Prince George, B.C. – For a second straight season the Prince George Cougars will have a representative at the NHL Scouting Combine. Earlier this month, Cougars defenceman Josh Anderson (Duncan, B.C.) was one of 114 players eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft who were invited to Buffalo, NY to take part in a series of interviews and fitness tests from May 30^th – June 4^th at First Niagra Center and the HarborCenter.

Originally selected third overall by the Cougars in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft, Anderson, who is 6’3” and 210 pounds suited up in 39 games for the Cougars in 2015-16 and registered one goal, five assists and 86 penalty minutes. Unfortunately for Anderson and the Cougars, his season was cut short due to an upper-body injury that he sustained in Vancouver in Mid-January. The good news though:  He’s is on the mend and is looking forward to his 2016 NHL Scouting Combine experience.

“It’s a huge honor to be invited to Buffalo to attend the combine and it will be a great experience being able to speak with General Managers from the NHL,” said Anderson who won’t be participating in the fitness testing due to his recovery from injury. Earlier in April, Anderson was ranked as the 60^th best North American Draft Eligible skater on NHL Central Scouting’s final draft rankings list. He will be heading back to Buffalo with his family in June to attend the NHL Draft which begins on Friday, June 24^th and also goes on Saturday, June 25^th.

“I’m a little nervous for the draft, but I’m very confident with the way that I’ve played up to this point that I should get drafted,” adds Anderson. In 83 career WHL games (all with the Cougars), the 17-year-old has scored three goals, added seven assists and has 140 penalty minutes. During the 2014-15 season he represented Team Canada at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Sarnia, ON and prior to last season he attended Team Canada’s U-18 Summer Development Camp in Calgary, AB.