BWK CAMP: Revamped blue-line will get younger

Not that long ago, Marty Murray thought the defensive corps of the Brandon Wheat Kings would look very different.

But when top defenceman Gio Pantelas asked for a trade to be closer to home and Samu Alalauri of Finland moved up his commitment to the University of Massachusetts, two of the team’s projected top defenders were gone.

Trading overager Dylan Ronald, meant just Cameron Allard and Nigel Boehm were returning, with acquisition Josh McGregor of Brandon also making his Wheat Kings debut.

Between them, that’s 311 games of regular season experience in the Western Hockey League. They also selected 19-year-old defenceman Ilari Kapanen of Kuopio, Finland in the Canadian Hockey League’s import draft to bring in another older defender.

“You probably want a little more veteran presence but that’s the state of the league,” said Murray, Brandon’s head coach and general manager. “D are real high value and I think everybody has probably noticed the depth on everybody’s D corps being a little less than it normally is. That’s the way it is.

“In saying that, we have three veteran players coming back and Kapanen, being a veteran player who is 19, was really good in that world junior showcase and to me looked like one of Finland’s top defencemen and has a real good chance to play on the world junior team. “We’re looking to throw him into that group of veterans.”

The team’s training camp begins Thursday evening at Assiniboine Credit Union Place. They will be without overager Merrek Arpin, who was injured in the pre-season last year and missed the entire campaign. He is returning to action this fall at Oklahoma State University.

The last time Brandon returned just three veteran defencemen was back in the 2016-17 season in the camp after the Wheat Kings won the championship.

Kale Clague, James Shearer and Schael Higson were the only returnees that year on a blue-line that welcomed rookies Braden Schneider, Zach Wytinck, Garrett Sambrook as well as Czech import Daniel Bukac, and acquired veterans Jordan Wharrie, Kade Jensen and Dmitry Osipov.

Happily for the Wheat Kings, they have high-end young help on the way.

Easten Turko, the younger brother of Wheat Kings forward Brady, was named the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League’s top defenceman last season after an outstanding year with Brandon. Not to be outdone, Ethan Young was awarded the Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League’s top defenceman honours for his year with the Regina Pat Canadians.

Both are entering their 17-year-old seasons and virtual locks to make the team.

On top of that, Brandon’s first-round pick a year ago, Cruz Jim of the Northern Alberta Xtreme, was named the Canadian Sport School Hockey League’s U15 prep defenceman in the spring of 2025. All three debuted in Brandon last season and looked like they belonged, with Jim even skating in the playoffs.

“We also have our young kids coming in who had exceptional years last year at their respective level,” Murray said. “With Turko and Young, they were named the top D in their respective provinces and Cruz Jim showed he was one of the top 2010 defencemen in Western Canada throughout the year.

“I think that’s a good sign for us. We also expect some other players coming in to make a push and challenge for a spot on the blue-line.”

All four are smaller, mobile, puck-moving defenders, which suggests the team may covet some size and sandpaper on the back end.

An interesting storyline this season will be the return of McGregor to his hometown. He was acquired in a three-way trade between Brandon, Swift Current and the Lethbridge Hurricanes on May 21.

He skated in 125 games over two seasons with the Broncos after being part of the outstanding U18 Wheat Kings team that lost in the Telus Cup final in the spring of 2024.

“I think he has a veteran presence and leadership,” Murray said. “Growing up in Brandon, he understands what it takes to be a Wheat King and understands what it means to the community. We expect Josh to come in and be almost like a returning player.

“One luxury of living in Brandon is he has spent a lot of time with our guys in the summer who skated and were in and out, and has really got to know his teammates really well here.”

There is a wildcard in the mix that will almost certainly emerge. There will be a mix of youngsters and established Junior A players coming to camp, and they will be looking to push their way into the lineup like the rugged blue-liner Max Lavoie did a year ago in his 19-year-old season.

He was a reliable defender for the club who is now attending and playing hockey at Princeton.

“I know our scouts have dug into the junior leagues and there are a few players who are coming from other junior leagues,” Murray said. “Talking to our scouts, they feel they can come in and potentially make a push to make the hockey team.”

— GONE (Six): Max Lavoie, Merrek Arpin (college), Grayson Burzynski (graduation), Daniil Skvortsov (released), Gio Pantelas and Dylan Ronald (trade).

— RETURNING (Two): Nigel Boehm, Cameron Allard.

— ADDED (Two): Josh McGregor from Swift Current, Ilari Kapanen of Finland.

