[{"id":36382,"date":"2026-06-09T13:53:30","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T17:53:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/?p=36382"},"modified":"2026-06-09T13:41:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T17:41:58","slug":"blazers-sign-2010-born-defenseman-chase-gill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/article\/blazers-sign-2010-born-defenseman-chase-gill","title":{"rendered":"BLAZERS SIGN 2010-BORN DEFENSEMAN CHASE GILL"},"content":{"rendered":"

BLAZERS SIGN 2010-BORN DEFENSEMAN CHASE GILL <\/strong><\/p>\n

Kamloops, BC<\/strong> \u2013 The Kamloops Blazers have signed 2010-born defenseman Chase Gill to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Gill was selected by the Blazers in the second round, 33rd<\/sup> overall in the 2025 WHL U.S. Prospects Draft.<\/p>\n

Gill is from Seal Beach, California and stands at 5\u201911\u201d and 155lbs. He played last season with L.A. Jr. Kings 15U team. In 54 games, he led his team in defensemen scoring with 15 goals, 32 assists and 47 points.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would like to congratulate and welcome Chase and his family on signing with the Kamloops Blazers,\u201d said General Manager \/ Head Coach, Shaun Clouston. \u201cWe are excited to be a part of Chase\u2019s development in the coming seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gill is the fifth player from the 2010-born age group to sign with the Blazers. He joins defenseman Mateo Ferreira and forwards Teagen Bouchard, Brady Ondrus and Collin Kim.<\/p>\n

The Blazers have now signed all four of their U.S. WHL Prospects Draft picks from the 2009 and 2010 age group, all from California. Gill joins 2009-born players forward Eli Tverdovsky and goaltender Kaeden Tate as well as 2010-born forward Collin Kim.<\/p>\n

For ticketing information, please contact Missy, Jim or Stacy at 250-828-1144 or by email at mcederholm@blazerhockey.com<\/a>, jchoppen@blazerhockey.com<\/a> or skeen@blazerhockey.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

-30-<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BLAZERS SIGN 2010-BORN DEFENSEMAN CHASE GILL Kamloops, BC \u2013 The Kamloops Blazers have signed 2010-born defenseman Chase Gill to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Gill was selected by the Blazers in the second round, 33rd overall in the 2025 WHL U.S. Prospects Draft. Gill is from Seal Beach, California and stands at 5\u201911\u201d and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":359,"featured_media":36384,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[440],"tags":false,"class_list":["post-36382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-440","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/06\/09134145\/Chase-Gill.png",1280,720,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36382","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/359"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36382"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36382\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":36380,"date":"2026-06-03T13:25:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T17:25:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/?p=36380"},"modified":"2026-06-03T13:25:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T17:25:14","slug":"blazers-sign-2011-born-forward-mazen-green","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/article\/blazers-sign-2011-born-forward-mazen-green","title":{"rendered":"BLAZERS SIGN 2011-BORN FORWARD MAZEN GREEN"},"content":{"rendered":"

BLAZERS SIGN 2011-BORN FORWARD MAZEN GREEN <\/strong><\/p>\n

Kamloops, BC<\/strong> \u2013 The Kamloops Blazers have signed 2011-born forward Mazen Green to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Green was selected by the Blazers in the second round, 45th<\/sup> overall in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft in May.<\/p>\n

Green is from Surrey, BC and stands at 5\u20198\u201d and 145lbs. He played last season with Delta Hockey Academy U15 Prep team. In 30 games, he had 18 goals, 28 assists for 46 points. He also had two goals and an assist in four games at the BC Cup in April.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would like to congratulate and welcome Mazen and his family on signing with the Kamloops Blazers,\u201d said General Manager \/ Head Coach, Shaun Clouston. \u201cWe are excited to be a part of Mazen\u2019s development in the coming seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Green will return to Kamloops for training camp in late August. He is expected to play the 2026-2027 season with Delta Hockey Academy U18 Prep team. As a 15-year-old, he is eligible to play up to 10 games with the Blazers next season.<\/p>\n

Green is the second player from the 2011-born WHL Prospects Draft to sign with the Blazers as he joins fellow forward Micah Montgomery.<\/p>\n

For ticketing information, please contact Missy, Jim or Stacy at 250-828-1144 or by email at mcederholm@blazerhockey.com<\/a>, jchoppen@blazerhockey.com<\/a> or skeen@blazerhockey.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

-30-<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BLAZERS SIGN 2011-BORN FORWARD MAZEN GREEN Kamloops, BC \u2013 The Kamloops Blazers have signed 2011-born forward Mazen Green to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Green was selected by the Blazers in the second round, 45th overall in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft in May. Green is from Surrey, BC and stands at 5\u20198\u201d and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":359,"featured_media":36378,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[440],"tags":[{"term_id":492,"name":"Mazen Green","slug":"mazen-green","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":492,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1"}],"class_list":["post-36380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-mazen-green","category-440","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/05\/28154647\/Mazen-Green-1.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/359"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36380"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36380\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36380"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":36377,"date":"2026-05-28T15:59:29","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T19:59:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/?p=36377"},"modified":"2026-05-28T15:59:29","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T19:59:29","slug":"blazers-sign-2011-born-forward-micah-montgomery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/article\/blazers-sign-2011-born-forward-micah-montgomery","title":{"rendered":"BLAZERS SIGN 2011-BORN FORWARD MICAH MONTGOMERY"},"content":{"rendered":"

