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Wheat Kings Add Aaron Rome to Coaching Staff

chlwebproduct — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 16:45:34 +0000

Former NHL defenceman named Assistant Coach BRANDON, Man. – July 7, 2026 – The Brandon Wheat Kings are proud to announce the hiring of Aaron Rome as Assistant Coach. A product of Nesbitt, Manitoba, just south of Brandon, Rome played more than 300 games on the blue line in the Western Hockey League with Saskatoon, Kootenay, Swift Current and Moose Jaw, earning WHL East Second All-Star Team honours in 2003–04 before the Los Angeles Kings selected him in the fourth round, 104th overall, of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Over an 11-year professional career, Rome appeared in 226 NHL games with the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars, and was part of Anaheim’s 2007 Stanley Cup championship organization. A steady, hard-nosed defenceman, he built his career on strong positioning, physical play and a team-first approach. “Aaron is a great addition to our coaching staff,” said Head Coach and General Manager Marty Murray. “Aaron will work closely with our D on an everyday basis, both on and off the ice. Aaron played the position at the highest level, has coaching experience and will be a valuable asset to our group.” Rome is a familiar face within the organization. He previously spent three seasons as a skills coach with the Wheat Kings and currently serves as Head Coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings U17 AAA program, where he has helped develop many of the region’s top young players. “Aaron has been part of the Wheat Kings family for years, and we’ve seen firsthand the impact he has on up and coming defenseman," said Wheat Kings owner Jared Jacobson. “Adding someone who has played the game at the highest level and knows our program inside and out makes our staff stronger. We’re excited to have him behind our bench.” Rome and his wife Adrianne make their home in Brandon with their two children, Grayson and Logan. Rome joins the Wheat Kings coaching staff ahead of the 2026–27 WHL season. It’s going to be a great year. Grab your Season Tickets online now and secure the best seat in the house! www.bwktickets.com/seasontickets

Wheat Kings Name Ryan White Assistant Coach

chlwebproduct — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 16:50:47 +0000

Brandon product and former NHLer joins the club’s coaching staff BRANDON, Man. – July 3, 2026 – The Brandon Wheat Kings are proud to announce the hiring of Ryan White as Assistant Coach. Born and raised in Brandon, White came up through the local minor hockey system and led his Brandon AAA Wheat Kings to a gold medal at the 2004 Telus Cup national championship. He went on to play four seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Calgary Hitmen before the Montreal Canadiens selected him in the third round, 66th overall, of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Over a 13-year professional career, White appeared in 313 NHL games with the Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, Arizona Coyotes and Minnesota Wild, earning a reputation as a hard-working, high-energy forward and a respected teammate. “The Brandon Wheat Kings are excited to add Ryan White to our staff,” said Head Coach and General Manager Marty Murray. “Ryan carved out a career in the NHL by working extremely hard, having great energy, and being a team player. We feel Ryan will bring those same qualities as a coach. Ryan will have the ability to relate very well with our players and get the best out of them each day.” White joins the Wheat Kings from the Western Canada Hockey Academy in Brandon, where he has served as On-Ice Development Coach, known for his ability to inspire and mentor young athletes and for his dedication to player development. Before joining the Academy, White spent time as an assistant coach with the Winkler Flyers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, where he was part of the staff that captured the 2024 Turnbull Cup championship. “Ryan grew up right here in Brandon and has been developing young players in our community at the Academy,” said Wheat Kings owner Jared Jacobson. “We’re excited to add someone with his experience to our team, as a player who competed at the highest level and as a coach who has won a championship. He knows this city and what it means to represent it.” Off the ice, White is a devoted husband and father of three, and his passion for the game and love of teaching allow him to connect with players and foster both their athletic and personal growth. White joins the Wheat Kings coaching staff ahead of the 2026–27 WHL season. It's going to be a great year. Grab your Season Tickets online now and secure the best seat in the house! www.bwktickets.com/seasontickets

Wheat Kings add skill, pro experience with pair of Import Draft picks

chlwebproduct — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 21:14:20 +0000

