With the start of the 21-22 WHL season right around the corner, I thought it would be fun to take a look at one player from each team that I’m personally excited to watch and give a little description for them. I wanted to choose players that are draft eligible since I’m sure you have all heard of Connor Bedard by now.
For the record, this is not the BEST draft-eligible player per team, it is simply players I am excited to watch this year. A lot of players on this list played in multiple leagues due to the WHL having a shorter season than normal.
– Brandon Wheat Kings:
Tyson Zimmer F
20-21: Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) 16GP – 3G – 1A – 4P
Waywayseecappo Wolverines (MJHL) 10GP – 4G – 4A – 8P
Tyson Zimmer is a young forward who shows a lot of promise in his limited games last season. He was drafted with the Wheat Kings second of three first-round picks in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft (6th Overall). Tyson has good size and is not afraid to get physical and do what needs to be done to win the game. His overall game doesn’t have anything that screams elite, but nothing in his tool kit is bad either, so hopefully a longer and more consistent season will prove what he can provide in the future going forward.
– Calgary Hitmen
Grayden Siepmann RHD
20-21: Calgary Hitmen (WHL) 21GP – 0G – 2A – 2P
Yale Hockey Academy U18 Prep (CSSHL U18) 5GP – 1G – 4A – 5P
Siepmann showed in his first season that he’s already a great special teams player- as on the penalty kill he made great plays all season long. He has great positioning and is calm and poised no matter what’s thrown at him. Defensively he is going to be really good next season but the question will be if he can develop his offensive game and become a two-way defender.
– Edmonton Oil Kings
Ross Stanley LHD
20-21: Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) 18GP – 0G – 1A – 1P
Northern Alberta U18 Prep (CSSHL U18) 6GP – 2G – 3A – 5P
Stanley is a good-sized defender who plays a solid 5 on 5 defensive game. He brought a lot of effort to the defensive end by not being afraid to battle for the puck along the boards and blocking shots that could have ended in goals. His defensive game should only get better and be awarded much more penalty kill time next season.
– Everett Silvertips
Austin Roest F
20-21: Everett Silvertips (WHL) 23GP – 3G – 5A – 8P
Austin Roest is a player that surprised me from last season. He didn’t amaze me in terms of production but rather in the number of chances and plays driven by his effort. If he continues to bring this mindset into next season you will see a huge rise in his stats. His shot has a lot of power behind it and he has the calm awareness to find a teammate for scoring chances.
– Kamloops Blazers
Dylan Ernst G
20-21: Kamloops Blazers (WHL) 4GP – 3W-1L – 3.00 GAA – .872 SV%
I was initially going to write about Mats Lindgren for the Blazers but decided against it for two reasons. 1) You will be able to read all about him throughout the year (trust me) and 2) Ernst is a player who has not had a real chance to prove what he can do.
Dylan Ernst has the potential to be the best goalie coming out of the WHL for the 2022 NHL draft but unfortunately, he has a pretty good goalie getting starting minutes in New York Rangers draft pick, Dylan Garand. Now while that means he won’t get as many minutes as he maybe should, hopefully he will take every minute he gets this season and make the most of it. Ernst has good size (6’2″) and has great mobility while tracking the puck like a professional. It will be interesting to see how his season pans out and I’m just hoping everyone looks past the lack of playtime he will almost certainly have.
– Kelowna Rockets
Trevor Wong C/LW
20-21: Kelowna Rockets 16GP – 6G – 10A – 16P
Trevor Wong is one of two players on this list who were actually eligible for the NHL draft last season but due to different reasons were not selected. Wong has strong offensive attributes that make him a lethal threat in all situations and is a strong player in all zones but he does have an issue with consistency. He will be able to burst out and score 4 goals in one game but be invisible in another, that on top of being a small player height wise was the reason he went undrafted in the NHL. His height is something that can’t be fixed but he does have the opportunity to be a more consistent player which would prove a lot of people wrong and make Trevor one of the top players in the league.
*Trevor Wong was traded to the Saskatoon Blades in exchange for F Colton Dach on September 28th, 2021*
– Lethbridge Hurricanes
Logan McCutcheon RHD
20-21: Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL) 23GP – 1G – 10A – 11P
Saskatoon Blazers U18 AAA (SMAAAHL) 4GP – 0G – 4A – 4P
Logan McCutcheon is a smooth-skating, puck-moving defenseman who had a very strong start to his WHL career playing with a lot of poise. The Saskatoon native was drafted 60th overall in the 2019 WHL draft after showing his offensive abilities leading the Saskatchewan U15 league in points by a defenseman (59P in 31GP) but the question with all point-producing defenseman is always are they going to be a liability in the defensive zone. McCutcheon proved this season and should continue to prove that he is a good player in every zone.