BLAZERS SIGN 2011-BORN FORWARD MICAH MONTGOMERY <\/strong><\/p>\n

Kamloops, BC<\/strong> \u2013 The Kamloops Blazers have signed 2011-born forward Micah Montgomery to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Montgomery was selected by the Blazers in the first round, eighth overall in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft earlier this month.<\/p>\n

Montgomery is from Edmonton, AB and stands at 6\u20190\u201d and 175lbs. He played last season with OHA Edmonton U15 Prep team. In 30 games, he led his team in scoring with 21 goals, 42 assists and 63 points. He also added eight points in five games at the Alberta Cup in April.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would like to congratulate and welcome Micah and his family on signing with the Kamloops Blazers,\u201d said General Manager \/ Head Coach, Shaun Clouston. \u201cWe are excited to be a part of Micah\u2019s development in the coming seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Montgomery will return to Kamloops for training camp in late August. He is expected to play the 2026-2027 season with OHA Edmonton U18 Prep team. As a 15-year-old, he is eligible to play up to 10 games with the Blazers next season.<\/p>\n

For ticketing information, please contact Missy, Jim or Stacy at 250-828-1144 or by email at mcederholm@blazerhockey.com<\/a>, jchoppen@blazerhockey.com<\/a> or skeen@blazerhockey.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

-30-<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BLAZERS SIGN 2011-BORN FORWARD MICAH MONTGOMERY Kamloops, BC \u2013 The Kamloops Blazers have signed 2011-born forward Micah Montgomery to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Montgomery was selected by the Blazers in the first round, eighth overall in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft earlier this month. Montgomery is from Edmonton, AB and stands at 6\u20190\u201d…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":359,"featured_media":36379,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[440],"tags":false,"class_list":["post-36377","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-440","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/05\/28154656\/Micah-Montgomery.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36377","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/359"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36377"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36377\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36379"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36377"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36377"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36377"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":36372,"date":"2026-05-22T12:01:31","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T16:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/?p=36372"},"modified":"2026-05-22T12:01:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T16:01:31","slug":"blazers-host-spring-development-camp-may-22-24","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/article\/blazers-host-spring-development-camp-may-22-24","title":{"rendered":"Blazers Host Spring Development Camp May 22-24"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kamloops Blazers to Host 2026 Development Camp<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kamloops, BC<\/strong> \u2013 The Kamloops Blazers are hosting their 2026 Spring Development Camp this weekend from May 22nd<\/sup> to May 24th<\/sup>. The hockey club will welcome 23 players and their families to Kamloops in the 2010 and 2011 age groups.<\/p>\n

A breakdown of the 23 players includes three goaltenders, seven defensemen and 13 forwards.<\/p>\n

The Blazers will host ice sessions that are open to the public on Saturday, May 23rd<\/sup> from 1:00pm to 3:00pm and on Sunday, May 24th<\/sup> from 9:00am to 11:00am and Brock Arena.<\/p>\n

CAMP ROSTER<\/a><\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kamloops Blazers to Host 2026 Development Camp Kamloops, BC \u2013 The Kamloops Blazers are hosting their 2026 Spring Development Camp this weekend from May 22nd to May 24th. The hockey club will welcome 23 players and their families to Kamloops in the 2010 and 2011 age groups. A breakdown of the 23 players includes three…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":359,"featured_media":36373,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[440],"tags":false,"class_list":["post-36372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-440","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/05\/22120027\/SpringDevCamp-2026.jpg",1600,900,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36372","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/359"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36372"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36372\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":36368,"date":"2026-05-13T12:52:04","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T16:52:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/?p=36368"},"modified":"2026-05-12T15:37:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T19:37:32","slug":"blazer-sign-2008-born-forward-river-arnason","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/article\/blazer-sign-2008-born-forward-river-arnason","title":{"rendered":"BLAZER SIGN 2008-BORN FORWARD RIVER ARNASON"},"content":{"rendered":"

BLAZERS SIGN 2008-BORN FORWARD RIVER ARNASON <\/strong><\/p>\n

Kamloops, BC<\/strong> \u2013 The Kamloops Blazers have signed 2008-born forward River Arnason to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Arnason was listed by the Blazers in September 2023.<\/p>\n

Arnason is from Winnipeg, MB and stands at 5\u201910\u201d and 160lbs. He played last season with the Prince George Spruce Kings in the BCHL. As the youngest player on the team, Arnason had nine goals, 15 assists and 24 points in 42 games. He added eight points in 17 playoff games.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would like congratulate River and his family on signing with our hockey club,\u201d commented General Manager \/ Head Coach, Shaun Clouston. \u201cWe are excited to be a part of his development in the coming seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arnason led the CSSHL U18 league in scoring during the 2024-2025 season with 64 points in 35 games.<\/p>\n

