Ryan Roobreck
2025-26 Team: Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
Date of Birth: Sept. 25, 2007
Place of Birth: London, Ontario
Ht: 6-foot-4 Wt: 216 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Centre
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2026 first-year eligible
Rankings
Ryan Roobreck’s time in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has been an interesting one. He’s a player who undoubtedly has an immense amount of skill in his game, but tends to never be able to hit that next gear and really dominate. As a late 2007-born player, Roobreck has three seasons of OHL experience under his belt heading into the draft, unlike most players in this class, who only have two. He was drafted second overall in the OHL back in 2023, right behind Matthew Schaefer and right before Brady Martin. The expectations for him were incredibly high as the second-overall pick after he dominated at the U16 AAA level with the London Jr. Knights.
In his rookie season, he got the chance to show off his best skills and produced points on a poor Niagara team. He showed off his elite-level shot and his ability to find open space to create offensive chances, recording 51 points in 63 games in his rookie season. His sophomore season was even better as the team around him improved and Roobreck recorded 87 points in 64 games. Not only was his season with Niagara a huge success, but he also represented Canada at the U18 World Championships, where he helped the team earn a gold medal by recording nine points in seven games.
Expectations for him were monumental heading into his draft season, as many thought he would be a top-10 or possibly even a top-five pick. But past issues with Roobreck have crept back into his game this season; there were times he looked disinterested and disengaged on the ice. He put up a lot of points, but that was because his skill level was miles ahead of his peers. On multiple occasions this season, Roobreck floated and did not look engaged. We saw that first-hand at the CHL-USA Top Prospects Challenge, where he did not record a single point despite being looked upon to be a big player for Team CHL. Scouts and executives have taken note of Roobreck’s lazy play this season, and that is why his stock has dropped way down to potentially out of the first round.
Even though he can get uninterested, he still possesses great skills he has shown on many occasions. When he is focused, he can become a fantastic player. But organizations need to make sure they can keep him locked in for long stretches so he can help himself and the team win hockey games. If not, his talents could be wasted on lazy plays and bad games.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Ryan Roobreck – NHL Draft Projection
Players with undeniable skill but have difficulties staying engaged in certain situations always come in the NHL Draft but it is up to them to decide how their NHL careers will turn out. Roobreck is in the same situation that many players before him have been in, labelled as a bit of a lazy player who has a skillset all teams are looking for. With his drop in stock occurring at a bad time, I do see him getting picked in the first round in the range of 24-30th overall.
Quotables
“He has the natural ability to dominate shifts. But a lack of effort away from the puck and his overall inconsistency have seen him drop quite a bit. That being said, Roobroeck has proven he can still take over games by using his power and quick shot release to obliterate goaltenders. Roobroeck can score from anywhere.” – Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff
“When he’s at his best, he can be a big difference maker as a shooting threat. The combination of his size, hands and goal scoring abilities really shines, but the lack of consistency and engagement continues to be a problem as it differs from game to game.” – Peter Baracchini/The Hockey Writers
“There’s a real scoring instinct here: he reads space extremely well off the puck, has excellent vision into dangerous areas, and consistently gets himself open to shoot.The microstats reinforce the mixed profile: elite raw shot volume and strong shot generation from scoring areas.” – Austin Garret/SMAHT Scouting
Strengths
- Shot
- Release
- Ability to get open
- Size
- Strength
Under Construction/ Improvements to Make
- Staying engaged all game
- Lack of physicality for a bigger player
- Tends to float
NHL Potential
Roobreck has the potential to be an impactful NHL player even with his deficiencies. His stock has dropped, but that doesn’t mean he has no chance of being a great player at the NHL level. I can see him being a middle-six forward that teams can look to score on the power play with his fantastic shot; someone that will frustrate his team at times but also put up a considerable number of points. William Nylander comes to mind as a comparable.
Risk- Reward Analysis
Risk: 2/5 Reward 4/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense: 8/10 Defense: 5/10
Awards/Achievements
- 2025 U-18 World Championship Gold Medalist
- 2025 CHL/ USA Prospects Challenge
- 2023 Canada Winter Games Champion with Team Ontario
Interviews/Links
Ryan Roobreck Stats
Videos