By Rob Mahon

Jun 30, 2026 | 2:01 PM

One of the most complicated and unique drafts in the hockey world has been completed, and the Brandon Wheat Kings feel they’ve come out of it with two pieces who can help them compete right away. The Wheat Kings selected forward Kristof Muissu and defenseman Ilari Kapanen with their two picks at the CHL Import Draft today. They had the option to use a third pick, on which they passed. Muissu, selected 45th overall, brings a potent mixture of size, skill, and experience. The 6-foot-3, right-handed forward can play wing or centre and lit up the MHL (Russia’s junior circuit) last year with 39 goals and 64 points in 57 games. He holds dual nationality with Russia and Congo and had played 18 games over the last two seasons in the KHL. “We wanted to get a little bit older up front,” said director of hockey operations Chris Moulton. “We have a younger group and we identified some 19-year-olds but then Kristof came across our table as an older, experienced guy that had played professionally in Russia. He’s a big man with really good offensive instincts who can really shoot a puck. He’s an offensive minded guy and we thought it would be nice to have some size and experience up front.” According to Moulton, both Muissu and his agent are excited about the fit with Brandon and have already started the process of getting his paperwork done to come to North America. And once he gets to Brandon, with his size and offensive prowess there’s not much doubt about the role he’ll fill. “We’re expecting him to be a top-six player with us and to support our power play,” Moulton said. “We’re expecting him to have a presence. When you’re coming at his age, we’re expecting to have some maturity, which will allow him to adapt quicker. That’s our biggest thing, we think he can contribute immediately.” Next up, at 106th overall, the Wheat Kings looked to their blueline and selected defenseman Ilari Kapanen of Finland. He split games between the Swedish J20 ranks and the Finish Liiga, and due to injury played only 13 games between the two, but has represented Finland internationally before and could be a candidate to do so again. “This guy is a national level player,” Moulton said. “He’s played with the national team and will push for national opportunities this year. He’s a super mobile guy who moves the puck really well, he’s a competitor, and he’s really excited about coming over, he wants to come over and learn the North American game. We’re really lucky to have him come in and compliment the defense we have in place already.” The name Kapanen will likely be familiar to North American hockey fans. Ilari’s uncle Sami was a longtime and highly successful NHLer who, in a small-world type moment, was a teammate of Wheat Kings head coach and GM Marty Murray in Philadelphia. His older brother, Oliver, just finished his first full season with the Montreal Canadiens, while his cousin Kasperi plays for the Edmonton Oilers and has over 500 NHL games played. “He came on our plate today, we were looking for a mobile, mature defenseman, and we got sort of lucky,” Moulton said. “The agent called us and said ‘Hey, I’ve got this guy.’ and you’ve got a big smile on your face when those kinds of texts come in. His family is well known in their country for hockey, brothers, uncles, his father, they’ve all played at high levels.” One thing both players have in common is experience. Kapanen is a 2007-born player, Muissu a 2006, and both have stints in their nation’s professional ranks to their credit. “We don’t look for that,” Moulton said, “but when you have a kid that has the ability to play at the professional level with older players, it’s always a great experience for them and it helps in their development. I don’t think either guy will come over and be intimidated.” Another thing they both have in common: an immediate interest in Brandon. Muissu is already charting his path over and Kapanen’s agent reached out to the team directly to inquire about a spot for his client. “We anticipated coming into today that we’d get Kristof, who’s committed,” said Moulton. “We thought we were probably going to have to pick a defenseman where we’d have to put some work in and it wasn’t a guarantee. So when you have a guy, Ilari’s agent, who says he wants to come, he’s 100 percent in, and he wants to be an impact guy, then it sure changes thing. He was still the best guy we had on our list when he came across. It was a really easy selection after that.” Moulton added that the team expects to have three European players on their roster next season. Goaltender Filip Ruzicka is expected to return, while defenseman Daniil Skvortsov has been released.

