The ‘Preliminary Players to Watch’ List was announced Wednesday morning by NHL Central Scouting.
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NHL Central Scouting identifies players with a rating system that includes five categories. The ‘A’ category indicates players projected to be first-round candidates. The ‘B’ rating indicates players projected to be second- or third-round candidates, and the ‘C’ rating indicates players projected to be fourth- or fifth-round candidates. New this year, NHL Central Scouting has introduced the ‘W’ rating, which indicates players projected to be sixth- or seventh-round candidates. Finally, the ‘LV’ rating represents players who have not had sufficient viewings, due to injury.
Six WHL players earned ‘A’ ratings including Spokane Chiefs forward Berkly Catton, Regina Pats forward Tanner Howe, Edmonton Oil Kings forward Adam Jecho, Medicine Hat Tigers forward Cayden Lindstrom, Prince Albert Raiders forward Ryder Ritchie, and Calgary Hitmen defenceman Carter Yakemchuk.
Eight WHL players were given ‘B’ ratings, including Kelowna Rockets forward Tij Iginla and Prince George Cougars forward Terik Parascak.
A total of 17 WHL players were given ‘C’ ratings.
All 22 WHL Clubs are represented in the ‘Preliminary Players to Watch’ List. Leading all WHL Clubs, the Spokane Chiefs have six players listed while the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Medicine Hat Tigers boast five players each. Three WHL Clubs have four players listed, including the Prince Albert Raiders, Tri-City Americans and Vancouver Giants. Five WHL Clubs are represented by three players on the list, nine WHL Clubs have two players on the list, and two WHL Clubs have a single player on NHL Central Scouting’s list.
A total of 37 WHL forwards find themselves on the list, joined by 19 WHL defencemen and seven WHL goaltenders.
The 63 WHL players listed leads the entire Canadian Hockey League. In total, 161 CHL players are listed including 62 from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and 36 from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
2023-24 NHL Central Scouting ‘Preliminary Players to Watch’ List – WHL Players
| PTW | Last Name | First Name | Hometown | Team | Ht | Wt | Pos |
| A | Catton | Berkly | Saskatoon, Sask | Spokane Chiefs | 5’11” | 170 | C |
| A | Howe | Tanner | Prince Albert, Sask. | Regina Pats | 5’10” | 182 | LW |
| A | Jecho | Adam | Zlin, Czechia | Edmonton Oil Kings | 6’5” | 201 | C |
| A | Lindstrom | Cayden | Chetwynd, B.C. | Medicine Hat Tigers | 6’3” | 210 | C |
| A | Ritchie | Ryder | Calgary, Alta. | Prince Albert Raiders | 6’0” | 175 | RW |
| A | Yakemchuk | Carter | Calgary, Alta. | Calgary Hitmen | 6’3” | 190 | D |
| B | Basha | Andrew | Calgary, Alta. | Medicine Hat Tigers | 5’11” | 184 | LW |
| B | Curran | Maximilian | Prague, Czechia | Tri-City Americans | 6’3” | 179 | C |
| B | Elick | Charlie | Calgary, Alta. | Brandon Wheat Kings | 6’3” | 200 | D |
| B | Iginla | Tij | Lake Country, B.C. | Kelowna Rockets | 6’0” | 186 | C |
| B | Josephson | Ollie | Victoria, B.C. | Red Deer Rebels | 6’0” | 185 | C |
| B | Parascak | Terik | Lethbridge, Alta. | Prince George Cougars | 6’0” | 176 | RW |
| B | Roberts | Colton | Maple Ridge, B.C. | Vancouver Giants | 6’4” | 198 | D |
| B | Wetsch | Carson | North Vancouver, B.C. | Calgary Hitmen | 6’0” | 187 | RW |
| C | Alcos | Parker | Port Moody, B.C. | Edmonton Oil Kings | 6’3” | 180 | D |
| C | Brunicke | Harrison | Calgary, Alta. | Kamloops Blazers | 6’2” | 185 | D |
| C | Buttazzoni | Diego | Langley, B.C. | Portland Winterhawks | 5’9” | 183 | C |
