A player with roots local to the Edmonton area is being considered one of the top prospects in the 2024 NHL entry draft.

17-year-old Tij Iginla, whose father Jarome played AAA hockey for the St. Albert Saints, is in his second year of WHL action and making quite a name for himself. Playing for the Kelowna Rockets, Iginla has scored 35 goals and 60 points in 45 games this year, and is being ranked right around the middle of the pack in the first round.

Over at Daily Faceoff, Mike Gould took a look at Iginla, as well as a few other players with NHL bloodlines making their own names for themselves:

Tij Iginla won’t just go in the first round of the upcoming draft. He stands a real chance of being selected in the top 10. Jarome’s son has formed an incredible partnership with Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall on the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets this season, leading to Iginla being regarded as a consensus first-round pick — often ranked in the top 16.

It didn’t really work for Tij with the Seattle Thunderbirds last year. The former No. 9 overall pick in the WHL Bantam Draft struggled to lock down a consistent lineup spot as a 16-year-old but was reasonably productive in spot duty. But after being sent closer to home in the BC interior, Iginla started really finding his groove. The 6′ forward has 34 goals and 60 points in 45 games with the Rockets this season. He’s a terrific shooter who touches all aspects of the game with his hockey IQ and physical gifts. And Tij isn’t even the only Iginla rising the ranks: Jade, his older sister, is Brown University’s top scorer; Joe, his younger brother, is a 2026-eligible prospect who has already skated in two WHL games with the Edmonton Oil Kings.

What a family. If Tij is even half as good as his old man, he’ll be an incredible player.

One of the other players listed was Ryder Ritchie, playing for the WHL’s PA Raiders, who has 13 goals and 31 points in 34 games and is the son of Byron Ritchie.

Max Plante, son of former Sabres forward Derek, is spending his 17-year-old season playing center for the US National Development team, scoring nine goals and 32 points in 28 u18 games, and five goals and 20 points in 15 USNTDP games in the USHL.

Lukas Fischer, son of Jiri, is a defenceman playing for the OHL’s Sarina Sting, with four goals and 23 points in 49 games.

Lastly, Aatos Koivu, son of Mikko, is playing overseas in Finland, where most of his damage has been done in the u20 league, scoring 15 goals and 29 points in 23 games for TPS.