Hitmen forward Kindel catching fire ahead of 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota Canada

Calgary, Alta.- You can’t start a fire without some good Kindel-ing- and Calgary Hitmen forward Ben Kindel looks like he’s going from a slow burn to a full-on blaze in the 2024-25 WHL season.

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound winger has piled up nine goals (including four powerplay tallies) and 10 assists for 19 points in 15 games, leading the Hitmen in goals and points.

Make that 9⃣ points in Ben Kindel's last four games@WHLHitmen | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/9Cv7CBfgNj

— The WHL (@TheWHL) October 24, 2024

But the top 2025 NHL Draft prospect isn’t letting the numbers- or pressure of his draft season- get to him.

“Not with the draft, not with points,” Kindel shrugged when asked about his goals for the season. “Just try and take steps to be more of a dominant, complete player in this league, and try and push my team into the playoffs and a deep run and try and contend for the championship.”

It helps that he got to see Hitmen captain Carson Wetsch (San Jose Sharks) and star defenceman Carter Yakemchuk (Ottawa Senators) experience the ups and downs of the process last season.

“Getting to see them go through it really helps with trying not to focus on the rankings and getting caught up in all that other stuff,” Kindel explained. “It just makes a huge difference. I saw them go through patches where they could get a little frustrated or when things weren’t going right.

You go out and play hockey. It’s what you love to do, and I feel when you do that, the rest will take care of itself.”

The points have more than been taken care of- much to the chagrin of opposing goaltenders.

Kindel was named Tempo WHL Player of the Week in mid-October after a phenomenal stretch that saw him bury three goals and five assists as Calgary collected five of a possible six points on a key homestand.

NHL Central Scouting has since tagged Kindel as a ‘B’ prospect in the agency’s preliminary list, projecting him as a potential second or third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

Hitmen Head Coach Paul McFarland may be in his first season behind the Calgary bench, but the longtime NHL assistant coach pored over hours of video of his top players before beginning his WHL tenure- and he sees plenty of pro potential in the 17-year-old.

“I think the strength of his game is his hockey sense,” McFarland explained. “I think that’s why he’s going to be such an asset for whichever NHL team decides to select him. I think he’s a two-way player that plays in all situations. He’s been a big driver for us. I think he’s a guy that drags us into the game, drags us into the fight of the game each and every night with his competitiveness… He played at the Hlinka (Gretzky Cup) and just watching it from afar, he was a player that had an increased role on that Canada team that won gold. So to his credit, I think that just shows every coach wants to put him out there in all situations.”

Top shelf for Benjamin Kindel! 👏

Benjamin Kindel dans le haut du filet! 👏#HlinkaGretzkyCup | #CoupeHlinkaGretzkypic.twitter.com/AY14WYDvvk

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) August 8, 2024

Kindel put up a goal and an assist in the gold-medal-winning effort in Edmonton at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and looks forward to reuniting with several of those teammates (including Hitmen defenceman Reese Hamilton) at the upcoming CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota Canada.

The event runs on November 26 in London, Ont., before moving to nearby Oshawa on November 27.

“It’s a real honor to get that opportunity,” Kindel added. “I’m really excited to get out there and prove that Canada’s better than the U.S. We obviously created a strong bond after winning the Hlinka, so to get back on the ice with them and continue what we started, it’ll be great.”

Ten WHL players will represent the CHL in the first-ever showdown of its kind.

But before Kindel and Hamilton pack their backs for Ontario, they’re heading south of the border.

Calgary’s efforts to climb the standings in a tough Central Division will take them on a U.S. Division road trip over the next week- starting with a tilts against fellow CHL representative Braeden Cootes and the Seattle Thunderbirds, Carter Bear and the Everett Silvertips and ‘A’ rated defenceman Jackson Smith and the Tri-City Americans.