128 WHL-developed players named to NHL opening night rosters for 2026-27
OF ALL PLAYERS ON NHL OPENING NIGHT ROSTERS, 48 PER CENT HAIL FROM THE CHL
Calgary, Alta. – NHL Opening Night rosters for the 2026-27 season will feature 128 players developed in the Western Hockey League.
Of the 835 players named to NHL Opening Night rosters, 15 per cent come from the WHL, with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) collectively representing 48 per cent of players on NHL Opening Night rosters.
Across the entire CHL, a total of 400 players hailing from the WHL, Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), find themselves on NHL Opening Night rosters for 2026-27, including 128 from the WHL, 191 from the OHL, and 82 from the QMJHL.
Across the NHL, 24 per cent of Clubs with captains will be led by former WHL players, including the Calgary Flames (Mikael Backlund, Kelowna Rockets), Chicago Blackhawks (Connor Bedard, Regina Pats), Dallas Stars (Jamie Benn, Kelowna Rockets), Minnesota Wild (Jared Spurgeon, Spokane Chiefs), Seattle Kraken (Jordan Eberle, Regina Pats), Vegas Golden Knights (Mark Stone, Brandon Wheat Kings), and Winnipeg Jets (Adam Lowry, Swift Current Broncos). Three NHL Clubs have yet to name captains (Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, and Vancouver Canucks).
Behind NHL benches, 31 per cent of Clubs will be guided by head coaches with connections to the WHL, including the Buffalo Sabres (Lindy Ruff), Calgary Flames (Ryan Huska), Colorado Avalanche (Jared Bednar), Dallas Stars (Glen Gulutzan), Detroit Red Wings (Todd McLellan), Edmonton Oilers (Mike Babcock), Ottawa Senators (Travis Green), Seattle Kraken (Lane Lambert), Toronto Maple Leafs (Jim Hiller), and Vegas Golden Knights (Ryan Craig).
All 32 NHL Clubs feature at least one player developed in the WHL, with the Vegas Golden Knights – led by captain Mark Stone and former Brandon Wheat Kings GM Kelly McCrimmon – leading the way with 10 WHL alumni on the roster.
LIST OF PLAYERS DEVELOPED IN WHL on 2026-27 NHL OPENING NIGHT ROSTERS
(last WHL Club listed)
* = injured / non-roster player
ANAHEIM DUCKS (1)
Roger McQueen (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Player to Watch – Roger McQueen (F): One year removed from hearing his name called in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles, former Brandon Wheat Kings star Roger McQueen is set to make his NHL debut this season. Last spring, he found his way into seven AHL games with the San Diego Gulls, securing three points (1G-2A).
BOSTON BRUINS (4)
Morgan Geekie (Tri-City Americans), Tanner Jeannot (Moose Jaw Warriors), Mark Kastelic (Calgary Hitmen), Fraser Minten (Saskatoon Blades)
Player to Watch – Fraser Minten (F): Fresh off his first full 82-game NHL season, former Kamloops Blazers and Saskatoon Blades forward Fraser Minten secured himself a big payday, signing a seven-year, $50.4 million contract extension this summer. The product of Vancouver will look to top the career high 35 points and 17 goals he tallied in 2025-26.
BUFFALO SABRES (5)
Zach Benson (Winnipeg ICE), Tyson Kozak (Portland Winterhawks), Peyton Krebs (Winnipeg ICE), Beck Malenstyn (Swift Current Broncos), Olen Zellweger (Kamloops Blazers)
Player to Watch – Zach Benson (F): Entering his fourth NHL campaign, Zach Benson aims to continue his steady ascension in Buffalo. For the first time in his career, the product of Chilliwack, B.C., surpassed the 40-point plateau last season, registering 43 points (13G-30A) in 65 games. Armed with a new seven-year extension worth $52.5 million, Benson is poised continue making an impact for the Sabres.
