Blake Fiddler 2025 NHL Draft Profile

Blake Fiddler’s on-ice production

Blake Fiddler has made significant steps forward at the WHL level. His breakout moment in his career was at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he was captain for Team USA. Fiddler put up four points in five games, having himself a solid tournament. He continued this good play into his second WHL season with the Edmonton Oil Kings. Here, he became a reliable shut-down defenceman throughout the entire season.

Fiddler’s strengths

Size

One of the main advantages right off the bat for Fiddler is his size. The defenceman comes in at a height of 6’4″ while weighing in at 194 pounds. This is impressive for a player who is currently 17 years old. He still has a lot more potential growth in his game, which will only benefit his size.

His size can be used to be more of a physical presence on the blue line. This will make it tougher on opposing teams, especially their star players. Throughout the history of hockey, bigger players have usually been taken over smaller players. Size can be an important factor in playoff hockey, so this will make Fiddler stand out at the NHL Draft in June.

Shot

Another benefit that Fiddler has in his game is his shot. He showcased his shot quite a bit with the Edmonton Oil Kings in the previous WHL season. He scored 10 goals in 64 games, which is great for a 17-year-old defenceman. His ability to get shots through from the point will help him be an excellent power play quarterback. However, one aspect that makes Fiddler stand out is his ability to score closer to the net. The defenceman can pick the corners from the face-off dots, making him a great offensive threat off the rush.

Areas of improvement

Skating

One thing that Fiddler could improve upon is his skating abilities. The fact that he is so tall makes him a naturally slower skater. His acceleration is not that bad, but his overall speed and edgework will need to improve at the NHL level. Improving his skating skills will help him break out of the defensive zone quicker.

The good news is that Fiddler has plenty of time to work on his skating skills before he makes a push to play at the NHL level. If he can get quicker on his edges, he will be a fantastic addition to an NHL franchise.

Consistency

Another area of improvement for Fiddler is consistency in his gameplay. This is an extremely common issue for young players, especially when they are making the jump to professional hockey. If Fiddler wants to become a full-time NHLer one day, he will have to find consistency throughout the entire season. Defensive mistakes will always happen, but great defencemen limit their defensive zone turnovers.

NHL comparables

A current NHL player Fiddler can relate to is Colton Parayko of the St. Louis Blues. Parayko is a bit taller at 6’6″ and weighs 229 pounds, but he has a similar skill set to Fiddler. Both of these defencemen are more stay-at-home defencemen, who use their physical presence to make it difficult for the opposing team. Parayko has a cannon of a shot. This is something that Fiddler must work up to. However, he has shown great progress with his shooting abilities over the past season.

Fit with the Flames

Fiddler would be a decent addition to the Calgary Flames. He is a promising young defenceman, but the Flames do not need him. They currently have Zayne Parekh, Hunter Brzustewicz, and Henry Mews in their prospect pool, which already provides a wealth of right-handed defencemen. The Flames most likely will not be looking to draft a defenceman such as Fiddler.

Summary

Overall, Fiddler seems like he has some decent potential at the NHL level. His size and physical play will make him a standout at the 2025 NHL Draft. He is the son of former NHLer Vernon Fiddler, who played the majority of his career with the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars. Maybe the NHL runs within the family’s name? Time will tell. Be sure to tune into the NHL Draft on June 27th and 28th.

Risk: 3/5

Reward: 3.5/5

Projection: Middle-pairing defenceman

Check out all of The Win Column’s individual player profiles of selected 2025 NHL Draft prospects:

Matthew Schaefer | Michael Misa | James Hagens | Porter Martone | Anton Frondell | Victor Eklund | Roger McQueen | Caleb Desnoyers | Jackson Smith | Jake O’Brien | Carter Bear | Radim Mrtka | Lynden Lakovic | Brady Martin | Justin Carbonneau | Malcolm Spence | Cameron Reid | Logan Hensler | Cameron Schmidt | Ben Kindel | Kashawn Aitcheson | Cullen Potter | Braeden Cootes | Ivan Ryabkin