Eastern U17: Mario Lapenna, Lower Canada College

The Montreal, QC forward led the U17 Prep Eastern Championships with 9 assists and 13 points as LCC captured their first ever ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Championship. Lapenna saved his best for last, tallying 1 goal and 3 assists as LCC beat Bishop’s 7-4 in the finals. Lapenna recorded 65 points during the regular season, giving him 107 over the past two ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ seasons.

Eastern U18: Kayden Robitaille, Bishop’s College School

A 2024 QMJHL Draft pick by the Charlottetown Islanders, Robitaille paced all skaters with 6 goals, while finishing second with 9 points in 5 playoff games. The Hummelstown, PA forward had 5 goals and 1 assist in elimination play, including scoring a game tying goal with four seconds left to record a hat-trick and send the game to overtime in the semi-finals. This season Robitaille had 24 points in 23 games, giving him 36 points in 42 career ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ games.

Female U18 Prep Championships: Hayley McDonald, RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna

The Ohio State University commit and Team Canada U18 forward led the Championships with 7 goals, including scoring the opening goal in the finals against OHA Edmonton. 5 of her 10 points would come in elimination games as she captained RHA Kelowna to their fifth straight ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Championship. The East St. Paul, MB forward had 35 points in 26 regular season games, giving her 86 points in her two ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ seasons.

Female U18 Prep Division II: Saysha Brace, Delta Hockey Academy Black

Brace and Delta Black lost their second round robin game of the Championships to Shawnigan 6-1, but Brace would bounce back with a 28 save performance in the finals as Delta Black beat Shawnigan 2-1 to capture the Female U18 Prep Division II Western Championship. The Chilliwack, BC netminder finished with a 2-1-0 record, 3.00 GAA and .908 SV%, including giving up just 3 goals on 52 shots in the semi-finals and finals. A SAIT Trojans commit, Brace went 5-9-0 with a 3.55 GAA, .905 SV% and 2 shutouts during the regular season.

U15 Championships: Easton Isfeld, Delta Hockey Academy Black

The 2012 born defenseman led all skaters with 8 assists and 13 points to lead Delta Black to a U15 Western Championship. On the season the Coquitlam, BC product had 17 goals and 30 assists, finishing second among defensemen with 47 points.

U15 Division II: Sawyer Elke, Pacific Coast Hockey Academy

A netminder from Campbell River, BC, Elke went 5-0-0 with a 2.21 GAA, .949 SV% and 1 shutout, playing all five playoff games for Pacific Coast. He would stop 188 of the 198 shots he faced, including 62 in the finals in a 3-2 win over Prairie. During the regular season Elke went 10-10-1 with 1 shutout, a 4.50 GAA, and .876 SV%.

U15 Prep Championships: Alexandre Montembeault, Calgary International Hockey Academy

The Calgary, AB netminder went 3-0-0 with a playoff best 1.33 GAA and .958 SV%. Montembeault stopped 91 of the 95 shots he faced, including 34 in a win over rivals Edge School in the Championship game. This season he would go 9-5-1 with 1 shutout, a 3.79 GAA, and a .891 SV%.

U15 Prep Division II: Brock Vodden, Pilot Mound Hockey Academy

Despite losing in the finals, Vodden led all skaters with 8 assists and 13 points, including a five point outing in the semi’s and a two point game in the finals. The Manitou, MB forward tallied 44 points in 30 regular season games, giving him 76 points in 65 career ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ games.

U17 Championships: Nathan Marques, Okanagan Hockey Academy

After finishing second in regular season scoring with 73 points in 34 games, Marques led all skaters with 7 assists and 11 points to help OHA capture back-to-back U17 Western Championships. The Penticton, BC forward recorded 5 points in elimination games, including 3 in the finals against Delta Hockey Academy.

U17 Division II: Logan Madrid, Coeur d’Alene Hockey Academy

A forward from Coeur d’Alene, ID, Madrid finished second in playoff scoring with 3 goals and 4 assists in 4 games. During the regular season Madrid finished with 22 goals and 36 assists in 35 games, leading his team while finishing sixth among all skaters.

