2025 NHL Draft Notebook: Romano, Agafonov, Kettles & More
It’s time to crack open the NHL Draft Notebook once again.
With calendars flipping to March, and soon to April, regular seasons across the hockey world are quickly drawing to a close. High-leverage playoff games are about to get underway, which will tell us a lot about how certain members of the 2025 NHL Draft class will survive, or thrive, when things get to crunch time. Others will have their seasons end abruptly, with another portion will fortunately gear up for any remaining international tournaments or friendlies.
Until then, here’s a look at six selected scouting reports from all corners of the hockey world:
Luca Romano | C | Kitchener (OHL) | MARCH 14, 2025 | RANK: 48
Scouting report by Mike Kennedy
Luca Romano is a steady, two-way center who contributes on both sides of the puck, with his all-around game showing significant growth during his second OHL campaign. He is recognized for his strong skating ability, featuring excellent top-end speed and edge work that allows him to evade attackers and maintain puck control. His vision and puck-handling complement his skating, enabling him to make intelligent decisions and execute plays consistently. Offensively, Romano is a steady scoring threat, particularly in transition and when rushing the puck up ice. He has the ability to suddenly accelerate the pace of play, putting defenders on their heels. While his defensive game is still a work in progress, he is no slouch, with improving defensive awareness and positioning. He competes hard for the puck and is utilized on the penalty kill. Romano needs to add strength to his frame to enhance his effectiveness in front of the net and along the boards. He projects to evolve into a top-six forward at the next level, and rounding out his defensive play while maturing physically will aid his development. It seems likely he will hear his name called in the early second round of the 2025 draft.
Maxim Agafonov | D | Tolpar Ufa (MHL) | March 17, 2025 | RANK: 57
Scouting report by Samuel Tirpak
Maxim Agafonov is a defense-oriented, two-way defenseman who plays a unique game from a defensive standpoint, in my opinion. Unlike the typical calculated defensive defender, he sometimes strays from the ideal positioning but always finds a way to get the job done, whether through a last-ditch effort to strip the puck from a forward or by handling situations down low around the net despite less-than-ideal circumstances. No matter how often I worry he might get beat, he almost never does — a rare quality in a player this young. He is also a strong skater and puck-mover, effectively transitioning the puck to forwards and rarely making mistakes in his own zone that could lead to turnovers. In this game, Agafonov excelled as a safe, shutdown option for his team. He was outstanding defensively, logging significant penalty-kill minutes with good results. What stood out most was his ability to take over defensively when needed, making crucial last-ditch efforts to prevent scoring chances. His stick work and gap control against rushing opponents were particularly impressive. While he joined the attack at times, he didn’t generate scoring chances, but his defensive contributions were stellar. In moments of desperation, he was at his best. Overall, it was a strong game from one of the better defensive defensemen in this class. Agafonov isn’t currently a significant offensive contributor, as that’s not the nature of his game right now. However, given his puck-moving skills, that could change as he develops in a more structured system with a defined role. I could see him breaking out offensively in the KHL in a year or two. To me, he projects as a third-pair defensive specialist who excels in shutting down opponents, handles penalty-killing duties, and maintains strong possession numbers. I anticipate him finishing the season in the late-second or early-third round range for us, and he profiles as a mid-to-late round selection in the 2025 draft based on the history of players with his skill set.
Milton Gastrin | C | MoDo (J20 Nationell) | March 8, 2025 | RANK: 51
Scouting report by Jocke Andersson
Milton Gastrin displays strong skating ability, showcasing excellent acceleration and agility on the ice, with his balance allowing him to evade defenders effectively. He possesses a powerful shot with good accuracy, capable of scoring from a distance and picking corners. His vision on the ice stands out, enabling him to distribute the puck effectively and thread passes through tight spaces to create scoring opportunities for teammates. Gastrin has excellent puck control, allowing him to maneuver in traffic and beat defenders one-on-one. He shows a solid understanding of two-way play, diligently backchecking and working hard to support his defense while effectively disrupting opponents and forcing turnovers. While not the most physically imposing player, Gastrin uses his body effectively to shield the puck, engaging in board battles and displaying a competitive edge against larger opponents. His understanding of the game is commendable for his age, as he makes smart decisions with the puck, knowing when to shoot or pass, and his positioning is often well-calibrated, allowing him to capitalize on scoring chances. Gastrin demonstrates a strong work ethic both on and off the ice, engaging well with teammates and displaying leadership qualities. His competitive spirit is evident, and he shows a willingness to learn and improve his game continuously. If he maintains his development progress, Gastrin could be a late second-round pick in the 2025 draft.
