Jacob Rombach – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Jacob Rombach

2024-25 Team: Lincoln Stars (USHL)
Date of Birth: April 1, 2007
Place of Birth: Blaine, MN, USA
Ht: 6-foot-6 Wt: 201 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2025 first-year eligible

Rankings

Standing at 6-foot-6, many would believe that Jacob Rombach would be a defenseman who lays the big hits and makes his presence felt this way, but the Lincoln Star defenseman relies more on his fundamentally sound defensive game to make an impact on the ice. What he does use to his advantage with his size is his reach, which helps keep opponents outside of the zone when coming in on him through rushes. Rombach is very solid at keeping his gap under control, thanks to his strong skating ability, and keeping his opponents in low-danger areas of the ice. He does not use his size physically a lot, but knows when to use it at the right time.

The Hockey Writers 2025 NHL Entry Draft Guide James Hagens, Matthew Schaefer
James Hagens, Matthew Schaefer (The Hockey Writers)

Viewed as more of a defensive defenseman at this point in his development, Rombach does show great instincts in his own zone when it comes to puck retrievals, as he constantly looks over his shoulder when going back for the puck and is scanning the ice to find where his outlet pass is going. At times, his decision-making is spotty, hanging on to the puck too long, but overall, his game as a first-pass/breakout starter is strong. Throughout the season, he became calmer and in control when pressured, helping him make those decisions smarter to help his team get out of their zone and onto a transition rush.

Where Rombach’s game is going to need further development is on the offensive side of the game. He has not been the most active with the puck on his stick; instead, he delegated to his forwards to make a play offensively. He did show flashes of having upside to his game offensively, which gives hope that he can develop into a reliable player from the point. With his vision and hockey IQ already in his toolbox, there is no reason not to believe that he can develop in this aspect and make an impact at the next level.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Jacob Rombach – NHL Draft Projection

With the upside that Rombach has to become a shutdown defenseman at some point in his career, mixed in with the flashes of potential offensively, he could very easily hear his name being called in the mid-to-late second round of June’s draft.

Quotables

“He excels at keeping puck carriers to the outside and protecting the middle of the ice, but I would like to see him be more physical given his size, as he rarely delivers hits. While he lacks the puck skills to be a true offensive threat, he moves well along the offensive blue line off the puck to make himself an option for passes”- Jacob Roth, Future Considerations (from ‘Lincoln vs. Dubuque’, FC Hockey, 2/1/2025).

Related: THW’s 2025 NHL Draft Guide

“He knows how to use his size advantage to protect the slot or presuure the corners, and generally shows a fundamental understanding of how to shutdown opponents. But Rombach’s development has been a lot of two steps forward, one step back. His puck-decisions can crater under pressure, or he can look deactivated in a fast-moving play. When Rombach sees a play and makes a move, he brings a very unique and well-rounded impact.” – Gabriel Foley, Recruit Scouting

Strengths

  • Strong closing out opponents and gap control
  • Fundamentally sound defensively
  • Shows offensive game flashes
  • Good range defensively, thanks to his size

Under Constructions – Improvements to Make

  • Decision-making with the puck is spotty at times
  • Developing his offensive game and becoming more involved in the offensive zone
  • For his size, he does not play very physically. Utilizing his size could make him an even more “shutdown defenseman.”

NHL Potential

Rombach’s size and strong defensive game should translate well at the next level. This alone can make him a second- or third-pair defenseman at the NHL level, but if he can further develop his offensive game, he could become a solid second-pair defenseman.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk: 2/5 Reward: 3/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense: 4/10 Defense: 7/10

Awards/ Achievements

  • 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (USA)
  • 2024 World Junior A Challenge (WJAC) Gold Medal (USA)

Jacob Rombach Stats

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