WHL NOTEBOOK: Wheat Kings prospects shine in callups

If the Brandon Wheat Kings had any questions about their next wave of young prospects, it’s safe to say the last two weeks have been awfully reassuring.

The Western Hockey League team called up defenceman Ethan Young and forwards Levi Ellingsen and Carson Ralph for their trip through the U.S. Division, and with a battered lineup when they got home, gave defenceman Easten Turko a chance to make his debut.

“It was really good because you have other guys who are going through the same thing as you, the wow factor,” Ralph said of the trip. “They’re going through the exact same thing as you and you could talk with them about it. Levi and I drove out and it was good to talk about the experience. We were all very, very happy to be up there with them.”

Young, Ralph, and Turko are all in their 16-year-old seasons, while Ellingsen is 15.

“Trying to get all those guys their games was a challenge, but I think it was a good experience to come along on the trip and get a taste of what it’s like,” Wheat Kings head coach and general manager Marty Murray said.

On the road, the Wheat Kings beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes 5-4 on Jan. 21 en route to the U.S. Division, where they fell 4-1 to the Everett Silvertips on Jan. 23, beat the Portland Winterhawks 3-2 in overtime on Jan. 24, lost 7-3 to the Seattle Thunderbirds on Jan. 27, beat the Wenatchee Wild 6-3 on Jan. 28, beat the Tri-City Americans 7-1 on Jan. 30, and ended the trip with a 4-0 loss to the Spokane Chiefs on Jan. 31.

All four youngsters will have excellent opportunities to be part of the team next season, and Wheat Kings veterans, including players like 19-year-old captain Caleb Hadland and overage forward Nick Johnson, made sure the youngsters felt included and welcome as they showed them the ropes.

“That’s the pay-it-forward thing,” said Johnson, who began his career with the Portland Winterhawks. “When I was a young guy in the league going on my first big bus trip with Portland, I know I was scared to get to know all the guys, especially when I was 16 in the playoffs.

“It’s good to bring them in with as much positivity as you can because they’re the future and they’re going to be a big part of this team’s future well past when I’m gone. Getting them familiar with the team is always huge.”

After returning home, Brandon fell 5-4 to the visiting Calgary Hitmen on Friday and 5-2 to the host Prince Albert Raiders on Saturday.

ETHAN YOUNG

Brandon’s fourth-round pick in 2024 is having a breakout season with his hometown Regina Pat Canadians, with 11 goals and 50 assists in just 35 games.

The five-foot-11, 163-pound, left-shot defenceman is third in scoring on the team, and his 61 points are eighth in the league, and he leads all players with 50 assists. Not surprisingly, the Pat Canadians sit in first with a record of 34-2-2-0. Young found he was going on the trip on the Saturday before they left.

“I was actually just sitting on the couch watching hockey and talking to my dad and got a call from Marty,” Young said. “Your heart starts to beat and such, so I went downstairs where it’s quiet and he told me the news. It was very exciting. When the call ended, I came upstairs and my family was all pretty happy and I was pretty happy and couldn’t wait to get started.”

The left-shooting defenceman made his debut against the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Jan. 21, and then suited up against Everett, Portland, and Seattle. He quickly discovered it was another level skating against major junior players.

“Definitely how quick it is, and the depth,” Young said. “In the WHL, there aren’t really any bad players. They’re all very good skaters. In U18, there are always the questionable guys who were on the cusp of getting cut and making it, but you definitely don’t have that in the Dub. It’s just the speed of the game and how quickly everything comes at you. That’s the biggest difference.”

He earned his first WHL point against Lethbridge, assisting a goal by Luke Mistelbacher when the youngster created a turnover and then chipped the puck out to the veteran forward in the neutral zone for a breakaway goal.

Mistelbacher then made sure to point at the rookie and give him a big hug as they celebrated.

“I thought Ethan played extremely well,” Murray said. “He played the first four games on the trip and then it’s hard because you have to be careful you’re not scratching guys who have been here all year, so there was a little bit of that, that went into it. I’m real encouraged by him.

“I was encouraged by him when he left in the fall to go back to the Pat Cs, and he could arguably be one of the MVPs in the league in Saskatchewan right now. He certainly played like that on the trip. He had a lot of poise and a lot of confidence and we think we have a good one in him.”

From Young’s standpoint, the players did a great job of bringing him in, adding he enjoyed trading stories with the Saskatchewan boys like rookie defenceman Cameron Allard of Yorkton. But he also learned quickly that the level of play on the ice was in part due to the preparation off the ice.

