2024 CHLKTP: WHL scouting reports

With the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game set to take place later today, NHL Central Scouting has granted a behind the scenes look at their evaluation of players involved in the game.

The WHL has 15 players that will lace their skates up this evening that includes Calgary’s Carter Yakemchuk and Spokane’s Berkly Catton, both of whom were rated in the Top 10 of NHL Central Scouting’s North American mid-term rankings.

NHL Central Scouting has provided the CHL scouting reports of all players that will take part in Wednesday’s game, detailed below, as they look to catch the eye of scouts ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft that is expected to take place June 28-29 in Las Vegas.

The 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game airs live in Canada from the Avenir Centre, home of the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats, on TSN, TSN.ca, the TSN App, RDS and RDS.ca on Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT. Meanwhile, in the United States, the game will air live on NHL Network while viewers outside of Canada can catch all of the action on CHL TV.

Please note: the following scouting reports have been lightly edited for clarity.

Forwards:

Andrew Basha — Medicine Hat Tigers (Team Red)
40GP / 19G / 59PTS

In his third season with Medicine Hat in the WHL, a skilled prospect who has consistently produced offensively. Possess high end puck skills and can both make plays and score. Has impressive skating speed and agility to shake off and beat defenders. Moves smartly and smoothly with and without out the puck. Always looking to get himself into scoring areas and can finish with an accurate shot. Excellent vison and creativity and can make difficult passes looks easy. Controls the puck and can make plays with speed.

Berkly Catton — Spokane Chiefs (Team White)
41GP / 28G / 67PTS

Former first overall pick in the WHL Draft and impacted as a 16-year-old rookie. A highly intelligent player that generates a lot of scoring chances and leads his team in scoring. Has excellent vision to go along with his high-end skill set. NHL skater with an explosive first step that allows him to evade checking and pull away from defenders. Plays an up-tempo game and is very clever at controlling the pace of the play while creating time and space to make plays. Can contribute in all three zones with his smarts and awareness. More of a play maker than a scorer but he has a good release and accurate shot to beat goalies.

"That is an elite 17-year-old forward."

Ranked as a Grade A prospect for the 2024 #NHLDraft, Berkly Catton continues to shine for the @spokanechiefs! #CHLKTP pic.twitter.com/ceXfl10vam

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) November 9, 2023

Tanner Howe — Regina Pats (Team Red)
44GP / 22G / 52PTS

Howe is playing in his third full season in the WHL and was named Regina captain at the start of the 2023-24 season. He is a team leader in minutes played and plays a big role on special team units and gets utilized in all key situations; generates a high percentage of his team’s offensive production. He plays and competes bigger than his size and doesn’t back down in any situation. Howe is quick, agile, smart and slick with the puck, and consistently creates scoring chances. Plays a smart and effective game without the puck creating steals and turnovers which he converts into offensive opportunities – always a dangerous scoring threat.

Ti Iginla — Kelowna Rockets (Team White)
40GP / 31G / 55PTS

Iginla is a second year player now with the Kelowna Rockets after being traded from Seattle. He is the son of NHL Hall of Fame legend Jerome Iginla. Iginla is a talented and dynamic winger (can also play centre) who has been an offensive impact player for the Rockets from the start of the season. Skating is an NHL asset with speed that puts defenders on their heels. He is strong and hungry on the puck and has an effective game along the boards and corners when battling for pucks. Provides a consistent offensive output as a creative playmaker and natural goal scorer who has that shoot first mentality and possesses an excellent finishing shot with a very good release.

Tij Iginla is ready for #CHLKTP 😤

The 2024 #NHLDraft prospect had his second hat-trick of the season Friday for the @Kelowna_Rockets! pic.twitter.com/L7vkzBPafC

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) January 20, 2024

Adam Jecho — Edmonton Oil Kings (Team Red)
29GP / 11G / 26PTS

First year playing in North America with Edmonton after developing in both Czechia and Finland. Jecho is an impressive combination of size and skill – good agility, dexterity and body control. He utilizes his good puck handling, reach, and frame to protect the puck and can get the shot off while being checked. He reads the play and creates offense in heavy traffic and while being checked. Developing into a power play asset that can distribute the puck, get scoring chances, and have an effective net front presence. Jecho is capable playing both a physical and a finesse game and can beat defenders with both power and skill making him a challenge for defenders.

Ollie Josephson — Red Deer Rebels (Team Red)
43GP / 6G / 32PTS

Josephson is in his second full season with Red Deer. He is a smart, versatile center that can be trusted in all situations and on special teams. He plays a very intelligent two-way game and has an effective puck distribution game in all zones. Very good in the faceoff circle and takes most of his teams’ key draws. He reads the play extremely well and has good creativity and execution off the rush and on the power play as well as being a top-notch penalty killer. Josephson has the speed and quickness to slip around and beat defenders, and has good hands and moves in tight and to the net. He competes, battles hard and does a lot of the little things very well.

