2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profiles

This is a library of prospect profiles that gets updated regularly. 

Upside Hockey: 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profiles

Alphabetically listed by surname.

Check out our comprehensive 2026 quintessential rankings spreadsheet.

*Quotes from our Western-based prospect profiler Trevor Curtis's Scouting Notebook.

Upside Hockey: 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Tiers

Upside's Prospect Tiers/Shelves Under Construction for the 2026 Draft Class. 

Stay tuned...

Eduard Bondar D

RD Eduard Bondar (6'5",194lbs)

Val D'Or (QMJHL): 50gp/ 3g/ 9a/ 12pts, -14, 36 PIM

If the name Eduard Bondar (ranked #110 NA Skaters) sounds familiar, it may be because he was the player traded by the Shawinigan Cataractes to Val D'Or for the rights to Flames' prospect, first-rounder Matvei Gridin, before the start of the current season. Bondar had some hype of his own, being chosen 16th-overall in the 2024 CHL Import Draft by Shawinigan, but now plies his trade for the Foreurs, who are in 13th-place out of 18 teams, 7th-overall in goals-for, and 17th in goals-against. This behemoth righty makes his living as a shutdown defenseman, but it's tough sledding to try to keep pucks out the net on his current team. Bondar is no less than an impressive skater, especially for a player as large as he is, with a long, powerful stride, swift four-directional mobility, and surprising agility that enables him transition seamlessly, pivot quickly, and surf across the ice laterally to seal off the boards.

The big Russian is stifling against the rush, and can easily match footwork with smaller opponents, although he sometimes employs a very loose gap. His enormous reach, combined with his range and mobility, make him like a moving wall that is difficult to get past over the blueline. He guards the middle, forcing attackers outside and away from the net. He possesses high-end awareness, and keen timing to intercept passes, and exerts a fairly detailed shutdown game. Once he gets ahold of the puck in the d-zone, he has several crafty ways of getting the puck out of danger with quick, short passes to his teammates, or by bounce-passing off the boards to their sticks. He makes secure first-passes to kickstart the breakout with consistent reliability, and can stretch the ice with his breakout feeds on occasion. He wins races in retrievals, gets inside position, and uses various forms of deception to make his escape from pressure. Bondar is incredibly active and engaged in all three zones, and frequently jumps into the rush as an extra attacker, and will charge up the middle like a freight train to attack the net, if he sees the opportunity. He also activates off of the point with the goal of creating offense, but these forays don't seem to earn him many points as he's more of a facilitator than a creator, and makes simple plays to funnel pucks to the net, or to teammates in the slot; his stalwart defensive game, and puck-moving ability will most likely be his selling point going forward. It's a good sign though, that he has ideas and the confidence to try things, even when they don't work out.

Bondar is a big body, and though I would like to see him be meaner, and throw hits more prolifically, he does play a physical game, and uses his size well to win puck battles along the boards, and to get inside on his opponents. He has the ability to step up in the neutral zone to carry through transition, and has gone end-to-end on occasion, but he usually defers to teammates with short, connecting passes. Bondar is still a bit raw, and needs runway to grow into his body, but he will be scary when he's fully developed as he's already quite mobile. He could use work on his decision-making, but he's an impressive prospect with enormous potential. Look for him in the 3rd, or 4th round.

Donato Bracco D

LD Donato "Donny" Bracco (5'10",161lbs)

NTDP: 37gp/ 2g/ 12a/ 14pts, -5, 12 PIM

Donato Bracco is the younger brother of former Leafs second-rounder, winger Jeremy Bracco, but opted to play defense. If you look at the younger Bracco's offensive contributions for the NTDP this season against USHL competition (7 points in 13 games), his ppg of .54 would put him in a tie with teammate Drew Schock for 14th in scoring by D in that league when prorated, and first for D under-18. Bracco is still fairly young, with a July 26th birthday, and still developing his two-way game. Offensively, he's highly involved and moves around a lot, often leading the rush, and activating into the play from the point to sniff out pockets of open-ice using his well-honed spatial awareness. Though he isn't considered to be the most creative per se, and isn't very flashy or dynamic, he can quarterback a powerplay and connect with teammates in high-danger through traffic; he reads his opponents well, and can make smart plays. His numbers suggest that he's not a big goal-scoring threat, but he will sneak into the slot on occasion to whip one at the goalie, and will get shots through to the net to open up rebound opportunities for teammates.

Bracco is an excellent skater with smooth edges to stay shifty and elusive, with quick changes in pace and direction- but he could use work on his top speed. To amplify his quickness, he owns a deep arsenal of 1-on-1 moves and manipulation skills to deceive opponents into moving one way, while he goes in the opposite direction. Despite his size, he is surprisingly physical, throwing hits to dislodge pucks, and playing a bit rough in defending his net; he guards the crease efficiently and manages to keep attackers boxed out. In addition, he kills plays in the slot with his deft stickwork, and is a willing shot-blocker. Bracco is a hard-worker with high motor, and brings intensity to his defensive duties along with sound anticipation, but he is often mistake-prone and easily out-muscled. In retrievals, he shakes off attackers with deception in the form of fakes and dekes, in cohesion with his dexterous stickhandling. He skates with his head up to scan for options for the breakout, and can make smart, simple plays to kickstart the rush, but he runs into trouble when he gets too fancy. He can also be pressured into making mistakes, such as bad passes, and throwaways. There are other times where Bracco simply tries to do too much, forcing plays that aren't there.

Unfortunately, Bracco might not show enough offensive potential or puck-moving ability for a defenseman of his stature to garner interest from NHL teams, at least not until the late rounds of the 2025 Draft. In the 2024 Draft, there were defensemen better than Bracco is now (in my opinion) that were left undrafted. Though I have seen his name in various Draft lists and mocks, he was left out of Central Scouting's Mid-term Rankings. He is committed to Harvard for next season.

Carson Cameron D

RD Carson Cameron (6'2",194lbs)

Peterborough (OHL): 60gp/ 7g/ 16a/ 23pts, -24, 22 PIM

D Carson Cameron (ranked #87 NA Skaters) may not be a "hidden gem" per se, as I'm sure NHL scouts are well aware of him by now. Cameron is a much better player than his stats, as he plays for the worst team (.346 win %) in the OHL, and one of the lowest-scoring clubs in the entire CHL, and his 23 points are incredibly only 12 away from the team lead. He's quite young, with a June 27th birthday, and is a smooth-skating, 200-ft righty with offensive potential, and a reliable puck-moving game. A favorite of mine, he is very reliable in all situations, and a calming presence for his team with his constant poise and high panic threshold. He executes clean, controlled retrievals consistently, followed by polished first-passes to set up the breakout- pre-scanning thoroughly while protecting the puck from forecheckers, applying deception to escape pressure, and using cutbacks and delays to buy time and space. He will gladly take a hit in this process to make the proper play. In transition, he holds tremendous value, with the ability to rush the puck up-ice, or to pass through the neutral zone effectively.

Cameron is very mobile, with excellent speed and agility, on a smooth, powerful stride. He joins the rush frequently and attacks the middle, and though he may not possess elite creativity and vision, he has very little to work with in Peterborough, and plenty of his ideas die on his teammates' sticks, or miss the mark due to their ineptness. He manages the play well from the top of the offensive zone, walking the line to open seams, and showing excellent distribution skills. He often pinches in to the play, expertly finding soft spots to fill, and will attack the net from the weak side for one of his snappy catch-and-release wristers, or sprint up the wall to make a pass to the slot. He will activate to keep pucks alive and extend offensive zone time, and will throw a hit to prevent the breakout. His point shot is dangerous, and he gets it through to the goalie consistently, creating second-chance opportunities for teammates. Cameron is a physical player who wins more than his fair share of puck battles, will levy hits to win possession, and is aggressive and overpowering in front of his net. He pushes pace, and is a minute-munching workhorse who can play in any situation, as well as both sides of special teams.

Cameron is usually a safe and reliable defensive player, but he can be sloppy at times. Though it's hard to evaluate a player on a team as bad as the Petes, he is an excellent penalty-killer who executes a solid shutdown game. With his swift four-directional speed, he's adept at snuffing rushes by mimicking his opponents' footwork, exerting tight gaps, angling attackers to the outside, stripping them of possession with well-timed pokechecks, and often finishing the play with contact. Cameron owns good awareness and anticipation, giving him the sense to act proactively in the form of picks and stick-lifts, which help him in defending his net. If he were on a different team, he would be able to showcase his abilities and talent much better, but scouts will know that- and while I would put him in the third-round, he could go as early as the second. Going forward, he would benefit by adding more power to his shot, and he needs to get stronger as he can be overpowered at times. It will be difficult for him to keep expanding his offensive game while playing on the Petes, but his best years are definitely ahead of him.

Owen Conrad D

LD Owen Conrad (6'3",209lbs)

Charlottetown (QMJHL): 64gp/ 7g/ 19a/ 26pts, -6, 32 PIM

Lefty Owen Conrad (ranked # 94 NA Skaters) has disappointed this season, when considering his offensive output from 2023-24; his 29 points in 59 games for the Charlottetown Islanders put him in the top-3 for rookie scoring by D last season, so I would have expected him to be closer to a point-per-game this year. A late first-rounder for the Islanders in the 2023 OHL Draft, Conrad's stats this season don't properly represent his abilities or potential in my opinion (I'm a fan of this kid), and I don't think his two-way capability should be overlooked. Offensive ability aside, he's already a fairly polished shutdown defender, but is very raw. He is a steadying presence on the blueline with his remarkable calmness and poise, and he is a known leader and character player, with high-end work-ethic and determination. He's a workhorse with the ability to log big minutes in important situations, excel in both special teams, and play a physical brand of hockey- throwing hits, and battling hard for pucks in the trenches.

Conrad is fairly mobile in all directions with a good top-speed when he gets going, but his explosiveness and acceleration are in need of an upgrade. Once he improves his lower-body strength, there's a chance his skating will become a strength, as his edges and mechanics are already sound; his stride looks fluid, and he is able to turn quickly, pivot smoothly, and transition seamlessly. An intelligent and dilligent defender, he never quits on a play and displays solid instincts and awareness in his own zone. He is solid rush-defender who puts up a tight gap to angle opponents to the outside, where he layers poke-checks on top of hard hits to snuff entries. He clogs lanes, blocks shots, intercepts passes, and protects his net aggressively- this side of his game is highly projectable, and may give him a high NHL-floor. He employs intelligent positioning and an active stick to disrupt plays, and suppresses attacks to the inside, while bringing his strength and physicality along the wall and down low. With the puck, he is poised and cerebral in limiting defensive-zone time by moving the puck quickly through transition, first by making plays to escape pressure in retrievals, then setting up the breakout with smart first-passes- or by stretching the ice with a long-bomb. He has an effective delay game at his disposal when needed, and displays good deception in his passes- always keeping possession for his team with few giveaways.

Conrad is a solid, albeit unspectacular handler, who will join the rush often, and activate in deep off of the line frequently, timing his pinches well to minimize risk. He displays good spatial awareness to locate open space to fill, lanes to pass through, and routes for relocation. He has at least a modicum of playmaking vision, but can be mostly classified as more of a distributor and facilitator at the present time- he's a skilled passer, but he stays a little too safe and risk-free right now. He would do well to take more calculated chances in an effort to make his flashes of play-creation much less rare. He needs work on his shot, as it's not very intimidating with it's lack of power and accuracy, and is right now being used as a playmaking device to set up his teammates with scoring chances. Though he shines in the defensive-third, he often looks like he's lacking urgency, so he needs work on his consistency and engagement. Offensively, his game might just be limited, but time will tell- many scouts think there's real upside in him. There's a ceiling here of a 2nd-pairing, two-way puck-mover who can potentially ride shotgun on the first-pairing, but he could make it as a bottom-pairing shutdown D who kills penalties. Look for him in the 3rd-round, but he could easily jump up to the 2nd.

Jake Crawford C/LW

C/LW Jake Crawford (6'3",181lbs)

Owen Sound (OHL): 65gp/ 8g/ 17a/ 25pts, -21, 22 PIM

The Owen Sound Attack finished the regular season in 16th-place out of 20 teams in the OHL (and 16th in goals-for), sneaking into the playoffs only to be swept by the mighty London Knights. Like many of his teammates on a young squad, center Jake Crawford (ranked # 98 NA Skaters) struggled offensively all season, and was even moved to the wing for a stretch in an effort to give him a boost, production-wise. Crawford, who wears an "A" for the Attack, is still quite raw physically, and had to be put on a high-calorie diet last summer in an effort to increase his weight from his rookie year in 2023-24, where he played at just 160 lbs. With the ability to contribute in any situation, Crawford is a bit of a Swiss-Army knife who can do a bit of everything, and sets an example with his never-quit attitude and high-end work-ethic. While it's true that he has struggled to put points on the board, doesn't possess any real dynamic qualities, and plays a fairly simple and direct game, he's a huge contributor to his team's transition, and a stalwart defensive specialist.

