Nathan Behm – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Once the puck is on his stick, Behm is incredibly dangerous. He has a quick, accurate shot that he can fire from anywhere on the ice. He scored goals from impossible angles on the red line and while falling, all while maintaining his accuracy. His strength gives him a leg up when he’s in front of the net, where he can easily bat in rebounds, but he prefers to shoot from further out, finding soft spots in the defence and goaltenders. He doesn’t have a big wind-up on his wrist shot, but his follow-through gives him all the power he needs to score often. He’s just as effective when moving the puck to teammates, sending hard, accurate passes right to the tape of their stick. Despite his goal total, his passing game is almost more impressive.

The only problem is that, after October, Behm’s pace started to slow down drastically. In the 18 games before the Christmas break, he scored just six times while adding nine assists. He picked it back up in the new year, scoring 13 times in 28 games, but instead of eclipsing 60 goals and 110 points, he finished with 31 goals and 66 points in 59 games. Still a point-per-game player, but not nearly as dominant as he looked at the beginning of the season.

There are a couple of possible reasons why Behm dipped so drastically. The first is simply the team he played on; the Blazers scored the fourth-lowest goals last season, and only four players even hit double-digit totals. However, the second is likely the larger factor, and that’s consistency. Although he looked unbeatable at times, he frequently waited on the wings for something to happen before he leapt into action. Given that he isn’t the fastest skater, he couldn’t make much of a difference once the other team got the puck. He was engaged defensively, but not active enough, limiting his impact.

Despite his drop in production, Behm remains a top prospect because of what he can do when he’s on top of his game. He’s a dangerous offensive presence who uses deception, agility, and strength to create space and outmaneuver opponents. With a little more work on the defensive end and consistent effort in all areas, he could return to his 115-point pace without too much trouble.

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Nathan Behm – NHL Draft Projection

Behm has the size and offensive skills that will make him an early pick, but how early is another question. When he’s on his game, he has undeniable skill and can beat opponents one-on-one easily, but when he’s off it, he floats around and looks like he’s a step behind. With several other WHL prospects hitting late-season surges, Behm will likely find himself a second-round selection.

Quotables

“In addition to his lethal shot, it’s like he has eyes behind his head at times. He can be extremely deceptive with his passing ability, as the two features combine to make him someone that the opposition always has to have their eyes on. He also has some great hand-eye coordination.” – Daniel Amoia, The Hockey Writers

“After a blazing start with 29 points in 18 games, Nathan Behm’s production has ground to a halt. He has just three points in his last 10, all of which came in Kamloops’ only two wins over that stretch. Yet, he remains a prospect on the rise. His skill level is undeniable, visible each night he takes the ice, and his overall play remains strong. Behm is a creative force when he steps on the ice. He makes a ton happen, often in unique ways. 1-on-1, he’s one of the most dangerous players in the draft, consistently manipulating opponents before claiming space. Just when it seems like he’s lost control, he somehow recovers the puck and makes another high-end play instantly. But Behm can be a lot more than just a flashy player. He’s an NHL-calibre shooter off the pass and an even better playmaker. He deceives opponents before nearly every pass, even the easy ones, creating that little bit extra space for his teammates.” – Mitch Brown, Elite Prospects

“[Behm] was an important part of the Blazers, playing 18-19 minutes per game as a go-to forward at five-on-five and on the power play (he didn’t penalty kill for them) and the team’s second-leading scorer, breaking the 30-goal mark and finishing with 66 points in 59 games. Behm was a first-rounder in the WHL and is a good-sized winger with some skill, but I’ve had a tough time with him because I don’t think his skill level is dynamic/screams top-sixer; his off-puck play defensively needs some development, and he needs to be more consistent in his competitiveness and physicality if he wants to become a bottom-sixer. But he’s also almost 6-foot-2 and over 190 pounds, he’s got a quick and natural release, good skill, he skates well enough (I like him on cuts/attacking on angles), and he gets open and finds his way onto chances around the slot with good instincts inside the offensive zone. If he can work on some of his habits and work rate, he’ll be a good player.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic (from “2025 NHL Draft ranking: Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa lead Wheeler’s May top 64 list,” The Athletic – 5/5/25)

Strengths

Under Construction/Improvements to Make

NHL Potential

Given his size and physicality, there’s a pretty good path for Behm to make the NHL, and coupled with his stickhandling abilities, he’s set up well to become a bottom-six winger who can provide some secondary scoring. But there’s a chance that he could move up to a second-line role if he can consistently find that next gear and use all his tools more regularly.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 3/5, Reward – 3/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense – 7/10, Defence – 6/10

Awards/Achievements

Interviews/Links

Nathan Behm Stats

Videos