After positions 1 to 10, today we conclude our final rankings for the upcoming draft with positions 11 to 20!
Reminder: This is not a mock draft! The players you’ll see in the 16th and 17th positions aren’t necessarily the ones I’d like to see the Habs draft!
That said, if there’s one club that’s well equipped to move up in this year’s draft, it’s the Canadiens…
So I’ll simply go in order with those who I believe will have the best chances of a successful career and who will be among the top 20 players in this draft in 15 years’ time.
In parenthesis, you’ll find their rank in my February evaluation.
11. Victor Eklund | AG/AD | Right-hander (10th)
Eklund, a right-shooting winger, is a bit like the Swedish Carter Bear of this vintage, in that he, too, is a spark plug every night, every time. A little pest with guts and energy to spare!
For the rest, William’s brother is equally creative, quick, skilful and dynamic. Even though he likes to buzz around the opposition’s net and doesn’t back down from anyone, his size may hamper him a little on June 27, but he’ll still be a nice catch for whichever team chooses him. A sure thing, but perhaps not a first-line winger for a good club.
12. Kashawn Aitcheson | GM/DD | Left-handed (14th)
You either love or hate Kashawn Aitcheson. Personally, I like him, and there’s bound to be an NHL club with a big thought for him around the middle of the first round.
The Torontonian, scorer of 26 goals and 59 points in 64 games in Barrie, is a Gordie Howe hat-trick type, at least at junior level, and when you add up everything he can do on the ice, you’d think that with a little polishing it could all translate to the NHL. But we don’t necessarily see a future first-unit quarterback, more a future versatile top-4… and a pretty violent one!
To the eye, he’s reminiscent of Kaiden Guhle in the way he plays and skates, but he’s more talented, flamboyant andcocky than the Canadiens’ #21.
Overflowing with confidence, a charming young man off the ice, Aithcheson often seems to be at the center of the action, and is a huge nuisance to opponents when in his work uniform…
One of the oldest players in the draft – he was just one week away from being drafted last year – perhaps that’s why some put him lower in their evaluation.
A left-handed player who can play right-handed with ease, he’s particularly fond of punishing opponents with (VERY) hard-hitting checks at center ice or along the boards. He can also be seen regularly carrying the puck with authority and scoring big goals at important times.
When you look at the overall picture, the Ontarian presents himself as a very versatile player with little extras that make you salivate. He’s a pretty safe bet in a special package, but he’ll have to mature a bit over the next few years to get rid of the junior stuff…
But, once again, let’s not forget that in the playoffs, you don’t just win with choirboys.
Aitcheson is a true impact player in every sense of the word. A true gamer.
13. Justin Carbonneau | AD | Right-handed (13th)
Here’s another one whose personality is the talk of the town…
On the ice, Carbonneau always reminds us of a mixture of the two “Owens”: Nolan and Tippett. Carbonneau, on the other hand, sees himself as more of a Kempe and Konecny, and seems to think he can handle a guy like Cole Caufield if the Canadiens get their hands on him. There seems to be no shortage of self-confidence, and that’s what it takes to succeed!
Carbonneau, now a powerful, fluid skater (he’s taking lessons from Mrs. Underhill), seems at his best when he carries the disc with speed into the middle zone, foils a few players with his nimble hands, then attacks the net. But will he be able to execute this kind of play with as much regularity in the NHL?
Maybe not, but his overall “heavy” game seems pretty transferable to me.
The Lévis native (salute to old Lévis pals!) has the tools to aspire to an NHL top-6. It’s all a question of hard work and consistency to improve his strengths and minimize his little shortcomings. But, as we understand it, he’s not afraid of hard work.
On the other hand, his personality may offend some. As Alexandre Gascon recently suggested in a very good article, Carbonneau expects a lot from himself… and from others!
In other words, our man doesn’t seem to think of himself as a celery stick dipped in Cheez Whiz. He also thanked his agent by e-mail a few weeks ago, and his relationship with his Armada coach – also recently fired – seemed variable at best.
None of this is likely to go unnoticed by NHL scouts, and may even raise a few eyebrows in a market like Montreal, but his stock is said to be on the rise right now…
14. Jackson Smith | GM | Left-hander (12th)
Smith may not skate as well as Matthew Schaefer, but the two can still be compared in this department. Clearly one of the very best sliders in the 2025 auction, graceful and agile in all directions, the Albertan carries the puck with ease, even if it sometimes lacks finish in the opponent’s zone. In this sense, he’s a little reminiscent of Sam Dickinson last year or a young Jay Bouwmeester. A good passer, he also has supple hands and a precise wrist shot that he hides well.