– Medicine Hat Tigers
Brayden Boehm F
20-21: Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 15GP – 1G – 2A – 3P
Boehm’s rookie numbers don’t look great on paper but I love the way this kid plays. Averaging only 10 minutes of ice time in your rookie season usually means the numbers won’t be there but in those limited minutes he was noticeable. He was never afraid to play a physical game despite being listed at 5’10”. He needs to work on his shot but the vision is there and his passes are clean. The pressure he put on the forecheck and backcheck was great and he only took one penalty in his 15 games played. Boehm should be getting a lot more playtime this upcoming season and could be someone that turns a lot of scouts’ heads.
– Moose Jaw Warriors
Denton Mateychuk LHD
20-21: Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL) 16GP – 2G – 7A – 9P
Steinbach Pistons (MJHL) 8GP – 1G – 2A – 3P
Canada U18 (WJC-18) 3GP – 0G – 0A – 0P
If you’re a Moose Jaw Warrior fan you will know of Denton Mateychuk, If you’re an NHL scout you know Denton Mateychuk. You are going to hear his name a lot. He is on the radar for everyone, and for good reason. He was one of four underaged players at the 2021 World Junior Championship U18’s and the only one of them that was a defenseman. He can play special teams, and defensively he has great positioning and stick control. He is smart and poised and has the potential to produce a lot of offense. I can go on and on about him but just know that while he is currently ranked as a late first-round pick for the NHL draft, expect him to be ranked higher as the season goes on.
– Portland Winterhawks
Kyle Chyzowski F
20-21: Portland Winterhawks (WHL) 20GP – 5G – 1A – 6P
Delta Hockey Academy U18 Prep (CSSHL U18) 4GP – 1G – 0A – 1P
If you watch Chyzowski play you’ll notice his high motor, he is constantly putting in effort and he doesn’t let his small frame get in the way of being a pest to play against. I love the way he moves his feet when people are trying to poke the puck away from him and he tends to draw a couple of penalties just by being active and constantly moving/shifting his body. His shot was very impressive in terms of accuracy. Despite the lack of playing time during his rookie season, he showed great hands in front of the net and created many chances off of the opponents’ mistakes.
– Prince Albert Raiders
Graydon Gotaas LHD
20-21: Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) 19GP – 1G – 3A – 4P
Sherwood Park Kings U18 AAA (AEHL U18) 5GP – 0G – 1A – 1P
Gotaas is a hard-hitting two-way defenseman who has the potential to be a solid producer in every zone. Some of the biggest hits of the shortened WHL season came from Graydon who is not afraid to hit anyone or even be hit. For his rookie season, the Raiders put a lot of trust into this young man by giving him a decent amount of minutes, and even trying him out on special teams towards the end of the season. If he can establish himself as a hard-hitting defenseman who can be productive on special teams there may be scouts taking notice this season.
– Prince George Cougars
Keaton Dowhaniuk LHD
20-21: Prince George Cougars (WHL) 22GP – 3G – 5A – 8P
Drafted 3rd overall in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft Keaton showed why he deserved to be the 1st defenseman drafted by being a point per game defender who played big-time minutes and was a great leader for the OHA Edmonton U15 Prep team in the CSSHL. This past season he has progressed into looking like that same defender in Major Junior averaging 21:57 minutes a game despite his small sample size of 30 games of experience. Prince George is building a team with some incredible young talent and is a team that should not be slept on. If you watched Keaton play you’ll see how fluent his skating is and how his head will be up scanning the play 24/7.
– Red Deer Rebels
Jace Weir RHD
20-21: Red Deer Rebels (WHL) 22GP – 2G – 7A – 9P
Jace Weir is a big right-shot defender who is very active in the defensive end who has great vision while passing the puck. He is not an overly aggressive player when it comes to engaging in physical play but when he decides to hit he packs a punch. He is solid positionally, blocks shots with ease, and has the strength to box out attackers on the rush and along the boards. Overall he got lots of time on ice and special teams minutes, but in the offensive zone he struggled to get engaged outside of being on the blueline getting shots of or passing, but to be fair he was very effective from that spot.
– Regina Pats
Zack Stringer LW
20-21: Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL) 23GP – 5G – 9A – 14P
Zack Stringer was recently acquired by the Pats, the price was a 1st round pick (10th Overall) in the upcoming 2021 WHL draft. He was also passed on in the 2021 NHL draft after a rough season offensively, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is an amazing player in the defensive zone and hopefully, a change of scenery will spark his offense (Potentially being on a line with Bedard will probably help as well). Regina fans should be very excited for this upcoming season with the addition of Stringer and Czech defenseman Stanislav Svozil it is a welcome sign that the team is committed to giving Connor Bedard all the tools to go far in the playoffs.