Crawford employs a highly-detailed defensive game, with top-notch awareness and flawless positioning, enhanced by his robust activity rate and unrelenting motor. He is a highly effective and trusted penalty-killer whose main calling-card is his ability to cause turnovers in the defensive zone, cleanly recover possession, and turn the play around into offense by transitioning the puck up-ice. He does this with clever outlets to teammates streaking through the neutral zone, or by rushing the puck through exits and entries with his quick feet and well-developed puck-handling skills. He owns advanced anticipation to be able to intercept passes, and knows where the puck is going to be in order to rack up stops, kill plays, and block shots. Though he is still a bit slight, he manages to win board battles, helps his D down low, and takes away the middle effectively by keeping attacks to the perimeter with an active stick. He will throw hits to separate man from puck, and will step up in the neutral zone to snuff entries, layering hits on top of poke-checks. He moves mostly in straight-lines, but exerts impressive mobility that gives him a big advantage in junior, enhanced by his energy and his will to push the pace of the game. He can leverage his size and speed to burst through traffic while skating through checks, and even though he could use a bit more explosiveness, he can separate from pursuers in open-ice. On the forecheck, he attacks with speed, tenacity, and physicality- depriving defenders of time and space while racking up steals, and forcing turnovers as well as uncontrolled play.

Always engaged, Crawford works hard to win battles in the greasy areas, and plays a power-game in the offensive zone, leveraging his frame to cut inside to the slot, and will drop a shoulder to propel his way through to the net. He gets off the wall a fair bit, finding gaps in coverage to fill, and will park himself in front of the net to clean up garbage in the crease; he displays good hands in-tight, and packs a rather hard and heavy shot. While he's a good passer, he seems to lack high-end vision and creativity, and his playmaking arsenal consists mainly of getting shots on-net. There are flashes of greater ideas from time-to-time, and he can create space by drawing defenders with cut-backs and delays to hit teammates in-stride. Crawford exhibits excellent puck-skills and smooth handling, with the ability to deke and dangle through traffic at times, curl-and-drag around sticks, and beat defenders one-on-one. He protects well too, angling his body away from poke-checks, and controlling outside of his opponents' range. Crawford projects as a depth player on an NHL roster right now, but there's potential for more- there a few other draft draft-eligibles who have struggled to produce in Owen Sound, namely C Harry Nansi, and D Braedyn Rogers. Crawford may not have shown enough numbers-wise to warrant a draft-pick this summer, but he has a lot going for him- even without much of an offensive game. Look for him in the late-rounds.

Makar Fomin D

LD Makar Fomin (5'11",165lbs)

Almaz Cherepovets (MHL): 32gp/ 6g/ 14a/ 20pts, +22, 14 PIM

Severstal Cherepovets (KHL): 12gp/ 0g/ 0a/ 0pts, -6, 2 PIM

Lefty Makar Fomin (ranked #30 for EU Skaters) is, at the time of this writing, the 8th all-time leading scorer in the MHL for defenseman 18-and-under, and 6th all-time in ppg for D in that age bracket. He's a touch older by draft standards, with a December 17th birthday, but he's a dynamic, play-driving rearguard who electrifies with the puck, and contributes all over the ice. He's a fantastic skater, though maybe a notch below elite in straight-ahead speed, with superb agility to sidestep checks- he's elusive and slippery, and very hard to pin down. He wins more than his fair share of puck-races, and shows enormous value in his ability to push the pace as a transitional driver; his passing talent is elite, and he's a high-end puck-mover. Fomin's hands might be even smoother and quicker than his feet, as his puck-control is one of his best assets. He's an impressive stickhandler and doesn't often give pucks away, with an extensive arsenal of deception, using feints and look-offs, as well as deft cut-backs and delays, to make himself room to move.

Fomin owns well-developed passing skill, with high-end vision and IQ. His passes are on the tape, and can find their way cross-ice through the smallest of holes, putting teammates in favorable positions. He exploits space with quick touches, finds seams to pass through on the fly, and will join the rush as an extra attacker, sometimes soaring all the way to the end boards. Fomin walks the line intelligently and effectively to manipulate defenders, funnelling pucks to the low-slot, and makes quick reads to time his activations advantageously. He pinches in to the play frequently and aggressively to support the cycle, keep the play alive, and to create high-danger opportunities. Defensively, he gets involved, but he needs plenty of work and must be used judiciously at this point- this is a much bigger problem against men in the KHL, than against junior competition. He seems to be working hard in his own zone, and stays active, but looks out of position and a bit lost most of the time in his call-ups to the pros. He does have a high number of takeaways at the MHL level, mostly because of his active stick and keen anticipation, but his gaps are too loose and he seems mistake-prone with the puck. On retrievals, he usually looks smooth and controlled, shaking off pressure with his deft stickhandling and evasive footwork to complete composed breakouts that usually connect with crispness and accuracy. He looks poised and calm, and contributes to controlled exits and entries. Off the puck, he is active and energetic, and makes himself a constant playable option for his teammates.

Fomin's shot lacks power, and he needs to develop more deception in his release, but he uses it more as a playmaking device right now to serve up second-chance opportunities for his teammates. In addition, he needs better shot-selection, as he gets blocked a lot and misses the net frequently. He doesn't shy away from contact, but he isn't a physical player, and struggles to win 50/50 puck battles because of his lack of size and strength. At times, he is too much of an individual, and needs to use his teammates better- he tries to do too much on his own, and often looks like he's doing his own thing outside of his team's structure. This, as well as deficiencies in his defensive game and his size, have led to questions as to whether or not his game is NHL-projectable. There's tons of potential here, but he may need more runway than most. I could see him being picked as early as the second-round, but I think it's more likely he gets taken in the 3rd, or 4th-round.

Reese Hamilton D

LD Reese Hamilton (6'1",170lbs)

Regina (WHL): 39gp/ 3g/ 8a/ 11pts, -20, 23 PIM

Calgary (WHL): 20gp/ 1g/ 2a/ 3pts, -5, 10 PIM

After a D-minus-1 season in 2023-24 that saw D Reese Hamilton (ranked # 113 NA Skaters, # 62 by McKenzie) compile 31 points in 42 points for the Hitmen, much more was expected of him going into the current campaign, with most outlets anointing him a sure-fire first-rounder in 2025. Unfortunately, he hasn't shown the same dynamism as he did in his rookie season, nor is he applying the same high-event offensive style. A mid-November trade to the Regina Pats gave fans and scouts alike the hope that he could turn things around with a change of scenery, but it did very little in the way of improving his production; part of the problem may be the fact that his new team was the second-worst team in the WHL this season, and dead-last in scoring. Hamilton has the pedigree of being drafted 4th-overall by the Hitmen in the 2022 WHL Bantam Draft, and he didn't just forget how to play the style that brought him so much positive attention from scouts- there's still potential here. Even minus the offensive game, Hamilton (who played last summer's Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, putting up no points) is still a quality puck-moving D with skill and elite mobility. If he's not one of the fastest players in this summer's draft, than he's easily in the 90th-percentile, with top-flight quickness in all directions- making him a tough defender to beat. He can recover seamlessly to his post at the point after pinching down low, and wins the vast majority of his races; he has an impressive start-up, explosive acceleration, amazing lateral agility, and slingshots out of turns.

Hamilton displays excellent puck-skills, maintaining control in tight spaces, and handling smoothly while in-flight- he's quite dangerous when he puts his skating and quick hands together, and combines the two to solve problems on the fly. He carries with confidence and poise, exhibiting solid passing skill, with saucer passes over sticks, and perfectly-weighted feeds through traffic. Though he hasn't shown it consistently throughout the year, Hamilton is excellent defending the rush- mostly because he can skate faster backwards than most can move forwards, making it easy for him to match footwork with oncoming rushers, applying tight gap-control and an active stick to angle attackers to the outside. He then surfs across laterally with overwhelming quickness to seal off the boards, strip them of possession, and close them out. Exerting strong vision, he skates with his head up to read the play and process quickly, and makes mostly sound decisions- and while elite playmaking only comes in flashes these days in the offensive zone, he executes breakout passes with proficiency. After easily shaking off attackers in retrievals, he can stretch the ice with crisp, accurate outlets, delivering precise feeds to teammates on the fly; Scott Wheeler of the Athletic calls him a "zone-exit machine". He can see through traffic, and make difficult cross-ice passes to clear the zone. Even if he's not producing as he should, he's still a high-value puck-mover and transitional contributor through carry, or by pass. At his best, he can skate dynamic routes through the neutral zone, rushing the puck through exit and entry while spearheading the attack, or quarterback the rush from the back with connective passing, but he will often use rims, dump-ins, and chip-and-chase sequences to get the job done. He will not hesitate to join the rush as an extra attacker if he sees an opportunity.

Once installed in the offensive-third, he has the agility and handling to walk the line and run the offense from the top of the zone, and is known as a frequent activator who can locate slivers of open space in the slot; in games I've seen however, he seems more content to stay back at the line with an eye on defending as well as holding the zone, only pinching in when the coast is clear. In either scenario, he's always in-motion, and distributes well from the point. Hamilton owns a powerful shot from a distance, and can fire a sharp, deceptive wrister while in-flight, using feints and look-offs to deceive and manipulate- but he's not much of a space-creator. He battles hard in the greasy areas, and can throw some big hits, but one of the main knocks against him is that he is often outmuscled, and it pervades many areas of his game- most notably in the defensive zone, and in defending his net. He desperately needs to bulk up, and get stronger, but he also has to improve his details and positioning in his own-zone, and work on making better reads. I think Hamilton also needs to get his dynamism back and start taking more calculated risks, but as it stands, I think he'll still be chosen in the 2nd, or 3rd round, with scouts looking at his elite speed and puck-moving ability.

Carson Harmer C

LHC Carson Harmer (5'10",185lbs)

Saginaw (OHL): 68gp/ 23g/ 27a/ 50pts, +17, 39 PIM

Center Carson Harmer (ranked # 106 NA Skaters) is an OHL rookie, having played the previous season for the Stratford Warriors of the GOJHL, placing 4th in league scoring with 65 points in 46 games. His 50 points was good enough for second in scoring for freshmen this year, just 3 points ahead of teammate (and frequent linemate) RW Jacob Cloutier of the Saginaw Spirit- who finished 9th-overall in the standings, but scored the second-highest amount of goals in the league. It was a bit of an adjustment for Harmer at first, with only 7 points in his first 15 games, but he fit in to the lineup remarkably well. Harmer is a two-way pivot with playmaking ability, and some bite in his game. Though he can push pace, and seems to be everywhere all at once at times, he's not an especially potent skater and possesses average straight-line speed at best. He can beat a defender wide once in awhile, and is able to win puck-races on occasion with his will-power alone, but he has trouble separating in open ice- which is a big detriment for a player his size. He plays a rather straight-line game, with not much flash or dash, and no real dynamic traits, but he's a gamer and quite well-rounded.

Harmer is blessed with a high hockey IQ, and is a smart playmaker with superb awareness; he makes quick reads and sound decisions to produce constant advantages for his teammates with his passes, although he isn't a high-end creator just yet. In the offensive zone, he funnels pucks to the middle on the cycle, makes high-danger feeds across the crease through bodies, slips short-passes under sticks, and connects with saucers through traffic. He seems to like making low-to-high plays from below the goal-line to the slot, and can push defenses back upon entry in order to make space for a drop-pass. In transition, he often finds open space to slow the play down, exhibiting patience to wait for the right play, drawing pressure to open passing seams, and finding teammates with short, quick feeds. He finds open lanes to relocate to, skates his routes with purpose, and has quick hands with a soft touch to catch smoothly at top-speed, then stickhandle through traffic with full control while evading pressure. He also owns outstanding protection skills, angling his body away from checkers, and handling outside of their range. Harmer can fire the puck off the catch, wielding a hard shot with a snappy release that can freeze goalies, and the precision to hit targets while in-motion. While he could definitely stand to shoot more, he gets most of his goals in-close with his quick hands to beat goalies, his hand-eye coordination, and his sharp timing; he's very inside-driven, and a regular fixture in the slot and in-front. He knows how to find soft spots around the net to sneak into, and times his attacks to the crease to be in good position to snag rebounds, or get his stick on a tip.

