Sports stats



WHL Tri-City Americans

2024 NHL Draft Preview

June 26, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


Kennewick, WA - The 2024 NHL Draft is set for this Friday and Saturday, June 28 and 29, at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, and two Tri-City Americans are hoping to hear their names called.

Forward Max Curran (58th North American Skaters) and goaltender Lukas Matecha (3rd North American Goalies) were listed in NHL Central Scouting's final rankings ahead of the Draft this weekend. Both players completed their first season with the Americans in 2023-24.

Curran, from Prague, Czechia, was drafted 39th overall in the 2023 CHL Import Draft. It didn't take long for Curran to adjust to the style of play in the WHL as he recorded eight points in his first 10 games, and 32 points (5-27-32) in 40 games this past season. An injury suffered in January ended Curran's WHL season prematurely, forcing him to miss the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game after being named to the roster.

Prior to joining the Americans Curran split the 2022-23 season between HC Slavia Praha's U17 and U20 team. Curran scored 37 points (15-22-37) in 18 games with the U17 team and 27 points (8-19-27) in 18 games with the U20 team. He also represented Czechia at the World U17 Hockey Championship and helped Team Czechia win a silver medal at the 2023 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup with a goal and two assists in five games.

At the end of the 2023-24 WHL regular season Curran was able to once again represent Czechia on the international stage, scoring once and adding two assists in five games at the World Under-18 Hockey Championship in Espoo and Vantaa, Finland.

2024 NHL Draft player profile: Maxmilian Curran, Tri-City Americans

Matecha, from Paradubice, Czechia, was also selected by the Americans in the 2023 CHL Import Draft, 99th overall. He spent the 2022-23 season with his hometown HC Dynamo Paradubice U20 team, going 14-18 with a .918 save percentage and 2.54 goals against average.

After attending Detroit Red Wings prospects camp ahead of the 2023-24 season, Matecha joined the Americans and had an impactful year by going 13-19-1-1 with a .901 save percentage and a 3.42 goals against average. He was also named to the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and turned aside all 19 shots he faced during his game action, helping Team Red win 3-1.

2024 NHL Draft Player Profile: Lukas Matecha, Tri-City Americans

Tri-City has had 67 players in franchise history drafted into the NHL, most recently being Lukas Dragicevic who was selected 57th overall by the Seattle Kraken in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Round one of the 2024 NHL Draft begins at 4:00 PM Pacific on Friday, with rounds 2-7 starting Saturday at 8 AM Pacific. The Draft can be watched on ESPN or the NHL Network.

Check out the Tri-City Americans Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Western Hockey League message board...

Western Hockey League Stories from June 26, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central