2025 NHL Draft Thread

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Monster Edition, Vol. 5):

LW Lynden Lakovic (6'4",190lbs)
Moose Jaw (WHL): 31gp/ 17g/ 22a/ 39pts, -13, 4 PIM

Lynden Lakovic is a big winger with skating and skill who last played on Dec 8th, and has been out of action (listed as month-to-month) with an injury. Moose Jaw is dead-last in the WHL after selling off some of their stars before the trade deadline (including Brayden Yager), but even with Lakovic in the lineup, they were treading water near the bottom of the standings all season long. Lakovic seemed to boost his draft stock considerably with his performance in the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge, where he scored a highlight-reel goal on the breakaway, after getting in behind the D for the pass. He picked up 2 points in 2 games, but those who were tracking his advanced stats say that he showed the ability to drive play. Lakovic is fairly balanced offensively, but his shot is hard, heavy, and accurate, with a quick and deceptive release, and he's always a scoring threat with several ways of putting the puck in the net. He can pick corners from seemingly any angle, has soft hands to beat goalies one-on-one, and displays good hand-eye coordination for tips and rebounds. He will crash the crease for garbage goals, and owns every kind of shot available.

Lakovic is a crafty playmaker as well, with underrated passing skill, who flashes high-end creativity and vision at times. His small-area game is surprisingly good; with his deft puck skill, he can hit teammates with short slip-passes, and his tight puck-protection makes it difficult to pick his pockets. Even though he connects on almost 90% of his passes (according to tracking data), his shooting is still his main playmaking tool, and it creates more than twice as many grade "A" chances than his passing. Lakovic possesses solid IQ and awareness in all areas, and is able to find soft spots in coverage, often finding himself in the slot at the exact right moment to strike. He is inside-driven, attacking the middle while exhibiting high-end off-puck instincts. Mobility-wise, he's not a burner, but he's well above average in the speed department, on skating that is smooth and powerful with long, fluid strides. He can beat defenders wide sometimes, separate in open-ice, win races to loose pucks, and deceive opponents with his tricky crossovers. His handling and puck-control are excellent and match his quick feet; together with his protection skills and deception ability, he can deke and dangle through coverage. Lakovic is not overly physical, as one would expect the nephew of Gregg and Sasha "The Masha" Lakovic to be, but he will finish his checks and use his size as leverage in battles, or to lean into foes to get inside position. With all of the above attributes, combined with his slick one-on-one moves, he can make controlled entries look easy and is able to skate some dynamic routes through transition.

Defensively, Lakovic displays solid positioning and awareness, with a good eye for blocking lanes and picking off passes, but overall- his impact in his own zone is fairly average (although it's hard to judge this year on a team as bad as Moose Jaw is). He has an active, well-timed stick as an asset, as well as enormous range, but he needs to improve his aggression in this area, as well as his details. It may not be his style, but more physicality in this, and other areas, would go a long way. Lakovic is skilled with the puck, but he can be too pretty at times, and can leave the zone early in anticipation of the breakout. Lately, I've been seeing his name in the top-15 of this summer's draft, but I can't see him breaking in to the top-ten.

[Sandman]

Ivan Ryabkin Watch:

On Friday, he gets 1g, 1a, and a -1 on 5 shots in a 5-3 los to Green Bay.

On Saturday, he gets 1a, and was even, in a 2-1 win over Green Bay.

