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 Logan Hensler Scouting Report.
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We now move on to another elite defenceman in Logan Hensler . The American-born defender offers one of the most appealing toolkits in the 2025 draft. He’s a mobile, right-shot defenseman with size, intelligence, and a rapidly developing offensive game. Although there are strides to be made in getting him to the next level, the potential is through the roof when it comes to Hensler.
Logan Hensler Scouting Report: 2025 NHL Draft #11
Right Defenceman – Shoots Right
Born Oct 14, 2006 – Woodbury, MN, USA
Height 6’2″ – Weight 192 lbs [188cm/89kg]
Mobility and Offence
The most attractive things about Hensler’s game are that he is physically mature, shoots right, and has truly elite lateral and medial mobility. Logan’s skating is technically sound and mechanically explosive. He can shift his body weight with ease, allowing him to change directions on a dime and accelerate out, both offensively and defensively. Once in fluent motion, his strides are exceptionally powerful, allowing for frequent rush chances.
Logan Hensler (ranked 11th on Bob McKenzie’s board) is a mobile RD who can play an effective shutdown style but hasn’t overly explored his offensive game in the past years.
Flashes of on-puck skill are apparent in rushes like these where he uses his feet to create entries: pic.twitter.com/tYLMQklEyd
— Sebastian High (@high_sebastian) January 23, 2025
With Hensler having the ability to easily join the rush, you’d expect him to have had a successful offensive season. Unfortunately, this was not entirely the case. In his freshman season this year at the University of Wisconsin, he scored two goals and 12 points in 32 games. The point totals don’t exactly jump off the page, however, there are a few caveats that need to be mentioned.
- Hensler made the notoriously tough jump from the USHL to the NCAA this year. This transition has been known to cause issues for many, especially defencemen.
- Wisconsin was terrible this season and didn’t produce much offence.
Overall, the offensive tools are plentiful. Next season it will be important for Hensler to show that this season wasn’t the norm.
Let’s just say Wisconsin isn’t helping Logan Hensler out right now#2025NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/1uGUtclf4w
— Nathan “Grav” Murdock (@NathanGraviteh) October 27, 2024
Defensive Fundamentals
Thanks to Hensler’s size and strength, he can excel at the physical aspects of the game, making it tough for opponents to outmuscle him in the corners or crease. He battles hard and doesn’t give in when the fight seems lost. In defensive zone entries, Hensler is notable for his skill in closing gaps. His long reach and strong edgework are used effectively to restrict the time and space of rival forwards, leading them to make challenging choices and canceling out possible scoring opportunities. The way the NHL currently relies on rush chances makes Henlser’s gap-closing strengths highly desirable.
Logan’s ability to make decisions plays a crucial role in his defensive performance. After winning puck battles, he shows excellent vision and hockey intelligence when executing breakouts. His skill in rapidly evaluating the ice and executing a precise initial pass allows his team to smoothly switch from defence to offence, reducing pressure and initiating counterattacks. Hensler thrives as a player on defense with his strong abilities, quick decision-making, and skillful puck movement, setting him apart on the blue line.
Logan Hensler’s draft stock is sliding lately, but his NHL upside is still real
He’s a smart, consistent and reliable defender. Much better off-puck than on. Solid gaps, positioning and disruptions
Here are some clips from two games against #1 ranked Michigan State (#6 white) pic.twitter.com/eqyQsYVz0A
— Derek Neumeier (@Derek_N_NHL) December 20, 2024
Comparison and Projection
The main comparison that comes to mind when watching Hensler is Charlie McAvoy (Boston Bruins ). Both players are reliable defensemen who can contribute at both ends of the ice. They are also exceptional skaters known for their mobility. The biggest difference is the offensive point totals. That said, Hensler has the tools to close this gap and become more of an offensive threat. He should continue to model his game after players like McAvoy and work to capitalize on some offence.
While there’s still work to do in refining his decision-making, Hensler has the foundation of a top-four NHL defenseman. If he continues on this trajectory, he could evolve into a two-way impact blueliner capable of running a second power-play unit while playing top-pair minutes against elite competition. Expect Logan Hensler to hear his name called somewhere in the 5-20 range on draft day this June.
Main photo by: David Reginek-Imagn Images
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