The Brandon Wheat Kings are proud to announce the hiring of Ryan White as Assistant Coach. Born and raised in Brandon, White came up through the local minor hockey system and led his Brandon AAA Wheat Kings to a gold medal at the 2004 Telus Cup national championship. He went on to play four seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Calgary Hitmen before the Montreal Canadiens selected him in the third round, 66th overall, of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Over a 13-year professional career, White appeared in 313 NHL games with the Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, Arizona Coyotes and Minnesota Wild, earning a reputation as a hard-working, high-energy forward and a respected teammate. “The Brandon Wheat Kings are excited to add Ryan White to our staff,” said Head Coach and General Manager Marty Murray. “Ryan carved out a career in the NHL by working extremely hard, having great energy, and being a team player. We feel Ryan will bring those same qualities as a coach. Ryan will have the ability to relate very well with our players and get the best out of them each day.” White joins the Wheat Kings from the Western Canada Hockey Academy in Brandon, where he has served as On-Ice Development Coach, known for his ability to inspire and mentor young athletes and for his dedication to player development. Before joining the Academy, White spent time as an assistant coach with the Winkler Flyers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, where he was part of the staff that captured the 2024 Turnbull Cup championship. “Ryan grew up right here in Brandon and has been developing young players in our community at the Academy,” said Wheat Kings owner Jared Jacobson. “We’re excited to add someone with his experience to our team, as a player who competed at the highest level and as a coach who has won a championship. He knows this city and what it means to represent it.” Off the ice, White is a devoted husband and father of three, and his passion for the game and love of teaching allow him to connect with players and foster both their athletic and personal growth. White joins the Wheat Kings coaching staff ahead of the 2026–27 WHL season.

The Brandon Wheat Kings have added two intriguing international prospects after making a pair of selections in the 2026 CHL Import Draft, bolstering both their forward group and defensive corps ahead of the 2026-27 Western Hockey League season. With the 45th overall pick, Brandon selected Kristof Muissu, a 6-foot-3 forward who brings an impressive combination of size, skill and professional experience. Muissu, who holds dual citizenship in Russia and the Republic of the Congo, is coming off an outstanding season in Russia's MHL, recording 39 goals and 64 points in 57 games. The 19-year-old has also appeared in 18 KHL games over the past two seasons, giving him valuable experience against professional competition. The Wheat Kings then addressed their blue line with the 106th overall selection, choosing Finnish defenceman Ilari Kapanen. The 19-year-old split last season between Sweden's junior ranks and Finland's top professional league, Liiga. Although injuries limited him to just 13 games, Kapanen has represented Finland internationally and is regarded as a mobile, skilled defenceman with the potential to make an immediate impact in North America. Brandon opted not to use its third and final selection in the draft. The 2026 CHL Import Draft featured updated rules allowing clubs to select 20-year-old import players in any round, providing teams with greater flexibility to add experienced international talent. The Wheat Kings believe they have done exactly that, adding a proven offensive threat in Muissu and an experienced European blueliner in Kapanen as they continue building toward what they hope will be a successful 2026-27 campaign. 2026-27 Schedule Released

The Brandon Wheat Kings saw two of their players take the next step toward professional hockey as goaltender Filip Ruzicka and defenceman Giorgos Pantelas were selected in the 2026 NHL Draft. Ruzicka was the first Wheat King off the board, with the Minnesota Wild selecting the towering Czech netminder in the fifth round, 137th overall. Standing 6-foot-8, Ruzicka quickly emerged as one of the top goaltending prospects in the Western Hockey League during his rookie campaign. His combination of size, athleticism and composure in the crease drew the attention of NHL scouts throughout the season. Later in the draft, the Los Angeles Kings selected Pantelas in the fifth round, 153rd overall. The Victoria, B.C., product established himself as one of Brandon's top defencemen, using his size, mobility and two-way play to become a key contributor on the Wheat Kings' blue line. The selections continue the Wheat Kings' long-standing tradition of developing NHL talent. Brandon has consistently produced professional players, and the selections of Ruzicka and Pantelas further reinforce the organization's reputation as one of the WHL's premier development programs.

The Brandon Wheat Kings have announced their pre-season schedule and home opener ahead of the 2026-27 Western Hockey League campaign. The Wheat Kings will play four exhibition games in September as they prepare for what is expected to be an exciting season. Brandon opens the pre-season at home on Sept. 4 when they host the Regina Pats at ACU Place. The two teams will meet again the following night, Sept. 5, in Regina. The Wheat Kings will then return home on Sept. 11 to face the Moose Jaw Warriors at ACU Place before wrapping up their exhibition schedule on Sept. 12 in Moose Jaw. Following the pre-season, the Wheat Kings will officially open the 2026-27 regular season on home ice on Friday, Sept. 18, when they welcome the Saskatoon Blades to ACU Place. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. in what will mark the club's home opener and the beginning of a new WHL campaign. The pre-season contests and home opener will provide fans with their first opportunity to see both returning veterans and newcomers in action as the Wheat Kings look to make an early statement in the new season. With hockey season just around the corner, excitement is already beginning to build in Brandon for what promises to be a memorable 2026-27 campaign.

Former Brandon Wheat Kings captain Ryan Craig has reached another milestone in his hockey journey, earning one of the most coveted jobs in the sport after being named head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. Craig becomes the fifth head coach in franchise history and takes over a team that is coming off a remarkable run to the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. The promotion comes after the Golden Knights announced that veteran coach John Tortorella would not return behind the bench next season. For hockey fans in Brandon, Craig’s appointment carries special significance. The Abbotsford, B.C., product captained the Wheat Kings from 2001 to 2003 and developed a strong relationship with current Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon, who drafted him to Brandon during his tenure with the Western Hockey League club. That connection has now come full circle, with McCrimmon handing Craig his first NHL head coaching opportunity. After retiring as a player in 2017, Craig joined the Golden Knights organization during its inaugural season as an assistant coach. He spent six seasons on the NHL staff before being named head coach of the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights in 2023. Under his leadership, Henderson enjoyed a franchise-best regular season in 2025-26 and secured a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs. The 44-year-old has built his entire coaching career within the Golden Knights organization, making him a familiar and trusted choice to guide one of the NHL’s top contenders. His promotion also reflects the organization’s commitment to continuity after nearly a decade of success. Craig’s rise from Wheat Kings captain to NHL head coach is another proud chapter for Brandon’s hockey history. He joins a distinguished list of Wheat Kings alumni who have gone on to make significant impacts at the professional level, and his appointment further highlights the organization’s reputation for developing future hockey leaders. As Craig prepares for his first season behind an NHL bench, Wheat Kings fans will undoubtedly be watching closely as one of their former captains takes the reins of a Stanley Cup contender.