For ticketing information, please contact Missy, Jim or Stacy at 250-828-1144 or by email at mcederholm@blazerhockey.com<\/a>, jchoppen@blazerhockey.com<\/a> or skeen@blazerhockey.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

-30-<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BLAZERS SIGN 2008-BORN FORWARD RIVER ARNASON Kamloops, BC \u2013 The Kamloops Blazers have signed 2008-born forward River Arnason to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Arnason was listed by the Blazers in September 2023. Arnason is from Winnipeg, MB and stands at 5\u201910\u201d and 160lbs. He played last season with the Prince George Spruce Kings…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":359,"featured_media":36369,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[440],"tags":false,"class_list":["post-36368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-440","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/05\/12153435\/Arnason-Signed.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/359"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36368"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36368\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36369"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36368"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36368"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":36367,"date":"2026-05-07T18:14:56","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T22:14:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/?p=36367"},"modified":"2026-05-07T18:14:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T22:14:56","slug":"blazers-select-10-players-in-whl-prospects-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/article\/blazers-select-10-players-in-whl-prospects-draft","title":{"rendered":"BLAZERS SELECT 10 PLAYERS IN WHL PROSPECTS DRAFT"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following the Blazers’ first-round selection of Micah Montgomery, the club stayed busy on the second day of the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft.
\n\"\"
\nIn the second round, the Blazers used the 30th overall pick to select Mason Auger from East Grand Forks, Minnesota. The 5\u20197 defenceman is an offensive catalyst who tallied 72 points in 47 games with East Grand Forks Bantam AA and 20 points in 18 games for the MN Blue Ox 14U AAA team.
\n\"\"
\nShortly after, the Blazers dealt pick 36 to the Calgary Hitmen in exchange for pick 46 and a 2027 4th-round pick. This move was followed by the selection of Mazen Green from Surrey, B.C., at 45th overall. Green scored 18 goals and 46 points in 30 games with Delta Hockey Academy.
\n\"\"
\nClosing out the round at 46th overall, Kamloops selected Nixon Gaudet from Ile Des Chenes, Manitoba, a 5\u20198\u201d centre who recorded 80 points in 32 games with Eastman Selects U15 AAA in the WPU15.
\n\"\"
\nKamloops turned to the third round with the 59th pick, selecting Marcus Phillips from Coquitlam, B.C. Phillips stands 5\u201911\u201d and recorded 19 goals and 38 points in 30 games with Yale U15 Prep.
\n\"\"
\nWith two selections in the fourth round, Kamloops used pick 80 to select defenceman Carsten Patrick, who stands 5\u201910\u201d and tallied 19 points in 35 games with Delta Hockey Academy U15 Prep. The Blazers then selected goaltender Cohen Wood 83rd overall. Wood posted a 10-4 record with a 2.78 goals-against average and .908 save percentage with St. George\u2019s School U15 Prep.
\n\"\"\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \"\"
\nAt pick 138, the Blazers took Idaho native Ryker Stevens. Stevens is a 5\u20198\u201d centre who tallied 43 points in 30 games with Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep.
\nWith pick 158, Kamloops selected Cade Mazurski from Rocky View County, Alberta. Mazurski played for Edge School U15 Prep and scored 16 points in 27 games.
\n\"\"\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \"\"
\nThe Blazers then made their final selection at 174, picking Farhan Haq from the Dallas Stars Elite 14U. Haq is a 6\u20193\u201d right-shot defenceman who tallied 28 points in 44 games.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Following the Blazers’ first-round selection of Micah Montgomery, the club stayed busy on the second day of the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft. In the second round, the Blazers used the 30th overall pick to select Mason Auger from East Grand Forks, Minnesota. The 5\u20197 defenceman is an offensive catalyst who tallied 72 points in 47…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":359,"featured_media":36358,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[440],"tags":false,"class_list":["post-36367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-440","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/05\/07181005\/Mason-Auger.png",1024,1280,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/359"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36367"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36367\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":36356,"date":"2026-05-06T21:08:51","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T01:08:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/?p=36356"},"modified":"2026-05-06T21:08:51","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T01:08:51","slug":"micah-montgomery-chosen-8th-overall-in-whl-prospects-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/article\/micah-montgomery-chosen-8th-overall-in-whl-prospects-draft","title":{"rendered":"MICAH MONTGOMERY CHOSEN 8TH OVERALL IN WHL PROSPECTS DRAFT"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Kamloops Blazers selected Micah Montgomery 8th overall at the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft.<\/p>\n

Montgomery stands 6-foot-0, and tallied 21 goals and 42 assists for 63 points in 30 games with OHA Edmonton. He tallied a team lead of nine points in six games at the John Reid Memorial Tournament and scored eight points in five games at the Alberta Cup last month.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a good all-around player; we appreciate the fact he plays a full 200-foot game. He just fits the profile we were looking at,\u201d said Director of Player Personnel Aaron Keller<\/p>\n

