[{"id":269030,"date":"2026-07-30T23:40:29","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T05:40:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/?p=269030"},"modified":"2026-07-30T23:40:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T05:40:29","slug":"broncos-sign-finnish-forward-oliver-torkki-to-a-whl-scholarship-and-development-agreement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/article\/broncos-sign-finnish-forward-oliver-torkki-to-a-whl-scholarship-and-development-agreement","title":{"rendered":"Broncos sign Finnish forward Oliver Torkki to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement"},"content":{"rendered":"

Swift Current, SK<\/span><\/strong> \u2013<\/strong> The Swift Current Broncos have signed 2008-born Finnish forward Oliver Torkki to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Broncos selected Torkki with the 67th overall pick in the 2026 CHL Import Draft.<\/span><\/p>\n

A native of Espoo, Finland, Torkki spent the 2025-26 season with Kiekko-Espoo U20, where he recorded 11 goals and eight assists for 19 points in 23 games. The skilled forward has also represented Finland on the international stage, competing at the 2024 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. During the 2025-26 season, he also appeared in 10 games with Finland’s U18 National Team, collecting two assists.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I am very happy to officially be a part of the Broncos. I am excited for what’s ahead and ready to get to work!” said Torkki.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Broncos welcome Oliver and his family to the organization and look forward to seeing him on the ice.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Swift Current, SK \u2013 The Swift Current Broncos have signed 2008-born Finnish forward Oliver Torkki to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. The Broncos selected Torkki with the 67th overall pick in the 2026 CHL Import Draft. A native of Espoo, Finland, Torkki spent the 2025-26 season with Kiekko-Espoo U20, where he recorded 11 goals…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":269041,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":2466,"name":"Oliver Torkki","slug":"oliver-torkki","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2466,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0"},{"term_id":2416,"name":"2026 CHL Import Draft","slug":"2026-chl-import-draft","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2416,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":18,"filter":"raw","term_order":"100"},{"term_id":31,"name":"swift current broncos","slug":"swift-current-broncos","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":209,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1036,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1897"}],"class_list":["post-269030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-oliver-torkki","tag-2026-chl-import-draft","tag-swift-current-broncos","category-1110","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/07\/30233724\/Signed-1920_Torkki.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269030","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269030"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269030\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":269046,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269030\/revisions\/269046"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269041"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269030"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269030"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269030"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":269032,"date":"2026-07-30T23:39:29","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T05:39:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/?p=269032"},"modified":"2026-07-30T23:39:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T05:39:29","slug":"finnish-defenceman-ossi-tukio-signs-with-pats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/article\/finnish-defenceman-ossi-tukio-signs-with-pats","title":{"rendered":"Finnish defenceman Ossi Tukio signs with Pats"},"content":{"rendered":"

Regina, Sask.<\/strong> \u2013 The Regina Pats announced today that the hockey club has signed defenceman Ossi Tukio<\/strong> to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.<\/p>\n

Tukio, 18, was selected by the Pats in the first round (18th overall) of the 2026 CHL Import Draft.<\/p>\n

The 6-foot-2, 187-pound left-shot defenceman from Tampere, Finland, spent the 2025-26 season captaining Ilves’ U20 team in Finland’s U20 SM-sarja. Tukio recorded 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 34 regular-season games, helping lead Ilves to a second-place finish while ranking second among all draft-eligible defencemen in league scoring.<\/p>\n

Hockey has been a part of Tukio’s life from the very beginning. He grew up around professional dressing rooms as the son of former Finnish defenceman Arto Tukio, who enjoyed a lengthy professional career spanning nearly two decades. Arto appeared in approximately 500 games across Finland’s Liiga while also spending time with Jokerit and Ilves before playing two seasons with Fr\u00f6lunda HC in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), where he captured a Swedish championship in 2005. A fourth-round selection (101st overall) of the New York Islanders in the 2000 NHL Draft, Arto remained in Europe throughout his professional career.<\/p>\n

“We’re very excited to sign Ossi to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement,” said Pats General Manager Dale Derkatch. “He is a defenceman with strong offensive instincts who likes to join the rush and create scoring opportunities for both himself and his teammates. Ossi has the ability to contribute on the power play, and his skill set brings another dynamic element to our blue line. We believe he has tremendous upside, and we’re excited to welcome him to Regina and support his development both on and off the ice.”<\/p>\n