8gp/6g/3a/9pts,-1, 23 PIM.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Monster Edition, Vol. 6):

RHD Peyton Kettles (6'5",194lbs)
Swift Current (WHL): 34gp/ 3g/ 6a/ 9pts, -2, 47 PIM

Righty Peyton Kettles is already a feared shutdown presence in the WHL, but he has an emerging puck-movement game that has scouts excited. With a Sept 1st, 2007 birthday, he's one of the youngest players available in the draft, and as such- he has a longer runway than most prospects; he's quite raw and undeveloped, so he's more projection than finished product right now. Kettles was selected 6th-overall in the 2022 WHL Draft, and to give a further idea of what scouts think of him, he is rated an eyebrow-raising 58th by Bob McKenzie, and #26 (NA Skaters) by Central Scouting in their Midterm rankings. Swift Current (who are 15th out of 22 teams) uses him a ton to lockdown other teams' best players, and he's one of the best in the league at his job, with the added ability to munch minutes. Oncoming rushers find his range and active stick to be a veritable wall that's nearly impossible to break through; he takes away the middle of the ice by forcing players to the outside, and away from danger. He's highly disruptive, killing plays early and often, and makes stops against the rush in the neutral zone, long before entry can occur. Though he's an excellent penalty-killer and stalwart defender, he played a lot of top-pairing minutes in 2023-24 with Owen Pickering, and is used on the point on the PP by Swift Current sometimes.

Kettles is considered to be a mobile defender, but his skating is somewhere around average- though I would say it's on the positive side of average. His mechanics are smooth and sound, and considered to be NHL-projectable; he uses a long, fluid stride with a high-quality workrate to propel himself around the ice, but needs more strength in his legs, and could use better balance and agility. Kettles' combination of calm and poised retrievals under pressure, and his ability to flash some high-end breakout passes is certainly enticing- he can fire off stretch-passes to streaking forwards, and on occasion, he can hit long-range bombs for entries. Before these actions occur, he patiently scans with his head up to survey his options. In transition, he shows tremendous value in his ability to skate intelligent routes through the neutral zone to find open lanes while evading checks, and he can either carry in for clean entries, or hook up with teammates in give-and-go's to further open space. When he wants to, he can dangle around his opponents, and he knows how to bait defenders into coming towards him, in order to open space to pass through- he uses these traits in the offensive zone as well, when walking the line to open seams. Kettles is highly active, and can cover a large amount of real estate in a shift- he can go from defending to retrieval, to joining (sometimes leading) the rush, to activating into the play from the point on occasion. He wins battles in the greasy areas with his wingspan and tenacity, and is an intimidating net-front defender, but his physicality is inconsistent- he can dole out some bone-rattling hits, but only engages when it's the right play. His 47 penalty-minutes in just 34 games shows he's not vying for any congeniality awards, though.

With all of these qualities, he's much more than a dime-a-dozen, everyday stay-at-home defensive defender, but he's far from fully developed and may be a bit of a project. When he grows into his frame and gets stronger, his mobility will most likely be a plus, but his decision-making and on-puck game still need plenty of refinement. There are certainly many times where he looks rough and mistake-prone, and commits some unprompted overhandling, bad passes, and throwaways. There are other times where he holds on to the puck for too long, and winds up having his pockets picked- his puck-skill and control could use a tune-up. He plays like a two-way defenseman, but his efforts in the offensive zone rarely get rewarded in the form of goals and assists- he must further develop his offense, although there's not a lot of help in Speedy Creek this season. In 2023-24, he managed to put up 13 points in 61 games on a better Broncos squad, so better production was expected this season (he's on pace for 15 points in 56 games). Kettles needs a long runway, but the payoff is his top-4 NHL-potential. Look for him in the 2nd, or 3rd-round.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Monster Edition, Vol. 7):

RD Radim Mrtka (6'6",198lbs)
Seattle (WHL): 22gp/ 2g/ 18a/ 20pts, even, 22 PIM

Behemoth defender Radim Mrtka is a two-way righty with supreme talent- he's an absolute beauty. Mrtka played in 3 different levels of hockey this season back home in Czechia, but made the wise decision to travel across the pond to display his exciting two-way game in the WHL. Unfortunately, the team that owns his rights is the Seattle Thunderbirds, who are near the bottom of the WHL standings, but that only makes his production even more impressive. Though his offence and puck-moving ability will most likely be the traits that earn him first-round attention, he is already a stud in his own zone and a calm, steadying presence on the backend. After only playing 22 WHL games, it's apparent that Mrtka is one of the best shutdown defensemen available in the 2025 Draft. He seals off the blueline and kills rushes with his extreme range, forcing attackers outside with tight gaps, and a smothering reach. He cuts off the middle of the ice from attackers, snuffs passes, blocks lanes, and boxes opponents away from the net. He's a force down low, and wins battles along the wall.

