Raiders’ Guhle, Wiesblatt sure bets in NHL Entry Draft

Kaiden Guhle is a top rated NHL prospect.

When it comes to Kaiden Guhle and Ozzy Wiesblatt, they will likely be emblematic that sure bet is the best bet in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.

Guhle and Wiesblatt have been key members of the Prince Albert Raiders since suiting up in “Hockey Town North” on a full-time basis as 16-year-old rookies helping the Raiders win a WHL championship in the 2018-19 campaign.

They followed up that special season with great sophomore campaigns resulting in Guhle being rated eighth and Wiesblatt 19^th among North American skaters in the final NHL Central Scouting rankings.

Both could be selected in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft, which will be held Tuesday via video conference call from the NHL Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. Rounds two through seven will be held on Wednesday by that same video conference call format.

Ozzy Wiesblatt is a highly touted NHL prospect.

If NHL clubs pass over Guhle and Wiesblatt in the first round, they might not be able to cash in on the gamble to pick either in the second round. In just two full seasons, they have had a career worth of experiences helping the Raiders finish first in the WHL’s East Division for the past two straight campaigns.

Of course, the 2019-20 season was cut short due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world.

Guhle came to the Raiders with high hopes after being selected by the team in the first round and first overall in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft. His family and the club were familiar with each other as older brother, Brendan, played defence for the Raiders from 2013 to 2016.

Brendan spent the 2019-20 season split between playing for the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks and the AHL’s San Diego Gulls.

Kaiden Guhle came up through minor hockey in his hometown of Sherwood Park, Alta., and the Edmonton area as that special skilled offensive-defenceman. 

Kaiden Guhle has played big minutes for the Raiders.

During his two full seasons with the Raiders, Guhle, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 184 pounds, has turned into one of those special talents who is a sound physical presence in the defensive zone and is able to quarterback play from the blue-line in the offensive zone.

As a rookie in 2018-19, Guhle was on the Raiders starting six on defence as a 16-year-old. The other five members of the starting six were all in their 19-year-old seasons.

While Guhle was the youngest of that group, the Raiders did not rotate their five 19-year-olds, which some teams tried to do to cover for the inexperience of the youngest player.

Guhle played regular minutes with a set partner in Jeremy Masella. In total, Guhle played in 65 regular season games collecting three goals, 14 assists and a plus-17 rating in the plus-minus department.

He focused on playing more of a defensive role, while chipping in some points. Over the course of the campaign, Guhle was able to learn by watching the veteran defenceman who were on the Raiders roster.

Ozzy Wiesblatt had 70 points for the Raiders last season.

Last season as a 17-year-old sophomore, Guhle was one of three regulars that returned on the back end along with Masella and Zack Hayes. Guhle was thrust into a bigger role and was looked upon to provide more offence.

He became the quarterback on the Raiders power play and really showed his ability as an offensive defenceman during five-on-five action. Guhle has that instinct in knowing when he should get deep in the offensive zone with the puck or pinch down from the point to become a threat on a play close around the net.

He appeared in all of the Raiders 64 regular season games piling up 11 goals, 29 assists and a plus-23 rating.

Every time Guhle gets deep, he never seems to get caught or trapped out of position on the defensive end. When an offensive-defenceman can do that, they become extremely valuable to a team.

Like Guhle, Wiesblatt took on a fairly sizable role that you wouldn’t expect from a 16-year-old rookie in the Raiders WHL title season in 2018-19. The Raiders had veteran stars all over the place up front that season.

Kaiden Guhle can put up points from the blue-line.

Still, Wiesblatt played a regular roll as a right-winger and was often playing against older and more experienced players. By the end of the season, the Calgary, Alta., product often found himself on a line with star overage centre Noah Gregor and star left-winger Cole Fonstad.

Wiesblatt, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 182 pounds, appeared in 64 regular season games posting 15 goals, 24 assists and a plus-30 rating. In the run to the WHL title, Wiesblatt played in all of the Raiders 23 games in the WHL playoffs posting five goals, five assists and a plus-six rating.

