With the 18th pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Calgary Flames have selected Cole Reschny from the Victoria Royals of the WHL
About Cole Reschny
Cole Reschny offers top-tier puck control, patience and pacing. His ability to stay active in all three zones and play in a variety of roles make him an interesting prospect. Reschny has strong two-way traits and has shown a tendency to be effective in all situations; for scouts, versatility and effective play in multiple roles and situations can only be construed as floor-raisers.
Related: 2025 NHL Draft Tracker
Though Reschny may not be the biggest player on the ice, his size shouldn’t be an issue if he can continue to add some mass to his frame. He’d see a modest uptick in goals from the 2023-24 season (21) to the 2024-25 season (26), it was Reschny’s effectiveness as a playmaker that showed up on the scoresheets. Nearly doubling his assists totals from one season to the net, Reschny had an impressive first draft-eligible season, producing an impressive 92 points in 62 games before adding nine goals and 25 points in 11 postseason games.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“Cole Reschny is a do-it-all center for the Victoria Royals. He’s a high-level playmaker for the 2025 class, leading the WHL in assists per game played among draft-eligible players. Heavily involved both offensively and defensively, chipping in to retrieve pucks and consequently maintain the flow of the game, Reschny’s small size is less of a concern because he doesn’t let it prevent him from making an impact. He’s a candidate to be chosen in the first round.
Related: THW’s 2025 NHL Draft Guide
Let’s look at production. Across 57 games this season, Reschny has 23 goals and 62 assists for 85 points, along with a plus-41 rating. In WHL scoring overall, he finds himself in 10th place. But when limited to draft-eligible skaters, he climbs up to second. Reschny’s production is terrific, especially for an 11.9% shooter (the worst shooting percentage of his WHL career). So, how does he do it?
Cole Reschny, Victoria Royals (Photo Credit: Kevin Light Photo)
A big reason is Reschny’s superb hockey brain. He reads plays well, displaying exceptional passing ability to put his teammates in positions to score. He is an elite creator of space for his linemates, waiting for the perfect moment to dish pucks across. Reschny is able to force defenders on him so those around him have more breathing room. He maximizes the fullest potential of a roster that lost more games in regulation alone than they won in total last season.
Reschny is also adept at gathering loose pucks. Though he can be out-muscled, he’s willing to engage in puck battles, and he holds his own in those situations. Thus, his possession game is excellent.”
Full player profile can be found here.
How This Affects the Flames’ Plans
Reschny is a do-it-all player and for the Flames, this means the sky is the limit for his potential in the NHL one day. His abilities make him the ideal candidate to take over a middle-six to top-six center role for the Flames one day and a good supporting cast around him could ultimately raise his ceiling too. In the immediate future, Reschny is set to join the University of North Dakota for the 2025-26 season, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make the jump to the professional ranks sooner rather than later.
The Flames have already gotten some dividends from their recent first-round picks with Zayne Parekh (ninth overall in 2024) playing one game last season, as well as Samual Honzek playing five games with the club. Reschny will join those two, as well as Matvei Gridin as the team’s first-round selections from the last four NHL Entry Drafts and will look to help the Flames return to playoff contention in the near future after missing the postseason in each of the last three seasons.