GAME PREVIEW: Calgary vs Seattle | 01.10.26
HITMEN HEADLINES: The Calgary Hitmen (19-10-5-1) open a three-game homestand tonight as they welcome the Seattle Thunderbirds (15-18-2-2) to Scotiabank Saddledome. Note the special 6:00 p.m. start for ‘Wrestling at the ‘Dome’ presented by Vallen. The evening will see the Hitmen team up with Dungeon Wrestling to raise support and awareness for prostate cancer. In addition to hockey, fans will be treated to three wrestling matches, one pre-game and one in each intermission. Hitmen namesake and wrestling icon Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart will be on the concourse behind Section 223 taking pictures with fans for a $20 donation to the Prostate Cancer Centre from 5:00-6:00 p.m. Patrons are also invited to take advantage of the $6 food and drink Hitmen Happy Hour from when doors open at 5:00 p.m. until the opening face-off. The Hitmen enter play on a three-game point streak (2-0-1-0) and return to action for the first time following a full six-day break. Their last outing was one week ago tonight in Prince George where they skated to a 4-2 victory. The Hitmen power play was the main driver accounting for three goals with Ethan Moore, Calder Hamilton, Keaton Jundt and Andrei Molgachev providing the scoring. Kale Dach notched a team-leading three points with three assists as Calgary outshot the Cougars 40-22. Seattle meanwhile caps a seven-game road trip tonight with their second game in as many days and fifth game in eight days. Last night the Thunderbirds built a 3-0 lead in Medicine Hat but ultimately dropped an 8-3 decision to the Tigers. Cameron Schmidt (1g, 1a) and Grayson Tash (2a) recorded two points each for Seattle.
WHERE THEY STAND: Calgary is sixth in the Eastern Conference with 44 points, one point behind both Saskatoon and Brandon who share fourth place at 45 points. The Hitmen have three games in hand on the Wheat Kings and four on the Blades. Seattle is 11th in the Western Conference at 34 points, eight points behind Victoria for the eighth and final playoff spot.
SEATTLE: Today is the lone regular season meeting between the two clubs and their first in just over 14 months. Last season they met on Nov. 8, 2024, in Kent, Washington, with the Hitmen skating to a 4-3 overtime victory. Oliver Tulk scored the winner on a power play 1:54 into extra time after Seattle’s Braeden Cootes tallied the equalizer with 10:34 remaining in regulation. Ben Kindel, Carson Wetsch and Hunter Aura also scored for the Hitmen who outshot the T-Birds 39-21. The last time Calgary hosted the Thunderbirds was on Oct. 20, 2023, when Seattle posted a 3-2 overtime triumph. Jeremy Hanzel scored the winner just 30 seconds into the extra frame. Reese Hamilton and Oliver Tulk recorded the Hitmen goals.
STREAKIN’: Kale Dach (2g, 7a) is on a four-game point streak…Hunter Aura (3a), Andrei Molgachev (1g, 1a) and Ty Meunier (1g, 1a), all have points in back-to-back games… Eric Tu has won his last two starts in goal posting a 1.50 goals against average and .933 save percentage. Ben MacBeath (10a) saw his career-high six-game assist streak end last Saturday in Prince George.
ROAD TRIP REWIND: The Hitmen went 2-1-1-0 on their B.C. Road trip, collecting five of a possible eight points. A total of five different players recorded at least a point a game in Kale Dach (2g, 7a), Julien Maze (2g, 4a), Ben MacBeath (5a), Hunter Aura (4a) and Ty Meunier (2g, 2a) while Harrison Lodewyk notched a team leading three goals.
TRADE DEADLINE REWIND: Calgary made several transactions this week ahead of Thursday’s WHL Trade Deadline. The Hitmen added Ottawa Senators third-round prospect Blake Vanek from Wenatchee. The 18-year-old rookie has 18 points (8g, 10a) in 37 games this season. In return Calgary sent 17-year-old prospect Carter Ernst to the Wild along with a sixth-round pick in the 2029 WHL Prospects Draft. The Hitmen also made a swap with Everett, acquiring 18-year-old import defenceman Jakub Seidl in return for a second-round pick in the 2026 CHL Import Draft. The product of Czechia is in his rookie season and has eight points (1g, 7a) in 32 games along with a plus/minus rating of +11. One other transaction saw the Hitmen reassign forward Hayden Schollar to the AJHL’s Drumheller Dragons. The 18-year-old rookie had tallied six points (2g, 4a) in 22 games.
RECENT RUN: Calgary has picked up points in nine of their last 11 games, posting a record of 7-2-2-0.
RAMPING UP: Tonight kicks off a stretch of hockey that will see the Hitmen play 10 games in 21 days to close out their January schedule. Counting today, it’s an even split with five of those at home (SEA, LET, TC, REG, EDM) and five on the road (KEL, PEN, MH, RD, LET).
DID YOU KNOW? Ethan Moore’s first period goal last Saturday in Prince George was his 118th career point, moving him into sole possession of 49th place on the club’s all-time scoring list. Moore is now one point behind Jake Kryski (119) for 48th place and two points behind Andrew Ladd (120) who sits 47th.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTEBOOK: The Hitmen power play, which has scored at least once in six of the last seven games, has climbed into fourth place in the WHL at 29.0%…The Hitmen penalty kill ranks second at 82.7%.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: Kale Dach (21g, 24a) leads Calgary in scoring with 45 points which is tied for 17th overall in the WHL…Julien Maze tops the Hitmen in shots on goal with 109 while Ethan Moore is next with 101.
2026 NHL DRAFT: Five Hitmen are on NHL Central Scouting’s list as Preliminary Players to Watch ahead of the 2026 draft. Landon Amrheim and Ben MacBeath are forecast as second or third-round picks. Hunter Aura, Aidan Hesse and Andrei Molgachev are projected to be sixth or seventh-round candidates.
HOME AND AWAY COMPARISON: The Hitmen are 8-7-2- on home ice with their 17 games played at Scotiabank Saddledome tied with Edmonton for the third fewest of any team in the WHL. Seattle is 3-13-0-2 on the road where they have been outscored by a combined 87-53.
WHL REGULAR SEASON MILESTONES: Julien Maze is three points shy of 100…Hunter Aura is two games away from 100…Ty Meunier is one point shy of 50. He also skated in his 100th career game Dec. 27 in Kamloops.
MAYFAIR DIAGNOSTICS INJURY REPORT: Harrison Lodewyk (Lower Body, Day-to-Day).
OLYMPIC INVITE: Hitmen alumnus Travis Sanheim has been named to Team Canada’s Men’s Hockey Roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The 29-year-old defenceman is in his ninth NHL season with Philadelphia and has 19 points (5g, 14a) in 42 games with the Flyers. Sanheim appeared in 132 career games with the Hitmen from 2013-2016 recording 162 points (35g, 127a).
UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Calgary is back on home ice tomorrow, Sunday, Jan. 11 against the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the Paw Patrol Game. The Hitmen will wear special Paw Patrol themed jerseys while characters Chase and Skye from the TV series will be in attendance. Game time is 4:00 p.m. for the Sunday Funday contest presented by Brookfield Residential. Fans can enjoy $6 food and drink deals all game long, $3 sips and snacks plus Face Painting and the Fun Zone on the West Concourse. Back by popular demand is also the Post-Game Family Skate. Calgary then concludes this homestand on Wednesday, Jan. 14 against the Tri-City Americans in a 7:00 p.m. start at the ‘Dome.
