The pros are calling Prince George Cougars defenceman Joel Lakusta and winger Jackson Leppard.
They both left Prince George Wednesday bound for their respective NHL rookie camps.
Lakusta has been invited to play for the St. Louis Blues in Traverse City, Mich. The eight-team tournament starts Friday and runs through next Thursday.
The Blues, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers are involved. Former Cougar defenceman Dennis Cholowski will be there with the Red Wings.
The 20-year-old Lakusta, a fourth-year Cougar from Sherwood Park, Alta., attended the Calgary Flames development camp in July and is hoping to make a big enough impression with the Blues to turn pro this year. He turned in his best season last year with the Cougars, collecting nine goals, 33 assists and 42 points in 70 games.
Leppard, 19, will join the Tampa Bay Lightning as part of the 2018 Prospects Showcase in Estero, Fla. The four-day tournament starts Saturday and includes the Nashville Predators and Washington Capitals.
Leppard, a native of Vancouver, was part of the Lightning development camp in June. He's heading into his third WHL season with the Cougars, coming off a 2017-18 season in which he scored 17 goals and 23 assists for 40 points in 68 games.
Coming off a 4-2 preseason win against the Kelowna Rockets Saturday in Kelowna, the Cougars have cut their roster down to 27 players (three goalies, eight defencemen and 16 forwards), having released nine players, including forwards Chance Adrian and Matt Mosher, who were with the team as rookies last season.
The Cats will be in Langley for a pair of exhibition games. They'll play the Vancouver Giants Saturday at 7 p.m. and return to the rink Sunday at noon to play the Victoria Royals.