CALGARY FLAMES (5)
Mikael Backlund (Kelowna Rockets), Samuel Honzek (Vancouver Giants), Brayden Pachal (Prince Albert Raiders), Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips), Connor Zary (Kamloops Blazers)
Player to Watch – Dustin Wolf (G): Two-time WHL Goaltender of the Year Dustin Wolf is the focal point for a Calgary Flames squad that is missing many faces that had become mainstays in recent seasons. For Wolf, he played a career high 57 games in 2025-26, registering 23 wins. He is the undisputed No. 1 netminder in this the final season of the Scotiabank Saddledome.
CAROLINA HURRICANES (3)
Seth Jarvis* (Portland Winterhawks), Jordan Martinook (Vancouver Giants), Logan Stankoven (Kamloops Blazers)
Player to Watch – Logan Stankoven (F): Former Kamloops Blazers captain Logan Stankoven emerged as a clutch player, registering 11 goals and 16 points for the Hurricanes en route to their Stanley Cup victory this past season. The former WHL Player of the Year will look to ride that high into 2026-27, with sights set on building upon his career best 21-goal, 44-point campaign.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (3)
Connor Bedard* (Regina Pats), Bowen Byram (Vancouver Giants), Kevin Korchinski (Seattle Thunderbirds)
Player to Watch – Connor Bedard (F): Newly minted captain of the Blackhawks, former Regina Pats star Connor Bedard will start the season on the injured list, but all eyes will be on him upon his return. The former WHL Player of the Year set career highs with 30 goals and 75 points in only 69 games last season.
COLORADO AVALANCHE (4)
Noah Juulsen (Everett Silvertips), Parker Kelly (Prince Albert Raiders), Brett Kulak (Vancouver Giants), Trent Miner* (Vancouver Giants)
Player to Watch – Parker Kelly (F): A member of the 2019 WHL Champion Prince Albert Raiders, Parker Kelly has found a home in Colorado, where he registered a career high 21 goals and 35 points in 82 games last season. The product of Camrose, Alta., was rewarded with a four-year contract worth $6.8 million this summer.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (5)
Jake Christiansen (Everett Silvertips), Denton Mateychuk (Moose Jaw Warriors), Ivan Provorov (Brandon Wheat Kings), Damon Severson* (Kelowna Rockets), Cole Sillinger (Medicine Hat Tigers)
Player to Watch – Denton Mateychuk (D): Former WHL Defenceman of the Year and WHL Champion Denton Mateychuk saw action in a career high 75 games with the Blue Jackets in 2025-26, recording 31 points from the blueline. He also earned himself an invite to represent Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championship, where he posted five points (2G-3A) in 10 games.
DALLAS STARS (4)
Jamie Benn (Kelowna Rockets), Jaxon Fuder* (Edmonton Oil Kings), Tyler Myers (Kelowna Rockets), Sam Steel (Regina Pats)
Player to Watch – Jamie Benn (F): At 37 years old, Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn is quickly becoming one of the NHL’s elder statesmen. A WHL Champion with the Kelowna Rockets, Benn continues to rumble along as he heads into his 18th NHL campaign, 14 of which he has served as captain of the Stars. While Benn’s days of being a primary driver on offense may be behind him, there’s no questioning the leadership he provides as Dallas seeks a return to the Stanley Cup Final.
DETROIT RED WINGS (5)
Carter Bear* (Everett Silvertips), Nate Danielson (Portland Winterhawks), Emmitt Finnie (Kamloops Blazers), Keegan Kolesar (Seattle Thunderbirds), Michael Rasmussen (Tri-City Americans)
Player to Watch – Emmitt Finnie (F): The former Kamloops Blazers captain surprised many last season when he made the Red Wings roster at the age of 20 in his first year of pro hockey. A former seventh-round pick in 2023, Finnie showed that he was worthy of the opportunity, tallying 30 points (13-G17A) in 82 games as a rookie.
EDMONTON OILERS (6)
Colton Dach (Seattle Thunderbirds), Leon Draisaitl (Kelowna Rockets), Tristan Jarry (Edmonton Oil Kings), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Red Deer Rebels), Matt Savoie* (Moose Jaw Warriors), James Stefan* (Portland Winterhawks)
Player to Watch – Leon Draisaitl (F): Former WHL Champion Leon Draisaitl will be key if the Edmonton Oilers are to make a return to the Stanley Cup Final in 2027. After four consecutive seasons surpassing the 100-point plateau, the product of Koln, Germany, fell to 97 points in an injury-shortened 2025-26 that also featured an appearance at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, where he captained Germany.
