Hunt named WHL Executive of the Year finalist
Prince Albert Raiders general manager Curtis Hunt is a finalist for WHL Executive of the Year.
The success of the team begins right from the draft board. 12 PA draft picks played on the team this season, with three more coming via the CHL Import Draft. 2023 first overall pick Daxon Rudolph led the team in scoring with 78 points, 37 better than his rookie campaign. He was named to the WHL’s First All-Star Team, and was the Raiders’ Most Valuable Player.
After being drafted by the Raiders in 2021, Max Heise played his first WHL season in 2025-26. The 19-year-old led the team with 29 goals, while adding 34 assists for 63 points.
The additions of Maddix McCagherty, Brandon Gorzynski, and Braeden Cootes throughout the season paid dividends as well, as all three forwards finished in the top seven in team scoring. Gorzynski tallied 69 points, Cootes 63, and McCagherty 57.
Not to be overlooked from the summer is the CHL Import Draft. The Raiders selected goaltender Michal Orsulak in the first round, defenceman Matyas Man in the second round, and forward Alisher Sarkenov in the third round.
In 36 appearances, Orsulak strung together a dominant 28-4-3-1 record, a .907 SV%, 2.22 GAA, and four shutouts. He joined Rudolph on the WHL’s First All-Star Team, and shared Prince Albert’s Rookie of the Year honours.
Man was a strong presence on the back end for Prince Albert this season. In 57 games, the blueliner scored twice and added 11 assists. His +27 rating ranked 11th on the team. Man captured silver alongside Orsulak at the 2026 World Junior Championship.
Sarkenov was a pleasant sight up front in his rookie year as well. From Kazakhstan, the 18-year-old scored 21 goals and added 20 assists in 47 games. He finished tied for the team lead with six game winning goals. Sarkenov represented Kazakhstan at the Division 1A World Juniors, where he won silver.
The Raiders also saw success from their rookie group. Jonah Sivertson led the team in rookie scoring with 53 points (24-29). Brock Cripps enjoyed a successful rookie season as well, tallying 37 points (6-31). He won gold with head coach Ryan McDonald at the 2025 U17 World Hockey Challenge. Owen Corkish signed with the team after a strong showing at training camp, and that translated to the regular season, where he tallied 32 points (12-20). Ben Harvey and Benett Kelly each eclipsed the 20 point mark, with Harvey scoring a hat trick against the Moose Jaw Warriors in March. Connor Howe finished the year with 17 points in 53 games, while Hubert Clarke had five in 32. Steele Bass served as a solid rookie netminder backing up Orsulak. In 16 games, the 17-year-old recorded an 11-4-1-0 record, a .915 SV%, a 1.94 GAA, and three shutouts.
The biggest trade in the WHL came on January 6th, where the Raiders acquired Vancouver Canucks prospect Braeden Cootes from the Seattle Thunderbirds. He was part of a 12 piece trade which saw the Raiders also acquire three draft picks, but send away four players/prospects and four draft picks. In 28 regular season games as a Raider, Cootes recorded 40 points (14-26).
