MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM -- A season of success has resulted in a pair of Moose Jaw Warriors being ranked for the upcoming National Hockey League Entry Draft.
Goaltender Jackson Unger and forward Pavel McKenzie were both listed by the Central Scouting Bureau when the organization released their final rankings for the 2024 Draft, which will be held in Las Vegas on June 28 and 29.
Unger is listed 27th among North American goaltenders after putting together one of the busiest seasons for a Warriors netminder in recent history.
The 18-year-old Calgary native posted a 3.08 goals against average and .908 save percentage while racking up a CHL-best 35 wins this season. His 3,133 minutes played were second-best in the league, while Unger also had the third-most saves at 1,593 while recording three shutouts. Unger was ranked 18th in the midterm.
McKenzie, 18, played much of his rookie campaign on the Warriors’ top line, with the Cumberland House product scoring 15 goals and 36 points in 63 games while also showing a solid defensive presence in his own zone. McKenzie was 170th overall in the midterm rankings.
Given their presence deep on the final list, both will be a longshot to be selected on the second day.
No skater has been picked after being ranked 176th in recent years. Former Kelowna Rockets standout Alex Swetlikoff had that ranking in 2019 and has since carved out a career in the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights, while 176th ranked skater in 2018, Declan Carlile, was signed as a free agent by the Tampa Bay Lightning and played this season with the AHL Syracuse Crunch.
It’s a similar situation for 27th-ranked North American goaltenders, with Victor Ostman ranked there in 2020 after playing for NCAA Maine University and eventually being signed as a free agent by the Seattle Kraken.
Team Canada World Junior standout Macklin Celebrini is the top-ranked North American skater and the de facto selection for first overall in the 2024 Draft, while USHL Omaha’s Mikhail Yegorov is the top-ranked North American goaltender.
You can check out the complete lists on www.nhl.com.
