The WHL boasts a plethora of towering forwards and defenders, but TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button holds plenty of smaller skilled players in high regard in his latest 2025 NHL Draft Rankings. Button has 13 WHL players in his top 60, headlined by projected top-five selection Roger McQueen (Saskatoon, Sask. / Brandon Wheat Kings). The 6-foot-5 centreman recently made his return to the Wheat Kings’ lineup after missing a portion of the season with an injury.
“He’s not a wild card because of his skill or his potential. He’s a wild card because of that type of injury,” Button explained. “You’re looking at a 6-foot-5 centreman that’s got really silky smooth skills. Certainly, in the playoffs for the Brandon Wheat Kings, scouts will be watching closely, but this is a real top-notch player.” McQueen potted four goals on the opening night of the season and has two goals and seven assists since making a comeback.
The list also sees speedy winger Cameron Schmidt (Prince George, B.C. / Vancouver Giants) shoot into the top 10 after bagging 40 goals for the first time in his WHL career. In January, NHL Central Scouting listed Schmidt at 30th among North American skaters in its midterm rankings, as did TSN’s Bob McKenzie.
Button also offered up praise for two-way forward Cole Reschny (Macklin, Sask. / Victoria Royals), who recently helped Victoria clinch the B.C. Division title heading into the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien. “Exceptional hockey sense for both of them,” said Button of Reschny and reigning OHL Rookie of the Year Jake O’Brien. “We talk about 200-foot players. We talk about situational players that can excel no matter what situation you put them in. Well, that speaks to Jake, that speaks to Cole. They were excellent 16-year-olds in their respective leagues, and they have taken it up a level where now they’re top players in their respective leagues.”
Following some skilled forwards, Button predicts a run of talented defencemen, highlighted by Jackson Smith (Calgary, Alta. / Tri-City Americans), Radim Mrtka (Havlickuv, Cze. / Seattle Thunderbirds) and the OHL’s Cameron Reid and Kashawn Aitcheson. “All very, very different defensemen, but make no mistake about it, they all bring qualities, unique abilities that can help your blue line,” Button added. “Big minute guys, size, skating…Some a little bit more offence than others, but when you look at that quartet of defencemen, you’re looking at a group that has all the qualities to be top pair, at the very least, number three, defencemen in the National Hockey League.”
Another surprise riser is Calgary Hitmen centreman Brandon Gorzynski, who Button has placed at 60th overall. The Scottsdale, Ariz. product was pegged at 80th in the NHL Central Scouting list. The 2025 NHL Draft will be held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Calif. on June 27 and 28, 2025, the NHL announced in February.
As of around 2025-03-25, Matthew Schaefer remains the top-ranked player for the 2025 NHL Draft, while Michael Misa has climbed to No. 2 on Craig Button's list. Misa was previously ranked No. 7 in September 2024, No. 3 in November 2024, and No. 5 in January 2025.
Misa finished the 2024-25 regular season as the OHL’s top point-getter with 134 points and second in goals with 62. “I question myself for questioning him,” said Button of Misa. “All the evidence was there. All you need to do is continue to watch the progression and the progression is there. “He’s been brilliant. He’s a hell of a player.”
Rounding out the top three is Brampton Steelheads captain Porter Martone, who finishes the regular season with 37 goals and 98 points in 57 games. Button compares Martone to current NHL stars Matthew and Brady Tkachuk as well as Corey Perry, saying all of them possess the ability to be difference-makers when it matters most. “Porter Martone, he’s a winner,” said Button. “He’s in it to win it. There might be players with a little more skill and a little more flash and dash. I go into a game that I know is going to be hard, I want Porter Martone on my team.”
Despite missing four and a half months with a back injury that required rest to heal, Brandon Wheat Kings forward Roger McQueen comes in at No. 5. McQueen returned to the Wheat Kings lineup in early March, finishing the season with 10 goals and 20 points in 17 games. He will also have the opportunity to play postseason games with Brandon already clinching a playoff spot. He had a hot start to the season with eight goals and three assists in eight games, including four goals in Brandon’s season opener, before being shelved with the injury.
“He’s not a wild card because of his skill or his potential, he’s a wild card because of that type of injury,” said Button. “I feel really lucky because I’ve been able to watch him for three years and I’ve seen progression and how gifted he is.” The 18-year-old is already 6-foot-5 and 195 pounds, and after managing just 14 points in 55 games as a rookie in 2022-23, McQueen made a massive leap last season with 21 goals and 51 points in 53 games. He also helped Canada win gold medals at the U18s and Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
For the first time this season, Brantford Bulldogs centre Jake O’Brien and Victoria Royals forward Cole Reschny rise into the top 10 on the list at No. 9 and No. 10 respectively. O’Brien had a big season for Brantford as a second-year player, scoring 32 goals with 98 points in 66 games. In 2023-24, he won OHL Rookie of the Year after finishing first in assists (51) and points (64) among rookies in 61 games. Reschny also impressed as a sophomore with the Royals, scoring 26 goals with 92 points in 62 games this season.
“Outstanding hockey sense,” said Button of O’Brien and Reschny. “You’re not going to get end to end, pull you out of your seat type of play but you’re going to get really substantive, competitive, smart, in the moment, in the situation, productivity. “[With] Jake, the hockey sense has always been excellent, but I really felt that he had to get more of the doing part of the game balanced with the thinking part of the game. And he’s done that. “When I watched Cole as a 16-year-old perform so admirably, he’s not going to wow you but you watch the game and he’s in the middle of every important play.”
With the CHL playoffs around the corner, Button also identifies four defencemen worth keeping an eye on. He cites Kitchener’s Cameron Reid (No. 12), Tri-City’s Jackson Smith (No. 14), Seattle’s Radim Mrtka (No. 16) and Barrie’s Kashawn Aitcheson (No. 18) as defencemen who could all go in the teens in June’s draft, emphasizing that they’re all good, but different, players. “Cameron Reid is a 5-foot-11 and a half defenceman who can skate, think, compete and contribute offensively,” said Button. “You got Jackson Smith, elite skating defenceman, big, rangy. You got Radim Mrtka, who’s a right-shot defenceman, 6-foot-5, all kinds of potential. “Then you have Kashawn Aitcheson. When I talk about Porter Martone, I feel the same way about Kashawn. He’s a guy you want on your team. He’s hard, heavy, physical, competitive, great skater.”
