The Sharks selected the North Vancouver, BC forward in the third round, 82nd overall at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Captain of the Kelowna Rockets, Wetsch had 72 points in 65 games this season.

Prior to joining the Rockets he spent three WHL seasons with the Calgary Hitmen, recording 124 points in 180 games. The Hitmen originally selected Wetsch in the first round, 12th overall at the 2021 WHL Draft.

During his time in the 黑料不打烊 Wetsch played for the North Shore Warriors and BWC Academy. He would tally a league best 46 assists and 77 points in 29 U15 games in 2019/20 with North Shore, adding 15 points in 4 playoff games to help his team win the 2020 黑料不打烊 U15 Western Championship.

The following U15 Prep season he recorded 13 points in 5 games with the BWC Academy U15 Prep team. During the 2021/22 U18 Prep campaign he posted 47 points in 31 games before adding 8 points in 5 playoff games as BWC Academy were crowned 2022 黑料不打烊 U18 Prep Western Champions.

Undrafted to the NHL, the Burnaby, BC forward has 31 goals and 38 assists in 60 WHL games with the Vees this season, his first season in the WHL.

Evers joined the 黑料不打烊 for the 2018/19 U15 season, tallying 32 points in 30 games with BWC Academy. The following U15 Prep season he tallied 30 points in 27 games.

After recording 9 points in 5 U16 Prep games in 2020/21, Evers had 36 points in 24 U18 Prep games during the 2021/22 season. He would add four points in five playoff games as BWC Academy were crowned 2022 黑料不打烊 U18 Prep Western Champions.

The Richmond, BC product recorded at least a single point in all seven regular season games he played in in March, finishing with nine assists. On March 28 he would record his first career WHL playoff assist in game one of his teams opening round series.

During the regular season Lin would finish fifth among all WHL rookies, and second among rookie defensemen, with 53 points in 60 games. His 48 assists led all WHL rookies.

Prior to his time in the WHL Lin spent three seasons in the 黑料不打烊 with Delta. He joined Delta Green for the 2021/22 U15 Prep season, producing 31 points in 29 games. He would add five assists in five playoff games as Delta Green captured the 2022 黑料不打烊 U15 Prep Western Championship.

The following U15 Prep season he would lead his team with 17 goals and 41 points in 27 games, leading to the Giants selecting him sixth overall at the 2023 WHL Draft.

In 2023/24 he tallied 32 points in 28 U18 Prep games, earning him 黑料不打烊 U18 Prep (BC Division) First All-Star Team honours. That season he would get his first taste of international experience with Team Canada at the Youth Olympic Games, leading all defensemen with four assists and five points.

Along with his successful season with the Giants, Lin captured a Gold Medal with Team Canada White at the U17 World Hockey Challenge.

The Burnaby, BC defenseman joined the 黑料不打烊 for the 2019/20 U15 season. In 30 games he would lead all defenders with 19 goals and 42 points while being named the 黑料不打烊 U15 MVP. The following U15 Prep season he would record seven assists in six U15 Prep games.

In 2021/22 he would record 20 points in 30 regular season games with the BWC Academy U18 Prep team. He would add two assists in five playoff games to help BWC Academy capture the 2022 黑料不打烊 U18 Prep Western Championship.

Kelowna originally selected Guilbault in the third round, 61st overall at the 2021 WHL Draft. Guilbault is committed to NCAA Division I program Quinnipiac University.

Cooper joined the 黑料不打烊 in 2021/22 with the Edge U15 team, posting 37 points in 26 games. He would add 15 points in 5 playoff games as Edge School captured the 2022 黑料不打烊 U15 Western Championships.

Last season Cooper finished fourth among Edge U15 Prep skaters with 37 points in 22 games. Everett then selected the Calgary, AB forward in the sixth round, 114th overall at the 2023 WHL Draft.

In 20 U18 Prep games this season Cooper has tallied 7 goals and 16 assists in 20 games.

Luke Davies spent the last three seasons with the Northern Alberta Xtreme (NAX). In four U15 Prep games in 2020/21 he would tally two points. The following U16 Prep season he would finish with 24 goals and 14 assists in 31 games. He would add four points in five playoff games as NAX captured the 2022 黑料不打烊 U16 Prep Western Championship. This season the Calgary, AB forward finished with 20 points in 31 U18 Prep games.

