Alumn-ICE Report: February 25, 2025
Matthew Savoie
Photo Credit: Tav Morrison
A proud second-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 in American pro hockey this week:
NHL
MATTHEW SAVOIE, 2019-24 (2 GP, 0-1-1) – Made his return to the “Show” Saturday for the Edmonton Oilers after making his National Hockey League debut last season with the Buffalo Sabres. It only took him nine-and-a-half minutes to earn his first NHL point as well, assisting on a go-ahead goal from Leon Draisaitl. He played 13 minutes in Saturday’s 6-3 loss at the Philadelphia Flyers before taking the ice for playing 12 shifts for 10:38 the following day in a 7-3 road loss at the Washington Capitals.
SAM REINHART, 2010-15 (58 GP, 31-31-62) – Won a 4 Nations Face-Off championship with Canada on Thursday in Boston. Reinhart finished with four assists in the tournament, including one in the championship game against the United States, a 3-2 overtime win for the Canadians.
ZACH BENSON, 2020-23 (49 GP, 9-10-19) – Returned to the ice for the Buffalo Sabres Saturday, picking up an assist in the final seconds of an 8-2 smashing of the New York Rangers.
AHL
CHASE WHEATCROFT, 2021-22 (46 GP, 7-15-22) – Posted an assist on the Texas Stars’ only goal Saturday in a 6-1 loss to the Colorado Eagles.
NOAH PHILP, 2015-17 (35 GP, 11-8-19) – Scored the game-tying goal in the Bakersfield Condors’ 5-4 overtime loss to the San Diego Gulls.
JACK FINLEY, 2021-22 (21 GP, 5-7-12) – Tied a 10-day-old career-best with three points, including his first multi-goal AHL game, in a 3-2 Syracuse Crunch win against the Laval Rocket Saturday. The latter goal was also the eventual game-winner.
CARSON LAMBOS, 2021-22 (47 GP, 4-7-11) – Assisted on Sunday’s overtime winner in a 3-2 Iowa Wild win at the Grand Rapids Griffins.
ECHL
BRILEY WOOD, 2022-24 (52 GP, 15-21-36) – Notched two goals over the weekend in a Utah Grizzlies homestand against the Rapid City Rush. In Friday’s game, he racked up eight shots on the net and scored on one in a 5-3 loss, while scoring on his only shot in a 5-2 defeat Sunday.
CAM HAUSINGER, 2017-19 (44 GP, 16-13-29) – Tallied an assist in Friday’s 5-2 Indy Fuel loss at the Bloomington Bison.
ISAAC JOHNSON, 2019-20 (18 GP, 3-8-11) – Hammered the score sheet with four assists in a three-game Tahoe Knight Monsters trip to face the Florida Everblades. He picked up one assist Wednesday in a 4-2 loss at Florida, before rattling off three more in Saturday’s 6-2 victory.
JACKSON LEPPARD, 2019-21 (36 GP, 1-3-4) – Registered his first point with the Rapid City Rush Sunday, earning an assist in a 5-2 win at the Utah Grizzlies.
ELI LIEFFERS, 2015-18 (3 GP, 1-0-1) – Now a Nipissing University and USports alumnus, Lieffers made his professional debut Friday for the Wheeling Nailers and earned his first pro goal Saturday, opening the scoring with the game-winner in a 2-0 shutout of the Tulsa Oilers.
GAGE ALEXANDER, 2017-18 & 2019-22 (3-1-0, 2.76) – Picked up a 4-3 overtime victory for the Reading Royals Saturday against the Fort Wayne Komets, making 36 saves.
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 week:
DEVIN COOLEY, 2016-17 (18-10-4, 2.38) – Made 29 saves Saturday, but was tagged with a Calgary Wranglers loss in a 4-1 decision at the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
KYLE MAYHEW, 2016-17 (51 GP, 9-36-45) – Picked up an assist this past Friday in a 4-2 Fort Wayne Komets home loss to the Reading Royals.
BRENDAN HARRIS, 2013-17 (28 GP, 11-18-29) – Notched his second three-point game in a week, scoring a goal and two assists in a 5-4 Jacksonville IceMen overtime win on Saturday. His goal with 1:08 to play tied the game erased the Greenville Swamp Rabbits’ third lead of the game.
BLAKE CHRISTENSEN, 2015-16 (29 GP, 6-10-16) – Posted three points in rivalry matchups last week for the Kalamazoo Wings, with two assists Wednesday in a 4-1 win against the Reading Royals and scoring 72 seconds into Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss at the Toledo Walleye.
JACOB MODRY, 2016-19 (20 GP, 0-2-2) – Earned his first point for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in more than two months, with an assist in Sunday’s 8-2 rout of the Atlanta Gladiators.
SETH EISELE, 2017-18 (14-8-1, 2.43) – Stopped 24 shots Saturday, but failed to get the necessary offensive support in a 2-1 South Carolina Stingrays loss to the Atlanta Gladiators.
MICHAEL BULLION, 2014-15 (10-13-2, 3.51) – Made 19 saves Friday in the Worcester Railers’ 6-4 shootout loss to the Savannah Ghost Pirates.
