https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/tag/brandon-anderson/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:54:51 +0000 en-CA hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/lowther-weathers-twin-tests-on-draft-day Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:05:06 +0000 chlwebproduct https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/lowther-weathers-twin-tests-on-draft-day BY PERRY BERGSON BRANDON SUN   The Western Hockey League draft can be a test of patience for players, but Wyatt Lowther passed it and another one on May 7 with flying colours. That day, he woke up early and put the draft on his television. His whole family was there and they watched a few rounds but Lowther wasn’t picked. Lowther, who was born and raised in Maple Ridge, B.C., had to go school for a test when the fourth round was being announced, and his teacher took his phone as he walked into the classroom. “I didn’t know if I was getting drafted, I didn’t know anything that was going on,” Lowther said. “I had to take my test — it was around two hours — and when I get out, I’m walking back to BWC (Burnaby Winter Club) to get picked up my mother and dad, and I had a friend run up to me. It was ‘Dude, dude, you just got drafted by Brandon.’ “Oh, I was so happy.” The Wheat Kings grabbed the 15-year-old forward in the ninth round with the 199th overall pick. Lowther’s uncle is Adrian Foster, who the Wheat Kings acquired from the Saskatoon Blades on Jan. 13, 2002 in a swap of 19-year-old forwards that sent speedy Richard Mueller the other way. Foster, a first-round pick of the New Jersey Devils, had 15 points in 14 regular-season games with Brandon, and then added 15 points in 15 playoff games, including a Game 7 winner against the Blades. After a 12-year pro career, Foster retired and now runs Acceleration Hockey by Foster in Calgary. “He texted me and said ‘Congrats on getting drafted by Brandon, it’s a great organization, you’ll have a ton of fun,” Lowther said. In 30 games this year, the five-foot-10, 138-pound forward had 10 goals, 23 assists and 56 penalty minutes. Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton likes what he brings to the rink as the team focused in part on getting harder to play against. “He’s a combination of compete and skill,” Moulton said. “He has the ability to create offensively and has the ability to score but also isn’t afraid to get into the trenches and play hard and do the things he has to do to create for himself and his teammates.” Lowther, who is planning to play U17 prep at BWC next winter, sees it the same way. “I’m a complete, 200-foot forward,” Lowther said. “I like to use my body and I think I’m really good off the rush and also very good in the D zone. I wouldn’t say I’m a goal scorer but I can always put one in the back of the net if our team really needs one.” He has a number of things he wants to get better at, starting with his skating — “That’s definitely a key factor of my game that I need to improve on” — his mental toughness and raising his compete level. “It’s definitely a huge relief knowing that I finally got drafted,” Lowther said. “It was always a dream but there are still always going to be people watching. It’s not just getting drafted and you’re done, it’s about all the work you have to put in now. It always gets harder.” A number of guys he played with over the years were also taken in the draft. He has been to a few Vancouver Giants games at the Langley Events Centre, which is about a 20-minute drive from his house. “I’ve been dreaming about it every single day,” Lowther said. The earliest stages of that dream began when he started skating at five and playing — always as a forward — in Ridge Meadows Minor Hockey. Lowther isn’t in any other sports competitively, but likes to golf and also was active in lacrosse and basketball. Lowther said his success stems from his folks, BJ and Stephanie. “I feel like my parents have done everything for me,” Lowther said. “They’ve always pushed me to be my best and I’m super grateful to have them. I could not be where I am now without any single person that is in my family. They’re always there. If I’m having a bad day, they’ll pick me up and put me back on my feet. “I just love having them around. They’re super supportive of everything I do, which is such a good thing to have.” It also won’t hurt to have that support as his junior career takes flight more than 2,000 kilometres from home. He has never been to Brandon before but it’s become his dream destination as he looks forward to training camp in late August. “I’ve been watching so many videos about it,” Lowther said. “I’m so excited. Being drafted by Brandon is such a huge honour. A ton of the guys have already reached out to me so I can tell it’s a very good group. “I’m super excited.”]]> https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/nuttall-thrilled-to-make-way-to-brandon Sat, 30 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000 chlwebproduct https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/nuttall-thrilled-to-make-way-to-brandon BY PERRY BERGSON BRANDON SUN   The Brandon Wheat Kings make a good impression with goaltender Kasen Nuttall last season, but they made an even better one on May 7. The 14-year-old goalie, who turns 15 in August, was grabbed by Brandon in the ninth round with the 193rd overall pick in the annual Western Hockey League draft. On draft day, he was in his living room with his mother, his grandmother and his sister while his father was at work. “It was just unbelievable,” Nuttall said. “To see your name is something every kid can probably dream of in their careers. It’s the highest of highs. You know you got drafted by this team that saw you. “The first questionnaire that I got was from Brandon. They saw me and were the first people that knew I had something special in me to be part of their team. “The number one thing I loved was it was an amazing experience seeing my name on the board and everyone happy. I had no words. I was speechless.” He was born in Lethbridge and raised in Morinville, which is just north of Edmonton. The family, including parents Kelsey and Leah and younger sister Lailah, moved to Calgary when he was 14 after his father was transferred. He was about four when he learned how to skate and began to play a year later. After playing forward and defence at the time, he moved back into the net when he was six or seven. “I