Julius Miettinen — Everett Silvertips (Team Red)
45GP / 20G / 42PTS

A first-year centre from Finland that plays a power forward style game. Miettinen is strong on the puck with an effective puck control/protection game; he is hard to check and play against without the puck. He has a very good net front game on the power play and displays good hands in tight spaces. Effective in the offensive zone retrieving pucks, making plays and getting open for scoring chances – he can get his shot off quickly and score from the top of the blue paint. Good in the face-off circle. Potential to be a heavy and hard two-way center that can bring offense.

Terik Parascak — Prince George Cougars (Team White)
44GP / 27G / 63PTS

A first-year WHL player that was a former fourth round pick of Prince George, he has had a spectacular offensive start to his WHL career and continues to score at a high level. Parascak displays a very high hockey IQ with and without the puck. One of those players with that innate ability to go to where the puck will be and always has an option in all zones. He is composed under pressure, connects with tape-to-tape passes and has shown a consistent finishing ability. One of the more naturally talented prospects in the 2024 draft class, he plays on both special teams and has deceptive speed and quickness that always makes him a scoring threat.

Carson Wetsch — Calgary Hitmen (Team White)
41GP / 18G / 32PTS

Wetsch is in his second season with the Hitmen. A versatile winger that can be deployed in all situations including special teams. He is a powerful skater with good balance and strength on his skates and possesses a heavy shot. Shows a good touch with the puck and can make clever, accurate passes under pressure. He gets to scoring areas and has a solid frame to protect pucks. He drives hard to the net, finishes his checks with authority and battles effectively in the corners. Wetsch plays a solid power forward style game.

Defencemen:

Harrison Brunicke — Kamloops Blazers (Team Red)
40GP / 8G/ 18PTS

Good combination of size, skating and skill. Stepped his play up this season to earn a top four role and be utilized in all situations. Good size and reach to defend, has an active stick to effectively to disrupt the attack. Plays the body well and is willing to engage to defend himself and step up for his teammates. Good game handling and moving the puck in tight areas. Makes good zone exits and can dish the puck to either side. Likes to join the attack, and can generate offensive chances. Game is maturing and has made significant gains this year.

Charlie Elick — Brandon Wheat Kings (Team Red)
42GP / 4G / 20PTS

Elick is a big right shot defensemen playing his second season with Brandon. A strong skater with good speed and balance who moves well in all directions. Effective utilizing his size/strength assets to provide a physical presence in board battles and net front game, consistently finishes his hits and can deliver the heavy hit. Good game carrying the puck up ice and making plays in the offensive zone. An excellent defender who competes and battles with consistency and makes good decisions and passes in the defensive zone. An impressive combination of size and skating with the ability to shutdown opponents.

Colton Roberts — Vancouver Giants (Team Red)
43GP / 7G / 20PTS

Playing in his second full season with Vancouver, Roberts is a big, right shot, skating, puck moving d-man that has made significant strides this season and has a big upside. He has the size, reach and physical assets to finish his checks and to defend effectively and with a purpose. He plays big minutes on the top pairing and is utilized in all situations. Plays the top on the power play or as a shooter, moves the puck around quickly and efficiently to make plays. Roberts makes the good first outlet pass, connects with the long stretch pass and joins the rush smartly where he can also beat attackers with his puck skills and skating.

Carter Yakemchuk — Calgary Hitmen (Team White)
40GP / 18G / 42PTS

In his third WHL season with Calgary, Yakemchuk is a big, mobile and active defenceman who often leads his team in time on-ice. A strong skater that likes to have the puck on his stick, he is a confident puck carrier that will look to transport the puck up ice. He has the ability to beat defenders 1-on-1 with speed and dangles. He is deployed on special team units and is a huge asset on the power play from the offensive zone blue line. Yakemchuk can drive his teams offence as he distributes the puck well and creates scoring chances for teammates with his accurate and creative reads. In the defensive zone he can handle speed off the rush and win battles along boards and at the net front. Yakemchuk has an NHL tool set.

Carter Yakemchuk… that's all pic.twitter.com/18jIM27riI

— Calgary Hitmen (@WHLHitmen) December 7, 2023

Goaltenders:

Lukas Matecha — Tri-City Americans (Team Red)
24 GP / 10-11-2 / 2.93 GAA / .912 save percentage

A first year WHL goalie developed in Czechia, Matecha has a huge presence in the net with good angles and positioning. He covers a lot of net even when he’s down in the butterfly. A smart and confident goalie who reads and reacts to situations well. He is tough to beat low with good butterfly sealing the ice and five- hole while extending his pads to protect the low corners. A well-balanced stance and moves throughout the crease efficiently and challenges smartly. He’s got good quickness and is especially quick when flaring out the pads. Has the ability to make key saves for his team.

Dawson Cowan — Spokane Chiefs (Team White)
26GP / 10-13-2 / 3.30 GAA / .908 save percentage

In his second full season in the WHL, originally drafted by the Winnipeg ICE and traded to Spokane at the start of the 2022-23 season. Cowan is a good sized, strong and competitive goalie who plays with confidence and focus. He has good command of his crease and gets square to shots. Smart at reading and reacting to situations with quickness – he’s quick to flare out the pads when dropping in the butterfly. Strong on wraparound attempts and in-tight situations to gather up loose pucks. Tracks pucks through traffic well and knows how to handle and move pucks. He is developing into a very good goalie prospect.