Dawson Gerwing has played three seasons in the WHL split almost evenly between the Swift Current Broncos and the Kelowna Rockets. (Image Credit: Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)

By Nick Nielsen

One last chance

Meadow Lake native getting set for final crack at NHL Draft

Jun 25, 2026 | 4:58 PM

The NHL Draft is coming up this weekend, and a Meadow Lake local is hoping to hear his name called from the draft floor in Buffalo.

This is the third and final year of eligibility for Dawson Gerwing, a soon to be 20-year-old forward for the Kelowna Rockets and a former Battlefords U18 AAA Star. Last year, Gerwing was ranked 99th amongst American skaters on the NHL Central Scouting list, but was passed over.

That’s not to say he hasn’t earned NHL interest. He was invited to the Los Angeles Kings development camp on an amateur tryout just before the beginning of this past WHL season.

Since then, Gerwing posted 11G-13A-24P in 63 games for the Rockets along with another two goals during nine playoff games, and played in all three games for the Rockets during the Memorial Cup. Those numbers are down a little bit from the year before, but for good reason.

In 2024-25, Gerwing posted 15G-13A-28P in 58 games. He was traded halfway through his 18-year-old season from the Swift Current Broncos, where he was one of their leaders offensively, to the Rockets who were loading up to host the Memorial Cup and therefore had a lot more offensive firepower.

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That meant Gerwing could show off his best skill: his physical game.

At 6’4” and 231 lbs, it’s his physical game that attracts the most attention. Last year the power forward posted 127 penalty minutes, good for the third most penalty minutes in the league.

Gerwing is expected to return to the Rockets for his 20-year-old season, his final year of eligibility for the WHL.

The 2026 NHL Draft begins at 5:00 p.m. on Friday until round one is completed, and then continues for rounds two through seven starting at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday.

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nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com

by Nick Nielsen

Meadow Lake native getting set for final crack at NHL Draft

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