Five players who have plied their trade at the Art Hauser Centre are among those that NHL Central Scouting has as possible selections for this year’s Entry Draft.
Prince Albert Raiders blueliners Nolan Allan and Landon Kosior were ranked 40th and 168th respectively among North American skaters on Thursday, while netminder Carter Serhyenko came in ninth spot in the North American goalie rankings.
Meanwhile, former Prince Albert Mintos forwards Josh Pillar and Gabe Klassen found themselves in the 166th and 212th spots for North American skaters.
Allan, who is 18-years-old and calls Davidson home, had two points in 16 games during his sophomore campaign for the Raiders in the East Division hub at the Brandt Centre in Regina.
He also had two points in seven games during Canada’s run to the IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship title in Texas this spring and had five points in five games for the SJHL’s La Ronge Ice Wolves in November.
The 18-year-old Kosior found the back of the net four times in 21 games for the Raiders and also had six points in six games earlier in the year for the SJHL’s Melville Millionaires.
The Regina product was ranked 98th by NHL Central Scouting in 2020 but was not selected in last October’s draft, which was held virtually.
Serhyenko, who is a late-2002 birthday and calls Saskatoon home, served in a backup role to Max Paddock for the second straight season.
He posted a 2-5-3 record with a 3.99 goals against average and a .858 save percentage in his sophomore campaign in the Western Hockey League.
The 19-year-old Pillar had an impressive season for the B.C. Division champions as he led the Blazers in scoring with 29 points in 22 games.
This marks the second go-around in the NHL Draft for the Saskatoon product, as he was ranked 120th by NHL Central Scouting in 2020 but was not selected.
Although he missed a handful of games due to an injury, Klassen ended up in a tie for eighth in Winterhawks scoring with 11 points in 19 contests.
The 17-year-old from Prince Albert had 15 points in 30 games during the 2019-20 campaign as he was called up from the Mintos partway through the season.
One-time Raiders draft pick Hunter Strand is ranked 55th among North American Skaters after putting up 49 points in 51 games for the USHL’s Tri-City Storm.
A sixth round selection in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft, Strand’s rights were dealt to the Victoria Royals on Jan. 2, 2018 in exchange for Regan Nagy.
The 18-year-old from Anchorage, Alaska is committed to the NCAA’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish for next season.
Former Raiders forward Jakob Brook received a limited viewing grade after his third season in the WHL ended in the Regina Pats season opener on March 12 as he suffered a broken right leg when he crashed into the endboards during a race for the puck with Kaiden Guhle.
The 19-year-old from Roblin, Man. had a goal in eight games for the Pats in 2019-20 after he was traded by the Raiders on Jan. 9 in order to acquire Paddock.
Michigan Wolverines blueliner Owen Power, who many expect to be the first overall selection this summer, leads the way among North American skaters over Peterborough Petes forward Mason McTavish.
Wolverines forward Kent Johnson, US NTDP blueliner Luke Hughes and Edmonton Oil Kings forward Dylan Guenther rounded out the top five.
Sebastian Cossa of the Oil Kings is considered to be the best North American netminder over Benjamin Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting), Tristan Lennox (Saginaw Spirit), Oliver Adam (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada) and Emerik Despatie (Gatineau Olympiques).
Forward William Eklund of Sweden and his countrymate Jesper Wallstedt were the top ranked International skater and goaltender.
The 2021 NHL Draft, which will be held virtually for the second straight year, will take place on July 23 and 24.
Around the WHL
The Kamloops Blazers are looking for a new general manager as Matt Bardsley resigned from his position on Tuesday due to personal reasons.
“This was a very difficult decision for me and my wife, but one we needed to make for our young children,” Bardsley said in a prepared statement.
“When we moved here in 2018, we planned on making this our home for many years. Unfortunately because of COVID-19, it has restricted our ability to see our family as they reside in the United States.”
Bardsley had a record of 87-54-12 during his time in Kamloops, which saw the Blazers win back-to-back B.C. Division titles in 2020 and 2021.
Meanwhile, Vancouver Giants netminder Trent Miner signed an entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday morning.
The 20-year-old from Brandon had a 7-8-0 record with a 2.16 goals against average, a .915 save percentage and four shutouts with the Giants this season.
A seventh round pick by the Avalanche in the 2019 NHL Draft, Miner started the year with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, where he had a 2-3-1 record with a 2.86 goals against average, a .903 save percentage and a shutout.
Brandon Wheat Kings forward Ben McCartney also inked an entry-level contract on Thursday as he became a signed prospect of the Arizona Coyotes.
A seventh round pick last October, McCartney was a key factor to the Wheat Kings run to the East Division title this spring as he finished second in league scoring with 37 points in 24 games.
Like Miner, McCartney also played in the AHL this year and had five points in four games for the Tucson Roadrunners.
USHL Draft Recap
Two Prince Albert Raiders draft picks were selected in the USHL Futures Draft, which consists of 2005-born players, on Wednesday evening.
Forward Reese Shaw was taken in the fifth round by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, while forward Jamison Sluys was a 10th round selection of the Omaha Lancers.
Shaw, who is from Coon Rapids, Minn. and was a ninth round pick by the Raiders in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft, had 22 points in 19 games this season for the Gentry Academy program that won the Minnesota Class A High School Hockey Championship.
Sluys, who calls Point Roberts, Wash. home, was the fifth overall selection in the 2020 WHL US Prospect Draft.
He had three points in five games this year for the Delta Hockey Academy’s Under-17 program, who had their season cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brett Moravec, a fifth round pick by the Raiders in 2018, was taken in the 10th round of Thursday’s USHL Entry Draft by the Lincoln Stars.
The 18-year-old forward from Airdrie had 12 points in 15 games this season for the AJHL’s Calgary Canucks and is committed to the NCAA’s Wisconsin Badgers.
The Chicago Steel and the Dubuque Fighting Saints made a pair of late round flyers on Thursday as they selected Kingston Frontenacs forward Shane Wright and Regina Pats forward Connor Bedard, who are expected to be the top picks in the 2022 and 2023 NHL Entry Drafts.
