Vernon Vipers defenceman Cooper Cleaves can make plans to head 45 minutes north for a weekend in Salmon Arm.
Cleaves will take part in the 2025 Top Prospects Game on Jan. 17 at Rogers Rink, part of the B.C. Hockey League's All-Star weekend.
The game is for the top NHL Draft eligible players in the league, plus 16 and 17-year-old draft prospects. Selections were made through a poll of the 21 team coaches and general managers
Players listed by Central Scouting on their Players to Watch list from October, which included Cleaves, received automatic entries, while players who are already drafted, as well as 2004-born athletes who are no longer draft eligible, were not considered for the team.
The two rosters are split between Coastal Conference and Interior Conference players.
Cleaves, from Riverside, CT., turns 19 on Jan. 5, and has committed to the NCAA's Dartmouth Big Green men's hockey program in Hanover, NH. He has two goals and 13 assists for 15 points in 25 Vernon games this season.
Here's the rest of the Interior Conference Roster for the Prospects Game:
Interior Conference roster
|
Pos. |
Name |
Team |
NCAA School |
|
G |
Jaden Cholette* |
Cranbrook Bucks |
– |
|
G |
Johnny Hicks |
Brooks Bandits |
Tennessee State |
|
D |
John Alex Banks |
Sherwood Park Crusaders |
Massachusetts |
|
D |
Jude Brady |
Sherwood Park Crusaders |
Penn State |
|
D |
Cooper Cleaves* |
Vernon Vipers |
Dartmouth |
|
D |
Lucas Lemieux |
Trail Smoke Eaters |
Rensselaer |
|
D |
Ben MacBeath |
Salmon Arm Silverbacks |
Denver |
|
D |
Zach Nyman |
Penticton Vees |
Michigan |
|
F |
Poul Andersen* |
Sherwood Park Crusaders |
Maine |
|
F |
Christian Chouha |
Sherwood Park Crusaders |
Princeton |
|
F |
Kale Dach* |
Sherwood Park Crusaders |
Penn State |
|
F |
Kaslo Ferner |
Cranbrook Bucks |
Vermont |
|
F |
Nathan Free |
Brooks Bandits |
Penn State |
|
F |
Max Heise* |
Penticton Vees |
Michigan State |
|
F |
Dylan Krayer |
West Kelowna Warriors |
Arizona State |
|
F |
Jeremy Loranger* |
Sherwood Park Crusaders |
Nebraska-Omaha |
|
F |
Maddux Martin |
Salmon Arm Silverbacks |
Merrimack |
|
F |
Eli McKamey |
Penticton Vees |
North Dakota |
|
F |
Malachi McKinnon |
Sherwood Park Crusaders |
Maine |
|
F |
Josh Polak |
Spruce Grove Saints |
– |
Cleaves' fellow Vernon blueliner, Marko Stojkov, was earlier selected to play for the Interior Conference in the BCHL All-Star Game on Jan. 18, also in Salmon Arm.
