The WHL is set to play a big role in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Leading up to the draft, we at The Hockey News will be profiling some of the players who are projected to hear their names called at the end of June. Today's prospect is Reese Hamilton, who plays for the Regina Pats.
Hamilton's biggest strength, without a shadow of a doubt, is his skating. Explosive strides, smooth edgework, the former Calgary Hitmen blueliner has ways to close gaps and push opposing skaters to the outside. Once he gets there, a finished body check is likely on the way and puck possession will change hands.
However, the Pats defender at one point was a top-15 player in the 2025 class. Since the beginning of the season, he has fallen to somehwere in the 125-175 range. As is the case with multiple players in the past, this isn't a death sentence; Hamilton does have the tools to become a solid defender in the NHL, especially with his skating, but the offensive output could use some work.
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Former New Jersey Devils forward Fabian Zetterlund has landed a nice payday.
According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Ottawa Senators are signing Fabian Zetterlund to a three-year contract extension that comes with a $4.275 million average annual value.
Deadline-acquired Fabian Zetterlund is signing a 3 x $4.275M extension in Ottawa
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 19, 2025
Zetterlund, 25, was traded by the San Jose Sharks to the Senators at the 2025 NHL trade deadline in a bit of a surprising deal. Before the trade, Zetterlund was a key part of the Sharks' forward group and had 36 points in 64 games with San Jose this season.
Following the move to the Senators, Zetterlund struggled to find his fit. In 20 regular-season games with Ottawa, he had two goals, five points, and a minus-1 rating. He also did not record a point in six playoff games. However, it is hard to believe that he does not have the potential to heat back up next season, as he is a solid second-line forward when playing at his best. Thus, it makes sense the Senators have re-signed him to this three-year deal.
Zetterlund's best season in the NHL thus far was in 2023-24 with the Sharks. In 82 games during that campaign, he set career highs with 24 goals and 44 points.
Zetterlund was selected by the Devils with the 63rd overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. In two seasons in New Jersey, he posted nine goals, 28 points, and a plus-9 rating. His time with the Devils ended when he was traded to the Sharks in the trade that brought Timo Meier to New Jersey.
Devils Have Perfect Erik Haula Replacement In Canucks CenterThe New Jersey Devils made a notable move on June 18, trading forward Erik Haula to the Nashville Predators. Haula had been in the rumor mill with the summer here, and now the Devils have officially moved him.
Photo Credit: © Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
Unless Kent Hughes pulls the trigger on a trade, the Montreal Canadiens will get to speak twice in the first round of the NHL draft on June 27. Thanks to the trade in which they acquired Sean Monahan in August 2022, they now hold the 16th overall pick, which previously belonged to the Calgary Flames, as well as their pick, the 17th overall.
Over the years, the Habs have selected 17th overall seven times. There were some hits, some misses, but there were also some players they should have held onto longer.
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The first time Montreal picked at number 17 was back in 1966; that year, the Sainte-Flanelle opted for centre Jude Drouin. The Murdochville, PQ native looked like a promising forward, and until he wore the Tricolore, he was a very productive player. In 1969-70 with the Montreal Voyageurs of the AHL, he recorded 106 points in 65 games. In the NHL, however, he was held off the scoresheet in three games after mustering only two assists in nine games the previous year, which prompted the Canadiens to trade him to the Minnesota North Stars for a player to be named later, who turned out to be Bill Collins. While he spent only 40 games with the Canadiens before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings, he was part of the package Montreal sent to the Wings to acquire Frank Mahovlich, so that we can count that one as a win.
In 1973, the Sainte-Flanelle picked Glenn Goldup with the 17th overall pick. A left-shot winger who was unable to crack a powerhouse Canadiens’ roster and would only play 18 NHL games in town before the Tricolore traded him alongside a third-round pick at the 1978 draft to the Los Angeles Kings for two picks, a third-round and a first-round one at the same draft. Those picks would turn into Moe Robinson and Danny Geoffrion, son of former legend Bernard Geoffrion and father of future Hab Blake Geoffrion. Unfortunately for the Canadiens, Boom Boom’s son didn’t possess his father’s talent and played only 111 games in the NHL, including 32 with Montreal.
That didn’t stop the Canadiens from betting on family genes when they drafted Dave Hunter at the 1978 draft. Dale and Mark’s brother elected to play in the WHA for the Edmonton Oilers, and stayed with them when they became an NHL team. Hunter played 746 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Winnipeg Jets, accumulating 323 points and winning three Stanley Cups. He was, however, the least productive of the three brothers, Mark wrapping up his career with 384 points and 1,428 penalty minutes, while Dale scored 1,020 points and 3,563 penalty minutes.
