Five Winterhawks Named to NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Players to Watch List
WHL Portland Winterhawks

Five Winterhawks Named to NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Players to Watch List

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


Portland. Ore. - Five Portland Winterhawks highlight the NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Players to Watch List for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Forwards Reed Brown, Jordan Duguay and Jake Gustafson, defenseman Will McLaughlin, and goaltender Ondřej Štěbeták are all included on this list showcasing the top North American and International skaters and goaltenders eligible for the upcoming draft.

Ondřej Štěbeták

The Czech netminder enters his second season with the Winterhawks after posting a .891 SV% and a 3.72 goals against average while lifting Portland to a 23-18-3 record with him in the cage. The 17-year-old goaltender, who previously played for HC Dukla Jihlava in the Czech Extraliga, earned NHL Central Scouting's 'C' rating, projecting him as a potential 4th or 5th-round selection in the upcoming draft.

Štěbeták started the season with a 5-4-0 record through his first nine games. That included a 50-save performance against the Everett Silvertips, and a 30-save, one goal allowed game against Red Deer.

Reed Brown

Brown missed the first five games of the season, but more than made up for it in his return to the roster. The 17-year-old forward, who played in 66 games last season for the Winterhawks, earned NHL Central Scouting's 'C' rating, projecting him as a potential 4th or 5th-round selection in the upcoming draft.

In Portland's most recent game against the Red Deer Rebels, the Tempe, Arizona native deflected home the game winner with less than 30 seconds remaining in the third. His first goal of the season helped secure a crucial win on a long road trip.

Jordan Duguay

The only Winterhawks player to play in all 68 regular-season games last season earned NHL Central Scouting's 'C' rating, projecting him as a potential 4th or 5th-round selection in the upcoming draft.

Duguay has started the season red hot. The Edmonton, Alberta native is tied for the team lead with five goals, and the outright lead with ten points through the first ten games of the season. The 17-year-old forward had a four-point-game (2 G, 2 A) against Kamloops earlier this season.

Will McLaughlin

A 2008-born defenseman, McLaughlin had a busy summer as a member of gold-medal winning Team USA at the 2025 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. NHL Central Scouting gave McLaughlin a 'C' rating, projecting him as a potential 4th or 5th-round selection in the upcoming draft.

In the first 10 games of his season, the Canmore, Alberta man has tallied three points, including his first career WHL goal at the Saddledome in a 3-2 win over the Calgary Hitmen. McLaughlin has been an active part of the Winterhawks defensive pairings and special teams.

Jake Gustafson

Gustafson combines size and skill to be a formidable presence on the ice. The rookie forward has already accrued five points (2 G, 3 A) through ten games, and earned NHL Central Scouting's 'W' rating, projecting him as a potential 6th or 7th-round selection in the upcoming draft.

The San Jose, California native netted a goal and an assist in the win at Calgary earlier this season. Gustafson, aged 17, also had a three-game point streak between Oct. 3 and Oct. 10.

Looking Ahead

All five players will have the remainder of the 2025-26 season to boost their draft stock, as NHL scouts will be sure to keep an eye on their development. The Winterhawks' track record of developing NHL talent bodes well for Štěbeták, Brown, Duguay, McLaughlin, and Gustafson as they work toward their dreams of being selected in the 2026 NHL Draft.

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 20, 2025


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