“They take their pregame so much more seriously than I ever would have thought,” Young said. “You have guys showing up two-and-a-half hours early, three hours early and getting warm right away and all dialled in. In U18 you have your loosey-goosey guys who show up at game time. Their game time starts three hours before the game, and they prepare.

“With the bus, it’s a lot actually. You’re getting to hotels at 1:30. I’ve actually never done that before. It was a fun experience.”

A big part of the appeal was playing in the buildings in the U.S. While it’s been said many American fans may not have the intuitive feel for the game that Canadians do, they more than make up for it with their enthusiasm.

“The States was unbelievable,” Young said. “I have two buddies from Regina (the Pats), and Liam Pue told me about what it was like. I still think he couldn’t have prepared me for their fans. The rinks are all super cool. I’ve never seen rinks like that and the fans are crazy.

“It’s super fun to play in because you want to make the fans upset when you’re playing against them.”

While he’s now back lighting up the U18 league in Saskatchewan, Young feels the American trip will serve as a springboard as he works toward a roster spot next season. “I’m actually super excited,” Young said. “It was a good start to meet all the guys, I think that was probably the best part of the trip, meeting the guys and seeing how they do things. It will be super exciting next year to see what a full season looks like.”

CARSON RALPH

The undrafted but listed and signed Ralph brings a lot of energy wherever he goes.

The left-shooting forward is playing in the Alberta Elite Hockey League U18 AAA with his hometown St. Albert Saints, where he has 14 goals and 20 assists in 32 games, with 34 penalty minutes.

He found he was going with them shortly before they left.

“It was a really, really cool experience,” Ralph said. “Obviously going away for that long on a trip and seeing all these teams and being in those atmospheres in the U.S., was really cool and just spending time with the guys on the bus is always good.”

Ralph had the benefit of playing back-to-back games against Lethbridge and the Medicine Hat Tigers on Nov. 7 and 8, and already has his first WHL point when he assisted a goal by Grayson Burzynski on Nov. 8 against the Tigers.

On the trip, he was in the lineup against the league leaders in Everett and Wenatchee. He was thankful for the previous experience he had when he met the Silvertips.

“That was huge,” Ralph said. “It would have really sucked for my first game to be in Everett. Having those two games under my belt really gave me a little bit of knowing what I’m getting into. I know what to expect, but that trip is on a whole new level. I can’t imagine for those to have been my first games. The atmosphere in Everett was insane.”

Murray liked what he saw of the young forward.

“Carson is a guy who, when he’s at the top of his game, brings some energy and brings some hard skill,” Murray said. “He got his feet wet early in the year, so I think that helped him. He stepped in and played the game in Everett, which is a handful because they have a real fast team. He’s not going to get a bigger test than that and I thought he handled himself fine.”

The U.S. Division also boasts a number of terrific buildings, and as an arena nerd, he was blown away. “I think most hockey players have a thing for beautiful rinks,” Ralph said. “Most of the rinks there were absolutely stunning, nothing like you see at home. It’s unbelievable. The stands, on the ice, the benches, the jumbotrons, everything is unbelievable and really awesome to see all those rinks and really cool just to be in those rinks.”

On the ice, Ralph said the WHL is simply a different beast for a U18 player. A few things stood out for him.

“It was the speed,” Ralph said. “Mainly the way they think the game and pass and move the puck. They do everything efficiently. Everything is quick, everything is hard and fast. The physicality was the same, but they’re a little bit heavier. The D-men in the league are unbelievable.”

Ralph was thankful he also had the team veterans to lean on. He said everyone from the players to the coaching staff went out of their way to help him.

That’s a good thing, because the major junior lifestyle has a heavy learning curve.

“Everyone was taking it super seriously,” Ralph said. “Going to bed really early, trying to get as much sleep as you can, fuel yourself right, a lot of sleep. Guys had beds on the bus, just trying to keep up with sleep and stay in it. You never want to get behind in recovery or getting ready for the next game. “Everything they do is next level from U18. I really liked it. I found myself more prepared and recovered from each game.”

Now it’s just a matter of making the team next fall and taking on the job full time. That would give him a chance to achieve a dream he’s had for a long time.

