Connor Bedard of the Regina Pats played against the Kelowna Rockets at Prospera Place on Nov. 30, 2022.

(DAN WALTON / iNFOnews.ca)

With numerous players from the WHL and BCHL making the cut for 2023 NHL draft prospect rankings, hockey fans in Kamloops and the Okanagan are enjoying some promising talent this season.

The NHL’s midterm rankings were released this week. Claiming the top spot among North American skaters was Regina Pat forward Connor Bedard.

The highest ranking players in the B.C. Interior came from the Kelowna Rockets – forward Andrew Cristall's name can be found at 16. Rocket defenseman Caden Price Kelowna is listed at 30. And Kamloops Blazers forward Connor Levis is at 60.

Seattle Thunderbirds defenseman Sawyer Mynio, whose hometown is Kamloops, is 111.

And on the North American goalie rankings, Kamloops Blazer Dylan Ernst is number 15.

“Overall, 20 of 22 WHL Clubs are represented in the midterm rankings,” according to a WHL media release.

READ MORE: Four Kamloops Blazers picked up in 2022 NHL entry draft

From the BCHL, Penticton Vees forward Bradly Nadeau is ranked 19.

"Nadeau has continuously raised his draft stock this year, piling up the points night after night," according to a release from the BCHL. "He started the year on a 17-game point streak and currently leads the BCHL in scoring with 64 points in 33 games, including a league-best 27 goals."

Vees forward Aydar Suniev was listed 35.

"Suniev joined the Vees midseason in 2021-22 and took no time at all to get himself acclimated to the BCHL. He put up 20 points in 17 regular-season games down the stretch last year and picked up right where he left off in his sophomore season in the league."

And Vees defenseman Ryan Hopkins is number 196.

“In his second season in the league, Hopkins has taken a step forward with his offensive game. Despite putting up solid number in 2021-22 with 31 points in 47 games, he has almost already matched that this year with 25 points in 20 less games played.”

And former West Kelowna Warriors defenseman Charles-Alexis Legault is 199.

“Legault is in his freshman season at Quinnipiac where he has totalled a goal and five assists through 21 games,” the release says. “Last year, he played his lone season in the BCHL with the Warriors and put up 18 points in 36 regular-season games. He was even more impressive in the postseason where he averaged a point per game with two goals and nine assists in 11 contests.”

The 2023 NHL Entry Draft takes place in Nashville, Tennessee on June 28 and 29. 

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