BROOKS, AB (July 23, 2016) – Brooks Bandits defencemen Cale Makar (Calgary, AB) and Jarrod Gourley (Calgary, AB) have been named to the 2016-17 NHL Central Scouting Futures List, it was announced today.
The list of 290 players (148 North American, 142 international) indicates likely draft-eligible targets for NHL scouts in the upcoming 2016-17 hockey season.
Makar, 17, was named the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) and Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) Rookie of the Year after scoring 55 points (10 goals, 45 assists) in 54 games in his first season of Junior A competition with the Bandits last season. Makar was also a member of the gold medal-winning Team Canada West at the annual World Junior A Challenge, where he was named to the tournament’s all-star team.
The 5’10”, 175lb defenceman added 14 points (3 goals, 11 assists) in 13 playoff games en route to the Bandits’ AJHL championship win. He scored 7 points (1 goal, 6 assists) in 6 games at the 2016 Western Canada Cup, was named that tournament’s Top Defenceman, and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Makar also led the 2016 RBC Cup in scoring with 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) in the 4-game round robin stage, winning the tournament’s Top Scorer, Top Defenceman, and Most Valuable Player awards, becoming only the third player in the history of the RBC Cup to win three individual awards.
Gourley, 17, scored 7 points (1 goal, 6 assists) in an injury-shortened 27-game regular season with the Bandits in 2015-16, dressing in 4 Western Canada Cup games and 5 games at the RBC Cup.
The 6’2”, 195lb defenceman also won gold at the annual World Under-17 Hockey Challenge as a member of Team Canada White.
Both players are committed to NCAA Division I institutions; Makar to the University of Massachusetts, and Gourley to Arizona State University.
Central Scouting will next release its preliminary players to watch list in September.
Season tickets for the Bandits’ league title defence in 2016-17 are on sale now! Reserve your great seat for all 2016-17 games, get the first crack at seats for the 2017 Playoffs, have an exclusive chance at great prizes, and more! More information is available at tickets.brooksbandits.ca.