143 WHL graduates listed on NHL opening day rosters
Calgary, AB – The Western Hockey League is proud to announce that 142 WHL Alumni are on National Hockey League opening day rosters for the start of the 2017-18 season.
The Vegas Golden Knights have the largest contingent of WHL Alumni on their opening night roster with nine players listed. The Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers each include eight WHL grads, with all 31 NHL Clubs boasting at least one former WHL player. The Chicago Blackhawks and New York Islanders each boast seven WHL graduates while the Vancouver Canucks start the season with six.
Included in the list are a pair of first round selections from the 2017 NHL Draft as Nolan Patrick and Kailer Yamamoto will make their debuts with the Flyers and Oilers respectively.
The Portland Winterhawks lead this year’s list of alumni on opening night rosters, contributing 18 players to this year’s list. The Kelowna Rockets narrowly edged the Brandon Wheat Kings by a 15-14 margin for players on opening night rosters. The Red Deer Rebels (12) and Calgary Hitmen (11) round out the top five contributors to the list.
Of the 142 WHL graduates listed on opening day rosters, 11 are currently on the injured reserve lists of NHL Clubs.
Below is the complete list of WHL Alumni who are on NHL opening day rosters for the 2017-18 season:
Anaheim Ducks (1)
Ryan Getzlaf, C – Calgary Hitmen
Arizona Coyotes (4)
Kevin Connauton, D – Vancouver Giants
Martin Hanzal, C – Red Deer Rebels
Jordan Martinook, LW – Vancouver Giants
Luke Schenn, D – Kelowna Rockets
Boston Bruins (5)
Brandon Carlo, D – Tri-City Americans
Zdeno Chara, D – Prince George Cougars
Jake DeBrusk, LW – Swift Current Broncos/Red Deer Rebels
Anton Khudobin, G – Saskatoon Blades
Paul Postma, D – Swift Current Broncos/Calgary Hitmen
Buffalo Sabres (4)
Justin Falk, D – Calgary Hitmen/Spokane Chiefs
Evander Kane, LW – Vancouver Giants
Sam Reinhart, C – Kootenay ICE
Josh Gorges, D – Kelowna Rockets
Calgary Flames (8)
Mikael Backlund, C – Kelowna Rockets
Troy Brouwer, RW – Moose Jaw Warriors
Michael Ferland, LW – Brandon Wheat Kings/Saskatoon Blades
Travis Hamonic, D – Moose Jaw Warriors/Brandon Wheat Kings
Brett Kulak, D – Vancouver Giants
Curtis Lazar, C – Edmonton Oil Kings
Michael Stone, D – Calgary Hitmen
Kris Versteeg, RW – Lethbridge Hurricanes/Kamloops Blazers/Red Deer Rebels
Carolina Hurricanes (4)
Haydn Fleury, D – Red Deer Rebels
Victor Rask, C – Calgary Hitmen
Derek Ryan, C – Spokane Chiefs
Cam Ward, G – Red Deer Rebels
Chicago Blackhawks (7)
Lance Bouma, LW – Vancouver Giants
Cody Franson, D – Vancouver Giants
Marian Hossa, RW – Portland Winterhawks
Duncan Keith, D – Kelowna Rockets
Jordin Tootoo, RW* – Brandon Wheat Kings
Michal Rozsival, D* – Swift Current Broncos
Brent Seabrook, D – Lethbridge Hurricanes
Colorado Avalanche (2)
Blake Comeau, LW – Kelowna Rockets
Tyson Barrie, D – Kelowna Rockets
Columbus Blue Jackets (5)
Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW – Portland Winterhawks
Matt Calvert, LW – Brandon Wheat Kings
Brandon Dubinsky, C – Portland Winterhawks
Ryan Murray, D – Everett Silvertips
Seth Jones, D – Portland Winterhawks
Dallas Stars (4)
Jamie Benn, LW – Kelowna Rockets
Adam Cracknell, RW – Kootenay ICE
Dan Hamhuis, D – Prince George Cougars
Julius Honka, D – Swift Current Broncos
Tyler Pitlick, C – Medicine Hat Tigers
Detroit Red Wings (2)
Mike Green, D – Saskatoon Blades
Darren Helm, LW – Medicine Hat Tigers
Edmonton Oilers (8)
Laurent Brossoit, G – Edmonton Oil Kings
Leon Draisaitl, C – Prince Albert Raiders/Kelowna Rockets
Jujhar Khaira, LW – Everett Silvertips
Milan Lucic, LW – Vancouver Giants
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C – Red Deer Rebels
Kris Russell, D – Medicine Hat Tigers
Ryan Stanton, D*– Moose Jaw Warriors
Kailer Yamamoto, RW – Spokane Chiefs
Florida Panthers (4)
Colton Sceviour, C – Portland Winterhawks/Lethbridge Hurricanes
