The 2025 NHL Draft is expected to be filled with surprise. With no certain No. 1 overall pick, it is anyone's guess as to who goes first, second, third and all the way through the sixth and seventh rounds. What is for certain, however, is the fact that a number of RINK-made, Manitoba star players will hear their names called from the podium this June.

Listed 37th, 38th and 39th overall on Central Scouting's final North American player rankings heading into the draft is the trio of Matthew Gard, Hayden Paupanekis and Peyton Kettles — all of whom spent their developmental years suiting up at the RINK. And just a little bit further down the list are Owen Martin and Aiden Ziprick, both of whom also have a shot at being selected by one of the 32 NHL clubs.

Nothing New for RINK-Trained Athletes

And this is nothing new for RINK-trained athletes. Since its inception, RINK has seen a number of its star athletes find homes professionally, within the NCAA, in Junior hockey and elsewhere. Some have even gone on to suit up in the NHL, while many others continue to hear their names called within the NHL draft.

"Well, the obvious one that comes to mind for everybody who associates with us is Seth Jarvis," said RINK Winnipeg's U15 head coach Brad Purdie. "Jarvy was part of our first team here that we had ever had. He was a player that at that age of, 14 years old, you could tell he was just a special talent and was really driven. You just knew he wasn't going to be denied. Over the years he put in the work here, and obviously, he's getting the real work now, right? You're always hoping for guys in the program to make a name for themselves and he did just that. He'll always be a part of our very first year and there are going to be a lot of guys who follow in his footprints."

Over the years, RHA Winnipeg (10 players) and RHA Kelowna (5 players) have seen 15 total athletes selected to NHL clubs through the NHL Draft. That number is set to rise come June 27-28 in Los Angeles as the 32 NHL teams come together to select 224 players over the two-day draft.

RINK Scouting Report From the Coaches

Matthew Gard — Ranked 37 Overall

"Gard is another really tall and long defender," Brad Purdie said. "I just saw him the other day, and it seems like he just never seems to stop growing. He's a guy that plays with a lot of grit, gets under your skin. He plays with character and uses his size to his advantage. I've seen him get under guys' skin, but also has the offensive ability to make plays. But one thing I remember from when he played for me, was that he had a really good stick. He was always in the passing lanes and had that ability to knock pucks down or pick pucks off. His game was good defensively when he was with me, but I'm sure it's grown as his new coaches have put more responsibility on him, and I'm sure he's taken those steps as well."

Hayden Paupanekis — Ranked 38 Overall

"Hayden always has the ability to be a major impact on the game with the combination of his size, speed and skill," RINK coach Rob Smith said of Paupanekis. "He is an explosive skater who moves around the ice extremely well. He's got a pro-like shot. On the flip side, having more consistency and bite in his game would make him that much more dominant and he could focus on being more committed to his play away from the puck."

Peyton Kettles — Ranked 39 Overall

"Peyton is a big a big shot defenceman that plays with sandpaper," RINK coach Brad Purdie said. "He is one of those coveted groups of players at the next level. He's got a shot and all that stuff, but I think his strength is just defending and keeping guys away from the goal. His length and reach are great. You really don't want go to the front of the net when there's a big guy there that's willing to give you a little bit of lumber, right? So, he does a good job keeping guys away from the front. He really keeps guys to the outside, which is one of the top goals as a defenceman."

Owen Martin — Ranked 54 Overall

"Owen is a really powerful, explosive kind of skater with a great shot," Smith said of Martin. "He's a good two-way forward, in that he can provide offence but also be used in defensive situations. He really understands the game, defensively. He has a high compete level and a bit of edge to his game. A lot of the offence he creates come from changes in his speed and explosiveness."

Aiden Ziprick — Ranked 162 Overall

"Aiden has strong leadership qualities and a great work ethic," former RINK coach Sandy Henry said of Ziprick. "I instantly thought he was captain material. He is a strong, smooth skater, which is a really big asset for him. He always had some offensive upside; he could move pucks on the power play and had really good blueline mobility. Zippy's got a really good first pass. We worked on his retrieval speed and deception which helped him become a top-end puck mover who could transport pucks as needed. Aiden is a character player, so his success is no surprise to me. He was one of my favourite athletes to coach."