
Ben Kevan, a six-foot winger for the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers, has impressed scouts this season and has continued raising his draft stock ahead of this summer’s NHL draft.
In the recent rankings released by NHL Central Scouting, Kevan was featured in the Top 50 for North American skaters, landing at the 44th spot thanks to his continued near point-per-game rate in the USHL.
According to Neutral Zone, the winger is a “playmaking finisher” with a quick release that does not need much time to settle a puck to create a scoring opportunity. NHL front offices will appreciate his leadership skills as a player “who elevates his game and the play of those around him.” While his overall statistics may appear lacking at times, Kevan has captured the attention of scouts as a “dynamic offensive presence” against same-age competition this year.
The Fairfield, Calif., native moved to Iowa to play for the Buccaneers last season after being selected by them fifth overall in the 2023 USHL Futures Draft. Kevan rewarded the first-round confidence with 57 points in 59 games, including 24 goals as a rookie and a selection to the 2023-24 USHL All-Rookie Team.
In his sophomore season for the Buccaneers, Kevan has improved his production to 29 points in 31 games while being pulled away to various tournaments and showcases along the way. At the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August, where the U.S. finished fourth, Kevan scored a goal and added two helpers for three points before beginning his season with the Buccaneers.
In December, Kevan’s offense helped lead the United States to their ninth gold medal at the World Junior A Challenge in Camrose, Alta. Kevan scored six times and totaled eight points in five tournament games, setting a tournament record with five power-play goals and placed fourth overall in scoring behind 2026-NHL draft-eligible prospect Ivar Stenberg.
Matt Smaby, the head coach for the U.S., was impressed with Kevan, someone he usually tries to stop as head coach for the USHL’s Waterloo Blackhawks. “This was some of the best hockey that I’d seen him,” Smaby said. “He was one of our more impactful guys and really came through in big moments. I was just really proud of the way he played and how he did for our team.”
At 17-21-2, it’s been a tough season for Des Moines due to a rotating roster. With two months remaining in the season, there is still time for Kevan and his teammates to make a run at the Clark Cup Playoffs in April. If the push is to happen though, Kevan will need to be a big part of it and continue pushing his 0.94 points-per-game pace to help turn the tide for Buccaneers, who were 5-6-1 in January.
After two USHL seasons, Kevan is committed to joining Arizona State next season. Kevan still has five months of hockey, training, and testing to impress scouts before he can hear his name called by an NHL team at the 2025 Entry Draft in Los Angeles, Calif. The West Coast native will have the opportunity to live a dream that very few hockey players get to experience – being drafted into the NHL in the state where he learned to play hockey.