put on the pads when I was six and it changed my life,” Nuttall said. “I knew it was my thing. I just loved it.” The position requires a certain fearlessness to face pucks, plus the ability to accept and live with the pressure of being the final line of defence, so it’s not for everyone. Even so, the position simply made sense for Nuttall. “God knew I was supposed to be a goalie,” Nuttall said. “Helping my team is the best thing I can ever do, so being in net makes my boys feel like they can trust me, all the things I can do, they know they can trust me and do their plays. “I thrive under pressure being the guy.” Nuttall tried a lot of sports, including golf, pickleball, badminton, basketball and tennis, but hockey, and the WHL, were always tops. He attended Edmonton Oil Kings games in the past, so he had a long-standing relationship with the league. “It was so crazy,” Nuttall said. “It’s so much faster and harder. The game is so much better. In Lethbridge where I grew up, my parents were season ticket holders and went to a lot of WHL games, so my parents know a lot about the WHL and know how hard I need to work to get there and how much I need to work out and get faster, stronger to play in the next league.” His father attended some WHL camps but never played in the league. Nuttall said his parents have always been great, even taking him to special goalie sessions across the province. “They took their time, getting out of work early or just taking me to early morning skates or late night skates,” Nuttall said. “Knowing I have a talent, I’m special to them and they took the time to take me to the rink early and be there all the time. “It was putting money into me and travelling and every day on the weekend being at the rink shows how much they support and care about me as I pursue my career and my future.” If last season is any indication, it was money well invested. In 19 games with the Calgary Northstars under-15 AAA squad, Nuttall posted a 2.66 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage as his team went 22-12 and finished third in the South Division of the 20-team Alberta Elite Hockey League U15 AAA. He played once in the playoffs, allowing two goals on 43 shots in a 2-1 loss to the Lethbridge Golden Hawks. His partner Dylan Lavallée played the other two games in their 2-1 quarterfinal series loss. “For my size, I play pretty fast,” the six-foot, 140-pound goalie said of his game. “I know I can get across fast on my feet and I know I can trust myself in every position, being that guy who will always dive for that last save in the last 10 seconds of the third or the first 20 of the first period. “Making it harder for people or making it easy for myself to make those saves, that’s how I play. I want to be in positions where I can make my life easier, just in the perfect spot with good depth, tracking pucks and being the big guy who can always make the saves that don’t even look possible.” Brandon Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton said after the draft that the youngster is simply a good netminder. “Kasen is steady, just a steady consistent goaltender,” Moulton said. “He makes the saves he has to make, rarely lets in the bad one and keeps his team in most games.” Even so, Nuttall knows he has a long way to go to play major junior. He wants to get stronger, quicker and smarter to compete at the next level. “You know how the Dub is now, it’s fast and you have to read plays faster, which is smartness, and you have to get stronger and faster to make this plays easier for yourself,” Nuttall said. “In the off-season, it’s working out and getting ready because as you go up, the kids get stronger and can shoot harder and be so much quicker. You just have to be quicker than them.” Nuttall has never been outside of Alberta other than for a trip to Regina for a game once. That will change when he arrives in Brandon in late August for camp, something he is looking forward to. “I think it will be an amazing experience to see the guys who were drafted and seeing how everything is,” Nuttall said. “I’m excited at how you have the chance to be in Brandon and live the dream you wanted and see the facilities and all the guys, even the guys who texted me in the next couple of days after I got drafted. “They said ‘Congrats!’ and ‘Can’t wait to see you’ and those little things are so cool. It’s amazing.” Nuttall knows Austin Rideout and Nate Harrington from Brandon’s draft class, both of whom he played with a while ago. Since he is too young to skate full time in Brandon next season, he is planning to play with the U17 Northstars but will try out for the U18s. Before then, he’ll have his first WHL camp experience, and it seems the teenager will be ready to go when he arrives. “It’s great,” Nuttall said. “It’s like a new beginning for me and you’re just getting started on your new career and the Dub. I love being prepared and I love having a plan of what I’m doing and just knowing that you have to work harder now and how big of a guy you are in a big league now, so you have to be ready in every scenario.”]]> https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/seidel-learns-value-of-hard-work-on-farm Fri, 29 May 2026 13:00:26 +0000 chlwebproduct https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/seidel-learns-value-of-hard-work-on-farm BY PERRY BERGSON BRANDON SUN   If work ethic is what you’re looking for, it doesn’t hurt to find a farm kid. The Brandon Wheat Kings did just that when they drafted Lucas Seidel in the eighth round with the 176th overall pick in the annual Western Hockey League draft on May 7. The young defenceman lives on a farm near Sundre, Alta., and isn’t allergic to doing what needs to be done. “I feel like my work ethic is pretty good,” said Seidel, who turned 15 on May 9, two days after he was drafted. “We have all the sheep lambing here and I’m always cleaning up pens. We have a gravel pit so I’m working there quite a bit, working on machines and helping load the gravel and shovelling sand. “When something needs to be done, you have to get up and do it. You have to gave a get-up-and-go mindset, and that helps with my work ethic quite a bit.” The farm, which includes parents Kevin and Nadine and younger sister Alyssa, also has an assortment of horses, ducks, cattle, cats and dogs. Sundre is located straight north of Calgary and about 100 kilometres southwest of Red Deer, where he was born. Seidel began to skate