89 Players Developed in WHL Named to NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Players to Watch List
WHL Western Hockey League

89 Players Developed in WHL Named to NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Players to Watch List

Published on October 20, 2025 under Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, Alta. - Eighty-nine players developed in the Western Hockey League have been named to NHL Central Scouting's Preliminary Players to Watch List ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.

NHL Central Scouting unveiled its Preliminary Players to Watch List Monday morning.

Seven players developed in the WHL have earned 'A' ratings, including defencemen Carson Carels of the Prince George Cougars, Ryan Lin of the Vancouver Giants, and Daxon Rudolph of the Prince Albert Raiders, forwards JP Hurlbert of the Kamloops Blazers and Mathis Preston of the Spokane Chiefs, along with former WHL players Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers) and Keaton Verhoeff (Victoria Royals).

Ten WHL players were assigned 'B' ratings, including twin forwards Liam and Markus Ruck of the Medicine Hat Tigers and Brandon Wheat Kings defenceman Giorgos Pantelas.

A total of 30 WHL players were given 'C' ratings, including Edmonton Oil Kings forward Joe Iginla and Swift Current Broncos forward Sawyer Dingman.

Of the WHL's 23 Clubs, 22 are represented in NHL Central Scouting's Preliminary Players to Watch List, led by the Medicine Hat Tigers with 10 players. The Edmonton Oil Kings boast seven players on the list, while the Portland Winterhawks, Prince Albert Raiders, and Swift Current Broncos each have six players listed. The Calgary Hitmen and Vancouver Giants are represented by five players each, while the Prince George Cougars and Spokane Chiefs each have four. There are 10 WHL Clubs with three players apiece on the Preliminary Players to Watch List, while another three WHL Clubs each have two players listed.

A total of 48 forwards developed in the WHL find themselves on the list, joined by 27 defencemen developed in the WHL and 14 goaltenders.

The NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Players to Watch List includes 237 players developed in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), including 93 from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and 55 from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

NHL Central Scouting identifies players with a rating system that includes five categories. The 'A' category 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- or fifth-round candidates. The 'W' rating indicates players projected to be sixth- or seventh-round candidates and the 'LV' rating represents players who have not had sufficient viewings, due to injury.

2025-26 NHL Central Scouting - Preliminary Players to Watch List - WHL Players

PTW Last Name First Name Hometown WHL Team Ht Wt Pos

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

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

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

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

A Preston Mathis Penticton, B.C. Spokane Chiefs 5'11" 177 RW

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

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

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

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

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

B Heger Kyle Eagan, Minn. Medicine Hat Tigers 6'1" 193 D

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

C Iginla Joe Lake Country, B.C. Edmonton Oil Kings 5'10" 175 RW

C Johnston Dermot Olds, Alta. Prince George Cougars 6'5" 220 D

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

C Kamas Jiri Plzen, Czechia Penticton Vees 6'1" 187 D

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

C Kosick Noah Victoria, B.C. Swift Current Broncos 5'11" 165 C

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

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

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

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

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

C Orsulak Michal Tremnosna, Czechia Prince Albert Raiders 6'4" 220 G

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

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

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

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

C Sparks Tyus Meridian, Idaho Vancouver Giants 5'11" 182 C

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

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

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

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

C Varga Kalder Geneva, Ill. Kelowna Rockets 5'11" 178 RW

W Allan Kaden Hamiota, Man. Spokane Chiefs 6'3" 185 D

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

W Andersen Poul St. Louis Park, Minn. Edmonton Oil Kings 6'1" 190 RW

W Aura Hunter Kamloops, B.C. Calgary Hitmen 5'10" 168 D

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

W Buttazzoni Diego Langley, B.C. Portland Winterhawks 5'9" 183 LW

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

W Cleaver Koen Port Alberni, B.C. Lethbridge Hurricanes 6'2" 190 G

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

W Deobald Dryden Regina, Sask. Kamloops Blazers 6'4" 168 D

W Dillard Cameron Flower Mound, Texas Everett Silvertips 6'4" 211 D

W Edmonstone Logan Saskatoon, Sask. Kamloops Blazers 5'11" 168 G

W Egan Jimmy Still Water, Minn. Brandon Wheat Kings 6'2" 183 C

W Gojsic Kanjyu Langley, B.C. Kelowna Rockets 6'0" 187 RW

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

W Hesse Aidan St. Paul, Minn. Calgary Hitmen 6'1" 177 G

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

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

W Kondro Matthew St. Albert, Alta. Red Deer Rebels 6'1" 165 G

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

W Kuzma Cameron St. Albert, Alta. Seattle Thunderbirds 6'2" 190 C

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

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

W Maze Julien Edmonton, Alta. Regina Pats 5'9" 165 LW

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

W McGregor Josh Brandon, Man. Swift Current Broncos 6'2" 191 D

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

W Obobaifo Aaron Calgary, Alta. Vancouver Giants 5'10" 175 LW

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

W Pantelakis Zachary North Vancouver, B.C. Swift Current Broncos 5'11" 165 C

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

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

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

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

W Shore Peyton Winnipeg, Man. Red Deer Rebels 6'1" 178 G

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

W Stengrim Kade Brainerd, Minn. Medicine Hat Tigers 6'4" 206 LW

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

W Switzer Jordan Edmonton, Alta. Medicine Hat Tigers 6'0" 186 G

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

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

W Yerex Daxon Oak Bluff, Man. Swift Current Broncos 6'1" 190 D

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 20, 2025


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