Tukio becomes the third and final member of the Pats 2026 Import Class to sign, joining Samuel Karsay and Tomas Cermak.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Regina, Sask. \u2013 The Regina Pats announced today that the hockey club has signed defenceman Ossi Tukio to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Tukio, 18, was selected by the Pats in the first round (18th overall) of the 2026 CHL Import Draft. The 6-foot-2, 187-pound left-shot defenceman from Tampere, Finland, spent the 2025-26 season…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":269042,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":2465,"name":"Ossi Tukio","slug":"ossi-tukio","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2465,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0"},{"term_id":2416,"name":"2026 CHL Import Draft","slug":"2026-chl-import-draft","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2416,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":18,"filter":"raw","term_order":"100"},{"term_id":42,"name":"regina pats","slug":"regina-pats","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":186,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1253,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1695"}],"class_list":["post-269032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-ossi-tukio","tag-2026-chl-import-draft","tag-regina-pats","category-1110","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/07\/30233730\/Signed-1920_Tukio.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269032","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269032"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269032\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":269045,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269032\/revisions\/269045"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269042"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269032"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":269035,"date":"2026-07-30T23:38:28","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T05:38:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/?p=269035"},"modified":"2026-07-30T23:38:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T05:38:28","slug":"tigers-ink-dennis-pasler-to-a-whl-scholarship-development-agreement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/article\/tigers-ink-dennis-pasler-to-a-whl-scholarship-development-agreement","title":{"rendered":"Tigers ink Dennis Pasler to a WHL Scholarship & Development Agreement"},"content":{"rendered":"

