2025 NHL Draft Preview
Kennewick, WA – The 2025 NHL Draft is set for this Friday and Saturday, June 27 and 28, at The Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, and four Tri-City Americans are hoping to hear their names called.
Defenseman Jackson Smith (13th North American Skaters) and forwards Savin Virk (121st North American Skaters), Cash Koch (181st North American Skaters) and Gavin Garland (201st North American Skaters) were listed by NHL Central Scouting in their final rankings ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft.
Smith, from Calgary, Alberta, wrapped up his second season with the Americans by setting career highs across the board with 54 points (11-43-54) in 68 games. He was the only member of the Americans to play in all 68 regular season games this year.
The former second overall pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft saved his best for the stretch drive of the season, scoring nine goals over the final 11 regular season games, including two overtime winners. He then added a goal and two assists in five playoff games against Victoria. He is slated to attend Penn State University in the Fall.
Smith is set to be the first Americans player to be drafted in the first round of the NHL Draft since 2017, when Michael Rasmussen (9th) and Juuso Valimaki (16th) were taken by Detroit and Calgary respectively.
Virk, from Surrey, British Columbia, joined the Americans in November after originally being selected in the third round, 46th overall, by the Americans in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft. He began his tenure in the WHL by recording 12 points (6-6-12) in his first 23 games before settling into a groove with 34 points (16-18-34) over the final 27 games of the season. He was named the Americans co-winner of the Rookie of the Year.
That stretch included a performance where he recorded his first career WHL hat trick by scoring the overtime winner against the Prince George Cougars before posting a four-assist game just four days later against the Kelowna Rockets. He was named the WHL’s Rookie of the Week for the week ending February 9 and was later named the WHL’s Rookie of the Month for February with 17 points (9-8-17) in 11 games. In the playoffs he added a goal and two assists in five games.
Koch, from Calgary, finished his second season with the Americans after being drafted 24th overall by Tri-City in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft. He set a new career high with 11 goals, chipping in 18 total points (11-7-18), while continuing his abrasive style of play as he led the Americans in penalty minutes with 107. He scored the game-winning goal in game four against the Victoria Royals, extending the Americans season in the playoffs.
Garland, from Calgary, joined the Americans for the 2024-25 season after helping the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Calgary Canucks to an AJHL championship in 2023-24. Originally drafted 31st overall in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Garland burst onto the scene with the Americans as he was named the WHL’s Rookie of the Week twice in the early going of the year. He was then named the league’s Rookie of the Month for November with 15 points (7-8-15) in 12 games.
Overall Garland finished his rookie season with 42 points (21-21-42) in 54 games. He, along with teammate Savin Virk, was one of just seven WHL rookies to score 20 or more goals this season. He was the Americans co-winner of the Rookie of the Year award, with Virk.
The Americans have had 68 players in franchise history drafted into the NHL, most recently being Max Curran who was selected 161st overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Round one of the 2025 NHL Draft begins at 4:00 PM Pacific on Friday, with rounds 2-7 starting Saturday at 12 PM. Round one can be watched on ESPN, while rounds 2-7 will be on the NHL Network and ESPN+.
