Giants' Schmidt Continues to be Ranked in 1st Round by Draft Experts
January 22, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release
Vancouver Giants forward Cameron Schmidt
(Vancouver Giants, Credit: Rob Wilton)
Vancouver, B.C. - Vancouver Giants forward Cameron Schmidt has been ranked 10th overall by Elite Prospects and 30th overall on Bob McKenzie's mid-season 2025 NHL Draft Rankings.
Elite Prospects mid-January top-64 ranking was released on Tuesday morning, which gave Schmidt an 'A' rating and the 10th overall spot.
"A couple scouts rightfully [view] him as a risky selection in the top-10, and others [see] him as "too special to fail", pointing to his high-end speed, shot, playmaking, stickhandling, and remarkable physicality," the EP ranking said. "In the end, all of the projections of the players ranked below Schmidt carry some level of risk. We'd rather swing for maximum upside."
McKenzie's rankings for TSN - released Wednesday - are not his own: instead, it's a survey of 10 NHL club team scouts, which was conducted between Jan. 7-14. It includes the top 80 players, plus honourable mentions, with Schmidt coming in at 30th overall. He is the 11th WHL skater ranked in the top-32.
So far this season, Schmidt has tallied 32 goals and 20 assists for 52 points in 38 games. His 32 goals are the second-most in the entire Western Hockey League, trailing only 20-year-old forward Shea Van Olm of Spokane.
The shifty winger played in his 100th career game on Tuesday, where he scored his 64th career goal. Schmidt is the first Giant to record back-to-back 30-goal seasons since Brendan Gallagher scored 40-plus three years in a row from 2009-12.
The Giants next home game is Sunday, January 26 against the Swift Current Broncos at 4 p.m. Vancouver will then host Kamloops on Saturday, February 1 and the Spokane Chiefs on Sunday, February 2.
Images from this story
 Vancouver Giants forward Cameron Schmidt (Rob Wilton) |
 Vancouver Giants forward Cameron Schmidt (Rob Wilton) |
 Vancouver Giants forward Cameron Schmidt (Rob Wilton) |
 Vancouver Giants forward Cameron Schmidt (Rob Wilton) |
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