2025 NHL Draft Profile: Jack Murtagh

If you’re looking for a highlight-reel flash or a viral Instagram Hockey dangle king, Jack Murtagh probably isn’t your guy. Yet if you’re building a hockey team for May and June, then he should be the first name circled on your list.

The first word that comes to mind when people describe Murtagh is “workhorse.” He plays a direct, fearless, blue-collar game and is a coach’s dream. He gets under defenders’ skin, not because he’s dirty but rather relentless. He finishes every check. He goes to the net. He camps out in the crease like he pays rent there. He’s also an Energizer Bunny and takes each shift like it’s his last. What was just described to you is a grinder. Yet the “Jack Attack” can also score.

This season, skating for the U.S. National Team Development Program U18 squad, Murtagh put up 45 points in 44 games—20 goals and 25 assists—despite missing 10 games with an early-season injury. He led the team in power-play goals (7) and shots on goal (138). He created offense when others were waiting for it, which has always been a strength.

Go back to his AAA days. At just 13 years old, with Bishop Kearney Selects 14U, the East Greenwich, NY Native posted 113 points—67 goals and 46 assists—in 73 games. He followed that up the next season with 101 points (52 goals, 49 assists) in 68 games for their 15U team. He led the club in playoff scoring with six points in four games. Wherever he’s gone, he’s produced.

Even in his first NTDP season in 2023–24, while still adapting to the speed and grind of playing top NCAA programs and international teams, Murtagh held his own with 56 points—25 goals and 31 assists—in 87 games.

At the World U17 Hockey Challenge, he tallied seven points in seven games. At the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge, he scored two of Team USA’s three goals across the two games—the only player in the tournament to score more than once. He followed that up with an overtime game-winner against Sweden at the Five Nations, adding another multi-goal performance when the team needed it most.

At 6 feet and 200 pounds, Murtagh is physically mature, powerful, and deceptively quick. He’s one of the strongest players on the NTDP roster in off-ice testing. Coaches rave about his gym numbers—strength coach Joe Meloni even called him “a freak athlete.” That strength translates to his game. He battles through contact, wins 50/50 pucks, and has a shot that explodes off his stick thanks to a full-body motion that uses every muscle group.

His skating is strong. He drives the pace in straight lines, confidently rounds corners, and has enough top speed to beat defenders wide. What he doesn’t have in quick-twitch explosiveness, he makes up for with power, timing, and confidence. His release is NHL-ready—quick and deceptive. He’s also dangerous on the power play with a strong one-timer that’s been one of the NTDP’s go-to looks.

Now, he’s not without areas to improve. In transition, Murtagh can sometimes defer too much, watching his linemates carry the puck instead of driving the rush himself. He’ll need to improve his consistency away from the puck, and scouts have noted he can drift in the defensive zone. Still, even those critiques come with caveats—he’s only 17. With an August 22, 2007, birthday, he’s one of the youngest players in the 2025 draft class and still trending up.

Moreover, he’s shown he’s willing to work on those holes. He trains in the offseason with former ECHL coach and skills specialist Peter MacArthur, and those close to him say his appetite for improvement is just as impressive as his point totals.

Ask the people who know him best, and they’ll all say that Murtagh is a gamer, grinder, and goal scorer. He’s a culture guy who brings teammates together off the ice and is a difference-maker when the puck drops. Head coach Greg Moore praised his give-and-go game and how he sees the ice when he’s away from the puck—details that don’t always show up in the highlight reel but matter when projecting NHL upside.

Regarding his future in the show, some scouts see a middle-six winger who plays hard and chips in 15–20 goals a year. Others believe that with time, confidence, and reps, the phenom could become a top-six power winger capable of 25+ goals and first-unit power play minutes. NHL Central Scouting had him 30th among North American skaters in their final rankings. FCHockey had him inside the top 20.

Murtagh doesn’t play to impress but to win. He’s not looking for followers. The Boston University commitment is looking for pucks.

He won’t be the flashiest name called on draft night, but he might be the one fans remember when the playoffs roll around. As we’ve seen, when the lights are brightest, Murtagh shows up. He always has.