Montgomery was ranked by Elite Prospects as the 13th best player available in the draft. \u201cMontgomery is tall, powerful, cerebral, and defensively dominant. He dictates the flow of play, relying on deception, protection, and physical skills to crush his competition. As his details stack, so does his advantage creation. Small things like winning inside position, metal mapping the ice, stick position, and the ability to outthink even the most soundly gapped defender are his superpowers. He\u2019s a madman when it comes to pressure pushing, boasting a work rate that is hard to compare in this draft. While his skating is a key weakness across his profile, his game is built around minimizing the impact of mobility issues. He\u2019s a top-line centre projection in the WHL.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Kamloops Blazers selected Micah Montgomery 8th overall at the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft. Montgomery stands 6-foot-0, and tallied 21 goals and 42 assists for 63 points in 30 games with OHA Edmonton. He tallied a team lead of nine points in six games at the John Reid Memorial Tournament and scored eight points in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":359,"featured_media":36357,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[440],"tags":false,"class_list":["post-36356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-440","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2026\/05\/06210834\/Montgomery.png",1920,2400,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/359"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36356"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36356\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":36353,"date":"2026-04-30T12:52:39","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T16:52:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/?p=36353"},"modified":"2026-04-30T12:52:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T16:52:39","slug":"chl-unveils-players-ranked-no-20-through-no-11-on-top-50-players-of-the-last-50-years-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/article\/chl-unveils-players-ranked-no-20-through-no-11-on-top-50-players-of-the-last-50-years-list","title":{"rendered":"CHL unveils players ranked No. 20 through No. 11 on Top 50 Players of the Last 50 Years list"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n

The Top 50 players were selected through an initial media vote, with the final order determined by a weighted combination of media and fan voting. After unveiling players ranked No. 50 through No. 21 over the past three weeks, the CHL continues the countdown today, with full player bios available at <\/i>chl.ca\/chl50<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to unveil the players ranked No. 20 through No. 11 on its Top 50 Players of the Last 50 Years list (<\/span>see below<\/i><\/b>), a marquee initiative of the CHL\u2019s 50th anniversary season. The countdown recognizes the greatest players from the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) since 1975-76, celebrating the stars who have defined major junior hockey over the past five decades.<\/span><\/p>\n

As part of the initiative, <\/span>a panel of media members first selected the Top 50 Players of the Last 50 Years<\/span><\/a>. The final ranking order was then determined using a weighted formula that combined media and fan voting to rank the players from No. 1 through No. 50. After unveiling players ranked No. 50 through No. 21 over the past three weeks, the CHL\u2019s countdown continues today with one of the most accomplished 10-player groups on the list.<\/span><\/p>\n

The players ranked No. 20 through No. 11 feature a balanced mix of elite forwards, franchise goaltenders, and era-defining defencemen, including four players from the OHL, four from the QMJHL, and two from the WHL. The group includes eight Hockey Hall of Fame inductees, four Memorial Cup champions, two CHL Player of the Year recipients, two No. 1 NHL Draft picks, and two Triple Gold Club members. It also features the two highest-ranked goaltenders on the CHL Top 50 list in Martin Brodeur (No. 17) and Patrick Roy (No. 16), two of the most accomplished netminders in hockey history. Four of the nine defencemen named to the full Top 50 also appear in this range: Al MacInnis, Chris Pronger, Paul Coffey, and Scott Niedermayer.<\/span><\/p>\n

KEY FACTS & MEDIA NOTES: CHL TOP 50 PLAYERS<\/b><\/a>
\nKEY FACTS & MEDIA NOTES: PLAYERS RANKED NO. 20 THROUGH NO. 11<\/b><\/a>
\nMEDIA RESOURCES (PHOTOS, LOGOS, VIDEOS & MORE)<\/b><\/a>
\nPLAYERS RANKED NO. 50 THROUGH 41<\/b><\/a>
\nPLAYERS RANKED NO. 40 THROUGH 31<\/b><\/a>
\nPLAYERS RANKED NO. 30 THROUGH 21<\/b><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

20. Pat LaFontaine, Forward | QMJHL | Verdun Juniors (1982-83) | New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres & New York Rangers (1983-98):<\/b> LaFontaine authored one of the most historic rookie seasons in CHL history with Verdun in 1982-83, producing 234 points in 70 games \u2014 including 104 goals and 130 assists \u2014 to establish CHL single-season rookie records in all three categories. He led the QMJHL in scoring, recorded at least one point in 69 of 70 games, captured QMJHL MVP and Playoff MVP honours, and was named CHL Player of the Year after helping Verdun win the QMJHL championship. Selected third overall in 1983, LaFontaine went on to record six straight 40-goal seasons in the NHL, won the Bill Masterton Trophy, posted a Buffalo Sabres franchise-record 148 points in 1992-93, and finished with 1,013 career points on his way to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Internationally, he won the 1996 World Cup of Hockey with the United States and represented his country at two Olympic Winter Games.<\/span><\/p>\n

19. Al MacInnis, Defenceman | OHL | Kitchener Rangers (1980-83) | Calgary Flames & St. Louis Blues (1980-2004): <\/b>MacInnis became a star on the Kitchener blue line after beginning his CHL career with two WHL games for Regina, helping the Rangers win back-to-back OHL championships and the 1982 Memorial Cup. He earned OHL First All-Star Team honours in consecutive seasons and captured the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the OHL\u2019s top defenceman in 1982-83 after tying Bobby Orr\u2019s OHL record for goals by a defenceman with 38. Drafted 15th overall by Calgary in 1981, MacInnis became one of the most feared shooters and productive defencemen in NHL history, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy while leading the Flames to the Stanley Cup in 1989 and later capturing the Norris Trophy with St. Louis. A Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, he retired with 1,274 points in 1,416 NHL games. Internationally, he won Canada Cup gold in 1991 and Olympic gold with Canada in 2002.<\/span><\/p>\n

