The 2024 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft took place earlier today and the Wheat Kings used their first round selection (14th overall) to draft forward Chase Surkan. Surkan spent the 2023/24 season with the Regina Pats Blues where he amassed an amazing 135 points in just 27 games played. With their second round pick, the team drafted Prabh Bhathal. Also a forward, Bhathal registered some huge numbers with the Winnipeg Thrashers U15 AAA White team; 119 points in 32 games. Overall, the Wheat Kings made ten selections today including Brandon products Easten Turko (forward) and Urijah Moosetail (goaltender). The complete list of Wheat King picks can be found here. 🏒🗳️THE PICK IS IN!🏒🗳️With our first pick in the 2024 Prospects Draft, brought to you by @WestobaCU, we are pleased to select forward Chase Surkan from the Regina Pats Blues! Chase scored 5 points per game in the Saskatchewan AA ranks last season! Welcome to Wheat City, Chase! pic.twitter.com/yu1K9jSGXi — Brandon Wheat Kings (@bdnwheatkings) May 9, 2024  

The 3rd and final weekend in the 32nd annual Source for Sports AAA Hockey Challenge wrapped up earlier today, with champions being crowned in three different divisions. 2011 Gold  Jack Bilanski scored a goal and added an assist to guide the Huskie Prospects to a 5-2 conquest over the Regina Titans at J and G Homes Arena on Sunday. Rounding out the scoring for the Huskie Prospects was Carter McKee, Brett Buczkowski, Carson Gutek, Carter Buczkowski chipping in with a goal each. Kacy Tuberfield added two assists. Goaltender Riley Kwasniuk turned aside 24 shots for the Huskie Prospects in the win. Cashing in for the Regina Titans was Alex Kowalyk and Jaeger Dutka each adding single tallies. Goaltender Liam Rogers made 31 saves in the loss for the Regina Titans. McKee deposited his first of the tournament into an empty net with 2:30 left in the third period to seal the win for the Huskie Prospects. 2011 Silver  Gabe Stretch scored a hat-trick as the Huskie Prospects extended its winning streak to six games with a 9-2 victory over the MB AllStars. Completing the scoring for for the Huskie Prospects was Wyatt Korpan with two goals, Tristan Stewart and Charlie Chilliak, Jack Aaro and Luke Urmson chipping in with singles. Stewart added four assists, Parker Rinas and Nixon Koscielski each added two assists. Goaltender Brayden Barkman turned aside 12 shots for the Huskie Prospects in the victory. Finding the back of the net for the MB AllStars was Andrew Abbott and Mason Mutcher chipping in with a goal each. Goaltender Nate Hawash made 32 saves in the loss for the MB AllStars. The loss snuffed out the MB AllStars' three-game winning streak. With the victory, the Huskie Prospects improved to 6-0-0-0 on the weekend while the MB AllStars fell to 4-2-0-0. 2009-2010 Division  Andrew Hemphill scored two goals and added an assist as the Element Aces extended its winning streak to five games with a 5-2 win over the Regina Storm at J and G Homes Arena on Sunday. Also scoring for the Element Aces was Jack Bell and Ross Gill and Austin Merkley each adding a goal. Goaltender Coen Windjack turned aside 24 shots for the Element Aces in the win. Striking for the Regina Storm was Miller Frankewitz and Rylan Boyd with a goal each. Goaltender Jasper Selinger made 27 saves in the loss for the Regina Storm.

Brandon's Cole Slobodian made his WHL debut with the Portland Winterhawks Monday evening in their 2-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars. With the win, the Winterhawks captured the WHL's Western Conference title. The undrafted Slobodian was added to the Winterhawks’ Protected List following the 2021 WHL Prospect Draft and officially signed with the WHL club on November 30, 2023. Prior to joining the Winterhawks for their current playoff run, The 2006 born Slobodian spent the 2023/24 season with the MJHL's Virden Oil Capitals where he registered 20 points in 53-regualr season games. He spent two seasons patrolling the blueline for the Brandon Wheat Kings U18 AAA squad. Welcome to the Western, Cole Slobodian! 🤝 The 18-year-old blueliner is set to make his @TheWHL debut tonight.#WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/26S2rMoF41 — Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) May 7, 2024 Slobo Solo! ☝️ Soak it in, 12! pic.twitter.com/QltExShgmx — Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) May 7, 2024

The second week of the annual Source for Sports AAA Hockey Challenge is the books. The weekend saw over 40 teams compete for titles in three different divisions. Week 3 of the tournament takes place May 2nd – 5th. All games are held in Brandon and free to attend. 2013 Gold Ezra Ellams scored four goals and added an assist as the Junior Maulers extended its winning streak to three games with a 8-4 triumph over the MB AllStars 2013 at J and G Homes Arena on Sunday. Capping off the scoring for the Junior Maulers was Ben Blenkin with two goals, Cooper Galandy and Lucas Railton contributing with a goal each. Knox Thompson added two assists. Goaltender Jaxon Rausch turned aside 21 shots for the Junior Maulers in the win. Sniping for the MB AllStars 2013 was Dryden Kuhl, Jackson Kippen, Reilly Cooke and Xavier Daneault each adding single tallies. Kuhl added two assists. Goaltender Nixon Schilke made 31 saves in the loss for the MB AllStars 2013. 2013 Silver Tanner Preteau scored a hat-trick as the Southeast Bruins extended its winning streak to four games with a 7-4 win over the Dead Horse HC at J and G Homes Arena on Sunday. Rounding out the scoring for the Southeast Bruins was Destin Champagne and Brady Hebel, Harlow Kosman and Bodhi Blatz chipping in with a goal each. Champagne, Niko Funk and Treyson Drzewiec each added two assists. Goaltender Zander Jowett turned aside 14 shots for the Southeast Bruins in the win. Striking for the Dead Horse HC was Ridley Sambrook, Ethan Rutter, Dane Yeomans and Dylan Peters with a goal each. Sambrook added two assists. Goaltender Ryder Huck made 29 saves in the loss for the Dead Horse HC. 2012 Gold Brendan Bourgoin scored two goals including his fourth goal of the tournament with 8:55 remaining in the third period and and added an assist as the Winnipeg Warriors extended their winning streak to five games with a 6-5 triumph over the Wheat City Wild at J and G Homes Arena on Sunday. Completing the scoring for for the Winnipeg Warriors was Dylan Matthews with two goals and Miles Coy and Max Turcotte chipping in with a goal each. Rowan Whitely added three assists. Goaltender Cruz Morin turned aside 37 shots for the Winnipeg Warriors in the victory. Finding the back of the net for the Wheat City Wild was Emmitt Bell and Mason Shorting McKay with a pair of goals each and Nolan Harris with a single tally. Bell and Ayden Mott each added two assists. Goaltender Owen Lindenberg made 23 saves in the loss for the Wheat City Wild.

The 2023-2024 CEHL U18 Player of the Year is Jaxon Jacobson of the @3Awheatkings ! The 2008 born forward recorded an incredible 136 points in 48 games, including 49 goals. He finished the regular season on a 14-game point streak, accumulating 47 points over that span. pic.twitter.com/GCAb6LwlWk — CEHL_u18 (@CEHL_u18) April 15, 2024