A trio of 91大黄鸭 Rockets are on the radar for the NHL Entry Draft this weekend at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
Forwards Kyle Topping and Leif Mattson, along with defenceman Libor Zabransky, were all cited in NHL Central Scouting ranking of North American skaters in mid-April.
Ahead of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft Topping, Zabransky, and Mattson were listed on NHL Central Scouting鈥檚 final rankings of North American skaters in mid-April. The Draft starts tomorrow. Details: 馃殌馃悏馃崟馃嚚馃嚳馃崈
鈥� 91大黄鸭 Rockets (@91大黄鸭_Rockets)
Here鈥檚 a look at the three Rockets players:
Topping, 18, concluded his second full campaign with the Rockets this season. Topping is ranked 59th on the NHL Central Scouting鈥檚 final rankings of North American skaters.
Heading into the NHL Entry Draft this weekend, Topping says he鈥檚 eager to get it started.
鈥淚 have an open mindset, 鈥� Topping said. 鈥淵ou never know what can happen on draft day. It鈥檚 definitely super exciting and I can鈥檛 wait for the weekend. Most likely I鈥檓 just going to spend the day with my family and see what happens,鈥� said Topping. 鈥淚鈥檓 already getting excited and anxious for next season in 91大黄鸭 to start. I think were going to have a really strong group of talented and great guys that will do what ever it takes to win. As for myself I am wanting to come into my 3rd year and play a leadership role for our group, as well as take another step forward and be a key player for our team.鈥�
In 125 regular season WHL games, the Salt Spring Island native has notched 36 goals while adding 58 assists for 94 points. He scored 22 goals this season placing him fifth on the Rockets in goal scoring. Topping finished the season with 65 points putting him fifth in points on the Rockets roster.
The speedy forward has also added two goals and four assists for six points in 19 playoff games in his WHL career thus far, including two goals and three assists for five points in four post season games in the 2018 WHL Playoffs.
Topping was selected by 91大黄鸭 in the 11th round, 226th overall in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft.
Zabransky, 18, completed his WHL rookie campaign this season with 91大黄鸭. The import defenceman is ranked 115th on NHL Central Scouting鈥檚 final rankings. He was selected 51st overall by the Rockets in the 2017 CHL Import Draft from the Czech Republic. In his first year with 91大黄鸭, the Brno, Czech Republic native was one of only two Rockets players on the roster this season to play all 72 regular season games.
The smooth-skating defenceman scored two goals and 17 assists for 19 points in his first season. In 2016-2017 Zabransky played 34 games for HC Kometa Brno U20 scoring nine goals and adding 26 assists for 35 points. He also skated in 15 games for HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga, notching an assist.
Zabransky is anxious to get this weekend and the NHL Entry Draft started.
鈥淚m super excited and also nervous because you never know what the NHL teams want,鈥� said Zabransky. 鈥淚 will be with my family and trying to enjoy the day.鈥�
Since the postseason ended, Zabransky has been in Brno, Czech Republic training with a professional team in hopes on expanding his role in 91大黄鸭 next season.
鈥淚鈥檓 training with a Pro team in Brno, so it鈥檚 good for me to be able to workout with the older guys. Next season it will be my second year in 91大黄鸭. A lot of defencemen are leaving so I hope my role will be bigger,鈥� Zabransky said. 鈥淎lso I know my billets, coaches, the city, and my teammates so I think it will be more fun for me and I can鈥檛 wait to be back.鈥�
Mattson, 18, finished his second season with the Rockets this year. The Stonewall, MB native is ranked 157th among North American skaters on the NHL Central Scouting鈥檚 final rankings. In 63 games this season Mattson scored 25 goals, fourth most on the Rockets roster behind only Carsen Twarynski(45), Kole Lind(39), and Dillon Dube(38). His 60 points placed him sixth in team scoring at the end of the regular season. Mattson was originally selected in the eighth round, 163rd overall, by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft.
The Rockets acquired Mattson鈥檚 right in October of 2016 from the Wheat Kings. In his rookie campaign with 91大黄鸭 he scored nine goals and added five assists for 14 points in 46 games. The 6-foot, 200-pound forward has played in 109 regular season games for 91大黄鸭, scoring 34 goals and 40 assists for 74 points. The 1999-born Rockets forward is trying not to over think the NHL Entry Draft.
鈥淕oing into the draft this weekend I would be extremely grateful to be selected. However, if I鈥檓 not, it鈥檚 not the end of the world. My main focus is improving my game this summer in order to ensure I have a very strong year in 91大黄鸭 this coming season,鈥� said Mattson. 鈥淚鈥檓 super excited to get back to 91大黄鸭 this August because my expectations for myself and the rest of the team are extremely high. I believe we have a strong core group of guys coming back that will allow us to contend again this year, and have a deep playoff run.鈥�
The first round of the NHL draft goes Friday night in Dallas, with the second and all following rounds to be held on Sunday.
To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.
<>
newstips@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .
