https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/author/mbarrett/ Wed, 20 May 2026 19:49:57 +0000 en-CA hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/oil-kings-and-americans-partner-for-second-joint-development-camp Wed, 20 May 2026 19:49:57 +0000 mbarrett https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/oil-kings-and-americans-partner-for-second-joint-development-camp Edmonton, Alta. – The Edmonton Oil Kings and Tri-City Americans are once again excited to team up for another joint Development Camp this year. After a successful first year of the partnership in 2025, the two clubs will bring their prospects to Edmonton once again for skills training and scrimmages starting Friday, June 5 and running till Sunday, June 7. “The Edmonton Oil Kings are excited to once again welcome the Tri-City Americans for the upcoming Development Camp,” said Oil Kings President and General Manager Kirt Hill. “Last season’s camp was a great first year of this partnership as our clubs were able to incorporate some scrimmages and further evaluations of players in game situations. This camp is a great opportunity for our staff to have a touch point with a lot of our prospects as they continue their development in our organization.”   NOTE: Development Camp will be closed to the Public.]]> https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/oil-kings-sign-sauer-to-whl-scholarship-and-development-agreement Sat, 16 May 2026 19:59:51 +0000 mbarrett https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/oil-kings-sign-sauer-to-whl-scholarship-and-development-agreement Edmonton, Alta. – The Edmonton Oil Kings announced today that they have signed 2007-born forward KJ Sauer to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. “The Edmonton Oil Kings are excited to sign KJ Sauer to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement,” said Oil Kings President and General Manager Kirt Hill. “KJ Showed exceptional growth through his season this year and is a player we feel can transfer well to the WHL with his skating ability, physicality, and work ethic. We look forward to him joining our group at training camp in August.” Sauer, a 6’4”, 181lbs forward out of Andover, MN, USA, was acquired by the Oil Kings on May 6 from the Penticton Vees. He spent parts of the last three seasons with Andover High School where he had 89 points in 101 games. Sauer also had five points in five games with the USHL’s Lincoln Stars in 2025/2026 and added one goal in eight playoff games. Sauer is ranked 92^nd by NHL Central Scouting among North American Skaters in the final rankings ahead of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. - The Oil Kings are Edmonton’s first choice for family fun with great season seats for as low as $9 per-game for an entire season of thrilling WHL action!  2026-27 Season Seats are on sale now!  Head to OilKings.ca to secure your seat today! ]]> https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/oil-kings-announce-staff-changes Wed, 13 May 2026 19:45:58 +0000 mbarrett https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/oil-kings-announce-staff-changes Edmonton, Alta. – The Edmonton Oil Kings announced today changes made in the Hockey Operations Department. Development Coach Ladislav Smid has taken a position as an Assistant Coach with HC Sparta Praha in Czechia and will not return as a Development Coach with the Oil Kings. Smid was with the Oil Kings for the last four seasons. "The Oil Kings would like to wish Ladislav the best of luck as he returns to Czechia in a coaching role,” said Oil Kings President and General Manager Kirt Hill. “We were lucky to have Ladislav for the last four seasons as part of our player development team and being an integral piece in building relationships with import players." Team Doctor Ed Berdusco will be stepping back from his role as the team’s Head Doctor but will remain in a supportive role with the team. Dr. Berdusco has been the Oil Kings Head Doctor since the 2014/2015 season. “The Oil Kings would like to thank Dr. Berdusco for his passion and dedication to our organization over the last 12-plus seasons helping keep our players healthy on and off the ice,” said Hill. “We will miss seeing him on a regular basis but look forward to still having him as part of our organization." - The Oil Kings are Edmonton’s first choice for family fun with great season seats for as low as $9 per-game for an entire season of thrilling WHL action!  2026-27 Season Seats are on sale now!  Head to OilKings.ca to secure your seat today! ]]> https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/oil-kings-sign-dahlen-to-whl-scholarship-and-development-agreement Tue, 12 May 2026 18:59:34 +0000 mbarrett https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/oil-kings-sign-dahlen-to-whl-scholarship-and-development-agreement Edmonton, Alta. – The Edmonton Oil Kings announced today that they have signed 2006-born forward Luke Dahlen to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. “The Edmonton Oil Kings organization is happy to announce the signing of Luke Dahlen,” said Oil Kings President and General Manager Kirt Hill. “Luke has sown consistent progress in the BCHL and we feel he is a player ready to make and impact at the WHL level. He is a strong player with good speed and a heavy shot. We look forward to integrating him into our group in Edmonton.” Dahlen, a 6’2”, 190lbs forward from Saskatoon, Sask. has spent the last three seasons with the Blackfalds Bulldogs in the AJHL and BCHL. Across both leagues, Dahlen played 163 games, scoring 55 goals and adding 57 assists for 112 points. His best season came in 2025/2026 when he scored 29 goals and had 51 points in 50 games. Dahlen was also named to the BCHL All-Star Game for his efforts. In nine career BCHL playoff games, Dahlen has five points. - The Oil Kings are Edmonton’s first choice for family fun with great season seats for as low as $9 per-game for an entire season of thrilling WHL action!  