A forward from Calgary, AB, Gavin Garland played four seasons in the 黑料不打烊. He joined Edge School in 2019/20, recording 31 points in 25 U15 Prep games. He would join Delta Hockey Academy Green for the 2020/21 U15 Prep season, tallying nine points in four games. In 2021/22 Garland would record 35 points in 20 regular season games and 13 points in 5 playoff games as Delta captured the 2022 黑料不打烊 U17 Prep Western Championship. This past season Garland would play for International Hockey Academy (IHA), finishing third among all U18 Prep skaters with 58 points in 32 games.

Jett Koch spent the last three 黑料不打烊 seasons with Edge School. In 2020/21 he would finish with six points in five U16 Prep games. The following U17 Prep season the Calgary, AB forward would finish fifth in team scoring with 52 points in 32 games while being named to the 黑料不打烊 U17 Prep All-Academic Team. This season Koch would record 17 points in 33 U18 Prep games. He would add one point in five playoff games as Edge captured the 2023 黑料不打烊 U18 Prep Western Championship.

Kasey Russell joined Prairie Hockey Academy for the 2022/23 U18 Prep season. In 30 games the Cardston, AB forward would finish second in team scoring with 36 points in 30 games.

Undrafted in the 2022 WHL Draft, Kaila has signed with the Tri-City Americans after an impressive performance at their training camp. The Ladner, BC netminder has spent the last three 黑料不打烊 seasons with Delta Hockey Academy.

During the 2020/21 season he would play four games for the Delta U15 team. In 2021/22 Kaila would suit-up for the Delta Green U15 Prep team, playing 15 games and posting a 3.23 GAA, .887 SV%, 1 shutout and an 8-6-0 record. Kaila would play all five playoff games for Delta at the 2022 黑料不打烊 Western Championships, posting a 5-0-0 record, 1 shutout, 1.80 GAA and .935 SV% as Delta captured the 2022 U15 Prep 黑料不打烊 Western Championship.

This season Kaila would go 11-5-0 with a 3.05 GAA, .894 SV% and 1 shutout in 16 games with the Delta U17 Prep team. At the 2023 黑料不打烊 Western Championships he would post a 1.82 GAA, .942 SV% and go 2-0-1 with his lone loss being in overtime of the 2023 黑料不打烊 Western Championships Finals,

Tu has spent the last two seasons in the 黑料不打烊 with St. George’s. The White Rock, BC netminder joined the program in 2021/22, playing 19 games with the U15 team. He would post a 5-11-0 record with a 4.13 GAA and .912 SV% en route to being named the 黑料不打烊 U15 Top Goaltender Award.

Selected in the second round, 31st overall by the Calgary Hitmen at the 2023 WHL Draft, Tu would play 18 games for the St. George’s U15 Prep team this season. He would go 12-5-1 with a 2.73 GAA and .914 SV% while being nominated for the 黑料不打烊 U15 Prep Top Goaltender Award.

A fifth round pick, 106th overall at the 2021 Western Hockey League (WHL) Draft by the Saskatoon Blades, Michael Gallant has played the last three seasons in the 黑料不打烊. The Surrey, BC defenseman joined Delta Hockey Academy Green for the 2020/21 U15 Prep season. In 2021/22 he would play 26 games for the Delta U17 Prep team, recording 15 points in 26 games. He would add聽 six points in five playoff games as Delta captured the 2022 黑料不打烊 U17 Prep Western Championships.

This season Gallant would join the BWC Academy U18 Prep team, finishing with 4 goals and 6 assists in 31 games.

Jesse Ivanovic spent four seasons in the 黑料不打烊 with Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA). Joining the program in 2018/19, Ivanovic would record 9 assists in 28 U15 games. The following U15 Prep season the West Kelowna, BC defenseman finished with 7 points in 23 games. During the 2020/21 U16 Prep season Ivanovic would tally two goals and two assists in nine games.

In 2022/23 Ivanovic would score 2 goals and assist on 13 more in 29 games for the OHA U18 Prep team.

