Checking in on Raiders Prospects
With young stars like Daxon Rudolph, Ty Meunier, and Riley Boychuk playing consistent big minutes for the Raiders, and some extended call ups from players like Brock Cripps and Ben Harvey, Raiders fans have been treated to seeing some of the young talent that will lead the Raiders in the future.
Here’s a look at how the prospects signed to the Raiders are doing this season.
Brock Cripps (D, 2009)
With two picks in the top four of the 2024 WHL Draft, the Raiders selected Victoria, B.C. native Brock Cripps at second overall and already he’s turned heads for Raiders fans. The 15-year-old defenceman has been called up to the Raiders twice this year, once for a single game and another for a three game stint, and he’s even earned his first point as a Raider.
Through the regular season, Cripps has been playing with the St. George’s School U18 Prep team based out of Vancouver in the Canadian Sports School Hockey League (CSSHL) where he currently sits fifth in defensive scoring with 4G-25A-29P in 20 games this year, three of which have played five more games than Cripps. He sits third amongst all skaters for his team.
On the regular season, Cripps’ team from the St. George’s School has a record of 15W-9L-2OTL on the year, which has them ranked seventh out of the 21 teams in CSSHL official rankings.
Cripps and his team from St. George went to the U18 Robertson Invitational Tournament where they won the tournament, and Cripps was named Tournament MVP with seven points in five games.
Representing team B.C. in this year’s WHL Cup, Cripps also lead defenceman in scoring at the tournament with 0G-8A-8P in five games, tying him for third overall in the tournament. Team B.C. went 3-0 in the round robin before dropping both playoff games and finishing fourth in the tournament.
Last year in the CSSHL U15 Prep league, Cripps led the entire league with 70 points, 12 ahead of the player in second and 32 points ahead of the next highest scoring defenceman.
Ben Harvey (F, 2009)
Raiders fans have also gotten to get a good look at Ben Harvey, who the Raiders selected fourth overall in the 2024 WHL Draft. Harvey spent five games with the Raiders so far this year, also earning his first assist as a Raider, and he has also been called up for two games in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) with the Bonnyville Pontiacs where he also picked up an assist in two games.
Harvey is playing with the Edmonton Jr. Oilers Orange U18 AAA team in the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL), Alberta’s AAA league. He currently leads his team in scoring with 15G-14A-29P in 24 games this year, which currently has him sitting fourth in rookie scoring and has him tied for 18th in league scoring overall with as much as seven less games played than some of the players ahead of him.
His Jr. Oilers Orange team is currently sitting in a playoff spot but is looking to climb the standings with games in hand over all teams ahead of them except one. They currently sit fifth in the AEHL’s North Division with a record of 15-9-1-2 (W-L-OTL-Ties), three points back of Fort Saskatchewan for the fourth and final playoff spot in that division.
The Edmonton, Alberta native was also captain of Team Alberta at the WHL Cup this year that won the first championship for their province in eight years. He finished tied for sixth in tournament scoring with 3G-4A-7P in the five games played, including two assists in the gold medal final.
Last season, Harvey played in the CSSHL with the North Alberta Xtreme U15 where he finished tied for fourth in league scoring with 19G-33A-52P.
Connor Howe (F, 2009)
The Prince Albert local was selected 31st overall by the Raiders in the 2024 WHL Draft, Howe is yet to make his first appearance in a Raiders jersey during the regular season. He did play two games with the Raiders during the preseason.
Howe is in his first full year of U18 AAA hockey with the Prince Albert Mintos in the Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL), although he was called up for four games last year. This season, Howe has a point per game in his first 30 with 17G-13A-30P on the year, leading the Mintos in scoring this year. That also has him sitting 12th among rookie scorers in the league.
On the year the Mintos sit sixth in the league, good enough for a playoff spot, and sitting four points behind a log jam of teams from third to fifth. Their record on the season sits at 18W-13L-2OTL in 33 games.
Howe was another player that represented the Raiders at the WHL Cup this year playing for Team Saskatchewan, which took third in the four team tournament after an 8-5 win over Team B.C. in the bronze medal game, and Howe managed one assist during his five games.
Playing with the Prince Albert Pirates U15 AA team last year, Howe missed some significant time during the season but still scored 21G-22A-43P in 16 games, which had him on pace to finish 10th in league scoring that season at 2.29 points per game.
Compared to his older brother Tanner who played at the World Jrs with Team Canada earlier this year, the elder Howe brother had 75 points in 31 games during his last year of U15 AA, averaging about 2.41 per game.
Liam Myhre (D, 2009)
From Nipawin, Saskatchewan, Liam Myhre was drafted 49th overall by the Raiders in the 2024 WHL Draft in the third round. He was called up for one game by the Raiders earlier this season.
Playing in his second season with the Prince Albert Mintos, Myhre has 2G-8A-10P from the blueline this year. He was also called up to play with the Mintos U18s for two games last year.
