Egan makes Wheat Kings history

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This article was published 20/06/2025 (289 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jimmy Egan has made a little bit of history with the Brandon Wheat Kings.

The left-shooting forward from Mahtomedi, Minn., a suburb of St. Paul located near White Bear Lake, became the first U.S. Prospects draftee to actually sign with the club when he put pen to paper last week. He was the eighth player taken by the team in the draft, which began in 2020.

“It’s very cool to be the first ever to sign out of the draft,” Egan said. “I’m pumped.”

The Wheat Kings have a seismic shift in the hockey landscape to thank for his arrival.

The NCAA changed its rules last November to permit major junior players from the three Canadian Hockey League loops, including the Western Hockey League for the first time in more than four decades. Egan said that quickly led to a lot of discussion among elite players he knew about the possibility of heading north.

“It was a huge change for everybody,” Egan said. “It was a whole different route you could go and still play college. Guys had to make the decision of staying with their USHL teams or going to the WHL or OHL or whatever it is.”

Egan, who is committed to Arizona State University in 2027-28 — that will be his 19-year-old season — turned 17 in March.

In the 2023 draft, Brandon took forward Reed Brown in the first round, sixth overall, and after he asked for a chance to play elsewhere, dealt him to the Portland Winterhawks in a one-for-one deal for overage forward Marcus Nguyen.

Egan was identified by the team’s American scout Kori Pearson — who grew up in Neepawa — and the two chatted on different occasions. That made him aware of the WHL’s American draft and he was monitoring what happened when the Wheat Kings took him 28th overall in the second round.

“It was because Kori Pearson was at some of my games in the spring before the draft and talking to me and telling me I might get picked,” Egan said. “I did get picked and wasn’t totally sold on going there just because I wanted to play college hockey. Once the CHL got approved of guys going to college, it was a no-brainer for me to come to Brandon. I feel like the WHL is one of the best junior leagues in the world.”

Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton said on draft day the team had found a real good prospect.

“Jimmy is a mature player,” Moulton said in May 2023. “He does a lot of things well, he is strong on the puck, he likes to handle the puck and is not afraid to play in traffic. He plays the game heavy with skill.”

At the time, Egan was six foot and 165 pounds. He said Moulton’s vision of his game is how he sees himself too, although he’s now a bigger version of that player at six-foot-two and 185 pounds.

“That’s pretty spot on still,” Egan said. “I was six foot when I got drafted and now I’m six-two and 15 pounds heavier and stronger. I still use my body to my advantage. That’s probably the biggest part of my game that helps. One of the best parts of the games I would say is my hockey IQ. I’m really good at making plays and knowing where everybody is on the ice at all times.”

Last season with the 16-and-under AAA Sioux Falls Power in Sioux Falls, S.D., Egan had 19 goals and 31 assists in 34 games.

Egan had spoken to the Wheat Kings in the time between getting drafted and the NCAA rule changes — and was planning on coming to camp last year — but couldn’t because his Sioux Falls season started first.

He’ll make his first trip in August instead, and this time will be here to stay.

“I’m so happy,” Egan said. “I can’t wait. I’m really excited to be around the guys and get started.”

ICINGS: The Wheat Kings have also signed their 2025 first-round pick, defenceman Cruz Jim … They open their season on Friday, Sept. 19 when the Moose Jaw Warriors visit, and then will be in Moose Jaw the next night for their season opener. Portland doesn’t open at home until Oct. 25 due to renovations at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

pbergson@brandonsun.com