With the OHL season finished, and the London Knights crowned champions for the second consecutive season, many OHL fans are turning their attention towards the NHL Draft in June. Questions abound about where certain players will be picked and who will rise or fall on draft boards.
Jacob Cloutier of the Saginaw Spirit is an interesting player to look at when it comes the the 2025 NHL Draft. The Spirit selected the 2007-born Cloutier with their second-round pick in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection.
While he made the team out of camp, he was shortly thereafter reassigned to the Chatham Maroons to play in the GOJHL. That year, Saginaw was hosting the Memorial Cup, and there wasn’t a lot of room on a roster loaded with older talent.
“I was crushed to get sent down, it was really tough,” said Cloutier. “I think I’m developing a lot more as a player now because of it though.”
This past season, he made his OHL debut playing for Saginaw alongside fellow rookie Carson Harmer. The pair quickly stacked up the points and led all OHL rookies in scoring at the midway point of the season.
In the second half of the season, it was clear that Cloutier had adapted to the OHL and was ready to show what he could do. In January, he went on a seven-game point streak during which he scored seven goals and added four assists. As a result of this streak, he was named rookie of the week in early February.
NHL Central Scouting definitely took notice of Cloutier’s performance in the second half of the year. In their early rankings, Central Scouting placed Cloutier 193rd amongst North American Skaters. In their most recent lists, he jumped up nearly 90 places to sit 108th, right behind Carson Harmer.
He finished the year fourth in rookie scoring with 23 goals and 47 points in 67 games. In the playoffs, he was a point-per-game player, with three points in the three games he played.
“I’m a two-way forward and playmaker,” said Cloutier. “I find guys around the ice and make good plays. I pride myself on winning battles and backchecking.”
Following in this vein, Cloutier looks up to Florida Panthers’ forward Brad Marchand and does his best to model his game after the gritty, pesky style displayed by the skilled forward.
Cloutier is a cerebral player who consistently improves the position of the puck through smart passing. He routinely makes short passes that many other players ignore to make flashy moves. His individual chances come as a result of strong team play and puck support.
He has a good shot, though it isn’t the hardest. He usually relies on accuracy rather than blowing the puck past the goaltender.
Most of all, he has a solid understanding of offensive concepts. Cloutier puts himself in positions where pucks find him, and he does a good job following pucks to the net for secondary and tertiary opportunities.
Defensively, he understands he tracks back to the slot and does a good job taking away opposing players.
At 5-foot-10, his height could be a limiting factor in terms of being drafted this year. While his offensive potential is very high, he does not necessarily project as an early pick. Any team taking him would be banking on his potential. They will also be getting a very determined individual.
“I’m going to be a hockey player,” said Cloutier. “That’s all I want to be in my life.”
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