Cameron Schmidt 2025 NHL Draft Profile

Cameron Schmidt’s on-ice production

Schmidt is projected to go in the second half of the first round in the 2025 NHL Draft. His recent season with the Vancouver Giants caught the attention of lots of people. The forward scored 40 goals in just 61 games on a mediocre roster. Schmidt was drafted seventh overall in the 2022 WHL Draft and has gotten some praise ahead of the NHL Draft. Craig Button of TSN has Schmidt ranked at 8th overall on his draft list. This is a massive compliment to his game, as smaller players are often overlooked.

Strengths

Speed

One of Schmidt’s greatest assets is his speed. Being a smaller player requires him to stand out in different ways, and his speed allows him to outskate bigger players with his acceleration. Schmidt is an extremely offensive-minded player. His speed allows him to enter the zone quickly on a power play while gaining time and space. Schmidt has great edge skills that can allow him to change the angle on the goalie. This sets him up to take advantage of another strength, his lethal shot.

Shot

After a 40-goal season in the WHL, Cameron Schmidt clearly has some strong offensive abilities. His shot is an exceptional part of his toolkit and arguably his best. He scored plenty of highlight-reel goals, where he would snipe the top corner on opposing goalies. Between his skating skills and shot ability, he may be one of the most underrated offensive players in the draft class.

Forecheck

Schmidt’s great skating makes him a valuable asset on the forecheck. His speed and acceleration allow him to get behind defenders and win puck battles. From here, his offensive talent takes over, giving his team a great chance to score. However, every player has their weaknesses, and Schmidt has a couple.

Areas of improvement

Defensive Coverage

One of the weaknesses in Schmidt’s game is defensive zone coverage. His offensive abilities can outweigh his defensive liabilities. Schmidt must develop a better two-way player to make an impact at the NHL level. The good news about this is that it is a skill that can be improved over time. It is not a skill that one is born with.

Size

Unfortunately, in a sport like hockey, size is something that needs to be looked at. Schmidt’s height of 5-foot-7 and weight of 157 pounds draw some concern. He will need to add muscle to compete at the NHL level, as his weight presents a greater concern than his height. However, Flames fans know this isn’t necessarily a drawback. For example, Johnny Gaudreau stood just 5-foot-9 and weighed 167 pounds, yet he became one of the best players in Calgary Flames history.

Player comparables

A current NHLer that Schmidt can relate to is Alex DeBrincat of the Detroit Red Wings. Both of these players have similar qualities in their game. Shooting, stick handling, and speed are their main strengths. However, DeBrincat has always needed a great playmaker to help set him up. This will most likely be the case for Schmidt once he is an established NHL player.

Fit with the Flames

Schmidt would be able to fit in with the current young core on the Flames. He would join Matt Coronato, Dustin Wolf, and Zayne Parekh in the future of the franchise. Looking into the future, Schmidt would most likely become a second-line winger on the Flames. With Matt Coronato signed long-term, it is unlikely that Schmidt would surpass him in the lineup anytime soon. The Flames were one of the worst offensive teams in the NHL this season. Calgary needs a player like Schmidt to boost offensive production in the coming years.

Summary

In the end, Schmidt will be a solid draft pick. It is difficult to predict exactly where he will fall, as many scouts have him ranked between 8th to 25th in the first round. His speed and excellent shot put him a step above the others, but his size will likely diminish his draft stock. Do you think the Flames should take a chance on Schmidt?

Risk: 2/5

Reward: 4/5

Projection: Top-six forward

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