2026 WHL Graduates: Brandon Wheat Kings
Over the month of August, the Western Hockey League will be celebrating the WHL Graduates from the 2025-26 season in a 23-part, team-by-team series.
Today, we begin with the graduating players from the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Grayson Burzynski (D)
Hometown: Winnipeg, Man.
WHL Career Stats: 292 GP – 32G-104A – 136 points
WHL Draft: 2020 – Second Round, 44th Overall (Swift Current Broncos)
Originally selected 44th overall by the Swift Current Broncos in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, Grayson Burzynski made his Western Hockey League debut on October 2, 2021, against the Medicine Hat Tigers.
The Winnipeg product spent the first four seasons of his WHL career with Swift Current, developing into a steady presence on the Broncos’ blue line. In 233 career games with the Broncos, Burzynski boasted 21 points, 57 assists, and 78 points. He also suited up in 13 career post-season appearances, collecting four points (1 G-3 A).
On May 7, 2025, Burzynski was acquired by the Brandon Wheat Kings alongside teammate and fellow graduate, Luke Mistelbacher, in a trade with Swift Current. The move brought the 6-foot-4 defenceman back to his home province for the final season of his junior career.
And, Burzynski responded to the move with a career year.
In 59 games during the 2025-26 regular season, the blueliner posted a career-best of 47 assists and 58 points – not to mention a plus-20 rating.
Burzynski remained active during the 2026 WHL Playoffs, collecting three points (2 G-1 A) in four, first-round appearances. In total, he skated in 17 career playoff games, picking up seven points (3 G-4 A).
Burzynski closes out his WHL career having appeared in 292 regular season games, recording 136 points (32 G-104 A).
Nicholas Johnson (F)
Hometown: Calgary, Alta.
WHL Career Stats: 229 GP – 48G-82A – 130 points
WHL Draft: 2020 – 10th Round, 220th Overall (Portland Winterhawks)
Nicholas Johnson’s WHL career began with a 10th-round selection by the Portland Winterhawks in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft.
Selected 220th overall, the Calgary-born product made his Western Hockey League debut on January 8, 2022, against the Kelowna Rockets. Johnson spent the next two-plus seasons with Portland before being acquired by the Brandon Wheat Kings on January 10, 2024.
Involved in one of the biggest deals of the 2023-24 WHL season, Johnson swapped places with former Wheat Kings captain and Detroit Red Wings prospect Nate Danielson.
Following the move, Johnson finished the 2023-24 season with Brandon, recording eight points in 16 appearances. He then established himself as a key offensive contributor for the Wheat Kings, posting 43 points (16G-27A) in 52 games during his 2024-25 campaign.
Johnson’s final WHL season proved to be his most productive. The 21-year-old appeared in all 68 regular season games for Brandon in 2025-26, setting career highs in goals (22), assists (31), and points (53). His plus-34 rating was also the best mark of his career.
The forward also capped off his Western League career by reaching the 2026 WHL Playoffs with Brandon. In his five-season career, Johnson never missed the post-season and boasts six points (3G-3A) in 23 playoff appearances.
Johnson closes out his junior hockey career with 130 points (48G-82A) in 229 regular season games.
Luke Mistelbacher (F)
Hometown: Steinbach, Man.
WHL Career Stats: 257 GP – 110G-140A – 250 points
WHL Draft: Listed (Swift Current Broncos)
Going undrafted in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft and joining the Swift Current Broncos as a listed player never fazed Luke Mistelbacher. Instead, it inspired him.
On September 23, 2022, the Steinbach, Man., product introduced himself to the WHL by scoring his first career goal in his debut against the Calgary Hitmen. Since then, the high-scoring forward was motivated to develop offensively in Speedy Creek, before eventually emerging as one of the Broncos’ top scoring threats.
His breakout came during the 2024-25 season.
Mistelbacher recorded 93 points (42G-51A) in 67 games, establishing career highs in goals, assists and points while reaching the 40-goal plateau for the first time in his career. Mistelbacher spent four seasons as a member of the Broncos, collecting 68 goals, 94 assists, and 162 points in 190 appearances.
On May 7, 2025, Mistelbacher was acquired by the Brandon Wheat Kings in a blockbuster deal, bringing the forward back to Manitoba for his final season of junior hockey.
Mistelbacher followed up his breakout campaign with another strong offensive season in Brandon. He finished the 2025-26 regular season with 88 points (42G-46A) in 67 games, leading the Wheat Kings in both goals and points.
His 42 goals ranked fifth in the WHL, while his 88 points placed him seventh in League scoring. It also marked the second consecutive season in which Mistelbacher scored 40 or more goals.
In total, Mistelbacher completed his WHL career with 250 points (110G-140A) in 257 regular season games – and, let’s not forget about his 16 points (8G-8A) in 18 WHL Playoffs appearances. Mistelbacher also capped off his junior hockey career by being named to the WHL’s 2025-26 Eastern Conference First All-Star Team.
Mistelbacher’s next chapter will come at the professional level. On April 8, 2026, the Belleville Senators announced that the forward had signed an AHL contract for the 2026-27 season after joining the Club on an amateur tryout following Brandon’s season.
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