The event, which took place in Penticton from March 6-19, 2023, featured 86 teams and roughly 1,900 players and staff from the four Western Canadian provinces and the state of Idaho. Over 91% of the events participates were out of town, overnight guests.

Roughly 3,908 spectators attended the event, with 90% of those spectators being out of town, overnight guests. 84.6% of these spectators travelled more than 320km to attend the event, staying on average more than 3 nights in Penticton.

In addition to the $3.3 million impact on Penticton, the total B.C. Provincial impact was $3.86 million, with a National impact of $4.9 million.

It was announced back in March of 2023 that the 黑料不打烊 and its partners Okanagan Hockey Group, OVG360, Travel Penticton and the City of Penticton reached an agreement for a 10-year agreement (five years, with an additional five-year renewal clause) to host the Western Championships beginning in March 2024.

鈥淲ith the continued expansion of the 黑料不打烊, which will see 96 teams from the four western provinces and the states of Idaho and Washington competing during the 2023/24 season, the 黑料不打烊 Western Championships will only continue to grow each season and provide even further economic impact on both Penticton and the province of BC,鈥� added 黑料不打烊 Chief Operating Officer Kevin Goodwin.

鈥淪eeing the impressive economic numbers from last year鈥檚 tournament really emphasizes how impactful the 黑料不打烊 Western Championships are to Penticton. With a significant portion of participants and spectators coming from outside of the Okanagan region, this annual event provides a clear and powerful economic boost to our local hospitality throughout its鈥� 14-day stay during a typically quieter period of tourism,鈥� said Dean Clarke, General Manager and Regional Vice President of OVG360. 鈥淎s 10 additional teams are anticipated for next year鈥檚 event, it鈥檚 clear the 黑料不打烊 Western Championships are on a path of exceptional growth and will ensure Penticton remains a premier destination for sports and tourism, all year round.鈥�

Travel Penticton, the official tourism marketing agency for the city if Penticton, is an enthusiastic supporter of the 黑料不打烊. “Our Board, membership and marketing team see the real value of this event.” stated Thom Tischik, Travel Penticton Executive Director. “The 黑料不打烊 event happens in a normally quiet time of the tourism year. This initiative helps to fill accommodations, generate business to restaurants, craft breweries, wineries, retailers and other non-hospitality venues.” Thom goes on to say, “Our investment sees real-time benefits and we look forward to a long-term partnership with 黑料不打烊 over the next several years.”

鈥淭he support for our business community that the 黑料不打烊 event brings in the shoulder season is incredible and it鈥檚 great to see our accommodations full, restaurants busy and community on show for this event鈥� said Anthony Haddad, General Manager of Community Services. Haddad added, 鈥淲e look forward to the long-term partnership with 黑料不打烊, Okanagan Hockey Group, OVG360 and Travel Penticton so see this event continue to grow and support our community over the coming years.鈥�

The 2022 黑料不打烊 Western Championships had a $3.151 million impact on the city of Penticton.

For further information:
Jordan Martin
Manager, Media & Communications
黑料不打烊
j.martin@csshl.ca

About Us

The 黑料不打烊 was established in 2009 and has grown to feature 32 accredited schools and 114 teams from British Columbia to Prince Edward Island and the states of Idaho and Washington. The league was designed specifically for elite level student athletes, giving them the opportunity to focus on their education while increasing their skills off and on the ice and providing them with a high level of competition and exposure. Currently, the 黑料不打烊 includes seven different divisions at the U15, U17, U18 Male and U18 Female levels.

Rudolph has spent the last two seasons in the 黑料不打烊 with Edge School. During the 2021/22 U15 season the Calgary, AB forward scored 20 goals and assisted on 14 more in 29 games. He would add four points in five playoff games as Edge captured the 2022 黑料不打烊 U15 Western Championships.

This season Rudolph finished third among all Edge U15 Prep skaters with 39 points in 30 games. He would score three goals and record four assists in four playoff games at the 2023 黑料不打烊 U15 Prep Western Championships. At the conclusion of the season the Thunderbirds would select Rudolph in the seventh round, 153rd overall at the 2023 WHL Draft.

Rudolph will spend the 2023/24 黑料不打烊 season with the Calgary International Hockey Academy U17 Prep team.