This past season as a 17-year-old sophomore, Wiesblatt skating in all of the Raiders 64 regular season games finishing second in team scoring with 25 goals, 45 assists and a plus-20 rating.

Away from the rink, Wiesblatt comes from a high-character family to say the least. His mom, Kim White, has been deaf since birth and speaks using American Sign Language.

She had to raise Ozzy, his three brothers and one sister as a single mom since 2014. 

Ozzy Wiesblatt comes from a high character family.

Ozzy’s brothers are all high level hockey players.

The oldest brother, Ocean, played in the junior A ranks with the Portage La Prairie Terriers last season. The second oldest brother, Orca, is a member of the Calgary Hitmen, and the youngest brother, Oasiz, is highly touted prospect with the Medicine Hat Tigers.

It is hard to come up with words about how amazing the Wiesblatt family story is.

Also cracking the final NHL Central Scouting rankings from the Raiders is defenceman Landon Kosior at the 98^th spot among North American skaters. The Regina, Sask., product made a sizable jump of the ratings after being ranked 126^th among North American skaters in the NHL Central Scouting mid-term rankings.

Kosior, who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 190 pounds, appeared in all of the Raiders 64 regular season games as a 17-year-old rookie recording five goals, 18 assists and a plus-19 rating.

Landon Kosior turned heads in his Raiders rookie season.

Raiders centre Ilya Usau, who is from Minsk, Belarus, was rated 108^th among North American skaters in the final NHL Central Scouting rankings. 

As an 18-year-old rookie, Usau appeared in 58 regular season games with the Raiders posting 22 goals, 30 assists and a plus-14 rating.

Usau, who stands 6-feet and weighs 182 pounds, is currently playing for Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League until the WHL gets back into action after a delayed start due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The WHL is hoping to start its regular season on December 4.

Joining the four Raiders in the final NHL Central Scouting rankings is Prince Albert product Braden Schneider, who plays for the Brandon Wheat Kings and is rated ninth among North American skaters. Due to his late birthday, this is the first year Schneider is eligible for the NHL Entry Draft.

Players need to be born on or before September 15 the year they turn 18-years-old to be eligible for the NHL Entry Draft.

Ilya Usau had 52 points as a Raiders rookie last season.

Last season as a third-year veteran at age 18, Schneider, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 202 pounds, had a breakout campaign posting seven goals, 35 assists and a plus-nine rating in 60 regular season games with the Wheat Kings.

While 2020 has been a crazy year beyond comprehension, the City of Prince Albert and the Raiders are set to have a memorable two days at the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.

Leading the charge will be Guhle and Wiesblatt, who both have the skill and character make up to continue to do great things in the game.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Moe break out of rut, powers Raiders to 4-2 victory

Spencer Moe delivered a big two-goal night for the Raiders on Friday night.

    PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – Spencer Moe admitted he will play a little more free and easy going forward.

    On Friday, the 19-year-old right-winger potted his first two goals of the season including the winner to push his Prince Albert Raiders to a 4-2 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes in a WHL regular season contest at the Art Hauser Centre.

    Moe scored his winner with 4:51 to play in the third period to break a 2-2 tie and give the Raiders a 3-2 edge to the delight of 2,502 spectators in the building.

    His linemate in 18-year-old rookie centre Ilya Usau sealed the win with an empty-net goal with 17.2 seconds remaining in the third.

    Heading into Friday’s game, Moe had just two assists in the Raiders previous seven outings. He admitted he was gripping the stick a little too tightly.

The Raiders celebrate Spencer Moe’s first period goal.

    “It makes me relieved,” said Moe. “A lot of stress was building up on me.

    “I think with the two goals today it has kind of put me back to where I really wanted to be and how I really wanted to start the season.”

    Moe got out to a good start on Friday scoring at the 11:28 mark of the first period to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead. Taking a setup pass from Usau, Moe blasted home his first of the year from the front of the Lethbridge goal.

    The speedy Calgary product said he really could feel the stress lift at that point in the game.

