127 WHL players named to NHL Opening Night rosters for 2024-25
Calgary, Alta. – A total of 127 WHL Alumni are featured on Opening Day rosters as the National Hockey League drops the puck on the 2024-25 regular season this week.
Led by Kelly McCrimmon, former General Manager of the Brandon Wheat Kings, the Vegas Golden Knights boast the most WHL Alumni with nine, including captain Mark Stone (Brandon Wheat Kings). Alberta’s two NHL Clubs also carry the torch for the west, with the Edmonton Oilers roster featuring eight WHL Alumni, including former WHL Playoff MVP Leon Draisaitl, while the Calgary Flames roster includes seven WHL Alumni, led by captain Mikael Backlund (Kelowna Rockets).
In total, 31 of the 32 NHL Clubs feature at least one former WHL player.
KEY STORYLINES
WHL Alumni star as puck drops on 2024-25 NHL season
As the 2024-25 NHL Regular Season got underway Tuesday evening, WHL Champion Dylan Guenther etched his name into the history books, scoring the first goal in Utah Hockey Club history. In that same game, another former WHL Champion – defenceman Nolan Allan – made his NHL debut on the other side of the puck as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Staying out west, former Regina Pats star Jordan Eberle was named the second captain in Seattle Kraken franchise history prior to his Club’s season opener at Climate Pledge Arena. The 34-year-old product of Calgary logged an assist in a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues. Eberle, who played for the Pats from 2006 through 2010, recorded 310 points (155G-155A) in 254 career WHL regular season games.
In Florida, the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers celebrated the franchise’s championship banner raising with a 6-4 victory over the Boston Bruins, including a shorthanded goal by WHL alumnus Sam Reinhart. The product of West Vancouver enjoyed a successful WHL career from 2011 through 2015, winning a WHL Championship (2011) along with being named WHL Rookie of the Year (2011-12), WHL Most Sportsmanlike Player (2013-14) and WHL Player of the Year (2013-14).
Connor Bedard’s sophomore season
Former Regina Pats captain Connor Bedard burst onto the NHL scene in 2023-24, winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie after collecting 61 points (22G-39A) in 68 games.
The 19-year-old product of North Vancouver, who was selected first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, will look to build upon his first successful foray in the NHL.
The first player in WHL history to be granted exceptional status, Bedard filled his trophy case with WHL accolades from 2020-21 through 2022-23. At the age of 15, the Pats legend was named WHL Rookie of the Year (2020-21). During his final season in the WHL, he was the WHL’s Top Scorer with 143 points (71G-72A), WHL Player of the Year, CHL Top Draft Prospect, CHL Player of the Year, and CHL Top Scorer. Bedard was also named to the First All-Star Teams for both the WHL and CHL.
Emerging stars look to NHL debuts
A number of WHL Alumni will look to make their NHL debuts in 2024-25, including Samuel Honzek (Calgary Flames / Vancouver Giants) and Conor Geekie (Tampa Bay Lightning / Swift Current Broncos).
Honzek, who was selected by the Flames in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft, was a catalyst on offense for the Giants over two seasons, logging 87 points (33G-54A) in 76 games.
Geekie, who was acquired by the Lightning from the Utah Hockey Club at the 2024 NHL Draft, enjoyed a quality WHL career, registering 269 points (111G-158A) in 215 games.
WHL Alumni lead the way, literally
Eight WHL Alumni are set to serve as captains during the 2024-25 NHL season, including Radko Gudas (Anaheim Ducks / Everett Silvertips), Mikael Backlund (Calgary Flames / Kelowna Rockets), Jamie Benn (Dallas Stars / Kelowna Rockets), Jared Spurgeon (Minnesota Wild / Spokane Chiefs), Jordan Eberle (Seattle Kraken / Regina Pats), Brayden Schenn (St. Louis Blues / Saskatoon Blades), Mark Stone (Vegas Golden Knights / Brandon Wheat Kings), and Adam Lowry (Winnipeg Jets / Swift Current Broncos).
List of WHL Alumni on 2024-25 NHL Opening Night Rosters
(last WHL Club listed)
* = injured / non-roster player
ANAHEIM DUCKS (5)
Radko Gudas (Everett Silvertips), Brett Leason (Prince Albert Raiders), James Reimer (Red Deer Rebels), Olen Zellweger (Kamloops Blazers), Tomas Suchanek* (Tri-City Americans).
BOSTON BRUINS (4)
Brandon Carlo (Tri-City Americans), Morgan Geekie (Tri-City Americans), Mark Kastelic (Calgary Hitmen), Parker Wotherspoon (Tri-City Americans).
BUFFALO SABRES (6)
Zach Benson (Winnipeg ICE), Bowen Byram (Vancouver Giants), Dylan Cozens (Lethbridge Hurricanes), Henri Jokiharju (Portland Winterhawks), Peyton Krebs (Winnipeg ICE), Beck Malenstyn (Swift Current Broncos).
CALGARY FLAMES (7)
Mikael Backlund (Kelowna Rockets), Tyson Barrie (Kelowna Rockets), Jake Bean (Tri-City Americans), Samuel Honzek (Vancouver Giants), Brayden Pachal (Prince Albert Raiders), Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips), Connor Zary (Kamloops Blazers).
CAROLINA HURRICANES (2)
Seth Jarvis (Portland Winterhawks), Jordan Martinook (Vancouver Giants).
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (4)
Nolan Allan (Seattle Thunderbirds), Connor Bedard (Regina Pats), Seth Jones (Portland Winterhawks), Laurent Brossoit* (Edmonton Oil Kings).
