Cole Reschny is ripping up the playoffs, and other draft eligibles firing
Cole Reschny, understandably, has solidified himself as a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft with a season’s worth of work.
That’s continued into the playoffs with Victoria in the Western Hockey League.
Reschny, who excelled with 92 points (26 goals, 66 assists) in 62 games, picked up where he left off as Victoria started the playoff with a pair of wins in their first-round matchup with Tri-City. Reschny, no. 25 in FCHockey’s Spring ranking for the 2025 draft, grabbed a primary assist on the power play on the opening goal of the series and scored with four minutes left in the third to close the game out 3-0. The Royals star picked up another two goals and a helper in game two as his team cruised to a 6-2 win.
“Reschny is an undersized center with a strong mix of skill, hockey sense, and competitiveness that makes him effective all over the ice,” FCHockey scout Kareem Elshafey said. “One of the most important parts of his game is how often he positions himself around the net. When he has the puck below the goal line or along the boards, his main priority is to take it to the net.
“The same applies to his off-puck movement, as he consistently puts himself in position for deflections and rebounds. That characteristic is something I really value in a player like him because it shows he understands where most goals are scored, especially in tight-checking games.”
Here’s who else impressed last week:
Malcolm Spence | Erie Otters (OHL)
Malcolm Spence and Erie opened their Ontario Hockey League quarterfinal with the defending Memorial Cup champion Saginaw in astonishing fashion. The Otters racked up 17 goals in a pair of road wins to put the high-flying Saginaw squad on their heels. Spence, ranked no. 14, contributed four points (two goals, two assists) in the two beatdowns.
In the series opener on Thursday night, Spence scored back-to-back goals in the second period as Erie piled up eight snipes in the frame. Spence didn’t find the back of the net in Game 2, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. After scoring on both shot attempts in the first meeting, the potential first-round pick fired seven shots on goal. He picked up a pair of assists as the Otters soared to a 9-5 win.
Caleb Desnoyers | Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
Moncton center Caleb Desnoyers has been an offensive catalyst for his club all season, and his production is continuing into the playoffs. Desnoyers, the no. 5 ranked player, had 84 points (35 goals, 49 assists) in 56 games this season and opened the playoffs with four points (one goal, three assists) in two games.
Desnoyers had a lone assist in the series opener, but it was a pretty important one. After stealing the puck away from a Quebec defender, Desnoyers fed a wide-open Julius Sumpf in the slot for the overtime winner. The pivdot picked up two assists in the second game of the series and scored a goal on the power play as the Wildcats jumped to a two-to-nothing series lead.
Cameron Schmidt | Vancouver Giants (WHL)
Vancouver winger Cameron Schmidt was another prolific scorer in the WHL this season amongst draft-eligible players. Schmidt tied for first in goals with Everett winger Carter Bear with 40 snipes in 61 games. He’s also carried that into the postseason, too.
Though Vancouver dropped both opening games in the series, that wasn’t without some pushback from Schmidt. The 18-year-old had a helper on his side’s only goal in Game 1, and exploded for five points (one goal, four assists) in a back-and-forth loss in Game 2.
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