Medicine Hat, AB –\u00a0<\/strong>The Medicine Hat Tigers are proud to announce the signing of 2008-born defenceman Denis Pasler<\/strong> to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Denis is a big defender with good four-way skating ability.” said Assistant General Manager Bobby Fox. “He closes gaps aggressively using his reach and physicality, defends the net front well, and makes quick, efficient plays on retrievals. He also has the confidence to join the rush and contribute offensively.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The 6-foot-5 defender was drafted in the second round (73rd overall) of the 2026 CHL Import Draft. Pasler totalled 11 points in 59 games in the MHL during the 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Tigers are excited to welcome Denis to the organization and look forward to his continued development as part of Medicine Hat\u2019s growing core of young talent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Medicine Hat, AB –\u00a0The Medicine Hat Tigers are proud to announce the signing of 2008-born defenceman Denis Pasler to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.   “Denis is a big defender with good four-way skating ability.” said Assistant General Manager Bobby Fox. “He closes gaps aggressively using his reach and physicality, defends the net front…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":269039,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":2464,"name":"Dennis Pasler","slug":"dennis-pasler","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2464,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","term_order":"2"},{"term_id":2416,"name":"2026 CHL Import Draft","slug":"2026-chl-import-draft","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2416,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":18,"filter":"raw","term_order":"100"},{"term_id":30,"name":"medicine hat tigers","slug":"medicine-hat-tigers","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":185,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1243,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1420"}],"class_list":["post-269035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-dennis-pasler","tag-2026-chl-import-draft","tag-medicine-hat-tigers","category-1110","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/07\/30233711\/Signed-1920_Pasler.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269035"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269035\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":269044,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269035\/revisions\/269044"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":269037,"date":"2026-07-30T23:37:43","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T05:37:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/?p=269037"},"modified":"2026-07-30T23:37:43","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T05:37:43","slug":"chiefs-sign-forward-matej-tomanek-to-a-whl-scholarship-and-development-agreement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/article\/chiefs-sign-forward-matej-tomanek-to-a-whl-scholarship-and-development-agreement","title":{"rendered":"Chiefs sign forward Mat\u011bj Tom\u00e1nek to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]Spokane, WA –<\/strong> The Spokane Chiefs have announced that 2008-born forward Mat\u011bj Tom\u00e1nek has signed a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement with the team. The 5\u20198\u201d forward was selected 36th overall in the first round of the 2026 CHL Import Draft.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are excited to welcome Matej and his family to the Spokane Chiefs organization.\u00a0\u00a0Tom\u00e1nek is an exciting forward who plays with consistent and relentless energy every shift.\u00a0\u00a0His speed, along with his ability to make plays or finish, makes him a difficult player to defend,\u201d said Spokane Chiefs General Manager Matt Bardsley. \u201cHe finished second on his U20 team in scoring and was a key contributor for his U18 national team this year as well which included a very strong World\u2019s U18 tournament\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tom\u00e1nek was one of two players under the age of 18 to finish in the Top 30 in scoring in the Czechia U20 league. He scored 70 points, including 30 goals and 40 assists, on the HC Plzen U17 team in 2024-25 and 43 points in 40 games for the HC Plzen U20 team in 2025-26. He also played for Team Czechia at the 2025 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup and tallied three goals and three assists in seven games at the 2026 U18 Men\u2019s World Championships. Born on September 20, 2008, he will be eligible for the 2027 NHL Entry Draft.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Spokane Chiefs will open the season on the road, playing against the Tri-City Americans on September 19. The season home opener will take place the following weekend on September 26 where the Chiefs will face off against the Tri-City Americans once again on home ice. Puck drop will be at 6:05 p.m.\u00a0Tickets for Blue Moon Opening Night will go on sale on Thursday, August 8 at 10 a.m.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Make sure you have priority seating for the whole season by\u00a0purchasing\u00a0a Spokane Chiefs ticket package! Ticket package holders get access to exclusive events, guaranteed promotional items on all giveaway nights, 15% off savings at the Chiefs Team Store all year, and more.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spokane Chiefs ticket packages are on sale and available for purchase by calling (509) 535-PUCK or by emailing a Spokane Chiefs Account Executive.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]Spokane, WA – The Spokane Chiefs have announced that 2008-born forward Mat\u011bj Tom\u00e1nek has signed a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement with the team. The 5\u20198\u201d forward was selected 36th overall in the first round of the 2026 CHL Import Draft.\u00a0 \u201cWe are excited to welcome Matej and his family to the Spokane Chiefs…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":269040,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":2463,"name":"Matej Tomasek","slug":"matej-tomasek","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2463,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","term_order":"3"},{"term_id":2416,"name":"2026 CHL Import Draft","slug":"2026-chl-import-draft","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2416,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":18,"filter":"raw","term_order":"100"},{"term_id":37,"name":"spokane 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Quick Hits | Songs of the Summer"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":269028,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1113],"tags":[{"term_id":2424,"name":"2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup","slug":"2026-hlinka-gretzky-cup","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2424,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":6,"filter":"raw","term_order":"101"},{"term_id":2170,"name":"WHL Quick 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Thunderbirds ink Czech import Dominik Ripa"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]Kent, Wash.<\/strong> \u2013 The Seattle Thunderbirds have signed Dominik Ripa to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. The Thunderbirds selected Ripa in the second round, 112th overall, of the 2026 CHL Import Draft using a pick obtained from the Kelowna Rockets.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe brings a well-rounded, 200 foot game with a high level of skill and hockey IQ,\u201d said head coach Matt O\u2019Dette of his newest forward. \u201cHe has the ability to impact the game in all situations. We are excited to add him to the organization.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2008 born Ripa, a center, hails from Olomouc, Czechia. A season ago, playing for Ocelari Trenic in the Czechia Junior League, he registered 31 points (17g, 14a) in 50 games. He then added twelve points (4g, 8a) in ten playoff games.<\/p>\n

Three times Ripa has represented his home country internationally. In 2024 he was with Team Czechia at the U17 World Hockey Challenge. In 2025 he was part of their Hlinka-Gretzky Cup team. Earlier this year he scored twice and added six assists for Czechia at U18 World Championship.<\/p>\n