Mrtka is unbelievably calm, poised, and intelligent when making smooth retrievals under pressure, and when starting the breakout- he makes this process look easy. His head is always on a swivel to scan, as he effortlessly shakes off forechecking pressure, cleverly eludes attackers, and serves up breakout passes that are almost always sound. When he makes the odd mistake, he can recover seamlessly, and always keeps his team's time in the defensive zone to a minimum. He can carry through transition, and will join the rush, but he's usually the last to enter the zone in order to keep one eye on his defense- he doesn't cheat. He presents high IQ and superb vision, but he tries to keep things as simple and risk-free as possible; he walks the line effectively to pry open seams, and will activate into the zone when it's safe to make plays, keep the puck alive, or to sneak into the slot to rip a puck at the net. His shot is hard and heavy, with accuracy, and can be used to make plays and cause havoc around the net. Mrtka is a smooth puckhandler who can deke through defenders, and exhibits tight protection skills- though he's tall, he handles close to his body and out of the reach of enemy sticks. He battles in the trenches, but isn't a huge hitter- he uses his size and strength well as leverage in battles, will finish his checks, and has a physical presence. Best of all, Mrtka is an excellent skater, especially for a player of his stature. He employs long strides with power from a deep knee bend, and though he could use a little work on his edgework and agility, it's not really detrimental.

It's really impressive how Mrtka has so quickly acclimated himself to a new team, in a new country, on a North American rink. It's also unbelievable how he's been able to put up so much offense on such a poor team, which makes me wonder what his numbers would look like on a better team with more offensive help. He's really a wonder to watch, and everything he does looks so seamless and effortless- perhaps like a poor-man's Victor Hedman, but surely a future top-4 defenseman in the NHL. Look for him in the top-15 of the draft, maybe top-10.

[Andrew]

Why are all these kids so big? What are they feeding them?

[Sandman]

Ryabkin Watch, Feb.2nd:

No points, and a +1 in a 3-2 OT loss to the Green Bay Gamblers. 9gp/6g/3a/9pts,even, 25 PIM.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Monster Edition, Vol. 8):

RHC Roger McQueen (6'5",192lbs)
Brandon (WHL): 8gp/ 8g/ 3a/ 11pts, even, 18 PIM.

Roger McQueen is a huge, game-breaking pivot who plays a power game, but has been out of action with a back injury since early October. McQueen is an older player by draft standards, with an Oct 2nd birthday, and it seems like he's been around forever. At the 2023 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, when he was still only 16 years old, he was tied for 4th in scoring on Team Canada's Gold Medal winning squad, with 4 goals and 7 points in 5 games. He followed that up by posting 21 goals and 51 points for the Brandon Wheat Kings in 2023-24, but his regular season was cut a bit short by the same back injury that is plaguing him now. He managed to return for the playoffs, and contributed 4 goals and 5 points in 4 games. The numbers point to his goal-scoring as being his primary weapon, but I've always thought of him as a pass-first playmaker with top-notch vision and awareness, combined with well-developed passing skill. He does indeed possess a hard and heavy shot though, with an elite set of hands to beat goalies in-tight. This part of his game is augmented by his inate ability to locate open spaces to sneak into, with the timing to arrive in high-danger at the right moments. McQueen is a force down-low, and a dangerous net-front presence.

