By Ethan Ready, Files from PG Cougars

American Draft

Cougars select Crowder and Plaga in WHL U.S. Priority Draft

May 18, 2022 | 12:17 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The Prince George Cougars selected a pair of forwards in the 2022 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Wednesday morning.

In the first round, 16^th overall, the Cougars selected forward Jackson Crowder from the Dallas Stars Elite 14U AAA. In the second round, 29^th overall, Prince George picked forward Christian Plaga from the LA Jr. Kings 14U AAA.

The WHL U.S. Priority Draft is comprised of two rounds. Players eligible for the 2022 WHL U.S. Priority Draft are 2007-born players, who are eligible to play in the WHL starting in the 2023-24 season.

Crowder is from Allen, TX and is listed at 5’11” and 150 pounds. No statistics are available for Crowder’s 2021-22 season. However, at the 2022 USA Hockey National Championship in Chicago, IL, Crowder led his team in scoring with seven points (3G-4A) in four games, as he helped the Stars to a top-eight finish at the 14U level.

Plaga is a Manhattan Beach, CA product and checks in at 5’9” and 145 pounds. Plaga was sixth in team scoring on the LA Jr. Kings 14U as he had 36 points (20G-16A) in 41 games. In the 2019-20 season, Plaga played with the Jr. Kings program at the prestigious Quebec International Pee-Wee Tournament.

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Players drafted in the WHL U.S. Priority Draft reside in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Tomorrow at 9:00 am PST is the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft. The Cougars hold the ninth overall selection.