SYDNEY, N.S. — Luke Woodworth never thought much of the possibility of being one of the top hockey players in his age category.
The 16-year-old focused on his game and what he needed to do in order to be recognized as a player worthy of being drafted by a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team.
After countless hours on and off the ice with the goal of advancing to the next level, the Bridgewater product’s hard work and dedication paid off when QMJHL Central Scouting ranked him the top Nova Scotia player eligible for the 2020 entry draft.
“It’s pretty special,” said Woodworth. “We have a really good group of players from Nova Scotia who are draft-eligible and ranked this year, so it’s going to be a good couple of days for our province.”
Following his career with the South Shore and TASA minor hockey associations, Woodworth played two seasons with South Shore’s major bantam team, recording 51 goals and 108 points in 63 games.
In his final year of bantam, the five-foot-eight, 139-pound forward won the Nova Scotia Major Bantam Hockey League points race, posting 33 goals and 71 points in 30 games during the 2018-19 campaign.
Woodworth continued his offensive talent in his rookie year with the South Shore Mustangs of the Nova Scotia Eastlink Major Midget Hockey League, finishing second in the league in points with 20 goals and 47 assists for 67 points in 34 games.
Woodworth, who grew up watching Bridgwater native Keith Getson play his QMJHL career in Charlottetown and Halifax, credits linemates Lawson Cook and Mason Beck, a draft pick of the Cape Breton Eagles, for helping him produce offensively.
“Going into the year, I was looking to be around a point-per-game player, and after the first 10 games of the season, I realized I could exceed that,” said Woodworth, who has no connection to former Eagle and Acadia Axemen defenceman Stephen Woodworth.
“I like to consider myself a 200-foot player that can really be effective in all areas of the game and I think penalty killing is one of the areas I’m good at as well.”
Woodworth, who was named the NSMMHL rookie of the year in February, will be following the entry draft with his family and current/former coaches Friday night at his home in Bridgewater.
Meanwhile, Dylan Andrews of the Cole Harbour Wolfpack is also ranked in the league’s opening round and is listed at No. 14 by central scouting.
“I think it’s cool to see where you stack up against other players,” said Andrews. “Overall, I’m taking the ranking with a grain of salt and it will be all different come draft day.”
Andrews, a Dartmouth product, played two years with the Harbour Storm major bantam team in Cole Harbour, notching 25 goals and 40 assists for 65 points in 66 games.
The 16-year-old centre earned his spot on the Wolfpack roster this past season. He finished fourth on the team in points (36) while scoring the second-most goals (19) only behind Halifax Mooseheads property Landon Miron (30).
“I started off hot at the start of the year, cooled down in the middle of the season, but had a good end, so I think I played well overall,” said the five-foot-10, 164-pound Andrews, who played on a line with Ben Boyd and the draft-eligible Carter Murchison.
Like Woodworth, Andrews will be following the entry draft online with family.
Lucas Canning of the Weeks Major Midgets in Pictou County is another Nova Scotian listed as a potential first-round draft pick Friday night. He’s ranked No. 18 by central scouting.
After playing his minor hockey in Pictou County, the 15-year-old played two seasons with the Wear Well Bombers major bantam team in New Glasgow.
The Stellarton native’s offensive flare was proven during the 2018-19 season with the Bombers when he won the league’s scoring title, potting 40 goals in 31 games.
In his rookie season with the Major Midgets, Canning continued his goal-scoring ability, finishing with the most goals (30) in the eight-team league, while posting 38 points in 34 games.
“I thought I came into the league very well, scoring three goals in my first game, and I think that really boosted my confidence,” said the five-foot-11, 174-pound Canning.
“All the way through minor hockey I was a goal scorer and I guess I was able to keep it up.”
Canning has spoken with 16 of the 18 QMJHL teams. He hasn't talked to Rouyn-Noranda and Blainville-Boisbriand.
In preparing mentally for the draft, Canning spoke with Quebec Remparts player Jacob Melanson, who played for the Major Midgets in 2018-19, and Cape Breton prospect Tanner Greatorex.
“Tanner told me not to be nervous,” said Canning. “He told me if I was nervous about it, I wouldn’t be ready for it — he said players know they’re going to be drafted, so you just have to be ready and expect it.”