U17 Prep Championships: Dylan Mingo, RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna

The first goalie selected at the 2025 WHL Draft, Mingo stopped 105 of 110 shots while going 3-0-0. His 1.67 GAA and .955 SV% were both second among all goalies, with the Moose Jaw Warriors prospect making 33 saves in the finals to help RHA Kelowna go back-to-back. The Peachland, BC product went 11-3-0 with a 3.11 GAA and .922 SV% this season, his third season in the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ.

U17 Prep Division II: Darwin Ketch, Shawnigan Lake School

Ketch led all defensemen with 5 goals and 9 points, helping Shawnigan to a U17 Prep Division II Western Championship. The Duncan, BC product recorded 4 goals and an assist in the semi’s and finals, including the game winning goal in the championship game. This season he tallied 21 points in 30 U17 Prep games, to go along with his 56 points in 62 U15 Prep games the previous two seasons.

U18 Prep Championships: Carson Smith, RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna

A 2024 WHL Draft pick by the Moose Jaw Warriors, Smith tied for the scoring lead with 5 goals, while finishing tied for sixth with 7 points. The West Kelowna, BC forward scored an overtime winner in RHA Kelowna’s first playoff game before scoring just 40 seconds into the finals against NAX, helping his team win back-to-back West Championships. This season, his third in the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Smith tallied 38 points in 24 regular season games.

U18 Prep Division II: Jack Poole, North Shore Warriors

The Calgary Hitmen prospect led all skaters with 5 assists while finishing second with 8 points. The Oakville, ON product added an assist in the finals as North Shore beat RHA Winnipeg 3-1. During the regular season Poole had 16 goals and 22 assists in 25 games.

It was a battle of the last two U17 Prep Western Champions as RHA Kelowna came in as the defending champs, with CIHA having won in 2024.

After a shot in warmup broke the glass the start of this one was delayed a full hour. Once the action did start it was a slow start for both teams, as it appeared they were feeling each other out. RHA Kelowna would breakthrough late in the period as Cole Hamakawa (1G, 1A) took a backdoor pass from Kaustav Pradeep and fired it past a sprawling Colton Lutz (28/31). RHA Kelowna would have a chance to double the lead with just seconds remaining but Lutz would make one of the best saves of playoffs to keep it a 1-0 game heading into the second.

Like the first, the second started a bit slow until Charlie Schmitt tipped home a Baden Glithero point shot after an RHA Kelowna face-off win to Lutz’s right.

RKA Kelowna held a comfortable  2-0 lead until late in the second when Keegan Brown put home a rebound after a scramble in front to get CIHA on the board with four minutes left in the period. A lucky bounce would see the puck deflect to Chale Morgan, who made no mistake firing it past Dylan Mingo (33/35) into the empty net, tying the game just one minute later.

In the third RHA Kelowna would re-take the lead as Aiden Andrews took a great feed in front to put one into the empty net, giving his team the lead with 12:20 left to play. CIHA would make a late push but Mingo would make some big saves and Mason Alexander added a late empty netter as RHA Kelowna claimed the 4-2 win.

RHA Kelowna (Kelowna, BC) did so Wednesday with a 2-1 win over OHA Edmonton (Edmonton, AB) in the finals. RHA Kelowna had previously beat OHA Edmonton 6-1 in round robin play, and the two teams had each won two meetings coming into today’s game.

Jaya Schippel (21/22) and Emma Skolney (21/23) kept clean sheets through 20 in a back and forth first period. The second looked like it would also end scoreless until the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ’s All-Time Female leading scorer in Kennedy Sisson (2A), set-up captain Hailey McDonald (1G, 1A) on a 2-on-1. McDonald would make no mistake, firing it past a sprawling Skolney to give RHA Kelowna a 1-0 lead with 1:38 left in the period.

OHA Edmonton would threaten in the third with three power play opportunities, including a 5-on-3, but they were unable to tie the game early. RHA Kelowna would take advantage as Sydney McIntosh fired one from the slot through the five-hole of Skolney, increasing the lead to 2-0 with 6:27 left to play.

Izzy Gollop would get OHA Edmonton on the board with 1:03 left to play, ending the Schippel shutout bid, but RHA Kelowna ultimately held on for the 2-1 win, extending their dynasty for another year.

