Four Vancouver Giants prospects have made the cut.
Western Hockey League – in partnership with BC Hockey, Hockey Alberta, Hockey Saskatchewan and Hockey Manitoba – this week announced the four team rosters that will compete in the 2023 WHL Cup, with the four G-Men prospects among them.
The WHL Cup will run from Oct. 18 to 22 at the Peavey Mart Centrium – home of the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels – in Alberta.
The tournament showcases the top 2008-born players from the four Western Canadian provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, who will compete in a round-robin tournament format followed by playoffs.
The Giants prospects that will participate include:
• Ryan Lin – Team B.C.
Lin, a defenceman from Richmond, was the Giants’ sixth overall pick in the 2023 WHL prospects draft, after putting up an impressive 17 goals and 41 points in just 27 games as a defenceman for Delta Hockey Academy’s U15 Prep Green squad last season. His 41 points ranked fifth amongst all defencemen in the CSSHL U15 Prep division, while his 17 goals were T-1st. Lin already has five points (3G-2A) in three games for Delta’s U18 Prep team this season.
• Brett Olson – Team Alberta
Olson, a forward from(Spruce Grove, Alta., had an outstanding 2022-23 season, playing in the Alberta Elite U18 Hockey League as a 15-year-old for the St. Albert Raiders, where he posted 13 goals and 17 assists for 30 points in 35 games. He also played a year up for Team Alberta in the Canada Winter Games, where he recorded three points in five games (1G-2A). Olson will play for the U18 Raiders again this season, where he has three points in four games thus far (1G-2A).
• Kai Anderson – Team B.C.
Anderson, a North Vancouver forward, played for Burnaby Winter Club’s U15 prep team in his draft year, recording 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points in 27 games before the Giants made him a sixth round selection in the WHL prospects draft. His 13 goals ranked second on his club and his 26 points ranked third. Anderson is playing for the BWC’s U17 prep team this season, where he has already started strong with five points in four games (2G-3A).
• Luca Pura – Team Manitoba
Pura, a forward from Winnipeg, was the fourth forward selected by the Giants in the 2023 WHL prospects draft, after putting up 36 goals and adding 17 assists for 53 points in the 2022-23 season for the U15 Winnipeg Wild. His 36 goals were the 10th-most league-wide for his division. Pura is playing for the U18 Winnipeg Wild this season in the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League.
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ALBERTA
Featuring the most first-round selections from the 2023 WHL prospects draft, Team Alberta is poised to pursue their first gold medal since 2016.
Like the future of the Prince Albert Raiders, the Wild Rose province will be led by defenceman Daxon Rudolph (first overall, Prince Albert) and Riley Boychuk (second overall, Prince Albert). Keaton Verhoeff (fourth overall, Victoria) and Aaron Sawatzky (16th overall, Moose Jaw) join Rudolph on the blueline, while the only goaltender selected in the first round – Carter Esler (22nd overall, Spokane) backs the blue and gold in net.
.BRITISH COLUMBIA
Reigning WHL Cup gold medallists return to Red Deer with what could quite possibly be a stronger team than they had in 2021. Mathis Preston (third overall, Spokane), Liam Ruck (ninth overall, Medicine Hat) and Markus Ruck (21st overall, Medicine Hat) will reunite again after impressive U15 seasons together with Okanagan Hockey Academy, combining for 258 points as a line. Paired with Joe Iginla (12th overall, Edmonton), Noah Kosick (11th overall, Calgary), and offensive defenceman Ryan Lin (sixth overall, Vancouver), Team B.C. should have no problem putting the puck in the net.
MANITOBA
Team Manitoba’s strength comes from their defence, with all six blueliners selected in the top 90 of last May’s WHL prospects draft. Sure to log big minutes on the backend, the 6-foot-1 frame of Brek Liske (10th overall, Everett) will serve as a steady, shutdown presence alongside puck mover Carson Carels (15th overall, Prince George), while Carter Kingerski (35th overall, Tri-City) will be called upon to help lead the Keystone province offensively.
SASKATCHEWAN
With memories of 2019 in the back of their minds, Team Saskatchewan is back to prove they have what it takes to grab the gold. Returning to Peavey Mart Centrium less than a month after training camp with the Rebels, Beckett Hamilton (18th overall, Red Deer) will get his first taste of playing in his future home. Saskatoon Blazers teammates Caine Wilke (20th overall, Everett) and Dayne Beuker (14th overall, Lethbridge) join Hamilton as high-calibre weapons on offence, balancing with their deep defensive core featuring the likes of Griffin Darby (17th overall, Portland) and Nigel Boehm (28th overall, Brandon).
