Wheat Kings go under microscope

The Brandon Wheat Kings won 40 games for the first time in nearly a decade, but an early exit from the Western Hockey League playoffs courtesy of a first-round sweep by the Calgary Hitmen cast a bit of a pall on an up-and-down season.

In an annual Brandon Sun tradition, the Sun compiled thoughts on each player and then asked head coach and general manager Marty Murray to weigh in on every player’s season.

DEPARTING PLAYERS

2005-BORN (20-year-old season)

FORWARDS

• Nick Johnson, L, 6’2, 207.

68gp, 22g, 31a, 53p, 40pim, +34 +/-

SUN: Johnson moved into the middle and played all 68 games for the first time in his career. His team-leading plus-minus illustrates why he was so important to his team. His big frame and willingness to use it to block shots will be missed by the Wheat Kings.

MURRAY: “Nick I thought had a real solid year. He played a position he wasn’t accustomed to and put up over 50 points and led our team in plus-minus. I thought he did a pretty good job overall.”

• Luke Mistelbacher, R, 6’0, 200.

67gp, 42g, 46a, 88p, 33pim, +13 +/-

SUN: Mistelbacher and Jaxon Jacobson established immediate chemistry and always seemed to be looking for each other on the ice. He went through some cold spells but when he was scoring, the goals came in bunches.

MURRAY: “He was a difference maker with his ability to score goals. He came as advertised. He’s a special player with the ability to make a living playing the game if he tightens up his details. Thinking about a 200-foot game is probably going to the difference for him. He does things that you can’t teach.”

2006-BORN (19-year-old season)

• Caleb Hadland, L, 5’10, 190.

56gp, 15g, 29a, 44p, 55pim, +12 +/-

SUN: The team captain scored less but assisted more as the born leader led by example with his physical play. He could be counted on for a couple of big hits every night, and did what he could to drag his team into the battle.

MURRAY: “It was an up and down year for Caleb. I hoped he would have a breakout year offensively and kind of be that power forward. We saw glimpses of it but getting hurt — he’s a guy who gets himself in situations where he gets banged up — so there was a lot of nights he was playing a little bit injured. With Hads, I thought he was solid and a good captain. He did a good job with leading the group off the ice.”

• Jordan Gavin, L, 5’11, 180.

68gp, 16g, 42a, 58p, 6pim, +7 +/-

SUN: Gavin’s skill and ability to see the game around him is elite, but his projected rise into elite scoring territory didn’t materialize. He continued to do all the little things right on both special teams units while taking a career-high of just six penalty minutes.

MURRAY: “Gav is a guy I’ve always been a big fan of. He’s been a Wheat King for a year and a half but I really liked what he brought to the table. I thought he quieted down in the second half: I’m not exactly sure why … In saying that, he’s a guy who has elite hockey sense and does a lot of things that don’t make the scoresheet.”

• Carter Klippenstein, L, 6’3, 186.

38gp, 11g, 17a, 28p, 74pim, +1 +/-

SUN: The Minnesota Wild prospect was noticably absent after his season ended on a nondescript hit on Jan. 13. His work ethic and unwillingness to back down from anyone was missed in a lineup that wasn’t overly physical up front. While he hasn’t committed to a college yet, he said it’s his second choice behind pro hockey next winter.

MURRAY: “Losing Klip was a real stinger this year. He’s a guy who brings the energy every night and the work ethic and the compete. He’s hard to play against and I thought it took a little while for him to adjust to playing centre again and I think he got a little frustrated at the start of the year. Then I thought he came into his own and played where he looked like he was comfortable and then all of a sudden the brakes get pumped with the injury. Anyone who followed our team knew we were light at the centre position and I thought Johnson did a good job filling in, but when Klip got hurt, it put that much more stress on that position. We missed Carter. He’s a playoff-type guy.”

DEFENCE

2005-BORN (20-year-old season)

• Grayson Burzynski, L, 6’4, 211.

59gp, 11g, 47a, 58p, 58pim, +20 +/-

SUN: The smooth offensive defenceman either scored or helped create a lot of big goals this season. Uncharacteristic suspensions knocked him out of the lineup twice. His big, positive personality will be missed in the dressing room.

MURRAY: “We really enjoyed having Grayson. Losing (Quinn) Mantei (to college) left a huge hole and we felt that Grayson filled that void for the most part. He’s a real character guy in the locker room and performed or exceeded expectations. Having a point per game as a defenceman isn’t easy in the WHL, and I was happy to see him have that success this year with us.”

