Calgary talents Ben Kindel, Jackson Smith chosen 11th and 14th in NHL Draft
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Ben Kindel listed his dream linemate as the legendary Maurice Richard.
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But how about playing alongside Sid Crosby, Ben?
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It's in the cards for the Calgary Hitmen forward after the Pittsburgh Penguins shocked many — including Kindel himself — by making him the 11th selection Friday night in the 2025 NHL Draft.
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'Yeah … you always kind of dreamed about this day,' said Kindel, who was visibly surprised at being drafted so high — 10 picks better than his final rating of 21 among North American skaters in the NHL Draft Prospects Rankings.
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'I guess I never knew if it would become a reality or not,' continued Kindel, the third Western Hockey League talent selected on the evening. 'I think just if you put enough work into it, anything can happen.'
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Jackson Smith, a graduate of the Glenlake Hawks and product of Edge School, was chosen 14th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
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'I'm gonna be honest … I don't really have much of a clue what's down in Columbus,' Jackson told reporters, with a laugh, at the prospects party in Los Angeles. 'I've never been there before.'
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But the Jackets have more than a clue about Smith.
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They chose the 6-foot-4, 199-lb. defenceman — a 54-point-getter with the Tri-City Americans last WHL season — because he's big and strong and has got a smooth set of wheels.
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'What we really like is he's one of the best skaters in the draft,' said Blue Jackets GM/president of hockey operations Don Waddell. 'And he can transport the puck — get you out of trouble really easy.
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'You need puck-moving defencemen in this game today, because the games are played very fast. And we're very fortunate to be able to add Jackson to our lineup.'
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The Smith selection was announced by Meredith Gaudreau, the widow of Calgary Flames legend Johnny Gaudreau, making for an emotional moment at L.A.'s Peacock Theatre.
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'My greatest honour is representing (Johnny),' Meredith told the crowd at the draft. 'So just really happy to be here.'
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For Smith, going to the Blue Jackets means a chance to hang out on the same blue-line as one of the game's top defencemen in Zach Werenski.
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'He's an incredible hockey player,' said Smith, who was rated 13th among North American skaters in the NHL Draft Prospects Rankings. 'Going to the same team as (Werenski), it's pretty cool.'
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Article content But how about playing alongside Sid Crosby, Ben? It's in the cards for the Calgary Hitmen forward after the Pittsburgh Penguins shocked many — including Kindel himself — by making him the 11th selection Friday night in the 2025 NHL Draft. 'Yeah … you always kind of dreamed about this day,' said Kindel, who was visibly surprised at being drafted so high — 10 picks better than his final rating of 21 among North American skaters in the NHL Draft Prospects Rankings.
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Calgary talents Ben Kindel, Jackson Smith chosen 11th and 14th in NHL Draft
Article content Ben Kindel listed his dream linemate as the legendary Maurice Richard. Article content But how about playing alongside Sid Crosby, Ben? Article content It's in the cards for the Calgary Hitmen forward after the Pittsburgh Penguins shocked many — including Kindel himself — by making him the 11th selection Friday night in the 2025 NHL Draft. Article content 'Yeah … you always kind of dreamed about this day,' said Kindel, who was visibly surprised at being drafted so high — 10 picks better than his final rating of 21 among North American skaters in the NHL Draft Prospects Rankings. Article content Article content 'I guess I never knew if it would become a reality or not,' continued Kindel, the third Western Hockey League talent selected on the evening. 'I think just if you put enough work into it, anything can happen.' Article content Article content Jackson Smith, a graduate of the Glenlake Hawks and product of Edge School, was chosen 14th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Article content 'I'm gonna be honest … I don't really have much of a clue what's down in Columbus,' Jackson told reporters, with a laugh, at the prospects party in Los Angeles. 'I've never been there before.' Article content But the Jackets have more than a clue about Smith. Article content They chose the 6-foot-4, 199-lb. defenceman — a 54-point-getter with the Tri-City Americans last WHL season — because he's big and strong and has got a smooth set of wheels. Article content Article content 'What we really like is he's one of the best skaters in the draft,' said Blue Jackets GM/president of hockey operations Don Waddell. 'And he can transport the puck — get you out of trouble really easy. Article content Article content 'You need puck-moving defencemen in this game today, because the games are played very fast. And we're very fortunate to be able to add Jackson to our lineup.' Article content The Smith selection was announced by Meredith Gaudreau, the widow of Calgary Flames legend Johnny Gaudreau, making for an emotional moment at L.A.'s Peacock Theatre. Article content 'My greatest honour is representing (Johnny),' Meredith told the crowd at the draft. 'So just really happy to be here.' Article content For Smith, going to the Blue Jackets means a chance to hang out on the same blue-line as one of the game's top defencemen in Zach Werenski. Article content 'He's an incredible hockey player,' said Smith, who was rated 13th among North American skaters in the NHL Draft Prospects Rankings. 'Going to the same team as (Werenski), it's pretty cool.'