In 1983, the Canadiens picked Alfie Turcotte (father of Los Angeles player Alex Turcotte) with the 17th pick. They played part of three seasons in the NHL with the Habs with mixed results before they traded him for future considerations to the Edmonton Oilers. Less than a year later, they reacquired him for cash before trading him away a second time, to the Winnipeg Jets for future considerations. In the end, Turcotte played a total of 112 NHL games and picked up 46 points before heading overseas to continue his career.
Then, in 1987, Montreal selected Andrew Cassels with the 17th overall pick. The left-shot center then played a couple more dominating seasons in the OHL, posting 285 points in 117 games with the Ottawa 67’s. After that, he spent a year with the Sherbrooke Canadiens in the American Hockey League (AHL), accumulating 67 points in 55 games before advancing to the NHL for the 1990-91 season. In his only complete season in Montreal, he scored 25 points in 54 games. Then, in September, the Canadiens traded him to the Hartford Whalers for a 1992 second-round pick who turned into Valeri Bure. Cassels would go on to play 1015 NHL games, registering 732 points in the process.
In 1991, when the Quebec Nordiques selected Eric Lindros first overall, the New Jersey Devils selected Scott Niedermayer with the third pick, and the New York Rangers selected Alexei Kovalev at 15th overall, the Canadiens opted for 6-foot-4, 230-pound defenseman Brent Bilodeau. The supersized defenseman would go on to play 122 games with the Fredericton Canadiens in the American Hockey League (AHL). Bilodeau is the only first-round pick from that draft who never played a single NHL game; this one was truly a wasted selection.
Finally, in 2011, when Montreal last picked 17th, they chose left-shot defenseman Nathan Beaulieu. He wasn’t a bad pick and played 225 games with the Canadiens, gathering 60 points in the process. Then, in June 2017, Montreal traded him to the Buffalo Sabres in return for a third-round pick, which they used to select Scott Walford, who they never signed. As for Beaulieu, he went on to play 471 games in the NHL with the Sabres, Jets, and Anaheim Ducks before heading overseas to continue his professional career.
Just like with the 16th overall pick, the Canadiens have had mixed results with the 17th overall pick. They got their money’s worth with Drouin, who eventually landed him, Mahovlich, and Cassells were hands down their best pick, but they didn’t have the patience to wait for him to develop correctly.
Photo credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-Imagn Images
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2025 NHL mock draft: Best fit for Bruins, every team's first-round pick originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The 2025 Stanley Cup Final concluded Tuesday with the Florida Panthers beating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 to secure their second straight championship.
And now the offseason has officially begun.
The most notable event on the calendar is the 2025 NHL Draft, which starts in eight days. This year’s draft class is impressive, especially at the center position. That’s good news for the Boston Bruins, who will pick No. 7 overall after failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Check out our 2025 NHL mock draft below:
Zonnon ranked fifth in assists and tied for seventh in points among QMJHL players last season. The Flames scored the fourth-fewest goals of any team in 2024-25 and could use a dynamic offensive player like him in their prospect pool.
Kindel doesn’t have a ton of size, but his speed and playmaking ability would be a nice boost for the Flyers, who currently own three first-round picks in this draft.
After taking a couple centers with first-round picks (including the No. 2 pick below), it’s time to add some depth on the wing in San Jose. Spartans forward Shane Vansaghi would be among the best available at the position this late in Round 1.
Gastrin is a reliable, two-way center who can excel in all situations. He could maybe be a Jordan Staal replacement at some point in Carolina.
Brzustewicz is poised with the puck, he has a high hockey IQ and enough offensive skill to generate scoring chances at the NHL level. He played a huge role in the London Knights winning the 2025 Memorial Cup.
Potter’s goal-scoring ability and speed make him an exciting prospect. In fact, if he falls all the way to the late first round, he could end up being a huge steal. The only concern is his lack of size at 5-foot-9.
Ravensbergen is considered by many experts to be the top-ranked goalie prospect in the 2025 draft class. With veteran Juuse Saros signed long-term, the Predators could allow Ravensbergen to develop at the right pace and not rush him to the NHL. His size (6-foot-5), athleticism and poise are all impressive.
Boumedienne was the youngest player in NCAA hockey last season and showed tremendous improvement throughout the campaign. His hockey IQ is fantastic. After taking Artyom Levshunov at No. 2 overall last year, the addition of Boumedienne would give the Blackhawks really strong depth and high-end talent at defenseman in their prospect pool.
Prokhorov is a talented goal scorer with excellent size (6-foot-6 and 220 pounds). His power forward kind of style would be a nice fit on the Kings.
The Predators were the second-lowest scoring team in the league last season. Spence would be among the best goal scorers available at this stage of the draft, and his top-end speed is a nice bonus.