FLORIDA PANTHERS (4)
Radko Gudas (Everett Silvertips), Seth Jones (Portland Winterhawks), Sam Reinhart (Kootenay ICE), Akira Schmid (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Player to Watch – Sam Reinhart (F): The former WHL Player of the Year and WHL Champion suffered a down year as the Panthers missed the postseason following two consecutive Stanley Cup titles. Last season represented the first campaign with the Panthers in which Reinhart has fallen short of the 30-goal plateau. He finished with 29. Without question, the Panthers enter 2026-27 as a Stanley Cup contender once again and Reinhart will be key to their success, not far removed from a career high 57-goal, 94-point campaign in 2023-24.
LOS ANGELES KINGS (3)
Joel Edmundson (Kamloops Blazers), Darcy Kuemper (Red Deer Rebels), Jakub Dvorak* (Swift Current Broncos)
Player to Watch – Darcy Kuemper (G): Former WHL Player and Goaltender of the Year Darcy Kuemper was a standout for the Kings in 2024-25, tallying 31 wins to go with a shining 2.02 GAA and .922 SV%. His played slipped in 2025-26 as he managed 19 wins with a 2.78 GAA and .891 SV%. If the Kings hope to advance beyond the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Kuemper will need to bring his best between the pipes.
MINNESOTA WILD (3)
Daemon Hunt (Moose Jaw Warriors), Calvin Pickard (Seattle Thunderbirds), Jared Spurgeon (Spokane Chiefs)
Player to Watch – Jared Spurgeon (D): A WHL and Memorial Cup Champion with the Spokane Chiefs, defenceman Jared Spurgeon enters his seventh season as captain of a Minnesota Wild team looking to take a big step in 2026-27. Spurgeon surpassed the 1,000-game plateau last season in Minnesota and has 438 points to his credit over 17 seasons in the NHL.
MONTREAL CANADIENS (3)
Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades), Kaiden Guhle* (Edmonton Oil Kings), Bryce Pickford* (Medicine Hat Tigers)
Player to Watch – Kaiden Guhle (D): A two-time WHL Champion with the Prince Albert Raiders and Edmonton Oil Kings, respectively, Kaiden Guhle has plenty of valuable experience to share with a Canadiens squad looking to show last spring’s push to the Eastern Conference Final was no fluke. Unfortunately, Guhle will need to work his way back from an injury before he joins the Habs in 2026-27.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS (1)
Reid Schaefer (Seattle Thunderbirds)
Player to Watch – Reid Schaefer (F): Making his NHL debut in 2025-26, WHL Champion Reid Schaefer is poised to start the campaign with the Predators in 2026-27. A first-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2022, Schaefer was dealt to Nashville as part of the deal that landed Mattias Ekholm in the Alberta capital.
NEW JERSEY DEVILS (2)
Brenden Dillon (Seattle Thunderbirds), Cody Glass (Portland Winterhawks)
Player to Watch – Brenden Dillon (D): Veteran blueliner Brenden Dillon surpassed the 1,000-game plateau last season and returns with his veteran experience to help a Devils squad looking for more in 2026-27. Since making his NHL debut in 2011-12, Dillon has been steady and reliable, appearing in at least 75 games in 11 seasons.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS (3)
Mathew Barzal* (Seattle Thunderbirds), Ryan Pulock (Brandon Wheat Kings), Brayden Schenn (Saskatoon Blades)
Player to Watch – Mathew Barzal (F): 2017 WHL Playoff MVP and WHL Champion Mathew Barzal will once again be relied upon to drive the Islanders offense in 2026-27, though he is set to start the season on injured reserve. Through nine NHL seasons, Barzal has logged two 20-goal seasons and five campaigns with at least 60 points, including a 72-point effort in 81 games last season.
