Koehn Ziemmer reminded NHL scouts last week why he deserves to be ranked among the top draft-eligible players in the Western Hockey League.
The 18-year-old Prince George Cougars winger let his stick do the talking as the Cats wrapped up their Central Division tour. He collected six goals and two assists in four games to earn the WHL player-of-the-week award.
The native of Mayerthorpe, Alta., picked up two goals and an assist as the first star in a 6-5 win Wednesday over the Calgary Hitmen, scored two Friday in an 8-5 loss to Red Deer and ended the trip with two goals and an assist in a 4-3 victory in Edmonton.
That left Ziemmer with 26 goals and 36 assists for 62 points in 43 games – tied for third in WHL scoring. He’s already eclipsed his 57-point total in 68 games last season and is on pace for a 48-goal, 98-point season.
Listed at six-feet, 182 pounds, Ziemmer is listed by NHL Central Scouting as the 20th-ranked North American skater in the midterm rankings. Cougars 17-year-old centre Riley Heidt is also on the A-list, ranked 26th.
The two linemates will face off against each other Wednesday in Langley at the Kubota Canada CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
Heidt will suit up with Regina Pats superstar Connor Bedard on Team Red, while Ziemmer wil play for Team White, along with 17-year-old Saskatoon Blades defenceman Tanner Monendyk of McBride.
The game at 7 p.m. will be televised on TSN.
The Cougars (19-20-4-0, sixth in Western Conference) are back on home ice at CN Centre on Saturday (6 p.m.) to face the Prince Albert Raiders.
