Lev Katzin – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

After completing his rehab from an upper-body injury, Katzin made his Storm debut. It couldn’t have gone any better to start.

In his firth six games in the OHL, Katzin scored five goals and 13 points. He immediately showed why there will be interest in him at the next level. He can make things happen with the puck on his stick.

Katzin’s ability to add instant offense however didn’t overcome all of the deficiencies the Storm had on the ice. They were one of the four teams who missed out on the OHL Playoffs. They were the second-worst team with only the Peterborough Petes behind them.

Katzin was able to put up 48 points in his 44 games which included 16 goals. The production didn’t stop there. At the recently completed U-18’s in Frisco, Texas, he put up 4-6-10 in seven games. He was the third-leading scorer on Team Canada only behind Brady Martin and Braeden Cootes. Canada went on to win their second consecutive gold medal at the U-18’s.

From a pure size and playmaking angle, Katzin has some Johnny Gaudreau in him. He can get the puck where it needs to go from anywhere on the ice. His playmaking is by far the best part of his game.

While Katzin scored 16 goals in Guelph this season, he could have had more. The one area of his offensive game he does need to work on is his finishing ability. While he’s not afraid to get to the net, he left some chances on the ice.

The other main question with Katzin is being an undersized player. Will he be able to put on the necessary strength for the next level while making more of an impact defensively? Teams who draft him understand that it will take a couple years or more of development to smooth out his overall game.

Katzin is committed to play for a rising program in Penn State in 2025-26. With Luke Misa and others recently announcing their commitments there, Katzin could find himself an important part of what they’re trying to build at Hockey Valley this upcoming season and beyond.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Lev Katzin – NHL Draft Projection

Katzin’s performance at the U-18’s certainly opened a few eyes. He’s the kind of player you take a chance on in the later rounds. Teams that believe they can develop the rest of his game will target him in Rounds 5-7 in Los Angeles.

Quotables

“Katzin is a shifty and effective puck-moving winger. He moves with agility and control on and off the puck. Positions himself well to get into space and stay in line with his teammates. Very strong passing and a strong eye across the ice. He doesn’t drive downhill as well as his peers, but does work with teammates cohesively and shows a ton of finesse in his skillset. He needs to improve his physicality and find more effect in the D-zone, but his snappy and smart play lends itself to some reasonable upside at the least.” –Gabriel Foley, Recruit Scouting

“Katzin is an offensive-minded, playmaking winger with great pace and vision. His strength lies in his playmaking ability—he’s an excellent passer who finds teammates all over the ice. While he tends to control the puck around the perimeter, he doesn’t shy away from threading passes through seams to create high-danger chances.” –Nathan Hutchinson, Future Considerations

“Katzin has been a revelation for the Storm since joining the OHL. He continues to pile up the points and he’s a real fun player to watch. He’s like the little engine that could out there. Very pesky in puck pursuit. He wants the puck on his stick. He’s definitely not a perimeter player. He’s got quick feet and quick hands and that helps him evade pressure. He’s particularly good along the wall, keeping plays alive, driving time of possession until he finds a passing lane he likes. I guess the concern I have is that a) he’s not the quickest or most explosive skater for his size and b) he’s not the most creative. I’ve seen Guelph live and on tape since he’s come over and several times I found myself wondering how translatable his game is. Undersized wingers without elite skating ability haven’t had the easiest time transitioning. But, he is absolutely worth a mid round gamble to find out if he can buck the trend, or if his physical tools improve.” –Brock Otten, OHL Prospects

Strengths 

Under Construction- Improvements to Make

NHL Potential

Katzin’s NHL potential will be tied to his ability to adapt to the size and speed of the NHL. His playmaking ability is good enough to make an impact at the next level. Can the rest of his game catch up?

Risk- Reward Analysis

Risk- 4/5, Reward 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense- 7/10, Defense 5/10

Awards/Achievements

Interviews/Links

Lev Katzin Stats

Videos