At 6’3, 190 pounds, Smith is clearly an above-average athlete, who is also an excellent… swimmer! Bring on the minutes! Mind you, this may have unconsciously influenced his answer to the classic question “What kind of animal would you be?”, he replied a “Mammoth-goldfish”…
Defensively, he’s doing pretty well, especially with a good stick, and let’s not forget that he’ll probably be playing in the NHL at 210 lbs in a few years… Otherwise, he still has a bit of puck management work to do here and there in his zone, but nothing alarming..
So here we have a very calm, rather complete, productive defender with a fairly high ceiling. It’s easy to imagine him in the NHL’s top-4 in the near future. He could also lead a2nd powerplay, if all goes well.
15. Cameron Reid | D | Left-handed
Much more poised than Aitcheson on the ice, elegant but a little less athletic than Smith, Cameron Reid is still very good. His subtle, effective style is reminiscent of Alexandre Carrier or, in an optimal setting, could bear a striking resemblance to Josh Morrissey’s, as he himself confirms.
Not the strongest, but very agile and fast on skates. Does everything well, no frills. Intelligent.
A player who could surprise and become the 2nd best defenseman in the draft? I wouldn’t bet $100 on it, but not impossible.
Superb during the season, with a record of 54 points in 67 games (+39!), the only downside for Reid was a very ordinary playoff series in Kitchener, where his stats took a nose dive: 0 goals, 5 assists, -5 differential in 14 games. In his defense, the little defender was hit and injured a few times during the Rangers’ run…
16. Cole Reschny | C/AG | Left-handed (honorable mention)
We told you back in February that Reschny likes to raise his game when it counts the most. Well, how about 25 points in 11 playoff games with Victoria in the WHL?
It seems like every season the WHL is full of talented, productive little forwards. Some will break through, some won’t… but I like the chances of the very cerebral Reschny being able to establish himself in the NHL as a center forward.
A slightly less dynamic version of Berkley Catton? A left-handed Suzuki, a little less physically strong?
Leaving aside the fact that he’s only 5’10, Reschny possesses many of the qualities you’d look for in a center: productive, agile, brilliant, creative, hard-working, an excellent passer and shooter.
Next year’s North Dakota player will have more time to improve his explosion on skates and his physical strength. If he does, you’ll have a 200-foot center capable of making everyone around him better.
17. Jack Murtagh | AG/C | Left-hander (19th)
At the ” CHL-USNDTP Challenge “, the Canadiens were just that much stronger than the Americans. But Jack Murtagh, one of the youngest players eligible in June – he’ll be 18 in August – had been one of the few Americans to regularly challenge Unifolié’s impressive defense.
His name might be a little more popular had he been able to count on a center of the calibre of James Hagens, Will Smith or Logan Cooley within this cohort of the American program…
It wasn’t a great year for the American program, but it would be surprising if no forward from this team became a top-20 draft pick. My money’s on Murtagh.
The New York State native is truly a dual threat (passer-shooter) in offensive territory. He sees the game very well and has really been the USNDTP’s powerplay catalyst this season. Murtagh skates very well, regularly outruns defenders, has good size and you can even see an element of power in his game.
18. Joshua Ravensbergen | G | Right-handed (17th)
The very tall and imposing Ravensbergen, 6’5, 192 lbs, also made a big impression at the CHL/USNTDP Challenge last November. The right-handed catcher simply looks intimidating in front of his net.
And while I’m no goalie expert, his biggest flaw seems to be… his right hand! In the four games we’ve seen of him, it’s clearly on the glove side that he gets beaten most often. On the other hand, his footwork is very impressive and seems almost impossible to foil at the ice.
Often found at the end of the first round on many lists, I place Ravensbergen here because goalies with such profiles end up, year in, year out, in the top 20 players of their draft year. The North Vancouver native was excellent with Prince George last season and was again very solid this season, even if his stats were a little more modest behind a shallower formation.
19. Cameron Schmidt | AD | Right-hander (16th)
Schmidt is an electrifying player who’s easy to like, but you don’t necessarily find him on many top-20 lists. Talented, dynamic and hard-working, he’s a superb scorer with excellent hands, a quick draw and a powerful, accurate shot: 40 goals in 61 games.
He didn’t excel at U18 in a rather secondary role, but still left us with this little gem.
Presenting himself in a smaller format, he’s a lively, agile and fast skater. He looks quite a bit like the more complete “new” Cole Caufield, but seems perhaps a little faster and more powerful at the same age.
