Guelph Storm’s Matthew Poitras Among OHL Players To Watch: NHL Central Scouting – Guelph | The Canadian News

Six Guelph Storm players have been named to NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary watch list for the 2021-22 season.

Most notable is forward Matthew Poitras, who has been given an A rating, indicating he is a possible first-round pick in the 2022 NHL draft next summer.

Poitras was the twelfth general election of the 2020 OHL priority selection of the Whitby Wildcats U16 program. The 17-year-old center has four points in his first four OHL games.

The only other Ontario Hockey League player to receive an A rating is the Kingston Frontenacs’ Shane Wright, who is expected to be first overall in next year’s NHL draft.

Storm defender Michael Buchinger and forwards Jake Karabela and Danny Zhilkin received a B grade as second- or third-round draft candidates.

Forward Braeden Bowman and goalkeeper Jake Oster received a grade of C, indicating a late selection.

The list includes 45 OHL forwards, 16 defenders and five goalkeepers.

OHL’s 20 member teams were represented on the list led by the London Knights with eight players included. Guelph Storm and Sudbury Wolves trailed with six players respectively, while Niagara IceDogs and North Bay Battalion had five each.