2025 Final Draft Rankings – 2nd Round
Throughout this regime’s history and a logical look at the needs of the team, it remains doubtful that the Habs use both picks they currently hold in this round. Montreal owns Picks 41 and 49 in this round at the time of publication. Here are some players that appear poised to be selected in those ranks.
#33 – Ryker Lee – RW – Madison Capitols (USHL)
Start of the season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: N/A
#34 – Jakob Ihs-Wozniak – LW – Lulea U20 (Swedish J20)
Start of season rank: 15 Mid-Season rank: 33
#35 – Ivan Ryabkin – C – Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Start of the season rank: 5 Mid-Season rank: 21
#36 – William Moore – C – USNTDP (USHL)
Start of the season rank: 11 Mid-Season rank: 27
#37 – Vaclav Nestrasil – RW – Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Start of the season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: N/A
#38 – Eric Nilson – C – Djurgardens (IF J18)
Start of the season rank: 56 Mid-Season rank: 36
#39 – Alexander Zharovsky – LW – Tolpar Ufa (MHL)
Start of the season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: N/A
#40 – Henry Brzustewicz – RD – London Knights (OHL)
Start of the season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: 46
#41 – Cole McKinney – C – USNTDP (USHL)
Start of the season rank: 34 Mid-Season rank: 40
#42 – Kurban Limatov – LD – MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)
Start of the season rank: 43 Mid-Season rank: 44
#43 – William Horcoff – C – University of Michigan (NCAA)
Start of the season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: 56
#44 – Nathan Behm – RW – Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: 35
#45 – Jack Ivankovic – G – Brampton Steelheads (OHL)
Start of season rank: 32 Mid-Season rank: 39
#46 – Adam Benak – C – Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
Start of the season rank: 24 Mid-Season rank: 34
#47 – Jacob Rombach – LD – Lincoln Stars (USHL)
Start of the season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: 34
#48 – Haoxi Simon Wang – LD – Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: 47
#35 – Ivan Ryabkin
Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) – C
Start of season rank: 5 Mid-Season rank: 21
The once-sought-after Ryabkin still scored at over a point per game in the USHL. It still seems unbelievable that the late first-round teams won’t want to take the gamble that the midseason move isn’t to blame for his poor showing this season. However, this ranks awfully close to the Habs’ potential third pick at 41. Should he remain available, it might be an excellent pick to take for a team still searching for top-end talent like the Habs. The downside is that he possesses the same red flags as a current Hab in Patrik Laine. Lacking in hockey IQ and compete, mixed in with a bit of coachability issues. I would be awfully disappointed to be a team burning a top pick on a player with these attributes. I would be awfully happy to be rolling the dice on such a high ceiling in the second round.
#36 – William Moore
USNTDP (USHL) – C
Start of the season rank: 11 Mid-Season rank: 27
Much like Ryabkin, Moore has seen a steady decline on this list throughout the season. This is somewhat surprising considering Moore’s increased production in the second half and his peak at the U18s. However, Moore is said to still be a work in progress and much of his second-half success is believed to be unsustainable due to a 27% shooting percentage in that span. Still, as a bigger body who doesn’t shy away from using his frame, this could be an interesting project pick down the middle should he fall to pick 41. Like Ryabkin, it would be somewhat surprising if it happened, but since both Ryabkin and Moore would fill the same need of a team, maybe one gets selected and the other really does slide and the Canadiens can be the beneficiary?
#49 – Eddie Genborg – LW – Linkoping HC (SHL)
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: 52
#50 – Luca Romano – C – Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: 42
#51 – Carter Amico – RD – USNTDP (USHL)
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: 49
#52 – Mason West – C – Edina H.S. (USHS)
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: N/A
#53 – Daniil Prokhorov – RW – Dynamo St. Petersburg Jr. (VHL)
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: N/A
#54 – Theo Stockselius – C – Djurgardens IF J20 (Nationell)
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: N/A
#55 – Benjamin Kevan – RW – Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)
Start of season rank: 47 Mid-Season rank: 43
#56 – Max Psenicka – RD – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: N/A
#57 – Kristian Epperson – LW – Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: 63
#58 – Vojtech Cihar – W – HC Energie Karlovy Vary (Extraliga)
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: 59
#59 – Michal Svrcek – LW – Brynas IF (SHL)
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: N/A
#60 – Ethan Czata – C – Niagara Ice Dogs (OHL)
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: N/A
#61 – Charlie Tretheway – RD – USNTDP (USHL)
Start of season rank: 13 Mid-Season rank: 38
#62 – Viktor Klingsell – LW – Skelleftea J20 (J20 Nationell)
Start of season rank: 30 Mid-Season rank: 50
#63 – Matthew Gard – LW – Red Deer Rebel (WHL)
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: N/A
#64 – Conrad Fondrk – C– USNTDP (USHL)
Start of season rank: 26 Mid-Season Rank: 45
#52 – Mason West
Fargo Force (USHL) – C
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: N/A
West was barely on the board as a third-round pick at midseason, so what has changed for him to be a feature as a second-round pick? For starters, he wasn’t playing much (any?) hockey in November as he was finishing his season as a high-school quarterback. After that, he played his high school hockey season in Edina where he scored 49 points in 31 games. He then committed to hockey as his pathway (though he still plans on playing one final season of football this Fall), and joined the Fargo Force team to end the season with nine points in 10 USHL games. The 6’6’’ pivot has a lethal shot, though he lacks consistency in his overall game. Many teams are trying to gauge where he gets selected, because many believe that extra playing time might allow him to improve significantly. It’s no secret that the Habs are looking for higher skill incorporated in sizeable players, so this home run swing might make a ton of sense for them.
#63 – Matthew Gard
Red Deer Rebels (WHL) – C
Start of season rank: N/A Mid-Season rank: N/A
Gard barely missed making the second round cut in the midseason rankings, but his stock has continued to rise, and he made it this time. Gard hasn’t really popped in the WHL yet with 36 points in 66 games this season, but he’s ultra-responsible defensively and should get the opportunity to push himself offensively next year. At 6’4’’, should he be successful in doing so while playing down the middle, he might prove to be a valuable pick with a late second or an early third-round pick. For such a big body, the highlights of his game are a little reversed where he has a great motor and uses his physical tools well, but he doesn’t have a great shot and needs to improve his foot speed.