Photo Credit: fournie par Dany Germain/Foreurs de Val-d’Or

Cole Reschny, Victoria Royals (Photo Credit: Kevin Light Photo)

Jordan Gavin Contributed photo courtesy the Wheat Kings

For far too long, the NHL has sought out to find the largest/most physical players they could in order to beat their opponents into submission. You know, back when you would go to watch the fights, and on the rare occasion, a hockey game might break out.

But times have changed. So much, in fact, that now most teams are no longer looking to employ an abundance of those knuckle draggers of old because in today’s kindler/gentler NHL, they are sadly becoming all but obsolete.

The reason for this is that the league noticed they were falling behind in ratings compared to the big three (the NFL, the MLB, and the NBA), and they wanted to try something that would grow their fanbase. And, in order to do that, they felt they needed to increase goal scoring, so they shrunk down the size of the goaltender’s pads and no longer allowed defensemen to get away with all the clutching and man-handling that the refs previously would turn a blind eye to that vastly hindered teams’ star players point production for so long.

When these changes were implemented, certain innovative teams began shifting their focus as far as whom they wanted to employ, with those teams moving away from hiring the gargantuan slow but strong players of old to a more compact, elusive type of player who generally is more skilled and can thus offer them a lot more in terms of offense. The early beneficiaries of this change were guys like Theo Fleury (5’6), Martin St. Louis (5’8), and Brad Marchand (5’9) who broke into the game and had great success, which paved the way for players like the late great Johnny Gaurdreau who was (5’9), Tyler Johnson (5’9), Jonathan Marchessault (5’9) and Jared Spurgeon (5’9). Which you guessed led to more teams being willing to take a chance on the latest crop of diminutive stars like Alex DeBrincat (5’8), Cole Caufield (5’8), Adam Fox (5’11) and Logan Stankoven (5’8).

But, believe it or not, even after all the players’ success that I listed above, there are still some franchises out there that employ superannuated GMs who refuse to draft or sign these types of compact players.

That’s okay, though, because that just makes the teams that are with it and willing to take a chance on one of these young players that much more capable of making their teams better this off-season seeing that the 2025 NHL Draft Class is chalked full of diminutive talent.

With Guys Like:

Cameron Schmidt

Cam is a 5’7 157 pound draft eligible right winger who currently plays for the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League (WHL). This season, he has managed to amass an impressive 40 goals and 38 assists for 78 points. Not too shabby, right?

With those kinds of statistics, you can see that Schmidt does not let his size (or lack thereof) limit him. In fact, he uses it to his advantage. With great speed, Cameron manages to stretch the ice to the point that the opposition is going to be forced to converge on him, where he will make a move and skate on by them like they are standing still. Or pass it off early so he can then go set up for the chance to unload one of the most accurate and powerful one-timers of anyone in this draft.

Cameron is only now starting to get the respect he deserves after he recently finished the regular season tied with the Everett Silvertips’ Carter Bear for most goals scored by any WHL first-year draft-eligible player with 40 lamp lighters.

He is projected to go late in the first round, but for those of you who still have your doubts about him, watch this video; before you do, though, remember it’s hard to hit what you can’t catch!

Benjamin Kindel

Another undersized prospect who plays in the WHL, who I think should be on this list, is Benjamin Kindel from the Calgary Hitmen. Ben is a high-scoring forward who only stands at 5’10 and weighs 176 pounds. He is renowned around the league for his intelligent two-way play.

To prove that statement, all you have to do is tune in for a game, and you’ll notice that his hard work and high hockey IQ are what allowed him to garner 35 goals and 64 assists for 99 regular season points. And, if that wasn’t impressive enough for a guy who has to look up to the masses, he finished second highest in plus-minus of any first-year draft-eligible player with a +39 on the year.

So, tell me why a player who was only outscored by one other draft-eligible prospect, Michael Misa, who finished with 134 points) is expected to go so late in the first round if it is not solely dependent on the fact that scouts are doubting his abilities at the next level because of his height?