at age five in Sundre, and actually started to play that same day. He was positioned up front for four years until his minor U11 season, and then flipped to the back end. He was playing on a team in Olds coached by former Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose forward Jason Jaffray, and the longtime pro player thought the blue-line might be a nice fit for Seidel’s talents. It turned out Seidel enjoyed it as well. “I like that especially now that a D-man can really jump up into the play and be offensive,” Seidel said. “I really enjoy protecting the front of the net and I really like the penalty kill. I always have that urgency to make sure other teams don’t score. That’s my favourite part of it, making sure the other team doesn’t get chances or opportunities.” He has tried most sports but lacrosse is the only other one he’s still active in. Last year, he was captain of the Team Alberta that won bronze at lacrosse nationals in Halifax. When a kid lives on the farm, it’s hard to do much without the support of his parents. In addition, he is home schooled by his mom, a retired nurse who he said helps him with his health and nutrition. “They just always make sure I get to places on time,” Seidel said. “We live an hour away from all the good hockey and lacrosse so they’re always putting in extra time to drive me places and always making sure I’ve got the right-sized equipment and always looking out and feeding me right.” After playing his minor U15 campaign with the Bow Valley Bigfoot in Junior Prospect Hockey League 14 Under, he made the jump to the Red Deer Rebels for his major U15 AAA season. In 31 games, he had eight goals, 24 assists and 24 penalty minutes. “I was pretty happy,” Seidel said of his season. “I thought I developed quite a bit this year. The coaches helped a lot in practice working on things that needed improvement and always looking out for the players and making sure everyone is healthy. Our trainer helped a lot. I just thought the season was great.” The five-foot-five, 135-pound defenceman played with the top pick of the draft, forward Madden Daneault, along with the fifth pick, Jevin Morrison, so Seidel said he got better in practice just skating against them. “I do really well with my playmaking and my skating ability,” Seidel said of his game. “Those are probably my stronger suits. I also have very high IQ and always make the smart play, especially breaking out of the defensive zone. I’m a very offensive D-man and I really enjoy and thrive walking the blue-line and finding seams to pass through and get the puck on net.” Brandon Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton saw some of the same things when he was asked about Seidel on draft day. “He’s a puck-moving, smart, creative defenceman who can play on the power play and can be evasive and makes good decisions, and a very accurate passer,” Moulton said. Still, Seidel wants to get bigger and stronger, and is also working on his shot. “I don’t have the size and weight behind me so I have to work on having that powerful, heavy hard shot to get through traffic,” Seidel said. “I have to work on my physicality a lot and lower body strength.” The game is a part of his family. His 31-year-old cousin Adam Beukeboom played goal with the Regina Pats and Prince George Cougars and has enjoyed an eight-year career in Europe, and he is a second cousin to former National Hockey League great Joe Nieuwendyk. In addition, his father played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League and later at the University of Lethbridge. On draft day, he was in the kitchen with his folks, but after a couple of hours, his mom decided that was enough computer time for now. As a result, he was actually outside helping his father to fix a fence when his name was called. “It was really cool,” Seidel said. “Coming home I was a little bit disappointed and it was later in the draft and I didn’t know if I would get picked anymore. My mom was like, ‘Your name showed up,’ and a load lifted off my shoulders. I got really happy. “I kind of flashed back to all the training. It really came together and the stars aligned and I’m really happy with it.” He played with fellow Brandon draftee Austin Rideout during the Alberta Cup but has only skated against the other players from his province. Seidel hasn’t attended many WHL games in person, but always kept track of scores. Since his dad played in the AJHL in Olds, he’s been to more of those games. In years past before the NCAA allowed in major junior players, Seidel may chosen the college route but now he knows what he wants for sure. “It was one of the main goals,” Seidel said. “My dad was captain of the Grizzlies and I always wanted to be a captain for a junior WHL team. That’s a big goal for me.” He has never been to Brandon but has heard great things about the community and the atmosphere. His first trip east to begin his new adventure comes in late August at training camp, but until then, he’s grateful he knows where his future potentially lies. “It’s a huge relief,” Seidel said. “Knowing that you’re selected and you’re in that top 200 players in (western) North America with the Americans in the draft, it’s a huge honour. It made my day and helps me to know where I’m headed and what I need to do for the future. “It’s pretty exciting.”]]> https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/hockey-looms-large-for-kisio-family Thu, 28 May 2026 13:00:24 +0000 chlwebproduct https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/hockey-looms-large-for-kisio-family BY PERRY BERGSON BRANDON SUN   Lachlan Kisio is hoping to enter the family business one day, a dream that may begin with a junior position as a Brandon Wheat King. The 14-year-old forward from Calgary, who turns 15 in October, bears a last name you may heard before if you watched the National Hockey League in the 1980s and 1990s. His grandfather Kelly Kisio skated in 761 NHL regular season games over 13 seasons after graduating from the WHL’s Calgary Wranglers, and after his playing career ended, served as head coach and general manager of the Calgary Hitmen. Kelly’s sons are Brent, the former Lethbridge Hurricanes head coach, and Lachlan’s father Kurtis, who played four seasons at Minnesota State University in Mankato. Lachlan also has cousins who play, so hockey is not a small deal in the family. “It’s really important,” Kisio said. “Both my dad and my uncle played college, my