106 teams total will bring their talents to Penticton, bringing with them the top student-athletes in Western Canada in six different division. The U15 Prep, U17 and U18 Prep divisions have already crowned their champions, with U15, U17 Prep and Female U18 Prep yet to come.

If last year’s Western Championships taught us anything, it’s that on any given day any team can win. We saw top ranked teams get the job done as expected, and we saw lower ranked teams overcome the odds and even make a finals push.

At this year’s event we expect the same. With that in mind, here are some teams and ‘Players to Watch’ in the U17 Prep Division.

U17 Prep Players to Watch

• Division I
  • F
    • Brady Filmon (RHA Winnipeg), Evan Lynch (Edge School), Adam Neilson (STAR Hockey Academy), Casey Pearson (Delta Hockey Academy), Kayden Pratt (BWC Academy), Colton Ross (RHA Winnipeg)
  • D
    • Luke Edgehouse (Okanagan Hockey Academy), Nolen Miller (Edge School), Jackson Beggs (Yale Hockey Academy), Nash Weyland (Northern Alberta Xtreme).
  • G
    • Griffin Fair (STAR Hockey Academy), Jack Utsunomiya (Delta Hockey Academy)
• Division II
  • F
    • Owen Hyde (Pacific Coast Hockey Academy), Maddox Ramage (Pilot Mound Hockey Academy), Owen Sinclair (Indigenous Sports Academy)
  • D
    • Chayse Fedoriuk (OHA Edmonton), Dexter Spring (Pacific Coast Hockey Academy)
  • G
    • Joffrey Chan (St. George’s School)

U17 Prep Teams to Watch

Calgary International Hockey Academy – Four Seed

CIHA went 19-10-1 and is just one year removed from their 2024 ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ U17 Prep Western Championships victory. CIHA find themselves top 5 in both goals scored (138) and goal differential (+48), while sitting top 10 in goals against (90). 2009 born Rylan Wood (17-29-46) sits tied for sixth in leagues scoring with 46 points. Vancouver Giants prospect Tomas Figura (13-17-30) joins Wood with 40-plus points, while six CIHA forwards have more than 20 this season. Defensemen Charlie Sarich (5-21-26) and Sam McLean (2-18-20) each found the score sheet 20-plus time this season while Nicholas Edgar (7-12-19) leads the d-core with 7 goals. CIHA netminders Colton Lutz (10-7-1) and Taylor Green (9-3-0) combined for a 2.96 GAA and .906SV% this season, and will be relied upon to elevate their game come playoffs.

Delta Hockey Academy – One Seed

Delta (26-1-3) lost just once in regulation during the 2025/26 season and come into these Championships as the one seed. A combination of the most goals scored (150) and fewest goals against (59) leaving them with a league best +91 goal differential. Casey Pearson (23-22-45) sits top 10 in scoring with Brady Oatman (14-28-42) and Nicolas Peach (9-33-42) right behind him and on the plus side of 40. Otto Puhakka (9-22-31) sits both fourth on his team and fourth among all defensemen with 31 points in 29 games. A roster that consists of 7 WHL prospect, 16 of the 18 skaters hit double digit points on the season, giving them consistent depth and scoring throughout the lineup. Penticton Vees prospect Jack Utsunomiya (11-1-1) and Quinn Coupland (15-0-2) form one of the best goaltending tandems in the league, with Utsunomiya leading the division with a .950SV%, while both netminders sit top five in SV% and GAA. The core of this Delta team was part of the 2025 U15 Prep Western Championships winning team, and they should be able to use that experience to their advantage again in 2026.

Okanagan Hockey Academy – Five Seed

OHA (21-6-3) went an impressive 30-3-3 last season to enter the Championships as the one seed, but after a disappointing round robin, failed to qualify for the semis. This year they come in without the pressure of being the top seed, but with the backing of 11 players off last year’s U17 West Championship winning squad, and another 4 who won U15 Prep Division II. Maddox Slater (12-3-0) leads the division with a 1.59 GAA and 4 shutouts, while sitting second with a .942SV%. Slater and last year’s U17 Western Championships MVP Tyson Kuiack (9-3-3-) combined to give up the third fewest goals in the division on the season. Offensively the team sits near the bottom of the Division I Championships in goals scored with 121, but their strong defensive game does see them sit fourth with a +54-goal differential. Luke Edgehouse (17-17-34) plays a large role in their offensive output as he led all defensemen with 17 goals and 34 points during the regular season. Beckham Taggart (11-24-35) and Penticton Vees prospect Gage Mark (21-13-34) pace a group that see’s all 10 forwards have 10-plus points this season. OHA haven’t won the U17 Prep division since they went back-to-back in 2013-14, but the host squad will be full of optimism this year.

