The Prince George Cougars’ success on the ice last season has translated into a double-figure list of players from the 2023-24 squad now trying out for NHL teams.
Ten Cougars from the WHL Western Conference regular season champions are at NHL development camps that started on Monday.
That group includes the three Cougars chosen last weekend in the NHL draft – winger Terik Parascak (picked in the first round, 17th overall by the Washington Capitals), winger Ondrej Becher (third round, 80th overall, Detroit Red Wings) and Hunter Laing (sixth round, 170th overall, Calgary Flames).
Also sporting NHL uniforms this week are centre Riley Heidt (second round, 64th overall, 2023, Minnesota Wild), goalie Ty Young (fifth round, 144th, 2023, Vancouver Canucks), and winger Koehn Ziemmer (third round, 78th 78th overall, 2023, Los Angeles Kings).
Two Cougars are at the Washington Capitals’ camp – centre Zac Funk, the team scoring leader who signed a three-year free agent contract in March, and defenceman Hudson Thornton, the Cats’ captain who signed an amateur tryout contract April with the Hershey Bears, Washington’s AHL affiliate.
Winger Borya Valis will join Becher in Detroit after being invited to their camp, while defenceman Villiam Kmec is in Las Vegas on a tryout with the Golden Knights.
There are two local hockey products at the Nashville Predators’ camp.
Winger Miguel Marques of Prince George, chosen by the Preds in the third round, 87th overall on Saturday, is skating with the pros for the first time, while defenceman Tanner Molendyk, a native of McBride chosen by Nashville in the first round with the 24th pick in 2023, is attending his second NHL camp.
Marques was drafted from the Lethbridge Hurricanes, while Molendyk played last season for the Saskatoon Blades.
Winger Nico Myatovic, who signed a three-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks March 29, is attending his second NHL camp. The Ducks chose the Prince George native in the second round, 33rd overall, in 2023. Myatovic has played three seasons with the Seattle Thunderbirds and joined the AHL San Diego Gulls for 12 games at the end of last season.
Medicine Hat Tigers centre Cayden Lindstrom, a native of Chetwynd picked fourth overall in this year’s draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets, is also in the mix playing with the Blue Jackets’ top prospects this week.Prince Albert Raiders forward Terrell Goldsmith of Fort St. James, picked in the fourth round, 102nd overall, in 2023 by Arizona Coyotes, is now with Utah Hockey Club.
Three former Cougars who have all signed NHL contracts are with their respective teams this week including: defenceman Ethan Samson (Philadelphia Flyers), winger Jaxsen Wiebe (Anaheim Ducks) and winger Chase Wheatcroft (Dallas Stars).
Prince George selects Russian in CHL Import Draft
The Cougars used their 59th overall choice in the CHL Import Draft to selects Russian defenceman Arseni Anisimov. The 16-year-old native of Kazan, Russia had a goal and 17 assists in 26 games last season for the Moscow Dynamo U-17s. He turns 17 on Nov. 25.
WHl teams selected 26 players from seven countries in the Import Draft. The draft order was based on rhe regular season order of finish.
