One season into his junior hockey career, Michael King has the complete attention of National Hockey League scouts.
King, a six-foot-four, 205-pound defenceman for the Westside Warriors of the B.C. Hockey League, is the highest-rated Prince George product for the 2011 NHL entry draft, June 24-25 in St. Paul, Minn. When NHL Central Scouting released its final rankings on Monday, King was listed at No. 126 among North American skaters.
"It's quite an honour," said King, who had five goals and 23 points in 48 games with the Warriors this season. "It's definitely exciting and a measure of where I am in my career. It's a stepping stone and something to work for."
King is one of five locally-connected players who made Central Scouting's final list. The others are Mitch Elliot, Alex Roach, Dylan Willick and Jesse Forsberg.
In the midterm rankings, King was 133rd, so he moved up seven positions. NHL teams that contacted him during the season included the Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks.
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