Hockey looms large for Kisio family

Lachlan Kisio is hoping to enter the family business one day, a dream that may begin with a junior position as a Brandon Wheat King.

The 14-year-old forward from Calgary, who turns 15 in October, bears a last name you may heard before if you watched the National Hockey League in the 1980s and 1990s.

His grandfather Kelly Kisio skated in 761 NHL regular season games over 13 seasons after graduating from the WHL’s Calgary Wranglers, and after his playing career ended, served as head coach and general manager of the Calgary Hitmen.

Kelly’s sons are Brent, the former Lethbridge Hurricanes head coach, and Lachlan’s father Kurtis, who played four seasons at Minnesota State University in Mankato.

Lachlan also has cousins who play, so hockey is not a small deal in the family.

“It’s really important,” Kisio said. “Both my dad and my uncle played college, my grandpa played in the NHL, so it’s a big part of the Kisio family, which carries some pressure, but you have to keep playing.”

Brandon grabbed Kisio in the seventh round with the 153rd overall pick in the annual Western Hockey League draft on May 7.

The youngster, who was born and raised in Calgary, began to skate at age two and playing a few years later. He was also involved in soccer when he was little, then gravitated to golf.

On the ice, he always skated up front, although he has shifted from centre to right wing over the years.

He was taken to Hitmen games at an early age, and while he doesn’t remember them, his parents say he always enjoyed the experience. As he got older, it became a lot more important to him.

“It was definitely a major goal to get drafted and play in the league,” Kisio said. “Seeing how much my family is part of the WHL, you want to keep their legacy going.”

That family has been a big part of his advancement in the sport. Along with his father Kurtis and mother Kelsey, he has younger sisters Leightyn and Westyn, who both play soccer.

“They always gave me opportunities and made it my choice, not pushing me to overdo it and burning me out,” Kisio said. “They were always there for me through hockey and through everything really.”

One of those opportunities came at Edge School, which plays in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. He spent his minor and major seasons at the prep school, The five-foot-10, 141-pound forward was generally OK with his season last year, although he suffered one bad break that set him back. He fractured his right wrist, which was especially annoying because he’s right handed. It took him a couple of months to come back.

“I had a good year,” Kisio said. “I got injured halfway through, which kind of held me back. I came back and had a really good playoff.”

In 16 games, he had three goals, seven assists and two penalty minutes. In five playoff games, however, he had four goals, two assists and two penalty minutes.

His minor U15 season in 2024-25 might actually provide a better indication of his offensive ability, as he piled up 35 points in 36 games.

Even so, the injury absence left his status with WHL teams in question.

On draft day, he was golfing with his grandpa and his father. He didn’t get selected by Brandon until they were off the course, with dad noticing first and telling him the Wheat Kings had grabbed him.

“My grandpa was still at the golf course so he drove down to our house and we celebrated,” Kisio said. “It’s super cool to see how far you’ve come, making your grandpa and your parents proud seeing your name up there,” he added. He doesn’t know any other Brandon draftees personally but has played against a bunch of them.

Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton said Kisio’s gifts are obvious for anyone who was watching closely.

“He’s a hard-working, honest guy who is on the incline,” Moulton said. “He’s a late birthday (Oct. 10) who is just coming into his own and has a really good knack of finding the spots to make himself available for scoring opportunities. He has a great shot and a great release.”

When asked for a scouting report on himself, Kisio sees some of the things Moulton does.

“I’m a smart two-way forward who likes to use his shot,” Kisio said. “I have a nose for the net and will probably see a lot of dirty goals near the net.”

He wants to make plays off the wall faster and with more urgency, and continue to build leg strength.

While getting drafted is a relief for the teenager, he understands the work is just beginning. When he makes his first trip to Brandon in August, a new challenge awaits.

“I’m super excited,” Kisio said. “I’ve heard many great things about all the coaching and stuff, and I feel very welcome. I got a lot of texts from players from Brandon, which felt very welcoming. I’m excited to meet them all.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com