Canadiens 2025 Draft Target: Power Forward Jack Nesbitt

It’s difficult to predict which players the Montreal Canadiens will pick at the upcoming 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

More accurately, compared to previous years, it’s a little more difficult to project their exact picks. Such is life when a team fights its way out of the NHL’s basement and qualifies for the playoffs, as there are many more legitimate options in the middle of the first round compared to the top five.

However, thanks to Bob McKenzie’s consolidated rankings we now have a much better idea of how scouts across the league judge certain players, giving us some insight as to potential Canadiens picks.

ON TOPIC: McKenzie Final Draft Rankings Point To Familiar Faces For The Canadiens

We’ve covered many of the prospects listed in Montreal’s range, including Justin Carbonneau, Carter Bear, Logan Hensler, Lynden Lakovic, and Ben Kindel. This leads us to today’s potential draft target, Windsor Spitfires forward Jack Nesbitt.

Jack Nesbitt, C, Shoots Left, 6’4″, 185 lbs, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

With 25 goals and 39 assists to his name, Nesbitt enjoyed a fairly successful sophomore season. It’s even more impressive when you consider he only scored nine goals and nine assists in 59 games as a rookie. His uptick in results led to Nesbitt being named as one of the most improved players in the Western Conference.

He’s a self-described power forward, as well as playmaker who enjoys using his superior size to ensure high-end puck protection. Like most 18-year-olds, he’s yet to fill out his frame, connoting that he will need to spend a fair amount of time in the gym before he’s ready to face professional competition. A the very least, his second year in the league featured much more physical play, an encouraging sign when it comes to his NHL aspirations.

As for his skating, many scouts have suggested he possesses good speed… for a big player, and that’s usually a gigantic red flag, but I’m not convinced it’s an area of weaknesses. His acceleration is average, but he does manage to generate a reasonable amount of speed when skating in a direct line, putting an onus on north-south play. Tall players rarely have a smooth skating mechanics, which, in turn, makes them look fairly awkward when they’re taking their first few strides.

Jack Nesbitt’s Production

Nesbitt finished fifth in scoring on a very strong Windsor Spitfires team, representing another potential red flag when it comes to his NHL potential. Ilya Protas (124 points) and Liam Greentree (119 pts) led the charge, almost doubling Nesbitt’s production. It’s important to note that Nesbitt was not playing with Protas or Greentree, with most of his 5v5 shifts taking place on the second or third line.

He played with the team’s top forwards on the powerplay, where he ended up scoring six goals and 13 assists. More often than not, he was used as a net-front presence, where he served as a perfect screen for a team overflowing with talent. For what it’s worth, the Spitfires scored on almost 25 percent of their powerplays last season. Nesbitt also scored two shorthanded goals, displaying a certain amount of versatility in the process.

The real question is whether his production has the potential to translate to the professional level.

Many of his goals were scored in high-danger areas, a sustainable strategy regardless of the league. But speed of execution isn’t always ideal, which means he would have to improve his decision-making to earn a permanent roster spot in the NHL. If he doesn’t have a chance to build-up speed through the neutral zone, defenders have a fairly easy time shutting him down on the rush.

It’s definitely a concern.

Skating and agility can be improved, but decision-making is a completely different matter, making Nesbitt a classic project-player who should not be rushed to the NHL. The raw skill is there, but it needs to be polished.

Given that his pre-draft rankings vary wildly, and the Canadiens own back-to-back picks in the first round, Nesbitt may end up being the home run swing from the scouts, while using the other first-round pick to select a more polished prospect.