Despite not having ideal size, Harmer doesn't shy away from the rough stuff at all, and in fact- he throws hits, can crush opponents in open-ice, plays through contact, and will even drop the gloves when necessary. He asserts himself physically, winning board battles, competing hard down-low, fighting for positioning in front of the net, and will use the odd reverse-hit to make more room for himself. He does a fair amount of the dirty work for his line, in digging out pucks in the dirty areas. He is gritty, competitive, energetic, and employs a non-stop motor. Harmer exhibits off-puck smarts to support the play in all three zones, and to stay open and playable, but also to hound puck-carriers in all areas of the ice and get in his opponents' faces. He is pesky and disruptive in all three zones- stealing pucks, picking pockets, and forcing uncontrolled plays, but he also works to make room for teammates who are in possession of the puck. In his own zone, he performs very well- exerting smarts, solid positioning, and keen awareness to act proactively in setting picks, getting inside position on aggressors, and tying up sticks before the puck arrives. He is disruptive through the other teams' breakout, to their rush through the neutral zone by harassing puck-carriers with his stick and his physicality, to the set-up in his team's defensive zone. He will engage opponents with contact to separate man from puck, and dole out stiff hits to dislodge possession; he retrieves loose pucks, and finds outlets to instantly start the breakout going in the other direction. I like this player, and I believe he will be high up the OHL scoring list for the next few years. Going forward, skating and pace are his biggest weaknesses, which isn't ideal for a smaller player in the eyes of scouts- but he doesn't play small. Look for him in later rounds.

Rio Kaiser D

LD Rio Kaiser (6'7",207lbs)

Peterborough (OHL): 25gp/ 1g/ 5a/ 6pts, -14, 42 PIM

German rearguard Rio Kaiser (ranked # 140 NA Skaters) was chosen in the 1st-round of the 2023 CHL Import Draft, 31st-overall, by the Peterborough Petes- who were able to bring the monster defenseman across the pond in January, right after he made a two-game appearance in the World Junior Championships for his homeland (0 points). Until that point, Kaiser had been playing in 3 different tiers of hockey (the same as he did in 2023-24), with 2 games in the U20 Junior league (no points and 27 PIM), 7 games in the second-tier pro league (2 assists in 7 games), and another 7 games in the top men's league (no points). Kaiser joined a Petes team that finished dead-last in the OHL this season, with the worst goals-for in the league- Willkommen in Kanada, junger Mann! While he was still adjusting to playing in North America when the season in Peterborough concluded, he has shown himself to be a humongous, physical defenseman with good mobility, who is still quite raw. 

There are plenty of times when he's not moving his feet nearly enough, and he's seen gliding quite a bit, but he possesses surprising mobility when he gets going, with an elongated and powerful stride that looks projectable and fluid, on long legs. He accelerates reasonably well to a top-speed that allows him to keep up with smaller forwards on the rush. His agility and edges are also decent, giving him the capacity to make sharp cuts, and transition quickly. Kaiser is a punishing hitter, with a robust physical game and a willingness to drop the gloves; he's also a little mean, delivering an extra shot or two to his prey after a hit, and using crosschecks or slashes whenever he can. He throws his considerable weight around to dislodge pucks, dominates down-low, makes life difficult for opponents in front of the net, and can rock opponents in open-ice; his style intimidates and agitates, and he's a regular presence in post-whistle scrums. Attackers are hopelessly immobilized and neutralized when he ties them up and pins them to the wall- much like a fly in the spider's web. Kaiser was still trying to figure things out, but he can make some plays and can move the puck when given time and space. His breakouts are wildly inconsistent, but he has shown the ability to connect on some higher-end feeds when he gets the time to scan for options; even still, he usually keeps his passes short and simple, and will dump it out or clear the puck off the glass quite often. He will join the rush to attack soft spots in the slot, and has shown a willingness to activate into the play from the line. He owns a booming point shot that he gets on net with fair frequency to make plays for teammates, and he holds the line well to extend offensive-zone time for his team. Keeping his play safe and simple, he relies on risk-free distribution and dump-ins, as he gets in trouble when he tries to get too fancy.

Kaiser has improved his play against the rush by keeping his feet moving more, and was executing sound gap-control by the end of the year, with an active stick to angle opponents to the boards, then surfing across the ice quickly to close them out. At times, he's was still showing difficulty in-zone against the cycle, and was still guilty of planting his feet to puck-watch, which took him out of the play and made him late to engage attackers- his defensive awareness needs an upgrade. Even still, his enormous range is difficult for opponents to navigate when he stays active, and he uses his reach well- timing his poke-checks to disguise his wingspan. Through transition, he pushes the puck up-ice and supports the play with short passes, but can also carry through the neutral zone once in a while, showing decent puck-skills and control in-motion to evade defenders, and even challenge them one-on-one at times. Kaiser's age works against him, with an October 7th, 2006 birthday, and it seems widely accepted that he will be a bit of a project for the team that drafts him, but his blend of size, mobility, and physicality will definitely interest scouts. He still takes himself out of the play looking for the big hit, and has plenty of things in his game that he needs to clean up- particularly his on-puck play under pressure, and his mistakes in the defensive zone. Look for him in later rounds this summer.

Lucas Karmiris C

RHC Lucas Karmiris (5'11",190lbs)

Brampton (OHL): 39gp/ 13g/ 21a/ 34pts, +17, 28 PIM

Center Lucas Karmiris (ranked # 83 NA Skaters) is one of the older players in this draft class, with a Sept.27, 2006 birthday, and has suffered through injury trouble this season, as well as a bit of a diminished role due to some of the off-season additions to the Steelheads. Karmiris is an intelligent pivot who impacts his team's play in a positive way in all three zones, and as a bonus- he plays a physical game. He is an excellent skater with a smooth stride and good speed who wins races to loose pucks, separates in open ice, and plays with pace, drawing penalties by forcing the hand of defenders to avoid being burned. His edges and agility are solid- he's slippery and evasive, and can spin off of checks. A physical player, he displays ample amounts of grit and makes his presence felt on the forecheck by initiating contact to cause disruption and uncontrolled play. He dishes out hard, heavy hits all over the ice, and wins battles along the wall.

Karmiris handles well, and his puck-protection skills help him to fight off checkers, and to further evade pressure; he also catches very well, with the ability to settle down wild passes quickly while in flight, and the hand-eye coordination to knock pucks down out of mid-air, right to his handling radius. Like a miniature power-forward, he drives the middle with confidence, and crashes the net to score the ugly goals- he gets most of his tallies through working hard and battling in-tight. He can score from a distance though, as he owns a fairly hard and accurate shot, with a quick and deceptive release to fool goalies, and a deft use of screens. In front of the net, he will park himself in the low slot to battle for chances, and he has soft mitts to beat goalies in-close. Karmiris reads the play extremely well, positioning himself advantageously in open areas off-puck to make himself a playable option for teammates. He is capable of driving play, and though he may not be the most exciting or dynamic player to watch, or the most outright creative, he displays above-average offensive awareness with plus-level playmaking vision, to go with well-honed distribution skill that enables him to connect with teammates through crisp, accurate passing. He is able to see teammates through layers of traffic, and can pass over and under sticks, through triangles, and between feet to create high-danger opportunities in the slot. Competitiveness is one of the pillars of his game, and he finds success with his high-end motor and tenacity; he sprints to loose pucks, and is good on the faceoff dot. In transition, he forces defenseman back with his speed and blistering pace when flying through the middle of the neutral zone on the rush, and connects plays with short passes and give-and-go sequences.

Karmiris excels defensively, and is very active without the puck- relentless in his puck-pursuit, and highly disruptive with his reach and energetic stick to force broken plays, clog lanes, and intercept passes. His speed and tenacity help him to apply pressure to opponents and take away their time and space, with solid awareness of his surroundings, and spotless positioning. He supports his D down low and in front of the net, covering for them when they have to leave their post, and will throw hits to win pucks, or grind attackers down along the wall. A stalwart defensive player and penalty-killer who is relentless on the backcheck, he can be used in a shutdown role against other teams' top players, and he can be put out late in the game to protect a lead. Stylistically speaking, Karmiris reminds me a bit of Daymond Langkow, in that he's neither flashy or dynamic, but gets the job done in both ends of the ice. Scouts won't like his age, and he has to keep improving his size, strength, shot, and finishing ability, but I think he has a middle-six ceiling with a high NHL-floor. Look for him in the third, or fourth round.

Lev Katzin C/LW

C/LW Lev Katzin (5'8",176lbs)

Guelph (OHL): 44gp/ 16g/ 32a/ 48pts, -7, 26 PIM

Lev Katzin (ranked # 142 NA Skaters) may be short in stature, but he isn't short on character. He started the current campaign with the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL (6 points in 9 games, with 44 PIM), with the intention of playing for Penn State next season, but wisely transferred to Guelph after the rules prohibiting CHL players from playing in the NCAA was overturned in November. Guelph finished in 19th-place out of 20 teams in the OHL, but thankfully for Katzin, they have a decent top-six, and were 15th in goals-scored. At the time of this writing, he is playing for Team Canada at the U-18's on the top-line with Braeden Cootes and Brady Martin, and is tied for 7th in scoring (3rd on Team Canada) with 8 points in 5 games. I love this kid- he's fun to watch, and even though he isn't the biggest guy on the ice, he's a highly competitive buzzsaw with high-end skill, and a gritty, hard-nosed game. An excellent skater with top-notch maneuverability on his edges, his speed has been on display in the tournament- blowing by defenders up the boards, and darting around in traffic. He pushes pace, and seems to be everywhere all at once. 

While he may be diminutive in height, he's built like a tank at 179 lbs, and often looks like a 6'2" power-forward in disguise with the way he finishes his checks, hits like a truck, plays through contact, and crashes the crease. He doesn't shy away from the rough stuff, and instead- he seems to wade into it, plying energy, intensity, and high-motor in all situations. Still, he needs to get stronger, as he can still get pushed around at times. Like a rabid badger, he competes for pucks along the wall, wins battles all over the ice, and fights for inside position; his dog-on-a-bone approach draws the ire of opponents, and in turn- draws penalties. From what I've read though, he has a temper, and loses his composure at times, too. Lev is a pass-first playmaker with high-end IQ and superb vision, with the ability to see the ice well and make crisp, accurate passes right on the tape- driving play and creating opportunities. He funnels pucks to the slot, and routinely connects across the ice and through traffic with remarkable touch and precision, making the process look easy and putting his teammates in advantageous spots, giving his targets an easy tap-in, re-direct, or deflection for a goal. Using manipulation and deception, he fakes shots for passes, and uses feints and look-offs to fool defenders and open space. He will delay to wait for the right play to develop, holding on the puck patiently, and will use cut-backs, button-hooks, hesitations, and fakes to make a little more room. He's effective around the net, with low-to-high plays from below the goal-line, and passes through the slot.

With a nose for the net, Katzin will attack the middle off the rush, and will drive the inside to draw pressure. He reads gaps well, and exhibits strong spatial awareness, with the understanding of how to create space by drawing opponents in his direction, which opens shooting lanes, and passing seams. He finds gaps in coverage to fill, and cuts across the ice to shift defenses and create screens in the process. In front of the net, he will battle with larger defensemen for positioning, using slashes and cross-checks to even the playing field, and will crash the crease for loose pucks; he has soft hands in-tight, and superb hand-eye coordination for tips. He can beat defenders wide on occasion, drives the net off the wall, has a quick release on his wrister, and follows his shots to the net in search of the rebound. Displaying excellent puck-skill, he exerts almost infallible control at top-speed, and despite his size, he protects quite well- with an arsenal of dekes and dangles to weave through traffic, and make defenders miss. He uses these skills to contribute in transition, by rushing the puck through the neutral zone, but can also orchestrate give-and-go's to push the pace. Katzin has a hunger for the puck, and is a pest to opposing carriers in all three zones, always in their faces with slashes to their twigs, stick-lifts, pokes, and even open-ice hits. With relentless pursuit of the puck, and menacing physicality, he is highly tenacious on the forecheck- sprinting at opponents to cause turnovers and giveaways, showing a proficiency in picking pockets from behind. As in all other areas of the ice, he is engaged and well-positioned in the defensive zone, but seems to lack some awareness defensively; he looks lost at times, puck-watching and kinda just drifting, with much less aggression in his own-zone than in the other two-thirds of the ice, and he seems to be waiting for the play to come to him. Katzin needs work on his shot, and perhaps his finishing skills, but he's a gamer. Don't be surprised if he's taken in the middle-rounds.

