Hey all. Just catching up on an exciting Day 2 of the NHL Entry Draft. My guess is at some point our resident draft experts, Other Rick and Caleb DiNatale, plan to take a more in-depth look at our selections.
For now, I’m providing a quick-and-dirty skinny on each of our 13 choices, starting with our surprise top pick Benjamin Kindel (pictured).
Rather than reinvent the wheel, I’ve used the thumbnail sketches from EliteProspects 2025 NHL Draft Guide unless otherwise noted.
| ROUND 1 |
| Benjamin Kindel, Right Wing, 11th overall, Calgary (WHL) |
| Ht/Wt: 5’11” 181, Age: 18, Shoots: R |
| NHL Central Scouting Rank: 21st (NA Skaters) |
| Pace, vision, and translatability are Kindel’s calling cards. With feet that never stop moving, he weaves through traffic, draws defenders, and works give-and-gos. In a single rush, he builds several passing plays and then escapes the wall for a chance. A skillful mid-range shooter and even more dangerous passer, he brings dual-threat scoring ability. |
| Bill Zonnon, Forward, 22nd overall, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL) |
| Ht/Wt: 6’2″ 190, Age: 18, Shoots: L |
| NHL Central Scouting Rank: 31st (NA Skaters) |
| Constantly supporting teammates in all three zones, Zonnon jumps to the aid of defencemen on the back wall, gets the puck back, offers timely passing options, and moves the puck quickly in transition, orchestrating clever passing plays and entries in the offensive zone. When no play is open, he falls back on his forechecking ability. Defenders retrieving the puck better hurry their play when facing Zonnon. If they take too long to pass, the forward comes barreling down on them, pinning them to the wall, freeing the puck with his stick, and moving to an open teammate. |
| William Horcoff, Center, 24th overall, University of Michigan (NCAA) |
| Ht/Wt: 6’5″ 203, Age: 18, Shoots: L |
| NHL Central Scouting Rank: 24th (NA Skaters) |
| Horcoff’s defensive dimension stands out as a separator. His game is fueled by physical skill and proactive reads, and his range, strength, and subsequent lane clogging further enhance his disruption qualities. Off the backcheck, he’s a goliath, pressuring puck carriers to the outside, swinging into inside positioning, and leveraging positioning and processing to create stops. Furthermore, he’s a skilled playmaker who leverages time and space to break down defenders into overreactions. |
| ROUND 2 |
| Peyton Kettles, Defense, 39th overall, Swift Current (WHL) |
| Ht/Wt: 6’6″ 194, Age: 17, Shoots: R |
| NHL Central Scouting Rank: 39th (NA Skaters) |
| Kettles routinely shuts down the opposition’s best. He denies the middle with his reach, then pulls his stick in and lands a perfectly-timed poke. Even if he backs off too soon, most opponents struggle to navigate his range. In defensive zone coverage, he guides opponents away from his net, beats them down, and pins them to the walls. |
| ROUND 3 |
| Charlie Tretheway, Defense, 73rd overall, US National Development Team |
| Ht/Wt: 6’2″ 201, Age: 17, Shoots: R |
| NHL Central Scouting Rank: 46th (NA Skaters) |
| Trethewey brings explosive mobility, shooting, and physicality. He matches fast attackers of the rush, then flattens them with a big hit. His head is on a swivel defensively, and he constantly plays inside contact around his net, getting underneath sticks, and pushing opponents out of his goaltender’s sightline. |
| Gabriel D’Aigle, Goalie, 84th overall, Victoriaville (QMJHL) |
| Ht/Wt: 6’4″ 211, Age: 18, Shoots: L |
| NHL Central Scouting Rank: 11th (NA Goalies) |
| He’s one of the biggest goalies in this draft class, and his movement around the crease makes him one of the better goalies in the QMJHL when it comes to picking up pucks through screens. D’Aigle also seals the ice extremely well and does a decent job with his rebounds. |
| Brady Peddle, Defense, 94th overall, Waterloo (USHL) |
| Ht/Wt: 6’3″ 203, Age: 18, Shoots: L |
| NHL Central Scouting Rank: 86th (NA Skaters) |
| Opponents know when Peddle is on the ice. Crushing open-ice hits, net-front maulings, overpowering crunches into the wall – if there’s a way to win a battle and inflict pain, he’ll find it. He complements the physicality with aggressive step-ups, quick rotations, and frequent communication. |
| ROUND 4 |
| Travis Hayes, Right Wing, 105th overall, Soo Greyhounds (OHL) |
| Ht/Wt: 5’11” 175, Age: 17, Shoots: R |
| NHL Central Scouting Rank: 117th (NA Skaters) |
| Hayes drives the net, gets inside positioning on defenders, and screens the goalie, battling much larger defenders to do so. When the puck deflects to the back wall, he hunts it down, winning possession back and passing it to teammates. He creates turnovers by getting on the heels of defenders on the forecheck and in the neutral zone, forcing them to rush their plays. |
| ROUND 5 |
| Ryan Miller, Forward, 130th overall, Portland (WHL) |
| Ht/Wt: 6’0″ 176, Age: 18, Shoots: L |
| NHL Central Scouting Rank: 60th (NA Skaters) |
| Along the walls, Miller is one of the best. He gets low to absorb contact, throws reverse hits, and intercepts opponents with his back. Never deterred, he sticks with every play and completes some incredible moves to pull the puck off the wall while fighting an opponent or two. After that, he goes hard to the net, wins positioning, and creates traffic, and he’s always involved defensively. |
| Quinn Beauchesne, Defense, 148th overall, Guelph (OHL) |
| Ht/Wt: 6’0″ 183, Age: 18, Shoots: R |
| NHL Central Scouting Rank: 75th (NA Skaters) |
| A high-end skater, Beauchesne jumps from spot to spot in the offensive zone. He catches passes at the point, rifles them on net, pinches on loose pucks on the walls, prevents breakouts, moves passes to teammates in the slot, reclaims space across the ice, goes down for a backdoor play, and climbs back up. His feet never stop moving. |
| Jordan Charron, Right Wing, 154th overall, Soo Greyhounds (OHL) |
| Ht/Wt: 6’1″ 190, Age: 18, Shoots: R |
| NHL Central Scouting Rank: 106th (NA Skaters) |
| Charron pursues the puck carrier, cuts through hands to win the puck back, blocks shots, intercepts passes, and ties up sticks on the backcheck. A forceful battler, he works to get possession back, applying a hard shoulder to the chest of opponents, and getting off the wall with the puck. With a quick burst of speed, he occasionally turns the corner on defenders and drives the net. |
| ROUND 6 |
| Carter Sanderson, Forward, 169th overall, Muskegon (USHL) |
| Ht/Wt: 6’1″ 196, Age: 17, Shoots: L |
| NHL Central Scouting Rank: Not ranked (NA Skaters) |
| Sanderson completed his first season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League (USHL), registering 11 points (5G-6A) in 48 games. The 6-foot-1, 196-pound forward tallied an assist in 13 games in the 2025 USHL Playoffs and won the Clark Cup Championship with Muskegon.–NHL.com |
| ROUND 7 |
| Kale Dach, Center, 201st overall, Sherwood Park (BCHL) |
| Ht/Wt: 5’11” 172, Age: 18, Shoots: L |
| NHL Central Scouting Rank: 136th (NA Skaters) |
| A natural playmaker, Dach generates advantages through sharp, snap processing and a mastery of soft skills. His game features one-touch passes, quick hands in tight spaces, subtle delay tactics, and a wide array of handoff plays. |
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