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Mid-season ranking: Top 20 in view of the 2025 draft | Part 2: Positions 11 to 20
Tony Patoine
Mid-season ranking: Top 20 in view of the 2025 draft | Part 2: Positions 11 to 20
Credit: Getty Images
After the top-10 last week, we conclude this week our mid-season top-20 in view of the upcoming draft.

If we might need to look more towards the top-10 for the Canadiens’ pick, the pick that Hughes obtained from the Flames to relieve them of Sean Monahan’s contract has a good chance of appearing on the list that follows.

Happy reading!

11. Roger McQueen | C

Ahhhhh Roger McQueen! Some were quick to point out his absence from my top-10 last week when he is seen at 7th or 8th on pretty much all lists. But the giant right-handed center at 6’6 has only played eight games this year (8 goals, 11 pts) and is still not back on the ice for Brandon in the WHL, hindered by a back issue (swollen, bulging disc). Thus, while it’s easy to rank him top-10, it’s another story to draft him top-10 despite all his talent that reminds one of Tage Thompson.

But like with Cayden Lindstrom in 2024 – the latter has a strong chance of not playing this season – back problems at such a young age must be considered with great caution by organizations. If given a second chance, the Blue Jackets might not choose Lindstrom at 4th overall…

Ultimately, whether he’s drafted in the top-10 or later, perhaps a team that has done its medical homework and has two picks in the top-20, such as the Canadiens, could be very tempted to take a chance on McQueen, a late who was just weeks away from being drafted in 2024…

A situation to monitor…

12. Jackson Smith | D

Smith may not skate as well as Matthew Schaefer, but we can still compare them in this area. Clearly one of the best skaters in the 2025 draft, graceful and agile in all directions, the Albertan carries the puck like few can. He somewhat resembles Sam Dickinson from last year or a young Jay Bouwmeester. A good passer, he also possesses soft hands and a precise shot that he hides well.

At 6’3 and 190 pounds, Smith is clearly an above-average athlete, as he is also an excellent swimmer! Defensively, he is not the easiest to face, thanks to a good stick and a nice dose of toughness. And let’s not forget that he will likely play in the NHL at 210 lbs in a few years… Otherwise, he still has a bit of work to do with puck management here and there in his zone, but nothing alarming…

Thus, here’s a rather complete defenseman, productive with a pretty high ceiling. It’s easy to imagine him soon in a top-4 in the NHL. He could also lead a 2nd power play unit if all goes well.

I would say there is a battle to finish between him and Radim Mrtka for the title of “second best defenseman” of this draft class.

13. Justin Carbonneau | RW

He is clearly not as robust and may not score 422 goals in the NHL, but in terms of size, skating style, puck control, and shooting, Carbonneau somewhat resembles Owen Nolan. But perhaps a comparison with another Owen, Tippett that is, would be more accurate. Carbonneau, a powerful and fluid skater, seems best when he carries the puck with speed through the neutral zone, outmaneuvering a few players with his agile hands, then attacking the net. But will he be able to execute this kind of play with such regularity in the NHL? Maybe not, but overall, his “heavy” play seems quite transferable.

Capable of making nice passes and excellent shots, Carbonneau is dangerous from the left circle on the power play. At five-on-five, he also likes to stay not too far from the net, as we saw in particular on Cole Reschny’s winning goal during the CHL – USNTDP Challenge. Not necessarily the best defensive player, he will need to improve his off-puck game to please NHL scouts and coaches more. Not an impossible task, far from it, as Carbonneau has the tools to aspire to a top-6 in the NHL. It will all be a matter of work and consistency to improve his strengths and minimize his small weaknesses. But, from what we hear, he is not afraid of hard work.