Patrik Kerkola G

LCG Patrik Kerkola (6'3",194lbs)

KalPa (U20): 31gp/ 15-14-0, 3.14 GAA, .883 SV%

KalPa were 6th-best in the 18-team U20 Sarja, and made it to the Playoff Finals, where they lost to Lukko. In the regular-season, Patrik Kerkola (ranked # 6 EU Goalies, # 67 by Button) played the third-most minutes in the league, with the 5th-most saves, and was 21st in SV%. He elevated his game in the playoffs, going 7-4-0, with a 2.44 GAA, and a .905 SV%. Over the course of the season, he earned 1 game in the Mestis, Finland's second-tier men's league, on loan to IPK (2.93 GAA, .880 SV%), and another game in the Liiga with KalPa's top team (3.13 GAA, .842 SV%). With the season over in Finland, he joined up with his countrymen at the U-18 Worlds, but came home without a medal, going 2-3-0, with a 2.44 GAA, and an .886 SV%. Kerkola is a hybrid goalie with solid athleticism and technical skill, but he's quite raw, and will undoubtedly be a bit of a project for the team that drafts him.

Kerkola is very aggressive, and plays a lot at the edge of his crease (and beyond) to challenge shooters, cut down angles, and offer less net to look at. His stance, coupled with his size and long limbs, cover a lot of net- and the speed at which he can extend his pads, flash his glove, or throw out his blocker helps him to make the save. His reflexes and reaction time are definite strengths. He is tall enough to see over traffic to track the puck, and adjusts his stance to see around screens- including getting down low. His tracking skills aren't perfect though, and doesn't yet anticipate at a high level; he's more reactionary than he is proactive. He follows pucks extremely well behind his net though, by shoulder-checking thoroughly, and mimicking the puck-carrier's movements. Most aspects of his game seem to be either raw, or inconsistent; he moves around the crease fairly well, but he's not that smooth on his skates, which makes him appear a bit awkward and erratic. He needs to improve his skating, smooth out his edgework, and work on his balance in order to maximize his quickness. When recovering back to his default stance after being down in the butterfly, his speed in getting back to his feet is a bit deficient. His glove can let him down as well, as he gets beat on that side more often than he should. When dealing with rebounds, he can be wildly inconsistent; there are times when he swallows up shots from all angles, and from long-distance- other times, he gives up too many high-danger second-chance opportunities that he should've handled easily. He has shown the ability to direct pucks out of danger with his blocker, and he can deflect shots to the corner, but he fails to do so with any consistency. 

His ability to seal off his posts looks like a strength at times, with a well-developed RVH, but he often gives up small holes that pucks can sneak through. Kerkola's puck-handling can be cringeworthy as well, but he shows glimpses of being able to support the transition with well-placed breakout passes, when keeping his feeds safe and simple. Compete is a high-end asset of his though, as he never gives up on a play, puts forth multiple efforts in scrambles to corral pucks, and maintains focus through contact- fighting to make the stop with attackers crashing the crease. There's plenty of raw skill here, and a decent physical toolbox- all he needs is a team with the patience to guide him where he needs to go, and to wait for him to put everything together. Look for him in the 4th, or 5th-round.

Liam Kilfoil C

LHC Liam Kilfoil (5'11",176lbs)

Halifax (QMJHL): 62gp/ 21g/ 25a/ 46pts, -24, 14 PIM

Liam Kilfoil (ranked # 96 NA Skaters) may not have set the world on fire this season offensively, but his 46 points were enough to lead the 16th-place (out of 18 teams) Mooseheads in scoring. As a participant in the 2024 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup for Team Canada, he was tied for 9th on the team with 3 points in 5 games- ahead of names like Ben Kindel, Braeden Cootes, Tyler Hopkins, Jake O'Brien, and Ethan Czata. A 200-ft center who can play in any situation, Kilfoil is known to be a stalwart defensive player on a club that gave up the 13th-most goals-against in the Q, and is the leading goal-getter on one of the lowest-scoring teams in the CHL (17th in the Q for goals-for). His reputation is that of a leader (he wears an A), and a hard-worker on-and-off the ice, with outstanding character and compete; he plays at a high pace with unrelenting motor, providing his team with energy, and is always engaged, and perpetually in-motion.

Kilfoil skates very well on long, powerful strides, and is light and agile on his edges, but could use another gear to better separate in open-ice. He is a play-builder with a high IQ who relocates to areas of greater advantage in high-danger after passing off in give-and-go sequences, showing plus-level distribution skills and advanced awareness, skating with his head on a swivel to keep an inventory of his options. He can push back defenders off the rush to make room for drop-passes to the trailer, employs delays and cut-backs to open space, skates dangerous routes off-puck to cause havoc and manipulate opponents, and can pull off some dangerous cross-ice passes through traffic on occasion. His shot could use more power, but he utilizes a stunning release that can paralyze goalies, and he can fire off the catch with fair precision. Kilfoil times his attacks to the net judiciously to capitalize off of rebounds and loose pucks in the crease, and possesses sharp hand-eye coordination for redirecting  pucks. He frequently cuts inside, and buzzes around the net, locating soft spots in the slot to weave in and out of, while waiting to strike. He will plant himself at the net-front to take abuse, set up the screen, and to battle for positioning to clean up garbage in the vicinity of the goaltender.

Though it's difficult to gauge his projectability as an offensive catalyst on a team as bad as the Mooseheads, his abilities on the other side of the puck aren't in doubt. Kilfoil is somewhat of a defensive specialist, with ideal positioning, elevated awareness and anticipation, and a well-timed stick for pokes, sweeps, and slashes to disrupt possession. A superb penalty-killer, he is details-oriented and exhibits good habits, taking away the middle effectively and working tirelessly to keep attacks to the outside by matching footwork to his opponents. He locks down attackers by pinning them to the boards, blocks shots willingly, gets into lanes, and intercepts passes. In the neutral zone, he hounds puck-carriers on the breakout to cause turnovers, uncontrolled plays, resets, and forced dump-ins. Kilfoil can struggle a bit with puck-control at top-speed, but he otherwise owns quick hands to deke past defenders, dangle around sticks on the fly, and stickhandle through layers of traffic. While he will battle tenaciously for loose pucks, push back on opponents to make room, and bump carriers off of the puck, he is not much of a hitter, and not an overly physical player- preferring instead to utilize his smart stick and exemplary positioning to do his dirty work. Kilfoil could be called a safe pick, but smaller players are losing popularity with scouts, and a lack of physicality might be seen as a big detriment. I still see him being picked in the middle rounds.

Jesper Kotajarvi D

LD Jesper Kotajarvi (6'0",179lbs)

Tappara (U20): 24gp/ 5g/ 5a/ 10pts, +4, 38 PIM

Tappara (Liiga): 12gp/ 1g/ 0a/ 1pt, -2, 2 PIM

Defenseman Jesper Kotajarvi (ranked #32 for EU Skaters by Central Scouting) has been playing tag with fellow blueliner Lasse Boelius for who will be the top player out of Finland in the 2025 Draft, which might not be saying much for the state of hockey in that country. There's plenty of reason to believe though, that Kotajarvi is a much better offensive performer than his numbers show this season, as his 0.62 ppg in 2023-24 (23 points in 37 games) eclipse his 0.42 ppg from this year by a fair margin, and he has produced at every level he's played- he even had 4 games in the Mestis (Finland's second-tier Men's league) when he was just 15 years-old. Kotajarvi can play the right-side seamlessly, and he is an excellent skater who pushes pace and plays aggressively, with the speed to separate in open ice. He is slippery and elusive on his edges, giving him superb agility and lateral quickness to sidestep checks, and he can slip through contact with quick turns and cuts. He is an expert puckhandler who maintains control through traffic when under pressure, and doesn't slow down when in possession. Despite being below average in size for a rearguard, his puck-protection is exceptional.

Deception is a huge part of Kotajarvi's game, and he employs every feint imaginable to make room to move, including head-fakes, look-offs, toe-drags, and dekes, as well as changes in pace and direction, and shifts of weight in his stride. Cut-backs and delays are a way for him to create room for teammates, as well as himself, by drawing pressure to open space for distribution. He is a high-value transitional player, and can drive possession via pass or carry through controlled exits and entries; he can rush the puck through the neutral zone by himself while maneuvering through defenders with slick one-on-one expertise. He's a highly-skilled puck-mover, and can lead the rush from defense to offense, showing calmness and poise through his smooth retrievals to his deft breakout passes. With his team installed in the zone, he displays deception in walking the line to pry open passing seams, and exhibits a high level of vision and creativity on his smart passes. He's quite aggressive in activating in on the weak side for high-danger opportunities, and he will pinch up the boards to pass to the slot. There's a high-risk, high-reward factor in his offensive zone play, as sometimes mistakes can be made with the chances he takes.

Kotajarvi may not be the most physical player, but he finishes his checks, and will lower the boom once in a while with a bone-rattling hit. He is competitive and doesn't shy away from the rough stuff- he battles for loose pucks in all of the greasy areas, and 38 PIM in 24 games shows he's not gentle about it. Defensively, he shows good habits and a high workrate, but his details are lacking a bit, and I don't think he's making 100% of the stops he should be making. He's solid in his own zone positioning-wise, but sometimes has difficulty handling bigger players in front of his net. His gaps are tight, and he plays well against the rush in an effort to kill plays in the neutral zone, with excellent angling on the strength of a well-timed, active stick. I would go out on a limb to suggest that Kotajarvi may have a higher ceiling than Boelius, despite his rather poor stats, but he's a riskier pick in my view. Look for him in the third-round.

Maddox Labre D

LD Maddox Labre (6'2",179lbs)

Victoriaville (QMJHL): 61gp/ 3g/ 16a/ 19pts, -43, 42 PIM

I've heard Harrison Brunicke's name brought up to describe Maddox Labre's situation because, though they may differ a bit stylistically, they both played on bad teams in their draft year, which severely affected their numbers. Labre (ranked #112 NA Skaters) is a member of the Victoriaville Tigres, who finished the season dead-last in the Q standings (3rd-last in the entire CHL, with a .297 win %), and 16th out of 18 teams in goals-for, but he is still young by draft standards (with a June 15th birthday), and is playing in his first full season in the CHL. You wouldn't know it by looking at his numbers, but he's a two-way, play-driving defenseman, with a punishing physical game. His skating is fluid and projectable (though he has a bit of a heel-kick) with a long, powerful stride, and a deep knee bend. Though his mechanics aren't quite perfect, his straight-line speed is above-average, with impressive lateral mobility. Labre is a wonder to watch, with his top-notch handling skill that allows him to weave through traffic using a wide array of one-on-one stickhandling maneuvers, including fakes, dangles, toe-drags, and dekes to bait and mislead defenders. He expertly draws pressure with cutbacks and delays, and looks highly skilled and dynamic in his ability to dismantle defenses, although his pace will need improvement for the next level.

Labre exerts a high level of vision and awareness, with sharply-honed passing skill, blended with a layer of deception in fakes and look-offs. It begins with his ability to effortlessly escape pressure in his own zone by pre-scanning for options, then deking out forecheckers (or simply outskating them), evading checks with cut-backs when necessary, and making sound breakout feeds with calmness and composure. He can find streaking rushers with stretch-passes through the neutral zone at times, and can send outlets cross-ice with apparent ease. He is a high-value transitional driver, and can rush the puck through exit and entry by deking and dangling through traffic to spearhead the attack. He joins the rush often, and will attack up the middle, and go to the net. A set-up man first and foremost, he has an eye for manufacturing constant advantages for teammates, and tries with every touch to create, using every inch of space he can get. He's an inventive playmaker who funnels pucks to the middle and regularly uses cross-ice feeds- he reads the ice well, and makes quick decisions. With exemplary timing, he activates off the line frequently, and stays very active in the offensive zone- he also has a hard point-shot that he gets on-net with good consistency. He skates into passes and runs the blueline with aplomb, moving around to manipulate defenders into opening passing seams. A true workhorse, he is a hard-worker who can play big minutes, putting forth a high compete level to go with a non-stop motor, and he's fairly violent- though he doesn't take all that many penalties. He engages early, dishing out big hits all over the ice, wins more than his fair share of battles in the trenches, knocks opponents off of pucks, and pins opponents to the boards to remove them from the play- using his frame to impose his will.