RHA Kelowna – Three Seed

RHA Kelowna (26-4-0) will look to match the success of their U18 Prep team who were recently crowned Champions for the second straight year. RHA Kelowna scored the third most goals (140) this season but did so with a committee approach as just Kaius Milan (13-25-38) is inside the top 25, 20 points off the division leader. Seven RHA Kelowna forwards had 10 plus goals this season, with Aiden Andrews (16-10-26) leading the charge with 16. All 12 RHA Kelowna forwards hit 10-plus points, with 8 having 20 or more. The d-core is lead by a trio of Colton Deschamps (3-21-24), Baden Glithero (3-18-21) and Nixon Whieldon (7-11-18). A very solid netminding duo of Matthew Palmer (15-1-0) and Moose Jaw Warriors prospect Dylan Mingo (11-3-0) backstopped the team to the fourth fewest goals against this season. RHA Kelowna comes into the Championships on a 10-game winning streak, and if they can keep that momentum rolling, they will be a force to be reckoned with.

STAR Hockey Academy – Two Seed

At 24-5-1 STAR entering the 2026 Western Championships as the two seed. The Kent, WA side won 13 straight before dropping two of their last three in games against RHA Winnipeg and Delta at the Edmonton, AB showcase at the end of February. With 148 goals scored STAR has the second most potent offence in the division with Vancouver Giants prospect Adam Neilson (19-27-46) leading the charge. A 10^th round pick by Tri-City Americans at the 2025 WHL Draft, forward Colton Brum joined the team midway through the season and has added 22 points in just 9 games. Five other STAR forwards have more than 30 points this season, with another two contributing 20 or more. Like most of the top teams in this division, it is a committee approach offensively, with the scoring coming in waves. An Americans and Giants prospect lead the defensive unit as Dylan Gale (3-19-22) and Tommy Ogee (4-15-19) have recorded 22 and 19 points this season. A 6’4 netminder in Kamloops Blazers prospect Griffin Fair (8-4-1) and goaltending partner Erik Sims (16-1-0) have combined to give up just 62 goals in 30 games this season, second fewest in the division. One major area of strength for STAR is their special teams as they lead the league with a 25.6% power play and 91.7% penalty kill. As STAR looks for their first ever ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Western Championship, special teams could be the difference.

It was an action packed first for RHA Kelowna as Cash Hunter opened the scoring 2:23 in. Dexter Labrecque doubled the lead 2:20 later before Trent Keenan added his first of the playoffs midway through the period. Ben Tyssen added a shorthanded marker with 1:03 left in the period as RHA Kelowna took a commanding 4-0 lead.

Pilot Mound would come alive in the second as Brock Vodden got them on the board with a power play marker midway through the period. Wyatt Wentworth added his second of the playoffs with eight seconds left in the period to make it a 4-2 game heading into the third.

Edin Korajac would find the back of the net on the power play 5:30 into the third as Pilot Mound continued to claw their way back. The comeback attempt would ultimately come up short as Max Davis (26/29) shut the door the rest of the way to secure the RHA Kelowna win.

Eastern U17: Antonio Lombardo, Lower Canada College

A defenseman from Monteal, QC, Lombardo set East U17 single season records for defensemen with 22 assists and 29 points this season. The 2009 born defender added seven goals in his first ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ season with Lower Canada College.

Eastern U18: Zachary Roussy, Bishop’s College School

The Chambly, QC product recorded 4 goals and 15 assists to pace East U18 defensemen with a 1.19 points-per-game this season. Selected by the Gatineau Olympiques in the sixth round at the 2024 QMJHL Draft, Roussy finished his second ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ season, capturing an East U17 Championship with Bishop’s last year.