2026-27 Season Seats are on sale now!  Head to OilKings.ca to secure your seat today! ]]> https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/101260-2 Thu, 07 May 2026 22:18:15 +0000 mbarrett https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/101260-2 Edmonton, Alta. – The Edmonton Oil Kings welcomed eight 2011-born prospects to the organization on Thursday at the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft. “Exciting to make those phone calls today and for our staff who put in a tremendous amount of work this season,” said Oil Kings President and General Manager Kirt Hill. “It's always nice to for them to kind of see this day come to fruition and make some picks.” Without a first round selection, the Oil Kings were first on the clock in the second round, selecting 40^th overall. At that spot, they selected forward Brayden Dean out of Shattuck St. Mary’s 14U AAA. In 58 games this season, Dean had 30 goals and 43 assists for 73 points. Dean, out of Maple Grove, MN, U.S.A, also had five points in four games at 14U Nationals. https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings/status/2052428685261808062?s=20 “He's a very hard-working player with skill and in terms of his tenaciousness and his ability to get to the net and want to be around the net and win battles and make plays in areas that most players don't want to do is something that's really exciting,” said Oil Kings Director of Scouting Michael Chan. Brayden is the younger brother of current Oil Kings forward Dylan Dean. The Oil Kings then made a move, sliding up to the 51^st spot in the third round. The trade saw the Oil Kings acquire that selection from the Moose Jaw Warriors, in exchange for a sixth-round selection this season (134^th overall), along with a sixth-round pick in 2027, originally belonging to Brandon, and a second-round pick in 2030. With that selection, the Oil Kings drafted forward Brock Vodden out of Manitou, Man. and the Pilot Mound Academy U15 Prep squad. In 30 regular season games, Vodden had 20 goals and 24 assists for 44 points. In the playoffs, Vodden would go on to record five goals and eight assists for 13 points in just five games. https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings/status/2052437756954239169?s=20 “He is a very hard-working player with great compete, really good skill set, good skater, great hands and shot,” Chan said. “I think as the year went on, he wasn't playing on the strongest team but his compete level was very consistent throughout the entire year. We see a player that brings a very well-rounded skill package.” With the Oil Kings second, third-round pick, 64^th overall, they selected defenceman Brayden Lee out of Waxahachie, TX, U.S.A. While playing this season with Detroit Little Caesars U14 AAA, Lee had five goals and 23 assists for 28 points in 20 games. In the playoffs, he added another five assists in three games. Lee would then go on to add five points in six games at 14U Nationals, helping his club to a Tier I National Championship. https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings/status/2052439664481665152?s=20 “A very mobile puck-moving D-man, very intelligent game comes easy to him as an offensive player, but he's very competitive as well and can play both sides of the coin,” added Chan. In the fourth round, 88^th overall, the Oil Kings would head to Red Deer, selecting defenceman Nate Lodge out of the Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA program. In 32 games this season, Lodge scored eight goals and added 32 assists for 40 points before a playoff run that saw him score four goals and add 12 assists for 16 points in nine games. Lodge also notched five points in six games at the John Reid Memorial Tournament this year. https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings/status/2052451494591615314?s=20 “Nate is a puck-moving D-man, he's a little smaller in stature right now, but seeing him throughout the year, even at his smaller size, he's able to make so many plays,” Chan said. “His mobility is excellent and I think the thing we liked about him too, maybe coming in a little undersized is his competitive nature and how much when he's out there that he looks like he loves to play the game.” Nate is the brother of Red Deer Rebels forward Kohen Lodge. In the seventh round, the Oil Kings added to their goaltending pool of prospects, selecting Champ Vannus 157^th overall. Vannus, out of East St. Paul, MB played this season with the Winnipeg Thrasher U15 AAA club. In 19 games, Vannus had an 8-10-1 record, with a 3.15 goals-against-average, and a .910 save percentage to go along with one shutout. In four playoff games, Vannus earned a .920 save percentage. He was named to the Winnipeg AAA U15 First All-Star Team and was the Goalie of the Year. https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings/status/2052483741218738230?s=20 In the eighth round, 168^th overall, the Oil Kings selected forward Jake Dunlop out of the Delta Hockey Academy’s U15 Prep squad. Out of Surrey, B.C., Dunlop scored nine goals and added 13 assists in 