NEW YORK RANGERS (5)
Oliver Bjorkstrand (Portland Winterhawks), Vincent Iorio* (Brandon Wheat Kings), Matt Rempe (Seattle Thunderbirds), Matthew Robertson (Edmonton Oil Kings), Braden Schneider (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Player to Watch – Oliver Bjorkstrand (F): A veteran of more than 700 NHL games, former WHL Player of the Year and WHL Champion Oliver Bjorkstrand is aiming to rekindle the scoring touch that helped him reach the 20-goal plateau on six occasions in his NHL career. After spending last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Bjorkstrand signed a one-year contract with the Rangers in free agency this summer.
OTTAWA SENATORS (3)
Dylan Cozens (Lethbridge Hurricanes), Ridly Greig (Brandon Wheat Kings), Carter Yakemchuk (Calgary Hitmen)
Player to Watch – Carter Yakemchuk (D): Selected seventh overall by the Senators in the 2024 NHL Draft, Yakemchuk made his NHL debut in 2025-26, getting into four games. Named to the opening night roster for 2026-27, the product of Calgary will look to make an impact after recording 40 points (10G-30A) in 54 games with AHL Belleville last season.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (1)
Travis Sanheim (Calgary Hitmen)
Player to Watch – Travis Sanheim (D): A member of Canada’s entry at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, Sanheim delivers prowess in all facets of the game. Serving as an alternate captain for the Flyers last season, the product of Elkhorn, Man., notched 37 points (11G-26A) in 81 games.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (4)
Connor Dewar (Everett Silvertips), Ben Kindel* (Calgary Hitmen), Kaedan Korczak (Kelowna Rockets), Oliver Okuliar* (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Player to Watch – Ben Kindel (F): The 19-year-old Kindel was a revelation in 2025-26, making the Penguins as an 18-year-old rookie. Selected 11th overall by the Penguins in the 2025 NHL Draft, the product of Coquitlam, B.C., enjoyed an outstanding first foray into the NHL, registering 35 points (17G-18A) in 77 games. He starts the season week-to-week on the injured reserve, but will be a key young component for a Penguins team intent on returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
SAN JOSE SHARKS (4)
Nolan Allan (Seattle Thunderbirds), Luca Cagnoni (Portland Winterhawks), Brett Leason (Prince Albert Raiders), Zack Ostapchuk (Winnipeg ICE)
Player to Watch – Luca Cagnoni (D): The former Portland Winterhawks star finished his WHL career by registering 90 points in 65 games during the 2023-24 season. Since then, he has seen action in nine NHL games, while recording an impressive 95 points (24G-71A) in 131 career AHL games. Now, set to start the season on the Sharks opening night roster, the 5-foot-9, 181-pound, 21-year-old blueliner will look to continue proving doubters wrong.
SEATTLE KRAKEN (6)
Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs), Jordan Eberle (Regina Pats), Ryker Evans (Regina Pats), Cale Fleury (Kootenay ICE), Josh Mahura (Regina Pats), Chandler Stephenson (Regina Pats)
Player to Watch – Berkly Catton (F): Selected eighth overall by the Kraken in the 2024 NHL Draft, Catton led the Spokane Chiefs all the way to the WHL Championship in 2025, where they ultimately fell to the Medicine Hat Tigers. In 2025-26, the former WHL Most Sportsmanlike Player saw action in 66 games with the Kraken. He will look to build upon his rookie campaign in 2026-27.
- LOUIS BLUES (5)
Brandon Carlo (Tri-City Americans), Dillon Dube (Kelowna Rockets), Joel Hofer (Portland Winterhawks), Jake Neighbours (Edmonton Oil Kings), Adam Jecho* (Edmonton Oil Kings)
Player to Watch – Jake Neighbours (F): In four NHL seasons, WHL Champion Jake Neighbours has logged two 20-goal seasons, including a career best 27 in 2023-24. Only getting into 69 contests in 2025-26, Neighbours’s goal total slipped to 15. The value of Neighbours to the success of the Blues was underscored when he was named an alternate captain in 2025-26.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (5)
Conor Geekie (Swift Current Broncos), Gage Goncalves (Everett Silvertips), Brandon Hagel (Red Deer Rebels), Jansen Harkins (Prince George Cougars), Brayden Point (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Player to Watch – Brandon Hagel (F): For the third time in the past four seasons, former Red Deer Rebels star Brandon Hagel recorded at least 30 goals. In fact, with 36 markers in 2025-26, the product of Saskatoon, Sask., established a new career high. Selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the sixth round (159th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Hagel went unsigned before eventually catching on with the Chicago Blackhawks. Since making his NHL debut in 2019-20, Hagel has played 446 regular season games and collected 371 points (161G-210A).