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Past Participants
[Player (Branch), Last WHL Club, NHL Draft Club (NHL Draft Year)]
2009
Matt Dumba (Alberta), Portland Winterhawks, Minnesota Wild (2012)
Derrick Pouliot (Saskatchewan), Portland Winterhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins (2012)
Griffin Reinhart (British Columbia), Edmonton Oil Kings, New York Islanders (2012)
Morgan Reilly (British Columbia), Moose Jaw Warriors, Toronto Maple Leafs (2012)
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2011
Jake Virtanen (British Columbia), Calgary Hitmen, Vancouver Canucks (2014)
Jayce Hawryluk (Manitoba), Brandon Wheat Kings, Florida Panthers (2014)
Conner Bleackley (Alberta), Red Deer Rebels, St. Louis Blues (2016)
Brayden Point (Alberta), Moose Jaw Warriors, Tampa Bay Lightning (2014)
Ryan Gropp (British Columbia), Seattle Thunderbirds, New York Rangers (2015)
Haydn Fleury (Saskatchewan) Red Deer Rebels, Carolina Hurricanes (2014)
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2012
Mathew Barzal (British Columbia), Seattle Thunderbirds, New York Islanders (2015)
Nick Merkley (Alberta), Kelowna Rockets, Arizona Coyotes (2015)
Jansen Harkins (British Columbia), Prince George Cougars, Winnipeg Jets (2015)
Brendan Guhle (Alberta), Prince George Cougars, Buffalo Sabres (2015)
Ethan Bear (Saskatchewan), Seattle Thunderbirds, Edmonton Oilers (2015)
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2013
Tyler Benson (Alberta), Vancouver Giants, Edmonton Oilers (2016)
Brett Howden (Manitoba), Moose Jaw Warriors, Tampa Bay Lightning (2016)
Sam Steel (Alberta), Regina Pats, Anaheim Ducks (2016)
Kale Clague (Alberta), Moose Jaw Warriors, Los Angeles Kings (2016)
Nolan Patrick (Manitoba), Brandon Wheat Kings, Philadelphia Flyers (2017)
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2015 WHL Cup All-Star Team
G – Matthew Thiessen (Manitoba), Tri-City Americans, Vancouver Canucks (2018)
D – Ty Smith (Alberta), Spokane Chiefs, New Jersey Devils (2018)
D – Jett Woo (Manitoba), Calgary Hitmen, Vancouver Canucks (2018)
F – Carson Focht (Saskatchewan), Calgary Hitmen, Vancouver Canucks (2019)
F – Eric Florchuk (Alberta), Vancouver Giants, Washington Capitals (2018)
F – Eli Zummack (British Columbia), Spokane Chiefs
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2016 WHL Cup All-Star Team
G – Byron Fancy (Alberta), Red Deer Rebels
D – Kaeden Korczak (Saskatchewan), Kelowna Rockets, Vegas Golden Knights (2019)
D – Braden Schneider (Saskatchewan), Brandon Wheat Kings, New York Rangers (2020)
F – Logan Barlage (Saskatchewan), Medicine Hat Tigers
F – Peyton Krebs (Alberta), Winnipeg ICE, Vegas Golden Knights (2019)
F – Josh Williams (British Columbia), Edmonton Oil Kings
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2017 WHL Cup All-Stars
G – Bryan Thomson (Saskatchewan), Lethbridge Hurricanes
D – Kaiden Guhle (Alberta), Edmonton Oil Kings, Montreal Canadiens (2020)
D – Daemon Hunt (Manitoba), Moose Jaw Warriors, Minnesota Wild (2020)
F – Justin Sourdif (British Columbia), Edmonton Oil Kings, Florida Panthers (2020)
F – Kyle Crnkovic (Alberta), Seattle Thunderbirds
F – Connor McClennon (Alberta), Winnipeg ICE, Philadelphia Flyers (2020)
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2019 WHL Cup All-Stars
G – Dylan Ernst (Saskatchewan), Kamloops Blazers
D – Denton Mateychuk (Manitoba), Moose Jaw Warriors, Columbus Blue Jackets (2022)
D – Graydon Gotaas (Alberta), Edmonton Oil Kings
F – Conor Geekie (Manitoba), Wenatchee Wild, Arizona Coyotes (2022)
F – Carter Dereniwsky (Saskatchewan), Victoria Royals
F – Brandon Lisowsky (British Columbia), Saskatoon Blades, Toronto Maple Leafs (2022)
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2021 WHL Cup All-Stars
G – Ethan McCallum (Manitoba), Medicine Hat Tigers
D – Keith McInnis (Alberta), Red Deer Rebels
D – Jonas Woo (Manitoba), Wenatchee Wild
F – Jordan Gavin (British Columbia), Tri-City Americans
F – Miguel Marques (British Columbia), Lethbridge Hurricanes
F – Tomas Mrsic (British Columbia), Medicine Hat Tigers
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About the WHL Cup
The majority of players participating in the event were selected in the 2023 WHL prospects draft or have been listed by WHL clubs.
The WHL Cup, formerly known as the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup, has been sponsored since 2009 by the Western Hockey League. The 2023 tournament represents the first involving a three-year sponsorship by FPS Payment.
This year will mark the 10th year of the event.
The first-ever WHL Cup was held in Blackfalds, Alta., in 2009 and featured four of the top eight players selected in the 2012 NHL draft.
In 2011, the Moose Jaw Warriors and Hockey Saskatchewan hosted the event at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw, Sask. In 2012 and 2013, the tournament was hosted in Calgary at Father David Bauer Arena, the home of the WHL. From 2015 through 2019, the WHL Cup was hosted in Calgary at the Markin MacPhail Centre.
In 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022 the WHL Cup was not contested due to the Canada Winter Games.
Team Alberta is a five-time champion of the WHL Cup, hoisting the trophy in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016, while Team British Columbia is the defending champion of the WHL Cup, having won the event in 2012, 2017 and 2021. Team Saskatchewan won its lone WHL Cup in 2019, defeating Team Manitoba in the gold medal game.
Further information on the event can be found at prospects.whl.ca.
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