It’s that time of the year for The Win Column’s NHL Draft Rankings and Draft Profiles! Earlier on, we released the TWC consolidated 2026 NHL Draft rankings. The 2026 NHL Draft will take place on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo.
This profile will be covering Ryan Roobroeck, the big centre from London. He’s been described as possessing quite the skillset despite dropping considerably throughout the year in draft rankings
Who is Ryan Roobroeck?
| Player | Position | Shoots | Height | Weight | Born | Nationality | 2026 Draft Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Roobroeck | Centre | Left | 6’4″/ 193 cm | 216 lbs / 98 kg | September 25, 2007 | Canada | TWC rank #33 | CS rank #37 NA |
Roobroeck is a product of the Ontario hockey system and has developed with the Niagara IceDogs in the OHL. After entering major junior as a physically mature player, he quickly established himself as one of Niagara’s primary offensive threats. His progression has been notable because his game has expanded beyond being a big winger who scores around the net. He has developed into a player capable of creating offence both off the rush and in the in-zone.
Roobroeck’s on-ice production
| Year | Draft Rel. | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | P/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [2022-23] | D-2 | ALLIANCE U16 | London Jr. Knights U16 AAA | 30 | 51 | 28 | 79 | 2.63 |
| [2023-24] | D-1 | OHL | Niagara IceDogs | 63 | 28 | 23 | 51 | 0.80 |
| [2024-25] | D+0 | OHL | Niagara IceDogs | 64 | 41 | 46 | 87 | 1.35 |
| 2025-26 | Draft yr | OHL | Niagara IceDogs | 49 | 30 | 28 | 58 | 1.18 |
Roobroeck’s offensive trajectory has been among the strongest in his age group. His production has increased significantly as he has gained more responsibility and ice time, particularly in offensive situations. Despite facing top defensive matchups, Roobroeck has continued to generate offence through a combination of finishing, puck protection, and growth in playmaking.
Roobroeck’s strengths
Shot and finishing ability
Roobroeck’s shot is one of the defining offensive tools in his projection and a major reason scouts view him as a legitimate NHL prospect rather than simply a big junior scorer. He generates impressive velocity with relatively little space, allowing him to beat goaltenders cleanly from areas where many junior players would need traffic or screens. His release is compact for a player his size, meaning he does not need a large windup to get pucks off, which makes his shot more difficult for defenders to anticipate and block.
What stands out most is the variety of ways he can score. He is not solely a one-timer threat or a net-front finisher. Off the rush, he can shoot in stride without significantly altering his mechanics, maintaining both power and accuracy while moving at speed. From the circles, he can change release points by pulling pucks around sticks or shooting through defenders’ legs, making it harder for goaltenders to track the puck cleanly.
Around the net, his finishing ability remains equally impressive. He has soft enough hands to elevate rebounds in tight spaces, redirect pucks, and convert second-chance opportunities without needing clean possession first. Rather than simply firing pucks into pads, he shows an understanding of where openings are likely to appear around a goaltender’s body and adjusts accordingly
Offensive IQ
One of the more underrated aspects of Roobroeck’s game is his offensive intelligence. While his size and shot tend to attract most of the attention, much of his production is driven by his ability to recognize where scoring opportunities are developing before they fully materialize. He consistently finds soft spots in defensive coverage and arrives in dangerous areas at the right time rather than simply relying on his physical tools to create offence.
Roobroeck shows a strong understanding of spacing in the offensive zone. He does not spend entire shifts planted at the net front or stuck along the boards. Instead, he adjusts his positioning based on puck movement, drifting into open ice when defenders become preoccupied with the puck carrier. This allows him to remain available as a shooting option while also putting himself in a position to recover loose pucks and sustain offensive pressure.
As a passer, Roobroeck has become increasingly effective at identifying pressure and exploiting it. Defenders naturally collapse toward him because of his frame and shooting ability, and he has improved at recognizing when that attention creates openings elsewhere. Instead of forcing low-percentage shots through traffic, he will often slip pucks into space for teammates arriving late or find passing lanes that are not immediately obvious.
Roobroeck’s areas of improvement
Physical engagement and consistent use of size
For a player with Roobroeck’s frame, one of the most common criticisms from scouts is that he does not consistently play as physically as his size suggests he should. While he has the strength to overpower opponents and win battles through contact, there are stretches where he relies more on skill and reach than on imposing himself physically. As a result, he can leave some of the advantages that come with his frame untapped.
This is most noticeable in puck battles along the boards. Roobroeck is capable of winning contested pucks through leverage and strength, but he does not always initiate contact or dictate the engagement. Instead of driving through opponents and separating them from the puck, he can sometimes take a more reactive approach, waiting for the puck to come loose rather than creating the turnover himself. Against junior competition, his size often allows him to survive these situations, but stronger and more experienced professional players will be less forgiving.
The same issue appears around the net. Roobroeck has the tools to be a dominant net-front presence, yet there are games where he spends more time hovering around the perimeter than consistently establishing body position in high-traffic areas. When he commits to attacking the crease, he can be extremely difficult to move and creates significant problems for defenders. The challenge is that this mentality does not show up every shift or every game.
Roobroeck’s comparables
| Scenario | NHL Comparable | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Best case | Tyler Toffoli | RW |
| Likely outcome | James Van Riemsdyk | LW |
Tyleer Toffoli is a strong best-case comparable for Roobroeck because both players generate offence through their shot, offensive awareness, and ability to find scoring opportunities rather than through elite skating or dynamic puck-handling. Roobroeck’s greatest strengths are his finishing ability and offensive IQ, and much like Toffoli, he has a knack for arriving in dangerous areas at the right time. Neither player relies on blazing speed to create separation. Instead, they create offence by reading coverage, anticipating where chances will develop, and capitalizing once opportunities appear.
For a more likely outcome, James Van Riemsdyk comes to mind because of the way both players create offence through size, puck protection, and scoring-area habits. Roobroeck does some of his best work around the net, using his frame to establish body position, recover loose pucks, and generate chances from high-danger areas. Like van Riemsdyk, he does not need to be the fastest player on the ice to produce offence because he understands where opportunities are likely to develop and consistently puts himself in those positions
Fit with the Flames
| Organizational need addressed | Top 9 centre/winger |
| Realistic pick range | 27-33 |
| NHL timeline | 3 seasons (AHL first) |
| Flames fit verdict | Possible fit |
Roobroeck would be an intriguing pick for the Calgary Flames, especially in the late first to early second round. If the Flames can further develop him, they could be getting a promising player with potential top-six upside.
While he wouldn’t be exactly fulfilling an organizational need, especially if he develops as more of a winger, I doubt many Flames fans would complain if the team were to snag Roobroeck. He has the size that the team has always appreciated in young players, and could provide great value from where he’s drafted. He’d be a great addition to a Flames prospect pool that arelady is filled with intriguing young forwards. Overall, I see Roobroeck as a possible fit, as I wouldn’t be shocked if the Flames called his name late in the first round.
Summary
Roobroeck offers one of the more intriguing combinations of size and offensive ability in the 2026 draft class. His finishing touch, puck protection, and ability to generate offence from dangerous areas give him legitimate NHL upside. The primary question is whether his skating and pace can improve enough to allow those strengths to consistently translate against faster professional competition.