McQueen is an excellent skater, especially for his size, but a slight lack of power in his stride holds him back from being a burner. Still, he looks pretty smooth when it comes to technique and mechanics, and he's also reasonably agile, with the quickness to push pace and force defenders back. He has smooth hands and catches well, with superb puck-skill- and he can impressively deke and dangle around defenders with a set of refined deception tactics to manipulate opponents. His puck-protection is also outstanding, giving him the capability to handle around outstretched sticks, or out of the reach of checkers. McQueen plays a physical game, and sometimes shows a real mean edge-he finishes his checks, and he can dole out some thunderous hits. He goes to the hard areas and dominates with a competitive streak- he's tenacious and hard-working, and skates his routes hard. A massive wingspan gives him a huge advantage on the forecheck in dislodging pucks, and he brings this attribute to defensive situations as well, to block lanes, pick off passes, and poke pucks off of sticks. McQueen may not be Patrice Bergeron, but he doesn't cheat the game and always appears defensively engaged, highly aware, and well-positioned. He makes proactive stops in the neutral zone, and his range gives oncoming rushers fits. He's supportive of his teammates in battles, and will help his D down low. McQueen shows up to play in all three zones, and is a high-value transitional player who can rush the puck through the neutral zone just as effortlessly as he can find open teammates on the fly. He can stickhandle through, or around defenders for clean entries, and will transport the puck from one end to the other on occasion.

It will be interesting to see where McQueen is picked in the 2025 draft, as his situation appears to be strikingly similar to that of another big center, Cayden Lindstrom, who was selected 4th-overall in 2024 by Columbus, but hasn't played a game since December of 2023- due to a back injury. McQueen has NHL-attributes, and easily possesses top-5 talent, with very few real weaknesses- all he needs is to keep improving his skating power, and get stronger. If he can get over his injury, he's a top-line C in-waiting. Look for him in the top-6 of the 2025 draft.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Draft Thoughts (Monster Edition, Vol. 8):

RHC Roger McQueen (6'5",192lbs)
Brandon (WHL): 8gp/ 8g/ 3a/ 11pts, even, 18 PIM.

Roger McQueen is a huge, game-breaking pivot who plays a power game, but has been out of action with a back injury since early October. McQueen is an older player by draft standards, with an Oct 2nd birthday, and it seems like he's been around forever. At the 2023 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, when he was still only 16 years old, he was tied for 4th in scoring on Team Canada's Gold Medal winning squad, with 4 goals and 7 points in 5 games. He followed that up by posting 21 goals and 51 points for the Brandon Wheat Kings in 2023-24, but his regular season was cut a bit short by the same back injury that is plaguing him now. He managed to return for the playoffs, and contributed 4 goals and 5 points in 4 games. The numbers point to his goal-scoring as being his primary weapon, but I've always thought of him as a pass-first playmaker with top-notch vision and awareness, combined with well-developed passing skill. He does indeed possess a hard and heavy shot though, with an elite set of hands to beat goalies in-tight. This part of his game is augmented by his inate ability to locate open spaces to sneak into, with the timing to arrive in high-danger at the right moments. McQueen is a force down-low, and a dangerous net-front presence.

McQueen is an excellent skater, especially for his size, but a slight lack of power in his stride holds him back from being a burner. Still, he looks pretty smooth when it comes to technique and mechanics, and he's also reasonably agile, with the quickness to push pace and force defenders back. He has smooth hands and catches well, with superb puck-skill- and he can impressively deke and dangle around defenders with a set of refined deception tactics to manipulate opponents. His puck-protection is also outstanding, giving him the capability to handle around outstretched sticks, or out of the reach of checkers. McQueen plays a physical game, and sometimes shows a real mean edge-he finishes his checks, and he can dole out some thunderous hits. He goes to the hard areas and dominates with a competitive streak- he's tenacious and hard-working, and skates his routes hard. A massive wingspan gives him a huge advantage on the forecheck in dislodging pucks, and he brings this attribute to defensive situations as well, to block lanes, pick off passes, and poke pucks off of sticks. McQueen may not be Patrice Bergeron, but he doesn't cheat the game and always appears defensively engaged, highly aware, and well-positioned. He makes proactive stops in the neutral zone, and his range gives oncoming rushers fits. He's supportive of his teammates in battles, and will help his D down low. McQueen shows up to play in all three zones, and is a high-value transitional player who can rush the puck through the neutral zone just as effortlessly as he can find open teammates on the fly. He can stickhandle through, or around defenders for clean entries, and will transport the puck from one end to the other on occasion.