18. Chris Pronger, Defenceman | OHL | Peterborough Petes (1991-93) | Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks & Philadelphia Flyers (1993-2012): <\/b>Pronger\u2019s dominance took shape in Peterborough, where the towering defenceman posted 139 points across two regular seasons before delivering one of the greatest playoff runs ever by an OHL blueliner. In 1992-93, he recorded 40 points in 21 playoff games \u2014 still the OHL single-playoff scoring record for a defenceman \u2014 while leading the Petes to the OHL championship. That season, he was named OHL and CHL Defenceman of the Year, earned First All-Star Team honours in both, and captured the CHL Plus\/Minus Award. Selected second overall in 1993, Pronger became one of the NHL\u2019s defining defencemen, winning the Hart and Norris trophies, capturing the Stanley Cup with Anaheim in 2007, and earning recognition as one of the NHL\u2019s 100 Greatest Players. Internationally, he became a Triple Gold Club member with Olympic gold, World Championship gold, and a Stanley Cup.<\/span><\/p>\n

17. Martin Brodeur, Goaltender | QMJHL | Saint-Hyacinthe Lasers (1989-92) | New Jersey Devils & St. Louis Blues (1991-2015): <\/b>Brodeur developed into one of hockey\u2019s greatest goaltenders with Saint-Hyacinthe, where he spent three seasons in the QMJHL and earned QMJHL All-Rookie and Second All-Star Team honours. His junior career helped lay the foundation for one of the most decorated goaltending r\u00e9sum\u00e9s in hockey history. Selected 20th overall by New Jersey in 1990, Brodeur became the NHL\u2019s all-time leader among goaltenders in wins, shutouts, and games played. He won three Stanley Cups with the Devils, four Vezina Trophies, five William M. Jennings Trophies, and the Calder Trophy, while also being named one of the NHL\u2019s 100 Greatest Players. Internationally, Brodeur won Olympic gold with Canada in 2002 and 2010 and backstopped Canada to the 2004 World Cup of Hockey title.<\/span><\/p>\n

16. Patrick Roy, Goaltender | QMJHL | Granby Bisons (1982-85) | Montreal Canadiens & Colorado Avalanche (1984-2003): <\/b>Roy\u2019s path to greatness began with the Granby Bisons, where he became a workhorse in the crease during three QMJHL seasons. Facing heavy shot volumes throughout his junior career, Roy earned QMJHL Third All-Star Team honours as a 17-year-old and continued to anchor Granby before making the jump to professional hockey. His junior legacy remains firmly tied to the QMJHL, where he was later inducted into the league\u2019s Hall of Fame and had the QMJHL Goaltender of the Year award named in his honour. In the NHL, Roy became one of the most decorated goaltenders in history, winning four Stanley Cups, three Conn Smythe Trophies \u2014 the most by any player \u2014 and three Vezina Trophies. A Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Roy was the first NHL goaltender to reach 500 wins and 1,000 games played, and he remains one of the sport\u2019s greatest playoff performers.<\/span><\/p>\n

15. John Tavares, Forward | OHL | Oshawa Generals & London Knights (2005-09) | New York Islanders & Toronto Maple Leafs (2009-Present): <\/b>The first player ever granted exceptional status into the OHL, Tavares entered the league at 15 and quickly became one of the most prolific scorers in CHL history. He won OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year honours in 2005-06, then erupted for 72 goals and 134 points the following season to capture the Red Tilson Trophy as OHL MVP and become the youngest CHL Player of the Year winner ever. Tavares later won the Eddie Powers Trophy as OHL scoring champion, earned the CHL Top Prospect Award, and became the OHL\u2019s all-time goals leader with 215. Selected first overall by the New York Islanders in 2009, Tavares has gone on to captain both the Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs while reaching the 1,000-game, 1,000-point, and 500-goal milestones. Internationally, he won two World Juniors gold medals, Olympic gold in 2014, and World Cup gold in 2016.<\/span><\/p>\n

14. Jarome Iginla, Forward | WHL | Kamloops Blazers (1993-96) | Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche & Los Angeles Kings (1995-2017): <\/b>Undrafted in the WHL Bantam Draft, Iginla became a Kamloops Blazers icon, helping the club win back-to-back WHL championships and Memorial Cup titles in 1994 and 1995. He then delivered a dominant 1995-96 season with 136 points in 63 games, earning WHL Player of the Year honours along with CHL First Team All-Star recognition. In 183 regular-season WHL games, Iginla totaled 236 points and added 56 more in 56 playoff contests. Drafted 11th overall by Dallas in 1995, Iginla became the Calgary Flames\u2019 all-time leader in goals, points, and games played, while winning the Art Ross Trophy, two Maurice \u201cRocket\u201d Richard Trophies, and surpassing both 600 goals and 1,300 points. A Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, he was also a cornerstone for Canada internationally, winning World Juniors gold, World Championship gold, World Cup gold, and two Olympic gold medals.<\/span><\/p>\n

