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April 22, 2025

Scout Survey: What to expect from the 2025 NHL Draft class at the U18 Worlds

The U18 Worlds is upon us.

And it’s the last major on-ice scouting event to evaluate a massive swatch of player eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft.

Things will heat up, no doubt. It’s the last chance for a significant portion of the 2025 draft class to leave a lasting impression on scouts — both team and independent — before final lists start being formulated. A strong showing could see a boost in stock. Conversely, an underwhelming effort could see some drop.

It’s not the end all, be all, however.

An 11-day segment won’t completely undue six months of hard work. But it won’t help, either.

So, who has the most to gain? Who’s the biggest wildcard? Who should scouts be most excited to see?

We asked Samuel Tirpak and Kyle Pereira, who will be in attendance at the tournament, as well as Nathan Hutchinson, Aaron Vickers, and Jacob Roth these exact questions as we get set for the 2025 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.

Which draft eligible can raise his draft stock the most with a strong showing in this U18s?

Tirpak: One name I specifically look forward to watching is Jan Chovan. Chovan had a rough year in Finland, but he always looked much better in his national jersey, hence my curiosity about how he’ll perform.

Pereira: LJ Mooney. I think he has a lot to gain from a really strong tournament. His size makes it difficult to put him in the upper echelon of the 2025 draft class, but a strong tournament could have him go from a borderline top-100 pick to a player that’s a lock to go within the first three rounds in 2025.

Hutchinson: What seems to always be a tournament where a Team USA player has a breakout event, I see Cole McKinney as a guy who with a strong performance could see himself as a bonafide first-round option. The combination of skill and creative play makes McKinney a dynamic player in this type of tournament.

Vickers: I think I’d tag Braeden Cootes for this one. He’s a player I have in the bottom third of the first round of the 2025 draft, and there are elements of his game that I really appreciate — like his undeniable motor. Cootes could be a riser if he can show more instinct in his playmaking game and general offensive awareness at the U18 Worlds, especially given that he plays such a pivotol position.

Roth: Vojtech Cihar is going to be counted on in a big role for Czechia. He played for the U20 team at the World Juniors — and I was underwhelmed by him there. With an expanded role here, Cihar has a great opportunity to move up the board. I am hoping to see improved offensive play from him in this tournament.

Which draft eligible has the most to lose from the U18s?

Tirpak: Jack Ivankovic had a mediocre season with a strong start and he should be the backbone of the Canadian team at the U18 Worlds but, if he is not, it could significantly lower his stock in most crucial part of the draft season.

Pereira: Cullen Potter. He had a meteoric rise early on this season and he’s slowly losing that momentum and starting to fall back down independent draft boards. If he has a bad U18 Worlds, he could continue to fall, even faster this time.

Hutchinson: Ivankovic is set to the starter for Team Canada. With what appears to be a weaker team in front of him, Ivankovic will need to perform well in order to maintain his draft stock. If Ivankovic, who had a poor end to the season, has a subpar tournament he may fall down draft boards.

Vickers: For me, personally, I think it’s Jakob Ihs Wozniak. I didn’t quite get what all the buzz was about as a potential first-round pick in the 2025 draft after watching him live at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton in the summer. To his credit, he turned things around with his club team in Sweden, and even had over a dozen games in the SHL this season. I fear another flop on the international stage might erase that, though.

Roth: Potter made a bold move, leaving the NTDP a year early for Arizona State. His offensive skill is great but he doesn’t play a strong two-way game. I worry if he isn’t able to provide more support defensively without putting up top-end offensive numbers combined with his lack of size he could fall towards the back end of the first round of the 2025 draft.

Which draft eligible, in your mind, is the biggest wild card at the U18s?

Tirpak: Cameron Schmidt. He had an interesting season, scored a lot and showed a flashy, speedy game, but his size is an issue and his underlying metrics were middle of the pack at best, so I look forward to seeing what he can do with better players around him at the U18Worlds. I wanna see him dominate games.

Pereira: Mooney again. It’s hard not to mention his size, which could hold him back. But if he can have a strong tournament, he could be an x-factor for Team USA.

Hutchinson: Eric Nilson has the tools to be a dynamic center and is the biggest wild card for me at this year’s U18 Worlds. Playing on the top line with Viggo Bjorck and Ihs Woziak, Nilson is going to have plenty of opportunities to perform offensively. He excels at carrying the puck and finding teammates in the offensive zone and playing with two other first-round talents should allow him to produce at a high clip with the given opportunities.

Vickers: Adam Benak. He absolutely shredded the Hlinka Gretzky Cup for a second straight year back in August, and looked to be a player, despite his small stature, that could contend as a top-15 pick in the 2025 draft. His season with Youngstown in the United States Hockey League was productive — he was over a point per game — but I think the expectation, whether just or unjust, was for him to be even more dominant. I can see a lot hinging on the U18 Worlds for Benak.

