Players to Watch Include Herd

Though it is still months away, people are starting to talk about the upcoming NHL entry draft and that includes the Central Scouting Services who have announced their players to watch list. A few Halifax Mooseheads teammates were among the 110 Canadian Hockey League young men who were named on the list.  It is made up of players eligible for the 2019 NHL draft and is only a preliminary ranking.

Montreal, QC native Raphael Lavoie was given an ‘A’ ranking by the CSS, meaning scouts think he will go in the first round. Lavoie, who turned 18 on September 25, is second on the Mooseheads in scoring with three goals and an assist through 4 games helping Halifax to a 4-0 record. He was one of 3 QMJHL players who were given an 'A' rating, the others being Maxim Cajkovic of the Saint John Sea Dogs and Sherbrooke Phoenix's Samuel Poulin.

Sophomore Xavier Parent is ranked to go in the 2nd or 3rd round of the draft by scouts and is one of 7 Q players to get a ‘B’ ranking. Parent doesn’t have any points yet.. The other Herd player to be on the list is import rookie Marcel Barinka who was drafted by the Mooseheads in the 2018 CHL import draft in the second round, 106th overall. Barinka, who has the same birthday as Parent, has two assists so far this year.


Congratulations to all players and good luck the rest of the season, go out and impress those scouts. We’ll keep you updated all year long until the 2019 NHL draft which will be held in Vancouver, BC on June 21 & 22.