2025 NHL Draft to offer ample CHL talent
With the 2024 NHL Draft in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to focus on the next wave of CHL talent that will have their name called a year from now as part of the class of 2025.
At the 2024 NHL Draft, 88 CHL players were chosen headlined by the Oshawa Generals’ Beckett Sennecke who went third overall to the Anaheim Ducks.
With 14 first round selections last week in Vegas, 2025 will once again offer NHL clubs an opportunity to draft elite CHL talent.
Across the OHL, QMJHL and WHL, there are a number of prominent prospects that will be highly sought after when the 2025 NHL Draft takes place next summer.
Ontario Hockey League
All eyes in the OHL in 2024-25 will be on a pair of forwards in Brampton’s Porter Martone and Saginaw’s Michael Misa, both of whom project to be potential Top 5 picks.
Martone had a career high 33 goals and 71 points last season with the Steelheads while he already has four international medals to his name highlighted by a pair of gold medals at the 2024 U18 World Championship and the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Misa – the eighth player in CHL history to be granted exceptional status – had 29 goals and 75 points before he hoisted the Memorial Cup with the Spirit last month.
NHL scouts will spend an ample amount of time in Erie as they watch Malcolm Spence and 2023 OHL Draft first overall pick Matthew Schaefer while Brantford’s Jake O’Brien – the 2024 OHL Rookie of the Year and a member of the CHL All-Rookie Team after a 64-point campaign– will also garner plenty of interest.
Barrie’s Kashawn Aitcheson – who like Martone, Schaefer and Spence won gold earlier this year at the U18’s – is another top defensive prospect.
ICYMI: 2025 #NHL Draft prospect Porter Martone had a hat-trick for 🇨🇦 Sunday in their dominant win over 🇨🇭! #U18MensWorlds | @OHLSteelheads pic.twitter.com/qLh6FMAqHr
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 29, 2024
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League
Moncton’s Caleb Desnoyer is poised to get the QMJHL back into the first round in 2025.
The first overall pick in the 2023 QMJHL Draft, Desnoyers finished third in Q rookie scoring a year ago with 56 points (20 goals) and was also a member of Canada’s victorious U18 squad in May.
The second Q pick a year ago – Chicoutimi’s Émile Guité – also impressed in 2023-24 as his 25 goals and 57 points each ranked second most among rookie skaters.
Blainville-Boisbriand’s Justin Carbonneau and Rouyn-Noranda’s Bill Zonnon are another pair of forwards to track as they look to build on 59 and 58-point seasons respectively. Between the pipes, Victoriaville’s Gabriel D’Aigle will be one to watch as he permanently takes over the Tigres’ crease after the conclusion of Nathan Darveau’s junior career.
It's never too early to look at the 2025 #NHLDraft 👀@HuskiesRn's Bill Zonnon had his first @QMJHL hat-trick tonight in a win over Chicoutimi! pic.twitter.com/pgjZWvtn4n
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) March 3, 2024
Western Hockey League
While a lot of WHL eyes this season will be on Medicine’s Hat 2026 prospect Gavin McKenna and Everett Silvertips 2027 prospect Landon Dupont, Victoria’s Cole Reschny and Brandon’s Roger McQueen will have no shortage of suitors come next summer.
Reschny finished fifth in WHL rookie scoring with 59 points and impressed at the World Under-17 Challenge. McQueen, on the other hand, had a career high 21 goals and 51 points with the Wheat Kings while he collected gold at both the 2024 U18 World Championship and the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Prince George’s Joshua Ravensbergen – who went 26-4-2 as a rookie and recorded six shutouts – headlines the league’s goaltending options while the Americans’ trio of Cash Koch, Jordan Gavin and Jackson Smith will keep NHL scouts in the Tri-City area.
Benjamin Kindel of Calgary and Cameron Schmidt of Vancouver will look to build on 50-point seasons while 2024 WHL Champion Lynden Lakovic will generate interest due to his size and strength as well as his winning pedigree.
One of the biggest goals in @MJWARRIORS history! 😤
Lynden Lakovic sends Moose Jaw to the #WHLChampionship Series with the Game 7 OT winner! #RoadtoMemorialCup
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) May 8, 2024