As mentioned earlier in the write up on Howe, Myhre’s Mintos sit sixth in the SMAAAHL with of record of 18W-13L-2OTL in 33 games.
Last season, Myhre played with the North East Wolfpack in Saskatchewan U15 AA where he posted 17G-29A-46P from the blueline.
Kyle Obobaifo (F, 2009)
Kyle Obobaifo turned some heads during the preseason with his size and rough play. The Raiders selected Obobaifo in the third round of the 2024 WHL Draft at 54th overall, and the 15-year-old from Calgary, Alberta played two games for the Raiders this preseason where he managed an assist.
In his first year of U18 AAA, Obobaifo is sitting tenth in team scoring with the Calgary NW Flames with 9G-11A-20P in 27 games.
Obobaifo’s Flames are the top team in the AEHL with 44 points, leading the entire league by four points and the South Division by seven. Their record sits at 20-5-3-1 (W-L-OTL-T) and have already secured a playoff spot with 29 games played. No other team has secured a playoff spot in the league yet.
Along with Harvey, Obobaifo was a part of the WHL Cup champion Team Alberta. He had 1G-3A-4P during the tournament, including a big 1G-2A performance in the gold medal game with Manitoba.
Last season, Obobaifo played with the Burnaby Winter Club U15 Prep team in the CSSHL where he put up 20G-18A-38P in 27 games, which had him tied for 29th in the league. He was also called up to Burnaby’s U17 Prep squad for six games where he had 2G-4A-6P in that time.
Obobaifo has two older brothers, Aaron who is in his second season with the Vancouver Giants as a 17-year-old, and Charles who has spent two seasons with Norwich University before transferring to Misericordia University this year in NCAA Div. III.
Bennett Kelly (D, 2008)
Taken by the Raiders in the second round of the 2023 WHL Draft at 27th overall, Cochrane, Alberta’s Bennett Kelly played all five preseason games during the Raiders preseason this year, and he’s been called up for three games this regular season. He’s also played one game in the AJHL this year with the Olds Grizzlies where he managed an assist.
His regular team this year has been the Calgary International Hockey Academy U18 Prep team in the CSSHL. On the season Kelly has already matched his total from last year with 7G-9A-16P with 24 games played so far this year, managing that total in 13 less games this year.
In the CSSHL standings, Kelly’s Calgary IHA is ranked sixth this year with a record of 18W-7L-1OTL on the season, one spot up from Cripps’ team.
Last season Kelly played in the AEHL with the Calgary Royals, posting 7G-9A-16P in 37 games. Kelly has played on a team with current Raider Riley Boychuk as part of the Airdrie Xtreme U15 AAA team in 2022-23.
Steele Bass (G, 2008)
Taken in the third round of the 2023 WHL Draft at 49th overall, Steele Bass looked great during the preseason run he had with the Raiders where he played in two games, stopping 21 of 23 shots faced for a 0.913% save percentage in just over 60 minutes of play. Bass has backed up for the Raiders twice this regular season and made it between the pipes once where he stopped 12 of 13 shots faced for a save percentage at 0.923%.
The High River, Alberta native is playing his regular season with the Okotoks Oilers in the AEHL where he’s been part of a tandem where he has taken the majority of the starts with 17 starts this year. In that time he has a save percentage at 0.918%, a goals against average of 3.20, a record overall of 11W-5L, and he’s tied for the league lead in scoring amongst goaltenders with two assists on the year.
This season Bass’ Okotoks Oilers are sitting second in the AEHL’s South Division with a record of 18-9-0-1 (W-L-OTL-Ties) on the year with only 28 games played.
Last season, Bass played in the CSSHL with the RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna U18 Prep team where he posted a 10-3 record through 16 starts.
Jonah Sivertson (F, 2008)
A name Raiders fans may be most familiar with on this list, Jonah Sivertson was drafted by the Raiders 71st overall in the fourth round of the 2023 WHL Draft. The Regina, Saskatchewan product put up 5G-1A in his five preseason games with the Raiders, earning a spot on the opening night roster.
Sivertson stayed with the Raiders for the first 14 games of the regular season and only managed two assists in that time, and from there he was sent down to the SMAAAHL with his home town Regina Pat Canadians. He was also called up to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League for a game with the Flin Flon Bombers.
Since his return to AAA, Sivertson has been on a tear. He’s put up 14G-29A-43P in only 17 games, bringing him to eighth in league scoring while everyone ahead of him has played at least 25 games.
With a record of 25-6-2 (W-L-OTL), Sivertson’s Pat Canadians sit second in the SMAAAHL with two games in hand over Moose Jaw ahead of them.
In only 17 games of AAA this year, Sivertson is two points away from matching last year’s total of 21G-24A-45P in 44 games last year with the Pat Canadians. He also represented Team Saskatchewan in the WHL Cup last year where he managed three goals in Saskatchewan’s bronze medal finish.