NHL scouts turn their eyes to a pair of Okotoks Oilers

CALGARY -

A pair of Calgary players are making NHL scouts pay closer attention to the Okotoks Oilers.

The Oilers return to action Tuesday night, featuring a couple dominant players that are generating buzz this season.

Rieger Lorenz is off to a fantastic start with the Oilers. The 17-year-old has scored eight goals and added 13 assists in 17 games so far this season. At 187 centimetres (6'2), 84 kilograms (185 pounds), Lorenz is a dominant force out on the ice and the NHL has taken note: he is the highest-ranked AJHL player on the NHL Central's Scouting Players to Watch list for 2022.

"Obviously super-excited to see that," said Lorenz, in an interview with CTV News. "It was validation that the work I've put in so far is kind of paying off."

However, Lorenz isn't looking to jump straight from the AJHL to the NHL: he's committed to the University of Denver, perhaps hoping to follow the example of another Calgary hockey star, Cale Makar, who transitioned from the Brooks Bandits to the University of Massachusetts before joining the Colorado Avalanche.

At the moment, Lorenz's draft rating is a 'B', meaning he's expected to go in the second or third round of the NHL draft.

"You know having that guy and the size and the speed that he brings and the passion that he has for the game of hockey," said Oiler head coach Tyler Deis. "Always wanting to get better, always asking questions and really wants to be a professional hockey player."

Tyler Deis, coach of the Okotoks Oilers

The second player on the NHL watch list is Bowden Singleton, who has the identical numbers to Lorenz – eight goals, 13 assists – in 17 games this season.

Singleton's rating is "C" meaning he's likely to go in the fourth or fifth round.

"Yeah, it's motivation for sure," Singleton said. "For sure, hearing the recognition of that is huge and it pumps your tires a bit, but there's still a lot of work to be done."

Bowden Singleton, Okotoks OIlers, Monday Nov. 1, 2021

Seventeen year old Singleton is headed to the University of North Dakota in 2022. At 175 cm (5'9), and 70 kg (155 pounds), Singleton is a smaller player than Lorenz, but has great vision on the ice.

It also doesn't hurt that Singleton has known Deis a long time – in fact, Deis coached him when he was a kid.

"We've had a connection since grade four," said Singleton, "so it's been awesome just skating with him every day is kind of cool and then coming here was special, so it was good."

Deis agreed.

"It's really exciting to see him at that age and then coming all the way up and playing for the Okotoks Oilers and for me and having the success that he is having," Deis said.

No question though, the goal for both players is to one day make it to the NHL.