2025 NHL Draft prospects: Moose Jaw Warriors captain, Lynden Lakovic

Lynden Lakovic has missed some time this season dealing with an upper body injury, but he could be a nice option for the Montreal Canadiens at the draft in June.

Lakovic is a six-foot-four, 190-pound left-shot winger, who plays for the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Western Hockey League. A regular WHL season is 68 games, but due to Lakovic's injury, he is projected to play just 47 games in his draft year. He is a raw prospect, who is big and projects to be a solid top six forward if he puts it all together.

Through 31 games prior to his injury, the 18-year-old from Kelowna, British Columbia scored 17 goals, and 22 assists for 39 points. He wasn't exactly thriving, but he was hitting his stride, before getting sidelined with injury. But given his playoff run with the club in 2023-24, Lakovic has been to the top of WHL hockey supremacy.

Lakovic, and the Warriors were WHL champions last season, and the goalscoring, playmaking winger helped with their success. As a 17-year-old, Lakovic scored eight points through 20 playoff games, helping the Warriors reach the mountain top.

Lakovic grew tremendously, and learned so much from the long playoff battles last season, and I expect he will utilize the knowledge this year. I think a great playoffs performance could solidify Lakovic as a top-15 pick. I see player with a bit of risk because the production hasn't been first round pick worthy, but I think the upside will be what the team that drafts him banks on.

He plays a great off-puck game, using precisely timed routes to open up for passing lanes, and support his linemates, almost like a centre. Lakovic has an innate ability to find open space, and pull opponents out of shooting and passing lanes. Because he stays close, and connected to teammates, he can make small area plays on the fly, and create speed through the neutral zone, with a solid transition game.

I like the idea of pairing a shooter with Michael Hage and Ivan Demidov down the road, and a guy who is six foot four, and 190 pounds, and still growing could be a nice addition. Lakovic is a great passer, using vision, and precision puck touches to create on the rush, and from a stand still. But his off-puck game would pair well with a fantastic transitional centre like Hage, and elite offensive dynamo in Demidov.

I like the idea of adding a left shot winger who is a real threat in the shooting game, with NHL top-six forward potential. Demidov and Hage like to play a fast, high pace style, and breaking down the defence with wizard-like puck skills. Lakovic can come in the second wave, and stun defences with one-touch shots or work the puck around the perimeter, and strike with his heavy release or create with his passing.

In this sequence below, Lakovic shows off his balance, strength on the puck and something that can't be taught, raw determination. He wasn't going to be denied on the play, and showed great hustle to get to the puck. The fact that he got as much behind the shot as he did is so impressive.

The Canadiens need a left shot winger for their second line, and the top six of the future will be complete. Montreal has a great top line, and their second line will consist of Hage and Demidov, but there is a need for a winger. Somebody who can shoot the puck well, and add a physical element will be the perfect option.

I am not too familiar with Lakovic physical game, mostly along the wall, in the corners and in front of the net. How does he rush the puck against bigger defenders in the NHL, who will challenge him physically? Jared Davidson came in as a guy I felt this way about, despite him being older, but he is as strong as an ox, Lakovic will add muscle before playing NHL game.

Left shot trigger man

For the record, Demidov is a dangerous shooter, but he is at his best slithering around the attacking zone. Rather than lining up for one-timer shots all the time.

I like the package that Lakovic possesses, and I think drafting a a left shot shooting option will open up so much for the Canadiens. Lane Hutson made magic with Macklin Celebrini at Boston University, with the San Jose Sharks star rookie rippng plenty of beautiful one-touch shots from the right half-wall past the NCAA's best goaltenders.

If you watch the San Jose Sharks, their power play money maker is the one-touch pass from the top of the blueline to the right half-wall for Celebrini to blast past NHL goaltenders. It's a little different in San Jose, because Henry Thrun is hurt right now, so William Eklund is in Celebrini's spot, and Celebrini is in the right defence spot at the blueline, and Alex Wennberg works the blueline setting up Celebrini for one-touch shots from the blueline

This one here is his most recent work from the game against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night. Celebrini showed off his shooting prowess, opting for a snapshot rather than his patented slapshot one-touch blast,

The recipe is right there, and everybody in Montreal from management to the fans and the team, who watched BU games in anticipation for Hutson's arrival saw it. Hutson, and Demidov will cause problems for the opposing team because of their instinct to pass to their right side. Jared Davidson and Emil Heineman are options, but I don't see them as top six wingers at this juncture.

Draft a big left shot winger, who is skilled, physical and can fire the puck, and loves to shoot it and see what it opens up for the team on the power play. Juraj Slafkovsky isn't a natural shooter, but when he shoots, it catches goaltenders. A natural shooter will shoot that puck every time, and make the power play even more dangerous.

That's my rant, and explanation for why Lakovic is a guy that I think would be fantastic for the Canadiens to draft. With their pick, and the Calgary Flames' first they acquired in the trade that brought Sean Monahan to Montreal, Hughes has two potential top-20 picks for the draft in June.

I think drafting a left-shot winger, and a right shot defenseman would be a great first round for the Canadiens.