14. Kashawn Aitcheson | D

There’s definitely an NHL team that will have a strong thought for Aitcheson around the middle of the first round. The Torontonian is the type to pull off “Gordie Howe hat tricks,” at least at the junior level, and when you add up all that he can do on the ice, it isn’t hard to imagine an NHL defenseman capable of playing big minutes. To the eye, he sometimes resembles Kaiden Guhle, sometimes Darnell Nurse, in his playing style and skating. A strange mix, but that’s it!

Aitcheson, a lefty who can play on the right, likes to punish opponents with hard hits at center ice. You can also regularly see him skating and carrying the puck with authority. A pretty safe bet. A stud capable of playing both shorthanded and on the power play in the OHL. But we don’t necessarily see a future NHL quarterback, rather a future versatile top-4…and sometimes violent!

 

15. Logan Hensler | D

Not my favorite prospect, Hensler occasionally shows us some interesting offensive flashes, but generally, he settles for “playing well” defensively while relying on nice mobility in all directions. Without saying that many have cooled on him, let’s just say that his lack of physicality and “average” ceiling have lowered his stock in the minds of many, and I’m one of them.

There’s also the fact that his identity as a defenseman is not yet very clear. As for that, we would like to see him truly dominant defensively, which is not always the case… That said, the righty remains a rare commodity and, ultimately, we can see him as a safe bet to play fairly quickly in the NHL.

16. Cameron Schmidt | RW

Schmidt is a player that is rather easy to like. Talented, dynamic, hardworking, he is a great scorer with a quick release and a very enviable shot. Coming in a smaller format, he presents himself as a lively, agile, and fast skater. He resembles the “new” Cole Caufield, more complete, but appears a little faster and stronger at the same age.

You never want to have too many small players in an NHL lineup – at 5’7, he will always have to pick his battles along the boards – but there’s nothing wrong with having at least one good one, especially if he is productive and “pretty complete” like Schmidt.

Because he is more explosive and I prefer his shot, in a comparable style, his potential seems superior to that of Zach Benson, a recent high pick by the Sabres in 2023. But like Caufield, Schmidt will likely have a bit more time to develop. In 2-3 years, we anticipate a top-6 winger in the NHL.

17. Joshua Ravensbergen | G

The very tall and imposing Ravensbergen, 6’5, 192 pounds, made a very nice impression during the CHL/USNTDP Challenge last November. The right-catching goalie simply looks intimidating in front of his net.

Often found at the end of the first round on many lists, I place Ravensbergen here because goalies with such profiles tend to end up, year in and year out, among the top 20 players in their draft year. The native of North Vancouver had been excellent with Prince George last season and is still very solid this season, even if his statistics are a bit less sparkling behind a less deep team.

18. Malcolm Spence | LW

Spence will already be 19 years old on September 22 and missed the 2024 draft by just a week. But if you’re looking for a versatile winger with character, he might catch your eye. The Ontarian is physically strong and not always easy to face. A more powerful and faster skater in a straight line than graceful and agile, he could be classified as a power forward, but not necessarily the type to take the puck from his blue line and outsmart 2-3 players with nice dekes, puck protection, and speed as Justin Carbonneau can. Spence is more “meat and potatoes” than the Armada winger. Less flashy, with less natural talent than Carbonneau, but perhaps more complete and mature in the way he plays in all three zones.

On the power play, he is the player stationed in front of the net who doesn’t often touch the puck, seizes rebounds, and digs through the pile when the time comes. But I would be surprised if we ever see him on a first unit in the NHL given his more modest skills with the puck. However, we’re likely to see him a lot in a shorthanded role, where he shows aggression on the puck carrier and is ready to sacrifice himself.

A future solid soldier on a third line/middle of the lineup that could resemble a Swiss Army knife. A very safe bet for the NHL, despite a “moderate” ceiling. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if a team falls in love with everything he brings to the table and drafts him earlier, a bit like Jett Luchanko last year.

