Pats Forwards Lansard, Klassen Named in NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings
WHL Regina Pats

Pats Forwards Lansard, Klassen Named in NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings

Published on April 16, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Regina Pats News Release


Regina, Sask. - The Regina Pats Hockey Club is pleased to announce that 2008-born forwards Zach Lansard and Cohen Klassen have been recognized in the NHL Central Scouting Final Draft Rankings ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.

Lansard, 17, is ranked 70th among North American skaters following a strong sophomore campaign. The 6-foot, 175-pound right-shot winger, who also saw time at centre this season, appeared in all 68 regular-season games for the Pats, recording a career-high 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists). The Ste. Anne, Man., product also added three goals in five playoff games.

Lansard's ranking marks a slight rise from January, when he was slotted 72nd among North American skaters. His 2025-26 season represented a significant step forward from his rookie campaign, where he tallied 19 points (7 goals, 12 assists) in 54 games and was named the team's Rookie of the Year. Lansard was originally selected by Regina in the fourth round (78th overall) of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft. He was also recently named to Team Canada's roster for the 2026 IIHF U18 Men's World Championship in Bratislava and Trencin, Slovakia.

Klassen, 17, checked in at 211th among North American skaters after putting together a career year. The Martensville, Sask. product recorded 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 62 games this season, along with two assists in five playoff contests.

A 6-foot, 176-pound left-shot centre, Klassen showed strong development in his second WHL season after posting 17 points (6G-11A) in 48 games as a 16-year-old rookie in 2024-25. He was originally selected by the Pats in the third round (51st overall) of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.

Lansard and Klassen are part of a group of 69 WHL skaters ranked by Central Scouting for the 2026 NHL Draft.

The 2026 NHL Draft will return to Buffalo, N.Y., for the first time in a decade, with the Buffalo Sabres set to host the event from June 26-27 at KeyBank Center. Round 1 is scheduled for June 26 (7 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+, Sportsnet, TVA Sports), followed by Rounds 2-7 on June 27 (10 a.m. ET on NHL Network, ESPN+, Sportsnet). Prior to that, the NHL Draft Lottery is set for May 5.

Check out the Regina Pats Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 16, 2026


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