Written by Austin Garret
As we build up to the first ranking for Smaht (which will most likely be in early-mid November) and then the first scouting reports which usually drop around the World Juniors in December; I thought I’d offer some bi-weekly scouting ramblings about North American players I’ve watched, some thoughts on where my brain is at, and some general observations about the North American draft class.
Will anyone from North America challenge James Hagens for #1?
I could give a wishy-washy answer here and say that it’s too early to make that determination, but from what I’ve seen so far I don’t see a player in this draft who will be able to drive a line offensively like Hagens in this class in North America. However, I do think three players will be in the mix going into initial rankings.
Porter Martone has started the year off putting up gaudy numbers for the Brampton Steelheads in the OHL to the tune of 5 goals and 13 points in his first 5 contests. Digging into his games I find a very physically mature and skilled front-seat passenger who thrives as the second fiddle on the line behind Carson Rehkopf. In the one game in which I hand-tracked some of his stats he was very efficient and involved in offensive transition, and facilitated play well in the offensive zone with a few nice passes to dangerous areas. He only had one shot 5v5 in the game, but he was active in generating chances in the offensive cycle and played a very physical and defensively responsible game.
If you are pounding the table for Roger McQueen then I assume you see the flashes of high-end skill with his size and are salivating over the type of player he may become as he develops over the next 3-5 years. I find myself a bit more hesitant to jump on the bandwagon at the start of this season. While there were definitely moments where I was impressed (his ability to use puck skill and a lateral crossover to swing past a defender with his length and the fluidity of how quick he can take a puck off the boards and swing it out front with his length and skill stick out to me the most), I find myself a bit underwhelmed when I went digging under the hood at his game. He attempted just one shot at even strength in my viewing, sent only 14% of his passes to dangerous areas of the ice as a lower volume passer, and was involved in just 18% of his team’s offensive transitions at a 63% success rate. It’s a couple viewings and one game tracked, but his offensive involvement at even strength will need to pick up for me to want to push him inside my own top 5 in June.
My personal favorite to push Hagens in North America has been Michael Misa. His jaw-dropping skill in my two viewings is backed up with across the board impressive microstat data. One of the leading shot generators so far in the dataset is coupled with almost all of them coming from dangerous parts of the ice. He’s a high-volume passer who facilitates 29% of them to dangerous areas, and is involved in 40% of his team’s offensive transitions with an absurd 86% success rate. When the eye test matches the dataset then you’ve got my attention. I feel like the assists will begin to accumulate as he’s not a one-trick pony with his shot, and as the year goes on he may be the one who can challenge for the number 1 spot.
Matthew Schaefer had a fantastic Hlinka but unfortunately is out to start the OHL year with mono. His trajectory from the hype of the Hlinka could’ve seen him push into this discussion. Malcolm Spence has had an up-and-down start and is one of the older prospects in this class. I don’t think he ends up being discussed in this conversation as the year goes on, but he was a player I had my eye on from scouting him over the summer.
Three Players I find myself fawning over
- Cole Reschny, C, Victoria (WHL)
I have an extreme bias to players like Reschny. He’s a two-way center who is consistently involved in all areas of the ice, making the right plays almost every time, and facilitating play through the neutral zone and in the offensive zone at 5v5. At 5’10, I’ve seen multiple occasions where he’ll use his body to separate players from the puck on the boards and in open ice, and then turn around to spearhead an offensive chance going the other way. There’s a reason why Victoria is off to such a hot start and Reschny is a large part of it.
Not only does he do the little things that catch my eye on the periphery when scouting a Victoria game, but the game I tracked validated his effectiveness. Over 38% of his passes went to dangerous areas at even strength, was involved in 62% of the offensive transitions, and generated three points against the opposing team’s top line. If he were just a hair faster in his north/south speed, I would venture to guess he would be entering consensus conversations for a top 7 pick in this year’s draft. He’s firmly planted there for me right now, and I hope he’s able to continue to develop as the year goes on.
- Jackson Smith, LHD, Tri-City (WHL)
I didn’t have Jackson Smith on my radar as a potential high pick to start the year, but
after watching a game against Victoria I was utterly impressed. His 6’3 frame combined with his skating, puck skill, and ability to manipulate defenders to move into areas of the ice has impressed me. He doesn’t have the Lane Hutson puck-skill/deceptiveness nor is he an overly physical defender, but what he does do is combine quick twitch movements at a high pace that put defenders on edge and he’s able to move sticks to thread passes at even strength and the power play. His gaps have been really good in my two viewings and he’s active in defending the front of the net.
After Matthew Schaefer, he’s been the most impressive defensemen I’ve watched this year. In a draft class that, so far, hasn’t had many defensemen in North America grade out too well in the early going; Smith could see his name called very early if his early season development and production continue.
- Cullen Potter, LW, Arizona State (NCAA)
I’m sorry, but I’ve been fawning over Cullen Potter for the past two years and all he did in his opening weekend against Air Force is show that he is still the dynamic and fun winger that he was last year on the NTDP and before that on the Dallas Stars 16u AAA team. Very few players in North America possess his ability to break open a game in transition with his speed, and even fewer have the puck-skill and audacity to try to create the plays he attempts. It was the opening weekend against a weak Air Force team, but I imagine he’s going to turn some heads when he plays against Michigan this weekend.
Random Thoughts Through the First Couple Weeks of the 2025 NHL Draft Season
- I went into the USHL season expecting to be gushing about Gavin Cornforth and Ben Kevan, but it’s been a pair of Madison Capitals that have really caught my attention. Mason Moe is a fluid, big pivot who has shown a great two-way game with skill and the ability to get inside to get his shot off. Ryker Lee is just fun. With the puck on his stick he’s able to make high-end plays, but without the finishing execution that will take his game to another level. I would be surprised if either landed in our initial top 32, but I could see one or both making the case by the end of the year.
- Cam Schmidt is the definition of fun. One of the best skaters I’ve seen this year and isn’t afraid to play on the inside of the ice, Schmidt was impressive in my only viewing of him this year. There were things that gave me a slight pause: he could throw errant passes at inopportune times, didn’t really look to pass to dangerous areas but rather try to take the puck himself there every time, and had a lower offensive transition success percentage than I would’ve liked to see from a smaller, puck dominant player. However, the tools are all there and it was one game. I expect him to become one of my favorites as the year goes on.
- Justin Carbonneau didn’t do much when it comes to passing the puck, but that boy sure knows how to get to dangerous areas of the ice to rip shots. If he can round out his offensive game he’ll be a fun one to track through the year. Adam Benak sent a ridiculous 45% of his passes to dangerous parts of the ice in his first game I tracked. His speed and skill is so much fun to watch, and as his USHL season goes along I think he may be able to convince NHL teams to take a swing on him earlier than his height would expect. I’ve got plenty of time for Ty Coupland and Nathan Behm. Both players were pleasant surprises when I tracked him, and both have areas in their game that I want to see improved before I feel confident on where I’d place them in an initial ranking. Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen was one of the most consistent defenders during Michigan’s opening weekend. His ability move pucks up the ice with control continues to be one of my favorite traits of his, and his transition to the NCAA was smooth. With Ethan Edwards and graduate transfer Tim Lovell on the roster, I don’t think Rheaume-Mullen will earn much power play time, but I do think he has more offensive ability than will get showcased during his draft eligible year.