Carson Carels is ranked third among all North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting's mid-term rankings. (Image Credit: Prince George Cougars)

By Victor Kaisar

NHL Central Scouting

Carels leads all CHLers as six Cougars crack 2026 NHL Central Scouting mid-term rankings

Jan 17, 2026 | 1:21 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — Six Prince George Cougars skaters have earned spots on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.

The Cougars contingent is led by defenceman Carson Carels, who is ranked third among North American Skaters. He trails former WHLers Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat, now Penn State) and Keaton Verhoeff (Victoria, now North Dakota).

Carels has nine goals and 36 points in 33 games this season. He also won a bronze medal at the 2026 World Juniors, and represented Team CHL at the CHL/USA Top Prospects Challenge in November.

The native of Cypress River, Man. is expected to make it three straight years where a Cougar has been taken in the first round of the NHL Draft. Goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen was picked 30th overall by the San Jose Sharks last June, while forward Terik Parascak was taken 17th overall by the Washington Capitals in 2024.

Kayden Lemire is the first Cougars forward on this list, and he comes in ranked 64th. The Edmontonian has eight goals and 21 points in 42 games in his sophomore WHL season.

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Russian forward Dmitri Yakutsenak checks in at number 148. The rookie has 16 goals and 34 points in 40 games in his first season in North America.

Nineteen-year-old Brock Souch is ranked 166th. He’s also from Edmonton and he’s tallied 14 goals and 46 points in 42 games in his first season in the WHL.

American defenceman Phoenix Cahill is ranked 192nd among North American skaters. The Cottage Grove, Minn. native has two assists in 36 games as a stay-at-home blueliner.

And finally Russian blueliner Arsenii Anisimov then rounds out the list at 198th. The second year defenceman has four goals and 30 points in 42 games this season.

The Cougars snapped a seven game losing streak with a 7-6 overtime win over the Kamloops Blazers Friday (Jan. 16) night. Four of six players ranked were on the scoresheet led by Anisimov (one goal, two assists), Yakutsenak (goal and assist), Carels (two assists), and Lemire (one assist).

The Cougars wrap up the weekend in Kelowna as they face the Memorial Cup host Rockets at Prospera Place at 6:05 p.m. Saturday.

Editors note: A previous version of this story incorrectly listed Kayden Lemire as a defenceman and Arsenii Anisimov as a forward.