2006-BORN (19-year-old season)

• Max Lavoie, L, 6-3, 206.

67gp, 4g, 10a, 14p, 91pim, +1 +/-

SUN: After moving up a league three seasons in a row, Lavoie was his team’s grittiest defender and a defensive stalwart as a 19-year-old WHL rookie. He’s heading to Princeton for his overage season, so he won’t be back.

MURRAY: “He’s everything we hoped he would be. I always root for those underdog stories where he isn’t handed everything, he goes out and earns it. If you follow his path from Junior B to the MJHL to a 19-year-old rookie year in the Western League, there’s not too many guys who had the path he did. I thought he did everything we hoped he would, he was hard to play against, he was tough, he was a team-first guy. I thought he really helped our D corps this year.”

RETURNING PLAYERS

2006-BORN (19-year-old season)

• Brett Wilson, L, 5’8, 173.

18gp, 3g, 5a, 8p, 4pim, +5 +/-

SUN: After being summoned from the BCHL in February following Klippenstein’s injury, the first-time WHLer showed a big engine could come in a small package. Wilson is a relentless worker and forechecker with some skill.

MURRAY: “I thought Brett provided a real spark for us. We hit the injury bug after the trade deadline and the only place we could get a player was from the BCHL — (because the BCHL is not affiliated with Hockey Canada) — and we’re happy we came across Brett. He brings an energy and you can tell he’s been a captain before with the way he carries himself. His work ethic is never questioned. I thought he did a real good job coming in late and was a guy you could count on every night.”

2007-BORN (18-year-old season)

• Joby Baumuller, R, 5’11, 191.

58gp, 40g, 22a, 62p, 35pim, +25 +/-

SUN: Baumuller finally cashed in on his promise, jumping from 18 goals to 40 despite suffering an injury that cost him a month when he got slew-footed after a fight. He has elite ability to shoot the puck.

MURRAY: “It was an outstanding season for Joby. The message coming out of the NHL draft last year was consistency and I think he took that to heart and had a good summer in the off-season. He really worked on his consistency and I thought he was as consistent as I’ve ever seen him in his three years as a Wheat King. That injury set him back a little. He was firing on all cylinders there, then he suffered a pretty bad injury and came with two or three games left in the regular season and maybe didn’t get back to that swagger he had before, but overall, I’m real proud of Joby’s season. He’s an easy guy to root for.”

• Brady Turko, R, 6’1, 175.

66gp, 18g, 18a, 36p, 34pim, -1 +/-

SUN: The Anaheim Ducks prospect who can skate like the wind found his offensive stride with 18 goals, but did weather some tough stretches when he was snake-bit around the net. Big things will be expected next season.

MURRAY: “He’s an NHL draft pick and going into the season, you hope he can find that production as a top-six forward. For Brady, I’ve said all along, he and Joby are kind of similar, but Joby had an extra year in the league. I’m hoping Brady follows Joby’s trajectory where the consistency piece isn’t an issue next year and he’s a constant threat to score or produce night in and night out. He has that ability. He’s going to have to have a big summer so he can win puck battles and utilize his hockey sense.”

• Easton Odut, L, 5’8, 170.

16gp, 1g, 2a, 3p, 0pim, -2 +/-

SUN: The Dauphin product suffered an upper-body injury that knocked him out of the lineup on Nov. 15, and five games after he returned, he was hurt on Dec. 17 and missed the rest of the season. His energy and physicality were missed.

MURRAY: “It tugs on your heartstrings, the year he had. He was an important piece of our team. Like Klipper, he brings the same characteristics to his game where he’s an energy guy, he’s a team-first guy and we missed him down the stretch. More importantly, you just feel for him as a kid. He plays so hard and I know he takes great pride in being a Wheat King. He gets injured, and the type of injury he had, I just want Odie to worry about Odie foremost. If he can play hockey again, that would be awesome. In saying that, he’s such a good kid that I want him to reflect on the bigger picture and then reflect on those questions before we talk about hockey. We would welcome him back, but at the same time, he’s coming out of his 18-year-old year and I want to make sure his body and mind are good at my age.”

• Gunnar Gleasman, R, 6’4, 206.

46gp, 5g, 0a, 5p, 74pim, -12 +/-

SUN: The big Colorado forward flashed some terrific speed and a great shot but was counted on every night for his physical edge and energetic forechecking. He was always the first to jump in to defend teammates when needed.

