168 CHL Players on November ‘Players to Watch’ List for 2017 NHL Draft
168 players from the Canadian Hockey League were listed among NHL Central Scouting’s November ‘Players to Watch’ list for the 2017 NHL Draft which takes place June 23-24 in Chicago, Ill.
The 168 players includes 77 from the Ontario Hockey League, 58 from the Western Hockey League, and 33 from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
16 skaters and one goaltender received an ‘A rating’ which indicates a first round candidate.
Each league had ‘A’ ranked representatives, with the WHL leading the way with nine while the OHL trailed with six and the QMJHL featured two in forwards Maxime Comtois (Victoriaville Tigres) and Nico Hischier (Halifax Mooseheads).
The WHL’s top ranked talent included Brandon Wheat Kings duo of Nolan Patrick and Stelio Mattheos, the Tri-City Americans pair of forward Michael Rasmussen and defenceman Juuso Valimaki, Kelowna Rockets rearguard Cal Foote, Moose Jaw Warriors Russian winger Nikita Popugaev, Spokane Chiefs forward Kailer Yamamoto, Portland Winterhawks centreman Cody Glass and Prince Albert Raiders goaltender Ian Scott.
The OHL had ‘A’ ranked talent featuring the Hamilton Bulldogs forwards Matthew Strome and MacKenzie Entwistle, Mississauga Steelheads forward Owen Tippett and teammate Nicolas Hague on the blue line, Windsor Spitfires forward Gabriel Vilardi and London Knights fleet-footed winger Alex Formenton.
40 skaters and four goaltenders received a ‘B rating’ which indicates second/third round candidates while 92 skaters and 15 goaltenders received a ‘C rating’ which indicates fourth/fifth/sixth round candidates.
The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds lead the CHL with eight players included in the rankings followed by the Halifax Mooseheads, Owen Sound Attack and Spokane Chiefs who feature six each.
96 CHL players were selected in the 2016 NHL Draft including 15 players chosen in the first round.
168 CHL ‘Players to Watch’ for the 2017 NHL Draft
‘A’ RATED SKATERS
| A | COMTOIS | MAXIME | VICTORIAVILLE | QMJHL | 6′ 2.25″ | 199 | LW | L |
| A | ENTWISTLE | MACKENZIE | HAMILTON | OHL | 6′ 2.75″ | 180 | RW | R |
| A | FOOTE | CALLAN | KELOWNA | WHL | 6′ 3.5″ | 213 | D | R |
| A | FORMENTON | ALEX | LONDON | OHL | 6′ 1.0″ | 162 | LW | L |
| A | GLASS | CODY | PORTLAND | WHL | 6′ 1.75″ | 180 | C | R |
| A | HAGUE | NICOLAS | MISSISSAUGA | OHL | 6′ 5.5″ | 206 | D | L |
| A | HISCHIER | NICO | HALIFAX | QMJHL | 6′ 0.75″ | 176 | C | L |
| A | MATTHEOS | STELIO | BRANDON | WHL | 6′ 0.75″ | 190 | C | R |
| A | PATRICK | NOLAN | BRANDON | WHL | 6′ 2.75″ | 198 | C | R |
| A | POPUGAEV | NIKITA A. | MOOSE JAW | WHL | 6′ 5.5″ | 204 | LW | R |
