With the 2024-2025 hockey season set to begin for leagues based in the US, it feels like a good time to release my preseason top 10. While this is by no means how I expect the board to fall come draft time, I do believe that it’s an interesting way to gauge where players are at during the start of their Draft year and a solid basis to look back at in a few months to see how players have grown. Without further ado, let’s get into it:
1. James Hagens – Boston College (NCAA)
Position: C
Height/Weight: 5’10/176 lbs
Birthday: November 3rd, 2006
Place of Birth: Hauppauge, NY, USA
The US centerman looks to be the first American player to be taken with the first overall pick in the NHL draft since Jack Hughes in 2019. James Hagens is absolutely one of the most skilled players in this draft in every area. He has great feet with edges that generate power and allow for top-notch agility, hands that let him put pucks in prime scoring chances for both himself and his linemates, and a quick release that can beat goalies clean. While Hagens has been in the spotlight for years in this draft class, his lead isn’t as safe as many people think. With that being said, a great season at Boston College (where he will spend time on a line with some of the best players in the NCAA) will make it hard for this year’s lottery winner to say no to the package he brings.
2. Logan Hensler – University of Wisconsin (NCAA)
Position: RHD
Height/Weight: 6’2/196 lbs
Birthday: October 14th, 2006
Place of Birth: Woodbury, MN, USA
There are quite a few “larger” defensemen in this year’s draft that could hear their name called early. Logan Hensler is quite easily the best in my mind. His 6 ‘2 frame, skating ability, and two-way play along with being right-handed will have teams running up to the stage to select him on draft day. He is taking the fast track this year by playing with the Badgers as a true freshman, something that could see him really solidify his place as this year’s top draft-eligible defenseman. I am extremely interested to see how both sides of his game translate to a full NCAA schedule this year.
3. Charlie Trethewey – USNTDP
Position: RHD
Height/Weight: 6’1/190 lbs
Birthday: August 2nd, 2007
Place of Birth: Ellicott City, MD, USA
Charlie Trethewey, a 6’1, 190 lbs right-handed defenseman, looks to improve upon his solid showing last year for the USNTDP. If I had to choose one player on this list as a “dark horse” to shoot up draft rankings come June, it would likely be Trethewey, who is one of the youngest players in this draft class. He possesses solid hands and a hard shot from the point that he uses alongside his skating ability to provide offense for his team. There is definitely growth needed, as I would like to see him make better use of his frame and be more assertive in transition, but this kid could be the full package for a team that is willing to be patient with his development.
4. Adam Benak – Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
Position: C
Height/Weight: 5’7/161 lbs
Birthday: April 10th, 2007
Place of Birth: Plzen, Czechia
I hate putting Benak anywhere but the #2 spot. He is an absolute firecracker on the ice and has one of the best motors in a prospect I have ever seen. Benak possesses immense skill, having impressed the entire scouting community with his ability to put pucks in great areas for his teammates at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. He is also an excellent skater with feet quicker than most pro players.
The biggest issue that Benak will have to overcome is his size. While he is a dangerous player on both sides of the puck, there are some serious questions about how his 5’7 frame will translate to the pro game. There are a few instances from my viewings of Benak where he has put himself in vulnerable positions, which is especially concerning for a player of his stature. While nothing extremely severe has come from this, it does make me nervous about him as an already diminutive forward. Watching him in the USHL will be a treat this year and could be a huge step in his development before the draft.
5. William Moore – USNTDP
Position: C
Height/Weight: 6’2/161 lbs
Birthday: March 24th, 2007
Place of Birth: Mississauga, Ontario
It has certainly been an interesting journey for Moore so far. He is a dual citizen (US/CAN), but primarily played in Canada for his youth hockey years. After getting denied exceptional status in the OHL, he decided to make use of his US Passport and play for the U17 USNTDP team. He is one of a few larger 2025 eligible centermen, although he has considerable room to add weight to his frame at about 160 lbs.