MURRAY: “Gunnar made big strides throughout the year. He’s a good skater, he learned the hard way coming into this season the first part of the year where turning pucks over and things like that were a priority, and understanding his role. I thought he got better as the season wore on. He did some good things. With him, it’s understanding where to walk that line of playing hard, playing physical but not at the price of taking unnecessary penalties. That’s what it comes down to, you have to be able to trust players in situations like in the playoffs where we played in four one-goal games, and one penalty can end up hurting you. I like when he’s playing simple, and playing at his best, he’s good on the forecheck and can finish checks.”

2008-BORN (17-year-old season)

• Jaxon Jacobson, L, 5’10, 182.

63gp, 25g, 60a, 85p, 32pim, +9 +/-

SUN: Jacobson, who didn’t turn 17 until Dec. 11, was leading the league in assists when he was injured in mid-November and eventually finished fourth in that category. The second-year forward had a terrific bond with Mistelbacher, and has an innate knack for forcing turnovers. He’s entering his draft year, which could be a huge one. He was also his team’s best faceoff man.

MURRAY: “Jax has exceptional hockey sense and IQ. For a young 17-year-old, his numbers have got to be at the top for his age in the CHL. The challenge for Jax is to take it to another level. Does that mean offensively? Yes, but I think the bigger thing is being a 200-foot player. You don’t want to put pressure on a player, but he can be a guy who can carry our team, and for me, it’s being consistent throughout a game and establishing that 200-foot game and that trust. It’s hopefully something he can really dive into. He’s always going to have that elite sense and elite ability and skill, it’s just he has to round out his 200-foot game, and if he does, the sky is the limit.”

• Ryan Boyce, L 5’10, 177.

34gp, 0g, 3a, 3p, 12pim -5 +/-

SUN: The smooth-skating rookie also had to overcome a lower-body injury, and was a healthy scratch some nights in his energy role. He’s still looking for first goal but shouldn’t wait long for it next season.

MURRAY: “Ryan had some ups and downs. Unfortunately he suffered a pretty significant injury where he was out for multiple weeks when we needed guys. That would have a great time for him to get extra reps and opportunity as far as ice time but there wasn’t nothing anybody could do. I thought he was kind of up and down and struggled to find his identity and what he could bring to the table. I was encouraged with him down the stretch and in the playoffs. I thought he played with tenacity, he handled a little bit of skill, which we saw in the playoffs. He has a little bit of agitator in him. I saw glimpses and you get excited for what he could eventually be. It’s a matter of not being complacent in being a Wheat King and taking it to another level.”

• Jimmy Egan, L, 6’1, 185.

68gp, 4g, 18a, 22p, 33 pim -1 +/-

SUN: The smooth-skating forward, one of just four Wheat Kings to suit up in all 68 games, had terrific defensive awareness and quickly landed on the penalty-killing unit. He’s just scratching the surface offensively.

MURRAY: “Jimmy is a pretty solid 200-foot player. He’s responsible in both ends of the rink. Like Brady, he has to get stronger on pucks and winning puck battles. He has offensive ability, I would like to see him produce more and work on his shot. He did a good job when Carter went down with taking on more responsibility, killing penalties, things like that, that don’t necessarily get on the scoresheet. I thought he did some good things for us. I know he wants to be more of an offensive player, and that’s consistency and winning puck battles and getting stronger and bearing down when you get those opportunities.”

2009-BORN (16-year-old season)

• Chase Surkan, L, 5’7, 167.

45gp, 20g, 18a, 38p, 6pim +5 +/-

SUN: After looking a little overwhelmed as a 15-year-old callup, Surkan came out of the gate in his rookie season as an offensive juggernaut. With his big shot, he found incredible success on the first power-play unit before getting hurt, and then needed time to get back to that level.

MURRAY: “Chase had an outstanding rookie season. The way he came out, it was not realistic to continue that pace of 75 goals and 150 points as a 16 year old. He came out firing on all cylinders, and then coming back from Hockey Canada’s stuff, I thought he took a little while to find his game, and then he got that injury, a high-ankle sprain, and those things linger around. Even when he came back, he tweaked it a couple of times. To get that out of your head, especially as a young player, isn’t always easy. We’re all excited about what Chase is going to be for us in the upcoming season. He has the ability to be an elite scorer. He had 20 goals in a short season because of injury and was almost a point per game as a 16 year old. He’ll be a guy we count on.”

• Prabh Bhathal, L, 6’2, 201.

