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Cullen Potter Scouting Report: 2025 NHL Entry Draft #17

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Welcome to your 2025 NHL Entry Draft Headquarters right here at Last Word On Sports and Top Shelf Prospects. We have you covered with everything you will need to be ready for the big event. This year’s draft is set to take place on June 27th and 28th, live from the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Today, we bring you our Cullen Potter Scouting Report. 

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Few players in this year’s draft are evoking indecision quite like Arizona State forward Cullen Potter. He’s been ranked as high as #7 by SMAHT Scouting and as low as #54 by TSN’s Craig Button. Potter is one of the most dynamically talented skaters in this year’s draft class, but is being held back by below-average size and efficiency. With that said, he combination of skating, creativity, and motor has many excited about the potential he brings.

Cullen Potter Scouting Report: 2025 NHL Draft #17

Left Wing – Shoots Left

Born Jan 10, 2007 – Hortonville, WI, USA

Height 5’10” – Weight 172 lbs [178cm/78kg]

Skating and Offence

The defining feature of Potter’s game is his skating. His explosiveness off the mark allows him to create separation in transition with ease, and he regularly pushes defenders back off the rush. What sets him ahead of his competition, however, is the control he has of his edges. Cullen can stop, start, and pivot on a dime with ease. This allows him to be exceptionally elusive while still maintaining a powerful stride. He’s shifty and can change attack angles like nothing, opening passing lanes for teammates and shooting lanes for himself. Additionally, Potter’s effectively uses these tools to aid team play in all zones of the ice.

Despite unmatched skating abilities, Potter’s offensive numbers from this season don’t jump off the page. Through his team’s 35 games, Cullen scored 13 goals and 22 points. These numbers seem more impressive when you realize that Potter finished second in the entire top Division NCAA, only behind James Hagens, in scoring by a draft-eligible player. He attacks well off the rush, is extremely skilled with the puck, and can generate high-dangerous chances successfully. His shot release is deceptive, particularly off his inside foot, and he’s dangerous when cutting across the slot or catching defenders flat-footed.

Despite this, his offensive efficiency is still lacking. He frequently misses the net, overhandles, or forces plays into pressure, leading to avoidable turnovers. Cullen needs to increase the rate at which he converts on chances and decrease the number of giveaways per game.

 

Defence and Physicality

Even though Potter doesn’t have the frame of an NHL power forward, he plays with a tenacious edge and never shies away from contact. Moreover, his motor helps compensate for his lack of physical strength. He’s consistently in motion, pressuring pucks, and making life difficult for opponents. You rarely watch Cullen play and leave with the evaluation that he needs to work harder. Even on nights when things aren’t going his way, you can see him battling through it, rather than giving up.

Defensively, Potter has a good arsenal of tools. His stick details when pressing through the neutral zone are noticeable, and he maintains structure during neutral zone forechecks. Cullen uses his speed to effectively track back, either blocking passing lanes or checking the puck holder. He also excels at what you might like to call error correction. Mistakes and turnovers are going to happen, so how you react to these mistakes is crucial. Following a turnover or giveaway, Potter makes it his number one goal to correct his error and get the puck back. It’s an admirable trait.

 

Comparison and Projection

Rather than point out one or two players that Potter is comparable to, it feels more fitting to compare him to a category. Every year, highly skilled players fall in the draft due to being “undersized,” even though rankings have them much higher. And every year, these players prove the NHL GMs wrong. Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield, Logan Stankoven, and Alex DeBrincat, to name a few. All undersized, all fell in the draft, all made the GMs who passed on them look like fools. Now, just to be clear, we’re not claiming that Potter will be as successful in the NHL as these players. However, it’s not far-fetched to suggest he will follow in their footsteps and outperform his draft position.

Based on this, it would be a surprise to no one if Cullen Potter’s draft position is not nearly as high as his skill suggests. This aside, his lightning speed, exceptional edgework, and relentless motor create a unique blend of player that could be highly coveted. He projects as a dynamic middle-six forward with powerplay and penalty kill potential. He needs to iron out some of his offensive inefficiencies while also rounding out his play away from the puck. Additionally, adding some more muscle and physicality to his game would be beneficial. If he can improve these things, then we expect Cullen Potter to join the list of undersized players to prove GMs wrong.

Main Photo Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

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