Brandon, MB – The Brandon Wheat Kings have dealt American born 19-year old Defenceman Chase Hartje to the Kootenay Ice for a third round draft choice (via Red Deer) in this year’s WHL Bantam Draft. A Bemidji, Minnesota native, Hartje has four goals and 12 points in 35 games for the Wheat Kings this season. In 93 career games Hartje has 37 points for the Wheat Kings and Moose Jaw Warriors combined. Hartje was originally acquired by the Wheat Kings at last year’s deadline in the deal that saw Kale Clague go to Moose Jaw. Yesterday Brandon acquired overage Defenceman Braydyn Chizen and a 5th round pick from the Kelowna Rockets. Chizen is expended to be in the Wheat Kings lineup against the Red Deer Rebels at Westoba Place tomorrow night.

The AAA Midget Wheat Kings have made various personnel changes over the past 24 hours.  Former coach Ken Schneider will return to the team today as they travel to Dauphin to play Parkland this evening.  Also returning in an assistant coaching role will be alumni member Curtis Broland. The Wheat Kings are currently in 3rd place in the Manitoba AAA Midget League behind the Thrashers and Wild. No official comment has come from the AAA Midget board at this time. (Ken Schneider / photo courtesy of Dustin Schneider)

Brandon, MB. – On the eve of the Western Hockey League Trade Deadline, the Brandon Wheat Kings have dealt Defenceman Schael Higson to the Kelowna Rockets in exchange for Defenceman Braydyn Chizen and a fifth round draft choice in the 2019 Bantam Draft. A four year WHL veteran, the 20-year old Chizen comes to Brandon having played 227 games, including sixteen in the playoffs. The 6’7” 207 lb. St. Albert product has eleven goals, 34 points and 233 penalty minutes in 211 career games with the Rockets. “Braydyn is a big bodied right shot Defenceman with over 200 games of experience in this league” said Wheat Kings General Manager Grant Armstrong. “We look forward to adding him to our lineup as soon as Friday Night.” Chizen was a seventh round selection of the National Hockey League’s Minnesota Wild in 2016. Higson meanwhile is in his fifth and final season in the WHL, having played for both Brandon and Saskatoon. In 20 games this season, he had three goals and 17 points. The Wheat Kings next action comes Friday night when the Red Deer Rebels pay a visit to Westoba Place. The WHL Trade Deadline is 4pm (Manitoba time) Thursday.

Long-time Hockey Brandon volunteer Glen Parker will serve as the honourary chairperson for the 50th Anniversary edition of the A & W Tournament of Champions next month. Parker’s affiliation with the Tournament of Champions goes all the way back to the first two events in 1970 and 1971, when he participated as a player with the Brandon team in the Bantam (13U) Division in 1970 and the Brandon UCT team in the Bantam A Division in 1971. More recently, Parker spent 17 years as President of Hockey Brandon from 1996 to 2013, during which Hockey Brandon took over operation of the Tournament of Champions from the City of Brandon (2001). In addition, Parker coached 24 youth teams over the years, has served as an on-ice official for almost 20 years, and was a Hockey Manitoba Director. He continues to serve on the executive as the Brandon representative on Hockey Manitoba’s Minor Council while also representing the Riverview Ward on Brandon City Council. The 50th edition of the A & W Tournament of Champions will take place February 7-10 and February 15-17, 2019. Many special events are planned to recognize the Golden anniversary of the event including a special reception to be held on Friday, February 8th at the Keystone Centre. Further details about the reception and other events associated with the 50th anniversary will be announced at a later date.

The Wheat City Whiskey Jacks, the latest addition to the summer-collegiate Expedition League, released their 2019 schedule earlier today.  The team opens the season on the road in Minot on May 24th against the Souris Valley Sabre Dogs.  The team's home opener has been scheduled several days later, on the 28th, against the same Sabre Dogs club.  The ten team league features franchisees in South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming.  Each team plays a 64-game regular season schedule. Wheat City Whiskey Jacks home games will be played at Andrews Field located at 2000 Hilton Avenue in Brandon.  Information on acquiring tickets for the 2019 season will be released shortly.