Edwards eager to make next step

The path Rylan Edwards took to the Brandon Wheat Kings started with a short walk from his house.

The 15-year-old forward, who Brandon took with the 18th overall pick of the Western Hockey League draft on Wednesday, was on the ice by age two and playing a year later.

It came with the support of father Troy, mother Joely and older brothers Ethan and Logan.

“My dad brought me into hockey,” Edwards said. “He built me a rink right beside our house and flooded it every winter, and during the summer I shot pucks out there every day. That was awesome.

“My mom spent lots of time driving me to rinks, watching practices, just supporting me in everything I do. It’s helped me a lot.”

Edwards, who was born in Medicine Hat but grew up in Regina, comes by his talent for the game honestly.

His father played a pair of games with the Regina Pats during the 1983-84 campaign and then spent three seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors. After playing games in the American and International hockey leagues, he skated for two seasons with the University of Regina Cougars.

In addition, Rylan’s cousin, Matthew, played with the Vancouver Giants and Spokane Chiefs for three seasons before he finished his junior career in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, while cousin Colby Williams skated for four seasons with his hometown Regina Pats.

On top of that, he was raised in a WHL city, so the league means a lot to him.

“Growing up watching the Regina Pats, you always dream about playing there,” Edwards said. “I’m super honoured to get selected by Brandon. It’s a great organization and I’m super excited.”

Edwards who was always a forward, was into a variety of sports growing up, from soccer and football to baseball and golf.

After a pair of seasons with the Regina Aces under-15 AA team — Saskatchewan doesn’t have AAA at the U15 level — he made the decision to head west after putting up 72 points in 27 games as a minor during the 2024-25 campaign.

It was a season of transition for the teenager, who was moving from Saskatchewan to Alberta to play with the highly touted Northern Alberta Xtreme program. The NAX academy operates in Devon, a short drive southwest of Edmonton.

To further complicate matters, former Wheat Kings defenceman Ayrton Nikkel took over as head coach just before the season from Adam Stuart, who moved into the U18 job at Edge in Calgary.

“At the start, it was hard coming into a new town and you don’t really know anyone on the team or the coaches, new school,” Edwards said. “Our coach actually left right before the season so it was a completely new coach and that was hard. We had adversity and the coach didn’t know who you were so you had to battle for ice and PP and work in practice.

“That made me a better player.”

In 28 games with the NAX U15 prep squad, the five-foot-six, 145-pound forward had 17 goals and 26 assists, with 10 penalty minutes. The right-handed shot then added eight points in four playoff games.

He also scored once in three games as a callup to the NAX U18 team, which contained Wheat Kings prospects Cruz Jim, Ahmad Fayad and Levi Ellingsen.

“I played a couple of games with the U18 team,” Edwards said. “They’re awesome, they’re great kids. They were super inclusive to me when I came up.”

The Canadian Sport School Hockey League has become an increasingly important source of players in recent years. Fourteen of the 23 picks in the first round were prep players, with three from the NAX U15 squad alone.

That means a lot of eyes were on him all season, although the teenager said he was able to put the scouts out of his mind.

“I just tried to put it to the side and play my game and not worry about it too much,” Edwards said. “I just tried to focus on the game.”

That changed on Wednesday.

Edwards had just been down in Philadelphia at the 15U World Selects Invitational, a prestigious annual event that draws the top players in the age group.

“We flew in and got home at 2 o’clock,” Edwards said. “We had some food and got ready and sat by the TV. We obviously didn’t know if I was going to go but we were hoping. On the TV, we saw my name after I got picked and were super excited.”

Brandon actually traded down and still got the same guy.

The Wheat Kings sent a fifth-round pick, 102nd overall, and the 15th pick in the first round to the Saskatoon Blades to acquire the 18th overall pick and the 67th overall pick. Brandon didn’t have a third-round pick because it was included in the deal a year ago that saw defenceman Charlie Elick sent to the Tri-City Americans for forward Jordan Gavin and defenceman Merrek Arpin.

Edwards interviewed with Brandon during the winter but noted teams keep their cards pretty close to their chests, calling it a little bit of a surprise when they took him. But that didn’t diminish his excitement.

“I was the first one to see it,” Edwards said. “I was on the WHL website and saw I just got selected by Brandon. I jumped up, my parents were super excited. I was in shock for a bit but super pumped and super honoured to be select by Brandon. it’s a great organization and I can’t wait to play for Marty and the rest of the staff.”

His friends and a number of Brandon veterans reached out to congratulate him after the pick was announced.

He doesn’t know any of the other Brandon draftees personally but had a number of friends and teammates selected around the league.

Edwards is staying home next winter, choosing to skate with the powerhouse Regina Pat Canadians, who have won bronze and gold at the Telus Cup the last two years.

Two Wheaties prospects played there this year, defencemen Ethan Young and Logan Dosenberger, while Wheat Kings rookie forward Chase Surkan played there the year before. Edwards knows all three, and will also have the three NAX guys at camp when he arrives in August.

“It’s awesome,” Edwards said. “Just to add a few familiar people is going to be good.”

He has been through Brandon over the years but is now very keen to make his next trip to the Wheat City. Other players have told him about the facilities, including the remodelled dressing room, and he is eager to set foot in the facilities and see them for himself.

“I’m super excited,” Edwards said. “They told me about it on the phone and I’ve seen some photos and it looks awesome. I’m super pumped. I can’t wait to get there and meet the boys at camp. I’m super pumped.”

No doubt Brandon’s staff is too. Brandon Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton, who led at the draft table, said Edwards combines skill with an incredible tenacity.

Edwards agrees with that assessment, saying there are things to watch for when he’s having a good night.

“I’m a highly offensive player who likes to control the game and play with lots of pace,” Edwards said. “I’m super competitive, winning all my battles, making sure I’m supporting my teammates on the bench and playing at the top of my level. I’m playing with lots of pace and making good plays and scoring lots of goals.”

At the same time, he knows he’s far from being the finished product. Edwards has a number of skills he’s trying to improve.

“I like to nitpick on stuff,” Edwards admitted. “I have to work on my defensive zone, and this summer we’re getting a couple of guys here to go over film with me and give me tips in the defensive zone.

“Obviously I want to work on my backtracking, and nitpick at everything else, like my skating, work a lot on my shot just to get an elite-level shot.”

If Edwards can accomplish all that, he’ll be ready sooner rather than later to make the jump to major junior. And even though he’s happy he’s been picked, he understands he can’t rest on his laurels now.

“It’s an honour,” Edwards said. “I worked super hard growing up and this past year I worked hard, and I’m just super excited I got drafted to Brandon, a great organization.

“The work doesn’t stop. It actually starts here and now I have to prepare myself to have a great year in U18 and hopefully play with Brandon as a 16 year old.”

In an annual Brandon Sun tradition, all the players newly drafted by the Wheat Kings will be profiled over the next couple of weeks.

pbergson@brandonsun.com