Five Abbotsford hockey talents have cracked the NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings, which were released on Wednesday (Jan. 13).
The list evaluates the top draft eligible North American skaters, and Abbotsford’s Brayden Schuurman (58th), Mikey Milne (80th), Grayden Siepmann (139th), Graham Sward (148th) and Tyson Dyck (191st).
The 2022 NHL draft is scheduled for July 7 and 8 in Montreal.
Schuurman, a centre, is having an excellent offensive season with the Western Hockey League’s Victoria Royals, and has scored 17 goals and nine assists in 30 games. He sits in the top-15 in the WHL in goals. He also earned WHL player of the week honours in October.
RELATED: Abbotsford’s Brayden Schuurman wins WHL player of the week
It’s the second full WHL season for Schuurman, who turns 18 on Feb. 22.
Schuurman was a fourth round (69th overall) selection of the Royals in the 2019 WHL Draft. Prior to his time in the WHL, he racked up impressive offensive numbers with the Abbotsford’s Yale Hockey Academy, scoring 49 points in 53 games with the U15 team and 40 points in 34 games with the U18 team in 2019-20.
Hey Brayden Schuurman!
— The WHL (@TheWHL) December 18, 2021
Would you like some ≋s≋a≋u≋c≋e≋ with your overtime winner?@victoriaroyals pic.twitter.com/RPyrKqzDRM
Milne, a left winger, is scoring at a torrid pace for the WHL’s Winnipeg Ice, and has scored 23 goals and 47 points in 34 games. He currently sits in third for league scoring.
He was draft eligible last year, and was ranked 162nd amongst all North American skaters prior to the 2021 NHL draft, but was ultimately not chosen. He’s in his fourth year with the Winnipeg/Kootenay Ice.
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Milne played minor hockey in Abbotsford before moving on to the YHA for his U15 year. He then played for the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds and was chosen by the Ice in the eighth round, 155th overall in the 2017 bantam draft.
Mikey Milne's been watching @CanadaSoccerEN 🥾⚽@WHLWpgICE pic.twitter.com/CMV7GYhmZ1
— The WHL (@TheWHL) November 20, 2021
Siepmann, a defenceman, has collected eight points in 29 games this season with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen. It’s his second full season with the club. He was chosen in the first round, 13th overall by Calgary in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft. He turns 18 on May 26.
Siepmann was a big point producer for YHA, scoring 33 points in 59 games as a U15 and 22 points in 35 games as a U18. Both Siepmann and Schuurman were 2019 Canadian Secondary School Hockey League champions with YHA as U15s.
Sward, a defenceman, has had a breakthrough offensive season with the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs and has scored 24 points in 29 games. It’s his third season with the Chiefs, and in his previous 66 games he had scored 18 points.
Similar to Milne, Sward was draft eligible in 2021 and was ranked 117th prior to the NHL draft but he was not chosen.
Sward was chosen in the first round, 15th overall of the 2018 bantam draft by the Chiefs. He is also a product of the YHA and spent time with the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds program.
He made headlines last month by hosting a blood drive event at Tradex with fellow Abbotsford hockey player Jake Chiasson.
RELATED: Abbotsford hockey players hosting blood drive event
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!?!!
— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) December 5, 2021
Graham Sward with the game winner in OT!#GoChiefsGo pic.twitter.com/zQFmJuLJ7z
Dyck, a forward, was one of seven skaters from the British Columbia Hockey League to make the list. He’s having a spectacular offensive season with the Cranbrook Bucks, with 37 points in 29 games and he ranks sixth in league scoring. He was also invited to the BCHL’s all star game.
He played his minor hockey in Abbotsford and went on to play with the Burnaby Winter Club program and put up impressive numbers during his time there. He joined the Bucks as a 16-year-old for their expansion season in 2020-21 and put up five points in six games. However, that season was cut short due to a collarbone injury.
The Bucks sit in fifth place in the BCHL’s Interior Conference with a record of 16-11-2-0. Dyck is aiming to achieve a scholarship to an NCAA Division I program, with the BCHL website speculating that announcement could be coming soon.
RELATED: Bucks F Tyson Dyck lands on NHL Central Scouting rankings