With the second round of the WHL Playoffs getting underway Thursday, a pair of Red Deer Rebels found their names on the NHL Central Scouting final rankings ahead of the 2022 NHL Draft.
Defenceman Jace Weir was ranked 56th among North American skaters, while Ben King was ranked 96th. Weir, a six-foot-two, 183-pound blueliner was ranked 55th in the midterm rankings. King, 19, wasn’t listed in the rankings in January.
Rebels forward Kai Uchacz and goalie Chase Coward were also ranked in the midterm, but not in the final rankings.
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King set a blistering pace in the second half of the WHL season. The six-foot-three product of Vernon B.C. scored 52 goals in 68 games to lead the WHL. He also had 24 power-play goals to lead the league in the regular season and 15 game-winning goals, which neared a league record set more than 30 years ago.
In six games through the first found of the WHL Playoffs, King had four goals and eight points.
In his WHL rookie season, Weir, 17, played significant minutes for the Rebels, posting five goals and 20 assists through 64 games. He also contributed on the power play, with nine assists and one goal.
Olds product Charlie Wright, who plays for the Saskatoon Blades also made the list, at 142. Wright, 18, is a six-foot, 175-pound defenceman who posted 19 points in 58 games this past season.
The NHL Draft will be held on July 7 and 8 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.