2025 NHL Draft Notebook: Westergard, Ryabkin, Bear & More
We’re halfway through the scouting season, and with the calendar flipping from January to February it’s time to crack open our notebook for the 2025 NHL Draft.
Here’s a look at six selected scouting reports from all corners of the hockey world.
Max Westergard | LW | Frölunda (J20 Nationell) | JAN. 5, 2025 | RANK: NR
Scouting report by Jocke Andersson
Max Westergard is a well-rounded player with a bright future ahead of him. His combination of speed, playmaking ability, and hockey IQ makes him a valuable asset for his team. He is an intriguing prospect currently playing centerman, showing his positional versatility. He has demonstrated a strong understanding of the game at this stage of his career, making him a key player on the ice. One of Westergard’s standout attributes is his skating ability. He possesses excellent speed and agility, allowing him to navigate through defenders with ease. His quick acceleration and ability to change direction quickly makes him a constant threat in transition. This speed not only aids in offensive plays but also allows him to backtrack effectively, contributing to his defensive responsibilities. Offensively, Westergard is a playmaker at heart. His vision on the ice is really good; he has a knack for finding open teammates and creating scoring opportunities. He excels at reading the game, anticipating plays, and making smart decisions under pressure. His passing skills are sharp, and he can deliver the puck accurately, whether it’s a simple drop pass or a cross-ice feed. Additionally, his shooting ability is noteworthy. Westergard has a powerful wrist shot and a quick release, making him dangerous from various positions on the ice. He often positions himself in high-danger areas, ready to capitalize on opportunities. Overall, Westergard understands the importance of two-way play and often engages in backchecking to support his defensemen. His anticipation and positioning allows him to disrupt opposing plays and he is not afraid to challenge players along the boards when necessary. However, there is room for improvement in his physical play; he could benefit from being more aggressive and using his body to win battles along the boards. As he continues to develop and refine his game, he has the potential to make an impact at higher levels of competition. He is one of the top Finnish players for the 2025 draft in what’s otherwise a really weak draft class. I anticipate him being a mid-round selection in the 2025 draft.
Ivan Ryabkin | C | Muskegon (USHL) | JAN. 3, 2025 | RANK: 10
Scouting report by Jacob Roth
Ivan Ryabkin is a high-end playmaking center who can create from anywhere on the ice. His passing ability stands out on almost every shift, as he draws extra defenders while carrying the puck and takes full advantage of the open player. He reads plays exceptionally well both on and off the puck. His first goal was a direct result of reading defensive mistakes by the NTDP; when three players dropped below the goal line, he immediately recognized the opportunity, attacked the net, and was left all alone for a tap-in. However, his effort level was inconsistent at times. On some shifts, he played with incredible intensity, finishing checks, pursuing pucks, and playing right on the edge, which amplified his playmaking ability. On other shifts, he appeared disengaged and as though he was going through the motions. Another area for improvement is his skating. While he is strong on his skates, he lacks the speed to consistently beat players one-on-one. It was his first game after transitioning from Russia, so an adjustment period is expected, but there were plenty of positives to take from his USHL debut. Ryabkin’s elite passing skill should be enough to make him a first-round selection in the 2025 draft, though his inconsistency and skating leave him as a somewhat challenging player to project.
Carter Bear | C | Everett (WHL) | JAN. 13, 2025 | RANK: 35
Scouting report by Kohen Willis Dengler
Carter Bear is a versatile two-way player with elite skating ability and a strong hockey IQ, capable of playing both center and wing. His dynamic speed and agility allow him to be a constant presence on the ice, always moving in the offensive zone to find open ice and create chances. Bear’s ability to cut and change direction, combined with excellent hands, makes him elusive in tight spaces, and he pairs this with a physical edge, consistently finishing hits and engaging in battles. He is highly intelligent, often anticipating plays and predicting where defenders will be, which enables him to excel as an F3 and contribute effectively on both special teams. His passing is smart and accurate, complementing his offensive and defensive contributions. However, Bear sometimes overthinks the game, leading to hesitation, and has a tendency to play cautiously in the offensive zone, staying behind the puck instead of driving to the net or engaging more directly. While his wall play and forechecking need improvement, his hockey sense and skating provide a solid foundation for growth. In this first viewing of Bear this season, he showed significant potential as a two-way forward, with his game trending positively as he continues to refine his skills. I project him as a middle-six NHL forward with top-six upside. Bear’s combination of elite skating, high IQ, and physicality positions him as a likely mid-to-late second-round pick in the 2025 draft, offering the potential to become a dynamic contributor at the next level.
