78 Players Developed in WHL Named to NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings
WHL Western Hockey League

78 Players Developed in WHL Named to NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings

Published on January 12, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, Alta. - Seventy-eight players developed in the Western Hockey League have been named to NHL Central Scouting's Midterm Rankings ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.

NHL Central Scouting unveiled its Midterm Rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft on Monday evening, in conjunction with announcing Buffalo, N.Y., as the host for the 2026 NHL Draft.

A total of 10 current WHL players are ranked among the top 32 skaters in North America, including defencemen Carson Carels of the Prince George Cougars, Daxon Rudolph of the Prince Albert Raiders, Ryan Lin of the Vancouver Giants, Ben MacBeath of the Calgary Hitmen, and Jakub Vanecek of the Tri-City Americans, and forwards JP Hurlbert of the Kamloops Blazers, Mathis Preston of the Vancouver Giants, Liam Ruck of the Medicine Hat Tigers, Markus Ruck of the Medicine Hat Tigers, and Chase Harrington of the Spokane Chiefs.

Also among the top 32 skaters in North America are former WHL Player of the Year Gavin McKenna, who spent three seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers and won a WHL Championship in 2025, as well as former Victoria Royals defenceman Keaton Verhoeff.

Four WHL netminders rank among the top 10 goaltenders in North America, including Michal Orsulak of the Prince Albert Raiders, Tobias Tvrznik of the Wenatchee Wild, Harrison Boettiger of the Kelowna Rockets, and Marek Sklenicka of the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Of the 78 players developed in the WHL to be identified by NHL Central Scouting, 44 are forwards, 25 are defencemen, and nine are goaltenders.

In total, NHL Central Scouting has identified 224 skaters and 37 goaltenders from North America, with 76.6 per cent of the list having spent time developing in the member Leagues of the CHL. The WHL accounts for 30 per cent of the North American list, while the OHL leads the way at 31 per cent and the QMJHL contributes 17 per cent.

In 2025, the WHL accounted for 66 players on NHL Central Scouting's Midterm Rankings. The rise from 66 players in 2025 to 78 players in 2026 represents an increase of 18.2 per cent.

Of the WHL's 23 Clubs, 22 are represented in NHL Central Scouting's Midterm Rankings, led by the Medicine Hat Tigers and Prince Albert Raiders with seven players each. The Edmonton Oil Kings and Prince George Cougars each boast six players, while the Portland Winterhawks, Red Deer Rebels, and Vancouver Giants each have five players listed.

NHL Central Scouting's Midterm Rankings features 200 players developed in the member Leagues of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), including 80 from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and 44 from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

Currently in its 51st year of operation, NHL Central Scouting provides evaluation and scouting of draft-eligible players to NHL member clubs. Headed by Group Vice President Dan Marr, NHL Central Scouting employs eight full-time scouts throughout North America.

Full rankings are available on NHL.com.