— TOP CANDIDATES: Cruz Jim, Ethan Young, Easten Turko.

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

 

VETERANS

2007-BORN (19-year-old season)

• Josh McGregor, L.

62gp, 3g, 17a, 20p, 66pim, -34 +/-

2008-BORN (18-year-old season)

• Nigel Boehm, L.

63gp, 2g, 14a, 16p, 89pim, +22 +/-

• Cameron Allard, R.

62gp, 7g, 19a, 26p, 14pim, +29 +/-

DRAFTED/LISTED ROOKIES

2007-BORN (19-year-old season)

• Ilari Kapenen, L.

Picked: 2026, 2nd Rd.

Timrå IK (U20)

8gp, 1g, 3a, 4p, 10pim.

2009-BORN (17-year-old season)

• Ethan Young, L.

Picked: 2024, 4th Rd.

Regina (U18 AAA)

41gp, 14g, 60a, 74p, 36pim.

WHL: 4gp, 0g, 1a, 1p, 0pim.

• Easten Turko, L.

Picked: 2024, 3rd.

Brandon (U18 AAA)

44gp, 14g, 49a, 63p, 14pim.

WHL: 2gp, 0g, 0a, 0p, 0pim.

• Will Katsilieris, L.

Listed.

Calgary (U18 AAA)

36gp, 8g, 17a, 25p, 18pim.

2010-BORN (16-year-old season)

• Cruz Jim, R.

Picked: 2025, 1st Rd.

NAX (U18 prep).

26gp, 4g, 17a, 21p, 34pim.

WHL: 4gp, 0g, 0a, 0p, 2pim.

• Ayven Hontvet, L.

Picked: 2025, 2nd Rd. US.

Warroad High.

31gp, 17g, 26a, 43p, 46pim.

• Liam Green, L.

Picked: 2025, 10th Rd.

Winnipeg Wild (U17 AAA)

36gp, 8g, 18a, 26p, 16pim.

• Logan Dosenberger, L.

Picked: 2025, 7th Rd.

Regina (U18 AAA)

21gp, 1g, 2a, 3p, 6pim.

• Logan Olsen, R.

Picked: 2025, 5th Rd.

Warman (U18 AAA)

37gp, 1g, 7a, 8p, 34pim.

2011-BORN (15-year-old season)

• Marko Malbasa, L.

Picked: 2026, 2nd Rd.

Rink Wpg. (U15 Prep)

30gp, 7g, 24a, 31p, 56pim.

• Nate Harrington, L.

Picked: 2026, 6th Rd.

OHA (U15 prep)

30gp, 8g, 16a, 24p, 12pim.

• Lucas Seidel, R.

Picked: 2026, 8th Rd.

Red Deer (U15 AAA)

31gp, 8g, 24a, 32p, 24pim.

FREE AGENTS

2007-BORN (19-year-old season)

• Max Kelly, R.

West Kelowna (BCHL)

42gp, 2g, 4a, 6p, 8pim.

• Caleb Potter, L.

Estevan (SJHL)

16gp, 2g, 7a, 9p, 31pim.

2009-BORN (17-year-old season)

• Paxton Packulak, R.

OHA Colorado (16U AAA)

54gp, 2g, 25a, 27p, n/a pim.

• Kingston Sauter, R.

Drayton Valley (AJHL)

40gp, 0g, 6a, 6p, 22pim.

2010-BORN (16-year-old season)

• Lukas Mork, R.

White Bear Lake (USHS)

27gp, 3g, 5a, 8p, 6pim.

• Jackson Froese, L.

Pembina Valley (U18 AAA)

48gp, 2g, 5a, 7p, 14pim.

• Cade Erhart, L.

Sioux Valley (16U AAA)

58gp, 12g, 17a, 29p, n/a pim.

2011-BORN (15-year-old season)

• Neely Victor, R.

Pembina Valley (U15 AAA)

32gp, 4g, 2a, 6p, 16pim.

• Bryson Calder, L.

Eastman (U15 AAA)

32gp, 2g, 15a, 17p, 36pim.

• Oakley Reed, R.

North East (U15 AA)

21gp, 5g, 14a, 19p, 42pim.

• Easton Anderson,L.

Brandon (U15 AAA)

32gp, 2g, 19a, 21p, 28pim.

• Owen Derkach, R.

Winnipeg Bruins (U15 AAA)

32gp, 7g, 18a, 25p, 14pim.