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McKeen's March 2025 Draft Rankings

Brock

Brock

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Feb 27, 2002
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2025 NHL DRAFT: TOP 32 - MARCH EDITION - Top 20 coming into focus with depth an issue with this class

The McKeen's scouting team releases it March rankings update. It's last ranking prior to it final list in May.
www.mckeenshockey.com

We've updated our draft rankings at McKeen's. Top 100 for subscribers, but top 32 is free above.

The Top ten is as follows:

1Matthew SchaeferDErie (OHL)6-2/1805-Sep-0717715228
2Michael MisaCSaginaw (OHL)6-1/18516-Feb-0762596712645
3James HagensCBoston College (NCAA)5-10/1753-Nov-063510253524
4Porter MartoneRWBrampton (OHL)6-3/20526-Oct-065432609272
5Jackson SmithDTri-City (WHL)6-3/19513-May-07657414846
6Caleb DesnoyersCMoncton (QMJHL)6-2/18011-Apr-075635498439
7Victor EklundLWDjurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)5-11/1603-Oct-064219123137
8Anton FrondellCDjurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)6-1/1957-May-072911142516
9Roger McQueenCBrandon (WHL)6-5/1952-Oct-0614991829
10Lynden LakovicLWMoose Jaw (WHL)6-4/19012-Dec-06452431554


Happy to answer any questions you might have! Always appreciate the support of the HF community.
 
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Wow, no one but three Swedes from Europe in the top 32. When was the last time that happened?

Also, is there any chance that Misa gets ranked #1 if he keeps up his production?
 
57special said:
Wow, no one but three Swedes from Europe in the top 32. When was the last time that happened?

Also, is there any chance that Misa gets ranked #1 if he keeps up his production?
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Last draft we had literally zero players in first round. This year it is a bit surprising that there are so few Swedish first rounders. Especially when Sweden have performed so well in youth tournaments. Frondell and Eklund are ranked noticeably low considering they are key players in a senior professional hockey team while the Canadians ahead are playing against kids. That being said avoiding getting drafted by eg Chicago is probably good for a player’s development so probably a good thing to be underrated in this draft.
 
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Ozakar said:
Last draft we had literally zero players in first round. This year it is a bit surprising that there are so few Swedish first rounders. Especially when Sweden have performed so well in youth tournaments. Frondell and Eklund are ranked noticeably low considering they are key players in a senior professional hockey team while the Canadians ahead are playing against kids. That being said avoiding getting drafted by eg Chicago is probably good for a player’s development so probably a good thing to be underrated in this draft.
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Hey! :oops: now that'sa not nice. Hawks'll be back .... sometime soon ... :)
 
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57special said:
Wow, no one but three Swedes from Europe in the top 32. When was the last time that happened?

Also, is there any chance that Misa gets ranked #1 if he keeps up his production?
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It's just such a down year for some regions. We don't have any Finns inside the top 60. It's not an incredibly strong Russian crop. The three best Czech players moved to NA.

And Misa #1? Honestly, probably no. We're pretty much sold on Matthew Schaefer as the top talent and I'm not sure I see that changing.
 
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Brock said:
It's just such a down year for some regions. We don't have any Finns inside the top 60. It's not an incredibly strong Russian crop. The three best Czech players moved to NA.

And Misa #1? Honestly, probably no. We're pretty much sold on Matthew Schaefer as the top talent and I'm not sure I see that changing.
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Your input is always appreciated, Brock.
 
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Brock said:
A really good write up on Smith from my colleague Derek Neumeier. Pretty much identifies those reasons.

2025 NHL DRAFT: Jackson Smith, D, Tri-City Americans (WHL) - Detailed Scouting Report (Videos + Grades)

McKeen's Assistant Director of Scouting, Derek Neumeier, provides a detailed scouting report on 2025 NHL Draft eligible prospect Jackson Smith of the Tri-City Americans with video and grades.
www.mckeenshockey.com
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Smith reminds me in many ways (not all) of Mintyukov. That's both good and bad. Mintyukov has struggled a bit this year and hasn't shown much of the dynamism that he displayed in junior or even last year. I worry that - like Mintyukov - Smith will have difficulty adjusting to the NHL style of play. Not that either of them are going to bust but they may never fulfill the promise they showed in junior. IMO Smith is definitely a project pick even if he goes in the top 10.
 
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Looks like a pretty awful season to tank. Poor boston 😆 picked the worst season to tank
 
Legend123 said:
Looks like a pretty awful season to tank. Poor boston 😆 picked the worst season to tank
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Indeed...the top 12-13 picks I consider good bets to be at least NHL middle-of-the-lineup players but after that it starts to get pretty bleak pretty quickly.
 
tomd said:
Smith reminds me in many ways (not all) of Mintyukov. That's both good and bad. Mintyukov has struggled a bit this year and hasn't shown much of the dynamism that he displayed in junior or even last year. I worry that - like Mintyukov - Smith will have difficulty adjusting to the NHL style of play. Not that either of them are going to bust but they may never fulfill the promise they showed in junior. IMO Smith is definitely a project pick even if he goes in the top 10.
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100 percent Smith is a project pick. He's going to have to clean some things up in regards to his decision making at both ends. But, the athletic tools are just so enticing. Look at his performance to close out the regular season in the WHL. 8 goals and 4 assists in the final 10 games. He's trending upwards. In a draft without a ton of upside on the blueline, he stands out. Maybe he doesn't end up putting it all together; that's the risk you take. But the reality is, from our perspective, a lot of the players available this year run that same risk...or they're just safe, middle of the lineup types. If Smith hits, he could be one of the five best players in this draft.
 
