Henry’s freshman year at Michigan came to an abrupt end in November when he suffered a season-ending ACL injury just ten games in. He had nine assists in that stretch, though largely against weaker competition, and was beginning to show signs of rounding out his game before going down. The jump to the NCAA was always about adding defensive structure to an offensive toolkit that produced 82 points in 68 OHL games last year, and that development will have to wait until next season. Still very much a long-term project for Calgary, who have the luxury of patience given the depth of their defensive prospect pool. Worth holding in dynasty leagues but don’t expect movement on his timeline anytime soon.

Henry Mews, selected 74th overall by the Calgary Flames in 2024, has continued to refine his game as a mobile, puck-moving defenseman. His 2024-25 OHL season was split between the Ottawa 67’s and the Sudbury Wolves, where he put up a combined 82 points in 68 games, along with two points in four playoff games. He is committed to the Michigan Wolverines for the upcoming season, a league where the Flames hope he will receive more reps and develop well over the next year or two, eventually leading to the NHL. The jump to the NCAA should offer older, more physically mature opponents for Mews, aiding his development on both ends of the ice. Mews participated in Hockey Canada’s World Junior Summer Showcase Camp over the summer and played top four minutes alongside Kashawn Aitcheson, a 2025 first-rounder by the Islanders. Mews played well in the Canadian intersquad games but had some miscues in the regular tournament games, posting 3 assists over the five games.

Mews, the Sudbury Wolves defenseman, has committed to the Michigan Wolverines starting in the 2025-26 season. He is the first Canadian Hockey League player to commit to Michigan since the NCAA made Canadian Hockey League players eligible for Division I hockey in November 2024.

Mews was selected 74th overall by the Flames.

It was a significant loss for the Wolves, as Mews was acquired from the Ottawa 67s at the OHL trade deadline in January. He was expected to be heavily relied upon in Sudbury during the 2025-26 campaign. A highly skilled offensive defenseman with excellent skating ability, great vision, and puck-moving skills. His long-term outlook and development will only benefit from a new challenge at the NCAA level, where he will face bigger, stronger, and more physically mature opponents.

April 2024Mews is an interesting case study. He’s an offensively tilted defenseman playing in a conservative defensive structure in Ottawa. Despite the system, Mews produced at nearly a point-per-game pace this season, mainly due to effective puck movement and passing. The big question with Mews will be how much offense there actually is in his game, and can he extract that offensive potential in the higher leagues ahead? If he can, he’s likely worthy of a 1st round pick. If he can’t, his path to the NHL is a bit cloudier as he has just okay size and competitive level, but struggles defensively. If he hits, expect a power play contributor and a puck-moving player. Jordan Harris

February 2024 Earlier in the season, our thoughts on Mews were mixed, and they remain the same for our mid-season rankings. Mews is a very effective passer who can move pucks up the ice and set up teammates on the offensive end. His skating and shooting are above average, and he also has excellent hands. Given his tools, you’d think he would generate offense more in line with players like Parekh and Buium, but he isn’t. He seems hesitant to activate at teams, opting instead for a safer mission. Some scouts at Dobber believe this could result from playing within an Ottawa system that doesn’t lend itself to much risk-taking. Given this perspective, it’s hard to gauge what the offensive upside is with Mews as it currently doesn’t match the skillset. On the back end, it’s been a mixed bag. Mews can struggle in his zone and look overmatched, especially under pressure. This leads to turnovers or an inability to exit the defensive zone. If the offense is better than what he’s shown, then our spot for Mews will hold. If it’s not a schematic issue, we could see Mews dropping in our following rankings. – Jordan Harris