Goaltender Tyler Brennan, defencemen Keaton Dowhaniuk, Viliam Kmec and forward Kyren Gronick were named to the department's preliminary players to watch list, the Cougars said Tuesday.
Brennan was ranked a ‘B’ prospect, while defencemen Dowhaniuk, Kmec, and Gronick were listed as ‘C’ prospects.
NHL Central Scouting ranks ‘A’ level prospects as potential first-round picks, ‘B’ prospects as potential second or third-round picks and ‘C’ prospects as potential fourth, fifth, or sixth-round selections.
Brennan, 18, has played in three games so far this Western Hockey League season, and posted a 1-2-0-0 record to go along with a 4.88 goals-against average (GAA) and an .865 save percentage (SV%).
During the 2020-21 B.C. Division Hub season, the Winnipeg, MB product was 2-0-1-1 in four games and owned a 2.16 GAA and .933 SV%. He also had one shutout. Brennan won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2021 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship in April.
Dowhaniuk, 17, has four penalty-minutes and eight shots on goal through five games. The defenceman has logged important minutes on the Cougars’ blueline this season.
As a 16-year-old, Dowhaniuk had eight points (3g-5a) in 22 games during the 2020-21 B.C. Division Hub season. The Sherwood Park, AB product tied for the team lead in short-handed goals a season go.
Kmec, 17, has had an impressive start to his rookie campaign. The native of Košice, Slovakia has four points (0g-4a) in his first five games. Kmec was drafted by the Cougars in the second-round, 104th overall, in the 2021 Canadian Hockey League import draft.
The blueliner won a silver medal with Slovakia at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August. Last season, Kmec had four points (0g-4a) in 27 games for Slovakia’s Under-18 squad, which played in the Slovak Second League.
Gronick has had a great start to the 2021-22 season, as the 17-year-old is third in team scoring with six points (2g-4a) in five games. The Regina, SK product has recorded a point in four of the Cougars’ first five games. His four assists are tied for second on the team’s roster. As a 16-year-old rookie last season, Gronick tallied 11 points (5g-6a) in 17 games.
The Cougars travel to Victoria to play the Royals this Friday and Saturday then return to CN Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday (Oct. 26 and 27) for two more games against the Royals.
