WHL Prospect Profile: East Division
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today the East Division Prospect Profile for March, featuring forward Jake Chiasson of the Brandon Wheat Kings, forward Eric Alarie of the Moose Jaw Warriors, defenceman Nolan Allan of the Prince Albert Raiders, defenceman Sam McGinley of the Regina Pats, forward Colton Dach of the Saskatoon Blades and forward Alex Thacker of the Swift Current Broncos.
During the months of January through April, each of the WHL’s 22-member Club up-and-coming prospects will be profiled. Each month, one WHL Division will have its prospects celebrated in the highlight portion of the prospect profile, with additional players from the remaining divisions recognized in the supplementary section of the profile.
Brandon Wheat Kings: Jake Chiasson
Jake Chiasson, the 15th selection overall from the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft could play a big role in the Brandon Wheat Kings offensive drive next season. Players against him know him for being a power forward that is able to play a 200-foot game but can still be quite skilled with his hands, traits that helped Chiasson fit in with veteran players in his first career WHL game on January 29, 2019. Putting up 69 points (27G-42A) with the Yale Midget Prep team in the Canadian Sports School League (CSSHL) this season, Chiasson is set to do some damage as a rookie in the WHL next year.
After finishing the CSSHL regular season eighth overall among midget prep leading players, Chiasson finished third in the CSSHL Championship with 11 points (2G-9A) in four games. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound, Abbotsford, B.C. native also competed for Team B.C. at the 2019 Canada Winter Games and recorded six points (4G-2A) in seven games.
Moose Jaw Warriors: Eric Alarie
Eric Alarie, the 22nd overall pick in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft, played for the CSSHL’s Rink Hockey Academy Nationals this season and finished as the top forward on his team with 46 points (17G-29A). According to the Moose Jaw Warriors General Manager Alan Millar, the 6-foot-1, 198-pound centreman is well known for his “big, strong hard game […] and good skill set.” Those attributes have come in handy with Alarie competing in two 2018-19 WHL Regular Season games and also joining the team for 2019 WHL Playoffs. On the opening night of playoffs, Alarie recorded his first goal when battling the Saskatoon Blades.
Prior to the post-season, Alarie and the Rink Hockey Academy Midget Prep team played in the CSSHL Championship where he finished with five points (2G-3A) in three games. Alarie also competed in the 2019 Canada Winter Games for Team Manitoba and was named as an alternate captain. In six games, the Winnipeg, Man. product tallied six points (2G-4A).
Prince Albert Raiders: Nolan Allan
Making the cut on the WHL’s league-leading Prince Albert Raiders is no easy feat, yet third-overall draft selection in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft, Nolan Allan, has done it seven times. Beginning in October of 2018, Allan has played seven regular season games with the Raiders, notching one assist on November 9, 2018, against the Swift Current Broncos.
When Allan wasn’t playing for the Raiders, the Davidson, Sask. native was playing with the Saskatoon Midget AAA Blazers of the Saskatchewan Midget Hockey League (SMHL). Allan finished the regular season with 35 points (12G-23A).
Like many other prospects featured in this series, Allan was a present figure at the 2019 Canada Winter Games. Playing for Team Saskatchewan, Allan finished with six points (4G-2A) in six games.
Regina Pats: Sam McGinley
Fifteen-year-old defenceman Sam McGinley was selected in the fifth round, 92nd overall, in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft and has been putting in the work to secure a spot on the Pat’s roster in the 2019-20 season. After playing three games and recording one assist with Regina in the 2018-19 WHL Regular Season, both McGinley and Pats assistant coach Brad Herauf believe he will be a ‘top-four guy and hopefully a shut-down player when he gets older.’
To get to that position, McGinley has stepped up as a leader with his midget prep team at the Edge School for Athletes in the CSSHL. This season, the 6-foot-2, 181-pound Calgary, Alta. product was the leading defenceman on his team, finishing the season with 29 points (10G-19A).
Saskatoon Blades: Colton Dach
Selected six overall in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft, Colton Dach will be looking to join his brother, Kirby Dach, on the Saskatoon Blades roster for the 2019-20 WHL Regular Season. While the 6-foot-2, 174-pound hasn’t made his WHL debut yet, his efforts on the Fort Saskatchewan Midget AAA Rangers of the Alberta Major Hockey League (AMHL) didn’t go unnoticed. As the leading-rookie of the team, Dach finished with 28 points (16G-12A).
Competing for Team Alberta at the 2019 Canada Winter Games, Dach notched six points (3G-3A) in six games, taking home a bronze medal.
Swift Current Broncos: Alex Thacker
Also from the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers is 2002-born Alex Thacker, the Swift Current Broncos sixth round, 117th overall pick from the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound forward finished the regular season second in scoring for the Rangers with 37 points (10G-27A), placing him in a tie for 11th overall among all AMHL skaters. On January 15, 2019, Thacker made his first WHL appearance playing against the Kootenay ICE, followed by a second game later that month.
