The Prince George Cougars added two prospects to their defensive lineup on Wednesday, during the Western Hockey League's 2020 U.S. prospects draft.
The Cougars picked up defenceman Zephyr Tangri and goalie Dylan Johnson in the U.S. draft.
Tangri most recently played in 51 games for the L.A. Jr. Kings 14U team during the 2019-2020 season. During the season he scored nine goals – including three on the powerplay – and racked up 18 assists. The View Park-Windsor Hill, Calif. product stands just shy of six-foot-one, weighs in at 183 pounds and racked up 80 penalty minutes for the Jr. Kings in 2019-2020.
"He’s a big, two-way defenceman, who gets up the ice quickly and can generate offence. Zephyr has a great stick and reads the game extremely well,” Cougars’ director of scouting Bob Simmonds said in a press release. "We felt he was the top defenceman in this draft."
In 2018-2019, Tangri dressed in 59 games for the L.A. Jr. Kings 13U team. He scored nine times and picked up 16 assists in his 13U year.
Johnson played for his hometown Dallas Stars Elite 14U during the 2019-2020 season. The five-foot-10, 149-pound Texan played in nine games for the Stars earning five wins – including one shutout – and one overtime loss.
"Dylan is an elite level goalie, with good size already," Simmonds said. "One of the two best American goalie prospects in his age group. Taking him today will help us focus on skilled positions for the upcoming WHL Bantam Draft in April."
In 308 minutes played, Johnson allowed nine goals and recorded a save percentage of 0.935. His goals against average was 1.49.
The Cougars picked Tangri 19th in the first round and Johnson fourth in the second round of the draft.
American players who weren't picked up in the U.S. prospects draft are still eligible to be drafted in the WHL regular bantam draft on April 22.