Pantelas, Ruzicka, join ranks of drafted Wheat Kings after NHL selections

chlwebproduct — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:29:29 +0000

By Rob Mahon Jun 28, 2026 | 6:10 PM

Teams and players alike are fond of saying that after you get drafted, the real work begins. That’s proven very true over the years, but there’s still some time to celebrate when a player is drafted, and two Wheat Kings have cause for celebration after this weekend. Goaltender Filip Ruzicka was selected 137th overall by the Minnesota Wild, and defenseman Gio Pantelas was drafted 153rd overall by the Los Angeles Kings, both in the fifth round on the second day of the NHL Entry Draft. This marks the fourth year in a row the Wheat Kings have had a player selected, and third in the last four that multiple Wheat Kings have heard their names called. “We’re very proud of both of them,” said Wheat Kings head coach and GM Marty Murray. “You’ve got to rewind back to when you’re six or seven years old, everybody’s dream is to be drafted and play in the NHL. It was a big step for those young men yesterday and we as an organization are certainly proud of them.” It’s been a remarkable run for Ruzicka over the course of less than a calendar year. He began the season a little later than he’d planned, arriving in Brandon in October, and then went right to work, steadily climbing the ranks of goaltenders until, by the time of NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking, he had jumped up to the 4th ranked North American goalie after a superb season. “When he came over late last year, he was just kind of thrown into the fire,” Murray said. “He hadn’t played in North America so obviously there’s going to be a little bit of a transition time, but I thought he handled that extremely well. He really expedited his development and fit right in. You look at our season last year, he had his fingerprints on our success for sure.” The 6-foot-7 Czech netminder’s regular season numbers were impressive enough with a 26-14-1 record and a .906 save percentage, but he saved his best work for the playoffs. The rookie played like a seasoned veteran, putting up an astounding .936 save percentage in four games. “That’s the ultimate benchmark, how you perform in the playoffs when the stakes are high and the chips are on the table,” Murray said. “That’s where you really get evaluated to the fullest extent. Filip passed those tests with flying colours. He was exceptional the entire playoffs. We wish we could’ve gotten more run support for him but he certainly did his job and gave us a chance to win every game.” Pantelas, meanwhile, had been consistently ranked on Central Scouting’s lists all season and was viewed as a lock to go on draft day. He used his 6-foot-2 frame effectively, and put up 37 points in 68 games this season while seeing minutes in every possible key situation. “For Gio, it’s not easy to be a top-pair defenseman at 17 years old and he even did that in the latter part of his 16-year-old year,” said Murray. “He’s a guy that proved he can play against top players and he’s a guy with a lot of upside.” Indeed, with that in mind, it seemed that Pantelas’s selection came late enough that some teams may one day regret passing on him. Their loss is Los Angeles’s gain, and Pantelas has a personality that’s well suited to staying calm even when the draft wasn’t going the way many observers had predicted. “Gio doesn’t let too much bother him,” Murray said. “I’m sure it was a stressful time, sitting there, watching the draft tick away. But there are so many variables, like what a team needs at that point as far as position, so there are a whole lot of things that come into play. What I told Gio is, you’re drafted now it doesn’t matter what number you were. You just have to continue to impress the organization.” In fact, Pantelas and Ruzicka may have more in common than both being fifth round picks. Both were projected as higher selections, and probably should have been, and now they get the chance to prove it. “I’m obviously biased but I think both the teams that drafted our players probably got, in my opinion, steals,” said Murray. “I thought they would go higher but talking to both organizations post-draft, they were excited to get them where they did and they’re ecstatic about it.” A similar mentality will have to prevail for the Wheat Kings who went undrafted, despite the fact several others probably deserved a selection. Now it’s up to them to prove teams wrong as well. “I thought we could have had the opportunity to have a few more guys get drafted and it didn’t work out,” Murray said. “You just keep pushing the envelope and get a bit of a chip on your shoulder. With the right approach, guys can really make some noise. In the NHL, teams don’t care if you’re a drafted player or what have you, it’s about ‘What can you do for us?’ and I think that has to be the mentality not only for Filip and Gio but for our entire group.”

