McKeen’s Hockey Preliminary Top 32 for 2025

[Brock]

Great list...definitely aligns with a lot of the early season returns mixed with expert scouting opinions. Love that it is a group effort. For anybody just jumping into names to watch for next spring - this easily feels like the most relevant ranking out there.

Guys I didn't notice that had previously been high/1st round graded in various lists, any thoughts?

- Kashawn Aitcheson: Top 20-25 in a lot of lists, albeit older ones. Looks like a solid start to the season, has good size...not a 1st/high 2nd for you?

- Will Sharpe: Some of the great WHL posters here love this guy - good size and having a banger to start the year...similar scoring to other two-way guys listed like Reid and Brzustewicz.

- Luka Radivojevic: Always assumed his slight stature would hurt him as a blueliner but seems to be settling very well in the USHL.

- Reese Hamilton: Prior to the season seemed neck-and-neck with Smith out west but very slow start and not tremendous physical traits so he seems an obvious faller.

- Jordan Gavin: Production seems off especially for a guy in his third junior season...too little progression, not enough physical traits?

- Filip Ekberg: Seems to be settling in as a dangerous threat for Ottawa after a slowish start to his North American transition. Projections hurt by his size?

- Bill Zonnon: Great start on one of the surprise lines of the CHL season; more importantly it seems he has transitioned easily to center and has oodles of versatility along with good playmaking and size. He has always seemed a bit of an inconsistent wildcard but seems like something here.

- Ben Kindel: Right up there with the other big WHL names in scoring but smallish build...more of a 2nd/3rd round junior scorer at this point?

Thanks @Brock !

I'll touch on a few of these guys.

Aitcheson. Love him. Workhorse. But, he's not likely to be a first round prospect for us. I think he tops out as a solid #4-5 and I know the rest of my team feels the same way. In our next ranking, you're likely to see him in that 40-50 range, where I think he fits best.

Will Sharpe. Out West scouts aren't crazy about the overall skating profile and they feel that his early season stats have been inflated a bit and that he'll fall back down. Someone to monitor, but I see him as someone that the amateur online scouting community values more than the NHL scouting community due to projection concerns.

Ekberg. I just don't know what to make of his upside. I like the grit in his game; he never seems to take a shift off. The shot is a major weapon on the flank. But, I definitely wish he were a better skater given his size. Straight line quickness isn't bad, but the overall dynamics aren't terrific and I worry that he's the type of guy who could have trouble finding a permanent role at the next level. Truthfully, he's more of a 75-100 guy for me right now.

how dose this group look compared to the last few years?

I actually really like how this draft is shaping up despite the disappointing crop from some of Europe and the U.S.

It's a banner year across the CHL in general. I feel like the top 5-6 have potential stars. Depth will fill out over the course of the season.

It's certainly not an all timer, but I think at this point, I do prefer the crop more than the last couple.

 

[Brock]

Thoughts on Luka Radivojevic ?

He's performed quite well for Muskegon in a limited sample size, but our Swedish scouts just weren't very happy with his progression to start the year. So we're taking a wait and see approach. At his size, he needs to produce at an elite level to be a first round candidate IMO. His profile as a defender is, overall, just not the type that my staff at McKeen's typically favors.