Female U18 Prep: Danica Maynard, RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna

Committed to Penn State University, Maynard paced all defensemen with 10 goals, 36 assists and 46 points in 29 games before posting 9 points in the playoffs, helping RHA Kelowna win their fourth straight ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Female U18 Prep Western Championship. In her five seasons in the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Maynard ranks second all time among all skaters in games played (134), third in regular season points (153), and first in regular season assists (107).

U15: Reid Dutschek, Delta Hockey Academy White

A 2011 born defenseman from Langley, BC, Dutschek led the Delta White d-core with 6 goals, 29 assists and 35 points in 36 U15 games. His 29 assists ranked third among all U15 defensemen.

U15 Prep: Cruz Jim, Northern Alberta Xtreme

In his second U15 Prep season in the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, Jim led all defensemen with 66 points in 35 games while setting a U15 Prep defensemen single season record with 53 assists. The Grande Prairie, AB defender played 62 total U15 Prep games the last two seasons, posting 16 goals and 67 assists for 83 points.

U17: Luke Edgehouse, Okanagan Hockey Academy

From Couer d’Alene, ID, Edgehouse led all U17 defensemen with 17 goals and 41 assists in 36 games. He would go on to add one point in five playoff games as OHA captured the 2025 ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ U17 Western Championship. Edgehouse spent last season with the OHA U15 Prep team.

U17 Prep: Wade Gallamore, Okanagan Hockey Academy

Gallamore finished second among all U17 Prep defensemen with 35 assists and 39 points in 30 games. His 1.30 PTS/GP led all U17 Prep defensemen. The Fruitvale, BC product spent last season with the OHA Black U17 Prep team, giving him 9 goals and 49 assists in 56 games the past two U17 Prep seasons.

U18 Prep: Brock Cripps, St. George’s School

Selected second overall by the Prince Albert Raiders at the 2024 WHL Draft, Cripps led all defenders with 39 assists and 46 points in 30 games this season, giving him a 1.53 points-per-game, best among all U18 Prep defenders. Among all 2009 born skaters Cripps finished fourth with 46 points. Cripps was named the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ U15 Prep MVP and Top Defenceman last season after recording a U15 Prep defensemen record 70 points and 25 goals. Cripps holds the defenseman record for assists (79) and points (108) in a U15 Prep career.

A netminder from Fort St. John, BC, Gardner spent five seasons in the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ with RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna and has recently signed an NHL Entry Level Contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Olsen, a forward from Calgary, AB, played one season in the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ with Edge School before joining Saskatoon for his first WHL season in 2024/25.

You can read about their hockey journey’s here:

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The tournament will take place April 9-20, 2025 in Czechia and will see Team Canada in Pool A with the U.S.A., Finland, Czechia and Switzerland.

Among the 25 players selected include Emily Clark, Hannah Miller, Chloe Primerano, Danielle Serdachny and Micah Zandee-Hart.

Clark spent two seasons with the Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA) Female U18 Prep season. The Saskatoon, SK forward would go on to play five seasons in the NCAA with the University of Wisconsin, recording 70 goals and 76 assists in 147 games. She spent last season and the current one in the PWHL with the Ottawa Charge, recording 11 goals and 19 assists in 47 games.

Internationally Clark has represented Canada since 2011. To this date she has two U18 Women’s Worlds gold medals, one bronze, four silver and three gold medals at the Women’s World Championships. She has captured a silver medal at the 2018 Olympics and a gold medal a the 2022 Olympics.

Miller played for the OHA Female U18 Prep team in 2012/13 and 2013/14. She would go on to spend four season in the NCAA with St. Lawrence University, recording 43 goals and 80 assists for 123 points in 124 games.

The North Vancouver, BC forward would spend five years playing professional hockey overseas in China, Sweden and Russia before being selected by the Toronto Sceptres 74th overall at the 2023 PWHL Draft. In the last two PWHL seasons she has recorded 37 points in 46 games, including 23 points in 23 games this season.