    “I could feel it off my back,” said Moe, who stands 5-foot-7 and weighs 170 pounds. “I felt a lot better.

    “Just the fact the first one was out, I was hungrier, and I felt a lot better.”

    Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid was pleased to see Moe break out of his rut.

Spencer Moe looks for an opening to score on a second period breakaway.

    “I was happy for him,” said Habscheid. “He has been snake bit a little bit.

    “The first couple of goals of the year, so he’ll skate a little bit lighter tomorrow.”

    The Raiders, who are rated fifth in the CHL Top 10 rankings, ultimately needed Moe to break through on the scoreboard, because Friday’s contest with the Hurricanes was a battle.

    Lethbridge evened things up at 1-1 just under two minutes later when 16-year-old rookie left-winger Ty Nash fired home a backdoor setup from linemate Justin Hall. 
    The tally was the first WHL career goal for Nash.

Spencer Moe had just two assists this season entering Friday’s game.

    Prince Albert went ahead 2-1 with 3:38 remaining in the second when overage star defenceman Zach wristed home a point shot through a screen.

    Overage defenceman Koletrane Wilson pulled the Hurricanes even at 2-2 with 5:39 to play in the third.

    Moe netted his second of the night and the winner to put the Raiders up 3-2 just 48 seconds after Wilson’s tally.

    On an offensive rush, Moe converted a set up pass from left-winger Cole Fonstad to break the 2-2 tie.

    “We were just doing a normal neutral zone transition there,” said Moe, who was stopped on a second period breakaway chance. “I kind of caught up to the middle there and gave it to Fonny (Fonstad) on the side.

    “I beat my checks up the ice, and he just gave it to me right in the middle. I just happen to find the back of the net there.”

Cole Fonstad had three assists for the Raiders.

    The line of Moe, Fonstad and Usau combined for seven points. Moe had his two goals, Fonstad had three assists, and Usau had a goal and an assist.

    Entering Friday’s game, Fonstad had a goal and two assists, while Usau had two goals and an assist. Both had appeared in all of the Raiders first seven games along with Moe.

    “We’re building chemistry,” said Moe of the line that was formed this season. “It’s been growing every game.

    “We’ve been playing pretty good, but we haven’t been producing a lot. In the past couple of games, we’ve been producing, which is a good thing to see.”

    Last season, Moe played in 66 regular season games for the Raiders posting nine goals, 24 assists and a plus-14 rating in the plus-minus department. He centred the Raiders third line and was often utilized as an energetic checker during the team’s run to winning the WHL championship.

    Moe knows that his role is a lot different this season, as the Raiders graduated a number of forwards from last season.

Ilya Usau had a goal and an assist for the Raiders on Friday.

    “I am a fourth-year guy on this team,” said Moe. “I am supposed to be one of the veteran guys that the younger guys and everyone can lean on.

    “That wasn’t a role for me last year, especially with the players that we had, but now it is on all the other guys, older guys’ shoulders there. We just have to step up our game.”

    Boston Bilous made 32 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Raiders. The Raiders won their third straight improving to 6-0-2.

    Bryan Thomson, who is a 17-year-old rookie netminder, turned away 21-of-24 shots to take the setback in goal for the Hurricanes (3-3).

    Habscheid said the Hurricanes provided a big challenge for his side.

    “It was a struggle,” said Habscheid. “This game didn’t come easy.

The Raiders salute the Art Hauser Centre faithful after Friday’s win.

    “I thought Lethbridge worked hard. They played heavy. It was a good game for us to feel that, because we had to grind it out.

    “We had to find a way. We didn’t have our A-game for sure, but in the end, you have to find a way to win.”

    The Raiders return to action on Saturday when they host the Moose Jaw Warriors (5-2) at 7 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre.

    The Hurricanes head to Saskatoon on Saturday to face the Blades (5-3-0-1) at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.

    Early on in the season, Moe likes the fact his Raiders will keep battling for a win no matter what challenges come their way.

    “We have a mindset now,” said Moe. “We’ve been through what happened last year winning a championship and knowing what it takes.