| A | RASMUSSEN | MICHAEL | TRI-CITY | WHL | 6′ 5.75″ | 215 | C | L |
| A | STROME | MATTHEW | HAMILTON | OHL | 6′ 3.5″ | 206 | LW | L |
| A | TIPPETT | OWEN | MISSISSAUGA | OHL | 6′ 1.5″ | 202 | RW | R |
| A | VALIMAKI | JUUSO | TRI-CITY | WHL | 6′ 1.5″ | 204 | D | L |
| A | VILARDI | GABRIEL | WINDSOR | OHL | 6′ 3.0″ | 201 | C | R |
| A | YAMAMOTO | KAILER | SPOKANE | WHL | 5′ 7.5″ | 153 | RW | R |
‘B’ RATED SKATERS
| B | ANDERSON-DOLAN | JARET | SPOKANE | WHL | 5′ 11.0″ | 188 | C | L |
| B | BUCEK | SAMUEL | SHAWINIGAN | QMJHL | 6′ 1.5″ | 215 | LW | R |
| B | CHEKHOVICH | IVAN | BAIE-COMEAU | QMJHL | 5′ 10.0″ | 177 | C | L |
| B | CHMELEVSKI | ALEXANDER | OTTAWA | OHL | 5′ 11.25″ | 191 | C | R |
| B | CRETE-BELZILE | ANTOINE | BLAINVILLE-BOISBRIAND | QMJHL | 6′ 0.0″ | 186 | D | L |
| B | FROST | MORGAN | SAULT STE. MARIE | OHL | 5′ 10.75″ | 170 | C | L |
| B | HENRY | NICK | REGINA | WHL | 5′ 10.75″ | 191 | RW | R |
| B | HEPONIEMI | ALEKSI | SWIFT CURRENT | WHL | 5′ 9.75″ | 147 | LW | L |
| B | HOEFENMAYER | NOEL | OTTAWA | OHL | 6′ 0.25″ | 191 | D | L |
| B | JOKIHARJU | HENRI | PORTLAND | WHL | 5′ 11.75″ | 176 | D | R |
| B | JOSEPH | PIERRE-OLIVIER | CHARLOTTETOWN | QMJHL | 6′ 2.0″ | 160 | D | L |
| B | KOLTYGIN | PAVEL | DRUMMONDVILLE | QMJHL | 5′ 11.75″ | 195 | LW | L |
| B | LESCHYSHYN | JAKE | REGINA | WHL | 5′ 10.75″ | 184 | C | L |
| B | LIND | KOLE | KELOWNA | WHL | 6′ 1.0″ | 176 | RW | R |
| B | LODNIA | IVAN | ERIE | OHL | 5′ 10.0″ | 182 | C | R |
| B | LYLE | BRADY | NORTH BAY | OHL | 6′ 1.25″ | 203 | D | R |
| B | MCGREGOR | RYAN | SARNIA | OHL | 5′ 11.75″ | 157 | LW | L |
| B | MEIRELES | GREG | KITCHENER | OHL | 5′ 9.75″ | 172 | RW | R |
| B | MINULIN | ARTYOM | SWIFT CURRENT | WHL | 6′ 2.25″ | 202 | D | R |
| B | MORAND | ANTOINE | ACADIE-BATHURST | QMJHL | 5′ 10.0″ | 178 | C | L |
| B | PAQUETTE | JACOB | KINGSTON | OHL | 6′ 2.75″ | 207 | D | L |
| B | PHILLIPS | MARKUS | OWEN SOUND | OHL | 5′ 11.75″ | 202 | D | L |
| B | PRATT | AUSTIN | RED DEER | WHL | 6′ 2.25″ | 226 | RW | R |
| B | RASANEN | EEMELI | KINGSTON | OHL | 6′ 6.25″ | 216 | D | R |
| B | RATCLIFFE | ISAAC | GUELPH | OHL | 6′ 5.5″ | 196 | LW | L |
| B | ROBERTSON | JASON | KINGSTON | OHL | 6′ 1.75″ | 192 | LW | L |
| B | RUZICKA | ADAM | SARNIA | OHL | 6′ 3.5″ | 202 | C | L |
| B | SAMORUKOV | DMITRI | GUELPH | OHL | 6′ 2.0″ | 180 | D | L |
| B | SCHNARR | NATE | GUELPH | OHL | 6′ 2.75″ | 180 | C | R |
| B | STUDENIC | MARIAN | HAMILTON | OHL | 6′ 0.5″ | 164 | RW | L |
| B | STUDNICKA | JACK | OSHAWA | OHL | 6′ 1.0″ | 171 | C | R |
| B | SUSHKO | MAKSIM | OWEN SOUND | OHL | 5′ 11.75″ | 181 | RW | L |
| B | SUZUKI | NICK | OWEN SOUND | OHL | 5′ 10.75″ | 187 | C | R |