Labre is engaged in his own zone, though not perfect or mistake-free. He can be quite mean in front of the net, overpowering opponents while delivering hacks, whacks, and crosschecks, and effectively boxes out attackers. He moves surprisingly well laterally, which gives him enormous range when coupled with his active stick. Sometimes his gaps look a bit too loose, but he closes fast and often chokes off entries with a big hit. I really like the foundation this kid has, but he's going to need some work. Quite often, he will try to force plays that aren't there- but some of the blame has to go with his less-than-stellar teammates, who leave plenty of his ideas unrequited. I have no doubt that he would've been much higher up the scoring list if he were on a better team. He can leave his partner hanging out to dry by being overzealous in his activations, so he will need a tune-up on his decision-making in this area. There are plenty of times when he tries to do too much on his own, which may also be because of the team he plays for, but he often hangs on to the puck for too long, thus skating himself into trouble. Like his teammates, he is prone to miscues and errors defensively, and needs some work on his play-selection in this area of the ice. He can lose his man in heavy traffic, and can overcommit too early in other instances. I like this kid, and I think he's a pretty safe pick, due to having a solid base to work with. Look for him in the 3rd, or 4th-round.

Jett Lajoie RW

RW Jett Lajoie (6'0", 179lbs)

Prince George (WHL): 66gp/ 14g/ 21g/ 35pts, +7, 40 PIM

There's not a whole lot of ice-time to be had if you're a supporting player on the Prince George Cougars, who sport a fairly deep and talented forward group, and sit 7th-overall in the WHL. RW Jett Lajoie (ranked # 70 NA Skaters) hovers around in the Cougars' middle-six mostly, and started the year with 12 points in the first 13 games- but his numbers started to regress as players were returned from NHL-camps. He will have to wait until next year to have his big offensive breakout, as older players depart for the pros. He is a scrappy, energetic, physical winger, who is fearless in battles, supports the play in all three zones, and flashes playmaking skill. With high-end motor and compete, he plays a fairly violent game and can dish out some thunderous hits against larger opponents. He is a constant physical threat, annoying and agitating his adversaries with his relentlessness and tenacity, and as a result- has to drop the gloves on occasion. Lajoie has plenty of hard-skill and a heavy game that creates advantages, and has a positive impact with his willingness to wade into the greasy areas, and battle for pucks in the trenches- doing a lot of the dirty work for his teammates. On the forecheck, he is highly aggressive, finishes his checks, and applies pressure on puck-carriers by being a general menace, and by pushing pace. Down low, he is very hard to deal with- almost oppressive.

Lajoie is not a huge scoring threat with his shot alone, as it's not very accurate or powerful, and the vast majority of his tallies come from his hard-work in attacking the net, or from planting himself at the net-front to battle for position and take abuse. He is not afraid to drive the middle or cut inside to pick up garbage, cash in deflections with his keen hand-eye coordination, set up a screen, and cause problems around the crease. In terms of his skating and puck-skills- both are above-average, but not always pretty; he can win races to loose pucks with sheer will and tenacity alone, and while he handles well, he can pressured into making mistakes with the puck and coughing up possession at times. His puck-protection is quite good though- he shields the puck from enemy sticks by angling his body away from attackers, and by using his one-handed reach to control the puck. Though he's mostly devoid of any real flash or dynamism, he shows the odd glimpse of creativity and teases more advanced playmaking ability than his usual deferment to keeping things plain and simple with quick touches. There is signs of vision in his passing game that go beyond facilitation, and he possesses above-average offensive awareness and good spatial manipulation to draw defenders, and to locate soft spots in coverage to fill.

Transition is another area where he has shown flashes of a more innovative playmaking game, but he usually relies on chip-and-chase sequences, or dump-ins, and skates mostly north-south routes. Lajoie's motor, pace, and physicality help him to be a nuisance to puck-carriers, and disruptive in defensive situations, but he needs improvement in his awareness in his own-zone to make better reads. As in other areas of the ice, he's highly active and aggressive, but sometimes out of position and other times chasing too much. He needs the usual- get bigger, stronger, and faster, but he has to develop his offensive presence a lot more, and I think he'll be a big producer in the next few years with the Cougars. There's already the profile here of a potential bottom-6 energy player, but there's hope for more. Look for him in the middle rounds.

Kadon McCann C

C Kadon McCann (6'3",201lbs)

Medicine Hat (WHL): 64gp/ 11g/ 7a/ 18pts, +5, 54 PIM

With 20 points in 68 games in 2023-24, much more was expected from C Kadon McCann (ranked # 116 NA Skaters) this season, but he doesn't play a whole lot on a stacked Tigers squad. The Cochrane-born pivot was even given the grade of "C" by Central Scouting in their Preliminary Rankings in September- denoting a possible 4th, or 5th-round pick. To date, McCann is tied for 13th in playoff scoring on the Tigers, with a rather meagre 3 points over 11 games in a checking role, with 14 penalty-minutes. As one might expect, he is a big-bodied power-forward who can affect the play at both ends of the ice with his size and brute force. Though he needs work on his acceleration and first-step quickness, he is like a freight train when he gets going, exerting an excellent top-speed, and a long, projectable stride, with a deep knee bend. He can cover a ton of ice quickly, win long-distance races, and keep up with teammates on the rush. His edges are surprisingly smooth and fluid as well, giving him the ability to turn quickly, and exert uncanny lateral quickness.

McCann employs a robust physical game with a high-end workrate; he's very competitive and gritty, always involved, and willing to drop the gloves on occasion. He's dominant along the boards, a load to handle down-low, plays through contact, and competes hard in the trenches to win most puck-battles. He is intimidating on the forecheck, barrelling in on puck-carriers with speed, and throwing hits to cause disruption, dislodge pucks, and throw breakouts into disarray. McCann plays a very meat-and-potatoes style game- very basic, with no flash or dash, and with no real dynamic traits to speak of. Most of his offensive contributions come from his tunnel-vision in going to the net, and bullying his way inside to the slot for high-danger looks, which leads to second-chance opportunities for teammates. He will put a shoulder down to power his way to the crease, and can drive wide around defenders. He can compliment more skilled players by doing the dirty work for his line in winning pucks along the wall, going to the net to provide a screen, picking up garbage in the blue paint, and getting his stick on tips. His net-front presence makes him a nightmare for opposing defensemen, as he's impossible to move or overpower, and he owns soft hands in-tight; I don't think he takes any shots from outside of 10 feet of the net, but his shot is quick enough to fool goalies, and accurate enough to pick corners, or pop water-bottles. There's not much in the way of vision or creativity in his toolkit, and he's far more of a facilitator than playmaker. While I believe he's vastly better than his stats would indicate, I'm not under the illusion that he'll ever be an offensive player in an NHL team's top-six.

McCann carries the puck with startling poise and confidence; his puck-control is actually quite good, and he protects very proficiently. With excellent sense and awareness, his actions in the zone help limit defensive zone time, and often directly contribute to zone-exits- either with control through passing plays, or by clearing the zone with dump-outs, chip-and-chases, or by playing the puck off the glass. His wingspan, when combined with his lateral quickness, give him enormous range and make him very difficult to bypass. He exerts good pressure on attackers to limit their time and space, and will throw hits to separate his man from the puck. McCann must continue to develop his play in the offensive zone in regards to his hockey sense in making plays, his creativity, and in particular, his space-creation. Until these skills come along, he is most likely destined to be cast in a bottom-six checking role in the pros. Even so, his combination of size, skating, and snarl will entice scouts. Look for him in the middle-rounds.

Alex Misiak W

RW/LW Alex Misiak (6'0",183lbs)

Waterloo (USHL): 14gp/ 6g/ 5a/ 11pts, +1, 6 PIM

Winger Alex Misiak (ranked #16 for EU Skaters by Central Scouting), who is the brother of Blackhawks' 2023 2nd-rounder, W Martin Misiak, started the season playing in 3 tiers of hockey back in his native Slovakia, and right now he is still 3rd in U-18 scoring in Slovakia's top men's league (7 points in 26 games) for HKM Zvolen, and second in goals-scored. He had the opportunity to represent his country in the 2024 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in a background role, and had no points in 4 games, unfortunately. Misiak is a strong-skating, left-shooting right-winger with some power elements in his game. He is still quite raw, and most likely still adapting to life in North America, but he flashes high-end playmaking at times, and is 15th in the USHL in ppg (0.79) for U-18 players.

Misiak owns a pretty good shot that could perhaps use a little more power, and he's adept at using defenders as screens, while flexing a quick, deceptive release. He understands how to shoot for rebound opportunities for his teammates, and his catch-and-release is quite dangerous. There's no fear in him to attack the inside, or to crash the crease for second-chance opportunities; he's a quality shooter, but also a good finisher, and displays soft mitts in-tight to best goalies. He positions himself advantageously off-puck to consistently make himself a playable option for high-danger passes, and uses feints and deception to manipulate checkers. Misiak moves very well, with a long, fluid stride and excellent acceleration; his top speed may require some work going forward, but he keeps up just fine playing with men, and he can outskate most junior opponents. He can change direction and pace rapidly, with the agility in his edges to evade attackers. There's sandpaper in his game, and he makes his presence felt physically all over the ice. He finishes his checks, and plays hard and heavy on the forecheck to challenge puck-carriers- he is a fiery competitor with a large chip on his shoulder. He can dish out some big hits, and uses contact to push his way around, and propel himself forward. Misiak provides energy to his team, plays with bite, and keeps his feet moving through contact. Misiak flashes high-end playmaking potential and creativity, pre-scanning with his head on a swivel, and spotting open teammates through traffic for cross-ice (sometimes cross-crease) feeds that result in dangerous chances. He is adept at making plays off the rush, and funnels pucks to the middle.

Unfortunately, Misiak doesn't contribute much to transition- his effectiveness is up and down, but he mostly defers to teammates to carry, and most of his entries are dump-ins. There are times when he will hook up with teammates in give-and-go sequences to be a play-connector, but he seems impatient- perhaps too eager to get going on offense. In the defensive zone, he doesn't offer the same intensity or compete as he shows in the other end of the ice- both his engagement and awareness are lacking. He looks more disruptive in the neutral zone against the rush, but he doesn't move the needle much in his own zone, and isn't particularly strong positionally. Misiak is perhaps a high-risk/high-reward option in the draft, as he's very raw, but there's tons of potential. He's mistake-prone, and lackadaisical at times, but he's still quite young (with a June 22, 2007 birthday), and has a long runway ahead. Like most kids his age, he struggles with consistency, and he sometimes gets caught coasting and playing too much on the perimeter- his physical play has it's ebbs and flows as well. I'm guessing he will be a mid-round pick.

Zach Morin LW

LW Zachary Morin (6'2",174lbs)

Saint John (QMJHL): 56gp/ 16g/ 20a/ 36pts, -15, 21 PIM

LW Zach Morin (ranked # 103 NA Skaters) started the season with Youngstown of the USHL (1assist in 4 games), with an eye on attending Boston University in 2026-27, and he was actually being used at center. When the rules preventing CHL players from committing to the NCAA was reversed in November (and I've read that things weren't going so well for him in Youngstown), he was free to join the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec League- who were unfortunately one of the worst teams in Major Junior this year. When the season concluded, the Sea Dogs were sitting in 17th, out of 18 teams in the Q, and were dead-last in the entire CHL in goals-for (154), making Morin's 36 points in 56 games look impressive. In his first 36 games with Saint John, he had produced a rather admirable 29 points, but only managed a paltry 7 points in the last 20. Morin is a two-way power-forward with some projectable tools, and intriguing talent, but he also has some undeniable flaws. His skating is projectable, with a long, fluid stride and smooth mechanics, but he'll need plenty of work in building up his lower-body strength, as his straight-ahead speed is average at best. He does show a peppy first-step, and the ability to accelerate quickly to top-speed, with already well-developed agility on his edges, allowing him to make snappy pivots and turns, and even solve problems on the fly when combined with his deft handling. Pace is a concern though, and he doesn't keep his feet moving nearly enough- often being seen gliding or floating. Morin gets consistently high grades for his puck-skills, with the ability to beat defenders one-on-one with his quick hands, break down defenses, dissect coverage, and handle steadily at top-speed. He protects well with his outside leg and skate blade, while fending off checks with his free arm, giving him enough space to push-off and make plays.

