Calgary, Alta. – Sixty-five WHL Alumni will compete on NHL rosters as the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway Saturday, April 18.
Of the 16 NHL teams to advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, four will be captained by former WHL players, including the Anaheim Ducks (Radko Gudas), Dallas Stars (Jamie Benn), Minnesota Wild (Jared Spurgeon), and Vegas Golden Knights (Mark Stone).
There are a total 190 Canadian Hockey League alumni across NHL rosters in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including 86 from the Ontario Hockey League and 40 from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.
KEY STORYLINES
Geekie, Minten guide Bruins back to post-season
Returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2024, the Boston Bruins can thank notable regular season performances from Morgan Geekie – who finished with a career-high 39 goals and 68 points – and Fraser Minten, whose rookie season featured 35 points (17G-18A) in 82 games.
Ruff, Byram & Co., lead Sabres back to Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Buffalo Sabres return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons, led by Head Coach and WHL alumnus Lindy Ruff (Lethbridge Broncos, 1976-77 to 1978-79). Stanley Cup champions Bowen Byram and Luke Schenn help anchor the Sabres blueline.
Jarvis critical to Carolina’s success
Former Portland Winterhawks star Seth Jarvis currently ranks as the fourth highest playoff producer in Carolina Hurricanes / Hartford Whalers franchise history – safe to say that the product of Winnipeg is a catalyst. Jarvis will be vital if the Hurricanes hope to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup for the first time since 2006.
Kelly’s secondary scoring invaluable to Avalanche
WHL Champion and former Prince Albert Raiders forward Parker Kelly enjoyed a breakout season, reaching the 20-goal plateau and securing a career best 35 points for an Avalanche squad that isn’t short on firepower. Winners of the NHL regular season title, the Avalanche now aim to follow through on a Stanley Cup championship run. Kelly’s experience during the 2019 WHL Playoffs will help him be a valuable contributor down the lineup.
Captain Benn back for more with Stars
Jamie Benn won a WHL Championship during his time with the Kelowna Rockets, but he has yet to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup with the Dallas Stars. After 1,252 NHL regular season games and 13 seasons as captain of the Stars, will this be the year Benn reaches the promised land? He’s won an Olympic gold medal and a World Juniors gold medal on top of his WHL Championship. He has 120 games of NHL post-season experience.
Draisaitl ready to return to Oilers after missing time with injury
WHL Champion Leon Draisaitl is ready to return to the lineup for the Edmonton Oilers after missing the final month of the NHL regular season. The former Kelowna Rocket and Prince Albert Raider nearly reached the 100-point plateau for the fifth consecutive season, but injury held him just short as he finished 2025-26 with 97 points (35G-62A) in 65 games. The captain of Germany’s 2026 Winter Olympic team, Draisaitl has been a monster for the Oilers as they have made back-to-back appearances in the Stanley Cup Final (2024, 2025).
Captain Spurgeon brings Championship experience to Minnesota
A veteran of 16 seasons and 1,012 NHL regular season games, Jared Spurgeon’s experience having won a WHL Championship and Memorial Cup with the Spokane Chiefs will serve him well as the Wild make a second consecutive post-season appearance. The Wild haven’t advanced beyond the first round since 2015 – Spurgeon will play an important role if that is to change in 2026.
Cozens helps Sens to second consecutive post-season appearance
Former Lethbridge Hurricanes forward Dylan Cozens enjoyed a 59-point (28G-31A) campaign in his first full season in Canada’s capital, helping the Senators to a second consecutive post-season appearance. The product of Whitehorse, Yukon, is no stranger to post-season play, having laced up for 35 WHL Playoff games with the Hurricanes, where he recorded 29 points (14G-15A) along the way.
Sanheim set for shutdown role on Flyers blueline
Fresh off representing Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, former Calgary Hitmen blueliner Travis Sanheim will be tasked with slowing the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as the Philadelphia Flyers face the Pittsburgh Penguins. During his WHL tenure, Sanheim was a force – tallying 26 points (7G-19A) in 28 WHL post-season appearances with the Hitmen.
Kindel ready for Stanley Cup Playoffs debut
Former Calgary Hitmen star Ben Kindel exploded onto the scene as an 18-year-old rookie this season, registering 35 points (17G-18A) in 77 games. The product of Coquitlam B.C., was a reliable post-season performer in the WHL, collecting 15 points (8G-7A) in 11 WHL Playoff games over two seasons. He will look to compliment a long list of veteran Pens stars as they return to the NHL post-season.
Point looks to power Lightning once again
No NHL team has more post-season appearances (10), series wins (15), or Stanley Cups (2; tied) than the Tampa Bay Lightning have since 2015-16. Former Moose Jaw Warriors forward Brayden Point led all players in post-season goals during Tampa Bay’s most recent Stanley Cup victories in 2020 and 2021.
