Luca Romano – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Romano isn’t afraid of hard work, either; he consistently finds himself in battles and uses physicality to his advantage. Factor in his stick-handling ability and shot, and it becomes clear that he’s a dangerous player both with and without the puck.

During his time at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer, Romano scored three goals in five games for Canada and was a key contributor to the team walking away as the gold medalists. 

Other THW Draft Profiles

Quotables

”He wins down-low battles at both ends by getting inside the hands and initiating contact early. Fends off opponents with his stick and checks opponents hard into the walls for possession. Wins battles around the net and creates traffic. Lots of driving transition plays with speed, followed by quick passes to the outside, creating advantages. He’s not necessarily a dynamic offensive player with possession, but he has the tools for it.” – Mitchell Brown, Elite Prospects (from ‘April 16, 2025 – Kitchener Rangers vs. Windsor Spitfires,’ Elite Prospects – 5/16/25)

“He is recognized for his strong skating ability, featuring excellent top-end speed and edge work that allows him to evade attackers and maintain puck control. His vision and puck-handling complement his skating, enabling him to make intelligent decisions and execute plays consistently.” – Mike Kennedy (from ‘26686 – North Bay vs. Kitchener,’ FCHockey – 3/22/25)

Strengths

Under Construction- Improvements to Make

Luca Romano – NHL Draft Projection

Romano has been a polarizing player. He’ll likely be selected on the second day of the draft; however, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where he’ll go. There will be a team that goes off the board to select him as early as the second round, but he could easily drop into the third or even fourth round. 

NHL Potential

Romano has the potential to be a difference-maker at the NHL level, both offensively and defensively. However, he’s unlikely to become a high-level talent. He’ll likely max out as a middle-six forward, who would ideally play on the third line, but it will take him quite a bit of seasoning to get to that point. 

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk 4/5, Reward 3/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense 5/10, Defense 6/10

Awards/Achievements

Gold medal with Canada at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. 

Interviews/Links

Luca Romano Stats

Videos