Cole Reschny

Since we’re apparently taking an extended look at the WHL, I thought it wise to mention Victoria Royals forward Cole Reschny. Cole, who stands at 5’10 and 187 pounds, really opened a lot of people’s eyes this year at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup when we scored three goals and four assists for seven points in only five games played.

But what really convinced me that he could make it to the next level was Reschny’s competitive level. Whether he is forechecking, backchecking, playing on the power play, or the penalty kill, Cole simply never takes a shift off. Night after night, Reschny continues to outwork the competition, no matter how big or strong they are.

This kid has heart, and that’s why he was able to net 26 goals and 66 assists for 92 points in 62 games played. And he is currently scoring at a 2.40 points-per-game pace in the playoff posting four goals and eight assists for 12 points in only five games played.

Not to mention the fact that when you combine the regular season and the postseason, he has managed to maintain a +50 average on the season. I’m sorry, I don’t know why other forwards in this draft who only scored 50-60 points are still projected to be taken higher than him. And Cole somehow is still considered to have a late first-round or early second-round draft grade.

Adam Benak

Adam is a center from Czechia who only stands at 5’7 and 161 pounds. He came over this season to North America after dominating yet again at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where if you combine his totals from this year and last, he became the all-time point leader in Hlinka Gretzky Cup history when he finished with a total of 21 points; which to put that into perspective that means he scored over a two points-per-game in this tournament.

But getting back to what have you done for me lately. Benak wanted to prove that he could be more than just a kid with some international success, so he decided to join the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League (USHL) to prove he could produce while playing on the much smaller North American rinks.

Where this season, he was able to score 16 goals and 38 assists totaling 54 points in 54 games played. Not bad for someone who, besides just trying to score goals was tasked with having to figure out a new language as well.

Philippe Veilleux

Moving on now to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, we find an 18-year-old winger who only stands at 5’9 and 165 pounds playing for the Val-d’Or Foreurs. Now, I have to say, depending on where this young man actually ends up getting drafted, he just might be deemed the steal of the draft because while he still has some work to do defensively, he more than makes up for it with his work in the offensive zone.

Where this season, Veilleux has been able to light the lamp an astonishing 40 times during the regular season, and adding to that, he made sure to assist his teammates 47 other times this season, totaling 87 points on the year.

And, as far as the postseason goes, Philippe has shown no signs of letting up, as he has managed to put up three goals and three assists for six points in five games played.

Now, with him producing at that rate in the offensive zone, I would be more than willing to take a chance on him at the draft as long as I keep in mind that I am going to spend some time with him, teaching him how a professional is expected to play within his own zone.

Jordan Gavin

Finally, the last prospect I’ll leave you to ponder about is the 5’11 179 pound Jordan Gavin of the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings. To me, Gavin is a human highlight reel! He is a player who makes everyone who steps on the ice with him instantly better, as the game just seems to appear to slow down when the puck is on his stick.

Being that this is the case, it comes as a big surprise to me that Jordan’s stock has fallen with scouts ever since he was taken second overall by the Tri-City Americans in the WHL Prospects Draft.

Especially since he was able to score 68 points in 68 games last year and added another 57 points in 68 games played this year (this coming after he was traded mid-season, mind you). But my conundrum goes deeper than that still, considering Gavin managed to improve upon his plus-minus immensely this season and personified what it means to play a clean game, seeing he did not manage to obtain a single penalty minute for the second season in a row.

So, you see, lack of height should no longer really be considered an issue when teams are scouting players. For, these six players I just introduced to you are merely clones of the diminutive players that came before them and had success. These players have been told they are too small their whole lives and, because of that, have developed a pretty good “I’LL SHOW YOU” type of attitude that clearly works for them in their respective leagues. So, honestly, who are we to stand in their way? I don’t know about you, but I would rather see my favorite NHL team acquire one or more of these guys in the NHL draft this summer rather than spend the next ten years wishing they had!