19. Jack Murtagh | LW/C

There was little fuss about the performance of the USNDTP Americans against the big guns of the CHL on November 26 and 27 during the CHL-USNDTP Challenge. The Canadians were just significantly stronger than the Americans. But Jack Murtagh, one of the youngest eligible players in June – he will turn 18 in August – was one of the few Americans to regularly challenge the impressive Canadian defense. He even managed to score during both games. Fast, fiery, with a magical shot, the powerful number 9 from the Blues was hard to miss.

It’s not a great year for the famous American program, but it would be surprising if no attacker from this team becomes one of the twenty best players in the upcoming draft. I’m putting a few chips on Murtagh, an intriguing left-winger who will have to improve his off-puck game.

20. Lynden Lakovic | LW

When we see a winger like Lakovic ranked so high on so many lists – he is often found in the top-15 – it raises serious doubts about the quality of this draft past the top-10… In the same breath, we cannot compare him to Cole Eiserman (20th) or Michael Hage (21st)…

Don’t get me wrong, the tall Lakovic (6’4, 190 lbs) is an excellent skater, fluid, relying on a very good wrist shot and being a good passer. His ceiling remains intriguing, but we would like to see more creativity and dynamism.

If he develops well and incorporates an element of power into his game, Lakovic could become a complementary middle-six winger who might play on a second unit on the PP. For now, he is almost exclusively a “big whip” all finesse. A project, therefore.

Honorable Mentions

Cole Reschny | C

It seems that every season the WHL is full of small, talented, and productive forwards. Some will break through, others won’t… I’m still hesitating between him and Lakovic for the 20th position, but Reschny’s lack of physical strength is very visible, and one can doubt he will manage to establish himself in an offensive role in the NHL as a center. A less dynamic version of Berkley Catton?

If we overlook the fact that he stands at 5’10, Reschny possesses several qualities one might look for in a center: productive, agile, bright, creative, hardworking, excellent passer and shooter. And he particularly enjoys elevating his game when it counts the most, as he clearly demonstrated at the CHL – USNTDP Challenge by scoring the winning goal during the second game with barely a minute left to play.

 

 

Benjamin Kindel | C

Leading the point scorers in his draft class in the WHL, Kindel’s case is somewhat reminiscent of Andrew Cristall a few years ago. A small center accumulating points in junior, but a bit hesitant, on the periphery, and lacking undeniable qualities to guarantee success in the NHL.

Ivan Ryabkin | C

The supposed “successor” to Michkov and Demidov had a turbulent autumn in Russia before finally joining Muskegon in the USHL. During our viewings, Ryabkin appeared slow and really not in great shape with his new team.

Impossible not to recognize his nice talent with the puck (shot, pass, control, etc.), but for now, the rest of his game leaves much to be desired. To be reviewed in the coming months…

Conclusion

We’ll see if players like McQueen (still injured) and Smith (battling with Mrtka) will sneak into the top-10, but in doing this exercise rigorously, we understand and see very clearly the “cuts” that most observers establish after the top-6, the top-12, and then let’s say starting from the 15th rank.

At each level, there is a drop in talent as well as assurance that these players can reach their full potential in the NHL. Nothing abnormal, that said.

However, while the top-5 is “comparable,” it’s also noted that the top-20 as a whole is not nearly as strong and deep as last year’s, when players like Michael Brandseeg-Nygard (16th), Cole Eiserman (20th), and Michael Hage (21st) were all still available in the final quarter…

Mid-Season Ranking
1. Matthew Shaefer
2. Michael Misa
3. Anton Frondell
4. Caleb Desnoyers
5. James Hagens
6. Porter Martone
7. Carter Bear
8. Radim Mrtka
9. Jake O’Brien
10. Victor Eklund
11. Roger McQueen
12. Jackson Smith
13. Justin Carbonneau
14. Kashawn Aitcheson
15. Logan Hensler
16. Cameron Schmidt
17. Joshua Ravensbergen
18. Malcolm Spence
19. Jack Murtagh
20. Cole Reschny

We’ll talk about all this again in May and June with our final evaluations!

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