Tuch Is The Highest Ranked NYS Player
By Warren Kozireski —
One year after three native New Yorkers were selected in the first round of the National Hockey League Entry Draft tying the all-time record, there doesn’t appear to be any projected to be selected in the opening round at this years draft in Montreal this June, but five are among those listed by Central Scouting in the midterm rankings.
Baldwinsville native Luke Tuch is slotted 35th overall and projected to go in the second round. The 6’1”, 203 lb. left wing and brother of Las Vegas Knights forward Alex Tuch is playing this season for the U.S. National Team Development Program in Michigan. The Fall 2020 Boston University commit had 11 goals and 21 points over his first 34 games this season.
Fellow NTDP product Eamon Powell is ranked 49th among North American skaters. The 5’11”, 165 lb. offensive defenseman and Marcellus native had registered ten points over his first 33 games this season. He is scheduled to join Boston College this fall.
Williamsville’s Trevor Kuntar is listed 135th. The 6’0”, 202 lb. center is playing in his third season with Youngstown in the USHL where he has put up 23 goals and 38 points in 28 games. He is committed to Harvard in 2020.
Christian Jimenez from Yorktown Heights is ranked 172nd as a 5’8”, 180 lb. blueliner for Sioux City in the USHL. Also headed to Harvard next fall, he has registered 15 assists and 20 points over 32 games in his first full USHL campaign after coming through the Westchester Express and P.A.L. Islanders systems.
Boston College bound Grant Riley is slotted 11th among North American goaltenders for the draft. Standing 6’4” and 190 lb. already, he is manning the crease for Janesville in the North American Hockey League. The former Aquinas High and Rochester Coalition product had a 3.30 GAA and .903 save percentage in 27 games played with ten victories to his credit.
In addition, Colgate commit Ryan McGuire is ranked 139th as a 6’0”, 176 lb. center is playing with Belmont Hills High School in Connecticut.
And future Cornell defenseman Hank Kempf is listed 186th among North American skaters. The 6’0”, 183 lb. defenseman has 12 assists over 34 games with Muskegon of the USHL.
