Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today 43 WHL players have been listed by NHL Central Scouting in its midterm rankings in advance of the 2018 NHL Draft, scheduled for June 22-23 in Dallas, Texas.

Heading the list is defenceman Ty Smith (Lloydminster, Alta. / Spokane Chiefs), who is ranked 14^th among North American skaters. Joining Smith in the top 31 are defencemen Jett Woo (20^th – Winnipeg, Man. / Moose Jaw Warriors) and Alexander Alexeyev (26^th – St. Petersburg, Russia / Red Deer Rebels).

Including Smith, Woo and Alexeyev, a total of 18 WHL defencemen land in the midterm rankings. Defencemen Calen Addison (34^th – Brandon, Man. / Lethbridge Hurricanes) and Filip Kral (52^nd – Bransko, Czech Rep. / Spokane Chiefs) also landed in the top 60.

Centers Milos Roman (40^th – Kysucke Nove Mesto, Slovakia / Vancouver Giants) and Kyle Topping (64^th – Salt Spring Island, B.C. / Kelowna Rockets) rank highest among the 22 WHL forwards listed, while Joel Hofer (sixth ­– Winnipeg, Man. / Swift Current Broncos), David Tendeck (eighth – North Vancouver, B.C. / Vancouver Giants) and Duncan McGovern (22^nd – Winnipeg, Man. / Kootenay ICE) land among ranked goaltenders from North America.

The Vancouver Giants lead all WHL clubs with five players ranked. In addition to Roman and Tendeck, forwards James Malm (176^th – Langley, B.C.) and Alex Kannok-Leippart (190^th – Regina, Sask.) along with defenceman Dylan Plouffe (208^th – Sherwood Park, Alta.) find a place on the NHL radar.

The Calgary Hitmen and Red Deer Rebels sit just behind the Giants, each with four players named in the NHL Central Scouting midterm rankings. The Brandon Wheat Kings and Moose Jaw Warriors each boast three players.

Of the 43 WHL players listed in the NHL Central Scouting midterm rankings, eight will participate in the 2018 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects game, scheduled for Thursday, January 25 (5 p.m. MT), in Guelph, Ont. Included among those eight is Smith of the Chiefs, who will captain Team Orr. The Giants’ Roman had previously been named to the annual outing, but will miss due to injury.

At the 2017 NHL Draft, a total of 33 WHL players were selected, including seven in the first round.

 

 

2018 NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING MIDTERM RANKINGS (NORTH AMERICA) – WHL SKATERS

Midterm Rank	Player	Height	Weight	Position	Amateur Club
14	SMITH, TY	5′ 10″	176	DEFENSEMAN	SPOKANE
20	WOO, JETT	6′ 0″	205	DEFENSEMAN	MOOSE JAW
26	ALEXEYEV, ALEXANDER	6′ 3″	200	DEFENSEMAN	RED DEER
34	ADDISON, CALEN	5′ 10″	179	DEFENSEMAN	LETHBRIDGE
40	ROMAN, MILOS	6′ 0″	188	CENTER	VANCOUVER
52	KRAL, FILIP	6′ 1″	171	DEFENSEMAN	SPOKANE
64	TOPPING, KYLE	5′ 11″	185	CENTER	KELOWNA
72	SUTTER, RILEY	6′ 3″	205	RIGHT WING	EVERETT
78	FONSTAD, COLE	5′ 10″	157	CENTER	PRINCE ALBERT
79	YERYOMENKO, VLADISLAV	6′ 0″	185	DEFENSEMAN	CALGARY
80	REICHEL, KRISTIAN	6′ 1″	167	CENTER	RED DEER
88	STOTTS, RILEY	6′ 0″	168	CENTER	CALGARY
89	BURZAN, LUKA	6′ 0″	185	CENTER	BRANDON
93	FLORCHUK, ERIC	6′ 1″	174	CENTER	SASKATOON
95	LEPPARD, JACKSON	6′ 1″	200	LEFT WING	PRINCE GEORGE
97	PECKFORD, RYAN	6′ 0″	191	LEFT WING	MOOSE JAW
100	ZAMULA, EGOR	6′ 2″	160	DEFENSEMAN	CALGARY
103	WOUTERS, CHASE	6′ 0″	177	CENTER	SASKATOON
107	LUDVIG, JOHN	6′ 0″	186	DEFENSEMAN	PORTLAND
110	ZABRANSKY, LIBOR	6′ 1″	190	DEFENSEMAN	KELOWNA
125	ALMEIDA, JUSTIN	5′ 9″	158	CENTER	MOOSE JAW
142	MINULIN, ARTYOM	6′ 2″	201	DEFENSEMAN	SWIFT CURRENT
144	STUART, BRODI	5′ 10″	167	LEFT WING	KAMLOOPS
156	BARTEAUX, DAWSON	6′ 0″	180	DEFENSEMAN	RED DEER
160	CHYZOWSKI, RYAN	6′ 0″	183	LEFT WING	MEDICINE HAT
164	REINHARDT, COLE	6′ 0″	203	LEFT WING	BRANDON
166	KEMP, BRETT	6′ 0″	162	CENTER	EDMONTON
169	GINNELL, BRAD	6′ 0″	172	CENTER	KOOTENAY
170	JOHNSON, ISAAC	6′ 2″	186	LEFT WING	TRI-CITY
176	MALM, JAMES	5′ 8″	164	CENTER	VANCOUVER
179	WYLIE, WYATTE	6′ 0″	190	DEFENSEMAN	EVERETT
181	HARTJE, CHASE	6′ 0″	190	DEFENSEMAN	BRANDON
184	MCLEOD, WYATT	6′ 2″	182	DEFENSEMAN	EDMONTON
188	HARSCH, REECE	6′ 3″	196	DEFENSEMAN	SEATTLE
190	KANNOK-LEIPERT, ALEX	5′ 11″	193	LEFT WING	VANCOUVER
193	OKSANEN, EMIL	6′ 0″	185	LEFT WING	REGINA
200	FOCHT, CARSON	6′ 0″	178	CENTER	CALGARY
203	HERAUF, JACOB	6′ 0″	181	DEFENSEMAN	RED DEER
208	PLOUFFE, DYLAN	6′ 0″	194	DEFENSEMAN	VANCOUVER
216	ONYEBUCHI, MONTANA	6′ 3″	205	DEFENSEMAN	KAMLOOPS

 

2018 NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING MIDTERM RANKINGS (NORTH AMERICA) – WHL GOALTENDERS

Midterm Rank	Player	Height	Weight	Position	Amateur Club
6	HOFER, JOEL	6′ 3″	160	GOALIE	SWIFT CURRENT
8	TENDECK, DAVID	6′ 1″	173	GOALIE	VANCOUVER
22	MCGOVERN, DUNCAN	6′ 2″	190	GOALIE	KOOTENAY

 

2018 NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING MIDTERM RANKINGS (NORTH AMERICA) – MJHL GOALTENDERS

Midterm Rank	Player	Height	Weight	Position	Amateur Club
11	THIESSEN, MATTHEW	6′ 2″	191	GOALIE	STEINBACH

 

For the complete list, CLICK HERE.