Bedard and WHL's Top Prospects Gear Up for the NHL Draft

On this episode of The Hockey News On The 'Dub' Podcast with Carol Schram and Adam Kierszenblat: Everett Silvertips defenseman Kaden Hammell joins the show to talk about being drafted by the Seattle Kraken, elevating his game by playing with and against talents like Connor Bedard and Fraser Minten while growing up, his trade last season from Kamloops to Everett, and what it's like playing in the U.S. for the first time in the evolving hockey market that is Washington State. In Headlines, we look at the highlights of the 63 WHL players who were named to NHL Central Scouting's early-season players to watch list. This week's three stars feature an unstoppable forward, a steady netminder who's chasing a record and a surging homegrown veteran. That first star of the week also happens to be a prospect of the Seattle Kraken, our NHL team of the week. Adam and Carol give the rundown of the 'Dub' players in their system. Adam recaps his game of the week and gives his pick for this week's game to watch and highlights a trade from just one year ago as his pick from this week in WHL history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Hockey News On The 'Dub' Podcast with Carol Schram and Adam Kierszenblat: - The Vancouver Giants tried something different with their special referee appreciation jerseys. Adam was in the house and gives his impressions of the unique attire. - Fourteen WHL players will represent Canada in November at the World U-17 Challenge in Prince Edward Island. Adam offers his thoughts on who to watch. - Team Manitoba took home its first-ever win at the WHL Cup for 2008-born players. - The Portland Winterhawks extended their winning streak to eight games and have been dominating their opponents, but a tough trek through Alberta starts this weekend. - Adam and Carol give a rundown of some WHL graduates who are off to good starts in the AHL. - Our three stars of the week feature a trio of high-scoring forwards who are putting up some gaudy numbers, and the San Jose Sharks are our NHL team of the week. - Adam recaps his game of the week and gives his pick for this week's game to watch, and highlights a trade from seven years ago in this week in WHL history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Hockey News On The 'Dub' Podcast with Carol Schram and Adam Kierszenblat: - Fresh off seven points in three games and WHL Player of the Week honors, Ryder Ritchie joins the show to talk about his hot start to the season, moving around Europe while his dad was playing hockey, and winning gold with Team Canada at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. - Adam also announces the launch of the new WHL league site at TheHockeyNews.com/WHL. - In headlines, the Wenatchee Wild have hired a new head coach, Roy Sommer, as they prepare to head home from a long road trip. - The WHL Cup runs this Wednesday through Sunday in Red Deer and features the best 2008-born prospects in Western Canada going head-to-head as they represent their provinces. - Shaun Clouston of the Kamloops Blazers earns his first assistant-coach role at the U20 level for the upcoming World Junior Championship in Sweden, and the speculation begins about which WHLers could crack that roster. - Our three stars of the week feature a red-hot right winger and two stingy stoppers in net, and the Los Angeles Kings are our NHL team of the week. - Adam wants to see how Medicine Hat holds up at the end of a long road trip in Prince George in our WHL game of the weekend, and we celebrate a Vancouver Giants beatdown from 2009 back at the Pacific Coliseum on this week in WHL history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Hockey News On The 'Dub' Podcast with Carol Schram and Adam Kierszenblat all about the WHL: - We kick off our headlines segment by celebrating 500 WHL wins for Portland Winterhawks coach Mike Johnston. - Also, three trades this week, as the Saskatoon Blades look to augment their roster. - Free agent Sage Weinstein earns an NHL contract and two 'Dub' coaches get the nod to assist at November's World U-17 Challenge. - Finally, we run down the list of WHL players who cracked the opening-night rosters for their NHL teams, including Connor Bedard's performance in his debut, along with Kevin Korchinski, Zach Benson and Fraser Minten. - We've got four players muscling into our three stars of the week, and the Edmonton Oilers are our NHL team of the week. - Adam selects big-boy hockey between Brandon and Tri-City as his WHL game of the weekend and takes us back 10 years to a hot streak for Portland that almost took them all the way to the Memorial Cup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Hockey News On The 'Dub' Podcast with Carol Schram and Adam Kierszenblat: - We kick things off by chatting with Jaden Lipinski of the Vancouver Giants about experiencing his first NHL training camp after being drafted by the Calgary Flames, going through it with teammate Sam Honzek, and his early thoughts on the Giants this season. - Headlines include an update on suspended coach Kevin Constantine, a big-time suspension for a repeat offender, more new captains being named, WHL players such as Zach Benson who are shining at NHL training camps and the first big