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USHL Players Featured Prominently on NHL Central Scouting Preliminary List

October 20, 2021 - United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release


NHL Central Scouting earlier this week announced their Preliminary Players to Watch List ahead of the 2022 NHL Draft. The annual list identifies players using the following criteria:

A Rating - indicates a 1st round candidate

B Rating - indicates a 2nd/3rd round candidate

C Rating - indicates a 4th/5th/6th round candidate

The USHL had 79 players, past and present, listed on the NHL Central Scouting Preliminary List. In each of the last four NHL Drafts, the USHL has had 50-or-more of its players selected, including the first and second overall picks at the 2021 NHL Draft. During the 2021 Draft, the USHL surpassed the 900 picks mark all-time.

"We're thrilled to see our players recognized for their talent in the Preliminary List from NHL Central Scouting," said USHL President & Commissioner Bill Robertson. "We know the league's talent level continues to grow year after year and we're excited to see what this season, and ultimately the 2022 NHL Draft, has in store for our Clubs."

Full list of USHL players on the Preliminary List

On this season's Preliminary List, the USHL had seven players listed as A Rated, including five players on this season's USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) Under-18 roster: Ryan Chesley (Defenseman), Logan Cooley (Forward), Cutter Gauthier (Forward), Isaac Howard (Forward), and Frank Nazar (Forward). The other two A Rated skaters are league alumni Jack Hughes (USA Hockey NTDP, 2019-21) and Matt Savoie (Dubuque Fighting Saints, 2020-21).

USHL PRELIMINARY LIST - BY THE NUMBERS:

79 - Players with USHL Ties Listed

69 - Players Currently on USHL Rosters

65 - Players Committed to NCAA Division I Rosters

57 - C Rated Players

47 - Forwards Listed

33 - USA Hockey NTDP Players Listed

25 - Defensemen Listed

20 - Percent of Total NHLCS Preliminary Lists with a Tie to the USHL

16 - USHL Teams Represented on Preliminary List

15 - B Rated Players

10 - League Alumni Listed

9 - Chicago Steel Players Listed

7 - A Rated Players

7 - Goaltenders Listed

7 - Muskegon Lumberjacks & Waterloo Black Hawks Players Listed

5 - Green Bay Gamblers & Sioux City Musketeers Players Listed

4 - Lincoln Stars, Omaha Lancers, Sioux Falls Stampede & Tri-City Storm Players Listed

3 - Cedar Rapids RoughRiders & Madison Capitols Players Listed

2 - Youngstown Phantoms Players Listed

1 - Des Moines Buccaneers, Dubuque Fighting Saints and Fargo Force Players Listed

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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