The Brandon Wheat Kings have added a proven Western Hockey League forward, acquiring Aiden Foster from the Prince George Cougars in a deal announced Friday, Oct. 16. Foster, who grew up in Prince George, heads to Brandon in exchange for four WHL Prospects Draft picks. The Cougars will receive a third-round selection in 2028, a conditional first-round pick and a sixth-round pick in 2029, along with a fourth-round selection in 2030. The forward has built a strong résumé during his time with the Cougars, appearing in 203 regular-season games and recording 33 goals and 34 assists for 67 points. He also played in 32 playoff games and helped Prince George capture the B.C. Division Championship during the 2023-24 season. Foster was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL Draft, adding NHL-drafted talent to the Wheat Kings' lineup. Prince George general manager and head coach Mark Lamb described the move as a difficult decision, noting Foster's connection to the community and his contributions to the team's success. The acquisition gives Brandon another experienced forward as the Wheat Kings continue their 2026-27 WHL campaign.

After a 14-year absence, senior hockey is returning to Oak Lake. The Oak Lake Icemen are back, with the team preparing to hit the ice once again as members of the Tiger Hills Hockey League. The comeback has been years in the making, with rumours of a return circulating in the community for the past couple of years. It wasn't until this summer, however, that Terrence Crampain and Riley Hall decided to explore what it would take to bring the Icemen back. Tammy Hall, the team's manager, reached out to the president and vice-president of the Tiger Hills Hockey League to discuss the possibility and determine what needed to be done to rejoin the league. Crampain, Riley Hall and Tammy Hall subsequently attended the league's September meeting, where they presented their plans to the board and league members. A vote was held, and the Icemen were approved to rejoin the league. "That's when the hard work of getting everything up and running really began," Hall said. Crampain and Riley Hall have been busy seeking sponsors and donations to help cover the team's startup costs, including the purchase of new jerseys. "It has really been a group effort to get the Icemen back on the ice," Hall said. The Oak Lake Icemen last competed during the 2011-12 season, meaning the community has gone 14 years without a senior hockey team. With the return now official, attention quickly turned to assembling a roster. Crampain began reaching out to players he knew and worked on putting together a roster as soon as the possibility of a comeback was discussed during the summer. Once the team received league approval, players were able to make more definite commitments. Hall said the response from players has been encouraging. "It has been great to see the interest from players who are excited about bringing senior hockey back to Oak Lake," she said. While the team is eager to compete, Hall said the Icemen's biggest strength heading into their first season back may be the enthusiasm surrounding the program. "One of our biggest strengths is the excitement and commitment from the players and everyone involved in bringing the Icemen back," she said. "We have a group of people who are genuinely excited to be playing hockey in Oak Lake again, and we think that enthusiasm will carry over onto the ice." For the Icemen, the first season back isn't necessarily about setting lofty expectations. Instead, the organization wants to enjoy the opportunity to play the game and rebuild the team as part of the community. "Our biggest goal is simply to get back on the ice and have fun playing a sport we all love," Hall said. After more than a decade away, the team is also looking forward to playing in front of hometown fans once again. "We want to enjoy the opportunity to play in front of our hometown fans, build the team back up and make the Icemen a part of the community again," Hall said. The return of senior hockey is expected to provide another opportunity for residents to gather and support a local team, while also giving younger hockey fans a chance to watch senior players compete in their hometown. "Hockey is a big part of the community in Oak Lake," Hall said. "I think having the senior team back will also give the younger generation something local to watch and players to cheer for." Hall said the response from the community has already been positive, with residents expressing excitement about seeing the Icemen return. After years of discussion and months of preparation, the organization is now ready to begin a new chapter. "We are really excited to bring the Icemen back to Oak Lake," Hall said. "A lot of work has gone into getting the team up and running, and we really appreciate everyone who has helped us along the way, especially our sponsors, donors, players and volunteers." The Icemen are looking forward to representing Oak Lake once again and, after a 14-year wait, creating new memories both on and off the ice. "We are looking forward to getting back on the ice, representing Oak Lake and hopefully creating some great memories for the players and the community," Hall said.

The Brandon Wheat Kings have brought a familiar face home, acquiring defenceman Cole Slobodian from the Portland Winterhawks in a trade announced Thursday. The 20-year-old Brandon product was acquired in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2028 WHL Prospects Draft and a third-round selection in 2030. Slobodian, a 6-foot-2, 198-pound left-shot defenceman, has 128 games of WHL experience with Portland, recording 22 points on two goals and 20 assists. He has also appeared in 27 WHL playoff games. The move adds veteran experience and size to a young Wheat Kings blue line. Head coach and general manager Marty Murray said Slobodian has established himself as a defence-first player who can handle difficult matchups and heavy minutes. The Brandon native previously played two seasons with the U18 AAA Wheat Kings before moving on to the Virden Oil Capitals and eventually Portland. Slobodian joins the Wheat Kings while the club is on a six-game road trip through the B.C. Division and is expected to make his Brandon debut Friday against the Prince George Cougars.

