By Warren Kozireski —
Six players from New York State—three from the New York metropolitan area, two from Buffalo and one from the North Country—are among the National Hockey League Central Scouting preliminary list for the 2023 NHL Draft to be held June 28-29 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Quinton Musty is a 6’2”, 205 lb. left wing from Hamburg, south of Buffalo. Ranked 11th among North American skaters and a projected first round draft pick, he is playing his second season with Sudbury in the Ontario Hockey League after coming out of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres program. He had 12 goals and 48 points over the first 32 games. He tied a program record in December with seven points in one game, was named to the OHL’s second all-rookie team in 2021-22, after registering 31 points in 50 games, and donned the sweater of Team United States in the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in August, leading the squad with five points in four contests.
Fellow western New Yorker Gavin McCarthy (Clarence Center) was slotted 39th in the midterm rankings. The 6’1”, 181 lb. defenseman with Muskegon in the USHL where he had 18 points over the first 20 games. He is committed to Boston University in the fall.
Akwesasne native Carey Terrance came in ranked 50th. The 6’1” and 174 lb. center had 16 goals and 24 points in the first 38 games and second season with the Erie Otters in the OHL.
U.S. National Team Development Program defenseman Drew Fortescue, a Boston College commit for 2023, is next ranked 58th. He is a 6’3”, 170 lb. left-shot defensive defenseman with 18 assists over a combined 44 games of the mixed team schedule between the USHL and against college programs.
Northport’s Tanner Adams is a 5’11”, 183 lb. forward skating for Tri-City in the United States Hockey League (USHL). The Providence College commit and Long Island Royals product is ranked 73rd. He had six goals with 15 points in his first 23 games this season with the Storm.
Fortescue’s teammate with the USNDTP, Ryan Fine, is slotted 184th. The 6’0”, 183 lb. forward from Center Moriches had a combined 15 goals and 31 points over his first 46 USHL and USDP games this season. He recently announced his switch from committing to Boston College to Harvard next fall.
In addition, Cornell University has Mount St. Charles Academy forward Chase Pirtle ranked 141st. The 6’2”, 185 lb. right wing has a combined 12 goals and 24 points in 28 games.
As of Jan. 18, the New York Rangers have two first round selections in 2023 after dealing Nils Lundqvist to Dallas for a conditional (non-top ten) pick while the New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres each still own their own picks.
