Rebels and more named to ‘players to watch’ list by NHL Central Scouting

Oct 25, 2023 | 2:03 PM

A number of players with ties to central Alberta have been named to NHL Central Scouting’s 2024 NHL Draft ‘preliminary players to watch‘ list.

The overall list includes 63 from the WHL, and nine from the AJHL.
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• A Rating — Indicates a 1st round candidate
• B Rating — Indicates a 2nd/3rd round candidate
• C Rating — Indicates a 4th/5th round candidate
• W Rating — Indicates a 6th/7th round candidate
• LV (Limited Viewing) — Injured players who have not had sufficient viewings to be categorized

Victoria, B.C.-born Ollie Josephson, centre for the Red Deer Rebels, is ranked as a B prospect, tops for players with ties to central Alberta. In 80 career games with the Rebels, including 11 games this season, Josephson has 27 points, and was a member of Team Canada that won gold at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Czechia and Slovakia.

Caleb Hadland of Sylvan Lake, a left-winger for the Brandon Wheat Kings, is listed as a C prospect. Hadland has nine points in 14 games with Brandon this season, already topping his career best seven points in 38 games last year.

Czechia forward Samuel Drancak of the Red Deer Rebels has been listed as a W prospect. Drancak played the 2022-23 season with HC Motor České Budějovice in the Czech U17 league and was the league’s second-leading scorer with 65 points in 34 games. He played nine games at the U20 level, racking up 12 points, and suited up for two games with HC Motor České Budějovice in the Czech professional league. He won silver at this year’s Hlinka Gretzky.

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Rhys Pederson of Stettler, a blueliner who plays for the Edmonton Oil Kings, sits as a W prospect. Pederson has tallied two assists in 12 games this season, after three points in 37 last year with Edmonton.

And from the ranks of the AJHL, Coy Pighin of Alix, a centre for the Drumheller Dragons who’s committed to Colorado College, is also a W prospect. This season, Pighin has 11 points in 17 games, after 33 in 40, plus nine in 13 playoff games, last year.

The full players to watch list can be viewed here.

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Rebels and more named to ‘players to watch’ list by NHL Central Scouting

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