Plenty of Wheat Kings on NHL radars as entry draft looms

chlwebproduct — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:32:02 +0000

By Rob Mahon Jun 25, 2026 | 4:27 PM The last time there were four Wheat Kings taken in a single NHL Entry Draft was 2020, and it’s only happened twice in the last 25 years. With the NHL Entry Draft set for this weekend, the Wheat Kings could see another strong crop of young players take their first steps into the professional ranks. Five Wheat Kings have been ranked by NHL Central Scouting throughout the season, and four made the final rankings, with all four having jumped up from their previous ranking. It makes for a potential moment of pride for the organization, who have seen at least one player drafted in each of the past three drafts and seem certain to make it four. “It’s tempered excitement,” said Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton. “It’s one of those things where you have to go in with an even keel and hope the kids get rewarded for their play. I’m excited. I’m happy when the kids are mentioned in these types of conversations and the fact that some of them are going to go, or maybe all of them will go, that would be great. I’m super proud of our group.” Of all the players ranked by NHL Central Scouting, perhaps none is a bigger wildcard than goaltender Filip Ruzicka. Officially listed 6-foot-8, he steadily rose up the rankings all season and ended strong with a .936 save percentage in the playoffs. And goalies can be hard to predict on draft day, meaning he could go at almost any time. “He’s the craziest of them all when you think of where he’s come from,” Moulton said. “Going into the import draft, we had a plan. Part of that plan was to select a goalie but that wasn’t locked in. When we came up to our pick, he’s a really big human being and his agent is saying all the right things. I wouldn’t say it was a risk, but it’s one of those things where you take a shot. He was a little bit off the radar in his home country, probably wasn’t getting the respect he deserved. You take a bit of a flier on a big body with athleticism and next thing you know, he’s turning heads after Christmas.” Among skaters, Gio Pantelas has been the leading Wheat King from start to finish, having ticked every possible box for a draft eligible skater. In addition to representing Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and Team CHL and Team WHL East at two different prospect challenges, the 6-foot-2 right-handed defenseman put up 37 points and a plus-19 rating in 68 games while playing with a physical edge. “He’s been consistent,” said Moulton. “With all of these kids, they have their moments, I mean they’re 17 this year. He came out of the gates flying, then there was a bit of a lull, but we relied on him heavily. At times it was a lot, but at times he managed. I still like the trajectory he’s on, I think he did a lot of good things this year. He’s finding his way, and his game has matured and he’s really matured as a young man. I believe there’s still work to be done, but that’s a positive thing because it shows he hasn’t plateaued. I think the sky is the limit for this young man as long as he keeps taking the steps.” Pantelas may have been the top guy from the word go, but the honour of biggest final ranking rise went to another right-shot defenseman: Cameron Allard. The 6-foot-3 blueliner not only put up 19 points in 62 games with minimal power play time, he also leapt up 60 spots from 190th at the mid-term ranking to 130th in Central Scouting’s final ranking. “He started to create some offense from the back end,” said Moulton. “He was a guy that was just off the radar. The guys at Central Scouting, they’re often looking for high end picks that are coming into our organization that were high end draft picks that find their way through. Here’s a kid that was a later round pick and I’m sure at times scouts came to watch Joby (Baumuller) or Gio and all of a sudden went ‘Holy cow, who is this guy?’ He’s another guy who’s had a lot of growth and has a lot of potential.” On the subject of Baumuller, few prospects anywhere in the CHL had a bigger leap forward than he did. After being passed over in 2025, Baumuller responded beautifully, exploding from 18 goals to 40 in his third season as a Wheat King. “What he did and where he came from was special,” Moulton said. “Joby is a great kid, and I cheer for him all the time. He’s had some frustrations over the years and just kept working, kept staying the course, kept his head up, kept being a good teammate and a good Brandon Wheat King, and with that came more opportunities. He’s always been a guy that can shoot the puck and now we’re putting him in spots where he can shoot the puck. He showed he had some jam to his game, and I think that helped too. Once people realized he’s not a guy to mess around with, it probably gave him some more space.” At the start of the year, Jimmy Egan found himself ranked as W for Wildcard by Central Scouting. He put up solid numbers despite a defensive role (22 points in 68 games) and scored the first goal of the postseason for Brandon. The 6-foot-1 Minnesota native demonstrated he could play in all three zones, something NHL teams are quite keen on. “I think he showed a lot of maturity and a lot of patience,” said Moulton. “He was kind of up and down the lineup a little bit, and he had different wingers on different nights. Our coaching staff definitely found the value in him as the year went on. He was taking important faceoffs and playing a defensive role a lot of nights, and I thought he did an exceptional job. He’s one of those kids where this coming year, I’m like ‘Ok Jimmy, it’s your turn. It’s your turn to grab the bull and take those opportunities.'” Last season, the Wheat Kings and the hockey world in general got a reminder that Central Scouting rankings don’t determine whether a player is taken on draft day; Brady Turko, although he hadn’t made Central Scouting’s final list, had clearly done enough to impress the people making the decisions, and the Anaheim Ducks selected him. And with a new rule change meaning CHL players can stay on an NHL team’s list for four years rather than two, expect to see a few other surprises as teams select players they now know they can afford to wait on. “That was the thing, you always saw guys from other junior leagues who were getting picked because they had a longer time to be patient,” Moulton said. “Now they can be patient with our guys. Some of those mid to later round guys, there will be more from our league and the CHL because NHL teams will be more patient with them. I think that’s a big bonus for our guys.” Round one of the NHL draft goes on Friday night, while Saturday morning will see the beginning of rounds two through seven.