Canning, who is considered by many to have the best shot in the major midget league, will be watching the draft closely with his family in North River.
Leighton Carruthers of the Halifax McDonalds is the second-highest ranked Nova Scotia player for this year’s draft. He’s listed at No. 11 by central scouting.
The Upper Tantallon product appeared in 35 games in his rookie season last year, posting 18 goals and 37 points.
Woodworth, Andrews and Canning all spoke highly of Carruthers.
“He has a unique combination of size, speed and strength,” said Woodworth. “If you can combine that in a way that it’s effective, you can have a really good player — he has a lightning release to go along with it.”
The first-round of the QMJHL Entry Draft will take place on Friday, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Atlantic time. Fans can follow the draft online at www.theqmjhl.ca.
The 14-round entry draft will continue Saturday morning with Rounds 2-14. The draft begins at 10 a.m.
Full list of Nova Scotia players listed by QMJHL Central Scouting:
Rank Name Position Hometown
7 Luke Woodworth Forward Bridgewater
11 Leighton Carruthers Forward Upper Tantallon
14 Dylan Andrews Forward Dartmouth
18 Lucas Canning Forward Stellarton
20 Brayden Schmitt Defence Bible Hill
25 Jake Furlong Defence Upper Tantallon
36 Drew Maddigan Defence Hammonds Plains
37 Lane Hinkley Defence Cheticamp
53 Carter Ansems Defence Canning
63 Josh O’Connor Defence Halifax
64 Drew MacIntyre Forward Sydney
72 Carter Murchison Forward Lucasville
75 Ben Mercer Forward Halifax
78 Camden Pellerine Forward Stillwater Lake
79 Alex Carr Forward Middle Sackville
R6-8 Noah Comeau Defence Dartmouth
R6-8 Davis Cooper Forward Hammonds Plains
R6-8 Matheas Elles Defence Halifax
R6-8 Noah Harvey Goaltender Herring Cove
R6-8 Joseph Henneberry Forward Halifax
R6-8 Keegan MacVicar Defence Dartmouth
R6-8 Jacob Newcomb Forward Sambro
R6-8 Joseph Power Defence Bedford
R6-8 Jarrett Todd Forward Beaver Bank
R6-8 Ethan Vallis Defence Lantz
R9-12 Bryson Boudreau Forward Fall River
R9-12 William Cook Forward Lunenburg
R9-12 Brandon Crowell Forward Dartmouth
R9-12 William Forbes Goaltender Oakville
R9-12 Samuel LeBlanc Forward Hammonds Plains
R9-12 Sebastien Lever Goaltender Halifax
R9-12 Zachary Lorette Forward Halifax
R9-12 Joey Merriam Forward Milford
R9-12 Griffin Peers Forward Dartmouth
R13 UP Brandon Abbass Forward Halifax
R13 UP Reese Allen Forward South Bar
R13 UP Kiefer Avery Forward NA
R13 UP Cameron Bewsher Defence Bedford
R13 UP William Chisholm Forward Lunenburg
R13 UP Brandon Clarke Forward Sydney River
R13 UP Ben Comeau Defence Halifax
R13 UP Bryson Currie Forward NA
R13 UP Brody Fraser Forward Upper Nine Mile River
R13 UP Lucas Fraser Goaltender Sydney
R13 UP Lane George Goaltender Belnan
R13 UP Jarden Hardie Forward Lower Sackville
R13 UP Kyle Hopkins Defence Conquerall Bank
R13 UP Cael MacDonald Forward Hatchet Lake
R13 UP Aidan MacLeod Forward Kentville
R13 UP Nick Mahar Forward Sydney
R13 UP Jeremiah Martin Defence Amherst
R13 UP Whalen Matthews Defence Sydney
R13 UP Preston Pattengale Defence Sydney
R13 UP Alex Ross Forward Halifax
R13 UP Van Sawlor Defence Sydney
R13 UP Brady Stone Defence Lawrencetown
R13 UP Trey Sturge Forward Sydney
R13 UP Lewis Taylor Forward Havre Boucher
R13 UP Liam Trenholm Defence Port Hood
R13 UP Cody Van de Sande Defence Antigonish
*For more coverage of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Entry Draft, follow Jeremy Fraser on Twitter by searching @CBPost_Jeremy.
