62 WHL Alumni invited to NHL Eastern Conference Return to Play rosters
A total of 62 Western Hockey League Alumni have been invited to the NHL’s Eastern Conference teams’ Training Camps. As a part of the NHL’s Phase 3 team Training Camps that launched on July 13, members of the Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadians, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals were able to begin full-team practices in preparation for the NHL’s Phase 4 Return to Play. The Eastern Conference teams are scheduled to travel July 26th to Toronto, Ont. to begin Phase 4 with the Stanley Cup Qualifiers starting August 1.
The Eastern Conference total includes representatives from 20 WHL member Clubs with all 12 playoff-bound teams represented by at least two WHL Alumni. Led by captain Shea Weber (Kelowna Rockets), the Montreal Canadians boast the most WHL Alumni, with nine players, out of the Eastern Conference teams in the 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifier.
Below is a full list of WHL Alumni in the Eastern Conference 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers with teams listed in alphabetical order. Players are listed by name, position and by the last WHL team they played for.
Eastern Conference:
Boston Bruins (3):
Jake DeBrusk, F – Red Deer Rebels / Swift Current Broncos
Brandon Carlo, D — Tri-City Americans
Zdeno Chara, D — Prince George Cougars
Carolina Hurricanes (7):
Morgan Geekie, F — Tri-City Americans
Jake Bean, D — Tri-City Americans / Calgary Hitmen
Jordan Martinook, F — Vancouver Giants
Nino Niederreiter, F — Portland Winterhawks
Joel Edmundson, D — Kamloops Blazers / Moose Jaw Warriors
Haydn Fleury, D — Red Deer Rebels
James Reimer, G — Red Deer Rebels
Columbus Blue Jackets (3):
Oliver Bjorkstrand, F — Portland Winterhawks
Seth Jones, D — Portland Winterhawks
Ryan Murray, D — Everett Silvertips
Florida Panthers (5):
Brett Connolly, F — Prince George Cougars
Dryden Hunt, F — Moose Jaw Warriors / Medicine Hat Tigers / Regina Pats
Colton Sceviour, F — Lethbridge Hurricanes / Portland Winterhawks
Mark Pysyk, D — Edmonton Oil Kings
Chris Driedger, G — Calgary Hitmen
Montreal Canadiens (9):
Brendan Gallagher, F — Vancouver Giants
Jordan Weal, F — Regina Pats
Dale Weise, F — Swift Current Broncos
Josh Brook, D — Moose Jaw Warriors
Cale Fleury, D — Regina Pats / Kootenay ICE
Noah Juulsen, D — Everett Silvertips
Brett Kulak, D — Vancouver Giants
Shea Weber, D — Kelowna Rockets
Carey Price, G — Tri-City Americans
New York Islanders (7):
Mathew Barzal, F — Seattle Thunderbirds
Kieffer Bellows, F – Portland Winterhawks
Jordan Eberle, F — Regina Pats
Andrew Ladd, F — Calgary Hitmen
Johnny Boychuk, D — Moose Jaw Warriors / Calgary Hitmen
Thomas Hickey, D — Seattle Thunderbirds
Ryan Pulock, D — Brandon Wheat Kings
New York Rangers (2):
Brett Howden, F — Moose Jaw Warriors
Libor Hajek, D — Regina Pats / Saskatoon Blades
Philadelphia Flyers (8):
Tyler Pitlick, F — Medicine Hat Tigers
Carsen Twarynski, F — Kelowna Rockets / Calgary Hitmen
Nate Thompson, F — Seattle Thunderbirds
Ivan Provorov, D — Brandon Wheat Kings
Travis Sanheim, D — Calgary Hitmen
Tyler Wotherspoon, D — Portland Winterhawks
Egor Zamula, D — Calgary Hitmen
Carter Hart, G — Everett Silvertips
Pittsburgh Penguins (2):
Patrick Marleau, F — Seattle Thunderbirds
Tristan Jarry, G — Edmonton Oil Kings
Tampa Bay Lightning (5):
Tyler Johnson, F — Spokane Chiefs
Brayden Point, F — Moose Jaw Warriors
Cal Foote, D — Kelowna Rockets
Luke Schenn, D — Kelowna Rockets
Braydon Coburn, D — Portland Winterhawks
Toronto Maple Leafs (4):
Tyson Barrie, D — Kelowna Rockets
Martin Marincin, D — Regina Pats / Prince George Cougars
Morgan Rielly, D — Moose Jaw Warriors
Adam Brooks, C — Regina Pats
Washington Capitals (7):
Beck Malenstyn, F — Swift Current Broncos / Calgary Hitmen
Garrett Pilon, F — Everett Silvertips / Kamloops Blazers
Alexander Alexeyev, D — Red Deer Rebels
Brenden Dillon, D — Seattle Thunderbirds
Radko Gudas, D — Everett Silvertips
Tyler Lewington, D — Medicine Hat Tigers
Braden Holtby, G — Saskatoon Blades