Guenther & Mammoth make first playoff appearance in Utah history
For the first time in NHL history, there will be playoff hockey in the state of Utah, with two-time WHL Champion Dylan Guenther primed to play a pivotal role for the Mammoth. The former Edmonton Oil King and Seattle Thunderbird hit 40 goals for the first time in his NHL career, finishing the season with 73 points (40G-33A). In 38 WHL Playoff games, he registered 49 points (29G-20A). Will his regular season success and WHL experience translate to the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
Golden Knights boast more WHL Alumni than any other Stanley Cup Playoff team
Led by GM Kelly McCrimmon – a longtime staple of the Brandon Wheat Kings – along with captain Mark Stone, the Vegas Golden Knights are boosted by 10 WHL Alumni – more than any NHL team to have qualified for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Stone and defenceman Shea Theodore helped Vegas win it all in 2023 and they both represented Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
LIST OF WHL ALUMNI on ROSTERS FOR 2026 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
(last WHL Club listed)
* = injured / non-roster player
ANAHEIM DUCKS (3)
Radko Gudas (Everett Silvertips), Jansen Harkins (Prince George Cougars), Olen Zellweger (Kamloops Blazers)
BOSTON BRUINS (5)
Morgan Geekie (Tri-City Americans), Tanner Jeannot (Moose Jaw Warriors), Henri Jokiharju (Portland Winterhawks), Mark Kastelic (Calgary Hitmen), Fraser Minten (Saskatoon Blades)
BUFFALO SABRES (6)
Zach Benson (Winnipeg ICE), Bowen Byram (Vancouver Giants), Tyson Kozak (Portland Winterhawks), Peyton Krebs (Winnipeg ICE), Beck Malenstyn (Swift Current Broncos), Luke Schenn (Kelowna Rockets)
CAROLINA HURRICANES (3)
Seth Jarvis (Portland Winterhawks), Jordan Martinook (Vancouver Giants), Logan Stankoven (Kamloops Blazers)
COLORADO AVALANCHE (2)
Parker Kelly (Prince Albert Raiders), Brett Kulak (Vancouver Giants)
DALLAS STARS (4)
Jamie Benn (Kelowna Rockets), Tyler Myers (Kelowna Rockets), Alexander Petrovic (Red Deer Rebels), Sam Steel (Regina Pats)
EDMONTON OILERS (7)
Colton Dach (Seattle Thunderbirds), Leon Draisaitl (Kelowna Rockets), Connor Ingram (Kamloops Blazers), Tristan Jarry (Edmonton Oil Kings), Curtis Lazar (Edmonton Oil Kings), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Red Deer Rebels), Matt Savoie (Moose Jaw Warriors)
LOS ANGELES KINGS (2)
Joel Edmundson (Kamloops Blazers), Darcy Kuemper (Red Deer Rebels)
MINNESOTA WILD (2)
Daemon Hunt (Moose Jaw Warriors), Jared Spurgeon (Spokane Chiefs)
MONTREAL CANADIENS (3)
Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades), Brendan Gallagher (Vancouver Giants), Kaiden Guhle (Edmonton Oil Kings)
OTTAWA SENATORS (4)
Dylan Cozens (Lethbridge Hurricanes), Ridly Greig (Brandon Wheat Kings), James Reimer (Red Deer Rebels), Lassi Thomson (Kelowna Rockets)
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (3)
Rodrigo Abols (Portland Winterhawks), Noah Juulsen (Everett Silvertips), Travis Sanheim (Calgary Hitmen)
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (5)
Connor Dewar (Everett Silvertips), Caleb Jones (Portland Winterhawks), Ben Kindel (Calgary Hitmen), Stuart Skinner (Swift Current Broncos), Parker Wotherspoon (Tri-City Americans)
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (4)
Oliver Bjorkstrand (Portland Winterhawks), Gage Goncalves (Everett Silvertips), Brandon Hagel (Red Deer Rebels), Brayden Point (Moose Jaw Warriors)
UTAH MAMMOTH (2)
Dylan Guenther (Seattle Thunderbirds), Kailer Yamamoto (Spokane Chiefs)
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS (10)
Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips), Adin Hill (Portland Winterhawks), Brett Howden (Moose Jaw Warriors), Keegan Kolesar (Seattle Thunderbirds), Kaedan Korczak (Kelowna Rockets), Brayden McNabb (Kootenay ICE), Akira Schmid (Lethbridge Hurricanes), Colton Sissons (Kelowna Rockets), Mark Stone (Brandon Wheat Kings), Shea Theodore (Seattle Thunderbirds)
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