This will be Miller’s first time playing for Team Canada at the National level and will mark her return in the red and white. She previously represented Canada at the 2013 and 2014 U18 Women’s World Championships, capturing gold both years. Miller would then go on to represent China internationally, including at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Primerano made her National Women’s team debut at just 17 years old earlier this fall. The University of Minnesota freshman represented Team Canada at the 2024 U18 Women’s World Championships, earning MVP, Best Defender, Tournament Allstar and Leading Scorer honours, setting the record for most points by a defender at one U18 Women’s Worlds (16) and most points by a Canadian at one U18 Women’s Worlds. This summer she was named to the Canada Women’s U18 team that competed against the United States for a three-games series from August 14-17, 2024.

Primerano became the the first female-skater ever selected in a CHL Draft when the Vancouver Giants selected her in the 13th round, 268th overall at the 2022 WHL Draft. In just two seasons in the Female U18 Prep division with RHA Kelowna the North Vancouver, BC defender graduated from the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ as the most successful student-athlete in women’s history. Her 105 career assists are most all time among Female U18 Prep skaters while her 164 career points rank 1 back of the all-time record. Her 59 career goals are fourth most all-time, and most among defensemen, giving her the all-time career lead among defensemen in assists (105), goals (59) and points (164). During the 2024/25 ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ season Primerano set the Female U18 Prep single season record, among all skaters, with 35 goals, 54 assists and 89 points in just 29 games to earn her second straight ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Female U18 Prep MVP Award.

In 34 NCAA games this season as an underage true freshman, Primerano had 5 goals and 26 assists.

Selected second overall at the 2024 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Draft, by the Ottawa Charge, Serdachny spent two seasons in the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ with the Pursuit of Excellence (POE) Female U18 Prep team. She joined the program in 2017/18, finishing third in team scoring with 46 points. The following year she would finish second in team and league scoring with 58 points, bringing her ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ career total to 104 points in 49 games. That year she would also represent Team Canada at the World Women’s U18 Championship, tallying four points and being named as a ‘Top 3 Player on Team’, helping Canada capture gold.

The Edmonton, AB forward made the jump to the NCAA in 2019/20 with Colgate University. In 5 seasons with Colgate she finished with 238 points in 180 games. Her 61 points in 2023/24 were fifth among NCAA skaters while her 71 points in 2022/23 led all NCAA players. During her NCAA career she would be named a NCAA First Team All-American twice.

Serdachny scored the overtime winner in the Gold Medal game for Team Canada at the 2024 Women’s World Championships. To go along with her 2024 gold medal she has a 2023 silver medal and a 2019 gold medal at the U18 Women’s Worlds.

This season Serdachny has 2 goals and 5 assists in 23 PWHL games with Ottawa.

Zandee-Hart spent four seasons with OHA from 2011-2015. The Victoria, BC defender has a U18 gold and silver medals, to go along with a World Championship bronze, silver and gold, and a 2022 Olympic Gold medal.

She would play four seasons in the NCAA with Cornell University, recording 17 goals and 70 assists. Zandee-Hart joined the New York Sirens of the PWHL in 2023/24, tallying 3 assists in 19 games. This season she has 1 goal and 8 assists in 24 PWHL games with New York.

The Blue Jackets drafted the Fort St. John, BC netmidner in the second round, 60th overall at the 2024 NHL Draft.

Gardner spent five seasons in the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ with RHA Kelowna. He joined the program in 2018/19, playing 20 U15 games for the program, which at the time was still called Pursuit of Excellence (POE). He returned to POE in 2019/20, playing 16 U15 Prep games. The following COVID-19 shortened season with RHA Kelowna, he would play two U15 Prep games.

In 2021/22 he would make the jump to RHA Kelowna’s U18 Prep team, posting a 2.98 GAA, .914 SV% and 14-3-1 record, leading to the Saskatoon Blades selecting him in the third round, 53rd overall at the 2021 WHL Draft. He would return to the RHA Kelowna U18 Prep team the following season, going 9-5-1 with a .926 SV% and 3.16 GAA.

Gardner would begin his WHL career with the Blades in 2023/24, posting a 21-5-0 record with a 1.91 GAA, .927 V% and 4 shutouts. Both his 1.91 GAA and .927 SV% were a WHL best.

This season Gardner has went 22-12-4 with a .911 SV%, 2.83 GAA and 3 shutouts with the Blades.