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Fonstad and Pachal earn spots in final NHL draft rankings

Estevan’s Cole Fonstad and Brayden Pachal have cracked NHL Central Scouting’s final list for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Fonstad, who plays forward is ranked 65th among North American skaters on the list, which was released on Monday.
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Estevan’s Cole Fonstad and Brayden Pachal have cracked NHL Central Scouting’s final list for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

Fonstad, who plays forward is ranked 65th among North American skaters on the list, which was released on Monday. Central Scouting releases separate lists for North American and European skaters, as well as North American and European goaltenders.

Fonstad, who played his minor hockey in Estevan until his first year of midget, enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2017-18 with the Western Hockey League’s Prince Albert Raiders, as he finished the season with 21 goals and 52 assists for 73 points in 72 regular season games, and added four goals and an assist in seven postseason games. The Raiders took the top-ranked Moose Jaw Warriors to a seventh and deciding game in the first round before bowing out.

Fonstad also played in the Canadian Hockey League’s Top Prospects Game in January, where he recorded a goal, and is now representing Team Canada at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Under-18 Hockey Championships in Russia. He scored in a pre-tournament game against Slovakia on Sunday.

Pachal, who is a defenceman for the Raiders, is ranked 200th by Central Scouting. He had seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points in 68 games for the Raiders, and added a goal and three assists in seven post-season games. 

Pachal also played in the Estevan minor hockey system until his first year of midget. He is in his third year in the Western Hockey League.

The 2018 NHL Entry Draft will be held June 22 and 23 in Dallas.