BRAMPTON, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League’s Brampton Battalion has two defencemen, one forward and two goaltenders listed in midseason rankings by the National Hockey League’s central scouting department in advance of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Dylan Blujus is ranked 52nd among North American-based skaters, while fellow defenceman Marcus McIvor is No. 113. Centre Patrik Machac is 147th on the 210-player list, which was released Wednesday.

Matej Machovsky is No. 17 among North American-based goaltenders, while partner Keegan Wilson is 35th of 36 goaltenders rated.

Blujus ranks fourth in Battalion scoring, first among defencemen, with six goals and 21 assists for 27 points in 40 games.

A Buffalo native who turns 18 on Jan. 22, Blujus was a third-round pick in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection. He had four goals and 22 assists for 26 points in 67 games as a rookie last season.

“It’s definitely important, and it gives me confidence to see my name among some of the top players,” said Blujus. “Obviously, my goal is to get drafted, and I still have a lot of work ahead of me, but I’m happy with where I was ranked.”

Said Blujus: “I think just playing with confidence and putting up decent points for a defenceman by getting pucks to the net and making smart plays has helped me a lot in the rankings. I still want to improve parts of my game like my physical play, and I know it’s going to be a challenge up the road, so I just have to keep working hard.”

McIvor, who turns 18 on May 20, has 12 assists for as many points in 36 games. The Whitby, Ont., resident was the Battalion’s first-round selection in 2010. He scored one goal and earned 13 assists for 14 points in 62 games last season.

Czech import Machac has eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points in 35 games. The Prague native, who turns 18 on April 23, was a first-round pick in the Canadian Hockey League’s Import Draft in 2011.

Machovsky and Wilson have combined to give the Battalion a league-leading team goals-against average of 2.50.

Machovsky, another Czech import, has compiled a won-lost-extended record of 15-6-4 while producing a GAA of 2.11, a save percentage of .917 and four shutouts. Machovsky, who was acquired in a trade with the Guelph Storm on Dec. 1, 2010, turns 19 on July 25.

“It’s important, but I was ranked third at the end of last year and I ended up not drafted,” said Machovsky. “So it doesn’t mean as much to me. I just want to be drafted. 

“I tried to be better this year, tried to do more things, and hopefully I’ll end up higher at the end of the season.”

Wilson is 8-4-3 with a GAA of 2.56, a save percentage of .903 and one shutout. The Mississauga resident, who turns 20 on March 3, was a ninth-round pick in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection from the junior C Stayner Siskins.

“I’m definitely happy with it,” said Wilson. “It’s something I wasn’t expecting at all.

“It’s a great confidence-booster to see my name up there, but it’s also a reminder that I have to keep playing hard to compete among the best. I’m ranked No. 35 right now, but I want to be a lot higher by the end of the year.

“It’s still a long way away, so I just have to keep working hard on and off the ice, in practice, and really bear down and focus in every game and keep getting wins.”

Right winger Nail Yakupov of the Sarnia Sting, a Russian import, is the top-rated North American skater. The CHL boasts 10 of the top 11 ranked players, including four OHLers. Malcolm Subban of the Belleville Bulls is No. 1 on the goaltenders’ list.

The CHL has 120 skaters and 25 goaltenders ranked. The OHL leads with 65 players, numbering 53 skaters and 12 goalies. The Western Hockey League has 39 skaters and five goaltenders for a total of 44, while the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has 28 skaters and eight goalies for a total of 36.

Among OHL teams, the Windsor Spitfires lead with eight players rated, while Guelph has six. The Battalion, Erie Otters, London Knights and Owen Sound Attack all have five.

Players are first-time eligible for the NHL Entry Draft in the year they turn 18, unless their birthdate falls Sept. 16 or later, in which case they must wait until the following year.

The 2012 draft is scheduled June 22-23 at Pittsburgh.