    “We’re hungry for it. We hate losing. It is something that will strive us for the rest of the season.”

Warriors add SFMAAAHL all-time great Howe to coaching staff

Olivia Howe stopped to chat with @mosaicincanada Warriors TV about being named our new Coaching Assistant. pic.twitter.com/QG7PfyqAom

— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) October 11, 2019

    The Moose Jaw Warriors turned a few heads in the hockey world on Friday with an outside the box coaching hire.

    The Warriors have added a Saskatchewan female hockey great to their coaching staff in Olivia Howe. Howe will be a coaching assistant with the team after serving as a guest coach during the club’s training camp.

    Howe will help out the Warriors with on ice practice sessions and being an “eye in the sky” during game days.

    It is believed Howe is the first female to be named to a WHL team’s main coaching staff. As an added bonus, the 25-year-old is a product of Moose Jaw as well.

    “It’s been really surprising the feedback and reaction I’ve got,” said Howe on a video interview posted on the Warriors Twitter page. “I’m really excited to start here.

    “It’s a great opportunity. Being from Moose Jaw, it’s just awesome.”

    In a video interview on the Warriors team website, Alan Miller, who is the club’s general manager, said Howe impressed during her stint as a guest coach. As a result, talks ensued with head coach Tim Hunter, associate coach Mark O’Leary and assistant coach Scott King about finding a way to keep Howe with the team.

    “She came in here, did a very good job and made a strong impression on our hockey staff and our coaching staff,” said Miller. “We wanted to find an opportunity to bring her on to our hockey staff.

    “Working with Mark O’Leary, Scott King and Tim Hunter, we’ve put together this job description and this position and this opportunity for Olivia to help our team. We believe that it is an exciting opportunity for her.

    “We think that she will do real well, and she is a great addition to our club.”

    Howe enjoyed the opportunity to work the Warriors training camp.

    “Alan (Miller) asked me to do the training camp, and it was really exciting,” said Howe. “I didn’t hesitate, obviously.

    “I just needed to get out there and be at this level of hockey working with the males out here. It has been really exciting. It is definitely a lot different coming from the female game, so there is a lot to learn.”

    Howe ripped up the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League for four seasons from 2008 to 2012 as a skilled forward with the Notre Dame Hounds in Wilcox. She became the circuit’s all-time leading scorer piling up 107 goals and 100 assists for 207 points in 106 regular season games.

    Howe helped the Hounds win the Esso Cup in 2011 as Canadian national female midget AAA hockey champions.

    She also attended Hockey Canada’s female under-18 selection camps in 2010 and 2011.

    Following her time with the Hounds, Howe, who stands 5-foot-10, joined the NCAA women’s ranks and became a star with the Clarkson University Golden Knights for four seasons from 2012 to 2016. She appeared in 152 overall games posting 42 goals and 58 assists.

    She helped the Golden Knights win their first NCAA title in 2014.
    After graduating from Clarkson, Howe returned to Wilcox to become an assistant coach with the Notre Dame Hounds team that played in the Junior Women’s Hockey League. She has scouted the women’s game for Neutral Zone, which is a hockey scouting news site that identifies and ranks prospects for the NCAA and U Sports.

    “It is great to have another perspective in the dressing room and in the coaches’ office – a female, who has played at the highest level in the NCAA and won a national championship,” said Hunter in a video interview on the Warriors website. “She is a real tall girl, so she has a real presence on the ice.

    “She speaks loudly to the players (and very) direct. She’s got a good message, and we are excited for her.”

    The Warriors fell 4-1 on home ice at Mosaic Place to the visiting Vancouver Giants on Friday night.

    Howe isn’t the first female coach to join the staff of a high level hockey team on the men’s side in Western Canada over the last few months.

    In July, Venla Hovi, a former star with the University of Manitoba Bisons women’s team and Finland’s national women’s team, joined the staff of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets as a hockey development coach. Hovi helped the Bisons win a U Sports national title in 2018 and Finland win a silver medal at this year’s women’s world hockey championships.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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    If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.