| B | SVOBODA | MATYAS | PETERBOROUGH | OHL | 6′ 3.0″ | 216 | LW | L |
| B | TEASDALE | JOEL | BLAINVILLE-BOISBRIAND | QMJHL | 5′ 11.25″ | 190 | LW | L |
| B | THILANDER | ADAM | NORTH BAY | OHL | 6′ 0.0″ | 190 | D | R |
| B | THOMAS | ROBERT | LONDON | OHL | 5′ 11.5″ | 185 | C | R |
| B | TIMMINS | CONOR | SAULT STE. MARIE | OHL | 6′ 1.25″ | 185 | D | R |
| B | TYSZKA | JARRET | SEATTLE | WHL | 6′ 2.25″ | 190 | D | R |
| B | ZABLOCKI | LANE | REGINA | WHL | 5′ 11.5″ | 190 | RW | R |
‘C’ RATED SKATERS
| C | ALEXEYEV | YAROSLAV | SHERBROOKE | QMJHL | 5′ 8.75″ | 146 | RW | L |
| C | BALL | JACOB | NORTH BAY | OHL | 6′ 3.25″ | 201 | LW | L |
| C | BELLERIVE | JORDAN | LETHBRIDGE | WHL | 5′ 9.75″ | 196 | C | L |
| C | BENOIT | SIMON | SHAWINIGAN | QMJHL | 6′ 2.75″ | 183 | D | L |
| C | BOKA | LUKE | WINDSOR | OHL | 5′ 11.5″ | 191 | RW | R |
| C | BOUDRIAS | SHAWN | CHARLOTTETOWN | QMJHL | 6′ 3.75″ | 197 | RW | R |
| C | BOURQUE | TRENTON | OWEN SOUND | OHL | 6′ 1.75″ | 200 | D | L |
| C | BOWEN | RYAN | LETHBRIDGE | WHL | 6′ 1.75″ | 170 | RW | R |
| C | BROOK | JOSH | MOOSE JAW | WHL | 6′ 1.0″ | 182 | D | R |
| C | BUKAC | DANIEL | BRANDON | WHL | 6′ 4.25″ | 185 | D | R |
| C | BURKE | BRAYDEN | MOOSE JAW | WHL | 5′ 9.75″ | 170 | LW | L |
| C | CARSON | MACAULEY | SUDBURY | OHL | 6′ 0.5″ | 211 | LW | L |
| C | CHAINEY | JOCKTAN | HALIFAX | QMJHL | 6′ 0.0″ | 198 | D | L |
| C | CHARLEBOIS | MATHIEU | HALIFAX | QMJHL | 6′ 3.0″ | 208 | D | L |
| C | CHENIER | BRADLEY | NORTH BAY | OHL | 5′ 10.5″ | 171 | LW | L |
| C | CLARKE | CJ | PETERBOROUGH | OHL | 6′ 0.5″ | 192 | RW | L |
| C | COMMISSO | DOMENIC | OSHAWA | OHL | 5′ 11.25″ | 192 | C | R |
| C | COSKEY | COLE | SAGINAW | OHL | 6′ 0.5″ | 189 | RW | R |
| C | COTE | LOUIS-FILIP | QUEBEC | QMJHL | 6′ 0.75″ | 179 | LW | L |
| C | CRAWLEY | BRANDON | LONDON | OHL | 6′ 1.5″ | 203 | D | L |
| C | DAVIS | HAYDEN | NIAGARA | OHL | 6′ 2.25″ | 193 | D | R |
| C | DAVIS | BRETT | LETHBRIDGE | WHL | 6′ 0.75″ | 178 | RW | L |
| C | DE WIT | JEFFREY | RED DEER | WHL | 6′ 3.25″ | 190 | C | R |
| C | DEAKIN-POOT | NICK | GUELPH | OHL | 6′ 4.25″ | 210 | C | L |
| C | DEMEO | ANTHONY | SAULT STE. MARIE | OHL | 6′ 0.0″ | 185 | D | L |
| C | DURANDEAU | ARNAUD | HALIFAX | QMJHL | 5′ 10.75″ | 183 | LW | L |
| C | FIX-WOLANSKY | TREY | EDMONTON | WHL | 5′ 6.0″ | 188 | RW | R |
| C | FLEURY | CALE | KOOTENAY | WHL | 6′ 1.25″ | 203 | D | R |
| C | FLOWER | WALTER | HALIFAX | QMJHL | 6′ 1.0″ | 178 | D | R |
| C | FORTIER | MAXIME | HALIFAX | QMJHL | 5′ 10.0″ | 182 | RW | R |
| C | GADJOVICH | JONAH | OWEN SOUND | OHL | 6′ 2.0″ | 209 | LW | L |
| C | GALLANT | ZACH | PETERBOROUGH | OHL | 6′ 2.0″ | 188 | C | L |
| C | GLEASON | BENJAMIN | HAMILTON | OHL | 6′ 0.75″ | 180 | D | L |
