Four Pats on Central Scouting Midterm Rankings
Calgary, AB – The Western Hockey League announced today that 57 WHL players have been listed by NHL Central Scouting in its midterm rankings in advance of the 2017 NHL Draft, scheduled for June 23 to 24 in Chicago.
Heading the list is Nolan Patrick (Winnipeg, MB / Brandon Wheat Kings), ranked first among North American skaters. Michael Rasmussen (sixth – Tri-City Americans), Cody Glass (eighth – Portland Winterhawks) and Jusso Valimaki (ninth – Tri-City Americans) join Patrick in representing the WHL amongst the top 10 North American skaters.
A total of 12 WHL skaters land in the top 31, including Cal Foote (12th – Kelowna Rockets), Kailer Yamamoto (17th – Spokane Chiefs), Nikita Popugaev (18th – Prince George Cougars), Kole Lind (21st – Kelowna Rockets), Henri Jokiharju (22nd – Portland Winterhawks), Stelio Mattheos (23rd – Brandon Wheat Kings), Nick Henry (25th – Regina Pats) and Jake Leschyshyn (31st – Regina Pats).
Pats defenceman Jonathan Smart came in at #98.
Ian Scott (Prince Albert Raiders) is ranked second amongst North American goaltenders. The Pats Jordan Hollett was number 11.
The Tri-City Americans lead all WHL clubs with six players ranked, followed by the Spokane Chiefs (five) and Regina Pats (four).
The WHL leads the entire Canadian Hockey League with 12 skaters ranked in the top 31, followed by the Ontario Hockey League with 11 skaters and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with two skaters.
Of the 57 WHL players listed in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings, 15 will participate in the 2017 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects game, scheduled for January 30 in Quebec City.
At the 2016 NHL Draft, a total of 34 WHL players were selected, including four during the first round.
2017 NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING MIDTERM RANKINGS (NORTH AMERICA) – WHL SKATERS
Rank | Last Name | First Name | Team | League | Height | Weight | Pos |
1 | PATRICK | NOLAN | BRANDON | WHL | 6’2.75″ | 198 | C |
6 | RASMUSSEN | MICHAEL | TRI-CITY | WHL | 6’5.75” | 215 | C |
8 | GLASS | CODY | PORTLAND | WHL | 6’1.75” | 180 | C |
9 | VALIMAKI | JUUSO | TRI-CITY | WHL | 6’1.5” | 204 | D |
12 | FOOTE | CAL | KELOWNA | WHL | 6’3.5” | 213 | D |
17 | YAMAMOTO | KAILER | SPOKANE | WHL | 5’7.5” | 153 | RW |
18 | POPUGAEV | NIKITA | PRINCE GEORGE | WHL | 6’5.5” | 204 | LW |
21 | LIND | KOLE | KELOWNA | WHL | 6’1.0” | 176 | RW |
22 | JOKIHARJU | HENRI | PORTLAND | WHL | 5’11.75” | 176 | D |
23 | MATTHEOS | STELIO | BRANDON | WHL | 6’0.75” | 190 | RW |
25 | HENRY | NICK | REGINA | WHL | 5’10.75” | 191 | RW |
31 | LESCHYSHYN | JAKE | REGINA | WHL | 5’1-.75” | 184 | C |
33 | TYSZKA | JARRET | SEATTLE | WHL | 6’2.25” | 190 | D |
36 | HEPONIEMI | ALEKSI | SWIFT CURRENT | WHL | 5’9.75” | 147 | C |