Moore is another player that really hurts to rank *this low*. In drafts of this article, I had him as high as the #3 spot, and I could see him climbing there by the midway point of this season. He is a great skater and has plenty of talent when he has the puck, but I would like to see improvement off of it in both zones. If he manages this, I really do think he could be one of the first 4 or 5 centers off the board in this year’s draft.
6. Sascha Boumedienne – Boston University
Position: LHD
Height/Weight: 6’2/183 lbs
Birthday: January 17th, 2007
Place of Birth: Oulu, Finland
Boumedienne is a prototypical new-age defenseman whose mobility allows him to cover the entirety of the ice sheet. He was one of the players that I was most excited to watch at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup last month, however, I came away relatively disappointed like many others. He didn’t necessarily have a horrible tournament, but you would expect someone who has started to be talked about as a top 2-3 defenseman in this draft to shine more against his peers. BU will be a great place for him to develop his overall game, where, aside from his tremendous skating ability, he has room to grow in almost every facet. I will be keeping a close eye on him this year, as he has the ability to fly up this list.
7. Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen – University of Michigan (NCAA)
Position: LHD
Height/Weight: 6’0/181 lbs
Birthday: December 18th, 2006
Place of Birth: Northville, MI, USA
Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen is still a bit of a puzzle to me. While he didn’t put up eye-popping offensive numbers last year, almost every viewing has resulted in him climbing my personal rankings. He is one of those players that, when you watch him he oozes poise and you can tell he has a thorough understanding of how to play the game the right way. He is also one of those defenders who can make whoever he is paired with look much more talented than when they are across from another player. Playing for UMich this year will provide scouts with a better understanding of what his upside looks like. He is one of two prospects (the other being Benak) on this list that I will actively try to watch every chance I get.
8. Cullen Potter – Arizona State University (NCAA)
Position: LW
Height/Weight: 5’9/161 lbs
Birthday: January 10th, 2007
Place of Birth: Hortonville, WI, USA
The Wisconsin native is looking to take a big step from a decent year for the USNTDP. Cullen Potter is another small player, being listed between 5’9 and 5’10 by varying sources, but this kid can absolutely fly. He is one of the best skaters in this draft, and like Benak, he has a bit of bite to his game. He has enough skill with the puck to put defenders in a blender and has excellent awareness of how to change gears as a form of elusiveness and deception. Jumping straight into college as a true freshman will be an interesting test for him. I would like to see him continue to grow in both special teams situations, where he has shown he can be a valuable asset, as it could be another boost to his draft stock.
9. Conrad Fondrk – USNTDP
Position: C
Height/Weight: 5’11/174 lbs
Birthday: June 1st, 2007
Place of Birth: St. Paul’s, MN, USA
Conrad Fondrk, like a few others, has room to massively jump up this list depending on his season this year. He has a tantalizing skillset and an already pretty solid frame with room to grow. Albeit watching him less closely than a few others on this list, I have come away from viewings hoping that he would have a more consistent motor on a shift-to-shift basis. With that being said, when he has the puck, he can absolutely dazzle. I am excited to see what he’s got this year.
10. Cole McKinney (C) – USNTDP
Position: C
Height/Weight: 6’/190 lbs
Birthday: March 16th, 2007
Place of Birth: Chicago, IL, USA
The 6’0 center is a bit different from the other players above him in the sense that I don’t believe he has the chance to be an extremely high-end player. While his ceiling may not be as high as the others I have ranked ahead of him, Cole McKinney’s skillset is highly translatable to pro hockey and that could make him a very valuable middle 6’er to a playoff team. McKinney is a detail-oriented player who earned a brief stint with the U18 team last year, although he played in a relatively conservative role. This year will be a telling year for McKinney and what a realistic picture of his ceiling looks like.
HM: LJ Mooney, Ben Kevan, Jack Murtagh
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Featured Image Credit: Tomas Zubrus