Roth: Schmidt is a player that I’m excited to see what he is capable of. He is a gifted scorer, but many have concerns about how effective he can be at the next levels given his lack of size. His draft stock can really go either way based on how he performs. Canada will be relying on him for offense and, if he can deliver against the best of his age group, I think he can cement himself as a first-rounder.

Which 2025 NHL Draft prospect are you most excited to watch at the U18s?

Tirpak: I look forward to watching a lot of the North American crop, because you don’t get to see these guys a lot in Europe. Specifically, McKinney really intrigues me from Team USA.

Pereira: Will Horcoff. He’s a guy that’s really grown this year after going to the NCAA, so I’d love to see how he competes against other draft eligibles at the U18 Worlds. He is a favorite of mine, for sure.

Hutchinson: I’m most excited to watch Brady Martin. In a tournament setting, Martin has all the tools to be a dominant player. With strong compete levels and the skills to back up a top-six role, Martin should be a top player at this year’s U18 Worlds and cement himself inside the top 20 picks of the 2025 draft.

Vickers: I’m looking most forward to seeing Horcoff at the U18 Worlds. He’s a player that, on video, popped for me at Michigan against players two, three, and four years older than him. Getting him back amongst his peer group is going to be an excellent evaluation tool in my mind, particularly because he didn’t have the greatest start to the season with the US National Team Development Program.

Roth: Benak was incredible at the Hilinka Gretzky Cup last summer to kick off his draft year, and I’m excited to see if he can close it out with an equally or even more impressive performance at the U18 Worlds. He plays a style that is super fun to watch with his speed and creativity and I hope to see that on display.

Which 2026 or 2027 NHL Draft prospect are you most excited to watch at the U18s?

Tirpak: I want to see how the defenders handle the competition the first time, so for example Adam Goljer, Axel Brongel-Larsson, or Juho Piiparinen and also 2027 prospect Filip Kovalcik if he plays. I really like his game a lot.

Pereira: Casey Mutryn. Mutry, a Boston College commit, has already gotten games at 16 years old with the National Team Development Program’s U18 team, as well as some USHL games — where he played well. I will be interested to see how he plays on the bigger stage.

Hutchinson: Outside of the obvious answers, I’m really excited to see to what Ryan Lin can do for Canada. He’s a right-handed defensemen with extremely impressive hockey-IQ and strong mobility. I expect Lin to be someone who is standout on Canada’s blue line and play in all situations despite being a 2026 draft eligible.

Vickers: For me, it’s Xavier Villeneuve. He grabbed my attention in Canada’s camp for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer because of his pure offensive skill and significant lack of size, and I’m curious to see where his game is at after a full season of development. Villeneuve is one of the older members of the 2026 draft class — he’s only three weeks younger than Matthew Schaefer — and should be a difference-maker for Canada on the offensive front.

Roth: Ivar Stenberg is a player I’m really excited to see. I’ve heard a lot about him but haven’t really gotten a chance to watch any of him. I know he’s been very productive in the SHL playoffs, so I am looking forward to see if he lives up to the hype.

Which country will come away with gold, and why?

Tirpak: To me, this year, it would be between Canada and Sweden. I take Sweden this early but it’s between these two for me. The reason why either or could win is goaltending. If Love Harenstam plays the way Harenstam can and Canada doesn’t get the goaltending they need, I go Sweden for the U18 Worlds.

Pereira: I think Canada takes the gold. They have a really strong group, it’s hard to bet against them in my eyes.

Hutchinson: I think Sweden will ultimately win the gold. Their roster is full of talent and with Canada and Team USA bringing weaker teams, on paper, I believe the likes of Bjorck, Stenberg, and Frondell — when he arrives — will be too much for all the other teams.

Vickers: I like Team USA’s odds. They have a mostly cohesive team that’s used to playing together and have that built-in chemistry, and they’ve got several additions that should help them bolster their overall depth like Potter, Horcoff and Blake Fiddler. The fact they have four golden finishes in the past 10 tournaments doesn’t hurt, either.

Roth: I don’t think there is a clear standout team in this tournament. While I think the Team USA, Canada, Sweden, Czechia, and Slovakia all have shots at gold, I am picking Czechia to win. They’ve got some star power with Radim Mrtka and Benak, as well as a really deep team behind them that should be enough to keep up with the rest of the field.

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Scout Survey: What to expect from the 2025 NHL Draft class at the U18 Worlds

Which draft eligible can raise his draft stock the most with a strong showing in this U18s?

Which draft eligible has the most to lose from the U18s?

Which draft eligible, in your mind, is the biggest wild card at the U18s?

Which 2025 NHL Draft prospect are you most excited to watch at the U18s?

Which 2026 or 2027 NHL Draft prospect are you most excited to watch at the U18s?

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