Cameron Reid | D | Kitchener (OHL) | JAN. 15, 2025 | RANK: 33
Scouting report by Joseph Aleong
Cameron Reid is a very smart, smooth-skating defenseman who uses his mobility and quick processing ability to make a positive impact at both ends of the ice despite lacking the physicality of other big-minute defenders. He is an excellent skater with strong four-way mobility, using his agility to create space from opposing players and find lanes in the offensive zone. While he doesn’t have elite top-end speed, he compensates with great anticipation and positional awareness, enabling him to defend rush chances and stop odd-man plays at his own blue line. Reid makes excellent decisions with the puck, utilizing his skating to exit the defensive zone quickly and carry the puck with control into the offensive end. He processes the game at high speed, executing plays with pace and consistently generating chances by drawing defenders out of position to create space. Defensively, Reid displays good instincts and an active stick, compensating for his lack of physicality with strong timing and awareness to disrupt cycle plays and win puck battles along the boards. Although he may struggle to defend against top competition at the pro level, his impressive skating, instincts, and high-end awareness and IQ project him as a top-four defender with power-play potential in the NHL. He could be a strong candidate for a late first-round pick in the 2025 draft.
Justin Carbonneau | RW | Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL) | JAN. 18, 2025 | RANK: 15
Scouting report by Nathanial Duffett
Justin Carbonneau is an elite offensive winger who demonstrates tremendous upside as a scorer at the next level. He was a step above everyone on the ice in this game, consistently generating offensive opportunities at will. Carbonneau has an eye for getting himself open in the offensive zone for scoring chances and works effectively with his playmaking linemates. While he stayed away from the dirty areas in this game, his playstyle didn’t require him to go there to be effective. Carbonneau could improve his first-step quickness, but once he gained momentum through the neutral zone, he reached top speed and was faster than anyone else on the ice. His game doesn’t emphasize helping out in the defensive zone, but more effort in that area would be beneficial. There were also moments when opponents visibly got under his skin, taking him off his game. Carbonneau has the potential to be an elite offensive contributor at the next level, but he may need to mature and round out his game to secure a spot in the top six on an NHL roster. For a team seeking more offensive talent in their forward group, Carbonneau would be a solid mid-first-round pick in the 2025 draft.
Tomas Pobezal | C | HK Nitra (Slovakia) | JAN. 21, 2025 | RANK: 18
Scouting report by Samuel Tirpak
Tomas Pobezal is a two-way, reliable, highly intelligent forward who can play all three positions effectively. He has the speed and tenacity to be a feared forechecker, competes hard every shift, and is already a highly efficient defensive player at the professional level for his age. What impresses me most about his game is the mature level at which he plays. He approaches every shift with intention and defensive detail that very few players at his age possess. He excels at reading lanes, stealing pucks in the neutral zone, capitalizing on defenders’ mistakes during breakouts, and penalty killing. From numerous viewings of Pobezal and other forwards over the past year and a half, he may be one of the best penalty-killing forwards in this draft class. While his ceiling is not particularly high and his lack of size might be a concern, Pobezal consistently competes hard, even against one of the best-structured teams in the league. He battles for loose pucks, engages defenders around the net and along the boards, and wins many of those small battles. He is unafraid to get involved in scrums and off-the-puck confrontations, showing a fire and determination that is encouraging to see. In this game, he recorded a primary assist by reading the breakout, aggressively engaging a player in the neutral zone to strip the puck, and creating a net-front presence that allowed his defender to score. His penalty killing was another standout aspect, with an aggressive and detailed approach that generated significant defensive pressure, including poking pucks out of the zone multiple times. Offensively, he had a few shot attempts, though none seriously challenged the goaltender. Overall, it was another strong performance from Pobezal, which he needed following a less-than-impressive showing at the World Juniors. He is a player I truly enjoy watching, and in limited interactions, he has proven to be an excellent teammate and a genuine leader both on and off the ice. Pobezal projects as an ideal third-line NHL winger who plays hard, excels in all situations, and uses his speed and high IQ to be an effective shutdown player. While it’s unclear where he will land in the 2025 draft, if he falls outside the second round, some team will be getting a steal. The early second round seems to be a realistic sweet spot for a player of his type.
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