The Western Hockey League begins their post-season this week and there could be a few players from the Peace and Mackenzie regions who make a name for themselves.
We’re going to look at some of the local players currently on WHL rosters of the teams that made the playoffs, the seasons they’ve had and who they’ll be up against in the first round.
Zackary Shantz – Everett Silvertips – Sucker Creek
A 20 year old from Sucker Creek, Zackary Shantz has become well traveled already around the WHL. He’s played a total of 213 games over the past few seasons with stints in Prince George and Regina before ending up in Everett last season. He set career highs for him in the WHL with 27 goals and 28 assists for 65 points this season. Shantz is on a very deep team that finished with the league’s best record in the regular season. There were also first overall last year, but were upset in the second round with a game 7 loss against Portland. Shantz had just 6 points in 13 playoff games last year in Everett, so look for that production to increase this year with the Silvertips being one of the championship favourites. They’re getting a rematch with the Winterhawks in the opening round. Portland finished just two points ahead of Victoria for the last playoff spot in the western conference.
Easton Doran – Edmonton Oil Kings – Falher
He just made his WHL debut near the end of the regular season, also just celebrated his 17th birthday and he just signed a WHL Scholarship and Development agreement with the Oil Kings. Edmonton originally drafted Doran in the 9th round of the WHL draft in 2024. He spent most of this season with Northern Alberta Xtreme U18 Prep program where he scored 28 points in 23 games and also appeared in five games with the Grande Prairie Storm of the AJHL. Doran may not get too much action in the playoffs as the Oil Kings have several veterans on their lineup that enters the playoffs as the number 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. Edmonton is up against the 6 seed Saskatoon Blades in the first round. The Oil Kings are also the last WHL team to win the Memorial Cup for the national championship which they did in 2014.
Logan Lanti – Kamloops Blazers – High Level
Teagen Bouchard – Kamloops Blazers – Falher
We’ve got a two-fer from the Kamloops Blazers in a pair of younger players. First up is Lanti, a 17 year old from High Level who appeared in 37 games with the Blazers scoring just three points. Meanwhile the 16 year old Bouchard appeared in three games with the Blazers after they took him in the first round of the draft last year. Bouchard spent most of the season with the Northern Alberta Xtreme U18 Prep program where he had 35 points in 25 games. Both Lanti and Bouchard are younger players on another team with a number of veterans. The Blazers are the number 5 seed in the Western Conference and draw an interesting opponent in the opening round in the Kelowna Rockets. Kelowna is the host team for the Memorial Cup this season, so you know they’ll be under some pressure to make a deep run.
Keets Fawcett – Regina Pats – Grimshaw
Another well traveled player in the WHL, the 20 year old from Grimshaw has 184 career WHL games split between Calgary and Regina. This season saw Fawcett lead the Pats with a 30 goal season and also had a WHL career high of 59 points. The Pats are the number 7 seed in the Eastern Conference but have a really tough draw in the opening round as they’ll be facing the Medicine Hat Tigers. Medicine Hat is the defending WHL champions and despite losing some big name players, didn’t miss a beat as they were the highest scoring team in the WHL this season.
– Kyle Moore, Trending 55 Newsroom