| C | Caswell | Clarke | Brandon, Man. | Swift Current Broncos | 5’11” | 170 | LW |
| C | Cooper | Miles | Calgary, Alta. | Wenatchee Wild | 5’10” | 163 | C |
| C | Cowan | Dawson | Warren, Man. | Spokane Chiefs | 6’2” | 185 | G |
| C | Davidson | Hyde | Edmonton, Alta. | Seattle Thunderbirds | 6’2” | 165 | D |
| C | Fluker | Josh | Boissevain, Man. | Swift Current Broncos | 6’0” | 160 | D |
| C | Gojsic | Hiroki | Langley, B.C. | Kelowna Rockets | 6’3” | 198 | RW |
| C | Hadland | Caleb | Sylvan Lake, Alta. | Brandon Wheat Kings | 5’10” | 174 | LW |
| C | Howell | Marek | Calgary, Alta. | Vancouver Giants | 6’3” | 201 | D |
| C | Marques | Miguel | Prince George, B.C. | Lethbridge Hurricanes | 5’11” | 173 | RW |
| C | McIsaac | William | Vancouver, B.C. | Spokane Chiefs | 6’3” | 192 | D |
| C | Miettinen | Julius | Helsinki, Finland | Everett Silvertips | 6’3” | 205 | C |
| C | Mrsic | Tomas | Surrey, B.C. | Medicine Hat Tigers | 5’11” | 170 | C |
| C | Pickford | Bryce | Chauvin, Alta. | Seattle Thunderbirds | 6’0” | 170 | D |
| C | Titlbach | Adam | Litvinov, Czechia | Vancouver Giants | 5’9” | 164 | C |
| C | Ward | Landen | Lloydminster, Alta. | Lethbridge Hurricanes | 6’3” | 200 | LW |
| LV | Spilka | Vasyl | Leberec, Czechia | Medicine Hat Tigers | 6’2” | 185 | C |
| W | Doyle | Tristen | Bonnyville, Alta. | Lethbridge Hurricanes | 5’9” | 177 | D |
| W | Drancak | Samuel | Strakonice, Czechia | Red Deer Rebels | 5’11” | 185 | C |
| W | Fryer | Seth | Victoria, B.C. | Victoria Royals | 6’7” | 197 | D |
| W | Gardner | Evan | Lake Country, B.C. | Saskatoon Blades | 6’0” | 175 | G |
| W | Gudelj | Jake | Vancouver, B.C. | Tri-City Americans | 6’2” | 192 | C |
| W | Kral | Lukas | Sadska, Czechia | Spokane Chiefs | 6’0” | 172 | LW |
| W | Kubiesa | Matej | Frydek-Mistek, Czechia | Prince Albert Raiders | 5’11” | 171 | RW |
| W | Laing | Hunter | Kelowna, B.C. | Prince George Cougars | 6’5” | 205 | C |
| W | Lovsin | Simon | Stony Plain, Alta. | Seattle Thunderbirds | 6’0” | 176 | C |
| W | Martin | Grady | Oyen, Alta. | Prince Albert Raiders | 6’3” | 193 | C |
| W | Matecha | Lukas | Paradubice, Czechia | Tri-City Americans | 6’3” | 194 | G |
| W | Mayes | Nathan | Salmon Arm, B.C. | Spokane Chiefs | 6’4” | 194 | D |
| W | McMillan | Deagan | Vernon, B.C. | Tri-City Americans | 6’2” | 187 | RW |
| W | Meneghin | Harrison | South Surrey, B.C. | Lethbridge Hurricanes | 6’3” | 164 | G |
| W | Michaluk | Cooper | Edmonton, Alta. | Spokane Chiefs | 6’2” | 173 | G |
| W | Misskey | Nate | Melfort, Sask. | Victoria Royals | 6’3” | 210 | D |
| W | Ness | Brady | Sedgewick, Alta. | Moose Jaw Warriors | 6’3” | 199 | D |
| W | Peardon | Cole | Outlook, Sask. | Prince Albert Raiders | 6’0” | 175 | C |
| W | Pederson | Rhys | Stettler, Alta. | Edmonton Oil Kings | 6’4” | 193 | D |
| W | Petr | Dominik | Ostrava, Czechia | Brandon Wheat Kings | 6’2” | 167 | C |
| W | Smith | Shane | Cessford, Alta. | Medicine Hat Tigers | 6’0” | 194 | C |
| W | Smith | Tarin | Porcupine Plain, Sask. | Everett Silvertips | 6’1” | 175 | D |
| W | Spunar | Jan | Olomouc, Czechia | Portland Winterhawks | 6’3” | 185 | G |
| W | Tastad | Morgan | Loreburn, Sask. | Saskatoon Blades | 6’3” | 185 | D |
| W | Thorpe | Tyler | Richmond, B.C. | Vancouver Giants | 6’4” | 209 | RW |
| W | Unger | Jackson | Calgary, Alta. | Moose Jaw Warriors | 6’1” | 185 | G |
| W | Vaughan | Jaxsin | Merritt, B.C. | Regina Pats | 6’1” | 206 | RW |
| W | Vaughan | Corbin | Merritt, B.C. | Regina Pats | 6’0” | 205 | D |
| W | Wilke | Trae | Saskatoon, Sask. | Lethbridge Hurricanes | 6’0” | 191 | LW |
| W | Zakreski | Josh | Saskatoon, Sask. | Portland Winterhawks | 5’11” | 188 | LW |
