NHL Central Scouting has released its final rankings ahead of the 2025 NHL draft, which includes three members of the Western Hockey Leaguesa国际传媒 sa国际传媒 Rockets.
Forward Hayden Paupanekis is ranked 38th amongst North American skaters while defenceman Will Sharpe is 76th and Dawson Gerwing is 99th.
The list features the top 224 skaters and 32 goaltenders in North America as well as the top 140 skaters and 15 goaltenders internationally.
Paupanekis was acquired by the Rockets in a midseason trade with the Spokane Chiefs.
In 71 games between the two clubs, he finished with 22 goals and 21 assists for 43 points. He ranked second on the Rockets in goals and third on the team in points.
He was named the clubsa国际传媒 top defensive forward after winning the Hollis Pearce Award. Paupanekis took over 1,200 faceoffs this season, winning close to 50 per cent of those draws. He ranks first on the team in faceoff attempts with 1,235 and first in faceoffs won.
His faceoff percentage of 49.7 per cent also ranks first amongst forwards who attempted over 600 faceoffs over the course of the season.
Sharpe was acquired from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in January. He suited up in 66 games, scoring nine goals and adding 35 assists for 44 points. His 35 assists ranked first on the team while he sat third in total points behind Jakub Stancl and Hayden Paupanekis.
Gerwing split the season between Swift Current and sa国际传媒, playing 58 games between the two teams after being acquired ahead of Januarysa国际传媒 trade deadline. In these games, the 18-year-old registered 15 goals and 13 assists to go along with 98 penalty minutes.
Meanwhile, Max Heise of the Penticton Vees is ranked 209th of North American skaters.
Heise, is in his second year of draft eligibility, led the Vees in goals (27) and was second fourth in points (40) in the regular season. The 19-year-old finished fourth in the BCHL in power play goals with 11. His playoff output after four games is fourth overall in the BCHL.
Former Vee Francesco Dell鈥橢lce, now with the University of Massachusetts, is ranked 82nd among North American skaters.
The 2025 NHL Draft will be held in Los Angeles on Jun. 27-28, taking place at the L.A. Livesa国际传媒 Peacock Theater.
In other sa国际传媒 Rockets offseason news, Nashville Predators re-assigned forward Hiroki Gojsic to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.
Gojsic finished his second season with the Rockets, compiling 20 goals and 37 points in 61 games, good for fifth on the Rockets in scoring. Gojsic was named the Rockets Rookie of the Year a season ago when he finished the campaign with 21 goals and 29 assists. Over his WHL career thus far, 18-year-old has suited up in 129 games with the Rockets, scoring 41 goals and tallying 87 assists.
The 2006-born forward will not be eligible to play in the AHL full-time next season, he must either make Nashvillesa国际传媒 NHL squad or be returned to the Rockets for their Memorial Cup season.