13. Nathan MacKinnon, Forward | QMJHL | Halifax Mooseheads (2011-13) | Colorado Avalanche (2013-Present): <\/b>MacKinnon was a game-breaking force with the Halifax Mooseheads, recording 153 points in 102 regular-season games and adding 61 points in 34 playoff contests. In 2012-13, he helped lead Halifax to the QMJHL championship before delivering a defining Memorial Cup performance, posting 13 points in five games and earning tournament MVP honours after a championship-game hat trick against Portland. Selected first overall by Colorado in 2013 as the first Mooseheads alumnus ever taken No. 1, MacKinnon has become one of the NHL\u2019s most dominant players. He has won the Stanley Cup, Hart Trophy, Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award, highlighted by a 140-point season in 2023-24, and reached his 1,000th NHL point in 2025. Internationally, he has won gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and IIHF World Championship, and was named MVP of the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off after leading Canada in goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

12. Paul Coffey, Defenceman | OHL | Kingston Canadians, Soo Greyhounds & Kitchener Rangers (1977-80) | Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes & Boston Bruins (1980-2001): <\/b>Coffey\u2019s Hall of Fame career was launched in the OHL, where he developed into one of the most dynamic offensive defencemen the sport has ever seen. After beginning with Kingston, he broke out with the Soo Greyhounds in 1978-79, recording 89 points and setting a single-season franchise record for assists by a defenceman that he still shares. He closed his junior career in 1979-80 by totaling 102 points between Soo and Kitchener, becoming one of only a select group of OHL defencemen since 1975 to reach 100 points in a season. Drafted sixth overall by Edmonton in 1980, Coffey became a prototype for the modern high-octane defenceman, winning four Stanley Cups and three Norris Trophies while setting the NHL single-season record for goals by a defenceman with 48. He retired with 1,531 NHL points, the second-most by a defenceman in league history. Internationally, he won three Canada Cups with Canada.<\/span><\/p>\n

11. Scott Niedermayer, Defenceman | WHL | Kamloops Blazers (1989-92) | New Jersey Devils & Anaheim Ducks (1991-2010): <\/b>Niedermayer\u2019s championship pedigree was forged with the Kamloops Blazers, where he became one of the WHL\u2019s premier two-way defencemen. He posted 69 points as a 16-year-old rookie in 1989-90 while helping Kamloops win the WHL title, then followed with a career-best 82 points in 1990-91 while earning WHL and CHL Scholastic Player of the Year honours. In 1991-92, Niedermayer helped the Blazers capture another WHL championship and their first Memorial Cup, assisting on the Cup-winning goal with 14.6 seconds remaining and earning Stafford Smythe Trophy honours as Memorial Cup MVP. Selected third overall by New Jersey in 1991, he went on to win four Stanley Cups, the Norris Trophy, and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2007. A Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Niedermayer also became one of hockey\u2019s ultimate winners internationally, capturing World Junior gold, two Olympic gold medals, World Championship gold, and World Cup gold. He remains one of only two players in hockey history, alongside Corey Perry, to win the Memorial Cup, World Juniors, Olympic gold, IIHF World Championship, World Cup of Hockey, and Stanley Cup.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Top 10 players on the CHL\u2019s Top 50 Players of the Last 50 Years list will be revealed over the coming weeks.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHL Top 50 Evaluation Criteria and Eligibility<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

The CHL\u2019s Top 50 Players were selected by a panel of more than 40 media members who submitted ranked 1\u201350 ballots guided by a weighted evaluation framework designed to ensure consistency across eras. Panelists considered a player\u2019s impact beyond the CHL \u2014 including NHL and international success, major awards and championships, and Hall of Fame recognition \u2014 alongside on-ice achievement in the Member Leagues, reflecting what players accomplished during their time in the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL through production, individual honours, team success, and sustained dominance. Selections also accounted for historical significance, recognizing milestones, era-defining influence, generational impact, and lasting contributions to CHL history.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

To be eligible, players must have competed in at least one full season in the WHL, OHL, or QMJHL during the CHL\u2019s 50-year history beginning in 1975\u201376; for players who competed in 1975\u201376 and also played prior to that season, their entire CHL career was considered when evaluating on-ice accomplishments.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The CHL is proud to unveil the players ranked No. 20 through No. 11 on its Top 50 Players of the Last 50 Years list (since 1975-76).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":359,"featured_media":36354,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[440],"tags":false,"class_list":["post-36353","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-440","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/30103218\/CHL50-TOP-50-16X9-20-11-1-EN.jpg",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36353","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/359"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36353"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36353\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36354"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36353"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36353"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36353"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":36349,"date":"2026-04-25T23:27:38","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T03:27:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/?p=36349"},"modified":"2026-04-25T23:27:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T03:27:38","slug":"josh-evaschesen-turns-opportunity-into-breakout-whl-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/article\/josh-evaschesen-turns-opportunity-into-breakout-whl-season","title":{"rendered":"Josh Evaschesen Turns Opportunity into Breakout WHL Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

