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51 WHL Players Named to NHL Central Scouting Mid-Term Rankings

January 13, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, Alta. - The Western Hockey League is proud to announce 51 WHL players have been named to NHL Central Scouting's Mid-Term Rankings ahead of the 2023 NHL Draft. The Mid-Term Rankings were issued Friday by the NHL Central Scouting Service.

Regina Pats captain Connor Bedard tops the list as the number-one rated North American Skater. He is joined by 10 other WHL skaters among the top 30 of the North American Skaters rankings, including Moose Jaw Warriors forward Brayden Yager (fifth), Winnipeg ICE forward Zach Benson (seventh) and Vancouver Giants forward Samuel Honzek (ninth).

For the third consecutive season, the WHL boasts the top North American Goaltender in the NHL Central Scouting Mid-Term Rankings. Brandon Wheat Kings netminder Carson Bjarnason is the top-ranked North American Goaltender. The product of Carberry, Man. is followed by Seattle Thunderbirds puck-stopper Scott Ratzlaff (sixth) and Tri-City Americans goaltender Tomas Suchanek (eighth) in the top 10 among North American Goaltenders.

Overall, 20 of 22 WHL Clubs are represented in the Mid-Term Rankings. The Seattle Thunderbirds and Vancouver Giants each boast five players on the lists, while the Brandon Wheat Kings, Everett Silvertips, Kelowna Rockets, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Portland Winterhawks, Red Deer Rebels and Tri-City Americans each have three players on the Mid-Term Rankings. Nine WHL Clubs are represented with two players on the lists, while two further WHL Clubs have a single player on NHL Central Scouting's lists.

A total of 26 WHL forwards find themselves on the Mid-Term Rankings, joined by 16 WHL defencemen, and nine WHL goaltenders.

2022-23 NHL Central Scouting Mid-Term Rankings - WHL Players

North American Skaters

Rank Last Name First Name Hometown Team Height Weight Position

1 Bedard Connor North Vancouver, B.C. Regina Pats 5'10" 185 C

5 Yager Brayden Saskatoon, Sask. Moose Jaw Warriors 5'11" 166 C

7 Benson Zach Chilliwack, B.C. Winnipeg ICE 5'9" 160 LW

9 Honzek Samuel Trencin, Slovakia Vancouver Giants 6'4" 186 LW

12 Dragicevic Lukas Richmond, B.C. Tri-City Americans 6'1" 192 D

13 Danielson Nate Red Deer, Alta. Brandon Wheat Kings 6'1" 185 C

16 Cristall Andrew Burnaby, B.C. Kelowna Rockets 5'10" 167 LW

20 Ziemmer Koehn Mayerthorpe, Alta. Prince George Cougars 6'0" 204 RW

23 Lind Kalan Shaunavon, Sask. Red Deer Rebels 6'0" 158 LW

26 Heidt Riley Saskatoon, Sask. Prince George Cougars 5'11" 182 C

30 Price Caden Saskatoon, Sask. Kelowna Rockets 6'0" 186 D

34 Cagnoni Luca Burnaby, B.C. Portland Winterhawks 5'9" 180 D

36 Molendyk Tanner McBride, B.C. Saskatoon Blades 5'11" 184 D

38 Lipinski Jaden Scottsdale, Ariz. Vancouver Giants 6'4" 208 C

42 Sawchyn Gracyn Grande Prairie, Alta. Seattle Thunderbirds 5'11" 157 C

47 Myatovic Nico Prince George, B.C. Seattle Thunderbirds 6'2" 182 LW

60 Levis Connor Vancouver, B.C. Kamloops Blazers 6'2" 189 RW

61 Halaburda Ty Victoria, B.C. Vancouver Giants 5'11" 178 C

80 Leslie Mazden Lloydminster, Alta. Vancouver Giants 6'0" 193 D

83 Roest Austin Coldstream, B.C. Everett Silvertips 5'10" 175 C

86 Sidorov Egor Vitebsk, Belarus Saskatoon Blades 6'0" 182 RW

89 Sotheran Carter Sanford, Man. Portland Winterhawks 6'3" 197 D

95 Hammell Kaden Langley, B.C. Everett Silvertips 6'1" 173 D

97 Weinstein Saige Edmonton, Alta. Spokane Chiefs 6'0" 179 D

111 Mynio Sawyer Kamloops, B.C. Seattle Thunderbirds 6'1" 173 D

113 Parker Kalem Clavet, Sask. Victoria Royals 6'0" 192 D

130 Uchacz Kai De Winton, Alta. Red Deer Rebels 6'2" 194 RW

138 Siepmann Grayden Abbotsford, B.C. Calgary Hitmen 5'10" 185 D

144 De Luca Tommaso Aosta, Italy Spokane Chiefs 5'11" 178 C

147 Chadwick Noah Saskatoon, Sask. Lethbridge Hurricanes 6'4" 187 D

153 Mantei Quinn Weyburn, Sask. Brandon Wheat Kings 6'0" 180 D

157 Port Vojtech Jihlava, Czechia Edmonton Oil Kings 6'2" 168 D

160 Wormald Logan Langley, B.C. Lethbridge Hurricanes 5'10" 144 LW

173 Semeniuk Ethan Fort St. John, B.C. Vancouver Giants 5'11" 175 RW

179 Miller Cole Edmonton, Alta. Edmonton Oil Kings 6'4" 174 C

181 Szturc Gabriel Cesky Tesin, Czechia Kelowna Rockets 5'11" 186 C

183 Valis Borya Denver, Colo. Regina Pats 6'1" 182 RW

201 Tulk Oliver Gibsons, B.C. Calgary Hitmen 5'7" 170 C

202 Goldsmith Terrell Fort St. James, B.C. Prince Albert Raiders 6'4" 223 D

203 Sloan Jake Leduc, Alta. Tri-City Americans 6'3" 216 C

215 Fabrizi Matteo St. Albert, Alta. Red Deer Rebels 6'5" 238 D

217 Lodewyk Harrison Red Deer, Alta. Prince Albert Raiders 5'10" 185 LW

North American Goaltenders

Rank Last Name First Name Hometown Team Height Weight Position

1 Bjarnason Carson Carberry, Man. Brandon Wheat Kings 6'3" 186 G

6 Ratzlaff Scott Irma, Alta. Seattle Thunderbirds 6'1" 175 G

8 Suchanek Tomas Olomouc, Czechia Tri-City Americans 6'1" 180 G

11 Spunar Jan Olomouc, Czechia Portland Winterhawks 6'3" 185 G

15 Ernst Dylan Weyburn, Sask. Kamloops Blazers 6'2" 196 G

17 Unger Jackson Calgary, Alta. Moose Jaw Warriors 6'1" 190 G

20 Metzger Tim Zurich, Switzerland Everett Silvertips 6'5" 192 G

25 Milic Thomas Coquitlam, B.C. Seattle Thunderbirds 6'0" 179 G

27 Meneghin Harrison Surrey, B.C. Lethbridge Hurricanes 6'3" 164 G

In its 48th year of operation, NHL Central Scouting provides evaluation and scouting of draft-eligible players to NHL member clubs. Headed by Director of Central Scouting Dan Marr, NHL Central Scouting employs eight full-time scouts throughout North America.

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