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.
Up today is Toronto native, Adam Valentini. Although he had previously committed to the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL, Valentini opted to play his draft season at the University of Michigan, where he posted solid numbers.
Who is Adam Valentini?
| Player | Position | Shoots | Height | Weight | Nationality | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Valentini | Centre / Left Wing | Left | 5’10” / 178cm | 185lbs / 84kg | Canada | TWC Rank #43 / CS NA Rank #86 |
Valentini grew up dominating youth hockey in the Toronto region. His numbers were so good, I wouldn’t be surprised if most people had heard of Valentini before this season. For a few years, Valentini was touted as a top prospect for this draft, and although he isn’t a top guy anymore, Valentini is still a good prospect despite being on the smaller side.
Valentini’s on-ice production
| Year | Draft Rel. | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | P/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | D-4 | GTHL U16 | Mississauga Senators U16 AAA | 33 | 17 | 16 | 33 | 1.00 |
| 2022-23 | D-3 | GTHL U16 | Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA | 32 | 31 | 36 | 67 | 2.09 |
| 2023-24 | D-2 | U16 AAA | Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA | 57 | 52 | 82 | 134 | 2.35 |
| 2024–25 | D-1 | USHL | Chicago Steel | 58 | 17 | 22 | 39 | 0.67 |
| 2025-26 | D+0 | NCAA | University of Michigan | 40 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 0.68 |
After lighting up AAA hockey, Valentini was selected 13th overall by the Kitchener Rangers. However, Valentini wanted to head the college route, so he signed a tender agreement with the Chicago Steel for the 2024–25 season. With the Steel, Valentini had a pretty good campaign, scoring 17 goals and 39 points in 58 games. That production actually led the Steel in points, and one shy of the lead in goals.
Following that season, with the new NCAA/CHL rules, Valentini was going to join the Rangers for his draft year. But a week before training camp, Valentini decided to rescind that commitment and head to the University of Michigan. This move left a bad taste in some people’s mouths around the OHL, and is honestly probably a reason he’s not ranked higher in the draft. Nonetheless, Valentini had a great year for a draft-eligible player in the NCAA. With the University of Michigan, Valentini scored 11 goals and 27 points in 40 games. It would place him 7th in team scoring, and pretty much matched his points per game inside the USHL.
As of right now, Valentini will likely return to Michigan for the 2026–27 season.
Valentini’s strengths
Work ethic
The first thing that immediately stands out about Valentini is that he is a dawg. Everything you want in a hard forechecker is there with Valentini. He hunts for the puck with a purpose; there’s determination in his feet at almost any given moment. Valentini will launch at opposing puck carriers, looking to apply pressure with either a tie-up or a poke check. He’s not afraid to battle and frequently engages along the boards or fights for position in front of the net.
Despite a smaller size, Valentini isn’t afraid to throw the body around either, and if he can’t get a smooth step on a player, he starts to throw his weight around to slow players down. In the defensive end, Valentini keeps his feet active while keeping an active stick and a willingness to put his body into shooting lanes. The hustle Valentini brings makes him very projectable to be a fan favourite.
Sense
The other aspect that stands out about Valentini is that he has a strong sense for the game at both ends of the ice. Offensively, he positions himself incredibly well in almost all situations. As mentioned earlier, he loves to battle for the net front, but he’s also very strategic in his screens. Even if it’s off the rush, there are moments where Valentini will creep ahead of the puck carrier and remove the defenceman’s space and block the goalie’s line of vision, which allows the puck carrier to make a cut or take a shot on net. If his team is cycling the puck, Valentini keeps his feet moving, getting himself into spots to receive the puck to shoot or distribute. He loves the Conor Garland move of sitting at the net and getting really low to the ice. This positioning allows for a possible easy tap-in if his teammate connects.
At the other end of the ice, Valentini stays on top of the play. Whether it be staying on his man, pressuring the puck carrier, or smartly staying in lanes, Valentini makes it difficult for opponents to find space. Many times, I’d see Valentini time properly and go out of his way to block a shot.
Valentini’s areas of improvement
No standout skill
The only decent-sized issue I had with Valentini is that he doesn’t seem to have a skill that stands above the rest. He’s pretty average at everything except for his work ethic and sense.
The shot can be quite snappy and pose a threat; however, in my viewings, it didn’t have the best accuracy or consistency. Valentini also skates pretty well, but at times, he doesn’t look like he’s getting a crazy amount of speed and is often a straight-line skater. He hustles hard, but usually he doesn’t try to be dynamic on his feet. His passing is probably the best of the bunch. There are moments when he’s flashing some high-end vision, but I find that more often he’d opt for simpler passes or have a more difficult one intercepted. Honestly, if you read this a certain way, this could be a strength. Because Valentini does do all of these things well, but the issue is that none of these are super dynamic, which I believe lowers his ceiling.
Fit with the Flames
| Organizational need addressed | Centre prospect |
| Realistic pick range | 28-50 |
| NHL timeline | 2-4 years |
| Fit with the Flames | Possible fit |
There’s definitely a solid possibility that the Flames and Valentini could be a match on draft day. The Flames need centres, and that’s the primary position of Valentini. Maybe the size concerns the projectability of being a centre at the next level, but I believe the hustle and sense make up for it. The Flames will also have lots of picks in the range for Valentini. It’s possible they could grab him with any of the picks 30th, 35th, and 36th. It wouldn’t surprise me if NHL teams let Valentini fall. So even though they’re out of the range listed, the two 3rds the Flames have at 65th and 68th may also be opportunities to draft Valentini.
Summary
Adam Valentini is an intriguing centre prospect who brings great projectability thanks to his determined work ethic and strong overall sense for the game. He got the opportunity that not too many draft-eligible players get, which is playing inside the NCAA. The solid numbers he put up also add to his projectability. Valentini does everything well; however, there’s no skill that completely stands out with him. I think that causes his ceiling to be a bit limited. Nonetheless, there’s definitely a possible middle-six player in Valentini, with a pretty strong chance at at least a bottom-six piece.