It will be interesting to see where McQueen is picked in the 2025 draft, as his situation appears to be strikingly similar to that of another big center, Cayden Lindstrom, who was selected 4th-overall in 2024 by Columbus, but hasn't played a game since December of 2023- due to a back injury. McQueen has NHL-attributes, and easily possesses top-5 talent, with very few real weaknesses- all he needs is to keep improving his skating power, and get stronger. If he can get over his injury, he's a top-line C in-waiting. Look for him in the top-6 of the 2025 draft.

I would burn a lot of draft capital to land mqueen.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Monster Edition, Vol. 9):

RD David Bedkowski (6'5",214lbs)
Owen Sound (OHL): 27gp/ 2g/ 4a/ 6pts, -8, 57 PIM

David Bedkowski is a coveted right-handed blueliner who plays a shutdown role in Owen Sound, and is an intimidating physical force. He started the season in Oshawa, then was moved to the Attack (who are currently 18th out of 20 teams in the OHL) after only 2 games- but unfortunately, he's dealt with an injury-plagued campaign, having played only 27 of Owen Sound's 48 games. Currently, he is out 6-8 weeks after suffering a hand injury near the end of January, and missed the month of October (and part of November) with another injury. Bedkowski is another large-framed defensive rearguard winning acclaim from scouts, despite putting up rather paltry stats; he was given a "B" grade By Central Scouting in their preliminary evaluations, was rated #38 among North American Skaters in their Midterm Rankings, and was #56 on McKenzie's list. He has skills beyond most stay-at-home defensemen, but is still relentlessly physical and mean and can dole out some bonecrushing hits. Bedkowski doesn't skate like a Noah Hanifin, but he moves quite well, with a stride that looks fluid and projectable. As he matures and gets stronger, I could easily see his mobility become one of his best assets- he's smooth and powerful, but could use a upgrade to his top speed.

Bedkowski accepts his role as a shutdown defenseman, and excels at it, with first-rate IQ and awareness in his own zone. He can match footwork with oncoming forwards to exert a tight gap that angles them to the boards, where they are stripped of the puck and often flattened with a violent hit. Bedkowski is highly effective against the rush, and can snuff attackers proactively in the neutral zone before the ever reach the blueline. He blocks a ton of shots, and is aggressive and mean in defending the front of the net. He employs an active stick and enormous range to pick off passes and knock down shots, but also to cut off the enemy from the middle of the ice. Owen Sound uses him on the PK, and he's usually out late in the game to protect leads. I believe there's another dimension to Bedkowski's game that has yet to be unlocked, as he sometimes shows quick-thinking and sound ideas, but also because he shows a willingness to join the rush when the coast is clear, and to activate into the play from the blueline at times like a more offensive-minded rearguard would do. He shows an effort to create chances, but he's more of a facilitator and play-connector right now. Also in his repertoire is a bullet of a shot that creates plenty of looks for his teammates, and causes havoc in the crease, but is also a tricky save to make for any goaltender. Also like an offensive defenseman, he walks the line smoothly to open space, and can quarterback the play with smart passing, although he keeps things simple. He will pinch up into the play to keep pucks alive, or to dish out hits along the wall, but he also knows how to open seams and can sniff out soft spots in coverage.