Wheat Kings Ready to Ignite 2026-27 Season in Home Opener Against Saskatoon

chlwebproduct — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 18:15:57 +0000

BRANDON, MB – The wait is finally over.

A new season of Western Hockey League hockey arrives at Assiniboine Credit Union Place on Friday, September 18, as the Brandon Wheat Kings welcome the Saskatoon Blades for the club's 2026-27 Home Opener. The matchup is part of the WHL's league-wide opening weekend schedule announced on June 18.

After months of preparation, a summer of development, and the excitement surrounding new faces and returning stars, Wheat Kings Country will once again fill the building with black and gold as a new chapter begins.

Opening Night has become one of the marquee events on the Brandon sports calendar, bringing together generations of fans who have proudly supported the Wheat Kings for decades. From the first player introductions to the final buzzer, the energy inside the rink is expected to set the tone for the season ahead.

The home opener also renews one of the WHL's most competitive rivalries. The Wheat Kings and Blades have produced countless memorable battles over the years, with every meeting featuring speed, skill, and physical play. With both clubs looking to make an early statement in the East Division, Friday night's contest promises to deliver another entertaining chapter.

Fans will also get their first opportunity to see the newest members of the Wheat Kings lineup alongside returning veterans who will lead the club into the 2026-27 campaign. The combination of youth and experience has generated plenty of excitement heading into training camp and preseason action.

Off the ice, Opening Night will feature a full game-day experience with pre-game festivities, player introductions, fan activations, and the return of the electric atmosphere that has made Wheat Kings hockey a staple in Brandon.

Whether you're a lifelong season ticket holder or bringing the family to experience junior hockey for the first time, Opening Night is the perfect way to kick off another season in Wheat Kings Country.

The puck drops on Friday, September 18, as the Brandon Wheat Kings host the Saskatoon Blades in the 2026-27 Home Opener. Make sure to secure your Season Tickets for the upcoming season!

Wheat Kings Supporting Those Who Support Us

chlwebproduct — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:26:58 +0000

BRANDON, MB – The Brandon Wheat Kings spent the weekend giving back to the community, proudly supporting two local fundraising events that continue to make a meaningful impact in Westman.

The organization served as a hole sponsor at the Pinkest Owl Golf Tournament held at Glen Lea Golf Course, an annual event that raises funds and awareness in support of women who have battled breast cancer.

The Wheat Kings also took part in Walk for Gordie, an event organized by former NHL forward Ryan White and his family. The walk supports Gordie White, who was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) and continues to inspire the community with his courage and resilience.

The Brandon Wheat Kings remain committed to supporting local initiatives and look forward to continuing to be an active presence in communities across Wheat Kings Country.

