Veteran goaltender Hauser bringing playoff experience to Calgary in major trade
Calgary, Alta.- The Calgary Hitmen find themselves with quite a goaltending tandem.
After rolling with the youngest starting netminder in the league, 16-year-old Eric Tu, the Hitmen have bolstered their backend by acquiring veteran netminder Daniel Hauser from the Wenatchee Wild.
The major swap sees the Wild pick up 20-year-old forward Maxim Muranov, the rights to 17-year-old forward Mason Moe and 15-year-old netminder Mark Djomo, a third-round pick in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft and a second-round pick in 2027.
Hauser, who hails from nearby Chestermere, Alta., has had a storied career in the WHL.
🎥SAVE OF THE NIGHT🎥
Wowser, Hauser!@RealCdnSS | @WHLwild_ | #SaveoftheNight pic.twitter.com/fLTgb6bZTy
— The WHL (@TheWHL) November 18, 2024
The 5-foot-11, 166-pound puckstopper recently surpassed 100 career wins and brings important playoff experience.
He’s 8-9-2-1 with the Wild this season with a 3.29 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage.
Originally drafted by the then-Winnipeg ICE in the sixth round of the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft, Hauser played five seasons with the team in Winnipeg and stayed with the club for its move to Wenatchee in 2023-24.
He sports a career record of 103-32-8-1 with a 2.69 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage and 12 shutouts, leading all active WHL netminders in wins.
Hauser was named a WHL East Division First Team All-Star in 2022 and 2023 for his work in the regular season, but he’s shown he can take things to a whole new level in the playoffs.
He backstopped the ICE to the Eastern Conference Championship in 2022 and the WHL Championship Series in 2023.
Though Winnipeg fell in five games to the Champion Seattle Thunderbirds, Hauser was named a star of the game three times in the series (no stars were awarded in Game 5).
He recently committed to the University of Wisconsin Badgers for the 2025-26 season upon the conclusion of his WHL eligibility.
New house, same Haus!@WHLwild_ veteran Daniel Hauser is set to join the @BadgerMHockey upon the completion of his WHL eligibility!
📝 | https://t.co/JgsTSSnjnb pic.twitter.com/MAkuN1pHhI
— The WHL (@TheWHL) November 22, 2024
Wenatchee is also adding veteran presence with the addition of Muranov.
The 6-foot-2.5, 185-pound winger has played four seasons in Calgary since being selected with the 35th overall pick in the 2021 CHL Import Draft.
He’s racked up 41 goals (including nine game-winners) and 75 assists for 116 points and a +39 rating in 210 regular-season matches and has 25 points so far this season (8G-17A).
Christmas may be over, but Muranov is still wrapping up presents 🎁@WHLHitmen pic.twitter.com/k3k9xWm083
— The WHL (@TheWHL) December 29, 2024
Calgary (19-11-3-1) has seven wins in their last 10 games to sit second in the Central Division with the best win percentage in the division.
The Hitmen travel north to take on Red Deer on Friday, January 3 at 7:00 p.m. MST.
Wenatchee (13-17-3-1) is on a two-game win streak to sit fifth in the competitive U.S. Division.
The Wild are in Langley to face the Vancouver Giants (17-14-4-0) on Friday, January 3 at 7:00 p.m. PST.
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