Breaking down the 2025-26 Wheat Kings

• Head coach and GM: Marty Murray (fourth season).

• Assistant coaches: Mark Derlago (seventh season), Del Pedrick (fourth season).

• Goaltending coach: Tyler Plante (10th season).

• Director of hockey operations: Chris Moulton (fifth season).

• Key losses: Overagers D Luke Shipley, F Marcus Nguyen and F Nolan Flamand, plus F Roger McQueen, F Matteo Michels, D Quinn Mantei, G Carson Bjarnason, G Ethan Eskit, D Adam Belusko. McQueen, Mantei and Michels were all plucked by NCAA programs after the rule change allowing major junior players. Eskit was traded to Victoria for fellow goalie Jayden Kraus, Bjarnason turned pro and Belusko was released.

• The imports: At 19, Czech defenceman Adam Hlinsky makes his North American debut. Big Czech goalie Filip Ruzicka may join the team after his release goes through an IIHF appeal, and there’s a possibility Swedish defenceman Samu Alalauri could join the team this season, but it’s more likely to be next season.

• Key returnees: D Gio Pantelas is in his draft year and after time with the U18 national team, could be outstanding. He is joined by two more of last season’s rookies, Nigel Boehm, Dylan Ronald and frequent callup Cameron Allard … A group of forwards looking for jumps in offence, including Jaxon Jacobson, Jordan Gavin, Joby Baumuller, Carter Klippenstein and Brady Turko, could lead the way … The coaching staff enters its third full season together.

• New faces: Big things are expected from overage acquisitions F Luke Mistelbacher and D Grayson Burzynski … Goalie Jayden Kraus asked for a trade in Victoria and the Prince Albert product was acquired for former backup Ethan Eskit … 2024 draft picks Chase Surkan and Prabh Bhathal are among the rookies to join the club … New equipment manager Jake McKercher replaced longtime equipment manager Scott Hlady, who headed to the Manitoba Moose in the summer.

• Noteworthy: The Wheat Kings have not had a player eclipse the 80-point mark since Ty Lewis of Brandon managed an even 100 points in the 2017-18 season. While there were two shortened seasons in that span, it smashes the previous team record of consecutive seasons without an 80-point player, which was three, both from 1989 to 1992 and 2000 to 2003.

• Did you know? Brandon allowed 213 goals last season, the seventh fewest in the WHL. It was the least number of goals they’ve allowed in a full season since the 68-game campaign began in 2018-19, and the fewest since the 72-game 2015-16 championship season when they gave up 197. The franchise record low in the WHL is the 187 allowed in the 2002-03 season, and the all-time high is the incredible 481 given up in the 1984-85 season.

• Prognosis: This year was projected as an apex season for Brandon back when Roger McQueen, Charlie Elick and Quinn Mantei were entering their primes. All three are now gone, but with the existing pieces in place and the off-season additions of Mistelbacher, Burzynski and Kraus, the Wheat Kings are still among the favourites in the Eastern Conference. If injuries can be less impactful than they have been in recent seasons and the special teams are clicking, this could be a very good team.

• Westman connection: Jaxon Jacobson (Brandon), Easton Odut (Dauphin), Brady Turko (McCreary).