63gp, 8g, 23a, 31p, 26pim, +2 +/-

SUN: Bhathal was one of those 16-year-old rookies who walked until Christmas and sprinted after the break. When he got boosted to the top line with Jacobson and Mistelbacher, you could see the confidence turn on and with his work ethic, he was his team’s best player on a few nights.

MURRAY: “I’m real proud of Prabh. The first half of the season, he struggled a little bit. He was probably used to always being the guy and bigger and stronger and faster than all his opponents because he’s so physically mature. It didn’t come easy in the first half, but he stuck with it, he worked hard in practice, he’s one of those guys when we needed to juggle things up when there were injuries and we threw him up the lineup, he took advantage of it. That doesn’t happen all the time but Prabh did that. He had a point per game in his last 25 games and we ended up playing him on our first line and I thought he did an exceptional job. You can argue he made Jacobson and Mistelbacher better with the way he hounded pucks and got loose pucks to them. I was real pleased with his second half.”

DEFENCE

2006-BORN (19-year-old season)

• Dylan Ronald, L, 5’11, 187.

42gp, 5g, 7a, 12p, 14pim, +5 +/-

SUN: In his second WHL season, the Albertan battled injuries that kept him from taking a big jump forward. He’s most effective in his own end when he’s playing with an edge and can score when he gets that big shot away at the other end. MURRAY: “Dylan would admit that he started the year off disappointing considering the way he finished as a rookie. He struggled to find his way a little bit and then I thought he came along and he got injured and missed a couple months. That was a big part of this year. He came back in the latter part of the season but I think for Dylan, being a 19 year old, it’s consistency. The biggest compliment a coach can give a player is I know what I’m going to get from him every night, and for Dylan, it’s working on that consistency piece where we know which Dylan Ronald is going to show up. There were nights he looked like a legitimate top-four D, and then the next night, maybe not so much.”

• Merrek Arpin, R, 6’4, 205.

0gp, 0g, 0a, 0p, 0pim, 0 +/-

SUN: The large defenceman was injured in the pre-season and never played another minute of hockey. With his overage season coming, he could be back or he could be done.

MURRAY: “It’s disappointing. He played seven games as a Wheat King and I think he finished two healthy. It’s frustrating for him, frustrating for us. It’s too bad he got hurt in the pre-season. Doctors feared if he kept playing there could be long-term damage. If I take my hockey hat off and put my parent one on, you don’t want to see your kid struggle with something for the rest of their life. It’s hard. These kids play the game they love for their whole life and to have it pulled out like a couple of our guys did this season, you have to feel for them.”

2007-BORN (18-year-old season)

• Daniil Skvortsov, L, 6’4, 200.

49gp, 1g, 7a, 8p, 47pim, -3 +/-

SUN: He was claimed from the Ontario Hockey League after the injured Adam Hlinsky returned to Czechia and was released. Skvortsov has a big frame and can be a tenacious defender when he’s physical but sometimes overhandled the puck.

MURRAY: “At the time we brought in, we were at a point we needed to bring in a body. I thought he settled the D corps down. Like that some of the other guys, you talk about that consistency and with Dani, where he got himself in trouble wasn’t a lack of effort, it was almost trying to do too much, and then he got run around defensively a little bit. When you do that, you open up avenues for the opposing team. If he settled down a little bit, he would be more effective.”

2008-BORN (17-year-old season)

• Gio Pantelas, R, 6’2, 211.

68gp, 6g, 31a, 37p, 50pim, 19 +/-

SUN: The workhorse blue-liner, who will be picked in the National Hockey League draft for sure, is defensively strong, throwing some massive hits with that stocky build. He struggles to get his shot through but showed an increased willingness to handle the puck in his second season.

MURRAY: “For a 17 year old, he played top minutes for us. Gio has to understand what he is and what’s going to give him success. That’s important. Sometimes he gets in own way a little bit where he tries to do too much and it ends up backfiring. The conversations we’ve had on multiple occasions is that less is more. Get the pucks to our forwards and you can certainly be that second wave, that second layer, but get the puck moving. When he held onto it too long and tried to out-wait people, that’s when he got himself into trouble. There is a lot to like about his game, he has the ability to be a National Hockey League player and if bought into some of that stuff, he keeps it simple, moves pucks, is hard to play against, I think he could play a long time in the NHL.”

• Nigel Boehm, L, 6’1, 190.

63gp, 2g, 14a, 16p, 89pim, +22 +/-

SUN: The defensive defenceman gained confidence all year and by the end of the season was willing to hang onto the puck more and get his shot to the net. With a late birthday that won’t make him eligible for the NHL draft until 2027, he was an indispensable penalty killer and always strong in his own end.