grandpa played in the NHL, so it’s a big part of the Kisio family, which carries some pressure, but you have to keep playing.” Brandon grabbed Kisio in the seventh round with the 153rd overall pick in the annual Western Hockey League draft on May 7. The youngster, who was born and raised in Calgary, began to skate at age two and playing a few years later. He was also involved in soccer when he was little, then gravitated to golf. On the ice, he always skated up front, although he has shifted from centre to right wing over the years. He was taken to Hitmen games at an early age, and while he doesn’t remember them, his parents say he always enjoyed the experience. As he got older, it became a lot more important to him. “It was definitely a major goal to get drafted and play in the league,” Kisio said. “Seeing how much my family is part of the WHL, you want to keep their legacy going.” That family has been a big part of his advancement in the sport. Along with his father Kurtis and mother Kelsey, he has younger sisters Leightyn and Westyn, who both play soccer. “They always gave me opportunities and made it my choice, not pushing me to overdo it and burning me out,” Kisio said. “They were always there for me through hockey and through everything really.” One of those opportunities came at Edge School, which plays in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. He spent his minor and major seasons at the prep school, The five-foot-10, 141-pound forward was generally OK with his season last year, although he suffered one bad break that set him back. He fractured his right wrist, which was especially annoying because he’s right handed. It took him a couple of months to come back. “I had a good year,” Kisio said. “I got injured halfway through, which kind of held me back. I came back and had a really good playoff.” In 16 games, he had three goals, seven assists and two penalty minutes. In five playoff games, however, he had four goals, two assists and two penalty minutes. His minor U15 season in 2024-25 might actually provide a better indication of his offensive ability, as he piled up 35 points in 36 games. Even so, the injury absence left his status with WHL teams in question. On draft day, he was golfing with his grandpa and his father. He didn’t get selected by Brandon until they were off the course, with dad noticing first and telling him the Wheat Kings had grabbed him. “My grandpa was still at the golf course so he drove down to our house and we celebrated,” Kisio said. “It’s super cool to see how far you’ve come, making your grandpa and your parents proud seeing your name up there,” he added. He doesn’t know any other Brandon draftees personally but has played against a bunch of them. Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton said Kisio’s gifts are obvious for anyone who was watching closely. “He’s a hard-working, honest guy who is on the incline,” Moulton said. “He’s a late birthday (Oct. 10) who is just coming into his own and has a really good knack of finding the spots to make himself available for scoring opportunities. He has a great shot and a great release.” When asked for a scouting report on himself, Kisio sees some of the things Moulton does. “I’m a smart two-way forward who likes to use his shot,” Kisio said. “I have a nose for the net and will probably see a lot of dirty goals near the net.” He wants to make plays off the wall faster and with more urgency, and continue to build leg strength. While getting drafted is a relief for the teenager, he understands the work is just beginning. When he makes his first trip to Brandon in August, a new challenge awaits. “I’m super excited,” Kisio said. “I’ve heard many great things about all the coaching and stuff, and I feel very welcome. I got a lot of texts from players from Brandon, which felt very welcoming. I’m excited to meet them all.”]]> https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/former-wheat-king-hayden-wheddon-shines-at-centennial-cup Mon, 25 May 2026 13:10:59 +0000 chlwebproduct https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/former-wheat-king-hayden-wheddon-shines-at-centennial-cup BRANDON SUN The Niverville Nighthawks beat the host Summerside Western Capitals 4-1 on Sunday night to capture the Centennial Cup. It’s just the fourth time a Manitoba Junior Hockey League team has won the national Junior A championship, following the Portage Terriers (2015, 1973) and Selkirk Steelers (1974). In the final, former Brandon Wheat Kings forward Hayden Wheddon of Stonewall scored twice, including the winner. Wheddon had 12 points in 6 games at the Centennial Cup. The Nighthawks won all six games in Summerside, beating the Toronto Patriots 4-3 in the semifinal despite falling behind 3-0. In the preliminary round in Group A, they got past Summerside 5-4 in overtime, the Thunder Bay North Stars 7-2, the Canmore Eagles 6-4 and the Rockland Nationals 7-6. Adam Vigfusson of Gimli was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Overall this year, Niverville went 69-6-1, winning 29 of its last 30 games.]]> https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/wheat-kings-add-size-experience-local-connection-in-defenseman-mcgregor Thu, 21 May 2026 17:32:46 +0000 chlwebproduct https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/wheat-kings-add-size-experience-local-connection-in-defenseman-mcgregor BY ROB MAHON QCountry   For the second offseason in a row, the Brandon Wheat Kings have swung a deal with the Swift Current Broncos that will give their blue line a big boost in size and experience. And this time, they’ve brought in someone who’s already well familiar with the team and his new teammates. The team announced this morning they’ve acquired 2007-born defenseman Josh McGregor from the Swift Current Broncos as part of a three-team trade that also involved the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The Broncos acquired 2007-born forward Hudson Kibblewhite from Lethbridge, while the Hurricanes picked up a fifth round pick and the rights to 2007-born forward Jake Stuart from the Wheat Kings. Brandon also added a 2028 seventh round pick from Lethbridge in the deal. “He has a veteran presence, it will be his third year in the league coming in,” said Wheat Kings head coach and GM Marty Murray. “He logged a lot of minutes in Swift Current. They were kind of in a rebuild last year and we feel Josh can come in and be a solid contributor