Joshua Ravensbergen is a 6’5 hockey goaltender, with elite puck-tracking ability and lateral agility of someone much smaller. So it’s no wonder that the North Vancouver, British Columbia, native is a prime prospect ahead of the NHL Draft on Friday. In fact, the Prince George Cougars’ goaltender is staring at the opportunity to make history as a Canadian goalie in the draft.
That’s because Joshua Ravensbergen might just join Sebastian Cossa as only the second Canadian goalie in the last 13 years to get drafted on Day 1, as per The Score. Cossa earned the distinction in 2021 when the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings drafted him as the 15th overall pick. The goaltender told The Score that it would be “really cool” to take that second place. Yet, the 18-year-old didn’t always generate such hype.
In fact, the WHL once faded from view entirely during another hockey draft. Ironically, it happened in the same year Cossa made history. “At the end of the day, it’s not really about where you go, and I learned that not being drafted to the (WHL),” said Ravensbergen. Yet, getting rejected from that draft with 214 selections became a wake-up call that led him to the 2025 NHL Draft.
“I’d say it kind of opened my eyes to how hard you have to work in the summer, I think. After I wasn’t picked, I was pretty pissed off, and I kind of used that and had a couple really big summers,” the top goaltender prospect told the Western Hockey League about this year’s NHL Draft. “I was on the ice as much as I could be. I was kind of learning how to work out, take care of my body,” added the youngster.
Credits: Instagram/ Joshua Ravensbergen
And boy, did the investment pay off in spades. His last two seasons with the Prince George Cougars saw the goaltender earn over .900 save percentages. “I think that’s a big reason why I’m here,” said the net minder. However, the 6’5 NHL hopeful made it a lot farther than just becoming part of the 2025 NHL Draft.
Perseverance got Joshua Ravensbergen to the front of the NHL Draft
Instead of allowing his frustration, the then-U17 prospect got to work after his failed WHL Draft attempt. The goaltender joined the Vancouver NW Hawks U18 AAA team and constantly improved his skills. Soon enough, the WHL noticed the netminder’s hard work and the numbers he put up with the Hawks.
Ravensbergen had an impressive 2.10 GAA with 15 wins and 2 losses before making it to the WHL in 2023. The promising goaltender immediately proved his worth after joining the Courgars, finishing his first season with 24-6-1 and a .907 SV%. However, this last season, the NHL Draft prospect also proved his longevity on the ice with a 59-17-5 record.
Credits: Instagram/ Joshua Ravensbergen
What’s more? Despite playing double the games of the 2023-24 season, Ravensbergen’s SV% remained consistent at .904. And it’s this perseverance that’s led the 18-year-old to become the leading goaltender pick of 2025. ESPN’s Rachel Doerrie called the prospect “a reliable backstop for Prince George” in his mock NHL Draft.
She praised the 6’5, imposing goaltender’s rebound, glove, and on-ice IQ. “It is likely that Ravensbergen becomes a platoon starter until his mid-20s, when he is capable of become a full-time NHL starter who plays 60-65 games per season,” predicted Doerrie. Now we’ll just have to wait and see which hockey team picks up the goaltender.
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