Rink Hockey Academy scores big in Prospects Draft

The way Marty Murray sees it, the Brandon Wheat Kings essentially came away with the equivalent of two first-round picks from the Western Hockey League Prospect Draft last week.

The head coach and general manager of the Wheat Kings conceded that he and his scouting staff gave some consideration to choosing defenceman Marko Malbasa of St. Andrews 18th overall before ultimately going with forward Rylan Edwards in that spot.

Fortunately for the Wheat Kings, by the time they made their next selection in the second round at 42nd overall, Malbasa — who played for the Rink Hockey Academy U15 Prep program last season — was still available.

“We felt really lucky to get him where we did,” Murray said in a telephone interview on Monday afternoon. “Big body. Good character, being a captain. He does everything pretty well. He can play heavy and play defensive and he can provide some offence.”

Edwards, a Regina product who suited up with the Northern Alberta X-treme U15 Prep team last season, is expected to provide an element of offence when he makes the jump after producing 17 goals and 43 points in 28 games in the CCSHL last season.

“He makes those around him better,” said Murray. “He’s a good playmaker. He’s a competitive kid, a driven kid. That’s Rylan in a nutshell. He puts the work in.”

Malbasa was one of six of his players from the RHA U15 Prep team chosen in the Western Hockey League Prospects Draft last week.

Centre Easton Pitz of Virden was the first Manitoban off the board, going in the second round, 27th overall, to the Swift Current Broncos.

The other four members of RHAs U15 Prep team chosen were defencemen Brady Piec of Oakbank (fifth round, Tri-City Americans) and Jack Arseniuk of Winnipeg (seventh round, Saskatoon Blades) and forwards David Ring (13th round, Kelowna Rockets) and Declan Champagne (10th round, Penticton Vees), who are also from Winnipeg.

For the first time since 2020, there were no Manitobans chosen in the first round of the draft, a significant dropoff from last May when four players from were among the first 16 selections.

The volume of Manitobans chosen also decreased sharply, from 39 in 2025 to 15 this season, though part of that was due to the fact the WHL amalgamated the Prospects Draft with the U.S. Priority Draft for the first time in 2026.

But it’s important to remember that these things are cyclical and Brandon product Kale Nicol figures to be a high selection in the 2027 draft after an outstanding season with the Brandon Wheat Kings U15 AAA team that included 86 goals and 141 points in 32 games before adding 22 goals and 37 points in 12 games during the playoffs.

There was a Manitoba connection to forward Madden Daneault, who was chosen by the Kelowna Rockets with the first-overall pick in the 2026 draft. Daneault was born and raised in Red Deer, Alta., but his parents are from St. Jean Baptiste and his father Dan played for the Pembina Valley Hawks of the U18 Manitoba AAA League and later for the Winkler Flyers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

Rounding out the trio of Manitobans chosen in the second round was forward Nixon Gaudet of Ile-des-Chênes, who went 46th overall to the Kamloops Blazers.

Forward Brock Vodden of Manitou (third round, Edmonton Oil Kings), defenceman Braeden Gilbertson of Lorette (fourth round, Seattle Thunderbirds), forward Koen Braunberger of Winnipeg (fifth round, Calgary Hitmen), forward Reed Sherry of St. Malo (fifth round, Prince George Cougars), forward Alex Dyrland of Winnipeg (sixth round, Moose Jaw Warriors), defenceman Madden Atkinson of Swan River (sixth round, Red Deer Rebels), goalie Champ Vannus of Winnipeg (seventh round, Oil Kings), forward Liam Meier of Stonewall (eighth round, Silvertips) were also chosen on the second day of the draft.

The Wheat Kings made a total of nine selections over two days, adding one goalie, three defencemen and five forwards.

After getting Malbasa in the second round, the Wheat Kings chose forward Mason Corkish in the third, forward Austin Rideout in the fifth round, defenceman Nate Harrington in the sixth round, forward Lachlan Kisio in the seventh round, defenceman Lucas Seidel in the eighth round, goalie Kasen Nuttal and forward Wyatt Lowther in the ninth round.

The WHL championship final between the Everett Silvertips and Prince Albert Raiders is currently tied 1-1, as the best-of-seven series shifts to Saskatchewan for the next three games.

The winner of the series will represent the WHL at the Memorial Cup later this month, along with the host Kelowna Rockets.

There’s plenty of Manitoba content in the final, as Peguis First Nation’s Carter Bear — who scored a pair of goals in Game 2 to help the Silvertips even the series — defenceman Brek Liske (Beausejour); forwards Nolan Chastko (Brandon), Rylan Gould (Headingley) and Reid Nicol (Brandon); and goalie Raiden Legall (Morden) have suited up for Everett.

The Raiders playoff roster includes forward Brayden Dube (Roblin) — who has six goals and 18 points in 17 playoff games — and defenceman Hubert Clarke (Norway House).

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