on our back end and bring a veteran presence.” Last season, despite playing on a Broncos team that finished with the fewest goals (179) in the WHL, McGregor finished with 20 points in 62 games. The 6-foot-3 left handed defenseman may have more offensive upside yet, but won’t need to shoot the lights out to be valuable either. “I think there’s potential,” Murray said. “We view Josh as being a guy that can move pucks. We think he needs to be a defense first guy, but a lot of times good defense leads to offense so we think he has the ability, with our forward group, to put up some numbers. But that’s not the main reason why we brought him in. He’s a veteran presence that we’re looking to carry some responsibility defensively.” Veteran presence will matter a great deal to the Wheat Kings on the back end this coming season. When 2025-26 began, only Grayson Burzynski had more than 100 games of WHL experience among their blueliners. This season, the team could have as many as four such players. “It helps to have veteran presence and it also helps to have some youthfulness injected into the lineup too,” said Murray. “I think we have a nice combination of both. We’re excited about our young prospects as well as having the ability to throw out some veterans at important times of the game.” McGregor joins a team with which he will have plenty of familiarity. Most notably, he was part of the 2023-24 Brandon U18 AAA Wheat Kings team that won a provincial championship, led in scoring by current Wheat Kings Jaxon Jacobson and Brady Turko. “One of the things you look at when you make a trade is what kind of person you’re bringing into the locker room,” said Murray. “Josh is a guy that is a really good team guy and I think he’ll fit right in. He knows all the guys he played with at the U18 level but at the same time, he skates in Brandon and there are a lot of other guys I’m sure he’s familiar with.” Murray added that between the addition of McGregor, the returning players available, and the influx of highly touted young prospects, the expectation is that training camp will once again see high levels of competition on the back end. “We feel we have seven, eight, or nine guys who are WHL defensemen,” he said. “It’s going to be competitive not just in training camp but throughout the year to be an everyday player. I think that will be the best for everybody.”]]> https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/harrington-takes-his-game-up-a-level Tue, 19 May 2026 13:24:29 +0000 chlwebproduct https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/harrington-takes-his-game-up-a-level BY PERRY BERGSON BRANDON SUN A year ago, Nate Harrington wouldn’t have imagined he would be selected in the Western Hockey League draft. Fast forward 12 months, and the 14-year-old defenceman from Edmonton is looking forward to attending his first training camp with the Brandon Wheat Kings in August. “It was definitely very cool because of where I was last year,” Harrington said. “I wasn’t very good last year so it’s definitely cool to see my name up there.” Brandon grabbed Harrington in the sixth round with the 130th overall pick last Thursday. Harrington spent his minor U15 season with the South Side Athletic Club’s U15 AA squad, posting six goals, 17 assists and 40 penalty minutes in 32 games. He also was called up for a pair of games to the AAA SSAC Lions. Instead of returning to SSAC for his major season, he made the jump to prep hockey at OHA Edmonton. “Definitely transferring to an academy team and all the good players there pushed me to be better,” Harrington said. The five-foot-11, 140-pound, left-shot defenceman had eight goals and 16 assists in 30 games in his prep debut in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, with 12 penalty minutes. He also had a goal in four games as a call-up to the U17 prep squad. As he played, he did his best to put the WHL scouts off his mind, instead focusing on the game. Harrington has a good sense of the league after attending Oil Kings games as a youngster. In addition, his 23-year-old step-brother, goalie Blake Lyda, suited up for 21 games with the Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds over two seasons. That planted a seed in the teenager, who also would like to play in the Dub one day. “It’s a pretty big goal,” Harrington said. “It’s a hard goal to achieve but it’s probably one of my main and biggest goals.” The 14-year-old defenceman, who turns 15 in June, said he was happy with his season, noting he got better and better as the year went on. The biggest improvements came in his speed, competitiveness, work ethic and skill level, the youngster noted. He wasn’t the only person with that opinion. Brandon Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton said after the draft Harrington is a player on the rise. “He’s a well-rounded, puck-transition guy who had a great second half to the season,” Moulton said. “He moves the puck really well, gaps up really well, has a great stick defensively, transitions the puck. He plays within himself and doesn’t turn over a lot of pucks.” Harrington sees himself the same way, while noting he has to get bigger, stronger and faster. “I’m a two-way defenceman who can move pucks quick and has a good gap,” Harrington said. “I can play good in the defensive zone and the offensive zone.” On draft day, he was with his father Trevor and then went golfing to put the draft out of his mind. He got the call just after he finished up that the Wheat Kings had picked him 25 spots after they grabbed his OHA Edmonton teammate Austin Rideout. “It was pretty cool,” Harrington said. “We’re pretty close buddies and hang out lots. It was pretty cool we both went to Brandon.” Rideout texted Harrington after he was picked and the pair later met up at school. They also played against Rylan Edwards and Marko Malbasa in Brandon’s draft class, so they have some familiarity with them as well. For Harrington, the road to the WHL draft has been on the blue-line. The born-and raised Edmonton product began to skate at age four and started to play a year or two later. He’s always lined up on the back end. “I like being behind the play and getting to see everything in front of me,” said Harrington, who also golfs a lot and does a little bit of mountain biking. Harrington said his parents Trevor and Kira did everything right as he was growing up in hockey. “They put me into hockey very early and gave me all the tools I needed to get better, and encouraged me,” Harrington said. He is planning to play U17 prep at OHA next season. He has never been to Brandon before, but is looking forward to the experience, calling it a big step up that will allow him to meet some new people. And at the same time, he now has a good sense of what’s next. “I’m very relieved that I got drafted and it’s over with,” Harrington said. “I’m very happy that I went to Brandon.”]]