THN's The Big Show- Would The NHL Return To Arizona? Now that the NHL has released their Central Scouting midterm rankings, it's time for one of my personal favourite parts of the season: Shining a light on some players that may not be getting the discussion they deserve. Every player on this list is on the CS board, and not a ranking; simply a collection of prospects. David Lewandowski (#52- Saskatoon Blades) I have been beating this drum since August when Lewandowski showed up at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and he deserves a revisit from the last time I did something like this. While this Blades forward may not score 40 goals in a season, he's got a sneaky good shot. With that said, Lewandowski's bread and butter will more than likely come from playing the middle six and acting as a checker/playmaker. Come June, a team will be quite happy with selecting the German import. Dominik Pavlik (#8, Intl. Skaters- Moose Jaw Warriors) Despite not having played a game since late November, Pavlik does have some upside. Yet to make his WHL debut, the Czech forward recorded eight points in 20 games in Finland's Under-20 league. Standing in at six-foot-one, Pavlik uses his frame- getting involved in the play, making space for teammates, and (for lack of better phrasing) driving the f*** forward. Warriors fans should be excited for his arrival, as he'll be an important piece moving forward. Ethan MacKenzie (#163- Edmonton Oil Kings) The lone player on this list that was eligible for the 2024 draft, MacKenzie missed two-thirds of the 2023-24 season due to injury. Since his return, the Oil Kings blueliner has been a completely different player- in the best way possible. MacKenzie has added to his game significantly, boasting a much more confident shot while getting even more physical and improving the skating Edmonton fans had come to appreciate. Did I mention he's also currently shattering his career best in points? The 18-year-old currently has 21 points in 37 games. Radim Mrtka (#6- Seattle Thunderbirds) Yes, ranking in the top 10 isn't necessarily "underrated" but Mrtka deserves his flowers since coming over to North America. Easily one of, if not the best Czech defender at the 2024 Hlinka, and almost immediately becoming a top D-man on a Thunderbirds squad who find themselves at the bottom of the Western Conference. The young defender sits at 16 points through 17 WHL games, and shows no signs of slowing down (and who can blame him, at six-foot-six he's more akin to a runaway train). Will Sharpe (#165- Kelowna Rockets) Sharpe's name saw an uptick in the last couple of weeks when he was the main piece sent to the Rockets in exchange for Caden Price, and Kelowna is already seeing early returns on their investment. As of the release of this article, the ex-Lethbridge Hurricane is on a five-game point streak where he's racked up one goal and six assists, three of those points coming in his first two games with the Rockets. Sharpe is a mobile, offensive defenseman who could realistically see even more progression as his WHL career moves along.
