MONTREAL, PQ – Okotoks Oilers forward Rieger Lorenz (Calgary, AB) has been selected 56th overall in the 2nd round of the 2022 National Hockey League Entry Draft by the Minnesota Wild, becoming the tenth Oiler alumnus to be drafted into the NHL.
Coming on the heels of his being named Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) Top Rookie, and Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) Rookie of the Year, the selection caps off a year of continued improvement for Lorenz, who went from an initial “B” rating from NHL Central Scouting to being ranked #17 among North American skaters in the final rankings prior to the draft.
His season with Okotoks was the franchise’s best-ever for a rookie, as he notched the fifth-highest point total in the league with 85 (38 goals, 47 assists) in 60 games. He added 11 points (2 goals, 9 assists) in 14 playoff games as the Oilers reached the AJHL South Final, and subsequently scored 4 assists in 4 games as he represented Team Canada at the IIHF World U18 Hockey Championship.
In addition to national and league Top Rookie honours, he was also named to the AJHL’s All-Rookie and All-League teams.
The 6’2″, 194lb 18-year old was recruited to the Oilers for the shortened 2020-21 season after a marquee year with the Edge School in Calgary, in which he scored 72 points (37 goals, 35 assists) in just 35 games, ranking fourth in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) under-18 division, while affiliating with the Oilers. Subsequently, he played seven regular season games in the Oilers’ condensed campaign, registering three points.
VIDEO: The moment Rieger Lorenz became the latest Okotoks Oiler drafted into the NHL, selected by the Minnesota Wild 56th overall! #AJHL pic.twitter.com/7JemFZMNJD
– Okotoks Oilers (@OkotoksOilers) July 8, 2022
He is committed to attend and play for the University of Denver, beginning in the upcoming 2022-23 NCAA hockey season.
He joins a growing list of Okotoks Oiler alumni to hear their name called at the Entry Draft, a category in which the team leads all AJHL franchises in the last decade. They include:
• Brad Eidsness (Buffalo, 5th round 2007)
• Derek Rodwell (New Jersey, 5th round 2009)
• Corban Knight (Florida, 5th round 2009)
• Rhett Holland (Arizona, 4th round 2012)
• Rhett Gardner (Dallas, 4th round 2016)
• Austin Wong (Winnipeg, 7th round 2018)
• Jacob Bernard-Docker (Ottawa, 1st round 2018)
• Quinn Olson (Boston, 3rd round 2019)
• Dylan Holloway (Edmonton, 1st round 2020)
The Oilers congratulate Rieger and the Lorenz family on his historic achievement, and look forward to continuing to celebrate his progress in college hockey and the professional ranks.