One of the biggest pillars of Bedkowski's game is how impressive he is on retrievals, and how seemingly easy he makes breakouts look. He is calm and poised, pre-scanning with his head on a swivel, and evades pressure with feints. He's solid in making short-area passes to start the rush, and can stretch the ice with longer passes to streaking forwards in the neutral zone. Bedkowski's on-ice disposition makes him prone to taking bad penalties at inopportune times due to being overzealous, and there are times he can take himself out of the play by looking to make the big hit- he has to learn more control. His game is not without mistakes or bad reads; he can be sloppy in possession with overhandling or overskating the puck, and can be guilty of the odd egregious giveaway- but those are normal for a kid his age. Bedkowski offers promise when it comes to establishing more of a two-way style, but he needs to improve his on-puck game, and offensive skills. With similar defensemen like Adam Kleber, Brady Cleveland, Will Skahan, and Gabriel Eliasson being selected in the second-round in the last two drafts, I could see Bedkowski being taken in the 2nd or 3rd-round of the 2025 draft.

[Ba'alzamon]

Man, that McQueen kid sounds like a real scrub, especially with the injury. Who needs a 6'5" power center with great hands, playmaking, and mobility? He should definitely fall to somewhere around where the Flames are picking, and I just know they'll take him like the dummies they are.

I would haaaaaate that.

[Calgary4LIfe]

McQueen sounds a lot like Logan Brown - I wonder how much better of prospect than Brown was? Both were big, both were great skaters for their size and who could go around defenders, both were great playmakers... Logan Brown didn't make it because of recurring injuries (IIRC, specifically to the wrist). I thought Brown would have developed into a top center.



Lindstrom last season didn't seem to fall (or if he did, not much). I wonder if McQueen falls. I doubt he would fall down enough for the Flames to be in a position to draft him with either of their picks. I guess it depends on when McQueen returns, and how he performs when he does return. Would be scary using a top 5 pick on a player who missed almost an entire season with a back injury, after already missing some time the prior season with a bad back.

[Nelson]

The player I want for the Flames, is Benjamin Kindel.

First, I see him ranked at 19, 28, 35, etc. So, he might be available at the Florida or the New Jersey pick.

Second, despite being an April birthday, he has 81 points in 47 games, which is outstanding for a draft year.

Third, he is a right-shot centre.

Fourth, I think he’d be comfortable with playing his career in Calgary given his birthplace, and he plays for the Hitmen.

[serratedmuffin]

If Kindel is a center then that would be a great pick but I thought the feeling was he isn't a center at the NHL level. Elite prospects lists him as a RW, hitmen lineups have him as their 1C, and I couldn't find where he slotted on the Hlinka roster. Maybe Sandman could comment on that?

[Ba'alzamon]

Originally Posted by serratedmuffin

If Kindel is a center then that would be a great pick but I thought the feeling was he isn't a center at the NHL level. Elite prospects lists him as a RW, hitmen lineups have him as their 1C, and I couldn't find where he slotted on the Hlinka roster. Maybe Sandman could comment on that?

Based on number of faceoffs, it looks like he plays center in like three of every five games or so.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by serratedmuffin

If Kindel is a center then that would be a great pick but I thought the feeling was he isn't a center at the NHL level. Elite prospects lists him as a RW, hitmen lineups have him as their 1C, and I couldn't find where he slotted on the Hlinka roster. Maybe Sandman could comment on that?

I’m pretty sure every time I’ve seen him play, he’s been on the wing. I could be wrong….

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Draft Thoughts (Monster Edition, Vol. 8):

RHC Roger McQueen (6'5",192lbs)
Brandon (WHL): 8gp/ 8g/ 3a/ 11pts, even, 18 PIM.