Competitive women’s hockey is returning to the ice in Brandon in a big way this fall as the Wheat City Wild prepare to take part in the inaugural Manitoba Senior Women’s Hockey League (MSWHL) season. The new league will feature six Manitoba clubs — the Westman Wranglers, Pembina Valley Storm, Southwestern Manitoba Falcons, Wheat City Wild, Southeast Silvertpis, and Central Plains Cougars — providing women across the province with an opportunity to continue playing competitive hockey beyond the traditional university and college levels.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by CSWHL (@cdnswhl) For the Wheat City Wild, the excitement surrounding the new league extends well beyond simply playing games. “We are all excited to play competitive hockey again and to be part of a team again,” said Amy Lee, speaking on behalf of the Wild’s leadership group. “We will be travelling across the province to play every weekend: road trips, team bonding, good hockey… all of it is incredibly exciting for our team!” The Wild roster has largely come together through word of mouth, with players reaching out to other players who might be interested in returning to competitive hockey. That process quickly demonstrated there was considerable interest in Brandon. “Brandon-area proved to have more than a full team worth of players interested,” Lee said. “We are looking for ways to incorporate more players into our team and league.” The roster will feature a wide range of ages and hockey backgrounds, something Lee believes could become one of the team's greatest strengths. The Wild have players coming directly from college and university hockey, while others have spent years involved in the sport as players, coaches, officials and hockey parents. “Something I am proud of is the diversity of our team in terms of age and experience,” Lee said. “There is so much hockey knowledge and experience on our roster.” That mixture of experience and youth is expected to provide both energy and depth as the Wild take on teams from across Manitoba. While winning will naturally be part of the competitive motivation, the Wild are also focused on building a positive environment away from the rink. Off the ice, the team plans to work out and practice together while becoming positive influences within the female hockey community. On the ice, Lee said the players are excited about having an opportunity to continue developing their skills in a more competitive environment. “Having a more competitive league means a chance to continue improving as a player and the opportunity to continue learning the game,” she said. The response from players throughout the area has also been encouraging. As word of the new league spread through social media and personal connections, more women expressed an interest in joining teams. The MSWHL clubs have been working together to share the names of interested players as teams fill remaining roster spots and develop affiliate-player lists. The Wild also plan to host monthly scrimmages, creating additional opportunities for women to get on the ice and make connections within the hockey community. For fans, Wild home games are expected to offer more than just a night of hockey.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Wheatcitywildhockey (@wheatcitywildhockey) The team hopes to incorporate younger female hockey players into its home-game experience, potentially featuring mini-games between periods. While details have yet to be finalized, the goal is to make Wild games a celebration of women's hockey. “Good hockey, good playlists, and good vibes!” Lee said. For the players, however, the importance of the new league goes far beyond competition. Lee believes having a place for women to continue playing competitive hockey has been a missing piece in the Brandon-area hockey landscape. The league's formation comes at a time of significant growth and visibility for women's hockey, highlighted by the continued development of professional women's hockey and the international spotlight provided by the Olympics. The Wild hope that momentum will encourage women to remain involved in the sport for longer while creating new opportunities for friendship, teamwork and community involvement. Lee also pointed to the diverse backgrounds of the women on the Wild roster, including law enforcement officers, paramedics, physiotherapists, business owners, lawyers, teachers, health-care professionals and students. Many are also mothers, volunteers and community coaches. “These women will all be working together, networking, growing connections — it is an amazing opportunity to improve our greater community as a whole,” Lee said. The Wild are also grateful to organizers from the Saskatchewan Senior Women’s Hockey League who have helped facilitate the expansion of senior women's hockey and the development of a broader Canadian women's senior hockey structure involving Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. For Brandon, the arrival of the Wheat City Wild represents an opportunity to put more local women back on the ice — and potentially inspire the next generation to stay there. “We hope that this league keeps women in skates longer and keeps teamwork and community growing in our city,” Lee said. The Wheat City Wild can be followed on social media at @wheatcitywildhockey. Information about the Manitoba Senior Women’s Hockey League is available through @mbseniorwhl, while the broader Canadian senior women's hockey initiative can be followed at @cdnswhl.

Brandon officially welcomed a major new addition to its sports and recreation landscape Friday with the opening of the Canada Packers Sports Complex. The official opening marks the next chapter for the multi-field outdoor sports facility in northeast Brandon, which was formerly known as the Maple Leaf Foods Sports Complex before being renamed Canada Packers Sports Complex by the City of Brandon. The new complex is expected to provide a significant boost to Brandon's ability to host local, provincial and national sporting events, while also providing additional opportunities for community sport and recreation. The facility has already attracted attention beyond Brandon. Earlier this week, Brandon University announced that the Canada Packers Sports Complex will serve as the host venue for the 2027 CCAA Men's Soccer National Championship, scheduled for November 10 to 13, 2027. The tournament will mark the first time Brandon hosts a CCAA national soccer championship. The opening also comes as Brandon and communities throughout Western Manitoba continue to expand opportunities for organized sport. The complex adds another major outdoor venue to a city that already hosts a wide range of sporting activities and tournaments. The facility's location and multiple playing surfaces are expected to make it particularly attractive for tournaments, allowing Brandon to welcome visiting teams and spectators while showcasing the city as a regional sporting destination. The opening of the Canada Packers Sports Complex also comes during a year when sport is receiving increased attention nationally, with the federal government describing 2026 as Canada's Year of Sport and announcing major investments aimed at increasing participation and improving sporting infrastructure. For Brandon, the official opening represents more than the completion of another recreational facility. It provides the Wheat City with a new venue capable of bringing athletes, families and visitors together — and could help establish Brandon as an even more prominent destination for sporting events in the years ahead.