Pantelas leaves one last impression at combine before NHL Entry Draft

chlwebproduct — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 18:17:49 +0000

BY ROB MAHON QCOUNTRY A full season in the spotlight has left Brandon Wheat Kings defenseman Gio Pantelas lots of opportunities to show scouts who he is as a player. The last major event on the scouting calendar was his chance to show them more about himself as a person. Pantelas was one of 90 top prospects invited to the NHL Combine in Buffalo, which wrapped up over the weekend. It was a full week of interviews, events, fitness testing, and media scrums that represents the last chance for most prospects to leave an impression on the teams they hope will select them at the end of June. “I thought it was a great experience,” Pantelas said. “I really enjoyed the city itself, I got to walk around a few times. It was very well organized and everything went very smoothly.” Unlike some other attendees of the combine, Pantelas had some good insider information going into the event. His previous teammates Charlie Elick, Roger McQueen, Carson Bjarnason, and Carter Klippenstein all attended the combine prior to being drafted, and he leaned on Klippenstein in particular this season for insight into the week. He could hardly have asked for a better guide; Klippenstein was a physical beast at his combine last year. “There aren’t many events that you get to go to where it’s not hockey specific,” said Pantelas. “Going there for workouts, it scared me a little because it’s a first experience you get to go through. Having Klippenstein really guide me through it, that was amazing. Physically, he’s an amazing guy off the ice and he did awesome at the combine. He had a great experience there and I got to learn some tricks from him, and I’m very grateful for that. I’m expecting that tradition to continue,” he added, alluding to the fact that several young Wheat Kings could get the call to the combine next season. A huge part of the week is the fitness testing at the end of it, ranging from pull-ups and bench press to grip strength to vertical jumps and more. Players get put through their paces in groups with a cadre of NHL scouts and media looking on. “There were some things I would change if I were to go through it again,” Pantelas said. “But it was the first time for everyone there, there’s no returners to the combine. But I think I did well, I was happy with my results and happy with being able to go there and show off my strength, especially after such a long and grueling season.” Asked if there were any particularly tough tests at the combine, Pantelas gave the same answer that many other top prospects have given over the years, and for good reason. “The hardest one was the VO2 max and there’s not really a debate on that,” he said. “It’s at least 11 minutes of you just fighting against your will. It starts easy, but it just pushes you and the whole point of the test is to push you past your limits. It was definitely a harder test for everyone, and for me specifically. I got 12:30 and the last two and a half minutes was just me fighting, trying to give myself the motivation to keep going.” Each top prospect has an opportunity to shine in their own way at the combine. For Klippenstein, his off-ice fitness level was something he knew he could excel at. For the friendly, well-spoken Pantelas, an interview situation seemed like an ideal place to showcase his personality. “It’s a lot different being able to talk to teams over zoom or phone calls versus seeing them in person,” said Pantelas. “And the teams, they get to see you and see how you are as a person. There are a lot of things people can hide being away from in-person meetings, and I’m someone who doesn’t have much to hide. I’m a good talker. So going to those meetings, they got to see what kind of person I am, and I think that helps me a lot.” Combine interviews are well-known for presenting prospects with odd psychological questions (Klippenstein was asked, among other things, what he would do if he were on a desert island with fellow Wheat King Roger McQueen, a baseball bat, and a single bottle of water). Those questions are also sometimes accompanied by cognitive exercises (one team reportedly had players attempting to stack golf balls) and one of the eight teams Pantelas interviewed with employed a similar method of evaluation. “There weren’t any questions that really threw me off,” Pantelas said. “but one thing that did stick out, I got given a sheet of paper marked with numbers one to 100 and I had 30 seconds to find the highest numbers I could.” The combine was the latest stepping stone for a top prospect to the draft, and Pantelas has hit them all. He played for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup before the season began, he was part of Team CHL and Team WHL East at the two top prospects games, he shattered his previous career point totals with the Wheat Kings, and now he’s been through the combine. And after all that build up, the moment where he finds out his immediate NHL future is now just over two weeks away. “Going through your year, every single event matters, every game matters, the whole season matters, and there’s no part of it where you can lay low or rest,” Pantelas said. “Whatever you do, it almost feels like do-or-die and it can hurt you or push you through. So now I’m able to rest for two weeks, knowing I’ve done it all, I’ve gone through the whole year and given it my best, and being able to now just wait and take time, maybe enjoy the outdoors… it can just be me enjoying my summer, preparing for next year, and waiting for the next step.” The NHL draft is going to be held in Buffalo on June 26 and 27.

