WHL Stars of Tomorrow – U18 Prospects – March 20, 2024

The WHL Stars of Tomorrow series highlights the biggest and brightest prospects on the cusp of becoming household names in the Western Hockey League.

Each week, four of the WHL’s top U18 prospects will be featured with reports from league and team representatives.

The series will also give an update on 18 additional prospects as they navigate their 15- and 16-year-old seasons.

RILEY BOYCHUK – FORWARD – 2023 1ST ROUND PICK (2ND OVERALL)

Northern Alberta Xtreme U18 Prep (CSSHL U18)

27 Games – 16 Goals – 46 Assists – 62 Points

Riley Boychuk with one of the nastier headfakes you'll see all year 😵‍💫@NAXHockey | @PARaidersHockey | #CSSHL pic.twitter.com/DHb1714Hqc

— CSSHL (@CSSHL) March 15, 2024

“Riley is a character player that is dominant in the face-off circle, he is offensively gifted well has an elite sense of vision. When you think he has no options he is able to make a positive situations out of nothing. ”

– Curtis Hunt (Prince Albert Raiders General Manager)

“Riley is an elite player with his poise and passing being his standout abilities. Riley has gamebreaking qualities as an offensive creator, with an uncanny ability to generate scoring chances in the offensive zone. He is a pass first player with great deception, finding teammates in dangerous scoring positions consistently throughout games. He has excellent hands and his ability to maintain puck possession compliments his playmaking nicely. Riley is also a fierce competitor with the ability to win battles against bigger players, which should help his transition to the Western Hockey League.”

– Taylor Green (WHL Manager of Hockey Operations)

CHASE PETERSON – FORWARD – 2023 2ND ROUND PICK (23RD OVERALL)

Moose Jaw Warriors U18 AAA (SMAAAHL)

37 Games – 9 Goals – 14 Assists – 23 Points

“Chase had a solid season in the Saskatchewan U18 AAA league this year, a physically demanding league filled with older and stronger players. Chase showed the ability to impact the game on both ends of the ice, adding two-way responsibilities to the scoring profile he flashed in his U15 season. With a strong north-south style, Chase adds skill, size, and competitiveness to the Lethbridge Hurricanes organization. Chase participated in the Saskatchewan track provincials last year, and his pedigree as an elite athlete should continue to translate onto the ice.”

– Taylor Green (WHL Manager of Hockey Operations)

ERIC TU – GOALTENDER – 2023 2ND ROUND PICK (31ST OVERALL)

St. George’s School U18 Prep (CSSHL U18)

10 Games – 2.08 GAA – .935 SV%

“Eric is a presence in net, listed at 6’3 but he has likely put on another inch or over the course of this season. He is smart and compact in his movements and plays a very technical style. He is rarely out of position and won’t wow you with stacked pads or diving poke checks. Eric uses his size and stays quiet in the crease, letting pucks hit him and absorbing rebounds. He had an excellent statistical season with St. Georges U18 program this season and has the size and ability to be a difference maker down the road for the Hitmen”

– Taylor Green (WHL Manager of Hockey Operations)

CAMERON KUZMA – FORWARD – 2023 3RD ROUND PICK (61ST OVERALL)

Notre Dame Hounds U18 AAA (SMAAAHL)

37 Games – 16 Goals – 15 Assists – 31 Points

“Kuzma projects as a big, strong, two-way centre, with offensive upside. His 200-foot game, his details, and structure in his game, is impressive for a young player. We are excited about Cameron’s future with the Pats, and expect he’ll compete for a spot on our 2024-25 team”

– Alan Millar (Regina Pats VP of Hockey Operations & General Manager)

“Cameron is a high IQ centre with a strong overall game. His hockey sense is his standout quality with defensive attributes that are advanced for his age. He has shown in his affiliate games with Regina this season that he is capable of handling WHL minutes as an underage player. Cameron has solid puck skills and good feel of where to be in all three zones. He should be a smart, two-way player for the Pats down the road with the versatility to affect the game in a number of different ways.”

