NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings features five Cougars

Jan 12, 2022 | 11:39 AM

PRINCE GEORGE – Five Prince George Cougars have been named to NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings ahead of the 2022 NHL Draft.

Goaltender Tyler Brennan is the top-ranked North American Goaltender. His partner, Ty Young, is the 21^st ranked North American netminder. Defencemen Viliam Kmec (92^nd), Keaton Dowhaniuk (136^th), and Hudson Thornton (211^th) were ranked among North American Skaters.

Brennan, from Winnipeg, Man., has appeared in 17 games this season, and posted a 5-11-0-1 record, with a 3.55 goals-against average and .896 save percentage. He also has two shutouts. In 37 career regular-season games, Brennan has recorded an 11-18-2-2 record, with a 3.30 GAA and .897 SV%. He has three career shutouts. Brennan was listed as a ‘B’ ranked prospect in NHL Central Scouting’s November rankings.

Young has split this season between the Cougars and the Calgary Canucks in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The product of Coaldale, Atla., has played in five games with the Cougars, and has posted a 1-1-1-0 record, with a 4.06 GAA and .868 SV%. Young earned his first career WHL win on December 15^th against the Vancouver Giants. He also appeared in 17 games in the AJHL with the Canucks, and has compiled a 4-10-3 record, with a 3.38 GAA and .918 SV%.

Kmec, who hails from Košice, SVK, has 13 points (2-11-13) in 27 games this season. Kmec is ranked third in rookie scoring among defencemen in the WHL. The blue-liner represented Slovakia at the 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship in Alberta last month. Kmec played in a pair of games before the tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns. Kmec has four points (1 goal, 3 assists) in his last eight games. He was ranked a ‘C’ prospect by NHL Central Scouting in November.

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Dowhaniuk, from Sherwood Park, Atla., has eight points (eight assists) in 30 games this season and has already matched his career-high in points from last season. In December, Dowhaniuk had seven points in 11 games, and he has four points (four assists) in his last five games. Dowhaniuk was ranked a ‘C’ prospect in November’s rankings.

Thornton has had an impressive rookie campaign in the WHL. The Winnipeg, Man., product is the Cougars’ second-highest scoring defenceman with 20 points (7 goals. 13 assists) in 32 games. Thornton ranks second in rookie scoring among defencemen in the WHL. His plus-four rating is tied for the top plus/minus on the Cougars. Last month, Thornton compiled seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) in 12 games.

In all, 53 players from the WHL were named to NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings. The 2022 NHL Draft is scheduled from July 7-8, in Montreal, Que.

In its 47th year of operation, NHL Central Scouting provides evaluation and scouting of draft-eligible players to NHL member clubs. Headed by Director of Central Scouting Dan Marr, NHL Central Scouting employs eight full-time scouts throughout North America.

by Ethan Ready

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NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings features five Cougars

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