They’ve known it all season.
Now it’s official.
Prince George Cougars forwards Riley Heidt and Koehn Ziemmer are high on the list of NHL Central Scouting’s system that ranks the abilities of Western Hockey League players.
Heidt, a native of Saskatoon, is among seven WHL players considered ‘A’ prospects for next year’s NHL draft in Nashville. That ‘A’-ranking means he’s projected as a first-round draft pick.
Ziemmer is considered a ‘B’ prospect on the list of Preliminary Players to Watch, released Tuesday. The Mayerthorpe, Alta., native is projected to be drafted in the second or third round.
Ziemmer currently leads the Cougars in scoring and is fourth in the WHL scoring race with 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists). Heidt is also a top-25 scorer with 12 points (four goals, eight assists).
Also making the list was Seattle Thunderbirds winger Nico Myatovic, a native of Prince George considered a ‘C’ prospect (fourth, fifth or sixth round). Myatovic (4g, 3a) returns to his hometown this weekend to face the Cougars Friday and Saturday.
Thunderbirds goalie Scott Ratzlaff (Irma, Alta.) is on the B list and centre Gracyn Sawchyn (Grande Prairie, Alta.) is a ‘C’ prospect.
Cougar fans have already had a chance to see two of the other ‘A’ prospects in action at CN Centre. Brandon Wheat Kings goalie Carson Bjarnason (Carberry, Man.) and Winnipeg ICE left winger Zach Benson (Chilliwack) visited Prince George earlier this month.
The other A-listers are Regina Pats centre Connor Bedard (North Vancouver), Moose Jaw Warriors centre Brayden Yager (Saskatoon) and Vancouver Giants left winger Samuel Honzek (Trencin, Slovakia).
Forty-three WHL players are on the preliminary list – six goalies, 12 defencemen and 25 forwards.
