As part of my ongoing interest in looking ahead to the future and scrutinizing U18 leagues more for the stars of tomorrow beyond my usual scope of examining major junior leagues, I am commencing another mini-series within my constant project of prospect profiles (that was very alliterative). This will mark the first entry in a short series of 2028 NHL Entry Draft eligible prospects that have been turning heads. As has been fairly consistent in my prospect articles as of late (such as the series on 2025 NHL Entry Draft eligible stars from the WHL), we begin by looking to Western Canada. Specifically, we will be examining a 2010 from British Columbia. This prospect has an enticing makeup of physical attributes and skills and has been using them to produce phenomenal results the last few years. Some suspect he might be the next recipient of exceptional player status from the WHL. What case can be made for that? Let us take a look at his strengths which may suggest his worthiness.

Liam Pue was born on February 16th, 2010 in Langley, BC. A product of the Langley Eagles minor hockey system, he has been carving out a name for himself in the Junior Prospects Hockey League the last few seasons. He did not have to leave home for it to happen, either. He has been playing for and ascending up the ranks within Langley Hockey Academy (where his father is a fixture amongst the executives), doing so quite quickly. He began his JPHL career in the 2022–23 season at the U14 level, in which he registered 15 goals and 7 assists in 11 games played, a 2 PPG clip. He very quickly was called up the U15s, wherein he tallied 30 goals and 24 assists in 20 games, therefore producing at an even higher pace. He remained with the Langley U15s for their postseason run and recorded 9 points in 4 games. This past season, he began on the U15s from the jump and put up numbers that were otherworldly, recording 64 goals and 40 assists in 31 games played. He therefore earned a promotion to the U17s, where he posted a goal per game and 8 assists in 14 games. He played with the U15s again for their postseason run, putting up 8 goals and 5 assists in 6 appearances.

Alongside all of this productivity, Pue had an exciting spring/summer with plenty of travel. He went to Philadelphia with Team BC U15 for the World Selects Invitational, where had a terrific individual showing to the tune of 7 goals and 5 assists in 6 games. He additionally participated in the Cwench World Invite with Team Canada West, putting in an outstanding performance which saw him post 7 goals and 4 assists in six games and earning Tournament First All-Star honors. This all culminated in him earning JPHL exceptional player status, allowing him to play in the U18s. This was a unique feat, as it marked the first time that a player who was entering his draft year for the WHL had been awarded EPS by the JPHL. This also placed Liam in a situation that was special to him, as it permitted him to play with his elder brother, Landon, for the first time.

As indicated in the previously linked article, Pue has been playing above his age his entire life, though he describes this as his most difficult adjustment yet. However, the results certainly would not suggest that, as he holds the JPHL U18 league lead in goals by 5 with 24 and is in a three-way tie for the league lead in points with 36 (alongside brother Landon and HC Edmonton’s Marcus Laraque, son of NHL enforcer Georges Laraque). Watching his tape, it would appear that the game comes easily to him. There were times where he looked like he was falling behind the play or looked disengaged, but what it really proved to be was his processing telling him exactly when he should activate. He has the capacity for tremendous acceleration that he only uses when he identifies the exact moment that he can make the most lethal play possible. This is visible when he finds lanes in a situation where he can create a breakaway on a loose puck, gets free to be set up by a teammate, or when conducting transition plays with control. He has rightfully gotten praise for his puckhandling skills (which are extremely impressive for his height at 6’1″, one of the most valuable aspects of his build alongside his right-handedness), but I find myself most impressed by his vision and the cerebral ways of his game which might be the greatest reason he has not been slowed down by his advancement up the ranks to the U18s. Like the highest hockey IQ players, he attacks the patterns used in an offensive structure and holes left by either the opposition or the game opening up at the right time, while coupling this with dynamism to make it all the more lethal. He doesn’t fall behind the game, even when you think he might. The game falls behind him. This is all grouped together with him having phenomenal shooting ability in the sense of mechanics, accuracy, and strength, while also being adept at setting the table.

His efficiency as a playmaker is such that, when on the draw in the OZ (fancy that – A primarily shot-first right-handed forward who is already 6’1″ and plays down the middle), not only is he winning with ease, but he is often setting up a phenomenal play in the most clinical manner, as well, often leading his team to a goal. Pue has been a G>A player at every major step in his dev career on record to this point (an exception that is identifiable being his performance at the 2021 Franchise Cup with Team British Columbia, wherein he recorded 8 goals and 8 assists in 6 games). However, despite his phenomenal shooting ability, I can see a path to him being a star in the future as primarily a facilitator, as well. Given his stated liking of being a team-first player and the satisfaction he gets from setting a teammate up for a goal, I am sure he would embrace such a path with enthusiasm.

It should be interesting to see where Pue lands in the 2025 WHL Draft (a top three pick is virtually a lock, some even opine top two alongside a player that will likely be covered in this series shortly, as well) and if he is granted exceptional player status. He does have quite the impressive acumen to this point and has risen to the occasion time and time again when both being the clear-cut best player amongst his peers and being a dominant presence against those older than him. However, he does have an interesting challenger in the form of Jr. Pats product Maddox Schultz of Regina. Regardless of how this shakes out, I imagine that any WHL team would be all the better for having him. His NHL future should be quite promising, as well, but since Pue is just drinking in the moment that he is currently in, we should not put the weight of expectations on him there and make bold predictions about his future. Let us enjoy this young blue chip where he is and excitedly watch where he goes, which could be a very great player in many different ways, either focused on one particular area of strength or many, or a different one from the one he is now. We shall see! We have nothing but time to see who Liam Pue is. At this age, he is just a name. It will take a bit more time to find out exactly who Liam Pue, the high level hockey player, is.