2025 NHL Draft: Martone, Misa, McQueen Headline CHLers Off To A Hot Start

Some of the top talent available in the 2025 NHL draft are tearing up their leagues in the CHL early this season. Prospect expert Tony Ferrari discusses these must-watch prospects.

The three leagues that make up the CHL always feature some of the top talents in the NHL draft. This year is no different. 

A draft-eligible player is leading the OHL in goals, and another is the league’s scoring leader. Out west in the WHL, a draft eligible kicked off his season with a four-goal game, and he’s not even the top-scoring player eligible. Out east in the QMJHL, a pair of Blainville-Boisbriand teammates sit near the top of league scoring.

Players are back from NHL camps, and the CHL season is really starting to heat up. With teams across the three leagues sitting around the 10-game mark, it’s a great time to check in on some of the top producers eligible for the 2025 NHL draft.

6-foot-3, 170 pounds

Tied for the OHL lead in scoring, Porter Martone has continued to show he is one of the best players in this NHL draft class. 

His 16 points through seven games are more than impressive, but when you watch him play, you understand how he generates offense. His power and skill combination that attracts scouts to him has been lucrative in the production department this year. 

He’s shown off some excellent hands around the net, a wicked shot from distance and some very solid playmaking built on his ability to draw in defenders. While some have mentioned his pace as a bit of a concern, Martone has been dominant this season.

6-foot-1, 174 pounds

The OHL’s leading goal-scorer is exceptional status center Michael Misa. He has made a habit of being in the right place with Saginaw this season. He scored his 11 goals in various ways, displaying his versatility as a shooter. Whether he’s carrying the puck up ice on the rush, burying a rebound or settling into a pocket of space to unload a one-timer, Misa has put fear in OHL goaltenders early in the season. 

The base of his game includes his intelligence and play-reading ability. He’s used those traits to pick apart opponents and tactically put defenders in bad positions. If he can keep this up, maybe we will finally see Misa get back to his exceptional form that was missing for parts of last year.

6-foot-5, 190 pounds

Opening the season with four goals in your first game will certainly get some eyes on you. Being a physical specimen when you do it will almost ensure that premature rankings discussion about challenging for the first overall pick in June. 

While McQueen has returned to earth a bit after that four-goal performance, the hype around him certainly hasn’t. His size has old-school scouts wondering if he can be the hulking center a team can build around, while the puck skill and hands have new-school scouts wondering if he could be the exception to the rule of being too big and lanky. Whatever happens the rest of the season, the tall, skilled center will be well worth following.

6-foot-3, 190 pounds

Every year, there is a physically gifted offensive defenseman who gets out to a hot start and draws the interest of the NHL draft world. This year, it’s Jackson Smith. 

His skating is elite already, displaying excellent speed, edgework and agility. When at his peak, Smith is a stud at both ends of the ice. He flashes displays of strength as well as upper-echelon passing and skill. When fully engaged, Smith can strip the puck from the opposing team at one end of the ice, skate it through the neutral zone and then set up a teammate for a prime scoring chance. 

He must work on being consistent, but the raw tools and upside are prevalent in just about every game this season.

5-foot-8, 150 pounds

Although he’s undersized, Schmidt leads the entire WHL in goal-scoring, and he leads all draft-eligibles in total scoring, four points ahead of McQueen. His speed and skill are so much fun to watch, and his engine can be relentless. He brings many of the qualities that undersized players need and has shades of Logan Stankoven in his game on some level. 

Schmidt engages physically, throws his weight around and isn’t afraid of attacking downhill at the net. He will be one of the most interesting players to watch this season because the talent, drive and production will likely all be there, even if he is listed at 5-foot-8.

Carbonneau: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds
Nobert: Six-foot, 168 pounds

Carbonneau and Nobert have been impressive linemates in the QMJHL. While the league has suffered from a few down years in draft talent production, this year seems to be the return of the 'Q.' 

Carbonneau is incredibly skilled with the puck, often deking and dangling opposing players before feeding a slick pass to a teammate. In many instances, that teammate is Nobert, who centers the line. 

While Nobert hasn’t received nearly as much praise or hype as Carbonneau, he has produced at a nearly identical level as each sits tied for fourth in league scoring, with Carbonneau outdoing his center with one extra goal. The duo is tearing the league up, and they have the potential to build together throughout the season. Both will be looking to hear their names called relatively high in the draft when June rolls around. 

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