| C | GOLDEN | JACOB | LONDON | OHL | 5′ 11.0″ | 163 | D | L |
| C | GORDA | BRAYDEN | EDMONTON | WHL | 6′ 1.75″ | 188 | D | L |
| C | GORDEEV | FEDOR | FLINT | OHL | 6′ 6.25″ | 211 | D | L |
| C | GRIMA | NICHOLAS | PETERBOROUGH | OHL | 5′ 11.75″ | 195 | D | R |
| C | GRISHAKOV | ANDREI | CALGARY | WHL | 6′ 0.5″ | 204 | LW | R |
| C | HAWEL | LIAM | SAULT STE. MARIE | OHL | 6′ 3.5″ | 175 | C | R |
| C | HAYES | ZACKARY | PRINCE ALBERT | WHL | 6′ 2.0″ | 215 | D | R |
| C | HEDBERG | TOM | BARRIE | OHL | 5′ 11.0″ | 162 | D | L |
| C | HOLLOWELL | MAC | SAULT STE. MARIE | OHL | 5′ 9.0″ | 170 | D | R |
| C | HOLT | DAWSON | VANCOUVER | WHL | 5′ 10.75″ | 187 | C | R |
| C | ISAACSON | NICK | PETERBOROUGH | OHL | 6′ 2.75″ | 187 | LW | L |
| C | JOLY | D’ARTAGNAN | BAIE-COMEAU | QMJHL | 6′ 2.75″ | 181 | RW | L |
| C | KASTELIC | MARK | CALGARY | WHL | 6′ 3.0″ | 203 | C | R |
| C | KEATING | AUSTEN | OTTAWA | OHL | 5′ 11.5″ | 170 | LW | L |
| C | KNEEN | NOLAN | KAMLOOPS | WHL | 6′ 0.25″ | 186 | D | R |
| C | KOUSAL | PAVEL | SPOKANE | WHL | 5′ 11.25″ | 177 | LW | L |
| C | KOZLOV | IVAN | VAL-D’OR | QMJHL | 6′ 2.0″ | 211 | LW | L |
| C | KRASTENBERGS | RENARS | OSHAWA | OHL | 5′ 11.0″ | 171 | LW | L |
| C | KRIEF | ALEXANDER | SHERBROOKE | QMJHL | 6′ 4.0″ | 188 | D | L |
| C | LAPIERRE | JACOB | VICTORIAVILLE | QMJHL | 6′ 1.5″ | 222 | LW | L |
| C | LAUZON | ZACHARY | ROUYN-NORANDA | QMJHL | 6′ 0.5″ | 187 | D | L |
| C | LE COULTRE | SIMON | MONCTON | QMJHL | 5′ 11.0″ | 166 | D | L |
| C | MACHALA | ONDREJ | NIAGARA | OHL | 5′ 9.75″ | 176 | LW | L |
| C | MACLEAN | KYLE | OSHAWA | OHL | 6′ 0.25″ | 175 | LW | L |
| C | MAKINEN | OTTO | SAULT STE. MARIE | OHL | 6′ 1.0″ | 178 | C | L |
| C | MCGREW | JACOB | SPOKANE | WHL | 5′ 9.75″ | 190 | RW | R |
| C | MCHUGH | NICHOLAS | KITCHENER | OHL | 5′ 11.0″ | 165 | LW | L |
| C | MCINDOE | ETHAN | SPOKANE | WHL | 6′ 0.75″ | 171 | LW | L |
| C | MICHNAC | ALBERT | GUELPH | OHL | 5′ 10.75″ | 176 | LW | L |
| C | MIKHNIN | DENIS | RIMOUSKI | QMJHL | 5′ 9.75″ | 166 | RW | L |
| C | MILOT-OUELLET | VINCENT | GATINEAU | QMJHL | 5′ 9.5″ | 184 | RW | R |
| C | MOILANEN | SAMI | SEATTLE | WHL | 5′ 8.5″ | 185 | RW | L |
| C | NYMAN | LINUS | KINGSTON | OHL | 5′ 9.25″ | 158 | RW | L |
| C | O’GRADY | REAGAN | SUDBURY | OHL | 6′ 1.5″ | 194 | D | R |
| C | OLSON | KYLE | TRI-CITY | WHL | 5′ 10.5″ | 161 | C | L |
| C | PATERSON | JOSH | SASKATOON | WHL | 6′ 1.5″ | 190 | C | R |
| C | PECKFORD | RYAN | VICTORIA | WHL | 6′ 0.0″ | 185 | C | L |
| C | PIETRONIRO | MATTEO | BAIE-COMEAU | QMJHL | 6′ 0.5″ | 180 | D | L |
| C | PLOUFFE | DYLAN | VANCOUVER | WHL | 5′ 11.75″ | 184 | D | L |
| C | PODDUBNYI | GERMAN | ERIE | OHL | 6′ 1.5″ | 181 | C | L |
