As we continue to approach the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, our list of prospects grows as well. Varying skills and player types have been featured, and this is all part of the process to zero in on who has caught Yannetti’s eyes.
We have stayed on point with players who are somewhat responsible defensively, whether they’re forwards or defensemen. Our next subject isn’t necessarily a liability in his own zone, but certainly he will bring some additional elements to the ice.
Jack Murtagh
Vitals
Date of Birth: August 22, 2007
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 198 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Forward
2024-25 Season
Murtagh spent the entire 2024-25 season playing for the United States national team. In 56 games, he has 53 points (22 G, 31 A).
Staying Out East
The New York native committed to college hockey, and starting next season, he will be a freshman for Boston University.
Lethal Weapon
A great article covered his personality and fitness. Murtagh loves the gym, and he leads the team in fitness testing.
Not Getting Too Old For This…
Another standout factor for the skilled forward is his age. Murtagh is one of the younger players in this class, born just three weeks shy of being too young for the 2025 draft.
Rankings by Independent Scouting Services
Ranked No. 26 by Sportsnet’s Top 64 Rankings: “Murtagh is the kind of player NHL teams were searching for at the trade deadline this year. He’s a physical forward who makes himself noticeable with his relentless compete. Murtagh works to extend plays and create turnovers. He never backs down from a challenge and plays with pace. He’s deployed in all situations at the USNTDP and produced 20G-24A in 45 games this season. When he isn’t scoring, he makes life miserable for opponents in all three zones. Murtagh is a Boston University commit.”
Ranked No. 29 by Scott Wheeler’s March Rankings. “I’ve got a lot of time for Murtagh and felt entering this year and early on in it that he was a little underrated. He didn’t have the name cachet coming into the NTDP that forwards such as William Moore, Conrad Fondrk, L.J. Mooney and Cole McKinney (and previously Cullen Potter before his move to ASU) had but he looked in line with them in my viewings last season and produced in line with them, too. He missed some games early on this year due to injury as well but has stood out to me in most of my viewings again (though part of that is by proxy to a weak ’07 forward group at the program). He has been a driver for them, is one of their only players with some presence to his game and was one of their only guys who took and owned ice with the puck at the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge. He has played primarily left wing at the program but can also play center. He’s also got a late August birthday and is one of the younger players in the draft. He’s a strong skater and athlete who can play through strong strides and push tempo in straight lines, or round corners with speed to get to his spots. He’s got a dangerous and deceptive in-motion NHL release which he hides well pre-shot, and a comfortable one-timer. He plays the game with intention. I’ve seen him make skill plays and score big goals. He’s competitive. He’s confident on the attack and will try to go right at guys. He carries a lot of pucks through neutral ice and pushes through bumps and contact with the program. I like him.”
Ranked No. 19 by Future Considerations. An April report from their page provided the following insight: “Murtagh is an offensive-minded winger with impressive vitals. He protects the puck well, and you can see the physical strength he has already at a young age. Without the puck, Murtagh does a good job of creating space for himself in the offensive zone by drifting in and out of the play. It almost looks like he can work himself into a position to be forgotten.”
See For Yourself
Video of Jack Murtagh playing against Team Sweden:
Final Comments
As we alluded to earlier, Murtagh is a different case compared to others we’ve featured in this draft series. With the young skater here, he provides a lot of energy and skill with his skating, passing, and shooting. His top-end speed allows him to cover a lot of ice, making him a three-zone threat. The agility and acceleration is strongest in transition and without the puck, as the sniper finds open ice to make himself an option.
To summarize the type of player he is, he would best be described as a double-edged sword.
Even though Murtagh is a solid and strong player, his physical engagement is inconsistent. Sometimes when challenged, he will look for alternate paths instead of absorbing the hit. Other times, he will match the moment’s energy.
Murtagh’s puck management skills are hit and miss. The shots themselves generate a lot of velocity, making pucks difficult to handle by the opposing goalie. His passing isn’t as dangerous, but he still can create scoring chances.
As we said, though – Murtagh’s offensive abilities are a double-edged sword. He has moments of getting too cute with the puck, even to the point of catching his own teammates unsuspecting or holding onto the puck for too long. Consequently, there will be frequent turnovers. Improved discipline and better decision-making comes with experience and coaching.
For Los Angeles, Murtagh has an opportunity to supplement his dynamic skillset with structure and support. This sort of prospect in the cupboard would be unique. The good news is should they draft him, they have multiple years of collegiate hockey to mitigate the shortcomings.
Chat with David: You can find him on Twitter @Davidenkness to talk more hockey.
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