A physical player, he uses his size and strength as leverage to win battles and establish inside-position, and he fights through contact by breaking free of pins along the wall, spins off of checks, and pushes back against hits. Still, his physical engagement is not only inconsistent game-to-game, but also shift-to-shift- finishing all of his hits at times, then looking too passive in other instances. His compete and intensity have big ebbs and flows, and I've heard that scouts are concerned about his attitude, because of his negative body-language when things aren't going his way. He wins plenty of puck-battles, and can overpower most opponents, but his effort and engagement come and go. He can be plenty mean at times, with extra shots after physical contact, and plenty of cross-checks and little slashes along the way. Morin gets to the middle consistently with-and-without the puck, owns a solid net-front presence, finishes in-tight, and is a dangerous shooter from the slot. He can really rip a puck, and can fire off the catch while in-motion, manipulating opponents in the process with feints and look-offs. He is a skilled passer and talented playmaker, but any sign of true play-creation ability only comes in flashes; most are hesitant to call him high-end in that regard, but part of the reason is the team he plays for, with no real high-level offensive players to play off of. There's obvious vision and offensive awareness in his toolkit, and he funnels pucks to the slot, but he is said to be a player who reads and reacts, makes sound decisions quickly, and feeds off of his teammates, rather than one who creates or drives play. His passes are usually right on the money though, and he displays the ability to connect with teammates through traffic by reading gaps and locating passing lanes, while evading checks with layers of deception and by changing up his pace and direction. He is far more effective on the cycle than off the rush, because of his lack of pace, and his straight-line approach through the neutral zone.

With his passing, handling, and processing ability, he has shown himself to be an important contributor to his team's transition, and exhibits poise and patience in delaying to wait for the play to develop, in order to make quick, short passes for controlled entries. An excellent defensive player and penalty-killer, Morin backtracks hard, with good details and an active stick throughout the backcheck. He reads the play quickly, and acts proactively with stick-lifts, interceptions, and picks. With perfect positioning and spotless stick-placement, he is highly disruptive with his timing and anticipation. With his pace, compete, and consistency all in need of improvement, Morin could be a real boom-or-bust prospect- but his NHL-caliber tools (size, passing and shooting) and potential are undeniable. Look for him in the 2nd, or 3rd-round.

Andrew O'Neill C

RHC Andrew O'Neill (6'2",200lbs)

NTDP: 36gp/ 4g/ 7a/ 11pts, -23, 44 PIM

O'Neill was given a "C" by Central Scouting in their preliminary rankings, indicating a potential 4th or 5th-round pick, and was ranked 58th for North American Skaters in their Mid-term rankings- not too shabby for a checker. In his defense, he is a rugged C who scouts say has big upside, and an NHL-projectable game- even if he projects to be a bottom-6 defensive specialist. O'Neill plays with pace on both the forecheck and the backcheck, hounding puck-carriers and giving them no time or space to breathe. He causes multiple turnovers and takeaways every game, and though he forechecks like a demon, he truly shines defensively. Though his numbers don't show it, he has smarts, sublime awareness, and high IQ; he scans the ice with his head up, reads the play well, and owns plenty of raw skill.

O'Neill plays a hard, heavy physical game with intensity and high-motor- he never quits on a play, and is rarely outworked or outmuscled. He is always in motion, always involved, and always engaged; he is a quick mover who skates his routes hard. He uses his teammates well, playing a give-and-go style through transition, and uses cutbacks or delays upon entry to win time and space for his team. When established in the zone, he drives the net hard to look for garbage, but can make plays and owns a decent shot. He will go through defenders, just as soon as he will go around them. He also carries some decent puck-skill, and protects the puck exceptionally well, but he isn't flashy or dynamic in any way and he is not elite in any area. O'Neill is reliable in all three zones, and angles opponents out of the middle, sealing them off with a tight gap as though he were a defenseman. He supports teammates in all areas, including his D when the puck is down low, but at this stage- he's not much of a play-driver or offensive facilitator. O'Neill displays exceptional off-puck awareness, and is seemingly always in a good proactive position to perform his duties-even if those duties are providing his team with sound defense. Look for him in the 4th, or 5th round of the draft. He is committed to the University of North Dakota for next season.

Bruno Osmanis RW

RW Bruno Osmanis (5'11",170lbs)

IF Bjorkloven (J20): 25gp/ 6g/ 17a/ 23pts, +3, 8 PIM

Native-Latvian Bruno Osmanis (# 72 for EU Skaters by Central Scouting) is the main offensive driver for a very weak Bjorkloven J20 squad in Sweden that struggles to produce goals, and he would most likely have sky-high numbers on a better team. For his troubles, he has been rewarded with 25 games on Bjorkloven's Allsvenskan club, where he is 6th in the league for players 18-and-under, with 1 goal and 7 points. Osmanis was raising eyebrows with his play-driving performance for an upstart Team Latvia at the 2025 World Juniors (a team that beat Canada 3-2 in a shootout on the second day of the event), before an injury cut his tournament short, after posting 4 points in 3 games- with 2 assists coming against the Canadians. He is an underrated playmaking winger with creativity and high-end vision, who drives play in all three zones for his junior team, but is still trying to prove himself against men in the Allsvenskan.

Osmanis makes sound decisions quickly on impressive reads, funneling pucks to the middle and finding teammates at the goal-front through traffic with his high-end vision and offensive awareness. He understands how to manufacture space for himself and his teammates, and how to exploit it, and he can patiently draw pressure to open passing seams. Though he plays for a weak team, his advanced stats are insane, and paint him to be elite in creating offense 5-on-5, with sharp passing skills that allow him to thread the needle through the smallest holes in traffic, off his forehand or backhand. He can perform any kind of pass, be it saucer, slip, or hook, and he can distribute through layers of traffic, over sticks, through triangles, and between feet, with the exact prescribed velocity and angle needed. In transition, these skills truly shine and give him huge value to his team; he stays connected with teammates through exit and entry using quick-touch feeds and give-and-go passing to pressure opposing defenses, and push supreme pace. Goal-scoring has never been his main forte', but he does have a decent shot, with the ability to find the open space required to unleash it, but he opts for the pass most of the time. Despite a lack of ideal size, he wins his fair share of puck-battles and gets inside position on larger opponents with his tenacity. He hustles hard on the forecheck to disrupt, cause breakdowns, and pick pockets; he then turns those puck-thefts into instant scoring chances.

Osmanis works very hard, exerts a high motor, and doesn't back down from battles- he will sometimes use contact to give himself a bit more space, as well. He's inside-driven, with-or-without the puck, showing fearlessness in cutting inside to the slot to rip pucks, and attacking the middle off the rush. He is surprisingly strong on the puck, with quick hands and smooth handling, and owns some slick 1-on-1 skill that, when combined with his deception ability, enables him to manipulate opponents to give himself room to move. In regards to his mobility, he displays above-average speed with a quick burst in small areas, and an explosive first-step- he needs to improve his top-speed, however. He can still win plenty of puck-races, beat defenders wide, and force defensemen back on occasion. His strong edges give him elusiveness, as well as the ability to make quick turns and pivots. Defensively, he takes away the middle effectively, protects his net well with an active, well-timed stick, and hounds puck-carriers to take away space and time. Though he doesn't cheat the game, his positioning and engagement are inconsistent in the defensive zone, and these issues are amplified when he is playing in the Allsvenskan, as he can look a bit lost at times. Going forward, he will need some improvement on his puck-protection, as well as his puck-control when handling or catching in flight. While he definitely needs work on his shot, there are questions as to how well his offense will translate to pro-hockey in North America- but I believe that he's being severely underrated. Look for him in the 3rd-round.

Bogdan Pestretsov D

LD Bogdan Pestretsov (6'3",205lbs)

Krasniya Armiya Moskva (MHL): 28gp/ 2g/ 6a/ 8pts, +10, 4 PIM

Big Russian defender Bogdan Pestretsov (ranked # 59 EU Skaters) has dealt with injuries this season, but his shutdown game in the defensive zone stands out from his peers. He's also proficient in cutting off the rush with tight gap-control, matching footwork with oncoming attackers to angle them to the outside. He will then poke the poke the puck away, or force a dump-in, and finish with a hit. In the defensive zone, he suffocates opponents of space and time with immaculate positioning, and high-end defensive awareness, mixed with an aggressive mindset, and some physicality. BP is active in the zone, but highly intelligent- forcing errors, causing turnovers, blocking shots, clogging lanes, and cutting off the middle. In front of the net, he overpowers net-front attackers, or ties them up. He completes calm and poised breakouts consistently, with safe and simple feeds to streaking teammates, while escaping forechecking pressure expertly.

Pestretsov's mobility is one of his most impressive physical assets, but he's also a high-end stickhandler who can beat opponents with his quick hands, and exerts outstanding protection skills by shielding the puck with his body, and handling outside of his adversaries' reach with one hand, while fending off pressure with the other. He shows the capability of carrying through transition, but he usually connects with teammates through short passes. Mobility-wise, he is a smooth, fluid skater with excellent mobility, and shows strength on his edges- he can change speed and direction rapidly to dodge checks. He isn't an offensive defenseman, but he supports the play in the o-zone proficiently from the blueline, and isn't afraid to activate into the play. He keep his distribution safe and simple, but there's flashes of playmaking ideas of the more dynamic kind, giving him a hint of two-way potential. In addition, he owns a hard and heavy shot that he gets through to the net with regularity. Pestretsov is already a stalwart in his own-zone, but may have room to grow in other areas as well- although some have said that his decision-making with the puck needs work, as he can be pressured into mistakes at times, and he often tries to force passes that aren't there. I think he will be picked in later rounds, with a chance of moving up to the middle rounds.

Tomas Pobezal C

LHC Tomas Pobezal (5'10",179lbs)

HK Nitra (Slovakia Extraliga): 39gp/ 15g/ 8a/ 23pts, +13, 24 PIM

Tomas Pobezal (ranked #26 EU Skaters by Central Scouting) is currently the top U-20 scorer in the Extraliga by 13 points, and is in the midst of the 9th-best season of all-time for a player 18-and-under, with the 4th-most goals of all time by a player of that age. He has represented his homeland Slovakia in many international tournaments, including the most recent World Junior Championship (1 assist in 5 games), last summer's Hlinka (his second appearance at that tournament, with 6 points in 4 games to lead the team), and the 2024 U-18 Tournament, where he served as Captain (2nd-in scoring on the team, with 4 goals and 5 points in 7 games). Pobezal might be the oldest player in the draft, with a September 18, 2006 birthday, but he's a highly intelligent two-way center who plays much bigger than his size, and does everything well; he can play all three forward positions, and contributes in all three zones.

Pobezal already plays a mature and detailed defensive game against men, and engages attackers early in the neutral zone before they ever get a chance to make entry. He doesn't sit back to let the play come to him, he attacks puck-carriers to apply suffocating pressure to force dump-ins, cause turnovers, pick pockets, and poke pucks off sticks- he will even throw hits to separate man from puck. The same game-plan is put into action on the forecheck, where he puts opponents under siege with his intensity, to annoy and disrupt. Pobezal plays with remarkable energy, and never gives up on a play- he is relentless and tenacious, with high-end motor and compete, giving his all every shift. He is considered to be a leader, and drags his teammates into battle by being fiery and aggressive. Despite his rather diminutive stature, he wins battles in the greasy areas, and agitates with his chippy play and his physicality- he throws his weight around, and can land some big open-ice hits. He's in the middle of many post-whistle scrums, and doesn't back down from the rough stuff. Without fear, he exerts a good net-front presence, battling for position relentlessly and taking abuse to have a chance at a tip, or a rebound opportunity. He's an opportunistic scorer in-tight, sneaking in-and-out of the slot and arriving at just the right time to pounce on a loose puck with superb timing. He owns a good shot that could use a little more power, but he can fire in full flight, and can score from any angle, because he employs a lethal release to deceive goalies. 

Pobezal is blessed with high IQ and shows good (perhaps not elite) creativity and vision, with the off-puck intelligence to seemingly always be in the right position, at the right time. Though he isn't really a play-driver, he's a skilled passer who can thread the needle through the smallest of holes, and can dish the puck at full speed. He skates with his head on a swivel to map out his surroundings, and displays keen spatial awareness in finding routes through traffic, lanes to distribute through, and weak spots in coverage to occupy. Mobility-wise, he is a quick skater, but not really a burner; his high workrate enhances his speed, giving him the ability to win races to loose pucks, and sneak up behind opponents to pick their pockets. He is light on his skates, and has the smooth edges to to be highly slippery and elusive. He's a fluid stickhandler with quick hands to match his feet, but his puck-control could use a tweak, as he can mishandle the puck at times when in-stride. I really like this player, but there are many who doubt the translatability of his offensive game to the NHL, and his age works against him. Look for him in the 3rd, or 4th round.

