45 WHL Players Named to NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Players to Watch List
Published on October 19, 2021 under Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release
Calgary, Alta. - The Western Hockey League is proud to announce 45 WHL players have been named to NHL Central Scouting's 'Preliminary Players to Watch' List ahead of the 2022 NHL Draft. The 'Players to Watch' list was issued Tuesday by the NHL Central Scouting Service.
NHL Central Scouting identifies players with a rating system that includes four categories. The 'A' rating indicates players projected to be first-round candidates. The 'B' rating indicates players projected to be second- or third-round candidates, and the 'C' rating indicates players projected to be fourth-, fifth-, or sixth-round candidates. Though no players received this designation, 'LV' represents a player who has not had sufficient viewings, due to injury.
Three WHL players earned 'A' ratings: Winnipeg ICE forwards Conor Geekie and Matt Savoie, and Moose Jaw Warriors defenceman Denton Mateychuk.
Five WHL players were given 'B' ratings, including Swift Current Broncos forward Josh Davies and Kamloops Blazers teammates Mats Lindgren and Fraser Minten. 37 WHL players received 'C' ratings.
Overall, 18 of 22 WHL Clubs are represented in the updated 'Players to Watch' List. The Prince George Cougars, Seattle Thunderbirds and Swift Current Broncos all boast four players each to lead WHL Clubs. Seven other WHL Clubs each have three players listed. Four WHL Clubs are represented with two players on the list, while four further WHL Clubs have a single player on NHL Central Scouting's list.
A total of 24 WHL forwards find themselves on the list, joined by 15 WHL defencemen, and six WHL goaltenders.
2021-22 NHL Central Scouting 'Players to Watch' - WHL Players
PTW Last Name First Name Hometown Team Height Weight Position
A Geekie Conor Strathclair, Man. Winnipeg ICE 6'3" 193 C
A Mateychuk Denton Dominion City, Man. Moose Jaw Warriors 5'11" 188 D
A Savoie Matt St. Albert, Alta. Winnipeg ICE 5'9" 179 C
B Brennan Tyler Winnipeg, Man. Prince George Cougars 6'4" 180 G
B Davies Josh Airdrie, Alta. Swift Current Broncos 5'9" 197 LW
B Korchinski Kevin Saskatoon, Sask. Seattle Thunderbirds 6'1" 185 D
B Lindgren Mats North Vancouver, B.C. Kamloops Blazers 5'11" 173 D
B Minten Fraser Vancouver, B.C. Kamloops Blazers 6'1" 185 C
C Alarie Eric Winnipeg, Man. Moose Jaw Warriors 6'1" 197 LW
C Alscher Marek Kladno, Czech Rep. Portland Winterhawks 6'3" 196 D
C Beaupit Mason Surrey, B.C. Spokane Chiefs 6'5" 186 G
C Bell Parker Campbell River, B.C. Tri-City Americans 6'4" 192 LW
C Bocharov Pavel Escondido, Cal. Saskatoon Blades 6'0" 184 D
C Dowhaniuk Keaton Sherwood Park, Alta. Prince George Cougars 6'0" 165 D
C Dyck Reid Winkler, Man. Swift Current Broncos 6'3" 187 G
C Firkus Jagger Irma, Alta. Moose Jaw Warriors 5'10" 153 RW
C Graham Max Kelowna. B.C. Kelowna Rockets 6'2" 185 C
C Gronick Kyren Regina, Sask. Prince George Cougars 5'10" 185 LW
C Gustafson Jordan Ardrossan, Alta. Seattle Thunderbirds 5'11" 178 C
C Hanzel Jeremy Coquitlam, B.C. Seattle Thunderbirds 6'0" 191 D
C Hemmerling Ben Sherwood Park, Alta. Everett Silvertips 5'10" 159 RW
C Holt Braden Bozeman, Mont. Everett Silvertips 6'2" 160 G
C Kieper Matthew Winnipeg, Man. Regina Pats 6'2" 178 G
C Klavdiev Yegor Minsk, Belarus Lethbridge Hurricanes 5'10" 170 C
C Kmec Viliam Kosice, Slovakia Prince George Cougars 6'2" 198 D
C Lies Justin Flin Flon, Man. Vancouver Giants 6'1" 205 C
C Lisowsky Brandon Port Coquitlam, B.C. Saskatoon Blades 5'8" 171 LW
C McCutcheon Logan Saskatoon, Sask. Lethbridge Hurricanes 5'9" 149 D
C Moravec Petr Hradec Kralove, Czech Rep. Tri-City Americans 6'0" 181 C
C Nguyen Marcus Calgary, Alta. Portland Winterhawks 5'10" 172 RW
C Pickering Owen St. Adolphe, Man. Swift Current Broncos 6'4" 179 D
C Repcik Peter Kosice, Slovakia Lethbridge Hurricanes 6'0" 172 C
C Roest Austin Coldstream, B.C. Everett Silvertips 5'9" 169 C
C Schaefer Reid Spruce Grove, Alta. Seattle Thunderbirds 6'3" 215 LW
C Schuurman Brayden Abbotsford, B.C. Victoria Royals 5'9" 191 C
C Seminoff Matthew Coquitlam, B.C. Kamloops Blazers 5'10" 161 RW
C Siepmann Grayden Abbotsford, B.C. Calgary Hitmen 5'10" 175 D
C Suchanek Tomas Olomouc, Czech Rep. Tri-City Americans 6'0" 171 G
C Sward Graham Abbotsford, B.C. Spokane Chiefs 6'2" 180 D
C Szturc Gabriel Cesky Tesin, Czech Rep. Kelowna Rockets 5'10" 177 C
C Thompson Ryder Russell, Man. Portland Winterhawks 5'11" 172 D
C Uchacz Kai De Winton, Alta. Red Deer Rebels 6'1" 190 C
C Ward Mathew Kamloops, B.C. Swift Current Broncos 5'8" 156 C
C Weir Jace Coldstream, B.C. Red Deer Rebels 6'2" 183 D
C Wright Charlie Olds, Alta. Saskatoon Blades 6'0" 175 D
Western Hockey League Stories from October 19, 2021
- Three Blazers in NHL Central Scouting Watch List - Kamloops Blazers
- 143 CHL Players to Watch Ahead of 2022 NHL Draft - WHL
- ICE Assign Brandt Young to Portage Terriers - Winnipeg Ice
- Trio of Hurricanes Listed by NHL Central Scouting - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Pink the Rink: A "Thank You" from the Silvertips - Everett Silvertips
- Beaupit and Sward Named to NHL Central Scouting Players to Watch List - Spokane Chiefs
- Four Cougars Named to NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Players to Watch List - Prince George Cougars
- Mateychuk, Firkus & Alarie Named Players to Watch by NHL Central Scouting - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Kieper on NHL Central Scouting's Preliminary Players to Watch List - Regina Pats
- Szturc and Graham Ranked on NHL Central Scouting's Preliminary Players to Watch List - Kelowna Rockets
- 45 WHL Players Named to NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Players to Watch List - WHL
- Three Blades Listed on NHL Central Scouting's "Player to Watch" List - Saskatoon Blades
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