“Playing at that level full time would be unbelievable,” Ralph said. “From when I was young, that has always been a goal of mine. Just to see all that unfold in front of me was pretty cool and the work I put in is kind of paying off. Nothing is a guarantee, so I’m going to keep working hard and come to camp next year and grind it out and hopefully I can earn a spot. Playing at that level is a lot above where I am now, so I still have a lot of work to do.”

LEVI ELLINGSEN

Ellingsen, who is from Pasco, Wash., made the jump north to join the Northern Alberta Xtreme under-18 prep squad this season, joining fellow Brandon prospects Cruz Jim and Ahmad Fayad. The youngster, who the Wheat Kings nabbed with the first overall pick in the 2025 U.S. Priority Draft, found out a couple of days before the Lethbridge game that he was joining the club.

“I was pretty excited for that,” Ellingsen said. “Getting the phone call from Marty was unbelievable. It was a dream come true hearing I could play now.”

Ellingsen is sixth in team scoring at NAX with six goals and 18 assists in 22 games. The fact the U18 rookie has 50 penalty minutes too might give you a sense of the edge he brings.

That grit and fearlessness carried over into the games he played in Portland, Seattle, Wenatchee, Tri-City, and Spokane.

“I thought as a 15-year-old he handled himself extremely well,” Murray said. “He didn’t look out of place, and when you’re on the road, you don’t get those matchups, so there were a lot of times he’s playing against the other team’s top line or second line, and I thought he handled himself very well. “He plays with an edge and brought some physicality for us. I think he’s going to be an exciting player for us for years to come.”

Still, Ellingsen said it took a period in his debut in Portland to start to feel comfortable on the ice. “I was just playing hockey out there,” Ellingsen said. “You can’t really overthink it. That’s what was running through my mind.”

In Wenatchee, he earned his first WHL point on Jan. 28 when he bounced a pass through the legs of a Wild defenceman and Colorado product Gunnar Gleasman fired it home.

While he looked right at home, Ellingsen admitted it was a new level of hockey.

“It’s definitely a big jump,” Ellingsen said. “Everybody is so mature and nine out of 10 times they make the right play. Everybody, not only on the ice but off the ice, is together as a team and it’s all positive energy. It’s good to get that experience from all the older guys.”

He noted one player who went out of his way to make him feel comfortable was Hadland, who showed him all the little things players need to do if they hope to excel in major junior. A simple one was getting his rest.

“It’s definitely lots of sleep,” Ellingsen said. “You wake up, eat breakfast, go back to bed, meeting, go back to bed. It’s a lot of sleep, but you need it though. Getting to hotels at 2 in the morning is a grind for sure.”

Since Pasco combines with Kennewick and Richland in an area known as Tri-City, the game in Kennewick against the Americans on Jan. 30 had a special significance for him. He said his extended family and friends were all there as he played the local team he grew up watching.

“There were a bunch of friends on the glass who made signs and family up in the suite,” Ellingsen said. “It felt surreal.”

The bad news for the rest of the WHL is that Brandon now has a fired-up teenager who can’t wait to get started on his full-time WHL career.

“This environment makes me so excited,” Ellingsen said. “If I’m lucky enough to make the team next year, it’s going to be a great year.”

EASTEN TURKO

Turko got the call on Thursday morning that he was getting called up for Friday’s game against Calgary, and then he was also part of Saturday’s trip to Prince Albert. “At first I was pretty excited,” Turko said. “I couldn’t really wrap my head around it, that I was going to play the next day in the Dub. It was a great experience overall getting the call from Marty.”

The McCreary product, who is the younger brother of veteran Brandon forward Brady, is patrolling the blue-line for the U18 AAA Wheat Kings, where he has 13 goals and 44 assists for a team-leading 57 points in 39 games. “It was two really good teams, and I thought he handled himself real well,” Murray said of Turko, whom the Wheat Kings grabbed in the third round in 2024 with the 59th overall pick. “He’s real smart, he’s real good positionally and he has a real good stick. This wasn’t an easy weekend for a guy to get his feet wet in the WHL, and I thought he passed the test with flying colours.”

On Friday, his whole U18 team was on hand to watch him, so he estimates 40 or 50 people were on hand to see his debut.

“I thought playing at home was pretty nice,” Turko said. “All my friends could come watch me.”

While the high-scoring Turko didn’t get a point, his U18 teammates saw him save a goal when a puck hit Joby Baumuller in front and bounced across the slot to an open Calgary shooter. Turko got down on one knee and took a blast in the side of his thigh to prevent a certain goal into an open net.

