Ramblings: Too Many CHLers and a Confusing Draft Class

From the tarmac after a busy weekend, I must report the latest on CHL/NCAA and potential draft destinations.

* My appreciations for those who waited for this piece through my travels to the West coast, a close friend’s wedding, and a broken laptop charger. It has been a whirlwind weekend but I very much appreciate the growing community in this forum!

The end of the hockey season always comes so rapidly. In the swing of just over a week, we’ve found out who will pick first, watched catastrophic collapses of Team Sweden at U18s and Team USA at Worlds, and seen the Blues’ playoff hopes crumble in the waning second. To help me make up for that last point (and really, that Switzerland loss too), I’ve turned my full attention to the 2025 NHL Draft. It’s a complex class, but a bit underwhelming compared to the years to come. That complexity in a very bump-and-grind draft year is leading to tons of rumblings around the hockey world. Let’s work to cut through some of that fog by returning to the Ramblings series once again…

• We have to start out with the Blackhawks, who have one of the most important picks in recent years looming. Chicago isn’t looking to spark a quick rebuild with a major piece, like the Isles, or rounding out a starring group of youngsters, like the Sharks. No – for Chicago, a top pick represents a golden chance to find who will tie the lineup together. They don’t need a clear #1 – with Bedard up front and Levshunov in back – but a complimentary piece with #1-upside could go far in blazing their future. To that end, their options seem pretty clear…

• If Michael Misa falls to the Hawks, he’ll be the obvious pick. But the chances of that seem slim with San Jose already hosting Igor Chernyshov. If he’s gone, I’ve heard Chicago is deeply connected with Anton Frondell or Portner Martone… I’d think in that order. It makes sense – both offer a right-wing role with center flexibility, andbring either high-end skill or high-end tenacity to a top-scorer role. They’ll both be immediate Bedard compliments. To that end, I don’t expect the team to be connected to either James Hagens or Caleb Desnoyers. Either could be the elite, top-center piece that bumps Bedard to the wing, but I’m not sure that’s their goal. Then again, what’s the value of two elite centers nowadays? Of course, there is one big BUT with Chicago…

• As confident as I am that the Hawks go forward – I’ve recently heard more connection between them and top-defenseman Matthew Schaefer. Now, my opinions on drafting Schaefer aside, this does make sense. He’d be the premier piece to partner with Levshunov, and an addition that reduces the load on Kevin Korchinski and Alex Vlasic. But you have to ask, where does Sam Rinzel fit in then? No he’s not a lefty, but he does have star upside. Does his presence alter Chicago’s decision? I’d say yes – but if Chicago isn’t certain, and Hagens and Misa go with the top two picks, they could find respite with the risky pick. Are two top D pairs more valuable than two top forward lines? (Eh… This is all to say, Hawks fans – get ready for another Demidov/Levshunov debate. I bet they go F this time.)

• Alright, finally out of Chicago, I have to acknowledge Malcolm Spence to Michigan. What a perfect add for a team that needs grit and scoring out of their role player; and what a chance for Spence to show he can handle a top role. He surprised many by committing early, but the thought is that an early declaration will provide a bit more certainty to interested teams. In lieu of teasing his commitment, let me turn elsewhere. Michigan is in full pursuit of this year’s top draft eligibles. They have a commitment from a very popular, potential top-50 goaltender already – so no more searching there. But they are still actively recruiting for one forward and one defender role. I expect both will end up being popular prospects, but who…

• Well, the defender vacancy isn’t clear. They’ve thrown out offers to many names – including a pair of top draft eligibles – but I haven’t found any certainty that they’ll land in Ann Arbor. As for the forward… well, let me heavily emphasize two things before I say it. First, every team who can get a call through is making a pitch. Second, there is absolutely zero (And I mean zero) guarantee that he ends up in college at all. But listen… if there’s one team saying they’ll do anything to land Gavin McKenna, it is the Wolverines. Huge gasps aside, I’ll emphasize that Michigan does not have the money of some other recruiters. Simply put. And that will be a barrier with any major add. But if they can find a pitch that ignores dollars, they could be in for some excitement this summer.

• This is just turning into a CHL to NCAA buzz piece. Porter Martone has also come up a ton. He’s a tenacious worker with true top-five hopes, even if ranks (including my own) have him closer to 10. Watch for those Mammoth… But also watch for Penn State. I heard that landing Luke Misa was a notable step in their chances of getting the top name. They’ve also had that wild dollar amount being circulated around the internet… which truly isn’t far off of the figures I’ve heard. I expect this and all other commitments of this scale to come after the draft, and after an NHL team has a chance to decide if pros is the right move.

• I had the thought to try and cut through some draft expectations, so here’s a quick trio of players I expect to land a bit lower than where internet hype has them now:

  • Benjamin Kindel could land high in day two. I’ve heard critiques of his physical upside.

  • Carter Bear’s recovery will be highly scrutinized.

  • I would advise teams against buying stock in Roger McQueen’s injury, but I hear he’s too hot of a commodity to dip past a liberal #20.

• Sascha Boumedienne is quickly becoming a player to monitor. Especially after a record-setting U18s… how crazy. He appears to be firmly locked into the 20s on most pro boards, but when you get talking to the New England scouts – you hear a lot of cases for him much lower. After a lot of BU viewing this year, I have to agree with the scouts. But convincing your GM to not take the (supposedly) electric defender with size is a hard bet, especially when they play such a pro game. I expect Boumedienne to land somewhere on day one, and consider pros as soon as the end of next season.

• Cole Reschny was on the shortlist of potential draft steals – but it seems teams are catching on to just how talented he is in the waning weeks. This kid’s a workhorse with pro-grade tenacity. He probably won’t go top-15, and could even slip out of day-one (though I don’t expect it anymore), but be warned that he’s absolutely that level of talent.

• How the Canadiens spend their back-to-back picks will be very interesting. I’m expecting them to take a close look at Malcolm Spence, and then look to add a defenseman with the other bid. But they’ll be one of the teams with picks circling the trade market… if teams will buy is another discussion.

• In the same spirit as the potential fallers, let me name some true hidden gems…

  • The Russian goalies are being overlooked, but I could be convinced to take either Pyotr Andreyanov or Semyon Frolov with a first rounder. Prefer the latter. I know many amazing pro goalie scouts who say the same. Multiple goalies will go in the top-50 – that I’m sure of – but I wouldn’t be surprised if this pair lands a bit later.

  • Owen Martin looks like a dynamic two-way center out of the W. He’s undersized but has the smarts and work ethic to play above it. He’ll be a mid-round pick, but one that I bang the table for.

  • Bryce Pickford – size, grit, hits, and goals. Hard to ask for more out of a D-man. Could be a second-round guy with his upside, but if he slips any further a team will be robbing value.

  • The USHL’s Caeden Herrington falls into a similar convo as Pickford… though maybe more of a third-round value. Nonetheless, he reminds me a ton of Eric Pohlkamp – and that pick has been golden for San Jose.

In lieu of dragging on, I’ll opt to cut things off here. Tons of conversation to be had, and certainly many more thoughts in my head (especially about those 09 Americans). Subscribe with the button below to keep up to date with all of those thoughts, orfind my Twitter (@)NHLFoley!