– Taylor Green (WHL Manager of Hockey Operations)

EMERSON CLARK – DEFENCE – 2022 3RD ROUND PICK (56TH OVERALL)

Saskatoon Blazers U18 AAA (SMAAAHL)

29 Games – 1 Goal – 8 Assists – 9 Points

LUKE POWELL – FOWARD – 2022 4TH ROUND PICK (75TH OVERALL)

Northern Alberta Xtreme U18 Prep (CSSHL U18)

24 Games – 16 Goals – 9 Assists – 25 Points

FINN WERNER – GOALTENDER – 2023 3RD ROUND PICK (54TH OVERALL)

St. Albert Flyers U17 AAA (AEHL U17)

16 Games – 2.01 GAA – .922 SV%

LUCAS BENN – FOWARD – 2023 7TH ROUND PICK (152ND OVERALL)

St. George’s School U17 Prep (CSSHL U17)

29 Games – 14 Goals – 18 Assists – 32 Points

ELI BARRETT – FOWARD – 2023 2ND ROUND PICK (26TH OVERALL)

Yale Hockey Academy U18 Prep (CSSHL U18)

28 Games – 4 Goals – 12 Assists – 16 Points

SUTTON VEROT – FOWARD – 2023 7TH ROUND PICK (141ST OVERALL)

Notre Dame Hounds U18 AAA (SMAAAHL)

39 Games – 9 Goals – 11 Assists – 20 Points

BENSON HIRST – DEFENCE – 2023 9TH ROUND PICK (181ST OVERALL)

Pilot Mound Academy U17 Prep (CSSHL U17)

30 Games – 16 Goals – 22 Assists – 38 Points

CAMERON JACOBSON – DEFENCE – 2023 4TH ROUND PICK (80TH OVERALL)

Warman Wildcats U18 AAA (SMAAAHL)

44 Games – 5 Goals – 18 Assists – 23 Points

DERMOT JOHNSTON – DEFENCE – 2023 2ND ROUND PICK (43RD OVERALL)

Red Deer Chiefs U18 AAA (AEHL U18)

36 Games – 4 Goals – 9 Assists – 13 Points

TAYLOR TABASHNIUK – GOALTENDER – 2022 6TH ROUND PICK (127TH OVERALL)

Regina Pat Canadians U18 AAA (SMAAAHL)

26 Games – 2.09 GAA – 9.19 SV%

MATTHEW DOWDALL – FOWARD – 2023 4TH ROUND PICK (84TH OVERALL)

Yale Hockey Academy U17 Prep (CSSHL U17)

31 Games – 22 Goals – 22 Assists – 44 Points

VANEK POPIL – DEFENCE – 2023 3RD ROUND PICK (65TH OVERALL)

Titans Hockey Union U18 (JPHL U18)

27 Games – 4 Goals – 9 Assists – 13 Points

RHETT SATHER – DEFENCE – 2023 4TH ROUND PICK (68TH OVERALL)

Calgary IHA U17 Prep (CSSHL U17)

29 Games – 10 Goals – 20 Assists – 30 Points

PARKER RONDEAU – FORWARD – 2022 2ND ROUND PICK (30TH OVERALL)

Swift Current Legionnaires U18 (SMAAAHL)

44 Games – 19 Goals – 35 Assists – 54 Points

MASON MYKICHUK – FORWARD – 2023 3RD ROUND PICK (56TH OVERALL)

Winnipeg Thrashers U18 AAA ( MU18HL)

41 Games – 28 Goals – 25 Assists – 53 Points

BRAYDEN TREMBLAY – DEFENCE – 2023 6TH ROUND PICK (126TH OVERALL)

Okanagan HA Black U17 Prep (CSSHL U17)

30 Games – 6 Goals – 15 Assists – 21 Points

NOLAN STEWART – FOWARD – 2023 5TH ROUND PICK (104TH OVERALL)

Titans Hockey Union U18 (JPHL U18)

27 Games – 4 Goals – 9 Assists – 13 Points

NATHAN BARLCAY – DEFENCE – 2023 7TH ROUND PICK (135TH OVERALL)

Delta Hockey Academy U17 Prep (CSSHL U17)

29 Games – 7 Goals – 20 Assists – 27 Points