Seattle has now signed both of their Import picks they drafted in early July. Defenseman Reko Alanko of Finland inked he agreement last week.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]Kent, Wash. \u2013 The Seattle Thunderbirds have signed Dominik Ripa to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. The Thunderbirds selected Ripa in the second round, 112th overall, of the 2026 CHL Import Draft using a pick obtained from the Kelowna Rockets. \u201cHe brings a well-rounded, 200 foot game with a high level of skill…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":269025,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":2462,"name":"Dominik Ripa","slug":"dominik-ripa","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2462,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","term_order":"4"},{"term_id":2416,"name":"2026 CHL Import Draft","slug":"2026-chl-import-draft","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2416,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":18,"filter":"raw","term_order":"100"},{"term_id":26,"name":"seattle thunderbirds","slug":"seattle-thunderbirds","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":175,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1327,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1835"}],"class_list":["post-269023","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-dominik-ripa","tag-2026-chl-import-draft","tag-seattle-thunderbirds","category-1110","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/07\/30163708\/Signed-1920_Ripa.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269023","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269023"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269023\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":269026,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269023\/revisions\/269026"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269025"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269023"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":269017,"date":"2026-07-30T15:37:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T21:37:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/?p=269017"},"modified":"2026-07-30T15:37:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T21:37:12","slug":"rockets-import-forward-jakub-frolo-to-whl-scholarship-development-agreement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/article\/rockets-import-forward-jakub-frolo-to-whl-scholarship-development-agreement","title":{"rendered":"Rockets import forward Jakub Frolo to WHL Scholarship & Development Agreement"},"content":{"rendered":"

KELOWNA, BC<\/strong> \u2014 The Kelowna Rockets have signed forward Jakub Frolo to a WHL Scholarship & Development Agreement. Kelowna selected Frolo in the first round, 33rd overall, of the 2026 CHL Import Draft.<\/p>\n

Frolo, 18, is a 6’2″, 194-pound right-shot forward from Vsetin, Czechia. He developed within the Ilves organization in Finland, competing at the U18 and U20 levels before establishing himself as one of the most productive forwards in the U20 SM-sarja in 2025-26. Over 37 regular-season games with Ilves’ U20 squad, Frolo posted 10 goals and 30 assists for 40 points, the highest points-per-game average among all draft-eligible skaters in the league with at least 10 games played. He sustained that level of play through the postseason, adding two goals and seven assists for nine points in eight playoff games as Ilves earned a silver medal. Frolo also made one appearance with Ilves’ senior Liiga roster and three appearances in the Champions Hockey League, giving him exposure well beyond the junior level before arriving in North America.<\/p>\n

Heading into the 2026 NHL Draft, NHL Central Scouting ranked Jakub 32nd among European skaters, but he went undrafted.<\/p>\n

An intelligent, playmaking forward, Frolo excels at reading the game and finding teammates from difficult positions, particularly from the half-wall and across the slot. He is a skilled passer in tight quarters and brings a competitive edge to his game, playing with physicality and a willingness to get under opponents’ skin. His combination of offensive instincts and on-ice character made him the clear target for Kelowna with the 33rd overall selection.<\/p>\n

“Jakub was a player we identified early and we were very happy to get him at 33,” said President & General Manager Bruce Hamilton. “He’s a smart, skilled forward who has shown he can produce consistently at a high level. He plays with an edge, he makes plays, and he’s the type of player who makes everyone around him better. We’re excited to get him to Kelowna.”<\/p>\n

Frolo joins Vojtech Cihar and Tomas Poletin to give the Rockets a strong core of import forwards heading into the 2026-27 season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KELOWNA, BC \u2014 The Kelowna Rockets have signed forward Jakub Frolo to a WHL Scholarship & Development Agreement. Kelowna selected Frolo in the first round, 33rd overall, of the 2026 CHL Import Draft. Frolo, 18, is a 6’2″, 194-pound right-shot forward from Vsetin, Czechia. He developed within the Ilves organization in Finland, competing at the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":269020,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":2461,"name":"Jakub Frolo","slug":"jakub-frolo","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2461,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","term_order":"5"},{"term_id":2416,"name":"2026 CHL Import Draft","slug":"2026-chl-import-draft","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2416,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":18,"filter":"raw","term_order":"100"},{"term_id":33,"name":"kelowna rockets","slug":"kelowna-rockets","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":166,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1113,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1179"}],"class_list":["post-269017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-jakub-frolo","tag-2026-chl-import-draft","tag-kelowna-rockets","category-1110","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/07\/30153703\/Signed-1920_Frolo-1.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269017","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269017"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269017\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":269021,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269017\/revisions\/269021"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269020"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269017"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269017"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269017"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":269009,"date":"2026-07-30T13:01:33","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T19:01:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/?p=269009"},"modified":"2026-07-30T13:01:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T19:01:33","slug":"swift-current-signs-russian-defenceman-yuri-vlasenko-to-a-whl-scholarship-and-development-agreement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/article\/swift-current-signs-russian-defenceman-yuri-vlasenko-to-a-whl-scholarship-and-development-agreement","title":{"rendered":"Swift Current signs Russian defenceman Yuri Vlasenko to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement"},"content":{"rendered":"