Additional Prospect Profiles:
Calgary Hitmen:
F Zack Funk: WHL – CGY (2018) Round 2: (#43): Plays for the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League’s (BCMMHL) Fraser Valley Thunderbirds and finished the regular season with 58 points (34G-24A), fourth overall in the league, among all BCMMHL skaters. Funk has also registered four games with the Calgary Hitmen this season.
Edmonton Oil Kings:
F Kobe Verbicky: WHL – EDM (2018) Round 2: (#23): Plays for the BCMMHL’s North Island Silvertips and finished the regular season with 35 points (12G-23A). Verbicky also competed for Team B.C. in the 2019 Canada Winter Games and recorded five assists in seven games. Verbicky has also played two games with the Oil Kings this season.
Everett Silvertips:
G Blake Lyda: WHL – EVT (2017) Round 4: (#86): Plays for the CAC Midget AAA Canadians in the AMHL and finished the regular season with a 3.97 goals-against average and a .895 save percentage. Last season, Lyda played 148 minutes for the Silvertips earning a 0-1-00 record, 3.24 GAA and .896 SV%.
Kamloops Blazers:
D Logan Bairos: WHL – KAM (2018) Round 2: (#27): Plays for the SMHL’s Saskatoon Midget AAA Contacts and finished the regular season with 25 points (10G-15A). Bairos also competed for Team Saskatchewan in the 2019 Canada Winter Games and recorded one assist in seven contests.
Kelowna Rockets:
G Cole Tisdale: WHL – KEL (2017) Round 8: (#157): Plays for the Lethbridge Midget AAA Hurricanes in the AMHL and finished the regular season with a 2.57 GAA and a .901 SV%. Last season, Tisdale played 251 minutes for the Rockets earning a 2-1-1-0 record, 4.06 GAA and .864 SV%.
Kootenay ICE
F Skyler Bruce: WHL – KTN (2018) Round 2: (#29): Plays for the Rink Hockey Academy Elite 15s team in the CSSHL and finished first-overall, among all skaters in the regular season with 64 points (27G-37A). Bruce has also played one game with the Kootenay ICE this season.
Lethbridge Hurricanes:
G Bryan Thomson: WHL – LET (2017) Round 2: (#37): Plays for the Notre Dame Hounds in the SMHL and finished the regular season with a 2.94 GAA and a .890 SV%. Thomson also stepped in with the Hurricanes for 243 minutes, earning a 3-1-0-0 record, 3.46 GAA and .898 SV%. Thomson has also remained with the Hurricanes for their 2019 WHL Playoff run.
Medicine Hat Tigers:
G Liam Vanderkooi: WHL – MH (2018) Round 3: (#55): Plays for the Yale Hockey Academy Prep team of the CSSHL and finished the regular season with a 5.44 GAA and .842 SV%.
Portland Winterhawks:
G Evan Fradette: WHL – POR (2016) Round 5: (#97): Plays for the St. Albert Midget AAA Raiders team of the AMHL and finished the regular season with a 2.35 GAA and .913 SV%.
Prince George Cougars:
D Tyson Phare: WHL – PG (2017) Round 1 (#18): Began his season with the Cougars and played 14 games. Phare then moved back to play for the Delta Hockey Academy Prep team in the CSSHL and recorded 10 points (1G-9A) in eight games in the regular season.
Red Deer Rebels:
D Trey Patterson: WHL – RD (2018) Round 2 (#28): Plays for the Calgary Midget AAA Buffaloes team in the AMHL and finished the regular season with six points (2G-4A). Patterson and the Buffaloes also captured the AMHL provincial championship and will look to beat the B.C. provincial champions to go to the Telus Cup.
Seattle Thunderbirds:
G Thomas Milic: WHL – SEA (2018) Round 3 (#51): Plays for the Burnaby Winter Club Prep team in the CSSHL and finished the regular season with a 2.41 GAA and .908 SV%. Milic also competed in the 2019 Canada Winter Games for Team B.C. and recorded a 4.03 GAA and .902 SV% in four games.
Spokane Chiefs:
G Campbell Arnold: WHL – SPO (2017) Round 2 (#28): Plays for the Spokane Braves in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) and finished the regular season with a 3.24 GAA and a .913 SV%. Arnold has also played one game this season with the Chiefs, recording a 3.00 GAA and .909 SV%.
Tri-City Americans:
F Tyson Greenway: WHL – TC (2018) Round 4 (#80): Plays for the St. Albert Midget AAA Raiders in the AMHL and finished the regular season with 18 points (11G-7A).
Vancouver Giants:
D Krz Plummer: WHL – VAN (2017) Round 3 (#46): Plays for the Delta Hockey Academy Prep team in the CSSHL and finished the regular season with 39 points (17G-22A). Plummer has also been called up to play with the Vancouver Giants for five games this season.
Victoria Royals:
F Alex Bolshakov: WHL – VIC (2017) Round 4 (#69): Plays for the Everett Jr. Silvertips 16U team in the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) and finished the regular season with 8 points (5G-3A). Bolshakov has also played with the Victoria Royals for five games this season.
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