18 games for 22 points. He also added three points in three playoff games and had four points in five games at the John Reid Memorial Tournament. https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings/status/2052488328407367868?s=20 The Oil Kings then made a trade in round nine, adding the 185^th overall selection from the Lethbridge Hurricanes, in exchange for a 2029 9^th round pick. With that selection, the Oil Kings would take defenceman Logan Schoettler out of Edmonton. Playing for Northern Alberta Xtreme’s U15 Prep squad this season, Schoettler scored one goal and added 17 assists for 18 points in 29 games. He then added one point in four playoff games. At the John Reid Memorial Tournament, Schoettler had three assists in six games. https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings/status/2052495629629472828?s=20 With another pick in round nine, 203^rd overall, the Oil Kings would select forward Cooper Lappi out of the Minnesota Lakers 14U AAA program. In 16 games, Lappi would score seven goals and add 14 assists for 21 points. He would then notch eight points in four playoff games. https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings/status/2052499879713505390?s=20 At the draft this year, the Oil Kings took four forwards, three defencemen, and one goalie. Chan added that all of these prospects have a similar characteristic. “I think it's going to come back to the compete level,” he said. “All the players we took were really skilled, but I think something we really zeroed in on this year was the ability of players to play in battles and play in those tough games.” - The Oil Kings are Edmonton’s first choice for family fun with great season seats for as low as $9 per-game for an entire season of thrilling WHL action!  2026-27 Season Seats are on sale now!  Head to OilKings.ca to secure your seat today! ]]> https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/oil-kings-acquire-rights-to-sauer-from-penticton Thu, 07 May 2026 18:59:59 +0000 mbarrett https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/oil-kings-acquire-rights-to-sauer-from-penticton Edmonton, Alta. – The Edmonton Oil Kings announced today that they have acquired the rights to 2007-born forward KJ Sauer from the Penticton Vees, in exchange for a conditional 2027 fifth round WHL Prospects Draft pick. “The Edmonton Oil Kings organization is excirted to acquire the rights to KJ Sauer,” said Oil Kings President and General Manager Kirt Hill. “KJ showed tremendous growth throughout his season this year and we feel he can transfer to the WHL well with his skating ability, work ethic, and physicality.” Sauer, a 6’3”, 202lbs forward out of Andover, MN, USA, spent this past season playing for Andover High where he tallied eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points. He also played five regular season games with the USHL’s Lincoln Stars, scoring two goals and adding three assists. In the playoffs with Lincoln, Sauer played in eight games, scoring one goal. In three seasons with Andover High, Sauer recorded 89 points in 101 games. He also spent time with Team MPLS Magazine between 2023 and 2025 where he had 18 points in 36 games. Sauer is in his first year of NHL Draft eligibility and is ranked 92^nd among North American Skaters. Sauer also has family ties to the WHL as his father Kent played one season with the Portland Winterhawks in 1999/2000, his uncle Kurt played with the Spokane Chiefs before a nearly 400 game NHL career, and his other uncle Michael spent time with Portland and the Medicine Hat Tigers. - The Oil Kings are Edmonton’s first choice for family fun with great season seats for as low as $9 per-game for an entire season of thrilling WHL action!  2026-27 Season Seats are on sale now!  Head to OilKings.ca to secure your seat today! ]]> https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/oil-kings-hold-40th-selection-in-2026-whl-prospects-draft Tue, 05 May 2026 17:33:50 +0000 mbarrett https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/oil-kings-hold-40th-selection-in-2026-whl-prospects-draft Edmonton, Alta. - The Edmonton Oil Kings are getting set for the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft set for May 6 and 7. The first-round will take place on Wednesday, May 6, although as it stands, the Oil Kings do not own a pick in the first round this year. Their own first-rounder was traded as part of the Max Curran deal in the 2025 offseason. The first pick for the Oil Kings will come on day two as they'll select 40th overall, a second-round selection that originally belonged to the Kelowna Rockets. Edmonton has held the 40th pick in the draft twice before, back in 2012 taking forward Andrew Koep, and then again in 2019 taking defenceman Ross Stanley. Edmonton has also had success in other draft spots in the second round. Current Oil Kings including goaltender Parker Snell who stared in the WHL Playoffs, forward Jensen Marsh who had a solid season in the AJHL as a 16-year-old, and prospect Cole Landreville who scored once in three games this season were all second-round picks by the Oil Kings. Dating further back, Logan Dowhaniuk, Sebastian Cossa, Davis Koch, and Laurent Brossoit were all second rounders as well. Edmonton also holds a third-round selection, 64th overall, as well as a fourth rounder, 88th overall. The Oil Kings don't have a fifth-round pick, but then do hold one pick in every round from then on from the sixth-round to the completion of the draft. This season also marks the first year since 2019 where there will