Swift Current, Sask. \u2013<\/strong> <\/span>The Swift Current Broncos have signed 2010-born Russian defenceman Yuri Vlasenko to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vlasenko was selected by the Broncos with the 21st overall pick in the 2026 CHL Import Draft.<\/span><\/p>\n

Born in Vienna (Wien), Austria, Vlasenko spent the 2025-26 season with Dynamo Moskva U16, where he served as an alternate captain and was recognized as the top 2010-born defenceman in Russia.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the 2025-26 Russia Cup, Vlasenko recorded four goals and 15 assists for 19 points in 24 games with Dynamo Moskva U16, showcasing his offensive ability from the blue line. The 16-year-old also earned opportunities to play with Dynamo Moskva\u2019s U17 and U18 teams throughout the season while representing Russia internationally with the country\u2019s U16 National Team.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I am proud to officially sign with the Broncos,” said Vlasenko. “I am excited for this next chapter and ready to leave everything on the ice for Swift Current. See you soon, Broncos Nation.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The Broncos welcome Yuri and his family to the organization.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Swift Current, Sask. \u2013 The Swift Current Broncos have signed 2010-born Russian defenceman Yuri Vlasenko to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Vlasenko was selected by the Broncos with the 21st overall pick in the 2026 CHL Import Draft. Born in Vienna (Wien), Austria, Vlasenko spent the 2025-26 season with Dynamo Moskva U16, where he…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":130,"featured_media":269011,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":2460,"name":"Yuri Vlasenko","slug":"yuri-vlasenko","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2460,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","term_order":"6"},{"term_id":2416,"name":"2026 CHL Import Draft","slug":"2026-chl-import-draft","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2416,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":18,"filter":"raw","term_order":"100"},{"term_id":31,"name":"swift current broncos","slug":"swift-current-broncos","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":209,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1036,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1897"}],"class_list":["post-269009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-yuri-vlasenko","tag-2026-chl-import-draft","tag-swift-current-broncos","category-1110","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/07\/30130119\/Signed-1920_Vlasenko.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269009"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":269012,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269009\/revisions\/269012"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":268917,"date":"2026-07-30T12:45:26","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T18:45:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/?p=268917"},"modified":"2026-07-30T12:45:26","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T18:45:26","slug":"mcsweeneys-whl-community-collective-lethbridge-hurricanes-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/article\/mcsweeneys-whl-community-collective-lethbridge-hurricanes-3","title":{"rendered":"McSweeney’s WHL Community Collective: Lethbridge Hurricanes"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Lethbridge Hurricanes are no strangers to a long road trip.<\/p>\n

But while the Central Division squad has an exciting game or a warm bed waiting at each end of a drive, they know many people throughout the province have to make similar journeys to access important healthcare.<\/p>\n

That’s why the Hurricanes have teamed up with the Bringing Hearts Home Campaign to expand cardiac care in the area.<\/p>\n

The campaign, which is headed up by the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation (CRHF), the Cardiac Sciences Advisory Cabinet, and AHS South Zone leadership, aims to raise $30 million by 2027 to create a Cardiac Centre of Excellence while improving other cardiac facilities and programs.<\/p>\n

This includes expanding intensive care unit and cardiac care capacity at nearby hospitals, as well as a new cardiac catheterization lab and advanced imaging technology.<\/p>\n

