Habs Prospects
Canadiens 2025 Draft Target: Elite Playmaker Ben Kindel
The NHL Entry Draft is a week away, which means Montreal Canadiens fans will not have to wait much longer to discover general manager Kent Hughes’ master plan for the near future.
If they opt to keep their first-round selections rather than trading them, there will be a bevy of talented players to choose from with the 16th and 17th overall picks.
Depending on how the draft unfolds, they could select the highly-talented Justin Carbonneau, the relentless Carter Bear, the smooth-skating Logan Hensler, or the intriguing Lynden Lakovic.
As history has taught us, expect the unexpected on draft day. The Habs might take a swing on a prospect they perceive to have much higher value than what we’re currently seeing in pre-draft rankings.
This could be the case for prospect Ben Kindel. With a strong season where he constantly climbed public boards, and a clutch post-season to boot, his projected draft range varies considerably.
Benjamin Kindel, C/RW, Shoots Right, 5’10”, 176 lbs, Calgary Hitmen
Kindel is one of the best playmakers in the draft class, full stop.
He has fantastic vision and a knack for finding teammates left uncovered. He truly plays in a tactical, calculated way, which means he loves to slow down the play in the offensive zone and wait for the perfect moment to dish it out, thus creating a high-danger scoring chance.
He is also able to thread the needle across multiple zones, as he often feeds a winger at the blue line from his own zone, showcasing pinpoint accuracy and the high-end velocity of his outlet passes.
Ben kindel is an interesting player. The production is insane pic.twitter.com/UQ0fdAfalv
— NHL Draft Clips (@NHLDraftClips) April 17, 2025
If patience is a virtue, then he is a virtuoso, as he routinely forces goaltenders or defenders to commit before exploiting the ice that consequently opens up.
With 35 goals and 64 assists in 65 regular-season games, he is already a dual threat due to a wicked wrist shot that he should learn to trust a little more as he journeys towards the professional ranks.
“Welcome to the tournament, Ben Kindel!”
After a 99-point season with the @WHLHitmen, the 2025 #NHLDraft prospect makes his mark in his first game of the #U18MensWorlds! 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/HaSFMYvzMn
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 27, 2025
There’s no question about his vision and intelligence, as he was able to finish seventh overall in points in the WHL. It’s important to note that all the players ahead of him were at least one year older (save for phenom Gavin McKenna, who is only eligible in 2026), meaning he outscored all draft-eligible WHL players this season.
It’s Not The Size Of The Dog
His anticipation makes him a lethal offensive threat.
It also helps him with positioning in the defensive zone, which gives him a leg up when he’s attempting to disrupt a play. It also allows him to come out on top in board battles thanks to smart interceptions rather than brute force, a little like Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki.
When it comes to figuring out your strengths and using them to your advantage, Kindel leads the pack.
Regardless of his smaller stature, Kindel has a heavy stick, which means he is able to win puck battles, create turnovers, and backcheck ferociously to prevent scoring chances. The slipperiness is nowhere near Mitch Marner’s level, but there are some similarity with his playing style. The same can be said about recent draftee Berkly Catton. All three players like to control play, have a solid shot but tend to pass more, and have had to rely on their smarts to find success at the junior level and onwards.
“Welcome to the tournament, Ben Kindel!”
After a 99-point season with the @WHLHitmen, the 2025 #NHLDraft prospect makes his mark in his first game of the #U18MensWorlds! 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/HaSFMYvzMn
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) April 27, 2025
Kindel projects as a middle-six forward with the ceiling of a second line centre, and the floor of a third line winger. With that in mind, his ability to dictate the play forecasts a natural centre, rather than a winger.
Is Ben Kindel A Fit With The Montreal Canadiens?
On paper, Kindel doesn’t really correspond to what the Habs need today. He is a right-shot centre, something the team already has in spades. We also must consider Hughes has repeatedly mentioned he wants to improve the overall size of his NHL lineup, as well as the average size of the players in Montreal’s prospect pool.
However, unless there’s a clear-cut better choice remaining on their draft board on June 27, the most logical approach is to aim for the best player available, regardless of the current roster construction. Canadiens management will have plenty of time to correct the course before the players drafted next week join the fold.
Ultimately, nabbing a prospect who put up almost 100 points in his draft year would be a welcome influx of raw talent to the pipeline, especially since Montreal’s draft position is not expected to improve in the next few seasons.
It also doesn’t hurt that Kindel admitted to being a huge Montreal Canadiens fan, right?
Should the Montreal Canadiens to take a chance on drafting Ben Kindel? Let us know how you feel by adding a reply in the comments below the article.
Montreal needs players the size of Roger McQueen, so hopefully he is still available.
In the 1950’s or 1960’s Kindel would have been a superstar as then most of the players had about the same height and weight that he has. So in today’s hockey I foresee him as a good third line or good second line player.
Best player available has always been my thought but Montreal does need size and grit. Perhaps Tuch, Davidson and Xhekaj (younger version) can help. I was all for Montreal taking Hillis and Kidney – who both had great junior careers. Hoping Kidney can still step it up. And seems to me Kindell might be similar to Kidney?