2025 NHL Draft Combine Notebook: What we learned
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Just under 100 prospects spent the past week in Buffalo to give one lasting impression ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft.
Players were split into groups containing between 6-8 players, taking turns doing various drills in 30-minute increments. And when they were done, that was it – the final chapter in their draft season.
Daily Faceoff was in person on Friday and Saturday, and it’s time to empty the notebook:
– The Montreal Canadiens are known for their… strange questions. One of them this year: what would you do if you were stranded on an island with one other person and there was a baseball bat and a water bottle. You both want the water bottle, but you can’t share the bottle – what do you take? Jack Nesbitt said he’d use the bat and take the water. (He also said he thinks the Habs have a lot of interest in him, for what it’s worth). Caleb Desnoyers said he’d hit a home run.
– Another one: “You see a $100 bill that’s in a pile of dirt and a $20 bill that’s sitting on a bench and easily available. What do you take?” Some players said both, while others said they wouldn’t be too worried because they’d be in Montreal and making good money.
– The infamous animal question also made the rounds this year. Eddie Genborg said he’d be a moose because “they’re big and strong.”
– Adam Benák is one of the smallest prospects in the draft. but scouts were hoping he’d be a bit bigger than his 5-foot-7 designation. He wasn’t, but there are scouts who believe he could still get drafted in the mid-rounds based on his pure skill and playmaking. For what it’s worth, I love him – he’s a human highlight-reel and I’d take him despite his smaller frame.
– Many people I talked to think Kashawn Aitcheson will be the second defenseman off the board, and I’d love that. He hits hard, plays hard and can score. I don’t think he’ll produce a lot in the NHL but that’s fine – he does so many other defensive things really, really well. For what it’s worth, the Pittsburgh Penguins were the only one to bring him to dinner.
– Three names that got thrown out a lot as the toughest player to play against: Radim Mrtka, Anton Frondell and Brady Martin.
–Martin is the highest-profile prospect who will not attend the NHL Draft, as he’ll stay back home to work on the family farm. Don’t be surprised if he’s taken at No. 4.
– Speaking of Frondell, he said he and Victor Eklund did all their drills together today to help push each other to set the best scores possible. The pair of Djurgardens forwards talked about their chemistry and friendship on Friday afternoon.
– One name that has appeared MANY times today when talking about the player they want to model their game after: Adam Lowry.
– Some CHL players didn’t want to talk too much about the idea of entertaining NCAA commitments. Cole Reschny, who will play for North Dakota next year, shared his thoughts on the move from Victoria: “I feel like that’s the right decision for me, going to North Dakota, giving my body my mind the right time to develop and work on that side of my game. It’s gonna be a big focus of mine. It was an extremely tough decision, but I thought it was the right one for me.
– World around the combine is that Jackson Smith will visit Penn State in the coming days.
– Jack Ivankovic went through five sets of pads this year, which is unusual. But he said he loved being creative while working alongside Bauer. “I never really want to stick with the same design. Sometimes I like just changing it up a little bit.” He said his blue and white pinstripe pads from the start of the year was his favorite, noting it featured the names of members of his family. Of note, Ivankovic was listed at 5-foot-11 and a half.
– Matthew Schaefer, the projected top pick in 2025, hasn’t played since the second game of the World Junior Championship in December. When he was asked what he had improved the most since then, he said “I think my talking ability got better.”
– Roger McQueen suffered a back injury early in the season that limited his game action to just 20 games between the regular season and the playoffs. McQueen completed nine pull-ups, demonstrating excellent physical strength.
– Carter Amico is BIG. He didn’t play most of the season due to a broken leg, but he hopes to be in the mix for the World Junior Summer Showcase in late July. He clocked in at 6-foot-5.5 and 232 pounds.
– James Hagens was listed as 171 pounds in his final year with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. Amid criticism that he isn’t bulky enough, he clocked in at 186 pounds today – and definitely has a lot more muscle to work with.
– Ryker Lee was listed as 5-foot-10 and 154 pounds when he joined the Madison Capitols last fall. He’s now 6-foot-0.25 and looks significantly stronger. He said he’s still working on adjusting to his size, especially with his skating. Lee’s growth spurt helped him shoot up draft boards, with some thinking he’ll become a first-rounder.
– Lots of USTNDP players considered Mace’o Phillips to be one of the best in the room due to his personality and how he’s always getting guys to smile. That’s in huge contrast to his play style, where he’s known for putting guys through the glass and finished his 111-game USNTDP career with 166 penalty minutes.
– The Columbus Blue Jackets talked to just about every notable defenseman and goaltender. Joshua Ravensbergen, anyone?
– One of the most fascinating prospects is Mason West, who stands tall at 6-foot-6.25 and 218 pounds. Aside from being a top 90 prospect in 2025, he’s also a high-end quarterback at Edina High School. West told the media today that he will focus on hockey after his next football season.”I just want to stay loyal to my teammates. My goal for the football season next year is to win a state championship. I’ve been able to do that in hockey but not in football yet.” What happens if bigger schools come calling, though? “That would not change the dynamic. I’m all in on hockey,” he said, adding that his (limited) experience with the Fargo Force made him committed to playing hockey moving forward.
– William Horcoff set a new long jump record at 124.75 inches. EJ Emery previously set the record of 123 inches last year. The 6-foot-4.75, 203-pound winger is the son of former NHLer Shawn Horcoff. William said the one teammate from his Dad’s era that he’d love to play with is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, whom Horcoff remembers meeting with when he was five years old.
– Porter Martone said Marc-Andre Fleury sewed the cuffs of Adam Fantilli’s pants together during the World Championship so he couldn’t walk after a game. Fleury’s agent, Allan Walsh, later tweeted that Fantilli had asked Fleury for a stick and offered to be pranked as payment.
– It’s rare to see a draft prospect sporting visible tattoos. David Bedowski had one on his left arm with a dagger that said “Fear God”, while goaltender Elijah Neuenschwander had a designed created by his grandfather, who is an artist.
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