Three Manitobans projected as first-round NHL Draft picks by NHL Central Scouting

NHL Central Scouting released its final rankings on Thursday and three Manitobans have cracked the top 32 ahead of the upcoming NHL Draft.

Leading the way is Connor Geekie, from Straithclair, Man. The six-foot-four forward ranks fifth, one spot behind his Winnipeg Ice teammate, Matthew Savoie.

Geekie finished fourth in team scoring, averaging just north of a point per game, with 24 goals and 46 assists through 63 games. He notched two goals and three assists in the first round of the WHL Playoffs, with the Ice eliminating the Prince Albert Raiders in five games.

Savoie led the Ice in regular season scoring with 90 points (35 goals, 55 assists) and has a goal and two assists so far in the WHL Playoffs.

The Ice forwards are the top ranked WHL players on the final rankings.

Also on the list at 14 is Dominion City’s Denton Mateychuk. The smooth-skating defenceman had 13 goals and 51 assists in the regular season, finishing third in team scoring for the Moose Jaw Warriors.

Mateychuk leads the Warriors in scoring through one round of the WHL Playoffs with a goal and seven assists through five games. Moose Jaw defeated the Saskatoon Blades in the first round and will face off against Winnipeg in round two, beginning Friday.

Right behind Mateychuk at 15 is St. Adolphe’s Owen Pickering.

Pickering finished the regular season with nine goals and 24 assists giving him 33 points through 62 games for the Swift Current Broncos. The Broncos missed the playoffs finishing the season in 10th place.

Among other Manitobans cracking the final rankings is Pickering’s teammate Josh Filmon of Winnipeg at 38, Prince George Cougars defenceman Hudson Thornton of Winnipeg is ranked 109, and Vancouver Giants forward Justin Lies of Flin Flon ranked 210.

Winnipeg Ice forward Mikey Milne is also on the list, ranked 119.