COLORADO AVALANCHE (2)
Parker Kelly (Prince Albert Raiders), John Ludvig (Portland Winterhawks).
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (4)
Jake Christiansen (Everett Silvertips), Ivan Provorov (Brandon Wheat Kings), Damon Severson (Kelowna Rockets), Cole Sillinger (Medicine Hat Tigers).
DALLAS STARS (4)
Jamie Benn (Kelowna Rockets), Mathew Dumba (Portland Winterhawks), Logan Stankoven (Kamloops Blazers), Sam Steel (Regina Pats).
DETROIT RED WINGS (1)
Michael Rasmussen (Tri-City Americans).
EDMONTON OILERS (8)
Leon Draisaitl (Kelowna Rockets), Brett Kulak (Vancouver Giants), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Red Deer Rebels), Calvin Pickard (Seattle Thunderbirds), Derek Ryan (Spokane Chiefs), Matt Savoie (Moose Jaw Warriors), Stuart Skinner (Swift Current Broncos), Evander Kane* (Vancouver Giants).
FLORIDA PANTHERS (3)
Chris Driedger (Calgary Hitmen), Sam Reinhart (Kootenay ICE), Justin Sourdif* (Edmonton Oil Kings).
LOS ANGELES KINGS (5)
Kyle Burroughs (Medicine Hat Tigers), Joel Edmundson (Kamloops Blazers), Tanner Jeannot (Moose Jaw Warriors), Caleb Jones (Portland Winterhawks), Darcy Kuemper (Red Deer Rebels).
MINNESOTA WILD (3)
Jared Spurgeon (Spokane Chiefs), Michael Milne* (Winnipeg ICE), Luke Toporowski* (Kamloops Blazers).
MONTREAL CANADIENS (4)
Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades), Brendan Gallagher (Vancouver Giants), Kaiden Guhle (Edmonton Oil Kings), Carey Price* (Tri-City Americans).
NASHVILLE PREDATORS (3)
Luke Schenn (Kelowna Rockets), Colton Sissons (Kelowna Rockets), Austin Roest* (Everett Silvertips).
NEW JERSEY DEVILS (4)
Brenden Dillon (Seattle Thunderbirds), Curtis Lazar (Edmonton Oil Kings), Adam Beckman* (Spokane Chiefs), Josh Filmon* (Swift Current Broncos).
NEW YORK ISLANDERS (4)
Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds), Dennis Cholowski (Portland Winterhawks), Ryan Pulock (Brandon Wheat Kings), Daylan Kuefler* (Kamloops Blazers).
NEW YORK RANGERS (3)
Jake Leschyshyn (Lethbridge Hurricanes), Matthew Robertson (Edmonton Oil Kings), Braden Schneider (Brandon Wheat Kings).
OTTAWA SENATORS (3)
Noah Gregor (Prince Albert Raiders), Ridly Greig (Brandon Wheat Kings), Travis Hamonic (Brandon Wheat Kings).
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (2)
Travis Sanheim (Calgary Hitmen), Egor Zamula (Calgary Hitmen).
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (2)
Cody Glass (Portland Winterhawks), Tristan Jarry (Edmonton Oil Kings).
SEATTLE KRAKEN (5)
Oliver Bjorkstrand (Portland Winterhawks), Jordan Eberle (Regina Pats), Ryker Evans (Regina Pats), Joshua Mahura (Regina Pats), Chandler Stephenson (Regina Pats).
ST. LOUIS BLUES (3)
Joel Hofer (Portland Winterhawks), Jake Neighbours (Edmonton Oil Kings), Brayden Schenn (Saskatoon Blades).
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (4)
Conor Geekie (Swift Current Broncos), Brandon Hagel (Red Deer Rebels), Brayden Point (Moose Jaw Warriors), Jack Finley* (Winnipeg ICE).
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (4)
Ryan Reaves (Brandon Wheat Kings), Morgan Rielly (Moose Jaw Warriors), Connor Dewar* (Everett Silvertips), Fraser Minten* (Saskatoon Blades).
UTAH HOCKEY CLUB (5)
Dylan Guenther (Seattle Thunderbirds), Connor Ingram (Kamloops Blazers), Juuso Valimaki (Tri-City Americans), Kailer Yamamoto (Spokane Chiefs), Shea Weber* (Kelowna Rockets).
VANCOUVER CANUCKS (3)
Jake DeBrusk (Red Deer Rebels), Noah Juulsen (Everett Silvertips), Tyler Myers (Kelowna Rockets).
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS (9)
Adin Hill (Portland Winterhawks), Brett Howden (Moose Jaw Warriors), Keegan Kolesar (Seattle Thunderbirds), Kaedan Korczak (Kelowna Rockets), Brayden McNabb (Kootenay ICE), Mark Stone (Brandon Wheat Kings), Shea Theodore (Seattle Thunderbirds), Jakub Demek* (Kamloops Blazers), Jordan Gustafson* (Seattle Thunderbirds).
WASHINGTON CAPITALS (4)
Alexander Alexeyev (Red Deer Rebels), Dylan McIlrath (Moose Jaw Warriors), Aliaksei Protas (Prince Albert Raiders), Logan Thompson (Brandon Wheat Kings).
WINNIPEG JETS (6)
Dylan Coghlan (Tri-City Americans), Eric Comrie (Tri-City Americans), Haydn Fleury (Red Deer Rebels), Adam Lowry (Swift Current Broncos), Josh Morrissey (Kelowna Rockets), Nino Niederreiter (Portland Winterhawks).
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.