NHL Central Scouting has published its initial Players to Watch list for the 2023-2024 season. 

This season, NHLCS has slotted players as “A,” “B,” “C,” or “W” prospects. An “A” rating indicates a potential first-round draft pick, while a “B” prospect could be taken in rounds two or three, and a “C” rated player could be selected in rounds four or five. The “W” rating, which appears to be new this year, marks a potential sixth or seventh-round draft pick. 

Minnesota’s representation among the rated players included zero “A” rated prospects and three “B” prospects. The players pegged as possible second or third-rounders included Hermantown native Max Plante, former Woodbury youth hockey and St. Thomas Academy defenseman Will Skahan, and Will Zellers, a Maple Grove native who skates for the Shattuck-St. Mary’s Prep team. Plante and Skahan are in their second seasons with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program. 

11 Minnesotans were listed as “C” prospects and another 10 as “W” prospects. Of those 21, Minnetonka leads the Minnesota high school ranks with four players listed: Hagen Burrows, Alex Lunski, Javon Moore, and John Stout.

Carson Pilgrim (Warroad) and Louis Wehmann (Providence Academy) are the lone Class A players rated in this year’s first (of many) lists. 

The complete list of rated Minnesotans is below.