A trio of Abbotsford hockey talents have made the National Hockey League’s Central Scouting players to watch list.
The list, released on Friday, ranks the top draft eligible players on the planet.
Abbotsford’s Jake Chiasson, Michael Milne and Graham Sward were both graded as C prospects, indicating they are currently projected to be chosen anywhere from the fourth to sixth round of the 2021 NHL draft. That event is set to occur on July 23 and 24.
Chiasson put up impressive numbers during his three seasons with Abbotsford’s Yale Hockey Academy, before being selected by the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings in the first round, 15th overall of the 2018 bantam draft.
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The right winger put up 15 points in 60 games with Brandon in 2019-20. He hasn’t had a chance to return to the ice this season, as the WHL has not returned to action yet due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league did announce plans for a 24-game season earlier this month.
Milne played minor hockey in Abbotsford before moving on to the Yale Hockey Academy for his U15 year. He then played for the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds and was chosen by the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League in the eighth round, 155th overall in the 2017 bantam draft.
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He collected seven points in 40 games with the Ice in 2018-19, and then scored 33 points with the Ice (who moved to Winnipeg) in 2019-20.
Sward, a defenceman, is also a Yale and Thunderbirds product. He was chosen in the first round, 17th overall by the Spokane Chiefs in 2018 bantam draft
He collected 17 points in 55 games with the Chiefs in the 2019-20 season and was also a member of Team Canada White at the U17 World Hockey Championships last year. Sward was also recently recognized as an invitee Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 team selection camp. That event, which was scheduled for last April, was cancelled due to the pandemic.
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For the complete list, visit cms.nhl.bamgrid.com/images/assets/binary/320582316/binary-file/file.pdf.