Four Alberta Junior Hockey League players and three alumni have been included in the NHL Central Scouting Players to Watch List for November 2014. The list highlights 400 prospects eligible for the 2015 NHL Entry Draft on June 26 & 27, 2015 in Florida.
Identified on the list was rookie forward Adam Berg (Calgary Mustangs), forward Tyler Busch (Spruce Grove Saints), forward Rhett Gardner (Okotoks Oilers) and defenceman James Vermeulen (Whitecourt Wolverines). Of the four AJHL players listed, only Saints forward Tyler Busch was included in the original list released in September 2014.
AJHL alumni recognized in today’s announcement are Tanner MacMaster (Camrose Kodiaks), Nicholas Jones (Sherwood Park Crusaders) and Cameron Hughes (Spruce Grove Saints).
Players are identified with an A, B, C or LV rating. A indicates a 1st round candidate, while B indicates a 2nd/3rd round candidate and C indicates a 4th-6th round candidate. LV represents limited viewing. The CJHL had sixteen players identified and all were ranked with a C rating as were the AJHL alumni.
Spruce Grove Saints defenceman Brandon Hickey and Olds Grizzlys defenceman Nikolas Koberstein were drafted in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Hickey was selected in the 3rd Round (64th overall) by the Calgary Flames, and the Montreal Canadiens selected Koberstein in the 5th Round (125th overall). A total of 83 players have been drafted directly out of the Alberta Junior Hockey League in its 51 year history.