Roger McQueen is a huge, game-breaking pivot who plays a power game, but has been out of action with a back injury since early October. McQueen is an older player by draft standards, with an Oct 2nd birthday, and it seems like he's been around forever. At the 2023 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, when he was still only 16 years old, he was tied for 4th in scoring on Team Canada's Gold Medal winning squad, with 4 goals and 7 points in 5 games. He followed that up by posting 21 goals and 51 points for the Brandon Wheat Kings in 2023-24, but his regular season was cut a bit short by the same back injury that is plaguing him now. He managed to return for the playoffs, and contributed 4 goals and 5 points in 4 games. The numbers point to his goal-scoring as being his primary weapon, but I've always thought of him as a pass-first playmaker with top-notch vision and awareness, combined with well-developed passing skill. He does indeed possess a hard and heavy shot though, with an elite set of hands to beat goalies in-tight. This part of his game is augmented by his inate ability to locate open spaces to sneak into, with the timing to arrive in high-danger at the right moments. McQueen is a force down-low, and a dangerous net-front presence.

McQueen is an excellent skater, especially for his size, but a slight lack of power in his stride holds him back from being a burner. Still, he looks pretty smooth when it comes to technique and mechanics, and he's also reasonably agile, with the quickness to push pace and force defenders back. He has smooth hands and catches well, with superb puck-skill- and he can impressively deke and dangle around defenders with a set of refined deception tactics to manipulate opponents. His puck-protection is also outstanding, giving him the capability to handle around outstretched sticks, or out of the reach of checkers. McQueen plays a physical game, and sometimes shows a real mean edge-he finishes his checks, and he can dole out some thunderous hits. He goes to the hard areas and dominates with a competitive streak- he's tenacious and hard-working, and skates his routes hard. A massive wingspan gives him a huge advantage on the forecheck in dislodging pucks, and he brings this attribute to defensive situations as well, to block lanes, pick off passes, and poke pucks off of sticks. McQueen may not be Patrice Bergeron, but he doesn't cheat the game and always appears defensively engaged, highly aware, and well-positioned. He makes proactive stops in the neutral zone, and his range gives oncoming rushers fits. He's supportive of his teammates in battles, and will help his D down low. McQueen shows up to play in all three zones, and is a high-value transitional player who can rush the puck through the neutral zone just as effortlessly as he can find open teammates on the fly. He can stickhandle through, or around defenders for clean entries, and will transport the puck from one end to the other on occasion.

It will be interesting to see where McQueen is picked in the 2025 draft, as his situation appears to be strikingly similar to that of another big center, Cayden Lindstrom, who was selected 4th-overall in 2024 by Columbus, but hasn't played a game since December of 2023- due to a back injury. McQueen has NHL-attributes, and easily possesses top-5 talent, with very few real weaknesses- all he needs is to keep improving his skating power, and get stronger. If he can get over his injury, he's a top-line C in-waiting. Look for him in the top-6 of the 2025 draft.

Unless McQueen comes back soon it wouldn't be a smart idea to take a chance on a player with a top 6 pick that has a bad back, just loosing an important year of development should be enough to drop a player but a bad back seems to rarely fully heal, I would bet Columbus are kicking themselves for trying to be the smartest in the room by taking Lindstrom at 4.

[Wastedyouth]

Ben Kindel seems wildly underrated for his production.

What's up there?

[Royle9]

There were so many red flags with Lindstrom, don’t know why they thought they were smarter.

McQueen is sadly the next up, can’t stay healthy.

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Ben Kindel seems wildly underrated for his production.

What's up there?

I've been wondering the same. He has been rising up draft boards a little bit over the last few months.

He's basically scoring at the same pace Berkly Catton did last year (a few less goals but slightly higher ppg). He's also a similar size and the scouting reports I've read say similar things about the two. Maybe it's because the Hitmen are a stronger team than Spokane was in Catton's draft year...? And Catton really put himself on the map with his Ivan Hlinka showing?

This is where my brain breaks with prospects, as the pair seem very similar and yet Catton was getting a ton of buzz in a stronger draft year and people seem to like Kindel but aren't expecting the same thing and certainly aren't considering him in the top 10 at this point.

I'd love to see the Flames take him this year.

[fotze2]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Ben Kindel seems wildly underrated for his production.

What's up there?

Small as F.