MOOSE JAW -- If things go as expected during the National Hockey League Entry Draft in a couple months time, there will be all sorts of players with Saskatchewan ties heading up to the stage during the two-day event.
And a couple of players will likely hear their names called during the first-round festivities on Day 1.
A total of seven players from Saskatchewan and a further nine from teams based in province were among those listed when NHL Central Scouting released their final North American rankings earlier this week.
Leading the way, as he has all season, is Saskatoon product and Brandon Wheat Kings standout Roger McQueen, who came in at eighth overall.
The 6-foot-5, 193-pound forward got off to a torrid start when the season opened, putting up eight goals and 11 points in the first eight games of the season. A serious neck injury at the beginning of October would sideline McQueen until early March, but that did little to hurt his Draft standing as the season progressed and he’d finish with 10 goals and 20 points in 17 games.
Based on his ranking, McQueen is all but certain to go mid to late first round.
Odds are good he’ll be joined by a player from a Saskatchewan-based team in Moose Jaw Warriors forward Lynden Lakovic.
The West Kelowna, B.C. product came into the campaign ranked in the top 15 and did nothing but help his cause despite suffering a late-December shoulder injury that cost him a month-and-a-half of playing time.
Lakovic ended up at 14th overall after putting up 27 goals and 58 points in 47 games to lead the Warriors in scoring. His ranking should see him picked in the late first round or early second.
Should things go his way, Macklin’s Cole Reschny could also be selected in the first thanks to his 25th overall ranking, but odds are greater that the Victoria Royals centre will be selected in the second round.
Reschny finished 10th in WHL scoring with 26 goals and 92 points in 62 games and has been even more dangerous in the postseason, where he’s currently fourth in scoring with seven goals and 20 points in only eight games
Joining McQueen and Reschny as ranked players from Saskatchewan are:
99. Dawson Gerwing (F, Meadow Lake, Swift Current Broncos / Kelowna Rockets) 58 GP 15G 13A 28P
113. Reese Hamilton (D, Regina, Calgary Hitmen / Regina Pats) 59 GP 4G 10A 14P
167. Joby Baumuller (F, Wilcox, Brandon Wheat Kings) 59 GP 18G 16A 34P
190. Kolten Bridgeman (D, Regina, Regina Pats) 63 GP 1G 6A 7P
203. Carsen Adair (D, Lethbridge Hurricanes) 66 GP 2G 7A 9P
Joining Lakovic as ranked players from Saskatchewan-based teams are:
39. Peyton Kettles (D, Swift Current Broncos, Winnipeg) 53 GP 5G 9A 14P
51. David Lewandowski (F, Saskatoon Blades, Germany) 52 GP 15G 24A 39P
93. Luke Mistelbacher (F, Swift Current Broncos, Steinbach, Man.) 67 GP 42G 51A 93P
111. Josh McGregor (D, Swift Current Broncos, Brandon) 63 GP 4G 12A 16P
162. Aiden Ziprick (D, Moose Jaw Warriors, Russell, Man.) 68 GP 12G 36A 48P
187. Hayden Harsanyi (F, Medicine Hat Tigers / Saskatoon Blades, Calgary) 37 GP 11G 12A 24P
191. Grayson Burzynski (D, Swift Current Broncos, Winnipeg) 62 GP 11G 36A 47P
213. Connor Schmidt (D, Moose Jaw Warriors, Sturgeon County, Alta.) 62 GP 11G 36A 47P
The 2025 National Hockey League Entry Draft will take place over two days at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, with the first round on Friday, June 27 and second round on Saturday, June. 28.
