[{"id":269049,"date":"2026-07-31T11:17:31","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T17:17:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/?p=269049"},"modified":"2026-07-31T11:17:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T17:17:31","slug":"whl-leads-canadas-national-mens-summer-under-18-team-with-nine-players-set-to-compete-at-2026-hlinka-gretzky-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/article\/whl-leads-canadas-national-mens-summer-under-18-team-with-nine-players-set-to-compete-at-2026-hlinka-gretzky-cup","title":{"rendered":"WHL leads Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team with nine players set to compete at 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"

Calgary, Alta. \u2013<\/strong> Nine Western Hockey League players have been named to the roster for Canada\u2019s Summer Under-18 Team for the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Hockey Canada announced Friday.<\/p>\n

The WHL will be represented by five forwards, three defencemen, and one goaltender on the Canadian roster at the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which is scheduled for Monday, August 3, through Saturday, August 8, in Edmonton, Alta.<\/p>\n

Canada\u2019s 22-player roster features nine players from the WHL, eight players from the Ontario Hockey League, and five players from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.<\/p>\n

Canada\u2019s National Men\u2019s Summer Under-18 Team \u2013 WHL Players<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Last Name<\/strong><\/td>\nFirst Name<\/strong><\/td>\nWHL Club<\/strong><\/td>\nHometown<\/strong><\/td>\nHt<\/strong><\/td>\nWt<\/strong><\/td>\nPos<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Oaten<\/td>\nLeif<\/td>\nLethbridge Hurricanes<\/td>\nCalgary, Alta.<\/td>\n6\u20193\u201d<\/td>\n185<\/td>\nG<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tait<\/td>\nBoston<\/td>\nWenatchee Wild<\/td>\nEstevan, Sask.<\/td>\n6\u20191\u201d<\/td>\n198<\/td>\nD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
DuPont<\/td>\nLandon<\/td>\nEverett Silvertips<\/td>\nCalgary, Alta.<\/td>\n5\u201911\u201d<\/td>\n192<\/td>\nD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cripps<\/td>\nBrock<\/td>\nPrince Albert Raiders<\/td>\nVictoria, B.C.<\/td>\n5\u201911\u201d<\/td>\n166<\/td>\nD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
England<\/td>\nBrock<\/td>\nSeattle Thunderbirds<\/td>\nRed Deer, Alta.<\/td>\n5\u201911\u201d<\/td>\n175<\/td>\nF<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Schultz<\/td>\nMaddox<\/td>\nRegina Pats<\/td>\nRegina, Sask.<\/td>\n5\u201910\u201d<\/td>\n183<\/td>\nF<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Harvey<\/td>\nBen<\/td>\nPrince Albert Raiders<\/td>\nEdmonton, Alta.<\/td>\n5\u201911\u201d<\/td>\n187<\/td>\nF<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stroeder<\/td>\nKayden<\/td>\nEdmonton Oil Kings<\/td>\nSaskatoon, Sask.<\/td>\n6\u20190\u201d<\/td>\n165<\/td>\nF<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pue<\/td>\nLiam<\/td>\nRegina Pats<\/td>\nLangley, B.C.<\/td>\n6\u20191\u201d<\/td>\n188<\/td>\nF<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\n

\n

Canada\u2019s roster was selected by Program of Excellence (POE) general manager Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), alongside POE head scout Byron Bonora (Brooks, Alta.) and U18 assistant general manager Yanick Lemay (Drummondville Voltigeurs \/ QMJHL; Drummondville, Que.), with input from Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, and Benoit Roy (Sudbury, Ont.), director of hockey operations.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter a competitive training camp and pre-tournament game against Sweden, we are excited to announce the 22 players who have earned the opportunity to represent Canada at the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup on home ice in Edmonton,\u201d Millar said. \u201cThis is a highly skilled group of young players that is motivated to accomplish our goal of winning a gold medal, and we know our players are excited to wear the Maple Leaf and play in front of Canadian fans.\u201d<\/p>\n

DuPont is the lone returner to Canada\u2019s National Men\u2019s Summer Under-18 Team \u2013 in 2025, he helped his country claim bronze at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.<\/p>\n

Also representing Canada\u2019s National Men\u2019s Summer Under-18 Team are assistant coaches Ryan McDonald (Prince Albert Raiders \/ WHL; Prince Albert, Sask.) and Kyle Chipchura (Edmonton Oil Kings \/ WHL; Westlock, Alta.), goaltending coach Jeff Harvey (Saskatoon Blades \/ WHL; St. Albert, Alta.) and athletic therapist Taylor Cochrane (Kamloops Blazers \/ WHL; Elk Point, Alta.).<\/p>\n