People living in the south end of the province currently have regional hospitals in Lethbridge and Medicine Hat and 14 acute care and community healthcare centres sprinkled across rural areas, though the CHRF says none of those facilities are able to provide cutting-edge, life-saving cardiac treatment.<\/p>\n

It’s a cause that hits close to home for up-and-coming forward Tyden Lafournaise, whose father, Marc, passed away after suffering a cardiac event in April of 2025.<\/p>\n

Marc Lafournaise was 55 years old.<\/p>\n

“In<\/span> the<\/span> summers, he<\/span>‘d<\/span> always<\/span> take<\/span> me<\/span> on<\/span> a<\/span> fishing<\/span> trip. That was kind of thing we liked to do the most together. We’d always have competitions,\u00a0who would catch bigger fish or more fish, and you know, I always won,” Lafournaise smiled. “I<\/span>t<\/span> was<\/span> just,<\/span> you<\/span> know,<\/span> being<\/span> out<\/span> there<\/span> on<\/span> a<\/span> lake,<\/span> peaceful,<\/span> spending<\/span> time<\/span> with<\/span> your<\/span> dad.<\/span> That’s<\/span> what<\/span> meant<\/span> the<\/span> most<\/span> to<\/span> me.<\/span> I<\/span> think<\/span> everyone<\/span> talks<\/span> about<\/span> how<\/span> hard<\/span> it<\/span> is<\/span> to<\/span> lose<\/span> someone<\/span> that<\/span> you<\/span> love<\/span> most,<\/span> and<\/span> you<\/span> don’t<\/span> really<\/span> understand<\/span> what<\/span> they<\/span> mean<\/span> by<\/span> that<\/span> until<\/span> you<\/span> have<\/span> to<\/span> go<\/span> through<\/span> it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2025-26, the Hurricanes donated $50 for every point Lafournaise scored to the campaign.<\/p>\n

The 17-year-old’s 18-point (11G-7A) campaign saw $900 raised, in addition to a staggering $15,145.75 from the team’s Bringing Hearts Home Game on February 13, 2026.<\/p>\n

Lethbridge auctioned off specialty jerseys and sold commemorative pucks, in addition to contributing $5 from every ticket purchased to the cause.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis game is about more than hockey,\u201d Lethbridge Hurricanes General Manager of Business Operations Terry Huisman said. \u201cIt\u2019s about community \u2014 families, friends, and neighbours \u2014 and making sure the care they need is right here, right now. This campaign is meaningful to our entire community, and especially to our organization, as we have multiple staff and volunteers who have been affected by cardiac health issues or know someone who has.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nearly 5,000 fans turned out for the event.<\/p>\n

\n

The Western Hockey League strives to promote and foster a welcoming environment in communities close to our 23 clubs in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Every team has the creative freedom to allow their players and staff to work with the organizations and groups that they are most passionate about. The end goal is to create and maintain long-lasting relationships and ongoing partnerships within their community.<\/em><\/p>\n

Through the McSweeney\u2019s WHL Community Collective, we aim to highlight these outstanding initiatives done by each club throughout the season.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Lethbridge Hurricanes are no strangers to a long road trip. But while the Central Division squad has an exciting game or a warm bed waiting at each end of a drive, they know many people throughout the province have to make similar journeys to access important healthcare. That’s why the Hurricanes have teamed up…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":487,"featured_media":269006,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":2459,"name":"Tyden Lafournaise","slug":"tyden-lafournaise","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2459,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw","term_order":"7"},{"term_id":868,"name":"WHL Community Collective","slug":"whl-community-collective","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":896,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":78,"filter":"raw","term_order":"2120"}],"class_list":["post-268917","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-tyden-lafournaise","tag-whl-community-collective","category-1110","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/07\/30124458\/LETH-CC-1920.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/487"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=268917"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268917\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":269008,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268917\/revisions\/269008"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=268917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=268917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=268917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":268950,"date":"2026-07-30T11:59:42","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T17:59:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/?p=268950"},"modified":"2026-07-30T11:59:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T17:59:42","slug":"nhl-prospect-watch-detroit-red-wings-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/article\/nhl-prospect-watch-detroit-red-wings-5","title":{"rendered":"NHL Prospect Watch: Detroit Red Wings"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the lead-up to the 2026-27 hockey season, we\u2019re diving into the WHL prospect pool for every NHL team. To be included in this list, a player must be recently drafted, signed to an NHL contract, or meet the NHL\u2019s criteria for rookie status.<\/em><\/p>\n

