One current and one future Omaha hockey player landed on NHL Central Scouting’s Preliminary Players to Watch List on Monday.
Freshman goaltender Will Lacelle received a C rating, while Omaha commit Rhett Sather received a B.
Central Scouting typically releases three lists throughout the season — Preliminary, Midterm and Final. The Midterm Rankings will release in January, and the NHL Draft is slated for June 25-26, 2027.
Lacelle, 18, is 1-2-0 with a .928 save percentage and 2.58 GAA to open his NCAA career. The Gatineau, Quebec, native is listed at 6-foot-1 and 176 pounds, and he’ll turn 19 in December.
Sather, 18, is a left-shot defenseman for the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. He currently has seven assists through 10 games and racked up 40 points (11-29-40) over 66 games for the Chiefs last season. This is his third WHL season.
Sather announced his commitment to Omaha on Dec. 29, 2025. The Cochrane, Alberta native is listed at 6-foot and 179 pounds. He turned 18 on Sept. 25.
SATHES FROM DOWNTOWN 💥
Rhett Sather ties this one up on the power play with his 11th goal of the season!#GoChiefsGo pic.twitter.com/BunBik1eRp
— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) March 8, 2026
Central Scouting’s rankings use a five-tier system. An A indicates a first-round candidate, B indicates a potential second or third-round pick, C indicates a fourth or fifth-round candidate, and W indicates a sixth or seventh-round candidate. The NHL Draft lasts seven rounds and includes 224 total picks. Central Scouting also uses an LV (Limited Viewing) for injured players who have not had sufficient viewings for a proper rating.
Omaha (2-2-0) opens NCHC play this weekend at No. 3 Denver. The Mavericks are coming off a pair of wins at Lindenwood. Stay tuned to Hurrdat Sports all season as Avarie Howard and Jordan McAlpine provide Omaha hockey coverage.
