Four Tigers named in Final NHL Central Scouting Rankings
Medicine Hat, AB – As the journey to the NHL Draft in Las Vegas inches closer, NHL Central Scouting has released it’s final rankings and four members of the 2023-2024 Medicine Hat Tigers are on the list for North American Skaters.
Leading the way is Tigers Centre Cayden Lindstrom (Chetwynd, BC) ranked third. Third year winger Andrew Basha (Calgary, AB) is ranked 25th, Tomas Mrsic (Surrey, BC) is 64th & WHL Humanitarian of the Year nominee Shane Smith (Cessford, AB) is ranked 161st.
Lindstrom, 18, in an injury shortened season finished with 27 goals and 19 assists in 32 games played. He won gold at the 2023 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in Czechia and was the WHL’s Rookie of the Year nominee for the Central Division during the 2022-2023 season with the Tigers.
Basha, 18, in his third season with the Tigers had a career year with 85 points, (30 goals, 55 assists) in 63 games. In his career in 178 games played, Basha has scored 55 goals & added 100 assists. Andrew also participated in this year’s CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
Mrsic, 18, in his sophomore season with the Tigers also put up career numbers scoring 23 goals and adding 39 assists in 63 games including eight power player markers. Mrsic represented Canada at the World U17’s last season.
Smith, 19, also in his second season with the Tigers made his mark scoring 29 goals and 22 assists in 64 games with the orange & black this season. Smith was nominated for the Central Division’s Humanitarian of the Year for the upcoming WHL League Awards.
See the Full WHL Release Below
Calgary, Alta. – Fifty-seven Western Hockey League players have been listed by NHL Central Scouting in its Final Rankings ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft, the WHL confirmed Tuesday.
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Cayden Lindstrom leads the way, with the Chetwynd, B.C. product ranked third among North American skaters.
The Final Rankings were revealed by NHL Central Scouting on Tuesday morning.
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Seven WHL skaters are listed within the top 20 North American skaters, including Lindstrom, Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs), Tij Iginla (Kelowna Rockets), Carter Yakemchuk (Calgary Hitmen), Terik Parascak (Prince George Cougars), Julius Miettinen (Everett Silvertips) and Ryder Ritchie (Prince Albert Raiders).
Four WHL netminders ranked in the top 10 North American Goaltenders- Lukas Matecha (Tri-City-Americans), Dawson Cowan (Spokane Chiefs), Evan Gardner (Saskatoon Blades) and Chase Wutzke (Red Deer Rebels).
All 22 WHL clubs are represented in the Final Rankings. The Calgary Hitmen lead the way with five ranked players, while the Edmonton Oil Kings, Everett Silvertips, Medicine Hat Tigers and Spokane Chiefs have four players ranked. Five more teams, the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Prince George Cougars, Red Deer Rebels, Regina Pats and Victoria Royals have three ranked players each.
Thirty-five WHL forwards are ranked, followed by 16 WHL defencemen and six WHL goaltenders.
The 57 WHLers recognized are tied with the Ontario Hockey League for the most listed players in the Canadian Hockey League. In total, 149 CHL players are listed, including 57 from the OHL and 35 from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
2023-24 NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings – WHL Skaters
| Rank | Last Name | First Name | Hometown | Team | Height | Weight | Position |
| 3 | Lindstrom | Cayden | Chetwynd, B.C. | Medicine Hat | 6’3.25 | 210 | C |
| 8 | Catton | Berkly | Saskatoon, Sask. | Spokane | 5’10 | 170 | C |
| 9 | Iginla | Tij | Lake Country, B.C. | Kelowna | 5’11.75 | 182 | C |
| 11 | Yakemchuk | Carter | Calgary, Alta. | Calgary | 6’2.75 | 201 | D |
| 15 | Parascak | Terik | Lethbridge, Alta. | Prince George | 5’11.5 | 173 | RW |