| C | PRONER | ROBERT | SAGINAW | OHL | 6′ 2.25″ | 211 | D | L |
| C | PRYCE | NICK | OWEN SOUND | OHL | 5′ 10.25″ | 182 | LW | L |
| C | PURBOO | COLE | WINDSOR | OHL | 6′ 2.75″ | 215 | RW | R |
| C | ROBERTS | ELIJAH | KITCHENER | OHL | 5′ 8.25″ | 159 | D | L |
| C | RUBINCHIK | MARK | SASKATOON | WHL | 5′ 11.75″ | 179 | D | L |
| C | RUBINS | KRISTIANS | MEDICINE HAT | WHL | 6′ 4.0″ | 216 | D | L |
| C | RYMSHA | DRAKE | OTTAWA | OHL | 5′ 11.75″ | 187 | C | R |
| C | SEITZ | DYLAN | KITCHENER | OHL | 6′ 1.25″ | 189 | C | L |
| C | SEMCHUK | BRENDAN | VANCOUVER | WHL | 5′ 11.0″ | 178 | RW | R |
| C | SHAW | MASON | MEDICINE HAT | WHL | 5′ 8.5″ | 180 | C | L |
| C | SMART | JONATHAN | KELOWNA | WHL | 6′ 0.0″ | 197 | D | L |
| C | STRANSKY | SIMON | PRINCE ALBERT | WHL | 5′ 11.0″ | 185 | LW | L |
| C | SYLVESTRE | GABRIEL | SHAWINIGAN | QMJHL | 6′ 3.0″ | 197 | D | R |
| C | VESTERINEN | SAKU | CHARLOTTETOWN | QMJHL | 5′ 11.25″ | 184 | D | R |
| C | VOYER | ALEX-OLIVIER | RIMOUSKI | QMJHL | 6′ 1.5″ | 180 | RW | R |
| C | WALFORD | SCOTT | VICTORIA | WHL | 6′ 1.5″ | 193 | D | L |
| C | WARM | WILL | EDMONTON | WHL | 5′ 11.25″ | 179 | D | R |
| C | WEDMAN | MATTHEW | SEATTLE | WHL | 6′ 2.5″ | 195 | C | R |
| C | YERYOMENKO | VLADISLAV | CALGARY | WHL | 5′ 11.5″ | 171 | D | R |
‘A’ RATED GOALTENDERS
| A | SCOTT | IAN | PRINCE ALBERT | WHL | 6′ 3.25″ | 174 | G | L |
‘B’ RATED GOALTENDERS
| B | DIPIETRO | MICHAEL | WINDSOR | OHL | 6′ 0.0″ | 196 | G | L |
| B | FULCHER | KADEN | HAMILTON | OHL | 6′ 3.75″ | 183 | G | L |
| B | KEYSER | KYLE | OSHAWA | OHL | 6′ 1.75″ | 182 | G | L |
| B | SKINNER | STUART | LETHBRIDGE | WHL | 6′ 3.5″ | 209 | G | L |
‘C’ RATED GOALTENDERS
| C | BARIBEAU | DERECK | VAL-D’OR | QMJHL | 6′ 4.75″ | 191 | G | R |
| C | D’ORIO | ALEX | SAINT JOHN | QMJHL | 6′ 2.0″ | 201 | G | R |
| C | HOLLETT | JORDAN | REGINA | WHL | 6′ 4.0″ | 194 | G | R |
| C | HUGHES | AIDAN | SARNIA | OHL | 6′ 3.0″ | 235 | G | L |
| C | HUGHES | LIAM | EDMONTON | WHL | 6′ 1.0″ | 194 | G | L |
| C | INCZE | COLTON | NIAGARA | OHL | 6′ 1.25″ | 205 | G | L |
| C | LAFRENIERE | OLIVIER | OTTAWA | OHL | 6′ 0.75″ | 212 | G | L |
| C | MCGRATH | JAKE | SUDBURY | OHL | 6′ 0.75″ | 158 | G | L |
| C | PROPP | CHRISTIAN | BARRIE | OHL | 6′ 2.25″ | 176 | G | L |
| C | RAAYMAKERS | JOSEPH | SAULT STE. MARIE | OHL | 6′ 0.25″ | 185 | G | L |
| C | SAWCHENKO | ZACHARY | MOOSE JAW | WHL | 6′ 0.25″ | 179 | G | L |
| C | VILLALTA | MATT | SAULT STE. MARIE | OHL | 6′ 2.5″ | 165 | G | L |
| C | WEATHERILL | DAWSON | SPOKANE | WHL | 6′ 4.5″ | 189 | G | L |
| C | WELSH | MATTHEW | CHARLOTTETOWN | QMJHL | 5′ 10.5″ | 179 | G | L |
| C | WILLMS | BRODY | MOOSE JAW | WHL | 6′ 1.0″ | 177 | G | L |
