In an earlier blog, I did a post on the Top 5 prospects in the 2025 NHL Draft, and Now I will be doing a post on the next 10 best prospects in the 2025 draft now. Because I have already done a post on the top 5 defensemen, I will only be covering the next best forwards.
Related: 2025 NHL DRAFT: WAY TOO EARLY TOP 5
1. Jakob Ihs Wozniak (RW), 6’3/185, (Lulea/Sweden U-20)
Jakob Ihs-Wozniak certainly has the makeup of a top prospect. The 6-foot-3 forward put together one of the most productive draft-minus-one seasons at the J20 level in a long time. His 1.39 points-per-game average over the span of 36 games is the highest mark among all U17 skaters over the past 10 years. This means he’s outproducing what former top-10 picks in Lucas Raymond, Alexander Holtz, and Dalibor Dvorský were able to accomplish at the same age.
While Ihs-Wozniak’s international résumé isn’t quite as staggering, he was a top-six fit for Sweden’s U18 team as an under-ager at certain events. At February’s Five Nations tournament, he formed a productive line with Anton Frondell and Victor Eklund, scoring a hat-trick in one of the games. At the U18s, though, his role was significantly diminished. Still, Ihs-Wozniak enters the draft year as one of the most intriguing prospects from Europe and could see significant time in the SHL. Whether it be the U-17 World Challenge, the U-18 Five Nations in Michigan or the U-18s in Finland, Ihs Wozniak almost always stood out. At 6-foot-3, he has a good frame, and he’s not afraid to use it. A strong playmaker, he had 50 points in 36 games with Lulea’s U-20 team and even skated in two SHL games, as well. Magic seems to happen when he gets the puck on his stick, and I think he could push himself into the top-five conversation if next year goes swimmingly.
2. Malcolm Spence (LW), 6’2/192, (Erie/OHL)
Canada’s hero at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer, Spence might be a bit underrated heading into the draft. I’ve followed him closely since his GTHL days, and the one thing that he has managed to do so well is take over games physically. He gets in the way of just about everyone, has some of the best chirps in the class and then will make you pay with a nice goal. As one of the older players in this draft class, Spence had a 62-point sophomore campaign this season while donning an “A” with Erie. Spence is an excellent skater with smooth, natural strides and he thinks and acts quickly on the rush to make a play. Spence seems to have an edge to his game where he can get into his opponent’s heads and frustrate the opposition. This mean streak adds layers to Spence’s game, and it allows him to exploit the weaknesses of opposing defencemen much more often. He plays hard on the forecheck and pressures opponents so tightly that it makes them panic with the puck. Spence always seems to recognize the right attack angles in the offensive zone, and wins board battles regularly. Malcolm Spence has the potential to be a top 6 winger in the NHL and a top 10 pick in the draft.
3. Caleb Desnoyers (C), 6’1/179, (Moncton/QMJHL)
Caleb Desnoyers was taken first overall in the 2023 QMJHL Draft, he made an immediate impact, playing around 20 minutes a night as a rookie while showing speed, skill and two-way smarts. He’s not someone who’ll get caught slacking off and just floating around – he’s fully committed to getting the puck every time he can. At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, he put on some serious muscle since his QMJHL Draft year. There’s a lot to like about Desnoyers, who could give the Q a much-needed top prospect after very little representation in 2024. Desnoyers is a player who just looks like a pro. He’s got great habits. He’s committed to playing defense, supporting pucks, staying in good positions and not cheating for offense. Caleb Desnoyers has the potential to be a 2nd line center in the NHL and if he develops his offensive game more a first-line center.
4. William Moore (C), 6’2/161, (US National U17/USNTDP & USNTDP Juniors/USHL)
Born in Mississauga, Ontario, Moore made the move to join the USNTDP U-17 team last year and it felt like the right decision. He was so good at the U-17 World Challenge and was the leading goal-scorer all season long. I was surprised he wasn’t called up for the U-18 World Championship because he has the physical maturity and raw hockey IQ to handle older competition. Moore is a natural goal scorer with a big frame and amazing playmaking abilities, making him very similar to the likes of Auston Matthews. Moore packs an extremely strong release and tremendous vision, allowing him to score from virtually anywhere on the ice, making him a lethal threat whenever he steps on the ice. Moore is also capable of using his larger frame to push his opponents around and win battles with ease. While he is more of a natural centreman, his style of play could also translate to being a goal-scoring winger, but if he works at bulking up further, he could definitely become a dominant centreman at the NHL level.
5. Cole Reschny (C), 5’10/183, (Victoria/WHL)
Cole Reschny was one of the most impressive rookies in the CHL, moving about at a near point-per-game pace throughout the season. A stout playmaker, Reschny has quick feet, an active motor, and is great at getting himself in spots to pick up rebounds. He’s small at 5-foot-9 and that often leads to bigger defenders drawing to him, but Reschny is smart enough to get him out of trouble often. His play at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge was fantastic, too. Reschny
scored 21 goals and 59 points in 61 games with the Victoria Royals in 2023-24 and also put up 8 points in 7 games for Canada Red U17 at the U17 WHC. Reschny’s biggest strengths are his puckhandling skills and playmaking ability. He is one of the many forwards to watch for next season, as he could sneap up into the top 10 or fall significantly if he has a poor year.
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