MURRAY: “You can’t help but love Nigel. He’s a great kid, just an ultimate teammate. He stands up for teammates, he doesn’t think about getting on the scoresheet, he’s just there to play hard defensively and just help out wherever he can. I thought he made some real good strides as a 17 year old. He has the ability to be a leader for us here down the road. He’s physical, he defends hard, he was over +20 this year, and that’s pretty impressive for a guy at 17 who isn’t counted on for offence. It speaks volumes about his defensive play. There is another level for him to get to. He’s going into his draft year and there is some excitement about his future. For me, he has to continue to work on his feet and be stronger on his skates. He needs a big summer, but I think our staff would agree he can play on our team anytime.”

• Cameron Allard, R, 6’3, 196.

62gp, 7g, 12a, 19p, 29pim, +14 +/-

SUN: The 17-year-old rookie had a remarkable sense of calm, and as the season went on, built on that experience and began to do more. He also has a solid defensive game and should only grow in his second season.

MURRAY: “Cam had a slow start to the year but I thought him and Nigel became a pretty dependable pair throughout the season. They complemented each other pretty well. Nigel is more of a stay-at-home defenceman where Cam provides a little more offence and can break pucks out and make passes. The biggest thing with Cameron is he needs to have a summer. He needs to get stronger and get some more pop in his legs, and if he does that, I think he can be a high-end defenceman at our level and beyond.”

GOALIES

VETERANS

2006-BORN (19-year-old season)

• Jayden Kraus, catches L, 6’2, 210.

30gp, 3.65 gaa, .895 save %, 14-11-1-0 record.

SUN: The veteran goaltender was the victim of a team fighting to find its way defensively early in the season, and got better and better as the year went on. He suffered an injury during practice late in the year that cost him time.

MURRAY: “We knew when we traded for him that he’s an unbelievable kid and teammate. He was that right from the start to the end of the season. He had a rough start to the season, there’s no question but to blame our problems at the start of the year on Jayden Kraus is unfair. We were casual defending and there were a lot of nights we didn’t get much help. I thought when we brought Ruzicka in, that kicked him into gear. Having Filip push him made Jayden better. From Christmas on, he was real solid. We had the luxury of having two very good goalies we had confidence in and Jayden was real good in the second half. Unfortunately, he had a freak accident where he broke his finger in practice and that set him out for three weeks. He came back and played one game before playoffs. It was tough timing but I can’t say enough about his work ethic and character.”

2008-BORN (17-year-old season)

• Filip Ruzicka, catches L ,6’8, 229.

Picked: 2025 import, 3rd.

42gp, 3.19 gaa, .906 save %, 26-14-1-0 record.

SUN: When the massive netminder finally arrived, he took some time to get acclimated to the smaller ice surface and style of play, and then was absolutely dominant at times. By the end of the season, he was the clear starter and a sure NHL draft pick.

MURRAY: “When Filip came over, that turned our season around. It took him a little bit to get into the rhythm but our team turned the corner and it pushed Jayden to be better. His size is obvious, but when he first came over, watching him practise it was ‘He’s big but that doesn’t look real natural.’ Then as the year went on, you find yourself not questioning those movements anymore. He really worked hard with (goaltending coach) Tyler (Plante) and with some of the habits in his game. The word when he came over was that there was a lot there but he was a really raw goaltender who relied on his size, to really cleaning up his technical stuff. He’s still got work to do but with the strides he took in the five-and-a-half, six months he was here, it was quite impressive.”

CALLUPS

DEFENCE

2009-BORN (16-year-old season)

• Easten Turko, L, 5’9, 152.

U18: 44gp, 14g, 49a, 63p, 14pim.

WHL: 2gp, 0g, 0a, 0p, 0pim, 0 +/-

SUN: The McCreary product may have been the best defenceman in the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League, and earned a call-up to the WHL Wheat Kings. He is a high-IQ player who is solid at both ends.

MURRAY: “He was the best defenceman in that league and played in all situations. He’s just so smart. He plays the game kind of in a rocking chair where it looks so easy, and you ‘OK, how is this going to translate to the next level?’ When we brought him up, he played his first game in P.A., which is probably the hardest rink to play in on the road, and I thought he handled himself really well. He’s so smart, he has a good stick, his positioning is so good, it takes away from the fact he’s maybe a little undersized. I’m real encouraged with Easten, he had a real solid year, and we’re hoping he can step in and be a solid contributor to our D corps next year.”