not be a U.S. Prospects Draft, meaning all players eligible can be selected in the WHL Prospects Draft. The draft has been important for the Oil Kings with 14 of the 26 players on the Oil Kings playoff roster in 2026 coming from the WHL Prospects Draft or the U.S. Prospects Draft. ]]> https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/fiddler-commits-to-university-of-denver-for-26-27-season Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:43:08 +0000 mbarrett https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/fiddler-commits-to-university-of-denver-for-26-27-season Edmonton, Alta. – Edmonton Oil Kings Defenceman Blake Fiddler has announced his commitment the University of Denver in NCAA Division I for the 2026/2027 Season. “The Oil Kings would like to thank Blake for his contributions both on and off the ice over the last three seasons," said Oil Kings President and General Manager Kirt Hill. "Blake grew as a person and a player within our organization due to his commitment to development and persistent work ethic. We wish him all the best moving forward.” Originally the first-overall selection in the 2022 WHL US Prospects Draft, Fiddler played three seasons for the Oil Kings. In 190 games, Fiddler scored 26 goals and added 58 assists for 84 points. Fiddler also played in nine playoff games for the Oil Kings, earning two assists. The Frisco, TX, USA product is a prospect of the Seattle Kraken after being drafted in the second round, 36^th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft.]]> https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/wouters-landreville-named-to-csshl-top-freshman-teams Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:57:57 +0000 mbarrett https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/wouters-landreville-named-to-csshl-top-freshman-teams https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/hodnett-commits-to-university-of-nebraska-omaha-for-26-27-season Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:58:13 +0000 mbarrett https://chl.ca/whl-oilkings/article/hodnett-commits-to-university-of-nebraska-omaha-for-26-27-season Edmonton, Alta. – Edmonton Oil Kings Captain Gavin Hodnett has committed to play NCAA hockey next season with the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Hodnett played parts of five seasons with the Oil Kings, and was recently Captain of the team for the last two seasons and had a major impact with the club during his time with the organization. “I’m extremely proud and excited to announce my commitment to the University of Nebraska Omaha to continue my academic and hockey career at the NCAA Division I level,” said Hodnett. “I want to thank my family, coaches, billet family, Oil King support staff and teammates for their constant support and belief in me. A special thank you to the Edmonton Oil Kings organization. It's been an absolute honor to be a part of this team for my whole WHL career, from the first time I stepped into a game at the age of 15 to my last game this year at 20 years old, Lots of great memories. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to grow both as a player and a person while wearing the Oil Kings jersey. It was also a huge honor to serve as Captain for the past two seasons, and something I’ll always be proud of. Excited for what’s ahead with the Mavericks!” Originally the 19^th overall selection in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft by the Oil Kings, Hodnett’s name is littered across the Oil Kings record books. The Winnipeg, Man. product played 229 regular season games with the Oil Kings, 17^th on the all-time list. In those games, he scored 71 goals, 11^th all-time, and added 156 assists, third-most in Oil Kings modern franchise history. His 227 points are fifth all-time as he is just the sixth Oil Kings to ever reach 200 points in an Oil Kings uniform. Diving deeper, Hodnett’s 87 powerplay points are fourth all-time, his 63 powerplay assists are tied for second, and his 24 powerplay goals are 10^th all-time. Meanwhile, he is just one of eight Oil Kings to score five or more shorthanded goals as an Oil King. “The Oil Kings would like to thank Gavin for his contributions over his five years as part of our organization,” said Oil Kings President and General Manager Kirt Hill. “From the day we drafted him, Gavin has been a tremendous representative of the Oil Kings on and off the ice. Over the last two seasons, as our Captain, Gavin showed great leadership in all facets of the game. We wish him all the best moving forward.” Hodnett played his first full season with the Oil Kings in 2022/2023 as the team was rebuilding after the 2022 WHL Championship, that Hodnett was a 15-year-old with the team for. In that first season, the Oil Kings won 10 games, and over the next four seasons, Hodnett helped lead the team to improve their win totals by 17, 10, and eight over the next three seasons, making the playoffs in 2025 and 2026. Hodnett ultimately led the Oil Kings in scoring twice during his time with the club, finished second one year, and this year, even while limited to 41 games, he was fifth on the team. He is one of just four players to lead the Oil Kings in scoring in back-to-back seasons. Hodnett was named the Oil Kings MVP and Top Rookie in 2022/2023, the Unsung Hero in 2024/2025. The University of Nebraska-Omaha plays out of Omaha, Nebraska in the NCHC of NCAA Division I.   THANK YOU, HODS:   A LETTER TO THE FANS: https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings/status/2046265135241756851?s=20]]>