At one point, a future in hockey might not have seemed as achievable as it now is for North Vancouver’s Joshua Ravensbergen. The 18-year-old was an updraft goaltender out of the Vancouver AAA system, but soon caught on with the WHL’s Prince George Cougars and ran with the opportunity.
In 2023-24, he finished with a 26-4-1 record in the regular season in 38 games played with a 2.46 goals against average (GAA) and .907 save percentage before domination playoff play with a 9-2-1 record in 12 games, a 1.98 GAA and .931 SV%.
Even this season, his numbers would suggest some kind of regression, but Ravensbergen has jumped from an undrafted goalie to a potential top-25 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Through 18 games, he has a 12-2-4 record with a 3.08 GAA and .899 SV%, but he’s still regarded as one of the best goalies in the upcoming draft. And on Tuesday night at the CHL/USA Prospects Challenge, Ravensbergen reminded scouts and analysts what he can bring to the table as potentially the top Canadian-born goalie in the draft.
Ravensbergen Brings All the Goaltending Assets Already
He’s six-foot-five and nearly 200 pounds. While size on players isn’t as important as it once was, the bigger goalies have found success at the NHL level. At 18, that’s not remotely an issue for the Cougars’ goaltender.
But the agility and the concentration in which he brings to his net is something that puts him further along in his development than some would assume at such a young age. Especially because goaltenders are generally known to fully develop deeper into their careers.
Still, Ravensbergen is being labelled as the ‘whole package’ and there will be teams looking to acquire him in the first-round of the draft — especially after the high-praise he got from his head coach at the Prospects Challenge.
“The focus that he’s got,” said CHL head coach Kris Mallette, following Tuesday night’s matchup. “He’s a student of the game. If you talk to him off the ice, he just understands what he needs to be at his best. He doesn’t get too high and he doesn’t get too low. He’s really confident and calm. I think just he’s confident in his structure so when he needs to be or make a big save his movements are pretty calm. Tonight, it looked almost effortless at times.”
Ravensbergen did give up one goal late in his appearance against the NTDP to Jack Murtagh but outside of that he was near perfect.
Ravensbergen’s Approach Almost Masterful
One thing that the game against the NTDP had in common with Ravensbergen’s WHL outings is that he wasn’t as busy as a goaltender might like. In fact, in 19 games with the Cougars, he’s seen just 585 shots — that’s roughly 30 shots per game. So, when he’s not as busy, how does Ravensbergen stay focused and in the game mentally?
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“Sometimes what I like to do is see myself making saves,” said Ravensbergen on staying engaged throughout the game. “Going out and making some puck plays and getting some puck handles can keep you engaged.”
What’s Next For Ravensbergen?
More international hockey could be on the slate for the young goaltender with the World Junior Hockey Championship right around the corner. However, some might still consider him a long shot to make Team Canada.
Still, that won’t take away from what is expected to be a big draft for the undrafted WHLer. Assuming he continues to stand tall for the Cougars right through to the end of the season, Ravensbergen could be one of the first Canadian-born goalies to go in the first round of the NHL Draft since Sebastian Cossa went 15th overall to the Detroit Red Wings back in 2021.
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While no one expects him to make the jump to the NHL right away — an unrealistic goal for goaltenders as they take time to develop — Ravensbergen has the making of an NHL goaltender in the near future.
Call it an inkling, but drafting him would be a big grab for any team looking to add to their organizational depth in the goalie position. The question, now, is how high can he increase his draft stock over the next seven months.
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