Kelowna Rockets Andrew Cristall, Penticton Vees Bradly Nadeau and Kamloops Blazers Dylan Ernst.
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April 22, 2023 - 3:30 PM
Some of the top-ranked hockey players from Kamloops and the Okanagan got the scouts’ attention for the upcoming NHL draft this year.
Kelowna Rockets forward Andrew Cristall is ranked 15th among North American skaters, bumping his name up one position from his midterm rank. He scored 95 points in 54 games this season.
Penticton Vees forward Bradly Nadeau moved up on the rankings from 19th to 17th. He led the BCHL in scoring this year with 113 points in 54 regular season games, and he’s currently leading the league in playoff points with 11 goals and 8 assists in 8 games.
Nadeau’s teammate Aydar Suniev is ranked 40th among North American skaters, and scored 90 points in 50 games this season.
The Vees recently swept the Wenatchee Wild in the second round of the BCHL playoffs and are waiting to find out who they’ll match up with in round three.
Kamloops Blazers forward Connor Levis, who scored 67 points in 68 games this season, is ranked 75th among North American skaters.
And Blazers goalie Dylan Ernst is ranked 26th among North American goalies. He played 53 games this season and posted a save percentage of 0.906.
The Blazers, who will be hosting the Memorial Cup at the end of the WHL playoffs, are about to take on Seattle Thunderbirds in the third round.
The 2023 NHL Entry Draft starts on June 28 in Nashville. The top ranked North American skater is Regina Pats forward Connor Bedard. The lottery to determine which team gets the chance to pick him first overall happens on May 8.
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