The Brandon Wheat Kings are bringing back a familiar face while adding another international prospect to their roster for the 2026-27 Western Hockey League season. Goaltender Filip Ruzicka is set to return to Brandon and rejoin the Wheat Kings after signing with the Minnesota Wild earlier this summer. The Czech netminder was a key part of Brandon's crease last season and will provide the Wheat Kings with valuable experience between the pipes. Ruzicka's return comes after he was selected by the Wild in the 2026 NHL Draft. He was one of the top goaltenders in the WHL last season and played a major role in Brandon's success. The Wheat Kings also announced that forward Kris Muissu has signed his WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement and will be coming to Brandon. Muissu was selected by Brandon in the 2026 CHL Import Draft and is expected to add skill, size and depth to the Wheat Kings' forward group. The international prospect joins a Brandon team that continues to build its roster for the upcoming season. The return of Ruzicka, combined with the arrival of Muissu, gives Brandon two significant additions as the Wheat Kings prepare for the 2026-27 campaign. With a mix of returning veterans, young prospects and new international talent, the Wheat Kings continue to shape a roster that will look to build on last season's success.

Former Brandon Wheat King Matt Calvert is taking the next step in his hockey career, joining the Nashville Predators as a forward development coach. The Nashville organization announced Calvert’s hiring on July 17, adding the former NHL forward to its player development staff. Calvert, a Brandon native, played for the Wheat Kings from 2005 to 2009. During his time in Brandon, he appeared in 236 regular-season games, recording 94 goals and 105 assists for 199 points. He also suited up in 39 playoff games with the Wheat Kings, collecting 30 points. The 36-year-old went on to play 566 games in the National Hockey League with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers, recording 149 goals and 141 assists for 290 points. Calvert’s NHL career included a memorable run with Columbus, where he became known for his energetic style of play and willingness to contribute in all areas of the game. He also helped the Blue Jackets reach the playoffs on multiple occasions. Welcome to Smashville, Matt 👋 We've hired Matt Calvert as Forward Development Coach. Full details » https://t.co/tuRukhG7w7 pic.twitter.com/3KAW1cUc5J — Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) July 17, 2026 Now, Calvert will focus on helping develop the next generation of Predators forwards. His new role will see him work with Nashville’s players and prospects, helping them improve their skills and prepare for the demands of professional hockey. Calvert becomes the latest former Wheat King to move into a player development or coaching role following a successful professional playing career. His experience as a former NHL forward is expected to provide valuable insight to Nashville’s young players.

Brandon Wheat Kings netminder Filip Ruzicka recently signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild. The 6-foot-8, 230-pound goalie was selected by the Wild with the 137th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo, N.Y. The Wheat Kings also announced that Finnish defenseman Ilari Kapanen has signed with the club. Athens Shingoose, from Waywayseecappo, was invited to attend Canada's U17 development camp taking place this weekend in Oakville, Ontario. Shingoose was drafted by the Prince Albert Raiders in 2025 and played his rookie season with RHA Winnipeg U18 Prep in 2025-26. Brandon's Reid Nicol was also invited to the camp. CWE will hold a wrestling show, featuring WWE/NXT Star Trevor Lee, this Sunday the 19th at Houston's in Brandon. Time: VIP/Meet & Greet 5pm, Doors Open 5:30pm, Bell time 6pm.