Wheat Kings officially sign first round pick Edwards

chlwebproduct — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:50:15 +0000

BY ROB MAHON QCOUNTRY The first member of the Brandon Wheat Kings 2026 WHL draft class has put pen to paper. The team announced today they have signed forward Rylan Edwards, their first pick, 18th overall, to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Edwards, a Regina native, was one of nine players the Wheat Kings selected in this year’s draft. A member of the NAX U15 prep program last year, Edwards shone offensively last season with 17 goals, 26 assists, and 43 points in just 28 games. The year prior, he tore up the Saskatchewan U15 ranks, finishing with 72 points in 27 games for the Regina Aces. “It was awesome, I’m super excited to be picked by Brandon,” said Edwards of his selection by the Wheat Kings. “I can’t wait to get started.” As a Saskatchewan native, Edwards has a chance to return to the highly competitive Saskatchewan U18 AAA ranks, with which the Wheat Kings have had tremendous success lately in players like Chase Surkan, Nigel Boehm, and Cameron Allard. Edwards has said he intends to play for the Regina Pat Canadians next season. “He was one of the guys we liked a lot and coveted,” said Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton after they selected Edwards. “He was one of the ones we thought would be a great fit for our program.” The Wheat Kings will release their schedule for 2026-27 later this month.

McGregor gets to live childhood dream of playing for Wheat Kings

chlwebproduct — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:09:37 +0000

BY ROB MAHON QCOUNTRY An eight-year-old Josh McGregor, sporting a Nolan Patrick Brandon Wheat Kings jersey, would have been overjoyed to learn he would one day get to play for the Wheat Kings himself. As it turns out, 18-year-old McGregor was pretty happy too. The 6-foot-3 Brandon-born defenseman will turn 19 in less than a week, and he got an early birthday present when he was traded to his hometown Wheat Kings on May 21. If you picture a rugged, prairie-raised defenseman being traded from Swift Current to Brandon in late May, chances are you imagine him being on a farm when he finds out. Sure enough, that’s just where McGregor was. “I was at the farm in Waskada,” McGregor said. “I’d just gotten back from seeding and I was in my grandma’s house, sitting on the bed, when the GM of Swift Current called me and let me know.” It was a wonderful full-circle moment for McGregor, who had lived out a childhood dream of playing a WHL game at Assiniboine Credit Union Place but who had done so as a member of the Swift Current Broncos. Now he’ll get a chance to do so as a Wheat King. “You grow up watching the Wheat Kings, you always wanted to play for them,” said McGregor. “It’s nice that I’ll get the chance to play for them… I used to go to games in my Nolan Patrick jersey back in (2015-16) when they won. And (defenseman Ivan) Provorov, watching him play was unreal.” McGregor already knows a lot of the current Wheat Kings well, both from his minor hockey days and from training in Brandon in the offseason. His training regimen was how he met Joby Baumuller, and not only has he known Jaxon Jacobson most of his life but he also won a championship with Jacobson and Brady Turko with the U18 AAA Wheat Kings in 2023-24. “I played with Jaxon since I was about seven so it will be cool to play with him and Turks again,” he said. “It’ll be pretty cool.” There are still two full months and most of a third left in the offseason and McGregor intends to make the most of the time. Last season, playing with the Carolina Hurricanes in their rookie tournament, he learned just how hard he’s going to have to work to get to the next level. “I got to go down to Tampa for their rookie tournament, it was unreal,” said McGregor. “It was so much faster. Adjusting to the speed, and how they stay so tight to their systems, the main thing was adjusting to the speed.” And if that weren’t incentive enough, McGregor is stepping into a team with some real promise behind it and some depth at all positions. And he already knows the thrill of winning a championship with a hometown team. “I think we’re going to have a really strong season,” McGregor said. “The back end looks good, the forwards look good, the goalie, well, he (Filip Ruzicka) was unreal in that Virden series against Calgary. I think we’re going to be a good team.”