Forward Brandon Lisowsky (pictured), along with defencemen Charlie Wright and Pasha Bocharov, have been given a ‘C’ rating on N-H-L Central Scouting’s preliminary “Players to Watch” list ahead of the 2022 N-H-L Entry Draft.

A ‘C’ grade indicates a likely draft selection in the 4th, 5th or 6th round. The three Blades are among 45 W-H-Lers listed amongst North American skaters and goaltenders in the first Central Scouting ranking of the 2021-22 season. Three W-H-Lers are considered “A” or first round prospects and another five are touted as “B” or second or third rounders. The latter group includes Saskatoon product and Seattle defenceman Kevin Korchinski. In addition, Saskatoonian and Lethbridge D-man Logan McCutcheon is a “C” ranked prospect. The Bridge City Bunch are off until Friday when they open a home-and-home series in Regina. Following is the news release from the Western Hockey League…..

45 WHL PLAYERS NAMED TO NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING PRELIMINARY PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2021

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League is proud to announce 45 WHL players have been named to NHL Central Scouting’s ‘Preliminary Players to Watch’ List ahead of the 2022 NHL Draft. The ‘Players to Watch’ list was issued Tuesday by the NHL Central Scouting Service.

NHL Central Scouting identifies players with a rating system that includes four categories. The ‘A’ rating indicates players projected to be first-round candidates. The ‘B’ rating indicates players projected to be second- or third-round candidates, and the ‘C’ rating indicates players projected to be fourth-, fifth-, or sixth-round candidates. Though no players received this designation, ‘LV’ represents a player who has not had sufficient viewings, due to injury.

Three WHL players earned ‘A’ ratings: Winnipeg ICE forwards Conor Geekie and Matt Savoie, and Moose Jaw Warriors defenceman Denton Mateychuk.

Five WHL players were given ‘B’ ratings, including Swift Current Broncos forward Josh Davies and Kamloops Blazers teammates Mats Lindgren and Fraser Minten. 37 WHL players received ‘C’ ratings.

Overall, 18 of 22 WHL Clubs are represented in the updated ‘Players to Watch’ List. The Prince George Cougars, Seattle Thunderbirds and Swift Current Broncos all boast four players each to lead WHL Clubs. Seven other WHL Clubs each have three players listed. Four WHL Clubs are represented with two players on the list, while four further WHL Clubs have a single player on NHL Central Scouting’s list.

A total of 24 WHL forwards find themselves on the list, joined by 15 WHL defencemen, and six WHL goaltenders.

2021-22 NHL Central Scouting ‘Players to Watch’ – WHL Players