Nine WHL Players Selected in First Round of 2025 NHL Draft

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Nine WHL Players Selected in First Round of 2025 NHL Draft

June 27, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Los Angeles, Calif. - The Western Hockey League announced today nine WHL players have been selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, held Friday at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.

The nine WHL players selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft is tied for the highest total among any development league in the world. The Ontario Hockey League joined the WHL atop the charts with nine first-round selections. In total, 21 players from the Canadian Hockey League were selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft.

2025 NHL Draft - WHL Players

Overall - Player (Pos.) - NHL Team; WHL Team; Hometown

#9 - Radim Mrtka (D) - Buffalo Sabres; Seattle Thunderbirds; Havlickuv Brod, Czechia

#10 - Roger McQueen (F) - Anaheim Ducks; Brandon Wheat Kings; Saskatoon, Sask.

#11 - Benjamin Kindel (F) - Pittsburgh Penguins; Calgary Hitmen; Coquitlam, B.C.

#13 - Carter Bear (F) - Detroit Red Wings; Everett Silvertips; West St. Paul, Man.

#14 - Jackson Smith (D) - Columbus Blue Jackets; Tri-City Americans; Calgary, Alta.

#15 - Braeden Cootes (F) - Vancouver Canucks; Seattle Thunderbirds; Sherwood Park, Alta.

#18 - Cole Reschny (F) - Calgary Flames; Victoria Royals; Macklin, Sask.

#27 - Lynden Lakovic (F) - Washington Capitals; Moose Jaw Warriors; West Kelowna, B.C.

#30 - Joshua Ravensbergen (G) - San Jose Sharks; Prince George Cougars; North Vancouver, B.C.

Seattle Thunderbirds defenceman Radim Mrtka was the first WHL player selected, as he heard his name called ninth overall by the Buffalo Sabres. Hailing from Havlickuv Brod, Czechia, the 6-foot-6, 218-pound right-shot defenceman joined the Thunderbirds in November, skating in 43 regular season games and collecting 35 points (3G-32A).

Mrtka is the first Thunderbird selected in the first round of the NHL Draft since the Chicago Blackhawks called defenceman Kevin Korchinski with the seventh overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft. Mrtka was originally selected by the Thunderbirds in the second round (71st overall) of the 2024 CHL Import Draft.

Brandon Wheat Kings centre Roger McQueen was the first WHL forward selected, as the Anaheim Ducks chose him 10th overall. From Saskatoon, Sask., the 6-foot-6, 198-pound McQueen recorded 20 points (10G-10A) in 17 games this past season, as he battled through injury.

He is the first Wheat King selected in the first round of the NHL Draft since the New York Rangers called defenceman Braden Schneider with the 19th overall selection in the 2020 NHL Draft. Originally chosen by the Wheat Kings in the first round (fourth overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, McQueen has tallied 86 points (35G-51A) in 127 career WHL regular season games.

Calgary Hitmen forward Benjamin Kindel was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the 11th overall pick. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound product of Coquitlam, B.C., enjoyed an outstanding campaign with the Hitmen, registering 99 points (35G-64A) in 65 games. He was named to the WHL Eastern Conference First All-Star Team for his efforts.

This marks the second consecutive NHL Draft in which a member of the Calgary Hitmen has been chosen in the first round after the Ottawa Senators selected defenceman Carter Yakemchuk seventh overall in 2024. Originally selected by the Hitmen in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, Kindel has collected 159 points (50G-109A) in 134 career WHL regular season games.

Everett Silvertips forward Carter Bear was selected by the Detroit Red Wings with the 13th overall pick. The 6-foot, 179-pound product of West St. Paul, Man., was tearing up the WHL, registering 82 points (40G-42A) in 56 games before his 2024-25 season cut short due to injury. Despite the time missed, Bear led the Silvertips in scoring and was named to the WHL Western Conference Second All-Star Team.

Bear is the first Silvertip selected in the first round of the NHL Draft since the Montreal Canadiens chose defenceman Noah Juulsen with the 26th pick in 2015. Originally selected by the Silvertips in the sixth round (132nd overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Bear has notched 141 points (66G-75A) in 142 career WHL regular season games.

Tri-City Americans defenceman Jackson Smith was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the 14th overall pick. The 6-foot-4, 199-pound product of Calgary, Alta., finished the campaign with 54 points (11G-43A) in 68 games.

Smith is the first member of the Tri-City Americans selected in the first round of the NHL Draft since Michael Rasmussen (ninth overall, Detroit Red Wings) and Juuso Valimaki (17th overall, Calgary Flames) went in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft. Originally selected by the Americans in the first round (second overall) of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, Smith has collected 85 points (19G-66A) in 136 WHL regular season games.

Seattle Thunderbirds captain Braeden Cootes was selected by the Vancouver Canucks with the 15th overall pick. The 6-foot, 186-pound product of Sherwood Park, Alta., led the Thunderbirds in scoring during the 2024-25 season, recording 63 points (26G-37A) in 60 games.

Originally selected by the Thunderbirds in the first round (10th overall) of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, Cootes has notched 99 points (40G-59A) in 131 career WHL regular season games.

Victoria Royals forward Cole Reschny was selected by the Calgary Flames with the 18th overall pick. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound product of Macklin, Sask., led the Royals in scoring with 92 points (26G-66A) in 62 games during the 2024-25 campaign. He impressed with his performance during the 2025 WHL Playoffs, registering 25 points (9G-16A) in only 11 games.

Moose Jaw Warriors captain Lynden Lakovic was selected by the Washington Capitals with the 27th overall pick. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound product of West Kelowna, B.C., led the Warriors in scoring with 58 points (27G-31A) in 47 games.

Lakovic was a member of the 2024 WHL Champion Warriors squad, contributing eight points (5G-3A) in 20 games. Originally selected by the Warriors in the second round (27th overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Lakovic has secured 104 points (47G-57A) in 153 WHL regular season games.

Lakovic is the first Warrior selected in the first round of the NHL Draft since Brayden Yager was chosen 14th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023.

Prince George Cougars goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen was the final WHL selection of the first round, going 30th overall to the San Jose Sharks. The 6-foot-6, 191-pound product of North Vancouver, B.C., logged a career-high 33 wins during 2024-25, following up on a breakout rookie season that saw him go 26-4-1-1 with a 2.46 goals-against average (GAA), .907 save percentage (SV%), and six shutouts in 2023-24.

Undrafted into the WHL, Ravensbergen has posted a record of 59-17-4-2 with a 2.78 GAA, .904 SV%, and six shutouts in 89 career WHL regular season appearances. Ravensbergen is a two-time WHL Second Team All-Star.

This is the second consecutive NHL Draft in which a Cougar has been selected in the first round after Terik Parascak went 17th overall to the Washington Capitals in 2023.

The 2025 NHL Draft represents the 17th time in the past 19 years in which the WHL has seen five or more players selected in the first round of the NHL Draft. With nine WHL players selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, the WHL's all-time total number of first-round NHL Draft selections sits at 353 since the 1967 NHL Amateur Draft.

The 2025 NHL Draft resumes Saturday morning at 9 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. MT. For more information on WHL players at the 2025 NHL Draft, please visit WHL.ca.

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