Adam Benak – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Joining Cam Schmidt and LJ Mooney in the “small, but supremely skilled” category of this draft class, Benak will always have concerns about his size. Standing at a slight 5-foot-7, 161 pounds, he will likely fall into the second or third round like Logan Stankoven, Lane Hutson and Conor Garland before him. But as I always mention when talking about these prospects, that would be a mistake. Benak may be short in stature, but he packs a lot of skill into such a small package.

Similar to the forwards mentioned above, Benak is an electrifying and exciting player to watch. His game is based on speed (both in skating and stickhandling), tenacity, and the willingness to take on defenders almost always bigger and stronger than him. When it comes to his skating, he has been described as one of, if not the top player, in this draft class. Finlay Sherratt, who tracked Benak in the early part of his rookie season, praised his straight-line and lateral skating, highlighting both his acceleration and agility:

“Benak’s lateral skating is a standout component of his game, showcasing his ability to maneuver in dynamic, multi-directional patterns. Rarely does he move in a straight line; instead, he’s constantly shifting weight, employing crossover acceleration and varying his pace and path. His quickness in small spaces enables him to burst into acceleration with minimal room, making him one of the most agile skaters among his draft class.”

In addition to his exceptional skating and edgework, Benak has quick hands and the ability to maneuver through traffic. According to Sherratt’s tracking after 19 games this season, he was in the 87th percentile in deke attempts per 60 and 84th percentile in successful dekes per 60. His vision and playmaking also stand out, as does his quick and hard shot, which he doesn’t use nearly as often as he should, as mentioned by his head coach, Ryan Ward. He did highlight his ability to find his teammates with his vision and passing abilities, though, which led to a team-leading 42 assists, second only to Landen Gunderson’s 45 in the entire USHL.

“He’s got a great release. He’s got a good shot. I think he probably doesn’t give himself enough credit from that. It’s funny, his spatial awareness and ability to manipulate defenders is really special. His little slip passes and the way he supports the puck, the way he lays pucks into areas for other people to skate onto, he just makes it look easy. That’s a testament to his work ethic and his brain. Just the way he goes about his business and how serious he is with that, it’s really, really impressive to see a young man play like that.”

When it comes to weaknesses, Benak’s size will always come up, but Ward doesn’t see it that way, saying, “The thing about Adam is he’s physical, he’s tenacious and he works so hard. So, when I look at Adam, he plays big, he plays hard. I don’t see a single issue with his size at all. He more than makes up for it with his relentlessness. … I don’t think anyone should be concerned about his size. I certainly think he’s not.”

Other THW Draft Profiles

Adam Benak – NHL Draft Projection

Recruit Scouting is the only outlet that has Benak going in the first round at 32nd overall. The rest have him in the early or late second round. The NHL still doesn’t get that size doesn’t matter, so he will likely be selected in the later rounds, despite having the skills of a first-rounder.

Quotables

“Adam Benak is a skilled, intelligent playmaker who has proven he can carry an offense at the USHL level. However, his undersized frame, inefficiency as a finisher, and puck management issues create legitimate concerns about his NHL translatability. Still, he is the type of late-round swing a team can take due to his vision, offensive motor, and ability to generate scoring chances at high volume. With proper development and physical progression, he could become an intriguing pro contributor down the line.” – Neutral Zone

“Right away, Benak’s smaller frame catches the eye. Given his size relative to many other players in this tournament, the focus naturally shifts to his skating ability. He must be quick and shifty, with the capability to escape tight areas. He had absolutely no issues doing so. His skating is outstanding. While his straight-line speed isn’t consistently elite, he can accelerate rapidly when given more runway to build up his momentum. However, it’s his edges and impressive balance that make his skating even more remarkable.” – Kyle Pereira, FC Hockey

“Benak is tiny but he’s also one of the best skaters and smartest forwards in the draft and the more I’ve watched him and asked around about him the more inclined I’ve been to trust he has a real chance to defy the odds of his size. His skating, skill and smarts all get very high marks, with a standout quickness from a standstill that matches his quick reads of the ice.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic (from ‘2025 NHL Draft prospects: Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa pull away in Wheeler’s March top 64 ranking,’ The Athletic, 3/25/25)

Strengths

Under Construction (Improvements to Make)

NHL Potential

Benak has the skill set and attitude to become a success story like Stankoven and Garland. If he can keep getting stronger, improve defensively and shoot the puck more to balance out his offensive game, he legitimately could become a top-six player in the NHL. I have said it before, and I will say it again: never underestimate small, skilled players with a workhorse attitude; they always seem to prove their doubters wrong.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 3/5, Reward – 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offence – 8/10, Defence – 5/10

Awards/Achievements

Benak led Czechia to a silver medal at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, leading the tournament in goals with four. He was also named to the USHL’s All-Rookie Team and Second All-Star Team.

Adam Benak Statistics

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