40 | ANDERSON-DOLAN | JARET | SPOKANE | WHL | 5’11.0” | 188 | C |
49 | MINULIN | ARTYOM | SWIFT CURRENT | WHL | 6’2.25” | 202 | D |
50 | GEEKIE | MORGAN | TRI-CITY | WHL | 6’2.25” | 178 | C |
58 | OLSON | KYLE | TRI-CITY | WHL | 5’10.5” | 161 | RW |
63 | SHAW | MASON | MEDICINE HAT | WHL | 5’8.5” | 180 | C |
70 | ZABLOCKI | LANE | RED DEER | WHL | 5’11.5” | 190 | RW |
74 | FLEURY | CALE | KOOTENAY | WHL | 6’1.25” | 203 | D |
75 | BROOK | JOSH | MOOSE JAW | WHL | 6’1.0” | 182 | D |
83 | PRATT | AUSTIN | RED DEER | WHL | 6’2.25” | 226 | RW |
84 | COGHLAN | DYLAN | TRI-CITY | WHL | 6’2.0” | 189 | D |
87 | PECKFORD | RYAN | VICTORIA | WHL | 6’0.0” | 185 | LW |
91 | BELLERIVE | JORDY | LETHBRIDGE | WHL | 5’9.75” | 196 | C |
93 | MOILANEN | SAMI | SEATTLE | WHL | 5’8.5” | 185 | RW |
98 | SMART | JONATHAN | REGINA | WHL | 6’0.0” | 197 | D |
105 | LEWIS | TY | BRANDON | WHL | 5’11.0” | 177 | LW |
109 | DE JONGE | BRENDAN | PORTLAND | WHL | 6’5.25” | 192 | D |
110 | PLOUFFE | DYLAN | VANCOUVER | WHL | 5’11.75” | 184 | D |
112 | BOWEN | RYAN | LETHBRIDGE | WHL | 6’1.75” | 170 | RW |
119 | RUBINCHIK | MARK | SASKATOON | WHL | 5’11.75” | 179 | D |
120 | GORDA | BRAYDEN | EDMONTON | WHL | 6’1.75” | 188 | D |
130 | LEASON | BRETT | TRI-CITY | WHL | 6’3.75” | 196 | C |
133 | KASTELIC | MARK | CALGARY | WHL | 6’3.0” | 203 | C |
134 | WEDMAN | MATTHEW | SEATTLE | WHL | 6’2.5” | 195 | C |
138 | STEENBERGEN | TYLER | SWIFT CURRENT | WHL | 5’10.25” | 188 | C |
140 | HALBGEWACHS | JAYDEN | MOOSE JAW | WHL | 5’7.5” | 157 | C |
141 | MCINDOE | ETHAN | SPOKANE | WHL | 6’0.75” | 171 | LW |
142 | DAVIS | BRETT | KOOTENAY | WHL | 6’0.75” | 178 | RW |
152 | HAYES | ZACKARY | PRINCE ALBERT | WHL | 6’2.0” | 215 | D |
153 | WALFORD | SCOTT | VICTORIA | WHL | 6’1.5” | 193 | D |
154 | WARM | WILL | EDMONTON | WHL | 5’11.25” | 179 | D |
163 | PATERSON | JOSH | SASKATOOON | WHL | 6’1.5” | 190 | C |
167 | RUBINS | KRISTIANS | MEDICINE HAT | WHL | 6’4.0” | 216 | D |
175 | BURKE | BRAYDEN | MOOSE JAW | WHL | 5’9.75” | 170 | LW |
181 | HOLT | DAWSON | VANCOUVER | WHL | 5’10.75” | 187 | C |
190 | SEMCHUK | BRENDAN | VANCOUVER | WHL | 5’11.0” | 178 | RW |
197 | GRISHAKOV | ANDREI | CALGARY | WHL | 6’0.5” | 204 | LW |
199 | YERYOMENKO | VLADISLAV | CALGARY | WHL | 5’11.5” | 171 | D |
LV | MCGREW | JACOB | SPOKANE | WHL | 5’9.75” | 190 | RW |
2017 NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING MIDTERM RANKINGS (NORTH AMERICA) – WHL GOALTENDERS
Rank | Last Name | First Name | Team | League | Height | Weight | C |
2 | SCOTT | IAN | PRINCE ALBERT | WHL | 6’3.25” | 174 | L |
9 | SKINNER | STUART | LETHBRIDGE | WHL | 6’3.5” | 209 | L |
11 | HOLLETT | JORDAN | REGINA | WHL | 6’4.0” | 194 | L |
17 | FERGUSON | DYLAN | KAMLOOPS | WHL | 6’1.25” | 189 | L |
31 | WEATHERILL | DAWSON | SPOKANE | WHL | 6’4.5” | 189 | L |
For the complete list, CLICK HERE.