The Flyers desperately need to find a No. 1 defenseman of the future, and Fiddler would be a nice get for them with the No. 22 pick, even if he’s a few years away from making a real impact at the NHL level. His skating ability for a player listed at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds is quite impressive.
The Senators got back to the playoffs for the first time since 2017 but lost to the Maple Leafs in the first round. They scored more than two goals in just two of the six games. A well-rounded center with offensive upside in Jack Nesbitt would be a safe choice for the Senators.
Hensler is a good skater and a strong defender who could excel in a shutdown role. His offensive skill set needs to improve if he’s going to maximize his potential, but there’s a lot to like in his game.
Cootes led Seattle in scoring with 63 points in 60 games, nearly doubling his offensive output from the previous season. He also has strong leadership skills and captained Canada to a gold medal at the 2025 U-18 World Championship. His play style is actually pretty similar to Blues captain Brayden Schenn.
If you look at the top 10 prospects in the Flames’ system, not many of them are centers. Reschny had a strong second half of the season for Victoria and his draft stock has risen as a result. He also showed dramatic improvement offensively with 92 points (26 goals, 66 assists) last season — 33 more than he had in the 2023-24 campaign.
The Canadiens exceeded expectations this season by making the playoffs as a wild card team, and they have two first-round picks to add more premium talent to their organization.
Reid’s two-way skill set and high hockey IQ make him a good fit for Montreal in this spot.
Carbonneau’s 46 goals were tied for the second-most in the QMJHL this past season. And he’s not just a scorer. He plays a hard, heavy game and is relentless on the forecheck. It wouldn’t take long for him to become a fan favorite in Montreal.
If the Canucks keep this pick, Victor Eklund would be a smart choice here. The Swedish winger would add some much-needed speed, skill and toughness to the Canucks forward group.
Bear’s elite offensive skill and high compete level would help make him a nice fit with what the Blue Jackets are building.
You don’t see many 6-foot-4 forwards show the kind of puck-handling and scoring prowess that Lakovic did in the WHL this past season.
A 6-foot-3 defenseman with a polished two-way skill set is exactly what the Rangers need.
The Penguins need to find a No. 1 defenseman of the future, and Aitcheson fits the bill. He ranked third among all OHL defensemen with 59 points in 64 games last season.
The Ducks are in the top 10 of the first round for the fifth straight year. Three of their previous four picks in this range were forwards, including Beckett Sennecke at No. 3 overall last year. With so many of the top forwards off the board, it would make the most sense for the Ducks to add a blue-chip defenseman prospect in Radim Mrtka. He plays a lot like Lightning star Victor Hedman.
The Sabres could opt to take the best center available here, but with so many of them already off the board, a wing with Martone’s offensive and physical traits makes a lot of sense. He would likely be a good fit alongside Tage Thompson at some point.
The Kraken have drafted a center in the top 10 in two of the last three years, but McQueen is too talented of a prospect to pass on here. And frankly, he might be gone at this point depending on how teams view these centers. McQueen has drawn comparisons to Ducks legend Ryan Getzlaf with his size (6-foot-5) and two-way skill set.
It’s no secret the Bruins need a center. They haven’t drafted well at that position for a long time. Luckily for the B’s, they have a top 10 pick (their first since 2011) in a draft that’s loaded with quality centers.
O’Brien is the best center available at this point in Round 1. He has a really strong two-way skill set with the high-end offensive talent to consistently create scoring chances for himself and teammates. He tallied 66 assists in 66 games for Brantford last season.
Hagens didn’t score as much as some expected for Boston College, but he is an elite playmaker and a great skater. He has top-six center potential for a Flyers organization that needs more high-end talent at that position.
Martin’s draft stock has risen quite a bit in recent weeks. He plays a lot like 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett, and general managers love those kinds of players.
The Mammoth jumped 10 spots in the draft lottery, allowing them to select one of the best center prospects available. Caleb Desnoyers makes the most sense here. His offensive upside is tremendous. He also won the Guy LaFleur Trophy as QMJHL playoff MVP this past season.
Frondell and Connor Bedard as a 1-2 punch at center long-term is an exciting scenario for Blackhawks fans. Frondell is not only highly skilled, he plays a true power forward style of hockey.
The Sharks drafted center Macklin Celebrini at No. 1 in 2024 and center Will Smith at No. 4 overall in 2023. But with no defenseman worthy of the No. 2 pick in this class (assuming Schaefer goes No. 1 to the Islanders), taking another forward in Misa should be an easy choice. Misa is the No. 1 ranked forward in this draft. He is the complete package offensively and led the CHL in scoring with 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games.
The Islanders got lucky and jumped all the way up from No. 10 to No. 1 in the draft lottery. It might be tempting to take Misa here, but with veteran centers Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal signed long term, it would be hard to fault the Islanders for going with Matthew Schaefer. He could be a top-pairing defenseman for a decade.