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (3)
Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers), Morgan Rielly (Moose Jaw Warriors), Colton Sissons (Kelowna Rockets)
Player to Watch – Gavin McKenna (F): The first-overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft, Gavin McKenna is about to take Toronto by storm. The former WHL Player of the Year and WHL Champion tore up the WHL with 244 points (79G-165A) in 133 regular season games with the Medicine Hat Tigers. Now, he embarks on his NHL career in one of hockey’s hottest markets.
UTAH MAMMOTH (3)
Sebastian Cossa (Edmonton Oil Kings), Dylan Guenther (Seattle Thunderbirds), Kailer Yamamoto (Spokane Chiefs)
Player to Watch – Dylan Guenther (F): Former WHL Rookie of the Year and two-time WHL Champion Dylan Guenther showed how lethal he was when he eclipsed the 40-goal and 70-point plateaus for the first time in his NHL career during the 2025-26 season. How high can Guenther climb with a Mammoth squad that appears to be trending up heading into 2026-27?
VANCOUVER CANUCKS (4)
Arshdeep Bains (Red Deer Rebels), Jake DeBrusk (Red Deer Rebels), Brendan Gallagher (Vancouver Giants), Luke Schenn (Kelowna Rockets)
Player to Watch – Jake DeBrusk (F): Entering his third season with the Canucks, Jake DeBrusk has been a steady producer of secondary offense since entering the NHL with the Boston Bruins in 2017-18. Across nine NHL campaigns, DeBrusk has secured at least 40 points on seven occasions, including scoring 20 goals in four of the last five seasons.
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS (10)
Dylan Coghlan (Tri-City Americans), Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips), Ben Hemmerling* (Everett Silvertips), Adin Hill (Portland Winterhawks), Brett Howden (Moose Jaw Warriors), Brayden McNabb (Kootenay ICE), Mark Stone (Brandon Wheat Kings), Shea Theodore (Seattle Thunderbirds), Kai Uchacz* (Red Deer Rebels), Parker Wotherspoon (Tri-City Americans)
Player to Watch – Shea Theodore (D): Former WHL Defenceman of the Year Shea Theodore represented Canada at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games and was a powerhouse as Vegas advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in 2026. During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the 31-year-old from Aldergrove, B.C., registered 18 points (6G-12A) in 22 games.
WASHINGTON CAPITALS (4)
Dylan McIlrath (Moose Jaw Warriors), Aliaksei Protas (Prince Albert Raiders), Justin Sourdif (Edmonton Oil Kings), Logan Thompson (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Player to Watch – Logan Thompson (G): WHL Champion Logan Thompson was named to the NHL’s Second All-Star Team in 2025-26 and helped Canada claim silver at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. The 29-year-old product of Calgary, Alta., was solid in his second season with the Capitals, securing 31 victories for the second consecutive season. Undrafted into the NHL, Thompson owns a career record of 118-59-23 with a 2.57 GAA and .912 SV%.
WINNIPEG JETS (7)
Tyrel Bauer (Seattle Thunderbirds), Haydn Fleury (Red Deer Rebels), Brad Lambert (Seattle Thunderbirds), Adam Lowry (Swift Current Broncos), Josh Morrissey (Kelowna Rockets), Nino Neiderreiter (Portland Winterhawks), Stuart Skinner (Swift Current Broncos)
Player to Watch – Josh Morrissey (D): WHL Champion Josh Morrissey returns for his 11th season with the Winnipeg Jets following a 55-point season in 2025-26. Morrissey was named to Canada’s roster for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, but was injured in the first game of competition and was unable to return. In 739 NHL regular season outings, Morrissey has registered 428 points (94G-334A) and established himself as one of Canada’s most well-rounded blueliners.
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 60 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
