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Warriors Tracey vaults up NHL Central Scouting rankings

Tribe rookie ranked 21st overall, Moose Jaw product Newkirk at 81st

It turns out that tearing up the Western Hockey League as a rookie and finishing the regular season nearly 20 points ahead of your nearest rival in first-year scoring tends to attract attention from National Hockey League scouts.

Such is the case for Moose Jaw Warriors forward Brayden Tracey, who was listed 21st overall among North American skaters in the NHL Central Scouting final rankings released on Monday.

It marked a dramatic jump in the rankings for the soon-to-turn 18 product of Calgary, who vaulted 52 spots from 73rd after scoring 36 goals and 81 points while playing on the highest scoring line in the Canadian Hockey League alongside Tristin Langan and Justin Almeida.

What that translates into during the Draft June 21-22 in Vancouver is yet to be seen, but precedent indicates an early second round pick – the 21st ranked skater in 2018, Mattias Samuelsson, ended up going to the Buffalo Sabres as the first pick in the second round, 32nd overall.

Tracey isn’t the only player of interest to Moose Jaw hockey fans listed, as Reece Newkirk of the Portland Winterhawks came in at 81st overall. The 18-year-old Moose Jaw Minor Hockey product scored 23 goals and 59 points in 68 games this season, his second with the Winterhawks.

While the 81st ranked player in the 2018 Draft, Vladislav Kotkov, went undrafted, the 80th overall, Riley Sutter, was selected in the third round 93rd overall and the 82nd ranked player, Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, vaulted up to third round 76th overall.

Former Warrior and current Brandon Wheat King standout Luka Burzan returned to the Central Scouting rankings at 126th overall.

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