Ben Kindel plays with a noticeable swagger. Whether it’s wiring a one-timer on the power play, or weaving through the neutral zone, Kindel has a confident offensive game with projectable skills that seem primed to translate to the NHL level, to go along with a very intelligent defensive game that allows him to be more than just an out-and-out sniper.
Not often do you see players who find scoring so easy at their current level have the drive and compete level that Kindel has in the more gritty areas of the game, and that is a trait that should endear him to NHL front offices, despite his below-average size.
Statistics
What’s there to like?
Kindel plays a dynamic offensive game at his own pace. He circles the offensive zone with or without the puck, constantly changing angles and putting himself in dangerous positions to receive the puck in dangerous situations.
And when he gets that puck, he unleashes one of the most devastating shots I’ve seen so far in this draft process.
Wrist, snap, or slap, it doesn’t really matter to Kindel. He picks corners from all over the ice and has a lightning release that sneaks up on goaltenders. His 99 points in 65 games with the Calgary Hitmen was good enough for second on the team, just behind University of Wisconsin commit Oliver Tulk, who’s got a couple years on him. Kindel seems to have an innate sense of how to create offense, and even though the shot is the most flashy part of his game, he is a very capable playmaker who led his team in assists with 64, and he isn’t just a sniper who floats around waiting for his moment to pounce.
He has a quick skating burst, and his top end speed was good enough to break away from WHL defenders with relative ease.
Further to that point, there were some really smart, positive plays made by Kindel on the forecheck. At his size he isn’t exactly going to bowl defenders over, but he uses his smarts to disrupt plays and create turnovers by anticipating plays and getting to the puck first with a quick burst.
Ben Kindel (9 Red) isn’t a Top 10 Pick? LMAO. Surrreeee. Matthew Barzal all over again. pic.twitter.com/pz6IvAuk3C
— Western Hockey Scout (@Pete___Hughes) May 4, 2025
He slows his game down at times, but he is still very comfortable playing at pace and making quick decisions with the puck. That sort of comfortability with playing the game at multiple speeds bodes well for his future, and it suggests maybe some more dynamic potential that can be revealed over time.
Watching Kindel conjures up similar feelings to someone like Jett Luchanko with his very astute and mature two-way game. He has a lot of really projectable traits that make him a bit more versatile than just your average go-for-broke sniper. If he doesn’t transform into a 35+ goal scorer at the NHL level, he still has a very good chance to stick around and be an impact player lower down the lineup, who has the ability to go on hot stretches. He really works hard out there, and it’s a good sign to see that he doesn’t just rely on his point scoring to do all the heavy lifting, and seems to be keen on putting in the same level of effort all over the ice.
He played center at times for the Hitmen as well, which just shows how much faith the team ultimately had in his 200-foot game, even if that projection may be a bit far-fetched for the NHL-level.
What’s not to like?
Kindel is a bit small, and that will always affect his draft stock. Listed at 5’10, 176 pounds, he could stand to bulk up a bit at least, and that may inhibit his ability to really be able to stick as an NHL centerman. Other than that, there’s not a ton about Kindel’s game that is lacking, rather, it is another situation where you are left wondering just how effective he can be as an NHL scorer.
He has slowly become one of my favorite options late in round one, but even still there are obvious questions about what he can ultimately become in the NHL, and if he’ll one day be able to really dominate. Kindel finds himself caught in a situation that many late first round wingers experience as they transition to the pro game: what happens if their scoring isn’t good enough to keep them in an NHL top-6 consistently. Morgan Frost is one of my favorite examples of such a phenomenon, where he obviously has playmaking skill and real offensive abilities, but the numbers simply aren’t good enough to justify putting him with the players that he would need to play with in order to thrive.
Kindel isn’t some massive play driving beast, and he does a lot of his best work in conjunction with his teammates. That isn’t a problem, but it is key to note that he just probably isn’t going to be a guy who creates something out of nothing for himself, at the NHL level.
How would he fit in the Flyers’ system?
Kindel would fit in nicely with the Flyers, but it’s more than just adding his weapon of a shot to a power play desperate for some sort of new blood. His high motor game and tenacious work ethic fits in well with the ethos of the kind of scrappy team the Flyers have been building over their time under John Tortorella, and will likely continue to build under Rick Tocchet.
He would be another added goal scoring option to a team that struggles with finding out-and-out snipers, and even if he doesn’t find his footing right away, he can still contribute in other ways that will cement him as a positive force in a lineup even if he goes through a slump. As the Flyers continue to amass two-way players like Luchanko, Tyson Foerster, and Noah Cates, Kindel would fit right in alongside them, while still offering that potential offensive upside that you expect from a first round winger.
Could the Flyers actually get him?
Kindel seems like a prime target for either one of the two Flyers’ late first rounders. Danny Briere is not a general manager who allows size to make decisions for him automatically, so there is a very good chance that if Kindel slides into the twenties, that Briere will look at him as a no-brainer swing with very minimal risk involved. There is a chance he goes in the teens, especially after a really solid all-around showing at the U-18 world championships with Canada, where he demonstrated every positive aspect of his game over the gold medal run.
Kindel seems like a very Briere-esque player in my opinion, so there’s a chance they’re a bit higher than consensus on a guy with no real glaring holes in his game. A trade up cannot be ruled out, I just think if the Flyers did decide to move up with a combination of their later picks, it would be to select someone just a bit more highly touted than Kindel.
What scouts are saying
“Kindel was one of the most productive players in junior hockey this season and did most of his damage at even strength to finish one point shy of 100. He also wore a letter for the Hitmen this year and reminds me a little of 2024 first-rounder Terik Parascak as a slightly undersized but opportunistic player whose great sense for timing and spacing helps him get open (though I think his engine runs hotter than Parascak’s). He’s a worker with legit skill and smarts.” – Scott Wheeler
The right-shot forward can play anywhere in a lineup and is versatile enough to play in all situations. Kindel has been a standout scorer and has won 51.4 percent of his face-offs this season. He’ll go to the hard areas of the ice to create offense, a quality very endearing to NHL scouts, but he’ll need to increase his strength before playing at the next level. Kindel considers himself a playmaker and compares his style to that of Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki.” – Mike Morreale
“Kindel has a role as a power play quarterback, which speaks to his vision and playmaking ability. Despite his current size, Kindel isn’t shy about taking the puck to the net off the rush or setting up around his opponent’s net searching for tips and rebounds.” – Jason Bukala
As we get into the 20’s, it’s tome for another name to be added to the voting pool. This time it is Rouyn-Noranda centerman Bill Zonnon.
“Zonnon has been a top player for Rouyn-Noranda for the past two seasons. Zonnon checks a lot of boxes NHL teams will be looking for. He’s a big, fast center with a skating stride that will easily translate to the NHL. He has good stick skills and can create offense on the move. He’s been a big scorer in the QMJHL, but I wouldn’t call him an overly instinctive offensive type. He can make some plays, and has a decent shot too, but it looks like more secondary skill at the top level. He works well enough off the puck and could have two-way value as a pro. He has a chance to be a middle-six forward in the middle or on the wing.” – Corey Pronman