Women's hockey in Manitoba is taking a major step forward this fall with the launch of the new Manitoba Senior Women's Hockey League (MSWHL), providing adult players with a long-awaited opportunity to continue playing competitive hockey after their junior, college and university careers. League organizers are partnering with the successful Saskatchewan Senior Women's Hockey League, hoping to build on a model that has already proven successful while creating new opportunities for female athletes across Manitoba. The inaugural season will feature eight teams from across the province, split evenly between East and West divisions. In the West Division, teams will include the Southwestern Falcons (Birtle/Foxwarren), Wheat City Wild (Brandon), Pembina Valley Storm (Swan Lake), and the newly approved Westman Wranglers, who are expected to call either Hartney or Souris home. One of the goals on the league is to provide women with the same type of competitive senior hockey opportunities that have long been available to men. "All the women who are working together to create the Manitoba Senior Women's Hockey League are excited to be bringing the same opportunity to women in Manitoba," a representative of the Westman Wranglers told bdnmb.ca. The regular season will consist of 12 games for each team, with six home and six away contests. Exhibition games are scheduled for late September ahead of the league's October opening, with the regular season running through late January. Playoffs will begin in February. To help ensure teams have enough players during the league's inaugural campaign, each club will be permitted to carry an unlimited roster. The league is open to all women aged 18 and older, although organizers anticipate many players will be those returning home after playing university or college hockey and looking for a chance to continue competing at a high level. The MSWHL will adopt several rules used by the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), including jailbreak goals, hybrid icing and the PWHL's point system, awarding three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime victory and one for an overtime loss. In another unique feature borrowed from the PWHL, the top-seeded team at the conclusion of the regular season will have the opportunity to choose its first-round playoff opponent. All playoff rounds will be played as best-of-three series. League organizers also have plans to showcase the province's top talent through an East versus West all-star game. From that event, Team Manitoba will be selected to compete against all-star teams from Alberta and Saskatchewan. For local hockey fans, the addition of the Westman Wranglers marks an exciting development for southwest Manitoba. The team received official approval to join the league this week and has already generated strong interest from players throughout the region, including Melita, Boissevain, Rivers and numerous surrounding communities. "Our goal was to cover as much of Southwest Manitoba as possible and allow the opportunity for everyone to have a team that is in close driving proximity," the representative said. Behind the scenes, team captains across the league have already begun organizing everything from securing arenas and sponsorships to recruiting players and designing team jerseys. Women interested in joining one of the inaugural teams are encouraged to contact the respective team organizers. The Westman Wranglers can be reached by email at westmanwranglers@gmail.com. Prospective players can also contact the Southwestern Falcons at southwesternfalcons@gmail.com, while the Wheat City Wild and Pembina Valley Storm can be reached through their Instagram pages, @wheatcitywildhockey and @pembinavalleystorm. With its first puck drop only months away, organizers believe the Manitoba Senior Women's Hockey League will provide a lasting home for competitive women's hockey while helping grow the game throughout the province for years to come.

 The Brandon Wheat Kings are proud to announce the hiring of Aaron Rome as Assistant Coach. A product of Nesbitt, Manitoba, just south of Brandon, Rome played more than 300 games on the blue line in the Western Hockey League with Saskatoon, Kootenay, Swift Current and Moose Jaw, earning WHL East Second All-Star Team honours in 2003–04 before the Los Angeles Kings selected him in the fourth round, 104th overall, of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Over an 11-year professional career, Rome appeared in 226 NHL games with the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars, and was part of Anaheim’s 2007 Stanley Cup championship organization. A steady, hard-nosed defenceman, he built his career on strong positioning, physical play and a team-first approach. “Aaron is a great addition to our coaching staff,” said Head Coach and General Manager Marty Murray. “Aaron will work closely with our D on an everyday basis, both on and off the ice. Aaron played the position at the highest level, has coaching experience and will be a valuable asset to our group.” Rome is a familiar face within the organization. He previously spent three seasons as a skills coach with the Wheat Kings and currently serves as Head Coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings U17 AAA program, where he has helped develop many of the region’s top young players. “Aaron has been part of the Wheat Kings family for years, and we’ve seen firsthand the impact he has on up and coming defenseman,” said Wheat Kings owner Jared Jacobson. “Adding someone who has played the game at the highest level and knows our program inside and out makes our staff stronger. We’re excited to have him behind our bench.” Rome and his wife Adrianne make their home in Brandon with their two children, Grayson and Logan. Rome joins the Wheat Kings coaching staff ahead of the 2026–27 WHL season.