Alumn-ICE Report: April 27, 2026
(Next week’s Alumn-ICE report will focus on former Wild and ICE standouts in college hockey – our American pro report will return with a playoff update in two weeks.)
A proud third-year member of the Western Hockey League, the Wenatchee Wild are continuing a celebrated WHL legacy that dates back to Edmonton, Alberta in 1996, continuing in Cranbrook, British Columbia and Winnipeg, Manitoba. These are the organization’s WHL alumni, including alumni from the Kootenay and Winnipeg ICE, making news as the American pro hockey playoffs continue:
NHL
PEYTON KREBS, 2016-21 – Has vaulted himself into second place on the Buffalo Sabres’ scoring list with six points in the opening four games of their playoff series against the Boston Bruins. His +7 plus/minus rating also leads the club. He has points in all four games, starting with an assist and a +3 finish in Game 1 last Sunday. He followed with a goal on his first shot of the playoffs in last Tuesday’s 4-2 loss, before adding an assist last Thursday in a 3-1 victory. Sunday’s game saw him pick up a goal and an assist, while ZACH BENSON, 2020-23 earned his first playoff goal as well, as the Sabres blasted the Bruins 6-1 to jump ahead three games to one in their best-of-seven opening-round series.
Buffalo goal!
Scored by Peyton Krebs with 15:43 remaining in the 1st period.
Assisted by Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson.
Boston: 0
Buffalo: 1#BUFvsBOS #NHLBruins #LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/QlLjICTzrN— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 26, 2026
MATT SAVOIE, 2019-24 – Tallied his first career playoff point with an assist Wednesday in the Edmonton Oilers’ 6-4 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Anaheim enters the new week ahead 3-1 on the Oilers in the best-of-seven first-round set.
BRAYDEN McNABB, 2006-11 – Opened the Vegas Golden Knights’ postseason with an assist last Sunday in Vegas’s 4-2 win over the Utah Mammoth. Utah has won the last two games and taken a 2-1 lead in the series.
CONOR GEEKIE, 2019-24 – Appeared in last Sunday’s 4-3 overtime loss for the Tampa Bay Lightning to open their first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens. Tampa Bay and Montreal go to Game 5 in their first-round series tied at two games apiece.
ICE/Wild WHL Alumni Appearing in the NHL Playoffs
Zach Benson, Peyton Krebs (BUF); Brayden McNabb (VGK); Matt Savoie (EDM); Conor Geekie (TB)
AHL
DAWSON BARTEAUX, 2019-20 – Played in one game of the best-of-three Manitoba Moose first-round playoff series against the Milwaukee Admirals. Manitoba won the series two games to one, and begins its best-of-five division semifinal Saturday afternoon at home against the Grand Rapids Griffins.
ICE/Wild WHL Alumni Remaining in the AHL Playoffs
Noah Philp (Chicago); Kenta Isogai (Ontario); Dawson Barteaux (Manitoba)
ECHL
HUDSON ELYNUIK, 2013-14 – Played in both games to open the Florida Everblades’ best-of-seven division semifinal series this past weekend against the Savannah Ghost Pirates, but picked up no points. Florida leads the series 2-0, with Games 3 and 4 set for Wednesday and Friday in Savannah.
BRAYDEN EDWARDS, 2021-22 – Notched his first career playoff point with an assist Saturday in the Wheeling Nailers’ 5-1 rout of the Reading Royals. After defending home ice for a 2-0 series lead, Wheeling heads to Reading for a potential three-game stay, starting Wednesday night.
REECE HARSCH, 2019-20 – Scored 3:45 into the second period of Saturday’s Fort Wayne Komets playoff game against the Indy Fuel, touching off a five-goal outburst in the Komets’ 5-1 win against the Indy Fuel. Fort Wayne has a 2-0 grip on the best-of-seven Central Division semifinal, with games Tuesday and Wednesday in Fishers, Indiana.
CAM HAUSINGER, 2017-19 (64 GP, 15-16-31) – Had a late first-period assist Thursday in a 4-1 Toledo Walleye victory over the Fort Wayne Komets, helping out on the eventual game-winning goal.
NOLAN ORZECK, 2017-22 – Played in both of the Atlanta Gladiators’ first two games of their best-of-seven South Division semifinal against the South Carolina Stingrays, but did not post a point in either game. The teams split their first two games and face off again in Georgia on Monday and Tuesday.