Luka Radivojevic D

RD Luka Radivojevic (5'10",165lbs)

Muskegon (USHL): 22gp/ 0g/ 12a/ 12pts, +9, 20 PIM

Righty Luka Radivojevic (ranked #120 for EU Skaters) started the year in Sweden, as he has done since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, but came across the pond to play in the USHL in mid-October. He has played 9 games in the SHL over the last 2 seasons (no points), and his 33 points in 43 J20 games in 2023-24 is a league record for scoring by a U-17 defenseman in a season. As of right now, he is 15th in the USHL for ppg by a defenseman (0.55), and has represented Slovakia internationally at the last two World Junior Championships (2 points in 5 games in each event), the 2024 U-18's (6 assists in 6 games), and at last summer's Hlinka-Gretzky Cup (5 assists in 4 games). Luka is the son of former NHLer Branko Radivojevic, a big, bruising power-forward in his day, and a polar opposite of his son in terms of both stature and playing style. The younger Radivojevic is electric when he gets ahold of the puck- one of the most entertaining players to watch in this draft-class.

Radivojevic is close to elite when it comes to skating, no doubt one of the fastest players available in the draft, with a smooth and fluid stride that looks highly polished in all directions. In addition to his speed, he is supremely slippery and shifty on his immaculate edges, making him nearly impossible to catch, or pin down. He can change pace and direction on a dime to manipulate opponents, and to sidestep pressure. To augment his lightning quickness, he wields puck-skill that is as good as his skating, adding extra layers to his elusiveness- there aren't many problems he can't solve, and not many obstacles he can't overcome with his overwhelming speed, and slick handling. Despite his size, he makes defenders look silly. He shows enormous value in his ability to drive play from the backend through transition with poise and patience. Forecheckers can't catch him when he's retrieving the puck- he either dekes them out of their skates, or leaves them in the dust, then rockets up-ice with the puck. He's cool and collected, making the process look easy, and he moves the puck well with smart, clean breakout passes, scanning with his head on a swivel and reading the ice. From there, he either jumps in to support the rush, or he can push the puck through the neutral zone with deft passes, and he can sometimes even rush the puck through exit and entry by himself, without being touched. He stands out for his ability to tilt the ice, turning defense into offense quickly.

In the offensive zone, Radivojevic walks the line with sky-high intelligence to manipulate defenders into giving up passing seams- his decision-making and vision are high-end, as are his instincts and passing skill. His point-shot is a bit weak, but he gets the puck through to the net consistently to create chances for teammates. Though he will join the rush, and activate into the play when he sees the chance, he is far more content to hang back at the blueline to QB the play from there- where he can read opposing defenses and pick them apart by exploiting space. His defense has improved over the last few seasons, but he still has a long way to go in this area. He's quick enough, and reads the play well enough to to pressure attackers, and he will battle for pucks with an active stick, but he avoids physical confrontation, and his lack of size and strength is a negative factor. He struggles to defend his net, his gaps are often too loose, his awareness and positioning are deficient, and he gives away pucks at times to avoid engaging bigger players. Another possible red flag is his disappointing production this season in the USHL, coupled with his apparent inability to be a goal-scoring factor. It would seem that if he makes it to the NHL, he would most-likely be a bottom-4 powerplay specialist- but there was some defensemen of his size and ilk that didn't even get drafted last year. Size, lack of physicality, and below-average defense will likely keep him out of the top-3 rounds, so if he does get drafted- I would guess middle rounds, at the very most.

Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen D

LD Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen (6'0", 181lbs)

University of Michigan (NCAA): 21gp/ 1g/ 4a/ 5pts, -7, 2 PIM

It seems like DRM has been around forever. The young Wolverines' rearguard is the son of Manon Rheaume (remember her?), and the nephew of former NHLer Pascal Rheaume, and is in the midst of a rather lukewarm freshman year. The transition to the NCAA from the NTDP last year has been rather smooth, but he's not getting the ice-time or responsibility yet to post big numbers, because of his age (he's 18. with a December 18th, 2006 birthday), and the fact that he's playing behind some older defensemen. Central Scouting awarded him a "C" in their preliminary rankings, deeming him a potential 4th, or 5th-round pick, based largely on his 2023-24 season in the NTDP, where he registered zero goals and 18 assists in 61 games, along with 2 assists in 7 contests in the 2024 U-18's. Those numbers aren't going to wow anyone, but Rheaume-Mullen is more of a defensive specialist anyway, with plenty of intelligence and a detailed, engaged approach to his duties. He makes good use of a well-timed, active stick and exemplary positioning to kill rushes by closing gaps quickly and angling his opponents to the boards, and out of danger. His adversaries are quickly smothered of time and space.

DRM is undersized for a defenseman, but he's a fantastic skater- perhaps a step below elite. His edges are remarkably smooth, enabling him to pivot on a dime, and his lateral quickness makes him very difficult to get around. He can impose a fairly hard-nosed physical game, but he's a bit inconsistent in this area, and I think he might be taking a more nuanced approach right now, while he adapts better to playing against men. He will battle along the boards and in the corners for loose pucks, and he can go through his opponents if he has to. His retrievals get good grades, as he routinely stays calm and composed while scanning his options, and makes sound decisions in regard to his breakout passes. With his speed and polished handling, he proves his worth in transition, moving pucks up the ice quickly, through controlled exits and entries. He will join the rush, and often leads it, but usually stays close to the blueline to quarterback the play with one eye on the offense, and the other on the backcheck. DRM has a rather hard and heavy shot, but his numbers suggest that he's not a goal-scoring threat- he gets his shot through consistently, but with the purpose of making second-chance plays and causing havoc in the crease. At the end of the day, his involvement in his team's offense is up-and-down, but he's considered to be a smart player with high IQ and good hockey sense- I think he's trying to play a mistake-free game right now as a youngster in his first year of NCAA action. Still, I don't think he'll put up big numbers in the pros, and will instead be relied upon for quality puck-movement and good defense.

Many have DRM as high as the second round, including myself, but if I'm being honest- he's always seemed overrated, and quite vanilla to me. I don't think he'll ever be more than a bottom-pairing D in the NHL, not that there's anything wrong with that. I put him in the late-second in my latest Draft Rankings, based on the fact that scouts seem to think he still has high potential, but I'm starting to second-guess myself. My belief right now is that he could be picked in the 3rd, or 4th-round of this summer's draft, but I'm going with the scouts on this one.

Daniil Skvortsov D

LD Daniil Skvortsov (6'4",214lbs)

Guelph (OHL): 54gp/ 5g/ 13a/ 18pts, -18, 10 PIM

Yet another behemoth Russian defender, Daniil Skvortsov (ranked # 79 NA Skaters) has worn the "C" for Russia's U16, and U17 National Teams the last two seasons, before being taken 27th-overall in the 2024 CHL Import Draft by the Guelph Storm- who are second-last in the 20-team OHL, and are 13th in goals-for. He has a tantalizing toolkit with several NHL-translatable traits, but is still quite raw, and has yet to put it all together on a consistent basis. His profile is that of a two-way puck-mover with a dependable shutdown game. Like many of his Russian peers, he puts forth excellent mobility for a player of his size, with a fluid stride, and solid agility with good balance on his edges to pivot quickly, and transition seamlessly. Though he moves shockingly well in all directions, he could use better explosiveness. 

Skvortsov exercises tight gap control and mimics his opponent's footwork, angling them to the boards and closing them out physically. He possesses enormous range to cut off large areas of the ice, and wields his stick (as well as his size and strength) extremely well. There are still improvements needed in his details and habits, but there's massive potential in his shutdown game. While he's active and aggressive to jump into lanes, he still waits for the play to come to him too often, and he needs more precise reads in order to act more proactively- although he displays some proficiency in setting picks. He blocks shots with his stick and body, intercepts passes, and keeps attackers in check at the net-front. While he's effective against both the rush and the cycle, he can struggle against speed, and sometimes gives aggressors too much room to move through the neutral zone. Skvortsov shows a ton of potential in the other end of the rink as well, and though he keeps things mostly safe and simple right now, he joins the rush frequently, and will activate deep off of the blueline to attack the net. He has some high-end ideas, and it's good that he has the confidence to try them out, but he has difficulty executing at times, and some of his plays die on his teammates' sticks. He owns a hard and heavy shot from the point, uses screens well, and gets it through to the net consistently.

One of the pillars of his game is his solid puck-movement, and he holds good value in his contributions to his team's transition; he distributes intelligently, protects the puck well, and displays solid puck-management skills, but he could stand to upgrade his stickhandling. Through the neutral zone, he connects with short passes and give-and-go sequences, but he can also streak right through the middle with the puck, if the mood strikes. In retrievals, he is prone to making mistakes when pressured as he doesn't pre-scan well enough at times, but his puck-protection comes in handy, and he can make some high-end breakout passes- his puck-movement out of the d-zone is usually solid. Skvortsov flashes first-round ability and physical traits, but just about every part of his game is inconsistent, and he will most likely be a bit of a project. The tools and potential are hard to pass up though. For the next level, he needs to put on more muscle, keep upgrading his skating, and work on his panic threshold, as he commits errors when under pressure. Look for him in the 3rd, or 4th-round.

Ondrej Stebetak G

LCG Ondrej Stebetak (6'2",176lbs)

Portland (WHL): 47gp/ 23-18-3, 3.72 GAA, .891 SV%

Ondrej Stebetak (ranked # 8 NA Goalies) really turned heads at last summer's Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, winning a Silver Medal with Team Czechia after being narrowly defeated by Team Canada in OT, by a score of 2-1, posting a 1.27 GAA, and a .947 SV% in the tournament. The Portland Winterhawks were 12th, out of 22 teams in the WHL this season, but were 18th in goals-against, and were swept out of the playoffs in the third-round by Spokane, with Stebetak posting an 8-5-4 record, with a 4.21 GAA, and an .887 SV%. He made the 8th-most saves in the WHL over the regular-season, with the 13th-highest TOI, and the 8th-most shots-against. In games with Czechia's U18 National Team earlier in the season, he showed his true potential, posting a 1.68 GAA, and a .932 SV% in 6 games, playing on a more structured team. A hybrid goalie, Stebetak employs impressive athleticism, acute reflexes, and uncommon flexibility, but falls back on his technique, positioning, and angling to do some of the work for him.

Stebetak is strong mentally, with an unflappable nature, and doesn't seem to get rattled- even under enormous pressure. He stays calm, poised, and focused, but shows battle and intensity when the chips are down in tough games, and when he is forced to scramble. He seems to thrive in high-pressure scenarios, and possesses a high-end compete level. Stebetak manages to track the puck well, despite being considered "undersized", and reads the play extremely well, to deliver quick reactions. His glove and his blocker serve him well, as do his long and flexible legs when sealing off the bottom of the net. He positions himself well to be square to the puck at all times, and owns solid four-directional quickness, with a specialty in pushing off of his posts to explode laterally, without showing holes in the process. In addition, he recovers quickly to his default stance after going down in the butterfly, and moves out to the top of his crease to cut down angles, make himself look bigger, and to challenge shooters. Stebetak handles the puck quite well, and completes a high number of the passes he attempts, which makes him highly valuable to his defensemen, and helps his team by expediting the breakout. He has shown the ability to seal off his posts well in the RVH, but needs to do it more consistently, as pucks can squeak by him at times. His biggest weakness might be his rebound control, as he gives up a lot of egregious second-chance opportunities. He has to better absorb shots, corral loose pucks with his stick, and use his blocker with more consistency to deflect pucks out of danger. Stebetak is still a bit raw, but there's potential here- look for him in the 4th, or 5th-round.

Andreas Straka C

LHC Andreas Straka (6'1",183)

Quebec (QMJHL): 45gp/ 9g/ 20a/ 29pts, -8, 18 PIM

There may be reason to believe that Andreas Straka (ranked #82 for NA Skaters by Central Scouting) has more going for him that he's showing in his stats this season. First of all, the Quebec Remparts are 14th out of 18 teams in the Q, and Straka doesn't typically play top-line minutes on that squad, so he doesn't have a whole lot to work with. The Remparts obviously thought well enough of him to take him with the 4th-overall pick in the 2024 CHL Import Draft. He has represented Slovakia in the 2024 U-18's (1 goal and 3 points in 7 games), and was tied with Michal Svrcek as the second-leading scorer on the team at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup (4 points in 4 games). Straka is a well-rounded power-forward who can play all three forward positions, in any situation, but his standout defensive game is what he's most known for. Most of his assets grade as average, or slightly above, but I like this kid.

