Owen Griffin – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

by

Owen Griffin

2024-25 Team: Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Date of Birth: April 8, 2007
Place of Birth: Markham, ON, CAN
Ht: 5-foot-10 Wt: 172 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Center
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2025 first-year eligible

Rankings

On a roster full of NHL prospects, including Colby Barlow (Winnipeg Jets), Beckett Sennecke (Anaheim Ducks), and Calum Ritchie (New York Islanders), Owen Griffin has flown under the radar in his draft year. He may not have the flashiness to his game that the players mentioned above or other top prospects in this year’s draft have, but he plays a game that sticks out.

Owen Griffin Oshawa Generals
Owen Griffin, Oshawa Generals (Ian Goodall/Goodall Media)

While players like the ones mentioned have some flash and wow-factor to their games, Griffin plays a hard-nosed style of hockey. He’s the player who will take the puck into the neutral zone and place a dump-in at the right spot to be relentless on the forecheck that is fed off his non-stop motor. While a bit undersized, he does not let that slow him down. He is constantly in the corners and along the boards in battles to gain possession of the puck. When he does get the puck, he has the skillset to either generate for himself or find a teammate for a goal-scoring opportunity. His offensive game lacks when it comes to being more simplistic than some players, where he is more of a straight-line player. Adding some manipulation and deception to his game would help take his offensive toolbox up a notch.

Related: THW’s 2025 Draft Guide

Defensively, Griffin’s motor and work ethic translate well. His IQ on the ice is also evident, with him being in the right spot to break up a play or help a teammate make a play on the puck. His vision helps place him in passing lanes back to the slot or even the point, depending on where his coverage in the zone takes him. Overall, he may not be flashy, but he is still a very effective player nonetheless.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Owen Griffin – NHL Draft Projection

Given the fact that Griffin does not have a major “wow” factor compared to many other players in this year’s draft class, he will likely find himself being drafted in the fourth or fifth round. If he can continue to put together a strong postseason for the Oshawa Generals, he could also rise on some teams’ boards before the draft.

Quotables

“He excels at finding open space in the offensive end, using his agility to beat his defender to open ice or utilizing quick turns to create separation with the puck. His vision is solid, although the lack of a shooting threat from outside the slot area gives him less room to work with on rush opportunities. Griffin’s awareness is evident off the puck, tracking back quickly on transition chances and using his skating to neutralize scoring opportunities on rushes.” – Joseph Aleong, Future Considerations

“Owen is an instinctively quick thinker and his hands respond to his quick attacking style of play. It just took Owen a bit of time to adjust to the different atmosphere and he is settling in quite nicely. Now that Owen has been moved to his true position, at centre he will need to balance getting stronger while maintaining his attacking speed of play.” – Matthew Koprowski, Neutral Zone

Strengths

  • Hardworking mentality and relentless motor
  • Very sound and responsible defensively
  • While not flashy, he does have a good overall offensive skillset
  • High IQ at both ends of the ice

Under Construction- Improvements to Make

  • Working on his overall shot could help him stick out more at the next level.
  • Being undersized, he must fill out his frame more to withstand the bigger players.
  • Explosiveness in his skating.

NHL Potential

With the mentality and mindset that Griffin plays with, combined with his offensive skillset, there is a chance he could develop into a bottom-six player who is a pain to play against as an opponent.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk: 2/5 Reward: 3/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense: 5/10 Defense: 6/10

Awards/ Achievements

  • 2023 U17 World Hockey Challenge Gold Medal (Canada White)
  • 2025 Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game

Owen Griffin Statistics

Videos

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