Could Detroit’s future lie with a pair of first-round picks who have piled up WHL accolades?<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Carter Bear<\/strong><\/p>\n

After a season that ended with injury and heartbreak, Carter Bear clawed his way to the top of the WHL mountain. The 2025 13th-overall pick iced 36 goals (including seven game-winners and three hat tricks) and earned a berth on Team Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he was part of a bronze medal-winning effort. Bear finished second on the Silvertips in goals and ninth among all WHLers in points-per-game before taking off for 22 points (7G-15A) in 18 playoff games. The 6-foot, 177-pound winger from West St. Paul, Man., helped the Silvertips clinch the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the first time in franchise history and, with Captain Tarin Smith injured, was the first Tips skater to lift the WHL’s top prize. Bear, 19, was named to the WHL Western Conference Second All-Star Team and is expected to turn pro with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins next season. Not bad for a guy who was selected in the sixth round of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft!<\/p>\n

Ond\u0159ej Becher<\/strong><\/p>\n

Six-foot-1, 187-pound centreman Ondrej Becher improved his offensive output while shoring up his 200-foot game in his sophomore professional season. The Ostrava, Cze. product netted 28 points (9G-19A) in 60 games, in addition to logging 42 penalty minutes and a +5 rating. Originally selected with the 80th overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft, Becher spent two seasons with the Prince George Cougars, where he established himself as an offensive whiz. He put up 48 goals and 86 assists for 134 points in 121 games before signing a three-year, entry-level contract in December of 2024.<\/p>\n

JP Hurlbert<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Texas Tornado made a statement with a hat trick in his WHL debut for the Kamloops Blazers and never looked back. Hurlbert registered 42 goals and 55 assists for 97 points in 68 games to finish fourth in WHL scoring and first in points among all first-year players. The 6-foot, 182-pound winger locked up WHL Rookie of the Year honours, while being named a Western Conference finalist for WHL Player of the Year. Hurlbert scored once at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge and added a goal and an assist at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game before being called with the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The Allen, Texas product is currently making his case to represent the United States at the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship as he participates in the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase.<\/p>\n

Michal Orsulak<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tremosna, Cze.’s Michal Orsulak continued a long tradition of dominant goaltending in Hockeytown North in his rookie WHL campaign. The 18-year-old went 28-4-3-1 with a 2.22 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage and four shutouts to help the Prince Albert Raiders to a 52-win season. Orsulak led all qualified WHL netminders in GAA, tied for second in shutouts and ranked fifth in save percentage and wins. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound puckstopper was named an Eastern Conference First-Team All-Star and a finalist for WHL Goaltender of the Year before backstopping the Raiders to the 2026 WHL Championship Series, where they fell to Bear and the Silvertips. Detroit picked up Orsulak with the 79th overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NHL Draft.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the lead-up to the 2026-27 hockey season, we\u2019re diving into the WHL prospect pool for every NHL team. To be included in this list, a player must be recently drafted, signed to an NHL contract, or meet the NHL\u2019s criteria for rookie status. Could Detroit’s future lie with a pair of first-round picks who…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":487,"featured_media":269003,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":1662,"name":"Carter Bear","slug":"carter-bear","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1662,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":31,"filter":"raw","term_order":"425"},{"term_id":2164,"name":"JP Hurlbert","slug":"jp-hurlbert","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2164,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":28,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1122"},{"term_id":2093,"name":"Michal Orsulak","slug":"michal-orsulak","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2093,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":19,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1438"},{"term_id":1814,"name":"Ondrej Becher","slug":"ondrej-becher","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1814,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1561"}],"class_list":["post-268950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-carter-bear","tag-jp-hurlbert","tag-michal-orsulak","tag-ondrej-becher","category-1110","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/07\/30115933\/260716_Prospect-Watch-1920_DET.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268950","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/487"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=268950"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268950\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":268957,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268950\/revisions\/268957"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=268950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=268950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=268950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}]