Winterhawks' Trio Recognized by NHL Central Scouting
October 25, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release
Portland, Ore. - The Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club are proud to share that three current players have been named to NHL Central Scouting's preliminary 'players to watch' list ahead of the 2023 NHL Draft. The draft is set to take place on June 28 and 29 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
Defensemen Luca Cagnoni, Carter Sotheran, and goaltender Jan Špunar were recognized on today's list after strong starts to their season in Portland.
NHL Central Scouting is a department within the National Hockey League that ranks prospects for the NHL Entry Draft at specific times during the hockey season. Players are ranked based on how well they will translate to the professional game.
Cagnoni earned a 'B rating' on the initial Central Scouting list, which projects him as a potential 2nd- or 3rd-round draft pick. The Burnaby, BC native is enjoying an impressive start to the season, ranking 12th among WHL defensemen with eight points (3G-5A) in eight games. He scored the overtime-winning goal in Kelowna during WHL Opening Week and has posted three multi-point performances while quarterbacking the Winterhawks' top power-play unit. During preseason play, Cagnoni co-led all players with seven points in four preseason contests. Last season, the 5-foot-10, 179-pound defenseman was named the Winterhawks Rookie of the Year after recording 36 points in 63 games.
Sotheran and Špunar each collected 'C ratings' on today's list, projecting them as 4th-, 5th- or 6th-round draft picks. Sotheran ranks among the top-1o WHL rookies in scoring with six assists while playing in all eight games this year. The 6-foot-4, 201-pound defenseman from Sanford, Man. served as an alternate captain for the Pembina Valley Hawks U18 AAA program last season and led his team in scoring with 20 goals and 34 assists for 54 points in 41 games. The Winterhawks originally selected him in the fifth round of the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft.
Špunar is playing in his first season in the Rose City after being selected in the first round, #52 overall, of the 2022 CHL Import Draft. While starting in two games and appearing in three, Špunar has stopped 59 of 65 shots and owns a 2.10 goals-against-average (GAA) with a 2-0-0 record to begin his Winterhawks career. He secured his first WHL victory in the Winterhawks' home opener on October 1 against Tri-City, making 21 saves. Last season, he played for his hometown HC Olomouc U20 team, boasting a 22-8-0-0 record with a 2.57 GAA and .911 save percentage. Špunar has also represented the Czech Republic at the Under-16, Under-17, Under-18 and Under-20 levels of competition, most recently competing at the 2022 Four Nations Tournament and the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
In total, 43 WHL players were named to the preliminary list. The complete list of ranked WHL skaters and goalies follows below.
2022-23 NHL Central Scouting 'Preliminary Players to Watch' - WHL Players
Rank Last Name First Name Hometown Team Height Weight Position
A Bedard Connor North Vancouver, B.C. Regina Pats 5'10" 185 C
A Benson Zach Chilliwack, B.C. Winnipeg ICE 5'9" 160 LW
A Bjarnason Carson Carberry, Man. Brandon Wheat Kings 6'3" 186 G
A Danielson Nate Red Deer, Alta. Brandon Wheat Kings 6'1" 185 C
A Heidt Riley Saskatoon, Sask. Prince George Cougars 5'10" 182 C
A Honzek Samuel Trencin, Slovakia Vancouver Giants 6'3" 186 LW
A Yager Brayden Saskatoon, Sask. Moose Jaw Warriors 5'10" 166 C
B Cagnoni Luca Burnaby, B.C. Portland Winterhawks 5'10" 179 D
B Cristall Andrew Burnaby, B.C. Kelowna Rockets 5'9" 167 LW
B Dragicevic Lukas Richmond, B.C. Tri-City Americans 6'1" 192 D
B Halaburda Ty Victoria, B.C. Vancouver Giants 5'11" 178 C
B Hammell Kaden Langley, B.C. Kamloops Blazers 6'1" 173 D
B Levis Connor Vancouver, B.C. Kamloops Blazers 6'1" 189 RW
B Lind Kalan Shaunavon, Sask. Red Deer Rebels 6'0" 158 LW
B Molendyk Tanner McBride, B.C. Saskatoon Blades 5'11" 184 D
B Price Caden Saskatoon, Sask. Kelowna Rockets 6'0" 186 D
B Ratzlaff Scott Irma, Alta. Seattle Thunderbirds 6'0" 175 G
B Sawchyn Gracyn Grande Prairie, Alta. Seattle Thunderbirds 5'11" 157 C
B Ziemmer Koehn Mayerthorpe, Alta. Prince George Cougars 6'0" 204 RW
C Birnie Brady Regina, Sask. Swift Current Broncos 5'7" 154 C
C Chadwick Noah Saskatoon, Sask. Lethbridge Hurricanes 6'3" 187 D
C Ernst Dylan Weyburn, Sask. Kamloops Blazers 6'1" 196 G
C Goldsmith Terrell Fort St. James, B.C. Prince Albert Raiders 6'3" 218 D
C Leslie Mazden Lloydminster, Alta. Vancouver Giants 6'0" 193 D
C Lipinski Jaden Scottsdale, Ariz. Vancouver Giants 6'3" 208 C
C Metzger Tim Zurich, Switzerland Everett Silvertips 6'5" 192 G
C Miller Cole Edmonton, Alta. Edmonton Oil Kings 6'4" 174 C
C Myatovic Nico Prince George, B.C. Seattle Thunderbirds 6'2" 182 C
C Oremba Sam Regina, Sask. Regina Pats 6'1" 195 C
C Parker Kalem Clavet, Sask. Victoria Royals 6'0" 192 D
C Riche Ben Bethune, Sask. Moose Jaw Warriors 5'10" 178 C
C Roersma Rylen Lethbridge, Alta. Brandon Wheat Kings 5'10" 161 C
C Roest Austin Coldstream, B.C. Everett Silvertips 5'9" 175 C
C Seitz Dawson Medicine Hat, Alta. Edmonton Oil Kings 6'2" 185 C
C Semeniuk Ethan Fort St. John, B.C. Vancouver Giants 5'11" 175 C
C Sidorov Yegor Vitebsk, Belarus Saskatoon Blades 5'11" 182 RW
C Siepmann Grayden Abbotsford, B.C. Calgary Hitmen 5'10" 185 D
C Sotheran Carter Sanford, Man. Portland Winterhawks 6'3" 197 D
C Spunar Jan Olomouc, Czechia Portland Winterhawks 6'3" 185 G
C Unger Jackson Calgary, Alta. Moose Jaw Warriors 6'1" 190 G
C Weinstein Saige Edmonton, Alta. Spokane Chiefs 6'0" 179 D
C Wormald Logan Langley, B.C. Lethbridge Hurricanes 5'9" 144 LW
LV Schuurman Brayden Abbotsford, B.C. Victoria Royals 5'9" 198 C
Additionally, three unsigned Portland prospects appeared on the list, highlighted by Winterhawks 2020 second-round WHL Draft selection Jayden Perron.
2022-23 NHL Central Scouting 'Preliminary Players to Watch' - Winterhawks Prospects
Rank Last Name First Name Hometown Team Height Weight Position
B Musser Carsen Sherburn, MN USNTDP U18 6'4" 215 G
C Perron Jayden Winnipeg, Man. Chicago Steel (USHL) 5'9" 163 C
C Weiermaier Alex Los Angeles, CA USNTDP U18 6'0" 190 C
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