The International Scouting Service released its “Top 30 Watch List” for the 2010 and 2011 NHL Entry Drafts last month ranking the top thirty draft eligible prospects worldwide. On the 2011 list, Lucas Lessio of the St. Michael’s Buzzers was listed as the twenty fourth best prospect eligible for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft according to the ISS.

“It’s a good guideline for me that shows me that I’ve been playing well here,” said Lessio, following Buzzers practice.

Excited to be mentioned on the list, Lessio explained that it will serve as another motivating factor to continue to work hard at improving his game over the next year before heading to the University of Michigan to play Division I NCAA hockey with the Wolverines beginning in 2011.

“I want to go a lot higher than twenty fourth, I’m going to keep pushing myself every day,” said Lessio. “I know that I’m up there, I know that the scouts know where I am and how I’m playing. Now it’s just a matter of continuing to work at it and get even higher than twenty fourth because the overall accomplishment for me is simple, I want to get drafted as high as possible.”

A big part of the battle in getting drafted is ensuring that scouts identify a particular player in the first place and start to follow their progress. At that point, it is all about improving in their eyes. For Lessio, already a highly touted prospect coming out of minor midget AAA hockey with the Toronto Marlboros organization at the end of the 2008-2009 season, his play thus far in his rookie season of Junior A hockey has spoken for itself.

Lessio sits second on the Buzzers in goals with twenty seven, points with sixty two and game winning goals with five while far and away leading all 1993 born CCHL players in scoring.

“It’s great to know that you’re on the minds of scouts and to know they’re watching you so now it’s a matter of just doing my job and doing better than the other guys in front of me so I can move ahead of them for the draft in 2011,” said Lessio.

Already this season, Lessio’s fine play has earned him the opportunity to play for Team Canada East at the 2009 World Junior A Challenge, Team Ontario at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge where he earned a silver medal and for Team East at the Canadian Junior Hockey League prospect game. He was also chosen to represent the CCHL’s “Young Stars” team at the 2010 Battle of Ontario against the Central Junior Hockey League but was unable to attend due to his commitment to Team Ontario.

While only two games remain in the regular season for the St. Michael’s Buzzers, Lessio is looking forward to his first taste of playoff competition at the Junior A level where he hopes to make a mark when the intensity raises up a notch.

“The scouts love to see playoff hockey, playoff hockey is the best wherever you’re playing,” said Lessio. “It’s always the most intense and that’s where the big players come to shine. That’s where the scouts watch you the most so if I have a pretty impressive playoffs, I think there’s a chance for me to raise my ranking even further.”