NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING 2017 DRAFT PREVIEW
Patrick Leads Four Manitobans in First Round of
Central Scouting ’ s 2017 Draft List
There are NHL scouts who watch the Western Hockey League and most of them had agreed on one thing long ago : The 2017 NHL draft is going to be the Nolan Patrick Draft . The Brandon Wheat Kings big , gifted centreman from Winnipeg has been injured most of this season , but when he ’ s played , he ’ s usually been the best player on the ice . In June , don ’ t be surprised to hear Nolan Patrick ’ s name first overall .
By Johnston Hall Photos by Jeff Miller , Rik Fedyck and Bruce Fedyck
NOLAN PATRICK
BRANDON , MB . -- Despite a season marred by a long-term injury , Winnipegger Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings is still the NHL Central Scouting Bureau ’ s No . 1 choice among North American skaters .
NHL Central Scouting released its mid-season draft rankings on Wednesday . As always , the list is split up into four categories : skaters playing in North America , skaters playing in Europe , goalies playing in North America and goalies playing in Europe . Patrick , the favourite to be selected first overall at the 2017 NHL Draft , retained his spot atop the North American rankings despite missing all but 11 games due to injury this season . However , in those 11 games with the Wheat Kings , Patrick has eight goals and 17 points . The Wheaties ’ centre , who is in his third season in the WHL , is 6-foot-3 , 215 pounds . He scored 41 goals and 102 points in 72 games last season in Brandon to help lead the Wheat Kings to the WHL championship . He was named WHL playoff MVP . “ It ’ s Patrick ’ s spot to lose at this point ,” one NHL head scout told TSN , “ but this is a much different draft class than the last two .” Meanwhile , in an incredible move , Winnipeg ’ s Cody Glass of the Portland Winter Hawks moved from a C rating in August to an A rating in November and also jumped from 20th in November to 90 GAME ON 2016 - 17 ROSTER DEADLINE EDITION