Sascha Boumedienne – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Boumedienne’s skating is one of his greatest strengths, however, he still needs to improve in a few areas. His mix of speed and size allows him to be a key player in transition, however, he needs to use his frame to his advantage more consistently at the collegiate level. He’s improving defensively, but if he’s going to become a reliable 200-foot player rather than a power play specialist, he’ll need to continue improving considerably. 

Despite being born in Finland, Boumedienne is a Swedish national and represented his country at the U18 World Championship, where he quickly broke the single-tournament scoring record for a defenseman. He recorded 14 points in the first five games of the tournament, before being held off the scoresheet against the United States and Canada. Eventually, he would be named as the tournament’s best defenseman. 

Sascha Boumedienne – NHL Draft Projection

Given his struggles early in the season, Boumedienne is a bit of a toss-up heading into the draft. Before his performance at the U18s, he was considered a fringe first-round pick by some, with many analysts putting him early in the second round. Now, his strong performance for Sweden should be enough to convince a team to take a flyer on him late in the first round. 

Quotables

“He fired quickly off the rush after gaining the middle, evaded pressure, and supported plays deep in the offensive zone. Playing a physical brand of defence, he controlled the front of the net. He also got beat wide and made some shaky plays at the point. His projection continues to look similar as in college. A potential No. 4, Boumedienne needs to solidify his habits, develop his mobility, and settle into a more defensively-oriented game with some puck-moving elements.” – David St. Louis, Elite Prospects (from ‘April 26th, 2025 – USA U18 vs. Sweden U18,’ Elite Prospects – 4/28/25)

“Sascha Boumedienne is a defenseman with significant upside due to his combination of size, mobility, and offensive instincts. While there are areas of his game, particularly his defensive play and physicality, his potential to impact the game at both ends of the ice makes him a compelling candidate for the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft.” – Neutral Zone

Strengths

Under Construction – Improvements to Make

NHL Potential

Boumedienne appears to project as a second-pairing offensive defenseman who could be a key piece of a team’s second power-play unit. While he’ll need to continue improving defensively in order to be an effective 5-on-5 player at the NHL level, he’s unlikely to become a reliable penalty killer unless he completely revamps his game defensively. 

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 3/5, Reward – 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense – 7/10, Defense – 5/10

Awards/Achievements

Boumedienne won a bronze medal at 2024 Gretzky Hlinka Cup. He was then named best defenseman and named to the All-Star team at the U18 World Championship while winning a silver medal.

Interviews/Links

YouTube: NHL Draft Prospect Sascha Boumedienne Talks Five-Point Game, Tom Willander And BU At U18 Worlds

YouTube: USHL Alumni: Sacha Boumedienne BU Hockey Frozen Four Interview

Sascha Boumedienne Stats

Videos