Lynden Lakovic – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Lakovic’s strong performance earned him a spot in the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge Game in November, where he furthered his claim as a winner. Despite playing in a reduced role, he was incredibly potent in the first game of the series, scoring the opening goal on a stretch pass from Benjamin Kindel and playing a solid, physical style that many scouts weren’t used to seeing from him. With the Warriors, he often lacked physicality, which raised some concerns for some, but in London, Ontario, those concerns were erased.

His winning mentality comes from his ability to process the game incredibly quickly. Lakovic sees the game differently than many of his peers and reacts quickly to help create offensive chances. This makes him a dangerous playmaker, as he knows who will be open before they get there or where to be to catch a pass and get a good shot on goal. When he has the puck, he’s great at protecting it, using his size and reach to keep opponents well away from his stick, which gives him time to find the best passing or shooting lane. While he still can improve his consistency and scanning, he’s shown some very strong instincts in his draft season, supporting his claim as a big-game performer.

Lakovic is always calculating and assessing the play, allowing him to quickly respond to changes. He’s great at forcing turnovers, charging the opponent so they won’t have time to make a better decision and can direct the puck to a teammate, but he’s not careless. He’ll charge a player at a certain angle to force the puck into a particular part of the ice where he knows a teammate can pick it up. Sometimes, that requires him to lay a body check, and he’s not afraid to do so; it just needs to be for a reason. Again, he could improve his consistency, but his instincts are already very strong for an 18-year-old and promise big things in the future.

Supporting his ability to influence the game is his speed. Lakovic is a strong skater, moving smoothly up the ice and getting up to top speed with just a few strong strides, and he has a great sense of where to position himself to best protect the puck given his size and long reach. He has more than enough skill and speed to stickhandle around his opponents, but if he can draw enough attention, he’ll instead send a quick, no-look pass to a teammate following just behind, who now has a wide-open shot on net.

Off the ice, Lakovic has also shown significant growth in his maturity. After an off-ice incident on a road trip when he was 16, which led to a 17-game suspension, he’s dedicated himself to giving back to the community and being a positive role model. He was named team captain this season and was the Warriors’ Humanitarian of the Year for his involvement in the city’s jacket drive and with Moose Jaw minor hockey. When asked what he wanted to be remembered for when his career was over, he replied, “That I was a fun, warm soul, [and a] driven person who gave back to the community and made a statement in hockey.” His response is the cherry on top of a truly unique prospect, and if he can keep it up, he’ll have a long, successful hockey career.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Lynden Lakovic – NHL Draft Projection

Few players in the 2025 Draft class have more natural offensive talent than Lakovic, and were that the only consideration, he could be a top-10 or even top-five pick. He’s intelligent, skates incredibly well, and generates offence as both a scorer and playmaker. The one concern is that he isn’t as physical as some scouts would like a 6-foot-4 player to be, which puts him behind prospects like Roger McQueen and Porter Martone. Still, Lakovic’s ceiling is too high to pass on for long, and he likely won’t slide outside the top 20.

Quotables

“Lakovic is an intriguing prospect. He’s a big body forward who can be elusive on open ice with his effortless stride. He’s difficult to check when he’s handling the puck due to his long reach and stature. He has excellent puck touch for a big man and contributed 27 goals and 31 assists in 47 games for Moose Jaw this year. With the Warriors not qualifying for the playoffs, his season has come to an end. Lakovic is a late birthday (Dec. 12, 2006). He has aged out of being eligible for the U18 World Championship, and his style of play will be debated in scouting meetings leading up to the draft. For his stature, he isn’t physically overpowering, he’s more of a finesse forward.” – Jason Bukala, Sportsnet

“When we first highlighted Lynden Lakovic in early October, emphasis was on his growth as a playmaker. He had the flashes the previous season, but he was starting to control games with his willingness to draw pressure before dishing, deception, and a diverse passing skill set. And that was coupled with dynamic rushes and an NHL shot. Nearing the halfway point of the season, it’s safe to say that Lakovic’s growth as a playmaker is for real. But we did have some questions about his physical game. Yes, he’s tall and electrifying with the puck, but he always ended up on the outside of battles and didn’t use his body much. He challenged that perception at the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge…Not sure anyone did more for their stock in that game than Lakovic. This was a different version than the Moose Jaw version, showcasing a lot more willingness to use his body, engage opponents along the wall, and control contact on retrievals. Given that, it should be no surprise that he, along with Ben Kindel, were the CHL’s best chance creators at 5-on-5 in this game.” – Mitch Brown, Elite Prospects

“His ability to execute subtle, high-skill plays in tight areas stands out, supported by a soft touch with the puck and quick hands. His quick release and accuracy make him a dangerous finisher, though he has also flashed some playmaking ability, hinting at a more well-rounded offensive toolkit. Whether it’s slipping a pass through traffic or pickpocketing an opponent, he consistently showcases strong puck skills. Lakovic’s skating is aided by his long legs, giving him a fluid, rangy stride that is effective in transition. While he doesn’t come across as the fastest player, his stride efficiency and puck-protection skills make him hard to contain when carrying the puck up ice.” – Aaron Vickers, FC Hockey

Strengths

Under Construction/Improvements to Make

NHL Potential

Big players, regardless of their skill set, take longer to develop. Just look at Tage Thompson, who was selected in the first round of the 2016 Draft but didn’t hit his stride until 2021-22 when he scored 38 goals and 68 points in 78 games, then broke out with a 94-point season the following year. There are a lot of similarities between Thompson and Lakovic – both are tall, lanky forwards who don’t fit the typical power forward mould and instead thrive on deception and playmaking. Likewise, Lakovic could also emerge as an 80-90 point player and a dangerous 5-on-5 threat, but he has a few inconsistencies that need ironing out first.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 3/5, Reward – 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense – 8.5/10, Defence – 6.5/10

Awards/Achievements

Interviews/Links

Lynden Lakovic Stats

Videos