Justin Carbonneau stays hot and other draft eligibles on fire right now
Justin Carbonneau continues his push towards the 2025 NHL Draft.
Carbonneau’s run, which continued last week with seven goals and nine points in three games for Blainville-Boisbriand in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, is starting to turn into a season-long heater.
“Carbonneau is a pure, natural offensive talent whose opponents focus their game plans on shutting him down,” FCHockey scout Joey Fortin Boulay said. “A defender’s nightmare; he’s incredibly engaged in the offensive zone, plays at high speed, weaves in and out to find openings, and turns quick give-and-go plays into high-grade scoring chances. He always finds ways to be dangerous, whether on or off the puck, reaching soft spots and timing his attacks perfectly. He keeps his feet moving and stays close to the puck as much as possible.”
The offensive-minded Carbonneau, who leads all draft-eligible skaters from the QMJHL in scoring with 87 points (46 goals, 41 assists) in 58 games, is no. 16 in FCHockey’s Spring ranking for the 2025 draft — the second-highest of any Quebec-based skater behind the fifth-ranked Caleb Desnoyers of Moncton.
“Carbonneau’s a highly complete offensive player who still needs some polishing in his own end,” Fortin Boulay said. “This season, he has emerged as a legitimate QMJHL superstar, and his production will likely secure him a spot in the top 10 to 15 of the 2025 draft.”
Here’s who else is on a heater from the 2025 draft class:
Jake O’Brien (Brantford Bulldogs, OHL)
Jake O’Brien has played a big role in helping Brantford to a ton of success in 2024-25, and has taken another step in his second campaign. The 6-foot-2 center has 93 points (32 goals, 61 assists) in 62 games and is on pace to pass the 100-point barrier by the end of the season. His draft stock has risen accordingly. O’Brien has moved to no. 10 in FCHockey’s Spring ranking, behind only Michael Misa and Porter Martone among OHL forwards.
O’Brien picked up five points this week, all in an 11-3 drubbing of Saginaw.
Cameron Schmidt (Vancouver Giants, WHL)
Cameron Schmidt is having a nice season for himself, positioning him to be in play in the first round of the 2025 draft as a result. The diminutive scorer is fourth in the Western Hockey League among draft eligibles in scoring with 71 points (36 goals, 35 assists) in 56 games. He added to those totals with a productive weekend, helping Vancouver to a pair of victories with five points (two goals, three assists) in two games. He potted a goal and two assists against Kamloops and then added a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over Prince George.
Schmidt is no. 24 in FCHockey’s Spring ranking.
Malcolm Spence (Erie Otters, OHL)
Erie winger Malcolm Spence sits in fourth in OHL scoring among players eligible for the 2025 draft. The 6-foot-2, 201-pound force has amassed 64 points (29 goals, 35 assists) in 58 games after picking up five in a pair of wins over Owen Sound over the weekend. Spence, the no. 14-ranked player in FCHockey’s Spring ranking, had a goal in their meeting on Saturday and doubled up with a pair and two assists for a total of four points on Sunday.
Kristian Epperson (Saginaw Spirit, OHL)
Kristian Epperson has had the benefit of playing with one of the top draft-eligible players in the 2024-25 season in Saginaw in Misa. But the 18-year-old, ranked no. 67 in FCHockey’s Spring ranking himself after being passed over in 2024, is still a legitimate prospect for this year’s draft — and his week is a good example of that. Epperson exploded with a four-point outing against Barrie to help his team to a 7-4 win. He added another two assists in a 5-3 win over Flint for a productive few days.
Epperson has had a productive first season in the Ontario Hockey League after making the jump from the United States National Team Development Program. He has 74 points (25 goals, 49 assists) in 53 games and added six points in three games this past week.
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