With the 22nd overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins have selected Bill Zonnon from the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
About Bill Zonnon
The rise of Rouyn-Noranda Huskies forward Bill Zonnon has been a steady one throughout the 2024-25 season. While many saw him as a second or third-round talent at the start of the year, his consistent, strong play has raised the bar to the point where many, rightfully, expect him to be a first-round selection.
This is for good reason, as Zonnon has proven that he can do a little bit of everything while playing in the QMJHL. In 64 games played in the 2024-25 season, he posted 28 goals and 83 points while showcasing a strong shot and willingness to fight for every inch on the ice. He also plays center and wing, so there’s an opportunity for him to flex into different positions within
Related: 2025 NHL Draft: Live Tracker
While he may not be the biggest prospect in this draft class, he uses his 6-foot-2 frame with efficiency to win puck battles, fight along the boards, and in the dirty areas in front of the net, all while chipping in hits and potting goals with his devastating shot.
This jack of all trades skillset has made him one of the top prospects at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Sure, there may be players available who can do any one aspect of his game better, but few can be this effective and versatile. It’s the kind of skillset that, if developed properly, could land him in the Selke conversation one day.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
Coming off a strong 58-point rookie campaign, he finished this season with 83 points in 64 games– second in team scoring– and has added another five points so far in the postseason. Although he had some competition with other draft-eligible players in Caleb Desnoyers and Justin Carbonneau, Zonnon has improved his stock tremendously with his power-forward mentality and playmaking vision.
Zonnon is a very versatile player, playing both centre and wing. His compete level, hockey sense and intensity jump off the page. He utilizes his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame and speed extremely well to win battles, create separation from puck and player and establish and dominate a forecheck. He plays with an edge, adding a physical element to his game in order to win those 50/50 battles. He does a great job to cut in front of players and seal off the wall and quickly regain possession in the offensive zone and his ability to drive to the middle always makes him a threat.
He’s a strong skater and that agility in his first few steps makes him difficult to contain in the open ice. He has strong edges and crossovers that allows him to generate a great burst of speed through the neutral zone and pushes defenders back in the offensive zone. He’s constantly in motion and his IQ allows him to always be available in order to make a play.
Zonnon has tremendous skill with the puck, using the open space very well to make himself available and draw players in. His playmaking awareness and vision makes him a strong and cerebral puck facilitator. He’s smart with his decision-making, executing plays very well and can connect with his teammates with strong and crisp passes. He can easily spot them with great cross-seam feeds, feathering pucks through traffic, work give-and-go’s and has great hands and touches in the small areas of the ice. He can make swift and timely dekes and can be deceptive with his movements with fake-outs and curl backs, taking those extra few seconds in order to create or keep a play alive.
Continue reading the full player profile here.
How This Affects the Penguins’ Plans
Like many prospects at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, Zonnon is a bit of a project. He has a raw toolkit that, in some draft classes, may have pushed him out of the first round. However, if you’re Pittsburgh, you’re excited to select him because you have the time and development structures in place to help him reach his full potential.
Related: 2025 NHL Draft Guide
There is a star second-line player in Zonnon’s toolkit, and even if that doesn’t work out, he could be a high-energy third-line forward that every team desperately needs on their roster. These are the kinds of players you trade top draft picks for at the trade deadline, so it’s well worth the work to help him reach his full potential.
So, while he may not be the next face of the franchise, he could very well become a cornerstone for the Penguins that fills in those gaps on their roster in three to five years.