For Josh Evaschesen, the jump to the WHL came with the kind of uncertainty most young players face when stepping into a higher level. New league, new expectations and a locker room filled with talent can be daunting.<\/p>\n

And at first, it was. \u201cA little intimidated, for sure,\u201d Evaschesen admitted. \u201cBut at the end of the day, it\u2019s just hockey. It\u2019s a game, and everyone\u2019s human.\u201d<\/p>\n

That mindset became the foundation for what turned into a remarkable season for the Medicine Hat native who established himself as a legitimate offensive force. Evaschesen tallied 33 goals and 40 assists for 73 points in 67 games, earning himself a mark on the NHL Central Scouting list, being ranked No. 187 among North American skaters.<\/p>\n

The numbers tell one story. The growth behind them tells another. \u201cI play a hard game,\u201d he explained. \u201cAnd I think the coaches really started to believe in me and gave me opportunities. That was huge for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Opportunity and confidence often go hand in hand, and for Evaschesen, the trust from the coaching staff unlocked another level in his game. Whether it was increased ice time, power-play looks, or key offensive situations, he made the most of every chance. \u201cI\u2019ve got to give a lot of credit to the coaching staff,\u201d he said. \u201cThey trusted me and put me in positions to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a season full of highlights, one moment stands above the rest. \u201cScoring my 30th against Vancouver,\u201d Evaschesen said. \u201cMy mom and my aunties were there, so that made it really special.\u201d<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t just a milestone, it was a realization.\u201cI never really thought I\u2019d score 30 in the Dub,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Part of Evaschesen\u2019s development came from the teammates he played with. Skating alongside NHL-calibre talent on a nightly basis provided a front-row seat to what it takes to reach the next level. \u201cIt\u2019s super cool and really special,\u201d he said. \u201cYou don\u2019t get to play with NHL draft picks every day, especially first-rounders and guys who\u2019ve already played in the league.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rather than being overwhelmed, he absorbed. \u201cFor me, I just try to take bits and pieces from their game.\u201d<\/p>\n

And sometimes, the approach is simpler than that. \u201cWhen you\u2019re out there with JP, you just give him the puck and stay out of his way,\u201d he said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

Beyond the goals and on-ice success, Evaschesen found something just as meaningful off the ice, a connection with the Blazers\u2019 fans. \u201cThe support has been incredible,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve had people come up to me and say they love my game, and that makes me feel really special. I\u2019ve never really had that before. It\u2019s just been an amazing experience. The town has been unreal.\u201d<\/p>\n

From a newcomer to a 30-goal scorer, Evaschesen\u2019s journey is a reminder of how quickly things can change when preparation meets belief.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For Josh Evaschesen, the jump to the WHL came with the kind of uncertainty most young players face when stepping into a higher level. New league, new expectations and a locker room filled with talent can be daunting. And at first, it was. \u201cA little intimidated, for sure,\u201d Evaschesen admitted. \u201cBut at the end of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":359,"featured_media":35916,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[440],"tags":false,"class_list":["post-36349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-440","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2025\/12\/28001559\/Josh-Evaschesen-December-27-2025-Brian-Johnson-scaled.jpg",2560,1828,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/359"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36349"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36349\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35916"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":36345,"date":"2026-04-23T13:17:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T17:17:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/?p=36345"},"modified":"2026-04-23T13:22:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T17:22:47","slug":"blazers-forward-hurlbert-awarded-jim-piggott-memorial-trophy-as-whl-rookie-of-the-year-for-2025-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/video\/blazers-forward-hurlbert-awarded-jim-piggott-memorial-trophy-as-whl-rookie-of-the-year-for-2025-26","title":{"rendered":"Blazers forward Hurlbert awarded Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL Rookie of the Year for 2025-26"},"content":{"rendered":"

Calgary, Alta. \u2013<\/strong> The Western Hockey League announced today Kamloops Blazers forward JP Hurlbert has been awarded the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL Rookie of the Year for the 2025-26 WHL Regular Season.<\/p>\n

WHL Rookie of the Year Finalists<\/strong><\/p>\n

Brock Cripps, Prince Albert Raiders
\nKale Dach, Calgary Hitmen
\nJP Hurlbert, Kamloops Blazers
\nJacob Kvasnicka, Penticton Vees
\nBen MacBeath, Calgary Hitmen
\nMatias Vanhanen, Everett Silvertips<\/p>\n

Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, Hurlbert is the top-ranked U.S. born skater in NHL Central Scouting\u2019s final rankings, identified as the No. 12 skater in North America. He is the third player in Kamloops Blazers history to win the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy, following Scottie Upshall (2000-01) and Ron Shudra (1985-96). Hailing from Allen, Texas, Hurlbert is also only the second Texas-born player to be named WHL Rookie of the Year, with Arlington\u2019s Seth Jones having won the award as a member of the Portland Winterhawks in 2012-13.<\/p>\n

The 18-year-old Hurlbert was a relentless force all season long for the Blazers, registering 97 points (42G-55A) in 68 games to finish fourth in WHL scoring. His 97 points were tops among all WHL rookies and tied for first across the entire Canadian Hockey League with Nikita Klepov of the Ontario Hockey League\u2019s Saginaw Spirit (37G-60A).<\/p>\n