Canada opens the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup against Switzerland on Monday, August 3 at 5 p.m. MT. Canada then faces Slovakia on Tuesday, August 4 and Sweden on Wednesday, August 5 to close out preliminary action before the tournament concludes with the medal games on Saturday, August 8.<\/p>\n

Canada has one pre-tournament game remaining Saturday, August 1, at 5 p.m. MT, when they play Czechia at Rogers Place in Edmonton.<\/p>\n

Leif Oaten, Lethbridge Hurricanes<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Oaten<\/a> made his WHL debut during the 2025-26 campaign, dressing in 31 games for the Hurricanes. Selected in the third round (58th overall) of the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft, the Calgary product went 6-19-2-0 and recorded one shutout in his first season with the Hurricanes.<\/p>\n

Oaten\u2019s first career WHL shutout came February 27, 2026, on home ice, when he made 21 saves to backstop the Hurricanes to a 6-0 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. He made a career high 41 saves on December 28, 2025, as the Hurricanes dropped a 5-2 road decision to the Edmonton Oil Kings. On six occasions last season, Oaten faced 40+ shots while turning in performances of 35+ saves in six outings.<\/p>\n

Boston Tait, Wenatchee Wild <\/strong><\/p>\n

The 6-foot-1, 198-pound Tait<\/a> made his WHL debut during the 2024-25 season, appearing in six games for the Wild. He joined Wenatchee on a full-time basis in 2025-26, dressing in 62 games and logging 23 points (5G-18A). Over 68 career WHL regular season games, the product of Estevan, Sask., has collected 25 points (5G-20A). Tait was selected by the Wild in the first round (12th overall) of the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft.<\/p>\n

Tait recorded his first career WHL goal December 7, 2025, in a 3-2 road win over the Calgary Hitmen. He was named Sandman WHL Rookie of the Week for the week of December 1-8, 2025.<\/p>\n

Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 5-foot-11, 192-pound DuPont<\/a> is the first defenceman to be granted Exceptional Player status in WHL history. He earned the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL Rookie of the Year in 2024-25 after securing 60 points (17G-43A) in 64 games. He was also named CHL Rookie of the Year for his outstanding performance as a 15-year-old. During the 2025-26 season, he posted 73 points (18G-55A) in 63 games and was named to the WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team. He played a key role in helping the Everett Silvertips claim the franchise\u2019s first WHL Championship in 2026.<\/p>\n

Selected by the Silvertips with the first-overall pick in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft, DuPont tallied 133 points (35G-98A) over 127 career WHL regular season appearances from 2024-25 through 2025-26. He added another 38 points (10G-28A) in 28 career WHL Playoff games.<\/p>\n

Though the Silvertips fell in the Memorial Cup finale to the Kitchener Rangers, DuPont was named to the tournament all-star team.<\/p>\n

Brock Cripps, Prince Albert Raiders<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 5-foot-11, 166-pound Cripps<\/a> enjoyed an outstanding 2025-26 season with the Prince Albert Raiders, registering 37 points (6G-31A) in 62 games. Selected by the Raiders in the first round (second overall) of the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft, Cripps made his WHL debut during the 2024-25 season, appearing in four contests.<\/p>\n

In 2025-26, the product of Victoria, B.C., was named a finalist for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the WHL Rookie of the Year. On three occasions this past season, Cripps was named Sandman WHL Rookie of the Week.<\/p>\n

He helped the Raiders claim the WHL\u2019s Eastern Conference Championship, advancing to the 2026 WHL Championship Series. Cripps posted an impressive 21 points (4G-17A) in 20 post-season appearances to boost the Raiders.<\/p>\n

Brock England, Seattle Thunderbirds<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound England<\/a> made his WHL debut during the 2024-25 season, recording three points (2G-1A) in three games with the Thunderbirds. The 2025-26 season saw the product of Red Deer, Alta., collect 51 points (21G-30A) in 64 outings. His 21 goals ranked first among all 16-year-old rookies in the WHL.<\/p>\n

Selected by the Thunderbirds in the first round (11th overall) of the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft, England registered 17 multi-point performances during the 2025-26 season. He was named Sandman WHL Rookie of the Week for the week of November 10-18, 2025. In 67\u00a0 career WHL regular season games, he has secured 54 points (23G-31A).<\/p>\n

Maddox Schultz, Regina Pats<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 5-foot-10, 183-pound Schultz<\/a> is one of only two 2010-born players on Canada\u2019s roster, joining Pats teammate Liam Pue. Schultz appeared in 34 regular season games with the Pats under the Western Canadian Development Model, and tallied 29 points (15G-14A) during the 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n

Selected by the Pats with the first-overall pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft, Schultz\u2019s coming out party was arguably February 11, 2026, when he secured his first career WHL hat trick in a thrilling 7-6 overtime win at Saskatoon. In total, Schultz notched seven multi-point performances during the 2025-26 season. He also dressed in two playoff games for the Pats, notching one assist.<\/p>\n