Alexander Petrovic, D – Red Deer Rebels
Mark Pysyk, D – Edmonton Oil Kings
James Reimer, G – Red Deer Rebels
Los Angeles Kings (2)
Darcy Kuemper, G – Spokane Chiefs/Red Deer Rebels
Austin Wagner, LW* – Regina Pats
Minnesota Wild (5)
Tyler Ennis, LW – Medicine Hat Tigers
Devan Dubnyk, G – Kamloops Blazers
Matt Dumba, D – Red Deer Rebels/Portland Winterhawks
Nino Niederreiter, RW – Portland Winterhawks
Jared Spurgeon, D – Spokane Chiefs
Montreal Canadiens (8)
Karl Alzner, D – Calgary Hitmen
Brandon Davidson, D – Regina Pats
Brendan Gallagher, RW – Vancouver Giants
Noah Juulsen, D* – Everett Silvertips
Joe Morrow, D – Portland Winterhawks
Carey Price, G – Tri-City Americans
David Schlemko, D* – Medicine Hat Tigers
Shea Weber, D – Kelowna Rockets
Nashville Predators (4)
Scott Hartnell, LW – Prince Albert Raiders
Ryan Johansen, C – Portland Winterhawks
Cody McLeod, LW – Portland Winterhawks
Colton Sissons, C – Kelowna Rockets
New Jersey Devils (2)
Mirco Mueller, D – Everett Silvertips
Damon Severson, D – Kelowna Rockets
New York Islanders (7)
Matthew Barzal, C – Seattle Thunderbirds
Johnny Boychuk, D – Calgary Hitmen/Moose Jaw Warriors
Jason Chimera, LW – Medicine Hat Tigers/Brandon Wheat Kings
Jordan Eberle, RW – Regina Pats
Andrew Ladd, LW – Calgary Hitmen
Thomas Hickey, D – Seattle Thunderbirds
Ryan Pulock, D – Brandon Wheat Kings
New York Rangers (2)
Michael Grabner, RW – Spokane Chiefs
Nick Holden, D – Chilliwack Bruins
Ottawa Senators (5)
Clarke MacArthur, LW* – Medicine Hat Tigers
Dion Phaneuf, D – Red Deer Rebels
Zack Smith, RW – Swift Current Broncos
Mark Stone, RW – Brandon Wheat Kings
Nate Thompson, C – Seattle Thunderbirds
Philadelphia Flyers (8)
Radko Gudas, D – Everett Silvertips
Taylor Leier, LW – Portland Winterhawks
Nolan Patrick, C – Brandon Wheat Kings
Brandon Manning, D – Chilliwack Bruins
Ivan Provorov, D – Brandon Wheat Kings
Travis Sanheim, D – Calgary Hitmen
Jordan Weal, C – Regina Pats
Dale Weise, RW – Swift Current Broncos
Pittsburgh Penguins (1)
Ryan Reaves, RW – Brandon Wheat Kings
San Jose Sharks (4)
Rourke Chartier, C* – Kelowna Rockets
Brenden Dillon, D – Seattle Thunderbirds
Jannik Hansen, RW – Portland Winterhawks
Martin Jones, G – Calgary Hitmen
St. Louis Blues (5)
Jay Bouwmeester, D* – Medicine Hat Tigers
Kyle Brodziak, C – Moose Jaw Warriors
Joel Edmundson, D – Moose Jaw Warriors/Kamloops Blazers
Brayden Schenn, C – Brandon Wheat Kings/Saskatoon Blades
Scottie Upshall, RW – Kamloops Blazers
Tampa Bay Lightning (3)
Braydon Coburn, D – Portland Winterhawks
Tyler Johnson, C – Spokane Chiefs
Brayden Point, C – Moose Jaw Warriors
Toronto Maple Leafs (5)
Eric Fehr, C – Brandon Wheat Kings
Joffrey Lupul, LW* – Medicine Hat Tigers
Patrick Marleau, LW – Seattle Thunderbirds
Martin Marincin, D – Prince George Cougars/Regina Pats
Morgan Reilly, D – Moose Jaw Warriors
Vancouver Canucks (6)
Sven Baertschi, LW – Portland Winterhawks
Derek Dorsett, RW – Medicine Hat Tigers
Alexander Edler, D – Kelowna Rockets
Derrick Pouliot, D – Portland Winterhawks
Brandon Sutter, C – Red Deer Rebels
Jake Virtanen, RW – Calgary Hitmen
Vegas Golden Knights (9)
Reid Duke, C – Lethbridge Hurricanes/Brandon Wheat Kings
Cody Eakin, C – Swift Current Broncos/Kootenay ICE
Brendan Leipsic, LW – Portland Winterhawks
Deryk Engelland, D – Moose Jaw Warriors
Brayden McNabb, D – Kootenay ICE
Griffin Reinhart, D – Edmonton Oil Kings
Luca Sbisa, D – Lethbridge Hurricanes/Portland Winterhawks
Clayton Stoner, D* – Tri-City Americans
Calvin Pickard, G – Seattle Thunderbirds
Washington Capitals (3)
Brett Connolly, RW – Prince George Cougars
Braden Holtby, G – Saskatoon Blades
Chandler Stephenson, C – Regina Pats
Winnipeg Jets (5)
Adam Lowry, C – Swift Current Broncos
Nic Petan, LW – Portland Winterhawks
Dustin Byfuglien, D – Brandon Wheat Kings/Prince George Cougars
Josh Morrissey, D – Prince Albert Raiders/Kelowna Rockets
Tyler Myers, D – Kelowna Rockets
*Denotes player on injured reserve
