WHL Western Hockey League

45 WHL Players Highlight NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings

April 16, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, Alta. - The Western Hockey League announced today 46 WHL players have been listed by NHL Central Scouting in its final rankings in advance of the 2018 NHL Draft, scheduled for June 22-23 in Dallas, Texas.

Heading the list is defenceman Ty Smith (Lloydminster, Alta. / Spokane Chiefs), who is ranked 14th among North American skaters. Joining Smith in the top 30 are defencemen Alexander Alexeyev (22nd - St. Petersburg, Russia / Red Deer Rebels), Jett Woo (28th - Winnipeg, Man. / Moose Jaw Warriors) and Calen Addison (30th - Brandon, Man. / Lethbridge Hurricanes).

Including, Smith, Alexeyev, Woo, and Addison, 18 WHL defencemen land in the final rankings, with eight in the top 73. Also landing in the Top 60 were center Milos Roman (41st - Kysucke Nove Mesto, Slovakia / Vancouver Giants), center Riley Stotts (51st - Winnipeg, Man. / Calgary Hitmen), center Kristian Reichel (53rd - Most, Czech Rep. / Red Deer Rebels), defenceman Filip Kral (54th - Blansko, Czech Rep. / Spokane Chiefs) and center Kyle Topping (59th - Ganges, B.C / Kelowna Rockets).

Joel Hofer (seventh - Winnipeg, Man. / Swift Current Broncos), David Tendeck (eighth - North Vancouver, B.C. / Vancouver Giants), Max Paddock (22nd - Winnipeg, Man. / Regina Pats) and Duncan McGovern (24th - Winnipeg, Man. / Kootenay ICE) land among ranked goaltenders from North America.

Both Smith and Wouters were recently named as the Western and Eastern Conference Scholastic Players of the Year respectively, with both being nominated for the Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Memorial Trophy as the WHL's Scholastic Player of the Year. Smith was named to the first All-Star team in the Western Conference, while Tendeck was named to the Western Conference's second All-Star team.

The Red Deer Rebels lead all WHL clubs with five players list, while the Calgary Hitmen and Saskatoon Blades each boast four. Six more teams are tied with three players each nominated.

At the 2017 NHL Draft, a total of 33 WHL players were selected, including seven in the first round.

2018 NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING FINAL RANKINGS (NORTH AMERICA) - WHL SKATERS

Final Rank Player Height Weight Position Amateur Club

14 SMITH, TY 5' 10" 176 DEFENSEMAN SPOKANE

22 ALEXEYEV, ALEXANDER 6' 3" 200 DEFENSEMAN RED DEER

28 WOO, JETT 6' 0" 205 DEFENSEMAN MOOSE JAW

30 ADDISON, CALEN 5' 10" 180 DEFENSEMAN LETHBRIDGE

41 ROMAN, MILOS 6' 0" 188 CENTER VANCOUVER

51 STOTTS, RILEY 6' 0" 168 CENTER CALGARY

53 REICHEL, KRISTIAN 6' 1" 167 CENTER RED DEER

54 KRAL, FILIP 6' 1" 171 DEFENSEMAN SPOKANE

59 TOPPING, KYLE 5' 11" 185 CENTER KELOWNA

64 ZAMULA, EGOR 6' 2" 160 DEFENSEMAN CALGARY

65 FONSTAD, COLE 5' 10" 160 CENTER PRINCE ALBERT

71 WYLIE, WYATTE 6' 0" 190 DEFENSEMAN EVERETT

73 YERYOMENKO, VLADISLAV 6' 0" 185 DEFENSEMAN CALGARY

80 SUTTER, RILEY 6' 3" 200 RIGHT WING EVERETT

88 ALMEIDA, JUSTIN 5' 9" 158 CENTER MOOSE JAW

91 BURZAN, LUKA 6' 0" 185 CENTER BRANDON

92 WOUTERS, CHASE 6' 0" 177 CENTER SASKATOON

95 CHYZOWSKI, RYAN 6' 0" 183 LEFT WING MEDICINE HAT

110 FLORCHUK, ERIC 6' 1" 174 CENTER SASKATOON

115 ZABRANSKY, LIBOR 6' 1" 190 DEFENSEMAN KELOWNA

117 DEWAR, CONNOR 5' 10" 177 CENTER EVERETT

121 REINHARDT, COLE 6' 0" 203 LEFT WING BRANDON

122 LEPPARD, JACKSON 6' 1" 200 LEFT WING PRINCE GEORGE

128 KEMP, BRETT 6' 0" 162 CENTER EDMONTON

129 STUART, BRODI 5' 10" 167 LEFT WING KAMLOOPS

133 BARTEAUX, DAWSON 6' 0" 180 DEFENSEMAN RED DEER

137 LUDVIG, JOHN 6' 0" 186 DEFENSEMAN PORTLAND

140 JOHNSON, ISAAC 6' 2" 186 LEFT WING TRI-CITY

155 FOCHT, CARSON 6' 0" 178 CENTER CALGARY

157 MATTSON, LEIF 6' 0" 191 DEFENSEMAN KELOWNA

160 LOEWEN, JERMAINE 6' 4" 216 LEFT WING KAMLOOPS

163 PATERSON, JOSH 6' 2" 199 RIGHT WING SASKATOON

168 DOUGLAS, CHRISTOPHER 6' 1" 170 RIGHT WING RED DEER

172 BODAK, MARTIN 6' 0" 189 DEFENSEMAN KOOTENAY

178 MCDONALD, KODY 6' 1" 191 RIGHT WING PRINCE ALBERT

184 ZUMMACK, ELI 5' 9" 177 CENTER SPOKANE

185 PLOUFFE, DYLAN 6' 0" 194 DEFENSEMAN VANCOUVER

186 MINULIN, ARTYOM 6' 2" 201 DEFENSEMAN SWIFT CURRENT

188 HERAUF, JACOB 6' 0" 181 DEFENSEMAN RED DEER

200 PACHAL, BRAYDEN 6' 0" 198 DEFENSEMAN PRINCE ALBERT

202 HARTJE, CHASE 6' 0" 190 DEFENSEMAN BRANDON

For the complete list, CLICK HERE.

2018 NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING FINAL RANKINGS (NORTH AMERICA) - WHL GOALTENDERS

Final Rank Player Height Weight Position Amateur Club

7 HOFER, JOEL 6' 3" 160 GOALIE SWIFT CURRENT

8 TENDECK, DAVID 6' 1" 173 GOALIE VANCOUVER

22 PADDOCK, MAX 6' 1" 150 GOALIE REGINA

24 MCGOVERN, DUNCAN 6' 2" 190 GOALIE KOOTENAY

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