Hulbert was named to the WHL\u2019s Western Conference First All-Star Team and is a finalist for the WHL\u2019s Four Broncos Memorial Trophy, which is presented annually to the WHL Player of the Year.<\/p>\n

Hurlbert\u2019s 97 points go into the history books as the most productive rookie campaign in Kamloops Blazers history, besting the likes of Upshall, who recorded 87 points in 2000-01. Only three rookies have ever surpassed the 40-goal plateau in Kamloops Blazers history \u2013 Hurlbert, Latvian forward Rudolfs Balcers (40, 2016-17), and Upshall (42, 2000-01).<\/p>\n

Serving as an alternate captain for the Blazers, the 6-foot, 182-pound Hurlbert finished among the WHL leaders in numerous offensive categories, including points (fourth), goals (T-4th), first goals (T-2nd), and assists (T-8th).<\/p>\n

Of his 42 goals, Hurlbert scored 32 at even strength (76.2 per cent), with nine coming on the power play and one shorthanded. Of the WHL players to reach the 40-goal plateau, only Brandon Wheat Kings forward Luke Mistelbacher recorded a higher percentage of his goals at even strength, registering 36 of his 42 tallies at five-on-five (85.7 per cent).<\/p>\n

Over the course of the campaign, Hurlbert logged three hat tricks on home ice, including September 20 versus Spokane, January 16 versus Prince George, and March 20 versus Vancouver. He also secured six four-point outings throughout the season.<\/p>\n

In November, Hurlbert was selected to represent Team CHL at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge in Calgary and Lethbridge, Alta. In February, he was named to the leadership group for Team West at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass, which was hosted in Langley, B.C.<\/p>\n

Originally selected by the Kamloops Blazers in the first round (20th overall) of the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft, Hurlbert signed a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement on August 26, 2025.<\/p>\n

The Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy is presented annually to the player whose performance in their first season is deemed to be the most outstanding among all rookies.<\/p>\n

A former owner of the Saskatoon Blades, Jim Piggott was a driving force in the formation of the Western Canadian Hockey League, now known as the WHL.<\/p>\n

Along with Del Wilson, Piggott played a critical role in the unification of all three Major Junior leagues across Canada into what is now known as the Canadian Hockey League.<\/p>\n

The WHL Rookie of the Year Award is voted upon by WHL General Managers and members of the media.<\/p>\n

Winners of the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (since 2010)<\/strong><\/p>\n

2025-26: JP Hurlbert, Kamloops Blazers
\n2024-25: Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips*
\n2023-24: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers*
\n2022-23: Ryder Ritchie, Prince Albert Raiders
\n2021-22: Brayden Yager, Moose Jaw Warriors*
\n2020-21: Connor Bedard, Regina Pats
\n2019-20: Dylan Guenther, Edmonton Oil Kings
\n2018-19: Brayden Tracey, Moose Jaw Warriors
\n2017-18: Dylan Cozens, Lethbridge Hurricanes
\n2016-17: Aleksi Heponiemi, Swift Current Broncos
\n2015-16: Matthew Phillips, Victoria Royals
\n2014-15: Nolan Patrick, Brandon Wheat Kings
\n2013-14: Nick Merkley, Kelowna Rockets
\n2012-13: Seth Jones, Portland Winterhawks
\n2011-12: Sam Reinhart, Kootenay ICE
\n2010-11: Mathew Dumba, Red Deer Rebels
\n2009-10: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Red Deer Rebels<\/p>\n

* = also selected as CHL Rookie of the Year<\/p>\n

About the Western Hockey League<\/strong><\/p>\n

Regarded as the world\u2019s 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 50 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\u2019s National Junior Hockey Team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hailing from Allen, Texas, Hurlbert is only the second Texas-born player to be named WHL Rookie of the Year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":359,"featured_media":36346,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[441],"tags":[{"term_id":374,"name":"JP Hurlbert","slug":"jp-hurlbert","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":376,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":8,"filter":"raw","term_order":"247"}],"class_list":["post-36345","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-video","tag-jp-hurlbert","category-441","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/04\/23094722\/260423_ROTY_Hurlbert-1920.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":{"video_id":"2570638","partner_id":"31014","player_id":"47907","width":"16","height":"9","360p":"https:\/\/cdn.target-video.com\/live\/partners\/31014\/sd\/2570638.mp4","240p":"https:\/\/cdn.target-video.com\/live\/partners\/31014\/ld\/2570638.mp4","480p":"https:\/\/cdn.target-video.com\/live\/partners\/31014\/hsd\/2570638.mp4","1080p":"https:\/\/cdn.target-video.com\/live\/partners\/31014\/fhd\/2570638.mp4","hls":"https:\/\/cdn.target-video.com\/live\/partners\/31014\/streaming\/2570638\/2570638.m3u8","webp":"https:\/\/cdn.target-video.com\/live\/partners\/31014\/webp\/2570638.webp"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36345","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/359"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36345"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36345\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36345"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36345"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl-blazers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36345"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}]