Evan Passmore – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

by

Evan Passmore

2024-25 Team: Barrie Colts (OHL)
Date of Birth: Dec. 5, 2006
Place of Birth: Elmira, ON, CAN
Ht: 6-foot-4 Wt: 209 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2025 first-year eligible

Rankings

The first thing that you notice about Evan Passmore is his size. Standing at 6-foot-4, he is a massive presence on the ice. On a deep defensive unit with the Barrie Colts, he has not gotten the chance to play a ton of minutes, but he has made the most of the opportunities he has earned.

Evan Passmore Barrie Colts
Evan Passmore, Barrie Colts (Robert Lefebvre/OHL Images)

With his size, Passmore can physically separate opponents from the puck when they have it, but he is also a strong defenseman with his stickwork. He uses his reach to his advantage to keep his opponents on the outside of the ice when trying to move around him, and when they do get close to him, he can still use his stick to eliminate the threat. When he is away from the puck in his end of the ice, he constantly scans and moves around to find someone to tie up with or engage with. His defensive skill set has earned him some penalty kill opportunities this season with the Colts. While his body helps him defensively, he needs to work on his defensive skating, and many see his overall defensive game as a work in progress.

Related: THW’s 2025 NHL Draft Guide

Offense is another aspect of Passmore’s game that is more of a work in progress than anything. He has shown flashes of being a strong first-pass type of defenseman regarding breakouts, but he has not been able to showcase much of his skill in the offensive zone this season. When he has a chance in the zone, he has shown a strong and heavy shot. Continuing to develop his offensive skill, which will be helped by earning more ice time next season, will be massive for his future.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Evan Passmore – NHL Draft Projection

Even with his physical gifts, Passmore is viewed as more of a project. He’s likely to hear his name called in the middle rounds of this year’s draft, and the fourth round would be a good spot for him to be picked.

Quotables

“While not flashy, Passmore is a steady and reliable presence on the blue line. He rarely makes mistakes and contributes to his team’s overall defensive stability and can be counted on in PK situations or protecting the lead late in a game.” – Dominic Tiano, OHL Writers

“Passmore is a long, rangy defender who makes the most of his great size with consistent physicality and is a good enough skater to match up against small, speedier forwards. Passmore is a strong skater, with long, powerful strides that allow him to accelerate well despite average foot speed.” – Joe Aleong, Future Considerations

Strengths

  • Mobile defenseman
  • Strong skating ability
  • Uses his large frame to be a physical presence on the ice
  • His stickwork defensively is strong, thanks to his size
  • Active defensively, constantly trying to find an opponent to engage with
  • Hard shot

Under Construction – Improvements to Make

  • Defensive skating ability
  • Development of his all-around game, viewed as a project-type player
  • Becoming more involved offensively

NHL Potential

Passmore’s potential at the NHL level lies in his game’s development. He has shown signs of being a solid defenseman and will continue to get more opportunities at the junior level to develop. If he can grow his game, there is a good chance he can become a third-pairing defenseman and add a physical aspect to an NHL lineup. He can also be a second penalty kill unit player.

Risk/Reward Analysis

Risk: 3/5 Reward: 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense: 4/10 Defense: 6/10

Awards/Achievements

  • 2025 Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game

Evan Passmore Stats

Videos