Ben Harvey, Prince Albert Raiders<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 5-foot-11, 187-pound Harvey<\/a> posted 27 points (14G-13A) in 45 games for the Raiders last season, after making his WHL debut with the Club during the 2024-25 campaign. Hailing from Edmonton, Alta., Harvey also helped the Raiders advance to the 2026 WHL Championship Series by adding another six points (4G-2A) in 19 post-season appearances.<\/p>\n

Selected by the Raiders in the first round (fourth overall) of the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft, Harvey was named Sandman WHL Rookie of the Week for the week of March 9-15. That week, he enjoyed a career-best six-point performance (3G-3A) in a resounding 11-0 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors on March 13.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kayden Stroeder, Edmonton Oil Kings<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 6-foot, 165-pound Stroeder<\/a> recorded 32 points (13G-19A) in 55 games during the 2025-26 season with Edmonton. Selected by the Oil Kings in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft, Stroeder debuted during the 2024-25 campaign, appearing in 16 games and securing eight points (5G-3A). Over 71 career WHL regular season outings, the native of Saskatoon, Sask., has 40 points (18G-22A).<\/p>\n

Stroeder made his WHL debut December 14, 2024, securing one assist in a 7-3 home win over the Swift Current Broncos. He followed up with his first career WHL goal and a multi-point performance (2G-1A) in a 5-1 road win at Red Deer on December 27, 2024. On March 18, 2026, Stroeder collected his first career WHL hat trick in a 5-1 home win over the Calgary Hitmen.<\/p>\n

Liam Pue, Regina Pats<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 6-foot-1, 188-pound Pue<\/a> is the one of only two 2010-born players on Canada\u2019s roster, joining Pats teammate Maddox Schultz. Pue appeared in 34 regular season games with the Pats under the Western Canadian Development Model, and secured 16 points (6G-10A) during the 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n

Selected by the Pats in the first round (third overall) of the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft, the product of Langley, B.C., scored one goal in two playoff games for Regina this past spring. He scored his first career WHL goal in his first career WHL game on September 19, 2025, at Swift Current. His first career multi-point performance (1G-1A) came December 5, 2025, on home ice against the Brandon Wheat Kings.<\/p>\n

About the Western Hockey League<\/strong><\/p>\n

Regarded as the world\u2019s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada\u2019s National Junior Hockey Team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nine WHL players will compete for Canada at the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton from August 3-8.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":116,"featured_media":269050,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"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":7,"filter":"raw","term_order":"102"},{"term_id":1675,"name":"Ben Harvey","slug":"ben-harvey","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1675,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":5,"filter":"raw","term_order":"235"},{"term_id":2251,"name":"Boston Tait","slug":"boston-tait","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2251,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":2,"filter":"raw","term_order":"273"},{"term_id":1670,"name":"Brock England","slug":"brock-england","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1670,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":6,"filter":"raw","term_order":"351"},{"term_id":1671,"name":"Kayden Stroeder","slug":"kayden-stroeder","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1671,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":4,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1171"},{"term_id":1265,"name":"Landon DuPont","slug":"landon-dupont","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1265,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":57,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1240"},{"term_id":2183,"name":"Leif Oaten","slug":"leif-oaten","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2183,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":4,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1253"},{"term_id":2110,"name":"Liam Pue","slug":"liam-pue","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2110,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1265"},{"term_id":1924,"name":"Maddox Schultz","slug":"maddox-schultz","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1924,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":12,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1327"}],"class_list":["post-269049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-2026-hlinka-gretzky-cup","tag-ben-harvey","tag-boston-tait","tag-brock-england","tag-kayden-stroeder","tag-landon-dupont","tag-leif-oaten","tag-liam-pue","tag-maddox-schultz","category-1110","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/07\/31111653\/Hlinka-Gretzky-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\/269049","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\/116"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269049"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269049\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":269051,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269049\/revisions\/269051"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":268958,"date":"2026-07-31T10:01:38","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T16:01:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/?p=268958"},"modified":"2026-07-31T10:01:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T16:01:38","slug":"nhl-prospect-watch-edmonton-oilers-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/article\/nhl-prospect-watch-edmonton-oilers-4","title":{"rendered":"NHL Prospect Watch: Edmonton Oilers"},"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

Today, we’re getting greasy with the Edmonton Oilers.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Tommy Lafreniere<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Quebec-born, B.C.-raised forward made waves with 41 goals and 36 assists for 77 points in 67 games. Lafreniere, 19, tied for sixth in goals among all WHLers while helping the Kamloops Blazers clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2023. After logging two goals and an assist in the WHL postseason, the 6-foot, 183-pound winger made his professional debut with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors on an amateur tryout and notched a goal and two assists in eight regular-season and playoff games. He’s currently representing Canada at the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase in hopes of hitting Edmonton for the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship. Edmonton selected Lafreniere with the 83rd overall pick in the third round of the 2025 NHL Draft.<\/p>\n