2025-26 NHL Central Scouting - Midterm Rankings - WHL Skaters

RK Last Name First Name Hometown WHL Team Ht Wt Pos

1 McKenna Gavin Whitehorse, Yukon Medicine Hat Tigers 5'11" 170 LW

2 Verhoeff Keaton Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. Victoria Royals 6'4" 208 D

3 Carels Carson Cypress River, Man. Prince George Cougars 6'2" 202 D

6 Rudolph Daxon Lacombe, Alta. Prince Albert Raiders 6'2" 206 D

10 Hurlbert JP Allen, Texas Kamloops Blazers 6'0" 185 LW

13 Lin Ryan Richmond, B.C. Vancouver Giants 5'11" 177 D

20 MacBeath Ben Calgary, Alta. Calgary Hitmen 6'2" 184 D

21 Vanecek Jakub Humpolec, Czechia Tri-City Americans 6'2" 191 D

24 Preston Mathis Penticton, B.C. Vancouver Giants 5'11" 177 RW

26 Ruck Liam Osoyoos, B.C. Medicine Hat Tigers 6'0" 176 RW

31 Ruck Markus Osoyoos, B.C. Medicine Hat Tigers 6'0" 167 C

32 Harrington Chase Prince George, B.C. Spokane Chiefs 6'1" 195 LW

34 Liske Brek Beausejour, Man. Everett Silvertips 6'1" 190 D

42 Williams Cooper Calgary, Alta. Saskatoon Blades 6'0" 166 C

43 Olsen Zach Calgary, Alta. Saskatoon Blades 6'1" 198 RW

52 Gustafson Jake San Jose, Calif. Portland Winterhawks 6'4" 179 C

53 Runtso Timofei Marina del Rey, Calif. Victoria Royals 6'2" 185 D

55 Kosick Noah Victoria, B.C. Seattle Thunderbirds 5'11" 165 C

58 Pantelas Giorgos Victoria, B.C. Brandon Wheat Kings 6'2" 214 D

63 Sparks Tyus Meridian, Idaho Spokane Chiefs 5'11" 182 C

64 Lemire Kayden Edmonton, Alta. Prince George Cougars 6'4" 194 RW

67 Heger Kyle Eagan, Minn. Lethbridge Hurricanes 6'1" 193 D

72 Lansard Zachary Ste. Anne, Man. Regina Pats 6'0" 175 RW

73 Duguay Jordan Edmonton, Alta. Portland Winterhawks 5'10" 174 LW

74 Mackenzie Ethan Peachland, B.C. Edmonton Oil Kings 6'1" 189 D

75 Hamilton Beckett Saskatoon, Sask. Red Deer Rebels 5'11" 173 C

76 Vanhanen Matias Nokia, Finland Everett Silvertips 5'11" 174 LW

79 Klimpke Brayden Calgary, Alta. Saskatoon Blades 5'11" 165 D

85 Amrhein Landon Celina, Texas Calgary Hitmen 6'5" 190 LW

88 Sivertson Jonah Regina, Sask. Prince Albert Raiders 6'3" 194 RW

91 McLaughlin Will Canmore, Alta. Portland Winterhawks 6'2" 169 D

94 Ta'amu Alofa Tunoa San Diego, Calif. Edmonton Oil Kings 6'2" 233 D

96 Dean Dylan Maple Grove, Minn. Edmonton Oil Kings 6'0" 180 C

99 Bryzgalov Yaroslav Minsk, Belarus Medicine Hat Tigers 6'4" 216 LW

100 Dingman Sawyer Edmonton, Alta. Swift Current Broncos 6'4" 224 LW

101 Joudrey Caelan Airdrie, Alta. Wenatchee Wild 6'4" 179 C

119 Burick Sean San Clemente, Calif. Penticton Vees 6'8" 209 D

124 Iginla Joe Lake Country, B.C. Vancouver Giants 5'10" 175 RW

126 O'Neill Andrew Fargo, N.D. Edmonton Oil Kings 6'2" 195 C

128 Kamas Jiri Plzen, Czechia Red Deer Rebels 6'1" 187 D

137 Olson Brett Spruce Grove, Alta. Vancouver Giants 6'2" 190 C

138 Gillespie Brody Vancouver, Wash. Spokane Chiefs 6'1" 194 C

142 Klassen Cohen Martensville, Sask. Regina Pats 6'0" 177 C

143 Kelly Benett Cochrane, Alta. Prince Albert Raiders 6'1" 187 D

148 Yakutsenak Dmitri Yaroslavl, Russia Prince George Cougars 6'1" 201 C

154 Tomik Tobias Ilava, Slovakia Vancouver Giants 6'0" 194 LW

158 Rolsing Darian Speyer, Germany Wenatchee Wild 6'6" 192 D

159 Boychuk Riley Cochrane, Alta. Prince Albert Raiders 5'10" 170 C

164 Varga Kalder Geneva, Ill. Red Deer Rebels 5'11" 178 RW

166 Souch Brock Edmonton, Alta. Prince George Cougars 5'11" 168 C

167 Brown Reed Tempe, Ariz. Portland Winterhawks 5'11" 161 C

168 Sawchyn Lukas Grande Prairie, Alta. Edmonton Oil Kings 5'10" 173 C

169 Baumuller Joby Wilcox, Sask. Brandon Wheat Kings 5'11" 191 RW

175 Sarkenov Alisher Astana, Kazakhstan Prince Albert Raiders 6'0" 174 RW

177 Lesiuk Gavin Duncan, B.C. Lethbridge Hurricanes 6'5" 221 LW

180 Man Matyas Ostrava, Czechia Prince Albert Raiders 6'6" 202 D

188 Steen Riley Ladysmith, B.C. Medicine Hat Tigers 6'1" 190 D

190 Allard Cameron Yorkton, Sask. Brandon Wheat Kings 6'3" 185 D

192 Cahill Phoenix Cottage Grove, Minn. Prince George Cougars 6'2" 211 D

195 Dillard Cameron Flower Mound, Texas Red Deer Rebels 6'4" 211 D

198 Anisimov Arsenii Kazan, Russia Prince George Cougars 5'11" 176 D

199 Molgachev Andrei Magnitogorsk, Russia Calgary Hitmen 5'10" 185 C

200 Stewart Nolan Edmonton, Alta. Victoria Royals 5'10" 168 RW

209 Pavao Cruz Calgary, Alta. Tri-City Americans 5'11" 196 RW

210 Kuryachenkov Stepan Ufa, Russia Swift Current Broncos 5'10" 143 C

211 Kuzma Cameron St. Albert, Alta. Red Deer Rebels 6'2" 190 C

215 McCann Kadon Cochrane, Alta. Medicine Hat Tigers 6'3" 200 C

216 Rudolph Brendan Calgary, Alta. Swift Current Broncos 6'0" 192 LW

220 Maloney Nathan Strathmore, Alta. Lethbridge Hurricanes 6'2" 182 D

2025-26 NHL Central Scouting - Midterm Rankings - WHL Goaltenders

RK Last Name First Name Hometown WHL Team Ht Wt Pos

2 Orsulak Michal Tremosna, Czechia Prince Albert Raiders 6'4" 220 G

5 Tvrznik Tobias Litomerice, Czechia Wenatchee Wild 6'3" 180 G

7 Boettiger Harrison Wheat Ridge, Colo. Kelowna Rockets 6'2" 189 G

8 Sklenicka Marek Litvinov, Czechia Seattle Thunderbirds 6'4" 170 G

12 Casey Carter Grand Rapids, Minn. Medicine Hat Tigers 6'1" 179 G

13 Ruzicka Filip Trinec, Czechia Brandon Wheat Kings 6'7" 230 G

15 Wendt Xavier Plymouth, Minn. Tri-City Americans 6'0" 179 G

21 Snell Parker St. Albert, Alta. Edmonton Oil Kings 6'2" 176 G

22 Stebetak Ondrej Jihlava, Czechia Portland Winterhawks 6'2" 176 G

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 12, 2026


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