Sascha Boumedienne | D | Boston University (NCAA) | March 8, 2025 | RANK: 37
Scouting report by Greysen Goudy
Sascha Boumedienne looked much more comfortable in this game than in his previous NCAA appearances, showing clear signs of adjustment to the higher level of play. As the youngest player in the NCAA, I think it’s important to focus on the tools he possesses and how he could grow into them rather than judging him solely on his current usage. With that in mind, Boumedienne has a strong foundation as a two-way defenseman. His skating is great — quick, agile, and exceptionally smooth in backward motion. On the breakout, he uses his feet well to snap up retrievals and create separation from the first forechecker, allowing him to make a solid first pass to start the breakout. Defensively, his rush defense is already quite effective, largely due to his strong footwork and long reach. He positions himself well to disrupt plays and doesn’t often get caught out of position. While there’s a lot to like about his skating and transitional game, I don’t see huge upside in terms of his overall skill set. He’s not particularly dynamic or technically gifted beyond his skating and first pass. That said, Boumedienne absolutely projects as a mobile depth NHL defenseman. His ability to skate at a high level and make simple but effective plays should allow him to carve out a role at the next level, even if he doesn’t develop into a high-end producer. If he continues to refine his game, he could become a reliable bottom-four defenseman who plays steady minutes in a supporting role. I’d be comfortable taking Boumedienne in the mid-second round of the 2025 draft.
Zachary Morin | RW | Saint John (QMJHL) | February 27, 2025 | RANK: 74
Scouting report by Joey Fortin Boulay
Zachary Morin is a talented forward who possesses slick puck skills, underrated vision, a projectable frame, and some grit to his game. He’s a player who’s eager to have the puck on his stick, break out into transition, drive plays with confidence in possession, and beat his counterparts from the outside with speed and power. He follows routes, drives the net, and generates traction from cycling and wall activation efficiently. Used at the half-wall on the power play, he waits patiently and uses hesitation moves to open seams, finding his teammates with firm, rapid feeds. He’s also not afraid to go net-front, showing good hand-eye coordination for tip-ins, and exploits a lethal one-timer from both circles. Morin is not overly aggressive on the forecheck, as he mostly focuses on eliminating passing lanes and intercepting pucks, showing excellent stick and body positioning when facing the puck carrier and creating turnovers through anticipation. He can be a bit scrappy at times, playing with a mean edge, lending checks whenever he has the chance and delivering some shots to opponents when the referee isn’t looking their way. Morin moves fluidly with agile feet and edgework, allowing him to change directions abruptly and generate surprising rushing speed through his first few strides. However, he seems to lean forward at times, putting weight on his toes while skating, which limits his explosiveness. He can also be knocked off balance along the boards and sometimes gets caught trying to do too much, resulting in turnovers. I thought he was passive at times, a bit inconsistent, and not always engaged enough in battles, lacking that extra effort. He needs to get to his spots and close up on opponents quicker. He could also have more pace with the puck and show better problem-solving abilities in tight spaces and corners. To be honest, he’s a bit of a head-scratcher to evaluate, as he can show a lot of promise in inconsistent ways and lacks a clear identity in terms of what he can bring to a team at the professional level. He’s a riskier prospect than most, but there’s a valuable reward if he develops well. If he reaches his potential, you have a sizeable forward with smooth hands and solid offensive acumen. Morin is an offensively well-rounded prospect with middle-six upside, but his development will depend on whether he figures out how to be more impactful off the puck and fine-tunes his pace. I see him as an early third-round pick in the 2025 draft.
Peyton Kettles | D | Swift Current (WHL) | February 26, 2025 | RANK: 76
Scouting report by Kareem Elshafey
Peyton Kettles plays a hard-nosed, stay-at-home defensive style, getting the vast majority of his starts in the defensive zone and on the penalty kill. He’s a good skater for his size, but his turns, pivots, and overall lateral movement are slower, which hinders his ability to defend the rush to a certain extent, as speedy forwards can beat him on the outside. His gap control is also slightly inconsistent, ranging from being too aggressive to sitting back a bit too much, allowing forwards to get shots off. In the defensive zone, Kettles consistently gets in shooting lanes to block shots and uses his reach to disrupt the flow of play low in the zone. He does a solid job of killing plays and preventing the puck from reaching dangerous areas. The advantage of his size usually comes from leaning on opponents and using efficient methods to separate man from puck rather than looking for the big hit. The shortcomings in Kettles’ game are what really limit him and are primarily related to his puck skills. His lack of playmaking and puck-handling abilities impacts how well he deals with pressure, leading to jagged breakouts and questionable decision-making. There will be obvious interest in Kettles as a draft prospect because of his size and ability to defend, but in my opinion, significant development with the puck on his stick is needed, and improvements to some aspects of his rush defense will also help his cause. For me, Kettles fits in the late third-round range of the 2025 draft, with a team believing that, with further development, he can become a third-pair defender who plays a heavy, defensive game.
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