CALGARY, Alta. – National Hockey League Central Scouting announced Tuesday its initial Players to Watch List as a prelude to the 2021 NHL Draft and 16 skaters who spent the 2019-20 campaign competing in the Canadian Junior Hockey League cracked the list.
Players on the list are rated on an A-to-C scale with A-rated prospects are considered potential first-round picks.
B-rated players are projected to be selected in the second or third round while C-rated prospects are projected to go in rounds 3 through 6.
There is also a limited-viewing rating for players of interest who have yet to be scouted extensively.
Topping the CJHL contingent as potential A prospects are defencemen Corson Ceulemans and centre Kent Johnson who spent last season with the Brooks Bandits (AJHL) and Trail Smoke Eaters (BCHL) respectively.
Johnson, the CJHL’s Top Forward Award winner for 2019-20 is currently in his freshman year at the University of Michigan (Big 10) on NCAA Division I scholarship while Ceulemans is committed to the University of Wisconsin (Big 10) for 2022.
Meanwhile, three players who skated in the CJHL last season were rated as B prospects.
They include blueliner Jack Bar of the Penticton Vees (BCHL), left winger Ayrton Martino of the Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL) and Nick DeGrazia of the Rayside-Balfour Canadians (NOJHL).
The following are the names of the CJHL players on the NHL Central Scouting Players to Watch List:
| RATING | PLAYER | NAME | POS. | TEAM | LEAGUE |
| A | Corson | Ceulemans | D | Brooks Bandits | AJHL |
| A | Kent | Johnson | C | Trail Smoke Eaters | BCHL |
| B | Jack | Bar | D | Penticton Vees | BCHL |
| B | Ayrton | Martino | LW | Chilliwack Chiefs | BCHL |
| B | Nick | DeGrazia | C | Rayside-Balfour Canadians | NOJHL |
| C | Brett | Moravec | C | Calgary Canucks | AJHL |
| C | Ty | Mueller | C | Sherwood Park Crusaders | AJHL |
| C | Charles-Alexis | Legault | D | West Kelowna Warriors | BCHL |
| C | Jason | Marsella | D | Penticton Vees | BCHL |
| C | Owen | Murray | D | Penticton Vees | BCHL |
| C | Alex | Teleguine | C | Chilliwack Chiefs | BCHL |
| C | Finlay | Williams | C | Penticton Vees | BCHL |
| C | Ryan | Gillespie | RW | Brockville Braves | CCHL |
| C | Declan | Ride | D | Oakville Blades | OJHL |
| C | Thomas | Sinclair | C | St. Michael’s Buzzers | OJHL |
| C | Luke | Strickland | LW | Stouffville Spirit | OJHL |