Raiders prospects Jonah Sivertson and Kyle Obobaifo turned heads during the preseason, with Sivertson starting the season as a part of the roster. (Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nick Nielsen

Sivertson and Obobaifo

Two Raiders prospects win AAA championships

Apr 3, 2025 | 3:50 PM

Practices for the Prince Albert Raiders have become more crowded during the playoffs as prospects who have finished their seasons have joined the Raiders for the rest of the postseason, but there are two whose campaigns are continuing. In Saskatchewan, Jonah Sivertson helped his Regina Pat Canadians to a SMAAAHL championship, and in Alberta, Kyle Obobaifo’s Calgary Flames are AEHL Champions.

Starting with Sivertson, the 16-year-old’s season didn’t quite start the way he wanted. He put up a great performance in the preseason, going a goal per game with the Raiders and earning a spot on the opening night roster. His production would fall once the regular season started, and 14 games into the season, he’d be sent down to the Regina Pat Canadians in the Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL).

“It hurt getting sent down, but being able to come back and come to a championship winning team, it’s been unbelievable. I mean, there’s such good talent and everybody works hard on this team, so I’m just grateful for that and grateful for the opportunity that I had in Prince Albert.”

Sivertson didn’t sit idle when he was sent down as in just 33 games, he’d put up 32G-45A-77P, good for second in league scoring behind his teammate and projected WHL first overall pick this year Maddux Schultz. Through 10 games in the playoffs, Sivertson would again finish second behind Schultz with 10G-6A-16P, and Sivertson would earn both the league’s Top Forward award and a spot on the Second All-Star team in the SMAAAHL.

As for the team, Sivertson’s Pat Canadians would win three straight games over the Prince Albert Mintos, then won their second round series over the Saskatoon Blazers in the second round. In the finals, the Pat Canadians swept Moose Jaw to earn their SMAAAHL Championship.

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Now Sivertson has three games to play to try and qualify for the Telus Cup Men’s U18 National Championships, starting April 3 against the Winnipeg Wild, with follow-up games against Kenora Thistles and the Thunder Bay Kings.

While his team gets ready for regionals, Sivertson still has an eye on the future and cracking into the Raiders lineup once again. When asked what he’ll pull out of this season into next year, the biggest thing for him is having found his confidence in his game once again.

“I think just being able to be confident and make plays. I think that’s super important, and that maybe I lost when I was with the Raiders, but I think I gained that back and just be myself and play my game.”

Moving on to Obobaifo, he only got into two games during the preseason with the Raiders where he put up an assist, but also turned heads with his aggressive forechecking. Early in his season, Obobaifo would join another Raiders prospect Ben Harvey as part of the WHL Cup-winning Team Alberta, bringing Alberta their first championship in eight years.

During the regular season, the 15-year-old’s Calgary Flames were also the top team in the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) all season long. They lead the South Division by a full 10 points but finished just one point ahead of the North Division’s St. Albert Raiders.

“It was amazing. The boys fought through the whole season. They just wanted the end goal and they fought really hard it.”

Personally, Obobaifo put up 10G-16A-26P in 36 games during the regular season, finishing 10th in team scoring. In the playoffs, his team would score by committee, and despite Obobaifo finishing with 2G-6A-8P in nine games, he’d finish only two points back of the top spot of his team and yet still finished sixth.

During their playoff run, they earned a bye through the first round before winning two straight games over the Calgary Royals in round two. In round three, Obobaifo’s Flames would face the Calgary Buffaloes, and the Flames would win the five game series in four games to head to the final. There, the Flames would sweep the Sherwood Park Kings in three straight games.

Now, Obobaifo has one series to play to qualify for a spot in the Telus Cup. His Flames will play a three game series against the Okanagan Rockets starting on Saturday.

Obobaifo is the youngest brother of three in a hockey family, with his older brother Aaron playing as part of the Vancouver Giants, and his oldest brother Charles a former Kindersley Klippers of the SJHL who graduated into NCAA Division III hockey. Having two older brothers helping him prepare for the next level has been huge for the young Kyle.

“They’re great players. They’ve just told me a lot about the next level and what to prepare for and how physical it gets.”

The Telus Cup is set to begin on April 25 in Chilliwack, B.C.

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nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com