Prince Albert Raiders GM Curtis Hunt says the team picked up two strong offensive players in their draft today. (submitted photo/Mark Peterson Media)

By Rob Mahon

Hunt Praises Prospects

Raiders GM Hunt pleased with U.S. priority selections

May 10, 2023 | 12:42 PM

Two more players have been added to the already-impressive list of Prince Albert Raiders prospects following the U.S. priority selection. It wouldn’t be the first time both have played on the same team.

Forwards Liam Hamre and Caden Dionne were the Raiders’ choices in today’s draft. Both young men played for the Sioux Falls Power last season. Hamre was the first selection of the two at fifth overall.

“Jeff Carter is the guy our scouts compared him to,” said Raiders GM Curtis Hunt. “Good skills, he can get up and down the ice, his puck protection is phenomenal. You look at his numbers, he’s a balanced player, he can pass, he can score. We’re really excited about him.”

During a phone call with Hamre, Hunt outlined the quality of players the prospect would have a chance to play with. Not only do the Raiders have the reigning WHL rookie of the year in Ryder Ritchie, but they’ve got a strong crop of prospects that’s about to get even stronger with the first, second, and seventh overall picks in the WHL Prospects Draft.

“Kids want to come where they have a chance to develop,” Hunt said. “It’s important to have in place, which I believe we do, quality people in all areas of development, whether it’s on ice or skills or off ice support at schools, support in preparation and with injury prevention… Then, within the game itself, you want to play with good players. We all want a chance to win.”

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At pick 27, the Raiders went right back to Sioux Falls, taking Dionne. Dionne was the only member of the Power to put up over a point-per-game this past season, and he was usually a linemate of Hamre’s.

“Puck protector, cerebral, good touch around the net, and can make plays,” said Hunt. “Those guys played on a line, Caden was the centre and Liam was the winger. We think those two guys together, it provides them with a little bit of safety in terms of ‘Where am I going? I’ve got an instant ally.’ Those guys can pick up where they left off.”

With options available in so many different places, it’s a definite competition to get American-born players to come north of the border to play. Yet more and more are at least curious enough about the WHL to come for camps. The Raiders had three of their U.S. prospects at their most recent training camp.

“It’s important that we get kids to camp,” Hunt said. “We can talk about our program, we can show them our program, we can show them why we believe this is the premier development league during their development years, these are important years 16 to 19. We really take care to make sure every player within our group and on our team has the opportunity to develop to be their best self.”

Hunt added the scouting staff has been extremely busy for about the past three months but has been enjoying the process, which culminates in tomorrow’s WHL Prospects Draft.