Straka has a great net-front presence, showing proficiency at gathering rebounds, and has soft hands in-tight. He drives the middle with the puck for dangerous chances, and makes himself available for passes in the slot. He owns a good shot with a deceptive release, but he gets most of his goals within 10 feet of the net. Earlier this season, he made the highlight reel by scoring with a beautiful Michigan wrap-around. Straka is hard-working and intense, never gives up on a play, and gives second-and third efforts. He's relentless and tenacious on the forecheck, causing breakdowns on the other side of the puck; he brings energy to his team, and pushes pace .Physically, he asserts himself often, throws hits to dislodge pucks, and uses his frame to win puck battles. He plays a heavy game along the boards, and is a load to handle down low- he is also a pest who draws plenty of penalties. Speed-wise, he possesses above-average mobility, but he elevates his quickness with his high-end work-ethic, and his activity rate. He shows an explosive short-burst at times, and can accelerate to top-speed rapidly, but lacks the ability to separate in open-ice very often. He can cut inside to the net using his smooth edges, and has the ability to make quick turns and pivots. In the playmaking department, he may not be the most creative or dynamic, but he seems to be able to funnel pucks to the slot via the pass consistently. He uses deft small-area slip-passes to alleviate pressure and to maintain possession for his team- most of his more dangerous passes come off the rush. He plays a bit safe and simple, but he's a smart distributor who can find his teammates through traffic with cross-ice feeds.

Straka's puck-skills could use some work, as he sometimes has difficulty catching and handling while in flight, and relies more on power-moves to beat opponents than 1-on-1 stickhandling skill. Still, he manages to locate lanes through the neutral zone to rush the puck through transition, but he's content with dump-ins to make entry. Straka is very reliable in his own end, with a defensive game that is polished, detailed, and well-honed. He is fairly rangy, and has a long reach with an active stick that he wields with keen awareness in defensive situations, using it to cut off lanes against both the rush, and the cycle. His positioning is pristine, and his anticipation is top-notch, evidenced by how proficient he is at intercepting passes, blocking shots, and making clean recoveries off of errors and turnovers. Straka has plenty of offensive potential in my book, but he may be a bit limited in that regard; his ceiling might be that of a bottom-six defensive specialist who can chip in some offense and provide a physical presence- and there's nothing wrong with that. Look for him in the 4th, or 5th-round.

 Nicolas Sykora LW

LW Nicolas Sykora (6'0", 174lbs)

Omaha Lancers (USHL): 17gp/ 6g/ 1a/ 7pts, -8, 0 PIM

Sioux City Musketeers (USHL): 18gp/ 8g/ 9a/ 17pts, +4, 4 PIM.

Winger Nicolas Sykora, the son of former NHLer Petr Sykora, must have felt like a kid on Christmas morning when he was traded from the last-place (and lowest-scoring) team in the USHL, the Omaha Lancers, to the Sioux City Musketeers- a team that currently occupies the 7th-spot in league standings, but has the 4th-best goals-for. He responded by going from .41 ppg with Omaha, to .94 ppg with Sioux City, possibly rescuing his draft stock. Before the season began, Central Scouting saw fit to award him the grade of "C", denoting a possible 4th, or 5th-round pick, and I doubt that grade has changed- even with his new lease on life, numbers-wise. Sykora is an offensive-minded winger with sharp awareness and keen anticipation, but he's a bit one-dimensional- although he's trying to improve.

Sykora's best tool is his deep arsenal of shots- including a superb curl-and-drag wrister, a laser of a one-timer, and a hard, heavy, and often pinpoint accurate wrister. Built-in to his shot is a wicked release that he can get off in heavy traffic, or at full-flight, and he expertly uses defenders as screens. The puck simply explodes off of his stick, and he can pick corners with it. He goes to the net for second-chance opportunities, and has the timing and hand-eye coordination to get tips. Sykora is a volume-shooter and his off-puck intelligence is a huge facilitator for his exploits; he locates space to move around in high-danger areas, and slips in-and-out of the slot to get in position to shoot. Playmaking is more of a secondary weapon, but he exhibits good spatial awareness and solid hockey sense to find his teammates in open space with fine-touch passing skill, showing the ability to connect over and under his opponents' sticks.

Unfortunately, Sykora is a rather average skater with deficient acceleration, and it pervades many areas of his game. He doesn't hold on to the puck for very long, relying on quick touches and by moving the puck up the ice with give-and-goes- he does most of his skating off the puck. He defers to his teammates to carry through transition most of the time, and doesn't often lead the rush- his entries consist mostly of dump-ins. Sykora will get involved physically, but not very often- he's doesn't get his hands dirty enough in puck battles, and seems content to let his linemates do most of the digging and other dirty work. In his own zone, he seems to have improved over last season, but his effort and engagement have peaks and valleys; he shows a somewhat responsible defensive dimension with solid positioning and anticipation, but he could be far more disruptive. He employs a fairly good stick to pressure opponents and clog lanes, and when it's time for the breakout, he positions himself well to be an option for a pass. Overall, he needs to improve his intensity and his workrate in all areas. Sykora has committed to Quinnipiac for 2026-27, and I think he'll be selected in the 3rd, or 4th-round of the 2025 Draft.

Philippe Veilleux W

LW/RW Philippe Veilleux (5'9",165lbs)

Val D'Or (QMJHL): 64gp/ 40g/ 47a/ 87pts, -9, 16 PIM

Diminutive winger Philippe Veilleux (ranked # 172 NA Skaters, and #45 by Button) has really turned heads in the second-half. In his first 32 games this season with the Val D'Or Foreurs (who finished 13th, out of 18 teams, but 6th in goals-for) he put up 34 points, but exploded for 53 points in the last 32- finishing 3rd in league scoring, 7th in goals, and leading his team by 11 points. Veilleux is a dynamic offensive winger who plays with prodigious pace and high energy, but doesn't possess high-end quickness or the ability to consistently separate. His straight-ahead speed is perhaps slightly above-average, more quick than fast, but he is slippery and evasive on his edges, with the agility to make quick cuts, spin off of checks, sidestep pressure, and make opponents miss. He is primarily a set-up man, owning high-end vision and awareness to make quick reads and sound decisions, but he has obviously gained more confidence in his goal-scoring abilities. Veilleux is an offensive-generator, and creates chances at a high rate, always a step or two ahead of the play, and retrieves an inordinate amount of pucks in the offensive end to extend zone-time. This occurs due to his quick-thinking, his never giving up on plays, as well as his penchant for stealing pucks, and disrupting breakouts. Despite his stature, he is able to control the half-wall.

Veilleux has a talent for locating space, and is better than most junior-aged players at creating room to operate with his use of patient delays, cutbacks, and lateral pushes, but he can also move defenses back off the rush with his pace, opening spots for a drop-back to the trailer. He frequently baits defenders into attacking him in order to create space to pass into, and is quite proficient at making plays off the wall to high-danger areas. He wields excellent puck-skill, and has the confidence to use it, with clever use of deception, such as fakes, dekes, look-offs, shifts of weight, and inside-outside moves to weave through traffic while hardly getting touched. His handling is plus-level, and he constantly maintains possession for his team, with the puck seemingly glued to his blade. In transition, he pushes the play forward through clean exits and entries with precise passes in give-and-go sequences to stretch defenses and open space, but he can also skate dynamic routes with the puck through the neutral zone to find open lanes, and attack soft spots in coverage. Advanced passing-skill helps him to make quick and accurate feeds while in full-flight with just the right amount of force and weight to the tape of the recipient. His timing is uncanny, with the ability to snap a crisp feed cross-ice, or set up his man on the opposite side of the crease, and he can complete saucer passes over sticks, through layers of traffic. Veilleux has gained confidence in his finish, and gets good velocity on his shot that he can fire off the catch, but more deception is needed in his release as he suffers a high number of blocks- though it's hard to criticize someone with 40 goals. He can fire with precision from anywhere, but he's not afraid to cut to the slot for looks, and times his arrival to the net-front off-puck for second-chance opportunities. He's an inside-driven player, and will attack up the middle off the rush. Off-puck intelligence is a big part of his game, and he relocates off of passes to advantageous positions to be able to support the action in all three zones, and to be a constant playable option for teammates.

Veilleux has solid anticipatory skills, and an improving defensive game, but his details and physical involvement are lacking. He's not nearly as intense on the backcheck as he is in the other two-thirds of the ice, but is learning how to be more disruptive. He is exerting sound positioning to always be on the right side of the puck, he can intercept passes or pick pockets, and seems to be adept at denying entries when he gets the chance, but still has a ways to go in the defensive-third. Most of the time, he exhibits high energy and pace with a non-stop motor, but his intensity and involvement in all areas can wane- a more consistent level of effort is needed, especially for a smaller player with not much of a physical game. Veilleux is not one to throw hits, and it would be foolish to expect him to run opponents over, but he could be far more effective if he were able to initiate contact in order to make a bit more room for himself, and win inside position more frequently. He's not very effective in 50/50 contests, and doesn't win a whole lot of puck-battles, preferring to use his stick and positioning, rather than engaging physically. There's a willingness to take a hit in order to make a play, and he will lean into attackers to push them to the boards, but the lack of physicality is a detriment- and he will need to get bigger and significantly stronger. It's also imperative that he improves his skating speed. Veilleux has the talent and the brains to make it as a top-6 NHL player, but his game some big holes that will require time to fill. Look for him in the middle-rounds.

Artyom Vilchinsky D

LD Artyom Vilchinsky (6'6",243lbs)

SKA-1946 St.Petersburg (MHL): 48gp/ 0g/ 12a/ 12pts, +46, 16 PIM

Godzilla-sized defender Artyom Vilchinsky (rated # 44 EU Skaters) has often been gifted top-pairing minutes this season and last, on a talent-laden squad- which is quite impressive for a U-18 player in Russia. Vilchinsky is a shutdown defender with enormous range and physicality, who sticks out on the ice like a sore thumb. As a testament to his abilities, he leads the league in plus/minus, but he has age working against him, as he missed the cut-off for being in last year's draft by one day, with a Sept.16, 2006 birthday- he might be the oldest player in this draft class. Aside from his gargantuan size, the first thing one might notice when watching him is his impressive straight-ahead speed- he keeps up to the play without any trouble, rarely gets beaten wide, and can even beat smaller players in races to loose pucks. He is fairly agile on his edges, and moves well laterally. Still, he needs upgrades to his first-step, and his acceleration, as well as his top speed for the next level.

When an opposing player tries to throw a hit against Vilchinsky, they usually bounce right off- he's physically unstoppable. He uses his frame very well, finishes his checks, and will throw his weight around to win pucks, but he's a veritable wrecking ball in defensive situations. He is smart about his hitting though, and doesn't take many penalties, but he's a presence in post-whistle scrums. Vilchinsky's bread-and-butter is his play-killing capabilities, and he's an excellent penalty-killer. He exerts smart positioning and tight gap control to smother the rush, and plays angles well to force attackers to the outside, bringing physicality to finish the play with a hit. When in the zone, he applies supreme pressure to opponents with his high activity rate, extra-long reach, and his virtually insurmountable range, which gives him the ability to cut off huge swaths of ice, and makes the middle difficult to penetrate. His mobility helps him to take away time and space, and he swallows up opponents aggressively in front of his net. He carries a hard and heavy shot, but that's really all he brings to his team's offense. He's not a very big scoring threat though, and doesn't use his shot nearly enough as he simply doesn't get very involved in the offensive zone, short of making quick feeds to open teammates. There's not much value here offensively, but he's smart and exhibits good hockey sense- there's just no creativity in his profile, and no real scoring potential.

Vilchinsky is actually a good passer, making safe and simple breakout feeds, but can stretch the ice on occasion with a cross-ice long-bomb. If all else fails, he isn't averse to dumping the puck in-or-out. He is always the last to enter the o-zone, and stays back during the transition to support the play from the backend with quick touches, and short passes. Improvements must be made to his puck-skill, which might not be much of a surprise, but he must show more intensity in 50/50 battles, as he can lose more than a player of his ilk should. His puck-management can be compromised when under pressure, almost as if there was a hole in his blade- he commits mistakes, mishandles, and even forces passes that aren't there when under duress. Vilchinsky has bottom-pairing shutdown potential, and I could see him getting picked in the 3rd, or 4th round.