Beau Courtney’s Next Chapter From the WHL to NCAA Hockey
By Colton Davies – Follow Colton on X
Kamloops Blazers veteran forward Beau Courtney has just two games left in his WHL career before taking the next step: joining Alaska-Fairbanks in the NCAA.
Growing up in Colorado, Courtney always envisioned playing college hockey. “It’s kind of the American kid’s dream to play Division I,” Courtney said. “I didn’t know much about the WHL as an American. Gary Davidson in Everett was the one who drove me toward it. My first training camp changed my mind.”
The Parker, Colorado, native grew up playing with the Milan Hejduk family. Hejduk spent 14 seasons with the Colorado Avalanche and appeared in over 1,000 NHL games. “Milan was someone I looked up to a lot—he worked with me when I was younger and even as I got older. He was a big mentor,” Courtney said.
Courtney also played minor hockey with Prince George Cougars forward Borya Valis. “Seeing another American, especially someone I grew up playing with, is great,” Courtney said. “Borya just signed his NHL deal with Toronto, which was awesome to see. We only played against each other a couple of times since he was out in Regina, but reconnecting has been really cool.”
With the new rule change across the CHL and NCAA, Courtney now has the opportunity to play in both leagues, fulfilling a lifelong dream. “It just felt like a blessing in disguise. I’m super excited to be there next year. It seems like an awesome program,” Courtney said. “Honestly, I’m still stunned that the rule change happened, but I’m super excited. I got to visit, and it was a great experience.”
The 21-year-old came to Kamloops at the trade deadline this season and admits he was a bit shocked by the trade from Everett. “There’s always that worry for anybody in the league around that time of year. It was in the back of my mind a little bit,” Courtney said. “Obviously, they got a great player like Austin Roest in return—he’s a great teammate and leader—so it was a little surprising to me. But at the same time, these things happen. I was excited to be here and help this group as much as I can.”
Since arriving, Courtney has tallied five goals and two assists for seven points in 29 games. He scored his last goal on March 15 against the Kelowna Rockets when the Blazers rebranded as the Thompson Rivers Fighting Trout. After scoring, he pulled off a “fishing celly,” a celebratory gesture mimicking reeling in a fish, which caught the attention of Blazer Nation. “We scored two goals, and I didn’t see anybody do it, so I thought, ‘Alright, I might as well just do it.’ I felt like it was a pretty good night for it, so it was for sure a fun moment.”
Courtney had some familiarity with Kamloops thanks to Silvertips teammates and former Blazers Kaden Hammell and Rylan Pearce, both of whom were dealt to Everett in 2023 as part of the Olen Zellweger blockbuster trade. He was also friends with fellow Blazers teammate Oren Shtrom, someone he has relied upon since arriving in Kamloops. “Growing up, I played against Oren Shtrom here and played with him a bit in Everett, so I talked to him as I was driving up. Everything I heard about the organization before coming here was great, and it’s lived up to expectations. The culture, guys, staff, and fans—it’s everything you could ask for.”
Courtney lives with Shtrom and Blazers rearguard Ryan Michael and has become close with them since arriving. “I’ve made great friends here, and everyone has been really supportive.”
When it comes to leadership in the locker room, captain Emmitt Finnie and veteran Ryan Michael stand out. Both help keep the team close-knit, especially after tough losses. “We try to get together off the ice as much as we can, especially now that the weather’s nicer—playing pickleball, golf, and other stuff. The leadership group has done a great job, but Finnie and Michael have really stood out to me.”
When watching Courtney play, it’s clear he is a forward with an intense amount of energy and strong defensive awareness. A key to that is who he models his game after. “A big comparison for me growing up was Patrice Bergeron. I see myself as a two-way forward—responsible defensively, strong on faceoffs, and battling hard while also contributing offensively as much as I can.”
Throughout his four-year WHL career, Courtney has racked up 39 goals and 35 assists for 74 points in 227 games with the Blazers and Silvertips and now looks to further opportunities with Alaska.