2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profiles: Cole McKinney and Conrad Fondrk

Upside Hockey's NHL Draft profile series: American Edition Volume 3 & 4

Upside Hockey’s prolific prospect profiler Trevor Curtis’s 2025 NHL draft eligible prospect profiles are all featured on our dedicated page for this with all featured prospects indexed in our table of contents alphabetically by last name. For the 2024 NHL Draft, we had well over 200 prospect profiles completed.

RHC Cole McKinney (6'0",190lbs)

NTDP: 30gp/ 9g/ 17a/ 26pts, +4, 29 PIM.

Cole McKinney is a two-way center who plays the game the right way, and doesn't cheat. He's an all-situations player who can contribute to both special teams, but is a natural on the PK and a guy who can win important faceoffs. He's perhaps one of those players who gets described as being good at everything, but not elite in any area; that said, I like this kid a lot. He is never outworked, and plays a hard and heavy style with intensity. He battles hard in the trenches, and is a load to handle on the forecheck. McKinney is quite aggressive, initiating contact whenever he can and skating through checks; he has a seemingly endless motor, and a high workrate. While he is perhaps not a speed merchant or lightning fast, he is a good skater with balance, agility, and smooth edges that allow him to change direction and pace rather quickly. He is strong on his skates and hard to knock over.

McKinney is not supremely skilled or really dynamic in any way, preferring instead to keep things simple and mostly risk-free. He doesn't really wow much with his handling or passing, and only occasionally flashes high-end ability and puck-skill. Despite this, he still manages to be a highly effective playmaker with good instincts, sound decision-making, and sharp vision under pressure. His shot is nothing special either, and he doesn't score often from distance, relying instead on his soft hands in-tight and his willingness to go to the net to beat goalies. If there's one asset of his that stands out, it is probably his high-end vision and IQ. The offensive side of his game is highly underrated; he's 3rd in NTDP scoring (ahead of the more highly-touted Will Moore), and was one of the best players for the American side in the CHL-USA Prospects Games (2 pts in 2 games).

McKinney is not considered to be much of a play-driver, but he manages to find open space to lead the rush on occasion, and can contribute to the transition by pass or by carry. Defensively, he's poised and reliable, always in good position, and very details-oriented. He battles hard along the walls to win pucks, supports his D down low, applies supreme pressure to attackers, shuts down lanes, and blocks shots. His off-puck game is exemplary on the backcheck, and he's always two steps ahead of the play- ready to turn defense into offense. McKinney is a high-floor player going forward due to his checking abilities, as well as his penalty-killing acumen, but he could make a good middle-6 C in the NHL if he further develops his game. He is committed to the University of Michigan in 2025-26, and I believe he'll be picked in the late first/early second of the 2025 Draft.

LHC Conrad Fondrk (5'11",174lbs)

NTDP: 32gp/ 6g/ 12a/ 18pts, -8, 6 PIM.

Conrad Fondrk is a center who contributes a bit in all 3 zones and in all situations, but it's very difficult to get a good read on him in a throw-away season for an NTDP squad that lacks elite talent, and has trouble scoring. Fondrk is mostly a support player who excels in riding shotgun with a true play-driver, and he is lucky enough to play regularly with Will Moore. In his own right, Fondrk is an intelligent player with excellent vision and hockey sense, as well as the passing skill to cash in on his ideas. He mostly keeps things relatively simple, especially off the rush, but he's effective and does not lack creativity. While his numbers say that he's not much of a goal-scoring threat, he does own a hard, heavy shot, and has a willingness to park in front of the net to convert second-chance opportunities, employing a nice set of hands with good timing. Fondrk is an excellent skater, perhaps not elite, though he wins more than his fair share of races and seems to be strong on his feet. The pace at which he plays gets mixed reviews though, depending on which game is being watched.

Fondrk is an excellent puckhandler, with quick hands and tight protection ability who exudes confidence in carrying, and exhibits a wide array of deception skills and 1-on-1 moves to get around the ice. He is known to be capable of making high-end plays in open-ice, and excels in finding seams in coverage to operate in. He uses these skills in transition, working give-and-go's or just blasting through the neutral zone for a high number of controlled exits and entries. Fondrk's profile differs from game-to-game, as his effort and engagement are wildly inconsistent; he seems like a different player each time he takes to the ice for his first shift. When he's on, he's a hard-worker who initiates contact and plays through checks- he can be a real difference-maker when he wants to be. This is particularly true in the defensive zone, where he runs hot and cold; when he's engaged, he uses his physicality, a smart stick, and proactive positioning to separate man from puck, block shots, and clog lanes. He's still quite young though, with a June 1st birthday, so hopefully his inconsistency improves as he matures.

I think that in Fondrk's case, scouts see a player who is far more untapped potential than finished product, but there's no denying his raw skill. He's committed to Boston U for 2025-26, where he will be developing in a good program with some familar faces. Look for him in the 2nd-round of the 2025 Draft.

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