Raider News: European draft, schedule release, coaches at NHL camps, and WHL rule changes

“We got to see him play at the Under 18 World Championships, and specifically I wanted to watch him against Canada because they lost 6-0, and he came out of that game unscathed. I thought he played physical. He moved extremely well. He made good decisions. They had him in all situations.”

Standing at 6’5, 209 lbs, Luks put up 4G-20A-24P in 39 games with his Jukurit U18 team in the Mestis League, and he also posted 39 penalty minutes . Luks also represented his home country of Latvia for 19 games last year, where he added another goal and an assist.

When Hunt called Luks to welcome him to the Raiders organization, he was outside on the pickleball court.

“We had a chance to chat with him and follow up to get to know what kind of person he is. I think he’s going to be a great fit here in Prince Albert. I think he’s going to bring some international experience, but maybe that tremendous wingspan I’m pretty excited about too.”

For the second year in a row, the Raiders have taken a 6’5 defenceman in the European Draft, so it’s hard not to make the comparison to Matyas Man, who is currently away at Toronto Maple Leafs development camp. Man could still be a part of the Raiders next year as a 20-year-old Euro.

“The easy comparison is the size, but I think both guys have some similarities. They both move extremely well. For us, looking at Oscars, he’s 18 years old, he’s a player we hope to keep for two years at the very least, and really anchors the back end. (With Luks), I think Cripps and Kelly will both be able to play their strong sides, and then of course Hubert Clark, we’re looking for more from Hubert and I think he’s ready to give more too. Certainly was very good in the postseason when we got thrown in the fire.”

Luks will technically be the second Latvian born player to play for the Raiders when he steps on the ice in September. Kristaps Bazevics played two games for the Raiders back in the 2011-12 season.

NHL Development camps

After news that 13 different Raiders players were announced to NHL development camps, word came that Raiders staff had also been invited.

Head Coach Ryan McDonald is in Pittsburgh as a guest coach at Penguins camp, Assistant Coach Conor Yawney is a guest coach with his father Trent at Detroit Red Wings camp, and Assistant Equipment Manager Bennett Acorn is in Winnipeg as an assistant to the equipment team with the Jets.

“What’s in our mission statement, is to provide an environment where people have an opportunity to advance, not just the players. They’re certainly the most celebrated, but to be able to use either connections or staff on their own merits to get those opportunities, I think it’s fantastic. I think it’s a credit to the work our coaches do certainly, and it’s a credit to the work that happens behind the scenes, especially with a guy like Bennett.”

WHL rule changes

Also on Tuesday, the WHL released the schedule for the season along with a few new rule changes. The three changes coming in: air travel will be allowed for the one long road trip each team takes per season, the regular season will be extended by a week, and the preseason will test a new overtime format that could be adopted into the regular season.

The proposed overtime format will no longer allow a team to leave the offensive zone without being penalized. The effort is to try and stop teams from stalling for the perfect opportunity and instead encourage more natural flow to the game that will make overtimes more competitive rather than a game of keepaway.

“How many times do you see the shots are 1-0 (at the end of overtime) or you see a team drag the puck around for two to three minutes and it can get pretty dull. So hopefully it drives a little more excitement, some more scoring chances and turns into more end-to-end play,” said Hunt.

Another change will see the first round of the playoffs reduced from a best-of-seven series to a best-of-five series beginning next season. The league said the change is intended to reduce travel for lower-seeded teams, which have typically been eliminated quickly in the opening round. One exception came in 2022, when the eighth-seeded Vancouver Giants upset the top-seeded Everett Silvertips.

The Raiders will kick off the 2026-27 season against the Regina Pats with a banner raising ceremony for the East Division and Eastern Conference Championship banners won last season on September 18 at the Art Hauser Centre.

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nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com

by Nick Nielsen

Raider News: European draft, schedule release, coaches at NHL camps, and WHL rule changes

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