trade of the season. - WHL rookie Terik Parascak headlines our three stars of the week. - Lipinski and Honzek are the latest Western League players to join the system of the Calgary Flames, our NHL team of the week. - Adam selects Saturday's matchup between Moose Jaw and Medicine Hat as his WHL game of the weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The WHL's 2023-24 regular season is now underway, and there is tons to discuss on this episode of The Hockey News On The 'Dub' Podcast with Carol Schram and Adam Kierszenblat: - In headlines, we look into the league's suspension of new Wenatchee Wild coach Kevin Constantine, just two games in, and how this seems to be part of a broader trend of players being more willing to speak up. - Three WHL teams have named new head captains, four players have signed their entry-level contracts, and the Vancouver Giants have a high-profile new owner. - We've got two red-hot forwards and a fast-starting goaltender profiled as our three stars of the week. - This season's first NHL team of the week is the Anaheim Ducks, with four current WHL prospects in their system and a couple of others at training camp. - The Hockey News editor-in-chief Ryan Kennedy has seven WHL players listed in his top 32 in his first prospects-to-watch list. Adam offers his thoughts on the top three. - As Adam and Carol regretfully look to move on from the Connor Bedard Watch, they debate the idea of a weekly top prospect 'head-to-head' segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Hockey News On The 'Dub' Podcast, Carol Schram and Adam Kierszenblat break down each team in the WHL's Eastern Conference:  - Carol and Adam discuss the biggest questions facing each team, as well as a player to watch. - Can the Saskatoon Blades capture the East Division championship without the Winnipeg Ice in the picture? What will Jagger Firkus and Brayden Yager get up to for the Moose Jaw Warriors? How will the Regina Pats respond after losing Connor Bedard? - Can the Red Deer Rebels stay out of the box? How many points can the 2022 No. 1 WHL pick, Gavin McKenna, put up for the Medicine Hat Tigers? And how will the Lethbridge Hurricanes deal with their new coach? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Hockey News On The 'Dub' Podcast is back for another season of exciting WHL action.  Carol Schram and Adam Kierszenblat react to all the biggest news going on in the WHL, analyze players and teams, and even keep an eye out on NHL prospects who are already drafted or are gearing up for the 2024 draft.  On this episode, Carol and Adam start with Part 1 of our 2023-24 WHL Season Preview: - This week, we shine the spotlight on the 11 teams in the WHL's Western Conference, including the brand-new Wenatchee Wild. - Carol outlines the teams that have made changes behind the bench and in the front office. - Adam identifies the biggest question facing each team, as well as a key player that fans should keep an eye on. - Adam also offers some thoughts on which teams might be trade deadline sellers and which teams could find themselves outside of the playoff mix next year. - Finally, we share an overview of what things will look like as the Winnipeg Ice make the move to Wenatchee, where an eager fanbase should be waiting to welcome the new WHL franchise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Hockey News On The 'Dub' Podcast with Carol Schram and Adam Kierszenblat: - The 2023 NHL draft is in the books, and 33 players were selected from the WHL. - We take a look at the six WHL players who went in the first round, including first overall pick Connor Bedard. - Adam identifies two surprise fallers and two WHL picks that could turn out to be great value for the teams that chose them. - Three WHL goalies were drafted, and a couple were not. - Radko Gudas ends up as the biggest free-agency winner among WHL alumnae, inking a three-year deal to return to the west coast with the Anaheim Ducks. - A quick look at this week's CHL import draft. - And a look back at the season, with our favorite WHL memories of the year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Hockey News On The 'Dub' Podcast with Carol Schram and Adam Kierszenblat: - WHL league news includes longtime commissioner Ron Robison announcing his intention to retire after the 2023-24 season, solid attendance numbers from this season and the release of the schedule grid, including the new Wenatchee Wild. - WHL alumni Mike Vernon and Ken Hitchcock have been announced as members of the class of 2023 for the Hockey Hall of Fame. - The WHL was well represented on the roster of the Hershey Bears as they took home the 2023 Calder Cup with a Game 7 overtime win over the Coachella Valley Firebirds. - Former WHLers Ryan Johansen and Gianni Fairbrother are both on the move in NHL trades this week. - Mikael Backlund and Connor Bedard represented the WHL as winners at the 2023 NHL awards on Monday night. - We profile the WHL's top draft-eligible forwards, led by Connor Bedard, Zach Benson, Nate Danielson and Samuel Honzek, and take a stab at predicting how many Western League players will be selected in the first round this year. Here's where you can find the full episode on your desired platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices