Colin Fitzgerald- 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

While he has strong shooting ability, with a heavy, accurate shot, he tends to get tunnel vision and misses opportunities to find a teammate for a better chance on net. He did show flashes of good playmaking as the season progressed, demonstrating more patience with the puck thanks to his high hockey IQ. But overall, he needs to become more consistent to be a true dual threat in the offensive zone.

Away from the puck, Fitzgerald has good speed when he is given the time and space to build it up. But, when he has to try and get going quickly, his footwork and foot speed do lack. His mobility is an area he will need to work on if he wants to become a more well-rounded player. On the defensive side of the puck, he plays responsibly enough to be relied upon and uses his IQ to sniff out lanes and gets in them to break up plays or take further advantage of his size and throw hits when given the chance.

Overall, Fitzgerald is a solid player who can play a power-forward-type game, with a really strong shot, too. The trade to the Greyhounds this season seemed to help him get his game on track as the season progressed, and another offseason of honing his skills could help take his game to another level.

Other THW Draft Profiles

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Colin Fitzgerald- NHL Draft Projection

The flashes that Fitzgerald has shown, mixed in with his strong rookie season in the 2024-25 season with the Pete’s gives hope that he can develop his offensive game to another level, but at this point, he will likely be a mid-round pick, more towards the end of the third round or early in the fourth.

Quotables

“Colin has always been an elite player entering the league and has shown the potential to be an elite player for us, making him a perfect fit moving forward. His combination of speed, skill, size, and ability to read the game is what every top player in this league is built on.”- Soo Greyhounds GM Kyle Raftis

“Fitzgerald plays a typical power forward game for a guy standing at 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds. He hits frequently, and he hits HARD. He uses that power to generate offense, but he’s more of a support guy than a play-driver. While Fitzgerald’s skating is still a heavy work in progress, and he’s not as offensively inclined as even a few others around this area, his game is highly projectable in a bottom-line role.”- Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

Strengths

• Heavy, accurate shot
• Responsible defensive game
• Plays physically well
• Loves to battle for the puck
• Good open ice speed
• High IQ

Under Construction- Improvements to Make

• Becoming more consistent with his offensive game; in particular his playmaking
• Footwork and speed out the gates needs improvement to be able to break away from opponents
• Work on widening his vision and becoming less “shoot first”

NHL Potential

With his current game and style of play, Fitzgerald projects to be more of a third or fourth line player in the NHL in a checking role. If his offensive game develops to another level, he could end up as a third line player who brings some secondary offense.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk: 2/5 Reward: 3/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense: 5.5/10 Defense: 6/10

Awards/Achievements

• 2024 U17 WHC Silver Medal (Canada Red)
• 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Bronze Medal (Canada)
• 2025 Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game

Interviews/Links

• The Hockey News-Why Did Peterborough Trade Former Top-5 Pick Colin Fitzgerald To The Greyhounds?

Colin Fitzgerald Stats

Videos