David Lewandowski<\/strong><\/p>\n

The speedy German import paced the Saskatoon Blades with 65 points (17G-48A) in 57 regular-season matches. Lewandowski, 19, also tied for the team playoff scoring lead as the sixth-seed Blades knocked off the third-seed Edmonton Oil Kings in their first-round series, including the primary assist on Rowan Calvert’s Game 7 overtime winner. The 2025 fourth-round NHL pick (117th overall) also got the tap to suit up for the Condors in one game near the end of the AHL’s regular season, where he picked up an assist. On the international stage, the 6-foot-2, 176-pound winger tied for third in scoring for Germany at the 2026 World Juniors with a goal and three helpers in five tilts.<\/p>\n

Aidan Park<\/strong><\/p>\n

Twenty-year-old Aidan Park just had a cup of coffee in the WHL, suiting up for three playoff games with the Calgary Hitmen in the 2025 WHL Playoffs. The 6-foot-1, 187-pound forward tallied eight goals and eight assists for 16 points and 28 penalty minutes in 40 games with the University of Michigan in 2025-26. Park, from Hermosa Beach, Calif., left a lasting impression at the 2025 NHL Draft when he rolled up to support his friends and ended up being drafted by Edmonton with the 223rd overall pick in the seventh round, taking the stage in shorts and sandals.<\/p>\n

James Stefan<\/strong><\/p>\n

Laguna Beach, Calif.’s James Stefan spent the bulk of his second professional season with the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets, where he nabbed 34 points (17G-17A) in 38 appearances and earned six games in the AHL with the Condors. The 6-foot, 185-pound winger will look to take a big step forward in 2026-27 as he enters the third year of his entry-level contract. Stefan, 23, spent parts of five seasons with the Portland Winterhawks, amassing 256 points (111G-145A) over 254 regular-season games. He broke out with a 101-point (50G-51A) run in 2023-24, where he helped the Hawks battle all the way to the 2024 WHL Championship Series.<\/p>\n

Connor Ungar<\/strong><\/p>\n

A wild season saw 24-year-old Connor Ungar suit up for four different teams and work his way up from ECHL third-stringer to surefire AHLer. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound puckstopper was a combined 4-1-1 with the Fort Wayne Komets and Greensboro Gargoyles before landing with the Orlando Solar Bears, where he went 7-8-3 with a 2.66 goals-against average, a .913 save percentage and three shutouts. That was enough to launch him to Bakersfield, where the Calgarian posted a 9-2-2 record, a 2.51 GAA, a .923 save percentage and a shutout. He averaged above a .913 save percentage with all four teams and earned a one-year, two-way deal with the Oilers as a result. He earned his first contract back in 2024 out of Brock University, where he was named the U SPORTS Rookie of the Year. Ungar played five seasons in the Western League with the Brandon Wheat Kings, Red Deer Rebels and Moose Jaw Warriors, stringing together a 53-20-2-3 record, a 2.57 goals-against average, a .917 save percentage and three shutouts.<\/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. Today, we’re getting greasy with the Edmonton Oilers. Tommy Lafreniere The…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":487,"featured_media":269048,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":2044,"name":"Aidan Park","slug":"aidan-park","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2044,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw","term_order":"149"},{"term_id":1213,"name":"Connor Ungar","slug":"connor-ungar","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1213,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw","term_order":"569"},{"term_id":1632,"name":"David Lewandowski","slug":"david-lewandowski","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1632,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":6,"filter":"raw","term_order":"626"},{"term_id":1218,"name":"James Stefan","slug":"james-stefan","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1218,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":4,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1001"},{"term_id":1852,"name":"Tommy Lafreniere","slug":"tommy-lafreniere","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1852,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":5,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1963"}],"class_list":["post-268958","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-aidan-park","tag-connor-ungar","tag-david-lewandowski","tag-james-stefan","tag-tommy-lafreniere","category-1110","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/07\/31100129\/260730_Prospect-Watch-1920_EDM.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\/268958","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=268958"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268958\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":268990,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268958\/revisions\/268990"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/269048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=268958"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=268958"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=268958"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"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":"1"},{"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":"101"},{"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":"1898"}],"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":"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":"101"},{"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":"1697"}],"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":"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":"101"},{"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":"1421"}],"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":"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":"101"},{"term_id":37,"name":"spokane 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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":"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":"101"},{"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":"1836"}],"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":"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":"101"},{"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":"1180"}],"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":"7"},{"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":"101"},{"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":"1898"}],"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}]}}]