You can never have too many small players in an NHL line-up – at 5’7, he’ll always have to pick his battles along the ramps – but there’s no harm in having at least one good one, especially if he’s productive and “quite complete” like Schmidt.
Like Caufield, Schmidt will probably need a little more time to develop, but ‘n 2-3 years, we anticipate a top-6 winger in the NHL.
20. Benjamin Kindel | C/AD | Right-handed (honorable mention)
The WHL’s leading scorer of his vintage, Kindel’s case is quite intriguing. A small center who racked up points in junior, he seems a little skittish and on the periphery. But while I didn’t think he had much going for him earlier this season, I have to admit that he skates pretty fast, does well defensively (good stick), has very good hands, a good shot and his vision and creativity are clearly above average.
We really liked him at the last U18. A bit like Reschny, we believe in his chances of becoming, if not a second center, at least a top-6 forward somewhere in the NHL, at worst a powerplay specialist. And, for those interested, he’s a fan of a team with a blue, white and red sweater.
Honorable Mentions
Roger McQueen | C | Right-hander (11th)
Do we need to repeat ourselves again? It all depends on the doctors. If a majority of them feel that McQueen’s chances of a career without back problems are very good, he’ll be selected top-8. But from where we’re standing, if his back is still bothering him shortly after his return in March, after more than five months without playing, I doubt very much that the scientific consensus will be 100% in his favour just a few weeks before the draft. An issue to be followed very closely. The great enigma of the 2025 draft. Not many people want to play in the 2024 Blue Jackets movie starring Cayden Lindstrom..
Logan Hensler | D | Right-hander (15th)
Still a good skater and defensive player, but didn’t do enough in the NCAA to stay in the top-20. Not enough offensive creativity.
Cameron Spence | AG | Left-handed (18th)
One of the oldest players in the draft, he really hasn’t been as dominant as we’d hoped in the OHL. Still a power winger who should find his way to the NHL without too much trouble in a top-9.
Lynden Lakovic | AG | Left-handed (20th)
The big Lakovic (6’4, 190 lbs) is an excellent, fluid skater who relies on a very good wrist shot as well as being a quality passer. He also protects his puck very well and his ceiling remains intriguing, but we’d like to see more creativity and dynamism.
If he develops well and incorporates an element of power into his game, Lakovic could become a complementary mid-lane winger, able to play on a second PP unit. For the time being, he’s almost exclusively a “big whip” with a certain finesse. A project, then.
Ivan Ryabkin | C | Left-hander (honorable mention)
Hasn’t been as dominant as expected in the USHL, but has had a good run (16 points in 14 games) for champion club Muskegon, scoring big goals at key moments.
Daniil Prokohrov | AD | Gaucher (N/C)
One of Grant McCagg’s darlings this season, Prokohrov could well become a top-20 player within 15 years, much as Josh Anderson (2012) managed to do. A 6’6 colossus, without a great sense of the game, but who skates like a train and from whom it often seems impossible to get the puck. A bigger, meaner Podkolzin? A lesser Nichushkin? You get the idea.
Braeden Cootes | C | Right-handed (N/C)
A bit like Jett Luchanko… or this year’s Owen Beck. Let’s keep an eye on the Flyers at No. 22! (wink)
Top-20
1. Matthew Schaefer (GM)
2. Michael Misa (C)
3. Caleb Desnoyers (C)
4. Anton Frondell (C)
5. Porter Martone (AD)
6. James Hagens (C)
7. Jake O’Brien (C)
8. Carter Bear (C/AG)
9. Radim Mrtka (DD)
10. Brady Martin (C/AD)
11. Victor Eklund (AG/AD)
12. Kashawn Aitcheson (GM)
13. Justin Carbonneau (AD)
14. Jackson Smith (GM)
15. Cameron Reid (GM)
16. Cole Reschny (C/AG)
17. Jack Murtagh (AG)
18. Josh Ravensbergen (G)
19. Cameron Schmidt (AD)
20. Ben Kindel (C/AD)
Conclusion
Centers should dominate the top-10 with six or seven representatives, but quality defensemen and wingers are not outdone in this top-20.
The giant with enormous potential, Radim Mrtka, is the only right-handed defender. This is likely to boost his value, but he falls into the category of longer-term projects, as does the other giant, goalkeeper Ravensbergen.
There are also several small, talented players who should have successful careers in their respective positions.
That said, whether you’re a Habs fan or not, this draft is a little less exciting and deeper than last year’s, at least in the top-20.
But with two picks “stuck” in the top-20, it’s still likely to cause a bit of a stir in the media over the coming weeks…
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