• Ethan Young, L, 5’11, 163.

Picked: 2024, 4th.

U18: 41gp, 14g, 60a, 74p, 36pim.

WHL: 4gp, 0g, 1a, 1p, 0pim, +1 +/-

SUN: The Regina product may have been the best defenceman in the Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League. When he joined the team for their American trip, he looked right at home and was comfortable with the puck on his stick.

MURRAY: “He had an exceptional season. For most of the year he was leading the whole league in scoring, which as we all know, isn’t easy as a defenceman. He went on our West Coast trip and really impressed with his reads, when to jump up, when to hold back. He played a lot of games in a short period of time and he learned that the Western Hockey League is a bit of a grind so we saw a little bit of drop off at the end of the trip, which is to be expected. Overall, he had an unbelievable year and is a leader on a team that is going to go back to the Telus Cup. With those two young defencemen coming in, the future looks bright on the back end.”

2010-BORN (15-year-old season)

• Cruz Jim, R, 5’8, 159.

U18: 26gp, 4g, 17a, 21p, 34pim.

WHL: 4gp, 0g, 1a, 1p, 2pim, -2 +/-

SUN: He saw action in October and March, plus one playoff game as illness battered the Brandon blue-line. He has incredible offensive skill and is a beautiful skater. The tough part will be defending his net against bigger players at 16.

MURRAY: “We’re real excited about Cruz. We saw it in camp and pre-season. He probably could have on our team this year. He went back, and just like Easten, he kind of makes the game look easy. We got a glimpse of that when he played in the playoffs against a pretty quick team in Calgary. He fit in right in. There were a couple of times he was going back for the puck under all kinds of pressure and I was ‘Oh boy, how is he going to get himself out of this?’ and he did. His edges are so good and his brain is so good. He’s going to be a real good player at our level. I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but you almost see a little of (Everett Silvertips star) Landon DuPont in him.”

FORWARDS

2009-BORN (16-year-old season)

• Carson Ralph, L, 5’10, 187.

U18: 33gp, 16g, 20a, 36p, 34pim.

WHL: 4gp, 0g, 1a, 1p, 0pim, 0 +/-

SUN: He’s not going to make many friends with his skating ability and relentless forechecking. The chatty youngster, who made a big impression at camp and was quickly signed, could prove to be a strong middle-six forward.

MURRAY: “For him, it’s that consistency in his game and understanding what he is, what he can be and what he needs to do to be an every-day guy for us and help us. There are some things he needs to work through like understanding systems and things like that, it’s something he’ll have to absorb as he moves forward. He skates, he plays with an edge and we’re hoping we can see more of what we saw from him in training camp.”

• Carson Park, L, 5’8, 155.

U18: 35gp, 11g, 40a, 51p, 12pim.

WHL: 4gp, 0g, 0a, 0p, 2pim, 0 +/-

SUN: Park impressed Wheat Kings brass in his first camp, and during a strong U18 AAA season in Moose Jaw, played four games in mid-February with the battered Wheat Kings. He’s a reliable forward on both sides of the puck with good skill.

MURRAY: “Carson had a real good training camp with us and then got injured in the intrasquad game. We would have loved to see him in some pre-season action but unfortunately he couldn’t because of his injury. He had a real solid year at the U18 level and talking to his coaches, it’s developing that consistency and being a threat all the time is something that needs to understand will make him an every-day player for us hopefully. There is a lot of upside with his hockey sense and skill. He got a taste of what is to be a player in the Western Hockey League, and some things to work on are quickness and strength and being an offensive player. He’s going to have a chance to come in and make our hockey team.”

2010-BORN (15-year-old season)

• Levi Ellingsen, L, 6’0, 166.

U18: 27gp, 8g, 21a, 29p, 52pim.

WHL: 5gp, 0g, 1a, 1p, 6pim, -2 +/-

SUN: When Ellingsen joined the Wheat Kings on their American trip — including a game against his hometown Tri-City Americans — he was an irritating, physical force at 15. He’s going to annoy a lot of opponents as he gets older, and will score with that big shot.

MURRAY: “He’s going to be a good power forward. He plays with some jam, he’s physical, he has scoring ability, he has a good shot and he’s one of those guys who could be like a Carter Klippenstein the way he is a little bit of an agitator and gets under the skin and has the ability to produce. We’re excited about Levi and he’s gung-ho to be a Wheat King. He’s going to come in and have the opportunity to earn a significant role with us.”