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MasterMatt25 said:
What gives Brady Martin the edge over Jake O'Brien or Ben Kindel in your opinion?
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Great question. Our team was pretty divided on all three. I would suspect that NHL franchises and scouting teams will have similar divided rooms.

I know that most in the scouting community are enamored with O'Brien and would have him first here, but I have major questions about his five on five production and play. There's no question that he's highly intelligent and skilled. There's no question that he has among the best vision in this class. There's no question that he's physically underdeveloped and that could be contributing to some inconsistencies. However, the skating and physicality aren't at the level that I'd want from someone I'm taking in the top ten. I'm really curious to see if he can elevate his game in the OHL playoffs, with even less room to operate.

Kindel, I really like. Our Western scouts really like. But, we also understand that his ceiling is probably limited. He's not going to be a driver of the bus at higher levels. He'll be a support guy. Which is great. But, we're not quite convinced he has the upside of O'Brien and Martin.

Martin is a player that I'm personally higher on than the consensus. His ranking at McKeen's reflects that. Am I concerned about the skating? Yeah, a bit. Am I concerned about the decision making with the puck? Yeah, a bit. But, I see a player who has put in the work to improve considerably over the course of this season and a player who pretty much willed the Soo Greyhounds into the playoffs. He's relentless in his pursuit of the puck; he has that dog in him. And he's skilled, more skilled than people give him credit for. His puck play needs major refinement, but I also think it comes from him having carte blanche on a Hounds team without other playmakers. The message has been, go create at all costs. He leads the OHL in successful dekes. He leads the OHL in unsuccessful dekes. Turnovers are an issue. But he's also creating time and space for himself and linemates. I think back to the way I viewed Mike Richards when he was in Kitchener and I see a lot of the same qualities in Martin. I think he can have a similar impact for an NHL franchise. I think the skating will continue to improve. And even if it doesn't, Richards...or say Ryan O'Reilly would never be considered among the better skaters in the league, yet they are/were highly effective. I'm very curious to see how Martin performs at the U18's. I think it'll be a great opportunity for him to open some eyes.
 
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Juxtaposer said:
Low on Bear, related to the injury or do you just not like him much?
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Our entire Western scouting team is lower on him than the consensus. Personally, I'm not sure I get the top ten hype either. He's a fine player. However, we don't view his upside as high as others in the scouting community. The reality is that he's an average sized, average skating forward who relies a lot on his motor/compete to be successful at the WHL level. When that's neutralized at the NHL level, what do we have? The skilled attributes are good, but not great. IQ is solid. The harsh reality is...can he be more than a Michael Bunting type at the NHL level? It's certainly possible. We just wish he were bigger and quicker for the kind of game he plays and the kind of way he needs to play to be successful at the NHL level.
 
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SannywithoutCompy said:
How much do Frondell's injuries impact his ranking?
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I would say pretty significantly. Our team was divided on him. For me, he's ahead of Eklund and firmly in the top five. I think I'd prefer him over Martone at this point too. But other members of my team are being more cautious and want to see his strong play continued further. The reality is that until the recent Nations tournament (including Post Nations Swedish play), he had been having a very underwhelming season. So I get the apprehensiveness. But, I expect that he'll be higher on our final list once I continue to convince the rest of my team that he's worthy ;)
 
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Just an overall compliment...this is the best ranking I've seen for this draft so far. The top 13 to me is spot on.

Question about Lakovic...I've spent all winter trying not to like him but I'm finally coming around and do think he's a viable pick starting at 7 or 8 depending on team preference. My change in perception is that he's starting to remind me of a poor man's (maybe very poor man's) Sennecke. Your thoughts?
 
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Brock said:
A really good write up on Smith from my colleague Derek Neumeier. Pretty much identifies those reasons.

2025 NHL DRAFT: Jackson Smith, D, Tri-City Americans (WHL) - Detailed Scouting Report (Videos + Grades)

McKeen's Assistant Director of Scouting, Derek Neumeier, provides a detailed scouting report on 2025 NHL Draft eligible prospect Jackson Smith of the Tri-City Americans with video and grades.
www.mckeenshockey.com
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Brock, do you think a guy like Smith would benefit from going to the NCAA in his 18 or 19 year old season to get better prepped for pro instead of just going back to the Dub to dominate junior? We saw how much Sanderson grew from when he was drafted to the end of his time at UND, same with Makar at UMass, curious your thoughts. Thanks as always.
 
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tomd said:
Just an overall compliment...this is the best ranking I've seen for this draft so far. The top 13 to me is spot on.

Question about Lakovic...I've spent all winter trying not to like him but I'm finally coming around and do think he's a viable pick starting at 7 or 8 depending on team preference. My change in perception is that he's starting to remind me of a poor man's (maybe very poor man's) Sennecke. Your thoughts?
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Not a bad comparison. I definitely see where you're coming from. Big, athletic wingers who are still trying to figure out what they need to do to be consistent, three zone, impact players. I guess the difference for me is that I see Sennecke as the more creative/individually skilled with the puck, where as Lakovic I see as developing into a more consistent physical player. But it's not bad!
 
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Hockeyville USA said:
Brock, do you think a guy like Smith would benefit from going to the NCAA in his 18 or 19 year old season to get better prepped for pro instead of just going back to the Dub to dominate junior? We saw how much Sanderson grew from when he was drafted to the end of his time at UND, same with Makar at UMass, curious your thoughts. Thanks as always.
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Nothing wrong with dominating a league one time over. Playing in the Dub next year will be best to help him iron out those consistency issues. If he ends up becoming one of the better defenders in the WHL next year, then sure I could see the merit of spending his 19/20 year old season in the NCAA against more physically mature competition.
 
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