Several Sarnia Sting could hear their names called at the NHL Entry Draft at the United Centre in Chicago this weekend.
Adam Ruzicka (37), Ryan McGregor (107), Drake Rymsha (118) and Sean Josling (203) have all made NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking for North American skaters.
Ruzicka, who scored 25 goals and totaled 46 points during his first season in the league, was a nominee for the OHL’s Rookie of the Year award.
Rymsha finished second on the Sting in scoring with 36 goals and 62 points. He scored 20 goals in 28 games with the Sting since joining the team from the Ottawa 67’s in January. Rymsha was eligible for the 2016 NHL draft, but was not picked after a leg injury kept him to just 32 games during the 2015-2016 season.
McGregor set career highs in goals (14) and points (27) during his sophomore season in Sarnia, he could potential hear his name during the late rounds on Saturday.
Josling had 11 goals and 21 points during his first OHL season, after the Sting signed him as a free agent during training camp. He went undrafted during his OHL draft year.
Brigden’s Kaden Fulcher is the 18th ranked North American goalie. He was traded from Sarnia to Hamilton at the 2016 trade deadline, in exchange for Charlie Graham.
Evan Barratt, son of Sting Assistant Coach Jeff Barratt, is ranked 65th. He spent last year with USA Hockey’s National Development Program, he is set to attend Penn State in the fall.
Matthew Kellenberger, Sarnia’s seventh round pick in the 2015 OHL draft, is the 74th ranked North American skater. The defenceman had ten goals and 28 points in 51 games with the Oakville Blades of the OJHL. He is committed to play at Princeton University for the 2018-2019 season.
Former Sting first rounder Sasha Chmelevski is ranked 43rd.
NHL Central scouting ranked Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings as the top North American skater heading into the weekend, narrowly edging out Nico Hischier of the Halifax Mooseheads. The New Jersey Devils have the first overall pick, followed by the Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalance and Vancouver Canucks to round out the top five.
The first round the the NHL Entry Draft gets underway at 7pm Friday night. Rounds two through seven will take place Saturday, beginning at 10am.