> https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/rideout-brings-grit-skill-to-wheat-kings Sat, 16 May 2026 13:07:35 +0000 chlwebproduct https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/rideout-brings-grit-skill-to-wheat-kings BY PERRY BERGSON BRANDON SUN If you’ve never been drafted by a Western Hockey League club, it’s impossible to understand what it must feel like. But even Austin Rideout has a hard time explaining it, and the Brandon Wheat Kings grabbed him in the fifth round with the 105th overall pick in the annual draft last Thursday. “It’s shocking, honestly,” Rideout said. “There are a lot of draft rankings but I was trying to get my mind off that because they don’t really matter that much. When I saw my name up there, I was beyond happy. I can’t even explain with words.” Rideout, who turned 15 in February, was born and raised in Fort McMurray, Alta., but spent last season with OHA Edmonton’s under-15 prep team. Happily, he was able to live with his grandparents in the Alberta capital. On draft day, he was in his bedroom in Edmonton sitting at his computer — his grandparents were in the living room — with his immediate family all home in Fort McMurray. “When I finally got drafted I went out and celebrated with my grandparents,” Rideout said. “I called my mom and my dad and all my friends that wanted to call me.” Rideout’s journey began at age three when he first got on skates, and then began to play soon after. He took his turn in net early on but was always a forward otherwise. Rideout said his parents Troy and Alisha have been incredible as he’s grown up in hockey. “My parents have sacrificed a lot to put me through where I’ve gone,” said Rideout, who is also a good golfer. “All the money they spent and all the time, they always come and see me and adjust their schedule to be with me.” “I would like to thank everyone in my family for supporting me and being through the hard and good times with me,” he added. “And obviously my coaches and teammates supported me all the way through it.” His progress was turbocharged this year as he made the decision to jump from the U15 AAA Fort Saskatchewan Rangers to OHA Edmonton. In 29 games, he had 12 goals, 16 assists and 32 penalty minutes on a team that included assistant coach Neithan Salame, the perpetually upbeat former Wheat Kings defenceman. “I was fairly happy,” Rideout said. “Coming into the year, I was not as good as the other guys obviously because they’ve played at the academy before so they’ve had much better development. I feel like I became a way better player and the points came through and made me very happy. “I worked hard for it.” At the prestigious John Reid tournament in Calgary, Rideout had three goals and four assists in five games and he had three assists in five games at the Alberta Cup, a pair of events that are traditional measuring sticks for players against their age groups. The five-foot-11, 178-pound forward success stems from an ingredient that seems to be in much shorter supply now than it was decades ago. “I’m a very physical player who also has a very skilled side,” Rideout said. “I’m a two-way forward who likes to finish checks, make plays and will do anything for his team.” Brandon Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton agreed. “He plays the game hard,” he said after the draft. “He is as tough as nails, he likes to be an agitator, likes to get in the opposition’s face, loves to bring physicality, but in the same breath, can skate and create offence. He’s a well-rounded guy who can do a lot of things but the biggest thing I think he brings is keeping the opposition honest.” In 2021, Moulton used many of the same words to describe Carter Klippenstein, who proved to be a valuable contributor over his three years with the Wheat Kings. Klippenstein, a Minnesota Wild prospect, recently committed to Providence College and won’t be returning for an overage season. Incredibly, the league hasn’t been on Rideout’s radar for too long. “I’ve only known about the WHL for about four years,” Rideout said. “My first couple of years I was still in U13 so I wasn’t really worried about it then because I had a lot of years left, but as my years came closer to the WHL draft, I started taking it really seriously. I really wanted to get drafted.” As a player in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, Rideout was well aware he and his teammates were being watched by scouts like Moulton. While that could be a source of pressure, Rideout was determined to ignore the extra attention. “It all starts before the game with your preparation,” Rideout said. “When you’re going out on the ice, you just have to think, not that no one is there, but no one that important is there that you have to show off. You have to keep your mind clear and keep resetting and just play your game.” And that’s what made getting drafted so sweet. The youngster who felt like he was behind everyone else at the start of the year ended up being selected by Brandon with one of his teammates, defenceman Nate Harrington. “It’s a big relief, honestly,” Rideout said. “If I didn’t end up getting drafted, I would still push and work hard, but looking forward, I wouldn’t know where I was going. It makes me easier for me and my parents to see where I’m going in my future.” Rideout, who wants to improve his puck work along the boards in tight areas and be better at protecting the puck and escaping quickly, also knows Marko Malbasa and Rylan Edwards from the 2026 draft class. He thinks having familiar faces at training camp in late August will be a great bonus. “It’s going to be real helpful,” Rideout said. “With people you know, you’re going to get comfortable way faster and you’re going to have a better start to everything and you’re probably just going to enjoy it more with your buddies.” And that’s just part of the appeal of making his first-ever trip to Brandon. “I’m very excited to see what the town is all about and what the team is all about,” Rideout said. “I’m excited to see the new guys. I feel like I’m going to fit in because I’m very easy to make friends with. “That makes everything exciting.”  ]]> https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/corkish-set-to-make-his-mark-in-brandon Fri, 15 May 2026 13:00:29 +0000 chlwebproduct https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/corkish-set-to-make-his-mark-in-brandon BY PERRY BERGSON BRADNON SUN   When Mason Corkish visited Brandon for the first time in 2023, it was because his brother Owen was a Wheat Kings prospect. The next time he comes, it will be all about him after Brandon grabbed the younger Corkish in the third round with the 67th overall pick in the annual Western Hockey League draft last Thursday. “It’s going to be awesome,” said Corkish, who grew up in Cottage Grove, Minn., a city of about 40,000 located a 10-minute drive south of St. Paul. “It’s going to be very different from the first time that I went up there because now I’m with the team instead of my brother and I get the inside vision of it. It’s going be cool knowing what’s it like on the inside and the outside.” Happily for the younger Corkish, there is also a major impediment out of the way. The entire hockey landscape shifted in November 2024 when major junior players were welcomed by the NCAA, so now Mason is playing in a new world. Owen was on Brandon’s 50-man list prior to the NCAA rule change, and when it looked like he was going to play college hockey instead of coming to the WHL, the Wheat Kings dropped his rights. Owen was subsequently picked up by the Prince Albert Raiders, and is now skating in the WHL final against the Everett Silvertips. “It’s definitely changed a lot,” Corkish said. “The boys down here want to go up there and play now instead of going to the USHL or different junior leagues. It’s definitely going to have an impact on the WHL and make it a better league hopefully.” The 15-year-old Corkish comes by his athletic ability honestly. His family also includes father Jeff, mother Laura and sister Addison. Jeff is a product of Wawota, Sask., who played in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and spent four seasons of Division III college hockey in the early 1990s at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. “My dad has been my coach for almost my entire life,” Corkish said. “This is the first year he wasn’t my head coach. He gave it up so I could learn to play with different coaches. He is now the head coach with our high school team so he’ll be there for me for the next three years or whenever I’m done. He’s always been a big support and helped me with film and getting better. “He built me an outdoor rink for the first 14 years of my life and I’ve played on it every winter. That was big in my career as a player. “My mom has just always been there for me, driving me to the rink and watching all my games. She was also a great athlete, played basketball and track, so she’s had a big impact on my life.” Corkish added his sister might be the best athlete of all of them. She is a standout softball player who is also active in hockey and other sports. Mason first got on skates at a year old — “Right after I learned how to walk, my dad put me on skates right away” — and was playing by age three. He also active in baseball and soccer when he was younger, and still golfs. On the ice, he began as a forward, played defence for a couple of years, and then moved back up front for good. “It’s the compete,” Corkish said. “You get to go in corners. Defence is boring. I felt like I just watched the game.” The five-foot-11, 158-pound prides himself on those tough elements of the game. On his best nights, he said he’s physically engaged. “When I’m having a good game, I feel like I’m fast,” Corkish said. “I feel quick on the ice, I compete hard in the corners and everything is just clicking on the ice, I’m tough and I feel like nobody can stop me. I’m physical.” His goals are to improve his size and strength, and is also working on his hands, his vision and his skating. “My skating could be way better,” Corkish said. “Mainly everything.” In their draft year, the western Canadian kids always have a sense the scouts are watching, but Corkish knew where one of them was every game. Wheat Kings scout Kori Pearson, formerly of Neepawa, was an assistant coach on his team, something Corkish deadpans may have helped him get noticed. It’s clear Pearson and the Wheat Kings found plenty to like. Brandon Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton said after the draft that Corkish has a nice blend of finesse and sandpaper. “He’s a skilled guy with compete,” Moulton said. “Mason has the ability to find the back of the net and make plays and create offence, but on top of that, he is strong on the puck and isn’t afraid to play the game the right way. He plays 200 feet and also has the ability to win battles.” Last season, he had six goals and 10 assists in 11 games with the Minnesota Moose 14U, the only stats tracked by eliteprospects.com. On draft day, Corkish was in school but at lunch. He was monitoring the proceedings online when he saw Brandon picked him. Pearson texted him shortly after. “He said ‘ARE YOU WATCHING THIS?’ in all caps,” Corkish said. “It was great. All my buddies were watching it and they all congratulated me. It was really cool.” It proved to be a popular fit for everybody involved. Owen’s time with the Wheat Kings built a relationship between the team and the family, and they didn’t hesitate to draft him. Of course it didn’t hurt that his grandmother still lives in Wawota, which is 84 kilometres straight west of Virden. “We love the Wheat Kings,” Corkish said. “My grandma lives an hour-and-a-half away from Brandon so it feels close to home.” Not only has the college-major dilemma been solved, Corkish has a good sense of what’s involved with the WHL after watching his brother with the Raiders. In fact, the family was in Everett on the weekend for Games 1 and 2, and it’s given him a whole new appreciation for major junior hockey. “It was a great experience,” Corkish said. “It just showed me how good of a league it is. The USHL is a great league but it doesn’t come close to the WHL and how good the players are, and the coaching and the teams.” Now Mason’s goal is to join Owen in the Dub. He is planning to spend his 15-year-old season at Park High School in Cottage Grove, and will have his first chance to crack the roster for the 2027-28 season. The Wheat Kings can rest assured he won’t be sitting on his laurels until then. “It was really cool for the draft part but I’m not on the team yet,” Corkish said. “I have to keep working and grind every day to make that team and keep on getting better.”]]