After months of uncertainty, WHL teams from Saskatchewan and Manitoba will finally play some hockey today.
All seven teams from those two provinces have gathered in Regina. The early game sees Moose Jaw take on the Brandon Wheat Kings, while the late matchup has the Prince Albert Raiders battling the Regina Pats.
Adam McNutt is a 17-year-old defenceman with the Prince Albert Raiders. The Saskatoon product started the season with the La Ronge Ice Wolves in the SJHL.
“I definitely feel like playing in La Ronge has helped me – just prepared myself for this next step here, gets me up to speed, got my feet moving, got my head working in the game of hockey again,” said McNutt.
The Regina Pats have 2005-born forward Connor Bedard on their roster. The B.C. product was the first player in WHL history to be granted exceptional status, which allows him to play as 15-year-old.
“I’ve never played against him personally,” said McNutt. “There is a lot of skilled players in this league, so we’re just going to take him as another player. Obviously, we’ll have to keep our eye on him, but we’ll just play against him as we would anybody else.”
Each team inside the hub in Regina is scheduled to play 24 games.
(PHOTO: WHL logo. Photo courtesy of the WHL.)