Kelowna, B.C.- Will a Shark and the Ogopogo be a match made in hockey heaven?
The Kelowna Rockets sure hope so.
The 2026 Memorial Cup hosts have started to load up with the acquisition of San Jose Sharks prospect and former Calgary Hitmen Captain Carson Wetsch.
“Adding a player like Carson to our team is huge,” Rockets President and General Manager Bruce Hamilton said. “He is a big winger who can skate, score, and has a physical presence. He has outstanding leadership qualities, which will help us build towards the Memorial Cup next season. The Kelowna Rockets are happy to welcome Carson to the club, and we look forward to seeing him in the fall.”
The full deal sees the Rockets bring in Wetsch and a conditional second-round pick in the 2028 WHL Prospects Draft, while Calgary receives the rights to 2008-born defenceman Ben MacBeath and a first-round pick in 2027, in addition to a second-round and fourth-round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft.
Wetsch, 19, is coming off a career season that saw the energetic winger score 33 goals (including a hat trick) and add 20 assists for 53 points in 68 games.
The 6-foot-1, 198-pound forward led the WHL with 10 game-winning goals.
Originally drafted by the Hitmen with the 12th overall pick in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Wetsch went on to play 181 regular-season games in Calgary, amassing 68 goals and 56 assists for 124 points.
The North Vancouver, B.C. product added an additional six goals and one assist in 16 playoff matches.
The San Jose Sharks called Wetsch’s name in the third round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft at Sphere in Las Vegas, Nev.
MacBeath was selected by the Rockets in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft in the seventh round with the 136th pick.
