Two Blades, one Raider and a couple of highly-regarded Saskatchewan prospects are included in the N-H-L Central Scouting Preliminary Players to Watch list ahead of the 2025 N-H-L Draft.
Bridge City Bunch forwards Willy James and David Lewandowski, along with Prince Albert forward Ethan Bibeau, were given “W” ratings as potential sixth or seventh round selections next June. Among the “A” or potential first round choice rankings were centre Roger McQueen of Brandon, via Saskatoon, and centre Cole Reschny of Victoria, via Macklin. Saskatoon product and Lethbridge centre Kash Andresen is a “W” rated prospect while Prince Albert native and Victoria goaltender Jayden Kraus received a “C” rating, meaning a potential fourth or fifth round pick. Following is a news release from the W-H-L…..
FIFTY-FIVE WHL PLAYERS NAMED TO NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING’S PRELIMINARY PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST FOR 2025 NHL DRAFT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2024
Calgary, Alta. – Fifty-five Western Hockey League players have been named to NHL Central Scouting’s Preliminary Players to Watch List ahead of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the agency announced Wednesday.
NHL Central Scouting uses a five-category rating system to project where a player could be drafted. An ‘A’ rating indicates a potential first-round candidate. ‘B’ rated players are expected to hear their names called in the second or third round. ‘C’ rated players project as fourth or fifth-round picks and a ‘W’ rating indicates a player who could go in the sixth or seventh round. The agency also used the ‘LV’ (Limited Viewing) tag to recognize injured players who haven’t had sufficient viewing to be categorized.
Six WHL players have received an ‘A’ rating: Edmonton Oil Kings defenceman Blake Fiddler, Moose Jaw Warriors forward Lynden Lakovic, Brandon Wheat Kings forward Roger McQueen, Victoria Royals centreman Cole Reschny, Tri-City Americans defenceman Jackson Smith and Prince George Cougars netminder Joshua Ravensbergen.
Another 10 skaters earned ‘B’ ratings, including Everett Silvertips winger Carter Bear, Seattle Thunderbirds centre Braeden Cootes and Calgary Hitmen teammates Benjamin Kindel and Reese Hamilton, who have also been named to Team CHL for the 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota Canada.
Twenty-one WHL clubs are represented in the preliminary rankings, with the Calgary Hitmen and Spokane Chiefs leading the way with five listed prospects each and the Vancouver Giants and Victoria Royals tying for second with four each.
The WHL’s 55 listed players sit second among the Canadian Hockey League’s three member leagues. The Ontario Hockey League is first with 62 and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League has 38.
A total of 35 WHL forwards have been ranked along with 10 defencemen and 10 goaltenders.
2024-25 NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Players to Watch List- WHL Players
| Rating | Last Name | First Name | Hometown | Team | Height | Weight | Position |
| A | Fiddler | Blake | Frisco, Texas | Edmonton Oil Kings | 6’4 | 209 | D |
| A | Lakovic | Lynden | West Kelowna, B.C | Moose Jaw Warriors | 6’4.25 | 190 | LW |
| A | McQueen | Roger | Saskatoon, Sask. | Brandon Wheat Kings | 6’5/25 | 197 | C |
| A | Ravensbergen | Joshua | North Vancouver, B.C. | Prince George Cougars | 6’5.25 | 190 | G |
| A | Reschny | Cole | Macklin, Sask. | Victoria Royals | 5’10.5 | 183 | C |
| A | Smith | Jackson | Calgary, Alta. | Tri-City Americans | 6’3.25 | 195 | D |
| B | Bear | Carter | West St. Paul, Man. | Everett Silvertips | 6’0 | 179 | LW |
| B | Behm | Nathan | Calgary, Alta. | Kamloops Blazers | 6’1.5 | 192 | RW |
