Raiders have fresh feel with new and familiar faces

Krzysztof Macias in action for the Raiders last season.

When the dust settles on the 2024-25 WHL season, Curtis Hunt might end up winning the Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s executive of the year or that may come in near future seasons.

Of course, that is an impossible thing to predict as none of the WHL’s 22 clubs have hit the ice yet for a regular season game. The circuit’s regular season opens on Friday with eight contests including the Prince Albert Raiders hosting the Regina Pats at 7 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre.

During this past off-season, Hunt, who is the Raiders general manager, did a great job of crafting on paper what has the potential to be a good roster. Of course, potential is a key word, but the Raiders could turn heads in a wide open East Division with a mix of new and familiar faces.

Hunt and the Raiders brass’s most inspiring move over the off-season was electing to keep Polish import left-winger Krzysztof Macias. As a 19-year-old import rookie last season, Macias recorded 22 goals, 25 assists and a plus-nine rating in the plus-minus department in 65 regular season games.

This column of mine appeared in the Prince Albert Daily Herald. To read the full article, feel free to click right here.