“There was a scramble out front and the puck popped out,” Turko said. “I noticed a guy had it on his tape, so I went to block it, and luckily I did get the block.”

A lot of things stood out to him as he adjusted to the level of play. He said he began to feel more comfortable in Prince Albert as the nerves dissipated.

“The league is a lot better,” Turko said. “It’s a good league, and all the players are all skilled, and they’re all fast and strong. It’s definitely harder to play against than in U18, but it went pretty well overall, I would say.”

“You have less time in the Dub,” he added. “Everyone is faster than in U18. It’s not crazy faster, but it is faster.”

One massive change was that U18 clubs don’t get up the next morning and hop on the bus for a journey to a distant city on the same scale the WHL does. He admitted it was a grind getting up early and hopping on the bus for a game that night but added the veterans helped where they could.

“They were all super great,” Turko said. “They’re all nice guys who welcomed me really well, and having Brady around makes it a whole lot easier.”

Indeed.

His 2007-born brother, an Anaheim Ducks prospect who is in his second year with the Wheat Kings, is 544 days older. The 2009-born Easten has traditionally been an age group behind, so it was a rare chance for them to share the ice.

“It was super fun playing with him,” Turko said. “I don’t get a lot of opportunity to play much with him.”

The Turko boys might have a full season together next year. And Easten, who wisely took Sunday afternoon off as the U18 Wheat Kings trounced the Pembina Valley Hawks 7-2, can’t wait to begin his major junior adventure.

“I’m super pumped,” Turko said. “It’s obviously a great league, and I’m super happy I got the opportunity to play in it. I’m really looking forward to next season.”

THIS AND THAT

• QUIZ — Wheat Kings defenceman Grayson Burzynski has served two suspensions this season. How many of the other six Wheat Kings who have had two or more suspensions in a single season in the last decade can you name? (Hint: Two are from Brandon.)

• WEEKLY AWARDS — The player of the week is 20-year-old Edmonton Oil Kings defenceman Carter Sotheran of Sanford, who had four goals and three assists in three outings, which included a five-point game.

The goaltender of the week is 18-year-old Kamloops Blazers netminder Logan Edmonstone of Saskatoon, who went 2-1-0-0 on the road with a 1.32 goals-against average, a .957 save percentage and a shutout.

The rookie of the week is 18-year-old Calgary Hitmen forward Kale Dach of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., who had four goals and two assists as the Hitmen went 4-0-0-0 on an East Division road trip.

• SIN BIN — The Swift Current Broncos and Edmonton Oil Kings were both fined $500 and received an official warning for their first multiple fight situation of the season during a game on Jan. 31 … Prince George Cougars forward Kooper Gizowski received one game for a kneeing major and game misconduct against Red Deer on Feb. 3 … Prince George forward Jett Lajoie received three games for a charging major and game misconduct at Kamloops on Jan. 31.

• ALUMNI GLANCE — Rylen Roersma, 21, is in his freshman season with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks, where he is second in team scoring with nine goals, 10 assists and 19 points in 25 games. Roersma was selected 16th overall in 2019 after Brandon had already taken forwards Nate Danielson and Tyson Zimmer, and played 215 games with the team over four seasons. The forward contributed 60 goals, 66 assists, 126 points and 126 penalty minutes before being traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings on Sept. 24, 2024 for a second-round pick in 2026 and a fifth-round pick in 2027 after he lost the battle for an overage spot to defenceman Luke Shipley and forwards Marcus Nguyen and Nolan Flamand. He finished his WHL career with 155 points in 272 games.

• THE WEEK AHEAD — The Wheat Kings have an odd three-in-four week coming up after tonight’s game in Moose Jaw against the Warriors, with Prince Albert visiting on Friday, a trip to Swift Current to meet the Broncos on Saturday and the Saskatoon Blades coming to Brandon on Monday for a matinee game at 2:30 p.m.

• ANSWER — Burzynski received his suspensions on Sept. 28 and Jan. 17, sitting out a combined five games. The worst offender in recent history was Matt Henry, who served six suspensions during the 2023-24 season for a combined 27 games.

The others are:

— Chad Nychuk, two suspensions, four games in 2021-22.

— Ridly Greig, two suspensions, five games in 2019-20.

— Baron Thompson, two suspensions, seven games in 2017-18.

— Tanner Kaspick, two suspensions, three games in 2017-18.

— Tyler Coulter, two suspensions, five games in 2016-17.