Three Kelowna Rockets are on the radar for this summer’s NHL Entry Draft at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
Forward Kyle Topping, defenceman Libor Zabransky and forward Leif Mattson all made NHL’s Central Scouting’s final list of North American skaters in advance of the draft on June 22 and 23.
The 18-year-old Topping is ranked 59th overall. In 125 career regular season games with the Rockets, the Salt Spring Island native has recorded 36 goals and 94 points. This past season, Topping had 22 goals and 65 points, placing him fifth on the Rockets in both categories.
Zabransky, 17, is ranked 115th among skaters playing in North America. The Brno, Czech Republic native was one of two players on the Rockets roster to play all 72 regular season games.The smooth-skating defenceman notched two goals and added 17 assists for 19 points in his rookie season in the WHL. Zabransky selected 51st overall by the Rockets in the 2017 CHL Import Draft.
Mattson, 18, is rated 157th by Central Scouting. The Stonewall, MB native has played in 109 regular season games for Kelowna scoring 34 goals and 40 assists for 74 points. Playing in 63 games in the 2017-18 season, his 25 goals were fourth most on the Rockets roster. Mattson was acquired from the Brandon Wheat Kings in October 2016.