> https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/malbasa-works-hard-to-pay-a-debt Thu, 14 May 2026 13:00:16 +0000 chlwebproduct https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/article/malbasa-works-hard-to-pay-a-debt BY PERRY BERGSON BRANDON SUN Marko Malbasa won’t just be playing for himself when he suits up for the Brandon Wheat Kings one day. The 14-year-old defenceman, who turns 15 on Saturday, was grabbed by Brandon in the second round with the 42nd overall pick in the annual Western Hockey League draft last Thursday. Now he’s determined to pay back his parents Mat and Nelia for all they did to put him in a position to succeed. “All the sacrifices they made motivated me to make the best of what I was doing,” said Malbasa, who has an older brother, Mateo. “The end goal is to play at the highest level that I possibly can and it starts here now.” Malbasa is from near Winnipeg in St. Andrews. He began to skate around age five when his father got him into it, and he started to play a year later. He skated up front until he was eight, and in his first year of spring hockey, dropped back to the blue-line. It proved to be a popular decision. “You get more ice time because we were running four D only back when we were younger so I liked being out there a little more than others,” Malbasa said. When he was younger, Malbasa also played soccer and baseball but set both aside. Now he golfs and also played ball hockey for Team Manitoba last summer. A common refrain from ice hockey players who try ball hockey is they lose the ability to glide. That means their feet have to always be in motion to move, which isn’t the case in skates. “You need great conditioning for that,” Malbasa said. “It’s a very tough sport. I’d say it’s almost harder than hockey, minus the skating.” But the ice will always be No. 1, and that starts close to home. He said his parents have done everything they could to help him succeed. “They’ve obviously spent time driving me to practices and games and taking extra days off work just to take me to tournaments and stuff like that,” Malbasa said. “And all the money they’ve spent on me to send me to Rink, and especially my grandparents, they’ve also taken lots of time to drive me to practices and games.” The drive to one day be a junior player came from a number of sources. His father played games with the WHL for the Moose Jaw Warriors and Regina Pats, but spent most of his junior career in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. In addition, his cousin’s boyfriend is former Wheat Kings forward Dawson Pasternak. The youngster also went to quite a few Winnipeg Ice games prior to the franchise’s move to Wenatchee, and he was friends with Conor Geekie’s billet family, so he would go to their house and see him. That also gave him some insight into what was coming. Since he was in his major U15 season and playing with a high-end program in Rink Hockey Academy Winnipeg’s U15 prep squad, he knew the scouts were out there. Fortunately, he intuitively understood he couldn’t be thinking about them. “I just blocked it out and played my game and kept it simple out there,” Malbasa said. “I didn’t worry about what’s outside the glass and kept my mind between the glass.” The six-foot-one, 155-pound defenceman showed a mixture of offensive ability with 31 points and sandpaper with 56 penalty minutes. He also served 10 minutes in the penalty box in a pair of callups to the U18 squad. “I was pretty happy,” Malbasa said of his season, which ended when they lost all three games in the playoffs. “Our team progressed over the year and I thought the way things ended was kind of unfortunate but it was a fun year.” After that, it would have been natural for his thoughts to turn to his future WHL destination. On draft day, he was in class with some of his Rink teammates monitoring their phones, and when his name was called, all the RHA guys came over to congratulate him. “It was pretty awesome,” Malbasa said. “You dream of those moments and to finally see it happen is pretty cool.” “My parents and grandparents and pretty much all my family is happy with it,” he added. “They can come out to games and were pretty pumped.” So were the Wheat Kings. Director of hockey operations Chris Moulton said the team had Malbasa ranked as the best player in Manitoba and they were thrilled to get him. “Marko is just a well-rounded guy,” Moulton said on draft day. “He can play with some skill, he can play with physicality. He’s engaged, he moves the puck, he transitions the puck well, he defends well, he will be a top-two defencemen in our league at some point. He has the ability to play in every situation.” Malbasa said on his best nights, there are certain things to watch for. “You would see me take control of the game, always playing physical and finishing every check,” Malbasa said. “I’ll be playing defence first and jumping up into the play, making hard first passes, making smart plays and quick decisions.” At the same time, he understands he’s a long way from the finished product. That’s why his to-do list is just as long. “Right now it’s definitely getting quicker with my first three strides,” Malbasa said. “It’s a high pace at the next level and I’m just trying to prepare myself. Also, it’s just getting stronger in general in the gym and putting on weight because everybody is bigger and stronger at the next level.” He is planning to skate with the U18 prep at RHA Winnipeg next winter, noting it will be nice to have the draft pressure off and just be able to play. But before he begins his next prep season, he has his first Wheat Kings camp ahead of him in August. He has been in Brandon many times in the past, but this visit will be different. Malbasa hasn’t played with any other members of this Wheat Kings draft class, but has skated against a number of the 2026 and 2025 players who were selected by the club, so it will be nothing but fresh faces. “I’m very excited to see everybody and make new friends and new connections with other people,” Malbasa said. “It will be exciting to meet the coaching staff and see what how everything is going to lay out for me when I get there.”]]>