pts,-9, 4 PIM, while Murtagh has 22gp/10g/12a/22pts,even, 12 PIM.

-C Cole McKinney (6'0",190lbs) is now 3rd in NTDP scoring, with 28gp/9g/16a/25pts,+2, 27 PIM, including 7gp/5g/2a/7pts,+3, 0 PIM against USHL competition. He's an intense, physical defensive forward who touches every part of the game, and can facilitate offense- but he will need work on his skating.

-D Radim Mrtka (6'6",198lbs) has joined the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds, after playing in 3 different tiers in Czechia, and has so far generated an impressive 12gp/2g/8a/10pts,-3, 12 PIM. Mrtka moves well for a kid his size, and already plays a solid game is his own end, but he's showing his offensive chops in the 'dub.

[cral12]

^Wicked update by the Sandman

As a Substack post viewable here:
https://open.substack.com/pub/upside...-nhl-draft-new

[Canada 02]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1875331073175138396

[Sandman]

Ryabkin gets 2g on a team-high 5 shots, and was +2 in a 4-3 SO loss to the NTDP, in his North American debut. He was given one of Muskegon's 3 attempts in the shootout, but failed to score.

[Samonadreau]

^ Heck of a debut.

[dammage79]

Another Russian "Cancer". This is gonna be fun.

[Sandman]

Ryabkin's second USHL game was on Jan.4th, a 3-2 win for Muskegon over the NTDP. He ended up with 1g, and a +1, but also got 2 minutes for boarding in the first, as well as 5 minutes and a game-misconduct for slew-footing at 5:08 of the 3rd.

2gp/3g/0a/3pts,+3, 17 PIM.

[devo22]

Bill Zonnon is a guy I'd absolutely love in the mid to late first. Listed as LW everywhere, but has played C for Rouyn-Noranda all season and done extremely well there. Great blend of size, skill and playmaking abilities ... wonder where he'll end up being drafted. Was ranked in the high 2nd earlier in the season, but his draft stock has been trending up for a while now.

What the hell has happened to Reese Hamilton? Seems to have fallen off a cliff this season, and the trade to Regina seemingly hasn't helped either. Alex Huang too.

[Sandman]

Wasn’t aware that Zonnon was playing C. I have him in the first currently. Have no idea what is going on with Hamilton, but the younger-guys in Chicoutimi, Guite and Huang, have struggled all season. Playing behind older players perhaps, but they did just fine last season under the same coaching staff…

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Wasn’t aware that Zonnon was playing C.

yeah he's centered a line with Verreault and Steiner all season, I believe. Doesn't hurt to have a guy like Verreault, who's in his 5th full Q season, on his line, but still, impressive adjustment to a new position. Doesn't mean he'll be a C in the NHL, but should still bode well for his draft stock.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by devo22

yeah he's centered a line with Verreault and Steiner all season, I believe. Doesn't hurt to have a guy like Verreault, who's in his 5th full Q season, on his line, but still, impressive adjustment to a new position. Doesn't mean he'll be a C in the NHL, but should still bode well for his draft stock.

He has everything you want in a power forward- great skill, high work rate, uses his size well, etc. Just needs work on his boots.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Sandman

He has everything you want in a power forward- great skill, high work rate, uses his size well, etc.

Also, when's the last time you heard of anyone under 20 named Bill. I like him already.

[Tkachukwagon]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1876854620376453554

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts, American Edition Vol. 1:

LW Cullen Potter (5'9",168lbs)
Arizona State (NCAA): 18gp/ 6g/ 4a/ 10pts, -1, 6 PIM.

In any scouting report on Cullen Potter that you may come across, you will undoubtedly identify 5 key words: Speed, Speed, Speed, Speed, and Transition. The diminutive winger is an electrifying speedster who can flat-out fly, and is one of the best skaters in the 2025 draft class. He's light, with a low center of gravity, which might be why he's so agile and displays such effortless edgework- he can stop or change speeds on a dime. In open ice, he can easily separate from pursuing defenders, and control the pace of the game. His hands are fast enough to keep up with his feet and his quickness, when combined with his skillful puck-handling, make him instrumental in Arizona State's transition, which seems to have become an area of specialty of his at the tender age of 17 (he turns 18 on January 10th). Cullen can achieve exits and entries via carry or pass, exhibiting uncommon poise and confidence with the puck that belies his age, along with pinpoint accuracy and timing in his neutral zone distribution. Though he can back defenses up, or engage his opponents with deft 1-on-1 moves, he also has a patient delay game to draw pressure, or hit the trailer with a pass.

Potter may be small, but he's not afraid to cut inside or drive through traffic, and he has several tricks up his sleeve to get to the net- including dekes, fakes, and dazzling footwork. He displays soft hands around the net, and also has an above-average shot with some power, including a slick catch-and-release wrister that can catch goalies off guard. His numbers this season in his freshman year are quite impressive, especially given his age and size limitations, but he's still trying to figure out how to work within the dimensions of the offensive zone against men, with less time and space to operate. Right now, he shows that he has sound ideas, but the execution isn't quite going to plan, with a lot of his passes being blocked or flubbed- he's keeping things fairly simple, which has led to some unfounded questions about his hockey sense. When he gets properly acclimated though, his vision and smarts will shine through in his playmaking ability- and when he learns to distribute as well in the offensive zone as he does in transition, he'll be a top playmaker. ASU Coach Greg Powers said, "I think from a raw ability and skill set, he's the best player that's ever played here, and it's probably not even close." Potter's compete, motor, and work-ethic are high in every area of the ice, and he can be deployed in any situation, and both sides of special teams. He works hard in the defensive zone, and uses his speed to close time and space- once the puck touches his stick, it's going the other way in a hurry.

Size will always be a limiting factor for Potter, as he can be knocked off the puck and is at a disadvantage when it comes to winning physical battles, which hurts his overall projection. He's still trying to figure out how to be effective on the forecheck, and he's much less potent on the cycle than he is off the rush. In 2023-24, Potter put up 17 goals and 46 points in 54 games in the NTDP, excellent numbers for a player in their D-minus-1 year, showing why Central Scouting gave him an "A" rating in their preliminary rankings. My bet is that he's picked in the second round, especially with how smaller players are falling in recent drafts, and that he makes a fine top-6 player in the NHL someday.

[Tbull8]

Saginaw traded their captain to Kingston.

Today they announced Misa is the new captain