Okotoks Oilers forward Rieger Lorenz was selected in the second round of the 2022 National Hockey League Entry Draft on Friday morning.
The Minnesota Wild selected the forward with the 56th pick, making the Calgary-born player the 10th Oiler alumnus to be drafted into the NHL.
"He's a 6-foot-2 winger with strong hands, does really good board work with the ability to spin off checks and get to the net," said Judd Brackett, Wild director of amateur scouting, in a post-draft scrum. "More than halfway through the year he was at a point and a half per game production in a strong league, a competitive league.
"He's someone who we like the path, we love the development curve. Denver does a great job with their players."
Lorenz is coming off a strong freshman season with the Oilers, getting Top Rookie and Rookie of the Year honours from the CJHL and AJHL, respectively. Throughout the season, the 18-year-old climbed NHL scouting rankings, finding himself ranked number 17 among North American skaters in the final pre-draft rankings.
Top-five in the AHJL in points this past season, Lorenz tallied a franchise record 85 points in 60 regular-season games as a rookie, adding almost a point-per-game in the playoffs, recording 11 points in 14 games as the Oilers reached the AJHL South Final.
He went on to record four points in four games playing for Team Canada at the IIHF World U18 Hockey Championships.
He will lace up for the NCAA University of Denver for the upcoming hockey season.
His selection brings the total of Oilers graduates drafted to ten in team history, joining Dylan Holloway (2020, first round to Edmonton), Quinn Olson (2019, third round to Boston), Jacob Bernard-Docker (2018, first round to Ottawa), Austin Wong (2018, seventh round to Winnipeg), Rhett Gardner (2016, fourth round to Dallas), Rhett Holland (2012, fourth round to Arizona), Corban Knight (2009, fifth round to Florida), Derek Rodwell (2009, fifth round to New Jersey) and Brad Eidsness (2007, fifth round to Buffalo).
With files from Remy Greer