| 18 | Miettinen | Julius | Helsinki, Fin. | Everett | 6’2.5 | 203 | C |
| 19 | Ritchie | Ryder | Kelowna, B.C. | Prince Albert | 5’11.75 | 175 | RW |
| 22 | Jecho | Adam | Zlin, Cze. | Edmonton | 6’4.75 | 197 | C |
| 26 | Basha | Andrew | Calgary, Alta. | Medicine Hat | 5’11 | 174 | LW |
| 31 | Elick | Charlie | Calgary, Alta. | Brandon | 6’3.25 | 194 | D |
| 36 | Roberts | Colton | Maple Ridge, B.C. | Vancouver | 6’3.75 | 192 | D |
| 38 | Smith | Tarin | Porcupine Plane, Sask. | Everett | 6’1 | 175 | D |
| 40 | Josephson | Ollie | Victoria, B.C. | Red Deer | 6’0 | 178 | C |
| 41 | Howe | Tanner | Prince Albert, Sask. | Regina | 5’9.5 | 175 | LW |
| 50 | Wetsch | Carson | North Vancouver, B.C. | Calgary | 6’0.25 | 190 | RW |
| 52 | Brunicke | Harrison | Calgary, Alta. | Kamloops | 6’2.5 | 184 | D |
| 53 | Marques | Miguel | Prince George, B.C. | Lethbridge | 5’10.75 | 173 | RW |
| 58 | Curran | Maxmillian | Prague, Cze. | Tri-City | 6’2.5 | 179 | C |
| 63 | Gojsic | Hiroki | Langley, B.C. | Kelowna | 6’2.75 | 198 | RW |
| 64 | Mrsic | Tomas | Surrey, B.C. | Medicine Hat | 5’11.25 | 170 | C |
| 69 | Becher | Ondrej | Ostrava, Cze. | Prince George | 6’1 | 184 | C |
| 77 | Caswell | Clarke | Brandon, Man. | Swift Current | 5’10.75 | 170 | LW |
| 84 | Eric | Jamieson | Calgary, Alta. | Everett | 6’2.5 | 199 | D |
| 86 | Laing | Hunter | Kelowna, B.C. | Prince George | 6’5.25 | 205 | C |
| 89 | Misskey | Nate | Melfort, Sask. | Victoria | 6’3.25 | 210 | D |
| 93 | McIsaac | William | Vancouver, B.C. | Spokane | 6’3 | 192 | D |
| 107 | Mayes | Nathan | Salmon Arm, B.C. | Spokane | 6’3.75 | 194 | D |
| 111 | Thorpe | Tyler | Richmond, B.C. | Vancouver | 6’4 | 209 | RW |
| 112 | Alcos | Parker | Port Moody, B.C. | Edmonton | 6’2.5 | 180 | D |
| 119 | Mistelbacher | Luke | Steinbach, Man. | Swift Current | 5’11.75 | 195 | RW |
| 134 | Buttazzoni | Diego | Langley, B.C. | Portland | 5’9 | 183 | C |
| 136 | Heslop | Jesse | Nanaimo, B.C. | Everett | 5’10.5 | 171 | LW |
| 138 | Fawcett | Keets | Grimshaw, Alta. | Calgary | 5’9.75 | 167 | RW |
| 141 | Cooper | Miles | Calgary, Alta. | Wenatchee | 5’9.75 | 163 | C |
| 146 | Pederson | Rhys | Stettler, Alta. | Edmonton | 6’3.75 | 194 | D |
| 150 | Vaughan | Jaxsin | Merritt, B.C. | Regina | 6’0.75 | 206 | RW |
| 155 | Vaughan | Corbin | Merritt, B.C. | Regina | 6’0 | 205 | D |
| 157 | Zakreski | Josh | Saskatoon, Sask. | Portland | 5’10.5 | 188 | LW |
| 160 | Lovsin | Simon | Stony Plain, Alta. | Seattle | 5’11.5 | 176 | RW |
| 161 | Smith | Shane | Cessford, Alta. | Medicine Hat | 6’0.25 | 194 | C |
| 170 | Edwards | Brayden | Abbotsford, B.C. | Lethbridge | 6’0 | 186 | C |
| 176 | McKenzie | Pavel | Cumberland House, Sask. | Moose Jaw | 6’0 | 174 | LW |
| 179 | Valliant | Chase | Surrey, B.C. | Calgary | 6’0.25 | 174 | C |
| 187 | Drancak | Samuel | Strakonice, Cze. | Red Deer | 5’11.25 | 185 | C |
| 202 | Pickford | Bryce | Chauvin, Alta. | Seattle | 5’11.5 | 170 | D |
| 204 | Williams | Dax | Calgary, Alta. | Calgary | 6’0 | 190 | D |
| 206 | Fryer | Seth | Victoria, B.C. | Victoria | 6’6.5 | 197 | D |
| 212 | Hadland | Caleb | Sylvan Lake, Alta. | Brandon | 5’9.75 | 174 | LW |
| 216 | Fluker | Josh | Boissevain, Man. | Wenatchee | 6’0 | 160 | D |
| 223 | Hodnett | Gavin | Winnipeg, Man. | Edmonton | 5’6.5 | 158 | LW |
2023-24 NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings – WHL Goaltenders
| Rank | Last Name | First Name | Hometown | Team | Height | Weight | Position |
| 3 | Matecha | Lukas | Pardubice, Cze. | Tri-City | 6’3 | 196 | G |
| 5 | Cowan | Dawson | Warren, Man. | Spokane | 6’1.75 | 186 | G |
| 7 | Gardner | Evan | Fort St John, B.C. | Saskatoon | 6’0 | 175 | G |
| 9 | Wutzke | Chase | Debden, Sask. | Red Deer | 6’1.75 | 158 | G |
| 27 | Unger | Jackson | Calgary, Alta. | Moose Jaw | 6’1.25 | 185 | G |
| 29 | Tamelin | Ryan | Invermere, B.C. | Victoria | 6’8 | 201 | G |
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