Bill Zonnon is the type of player every coach wants and every team needs. A versatile offensive threat
with the ability to play center in all situations, Zonnon’s skillset is very translatable towards the NHL
when it comes to using his size, making himself more dangerous. With high-end vision, and a knack for
getting involved in the dirty areas while using his creativity, he stands out as one of the most complete
forwards in the 2025 NHL Draft class.
What separates Zonnon from many of his peers isn’t just his physical tools, though his smooth hands,
and reliability in all situations are undeniable. It’s his hockey sense and vision in what makes him very
dangerous, especially when he plays the net-front. Whether it’s threading a pass in tight spaces or
anticipating pressure, Zonnon makes the game crisper and easier for his teammates to transition.
Maintaining a high compete level is a key main stay of Zonnon’s game. When asked about being
competitive in activities, he responded “I was really competitive at recess during school, whether it was
dodgeball or ball hockey.” He also mentioned “Even in gym class, I was so competitive to the point
where I started screaming in class and started getting in trouble because of it”.
When asked about building the perfect player, Bill said the following:
“Hockey IQ, I’d say between two guys, either Sidney Crosby or Nikita Kucherov. Skating, I have to go with
Connor McDavid. Shot I have to go with Auston Matthews since he reinvented the way of shooting the
puck with the use of his quick toe-drag release. Physicality, I really like watching Brady Tkachuk.”
When asked about his favorite part of the game, Bill emphasizes about enjoying the high
competitiveness along with working hard with his teammates. He stated “Obviously on the offensive
side that I love to score, and on the defensive end, I enjoy blocking shots as well.”
When asked about how he prepares for a big game, he provided his routine for game days. Part of his
routine involves listening to music, but most importantly, getting into the “flow state” which gets him to
his calmest point.
How? “I started meditating last year and I became very close with our mental performance coach, and
this was a suggestion he made be because he felt like it could really help me stay calm and though I was
too hard on myself.”
His sports GOAT I asked? Immediate response of Bill’s was Michael Jordan. He expresses his sadness
about not being able to watch him, but after watching “The Last Dance” he really liked him.
Where his character truly showed was what he would do with the Stanley Cup. What he said, is this:
“For me to come back to my roots, come back to the rink where I started playing at and show it to them.
I would participate in pop ups for the fans if they wanted to take pictures but most importantly to spend
my time with my friends but mainly my family after everything, they have done for me”.
When asked about his future after a 15–20-year NHL career, would he rather be a general manager or a
coach. He said, “I would rather be a coach since a GM, there are a lot of tasks involved such as taking
phone calls but truly take care of the team on a large scale. For a coach, it’s about taking of mainly your
players.”
When asked about where he would see himself in 5-years, he brought up just playing pro at first and not
putting too much pressure on himself. He stated that he obviously wants to make it to the NHL, but truly
playing pro would be a huge accomplishment.
What’s his favourite part about playing in-front of the Huskies fans? “Just how passionate they are. They
are so loud every single night, it’s a small city in Rouyn so they closely follow the team, there’s a big
media coverage here and its fun to be a part of that”.
Written by Tyler Willard Ballesteros, Interview by TheProspectDon