By Russ Cohen
Landon Hafele is the kind of player all teams want to draft. While playing for Green Bay this season, he had a solid season. I’ve seen him play center and on the wing, and each time I’ve watched him, I felt like his game would translate to the NHL someday.
“I think my offensive ability comes pretty heavily from me playing on the wing, but I do kind of like to say I could be a Swiss Army knife,” said Hafele. “I think my speed and my D zone abilities do cater towards center. So, I’m confident to say that I can play both in the league.”
This season, mostly on the wing, he had 15 goals and 27 assists and got a few games of playoff experience. Next season, he will attend the University of Arizona.
“Yeah, so the plan is to go to Arizona State for the 26-27 season.”
His rights were traded to the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL, but he explained why that wasn’t his choice this season.
“I had a great relationship with Spokane, going all the way through my years at the NTDP , but once I decided that I was going to go to the USHL for this year. Medicine Hat, I kind of just wanted an opportunity to see if I’d be willing to come play for them. They wanted to see where my thought process was at. It was a little bit surprising when I saw that. It was in August after I got settled in with my billet in Green Bay. I gave my word to Green Bay.”
Back to ASU, his reasons for going were solid.
“The opportunity and coaching staff was huge for me.,” said Hafele. “Getting to know the staff there was and what the opportunuty could be for me was huge. Being from Alaska, I don’t really have a big dream school, you know, like Michigan, like Minnesota, some of the big 10 schools. So it was a longer process for me. I took in everything. I went on all my visits. had all my conversations it wasn’t a decision that was taken lightly or just pretty easy for me. So ultimately I just decided the Arizona State was, you know, the best spot for me, my family and the opportunity.”
The quality of the rink was a bonus.
“It’s really cool to see those games being played there and to know that’s where I’ll be playing next year. We’ve got amazing fans at Arizona State. I am excited to be there.”
A few things stand out in Hafele’s game. One is his penalty killing. He really attacks the open ice to get chances.
“Any time there is more ice. 4-on-4, 5-on-4, that gives me a little bit more room to skate and to build my speed up. I think I can show my speed when there’s a little more ice. My speed, especially on the penalty kill, kills the momentum for the other team.”
Hafele got a lot of defensive zone starts. He has an aggressive forecheck and is terrific at stealing the puck and getting the puck going the other way.
“A lot of teams aren’t always expecting a really aggressive, high-paced, even d-zone or forecheck. I maybe catch attackers by surprise. Maybe do things other teams aren’t always doing,” he added.”
His choice of players he models his game after was realistic.
“Maybe Anthony Cirelli, Brandon Hagel , or Nikolai Ehlers. I think those guys model the other parts of my game. They have the speed, they have physicality, they have a two-way game. They have skill behind them to be able to produce and help the team win in big situations.”
I think Hafele is a third-line NHL’er at worst with a second-line upside. His versatility and speed should make him a second-round pick all day long in the 2026 NHL Draft.