| B | Cootes | Braeden | Sherwood Park, Alta. | Seattle Thunderbirds | 5’11.25 | 183 | C |
| B | Gard | Matthew | Winnipeg, Man. | Red Deer Rebels | 6’4.75 | 192 | C |
| B | Hamilton | Reese | Whitewood, Sask. | Calgary Hitmen | 6’0 | 172 | D |
| B | Kettles | Peyton | Winnipeg, Man. | Swift Current Broncos | 6’5.25 | 190 | D |
| B | Kindel | Benjamin | Coquitlam, B.C. | Calgary Hitmen | 5’10 | 176 | C |
| B | Martin | Owen | Oakbank, Man. | Spokane Chiefs | 5’11.75 | 185 | C |
| B | Paupanekis | Hayden | Winnipeg, Man. | Spokane Chiefs | 6’4.25 | 196 | C |
| B | Schmidt | Cameron | Prince George, B.C. | Vancouver Giants | 5’7.25 | 161 | RW |
| C | Bridgeman | Kolten | Regina, Sask. | Regina Pats | 6’4 | 216 | D |
| C | Foster | Aiden | Lloydminster, Alta. | Prince George Cougars | 6’2 | 182 | C |
| C | Gavin | Jordan | Surrey, B.C. | Tri-City Americans | 5’11 | 187 | LW |
| C | Gorzynski | Brandon | Scottsdale, Ariz. | Calgary Hitmen | 6’1.5 | 185 | C |
| C | Hutchison | Matthew | Nanaimo, B.C. | Vancouver Giants | 6’2.5 | 189 | G |
| C | Klippenstein | Carter | Lethbridge, Alta. | Brandon Wheat Kings | 6’2.5 | 180 | C |
| C | Koch | Cassius | Calgary, Alta. | Tri-City Americans | 5’11.25 | 197 | LW |
| C | Kraus | Jayden | Prince Albert, Sask. | Victoria Royals | 6’1.5 | 201 | G |
| C | Lajoie | Jett | Winnipeg, Man. | Prince George Cougars | 5’11.5 | 178 | RW |
| C | McCann | Kadon | Cochrane, Alta. | Medicine Hat Tigers | 6’3 | 200 | C |
| C | Obobaifo | Aaron | Calgary, Alta. | Vancouver Giants | 5’9.5 | 183 | LW |
| C | Sharpe | Will | Ladner, B.C. | Lethbridge Hurricanes | 6’0 | 195 | D |
| C | Stebetak | Ondrej | Jihlava, Cze. | Portland Winterhawks | 6’1.5 | 173 | G |
| C | Vlooswyk | Luke | Calgary, Alta. | Red Deer Rebels | 6’4.5 | 200 | D |
| C | Zahejsky | Vit | Karlovy Vary, Cze. | Kamloops Blazers | 5’9.75 | 175 | C |
| W | Andresen | Kash | Saskatoon, Sask. | Lethbridge Hurricanes | 6’1.5 | 182 | C |
| W | Baumuller | Joby | Wilcox, Sask. | Brandon Wheat Kings | 5’11.25 | 188 | RW |
| W | Bibeau | Ethan | Winnipeg, Man. | Prince Albert Raiders | 6’1 | 187 | C |
| W | Cleaver | Koen | Port Alberni, B.C. | Lethbridge Hurricanes | 6’1.5 | 188 | G |
| W | Coupland | Ty | North Vancouver, B.C. | Swift Current Broncos | 5’10.25 | 154 | RW |
| W | Cowan | Dawson | Warren, Man. | Spokane Chiefs | 6’2 | 186 | G |
| W | Hood | Burke | Brandon, Man. | Vancouver Giants | 6’2.75 | 197 | G |
| W | James | William | Calgary, Alta. | Saskatoon Blades | 5’10.25 | 154 | RW |
| W | Lafreniere | Tommy | Hornby Island, B.C. | Kamloops Blazers | 5’11 | 172 | RW |
| W | Lewandowski | David | Dusseldorf, Ger. | Saskatoon Blades | 6’1.25 | 177 | LW |
| W | Matthews | Caleb | Calgary, Alta. | Victoria Royals | 6’1.75 | 173 | RW |
| W | Mayes | Sawyer | Salmon Arm, B.C. | Calgary Hitmen | 6’4 | 188 | C |
| W | Michnik | Spencer | Sylvan Lake, Alta. | Victoria Royals | 6’1 | 202 | G |
| W | Miller | Ryan | Medicine Hat, Alta. | Portland Winterhawks | 5’11.75 | 177 | C |
| W | Pekar | Matej | Prerov, Cze. | Seattle Thunderbirds | 5’10 | 158 | RW |
| W | Perry | Hudson | Sexsmith, Alta. | Edmonton Oil Kings | 6’2 | 164 | G |
| W | Pilon | Jake | Calgary, Alta. | Kelowna Rockets | 6’4.25 | 210 | G |
| W | Sarkenov | Asanali | Astana, Kaz. | Spokane Chiefs | 6’4 | 198 | RW |
| W | Sawchyn | Lukas | Grande Prairie, Alta. | Edmonton Oil Kings | 5’9.75 | 168 | C |
| W | Schmidt | Connor | Sturgeon County, Alta. | Moose Jaw Warriors | 5’11.25 | 180 | D |
| W | Schoettler | Owen | Edmonton, Alta. | Spokane Chiefs | 6’0 | 181 | D |
| W | Svancara | Robin | Trinec, Cze. | Calgary Hitmen | 6’4 | 186 | LW |
| W | Temple | Cole | Brandon, Man. | Regina Pats | 5’9.25 | 166 | C |
| W | Woo | Jonas | Winnipeg, Man. | Medicine Hat | 5’8.75 | 165 | D |
