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| The Raiders contemplate their campaign ending this past Friday. |
With the 2023-24 campaign coming to an end on Friday with a 6-2 loss in Game 5 of a first-round post-season series to their archrivals the Blades in Saskatoon, you can rightfully have an optimistic feeling. After a one season absence, the Raiders returned to the WHL Playoffs.
A core group of players has been formed on the roster with Ryder Ritchie, Aiden Oiring, Justice Christensen, Terrell Goldsmith, Eric Johnston and Max Hildebrand. You could project Ritchie, Oiring, Christensen and Goldsmith could be together for the next two seasons without discounting Goldsmith could play in the system of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes in 2025-26.
It is fairly safe to say Johnston, who is the Raiders captain, and Hildebrand, who is the team’s star goalie, will be outstanding and motivated 20-year-olds in 2024-25. Hildebrand was one of the WHL’s best stories rising to be one of the circuit’s top five goalies posting a 25-20-4 record, a 2.88 goals against average, a .907 save percentage and two shutouts in regular season play. He is doing pretty well considering he was taken in the 13th round and 286th overall or second last in the then 2019 WHL Bantam Draft.
As 16-year-old rookies this past season, wingers Oli Chenier and Luke Moroz show flashes of possible breakout potential as they gained more game experience. Chenier showed consistent sparks throughout the year and Moroz played some really good minutes the second half of the season.
This column of mine appeared in the Prince Albert Daily Herald. To read the full article, feel free to click right here.