MICHAEL MILNE, 2018-22 – Scored goals in each of the first two games of the postseason for the Toledo Walleye in their best-of-seven Central Division semifinal against the Bloomington Bison. Last Thursday’s goal was the eventual winner in a 4-1 Toledo in Game 1, and was accompanied by a pair of assists, while his goal Saturday came 46 seconds into the second period of a 4-3 Toledo victory. Bloomington will host Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Wednesday.
Michael. Milne. Magic. @sheetz Play of the Game 🤝 pic.twitter.com/uzazSUhK65
— x-Toledo Walleye (@ToledoWalleye) April 24, 2026
ICE/Wild WHL Alumni Appearing in the ECHL Playoffs
Hudson Elynuik (Florida), Brayden Edwards (Wheeling), Reece Harsch (Fort Wayne), Nolan Orzeck (Atlanta), Cam Hausinger, Michael Milne (Toledo)
Also on Wenatchee’s alumni list are the standouts from its Junior A era (2008-2023) – these players laid the foundation for the WHL’s future success in the Wenatchee Valley. These are Wenatchee’s Junior A alumni who are making news in American pro hockey this month:
NIC DOWD, 2008-09 – Scored goals in two of the Vegas Golden Knights’ first three games of their first-round Western Conference playoff series against the Utah Mammoth. Last Monday’s goal was the decisive marker in Vegas’s 4-2 win to open the series, and he added another Friday in a 4-2 loss to Utah. The Mammoth lead the series two games to one ahead of Monday’s Game 4 matchup in Salt Lake City.
Vegas goal!
Scored by Nic Dowd with 03:08 remaining in the 3rd period.
Assisted by Reilly Smith and Cole Smith.
Utah: 4
Vegas: 2#VGKvsUTA #TusksUp #ForgedInGold pic.twitter.com/gZ7Ay94Buo— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 25, 2026
BRYAN YOON, 2015-16 – Did not appear in either of the Colorado Eagles’ first two playoff games, both first-round Pacific Division wins over the San Diego Gulls in the AHL Calder Cup postseason. Second-seeded Colorado opens its best-of-five division semifinal at the Henderson Silver Knights on Friday.
BRETT CHORSKE, 2019-20 – Saw his brief Calder Cup playoff run end early with the Charlotte Checkers a year removed from its Eastern Conference title run, dropping a 2-1 series to the Springfield Thunderbirds. Chorske played in one game in the series, registering a shot on goal.
CHARLIE COMBS, 2015-17 – Scored goals in both of the South Carolina Stingrays’ first two ECHL Kelly Cup tilts against the Atlanta Gladiators, burying an early go-ahead goal in the third period of Friday’s 3-2 win before scoring again 92 seconds into the second period of Atlanta’s 4-3 win Saturday. The teams split their first two games and face off again in Georgia on Monday and Tuesday.
Charlie Combs gives the Stingrays the lead!! pic.twitter.com/dFsOHD8dMc
— Bears Hockey Nation (@HBHNationBlog) April 25, 2026
CRISTOPHE TELLIER, 2018-19 – Made his ECHL playoff debut Saturday in the Savannah Ghost Pirates’ 4-1 loss against the Florida Everblades. Florida leads the series 2-0, with Games 3 and 4 set for Wednesday and Friday in Savannah.
LUCAS SOWDER, 2016-19 – Racked up three goals in the first two games of the Kansas City Mavericks’ best-of-seven Mountain Division semifinal against the Tahoe Knight Monsters. Friday’s third-period marker came on the power play in a 4-1 Mavericks win in Missouri, before he took care of the entirety of Kansas City’s scoring in Saturday’s 2-1 overtime victory. His goal with 6:11 left in the first overtime proved to be the winner as the Mavericks took a 2-0 lead in the series.
🚨Lucas Sowder
🍎Casey Carreau
🍎Jake McLaughlinAll tied up with 12:04 remaining in the 2nd period!
Score 1-1!@ECHL pic.twitter.com/cfn58DKZ46
— xyz-Kansas City Mavericks (@kc_mavericks) April 26, 2026
Wenatchee Junior “A” Alumni Remaining in the Playoffs
Nic Dowd (Vegas, NHL); Bryan Yoon (Colorado, AHL); Harrison Scott (Texas, AHL); Seth Eisele, Charlie Combs (South Carolina, ECHL); Cristophe Tellier (Savannah, ECHL); Lucas Sowder (Kansas City, ECHL)
