Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen

2025-26 Team: Michigan Wolverines (Big Ten)
Date of Birth: Dec. 18, 2006
Place of Birth: Northville, Michigan
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 188 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2026 second-year eligible

Rankings

Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen entered his sophomore season with something to prove after going undrafted the year prior. As an overage prospect, he showed growth in many areas of his game throughout the 2025-26 season.

Notably, he is the son of Manon Rhéaume, the first woman to play in an NHL game, and the cousin of Nick Rhéaume, a forward for the ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones, meaning that hockey is just a part of his DNA.

Now, this past season, Rhéaume-Mullen played an important role for a Michigan Wolverines team that was ranked number one in the country for essentially the entire season and made a run to the Frozen Four. He played a solid workload, averaging 18:12 of ice time per game, finishing plus-11 while producing 18 points with four goals and 14 assists in 40 games, averaging 0.45 points per game.

Two of his goals came on the power play, where he showed the ability to fire pucks from the blue line accurately through screens and beat goaltenders with his wrister while funneling pucks to the net. He played on the power play and showed versatility in all kinds of situations.

In the Frozen Four semifinal against the Denver Pioneers, the defensive defenseman played third-pairing right defenseman alongside Asher Barnett, showing trust from the coaching staff in a high-level game. However, the Wolverines came up just short but will definitely be back next season.

His sophomore season showed clear development. He became more defensively sound while adding more offensive touch to his game. After putting on muscle over the offseason, he looked stronger in battles and more confident physically.

He plays a disciplined game with just 20 penalty minutes in 40 games and relies on his hockey IQ and skating to stay efficient. He is at his best defending against skilled players who try to make quick and flashy moves, as he rarely bites and stays in position.

NHL Draft Projection

Ranked 168th in the NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings, Rhéaume-Mullen has not appeared on many other outlets’ lists. As an overage prospect, it will be tough to be drafted, but his development this season gives him a chance. If he is drafted, a sixth or seventh-round selection is most likely.

Other THW Profiles

Quotables

“The first re-entry option on this list, Rhéaume-Mullen, received plenty of attention last year. Scouts were worried the six-foot defender was too small last year, but he looks physically stronger than in his freshman year at Michigan. We even saw his production nearly double while earning a spot on USA’s World Junior team, too.” – Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

“DRM is best when defending against skilled players who try to make quick, flashy moves, because he never seems to fall for them. His game with the puck isn’t great, though, which has hurt his stock a bit this year. The ceiling isn’t high here, but Rhéaume-Mullen plays strong enough defensively to take a chance on him as a re-entry prospect.” – Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

Strengths

Hockey IQ
Disciplined
Versatility
Defensive Positioning
Skating
Simple Breakout Passes

Under Construction/Improvements to Make

Two-Way Game
Physicality
Creativity with puck on stick

NHL Potential

His role will increase further next season with Michigan once again expected to be a contender for the national championship. Ice time should go up, and playing in the Big Ten will continue to help his development against high-end competition, especially with the influx of Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players into college hockey.

I see him potentially becoming an everyday depth NHL defenseman or a top defenseman at the American Hockey League (AHL) level, one day.

Risk/Reward Analysis

Risk – 2/5, Reward – 3.5/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Defense – 7/10 , Offense – 6/10

Awards/Achievements

U17 WHC Gold Medal (2022-23)
U18 WJC Silver Medal (2023-24)
NCAA B10 Champion (2025-26)

Interviews/Links