Three Kelowna Rockets have their eyes set on the 2023 NHL Draft.
In the NHL Central Scouting final rankings of the season, Rockets forwards Andrew Cristall and Gabriel Szturc as well as defenceman Caden Price all cracked the list of the top North American skaters.
Cristall, the Rockets leading scorer from this past season, is 15th on the list of 252 North American skaters, moving up one spot on the list from the midterm rankings. He finished the season with 95 points (39 goals, 56 assists) in 54 games.
Price went down 17 spots, to being the ranked 47th in North America, 13th among defenceman. In 65 games this season, Price collected 40 points, five goals and 35 assists, leading Rockets defenceman.
Both Cristall and Price will be putting on the red and white later this week as they’ve representing Hockey Canada at the U18 World Hockey Championships in Switzerland. Cristall has also recently been named an assistant captain for the team.
Rockets captain Gabriel Szturc is ranked 220th among North American skaters, after a 79 point season. In 56 games, he scored 24 goals and added 55 assists and won a silver medal with Czechia at the 2023 World Junior Hockey Championships. He was previously 181st in the midterms.
Szturc is not on Czechia’s roster for the U18 championships.
All three players expected to be selections at the 2023 NHL Draft, taking place in Nashville on June 28 and 29.
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