– Saskatoon Blades
Pavel Bocharov RHD
20-21: Saskatoon Blades (WHL) 16GP – 0G – 1A – 1P
Bocharov was a surprise addition to the Saskatoon Blades after being selected in the 8th round of the 2019 WHL Bantam draft but he was impressed in camp and got what can only be called inconsistent playing time as he averaged 10:44 minutes a game. He had a season-high of 15:41 where he was very engaged in the play all night but also had multiple games below 10 minutes, with a season-low of 6:36. However inconsistent his rookie season was he showed some great potential with his confidence in the defensive end and showed some nice physical plays. The highlight coming into next season with the Saskatoon Blades will be the fact that Bocharov was not only named to Team USA’s U18 team for the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky cup but also got the honor of being the captain for them. With a more consistent season, Bocharov should take a big step forward next season.
– Seattle Thunderbirds
Kevin Korchinski LHD
20-21: Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) 23GP – 0G – 10A – 10P
Saskatoon Contacts U18 AAA (SMAAAHL) 4GP – 1G – 0A – 1P
Kevin Korchinski is a defender who has tremendous vision and constantly keeps his head up scanning the ice to look for the next play. Next season he will hopefully take on more of a role on the defensive side with the penalty kill but he did well on the powerplay this season and should be a great “powerplay quarterback” going forward. He is not necessarily a fast skater but his stride is silky smooth for his size which will help with the special teams going forward.
– Spokane Chiefs
Logan Cunningham LHD
20-21: Spokane Chiefs (WHL) 14GP – 0G – 0A – 0P
Logan only played in 14 games this season but he also only averaged 8:37 minutes a night so he never really got a chance to show what he can do or be in this league. Next season I expect Logan to become a well-known defensive defenseman and log big-time minutes but until that happens all I can really say is watch out for him because he has the potential to be great in this league.
– Swift Current Broncos
Mathew Ward F
20-21: Swift Current Broncos (WHL) 23GP – 6G – 16A – 22P
If there is one thing that will hold NHL scouts back from drafting Mathew Ward it’s his 5’7″ frame. It’s unfortunate that he may be another forgotten short king but his rookie season was spectacular, only topped by Connor Bedard. His hands are nothing short of magician-like and he has a very good and accurate shot in the slot. Ward is one of those players that is everywhere at once he is constantly moving around and disrupting the play. His passing is always improving and every time he is on the ice it seems his team is getting great scoring chances. He is going to have a great season and will just be a joy to watch his game overall.
– Tri-City Americans
Jake Sloan F
20-21: Tri-City Americans (WHL) 18GP – 4G – 5A – 9P
Jake Sloan is a very big player standing 6’4″ who has a bit of everything in his game. You can rely on him to score goals, make great passes, shut down the opposition defensively, you name it he will do it. The only thing with him is while there is no part of his game that stands out for being bad besides the fact that he is not a great physical player for his size, he also doesn’t have any part to his game that stands out for a good reason. He is going to get the job done but if he puts in the work he can be a really special player in this league that is scary to match up against.
– Vancouver Giants
Justin Lies RW
20-21: Vancouver Giants (WHL) 21GP – 3G – 5A – 8P
Lies is not a player I would want to mess with. He is a hard-hitting forward who will never back down from a fight and is constantly sticking up for his teammates. While he won’t be the most skilled player on the ice in terms of offense and defense he is no slouch and holds his own. His shot can beat a goaltender clean and he battles hard along the boards and in front of the net to help create offense for his team. For me I’m very curious to see how he handles next season, does he focus more on being an overall good player or will he lean into being that heavy-hitting enforcer. Time will tell.
– Victoria Royals
Brayden Schuurman F
20-21: Victoria Royals (WHL) 22GP – 5G – 6A – 11P
Schuurman is a smaller frame player at 5’9″ who actually had tons of ice time this season. He averaged 5:49 Minutes a game on special teams alone but when on the powerplay which he averaged 3:30 he was not getting points. When it came to his 5-on-5 play is where his points came from. Of the 20:37 minutes per game, even strength accounting for 14:48 all but 4 of his points. His shot is alright but where he gets his goals is by crashing the net hard and tapping home the goals which is very surprising for a smaller player. Overall it will be interesting to see how next season will go since he can’t get much more ice time than he did this season but as long as his shooting percentages go up he will do just fine.
– Winnipeg Ice
Conor Geekie C
20-21: Winnipeg Ice (WHL) 24GP – 9G – 14A – 23P
Virden Oil Capitals (MJHL) 9GP – 1G – 3A – 4P
Last but not least we have the 6’4″ powerful center in Conor Geekie. His stickhandling is fantastic, His shot is powerful and the release is lightning fast. He has such a great feel for the game, his vision, and the fact that he always has his head up scanning the ice if his skating was better he would be a top 3 prospect for the NHL draft hands down. I fully expect pure domination from him and the Winnipeg Ice team next season as they also get Matthew Savoie back from the USHL. Be prepared for a very fun team next year.