The non-return of centre Kirby Dach to the Saskatoon Blades and the continued rehab from an off-season injury to Winnipeg ICE forward Peyton Krebs means Team W-H-L has had to replace them in the line-up for next week’s games against the Russians as part of the Canada-Russia Super Series.
The replacements are Bridge City Bunch captain Chase Wouters (pictured) and Edmonton forward Josh Williams. Wouters is a 19-year-old centre who has posted 17 points, including 10 goals, in 18 games with the Blue and Gold. He’s helped pick up the slack of the Blades not getting Dach back from the N-H-L’s Chicago Blackhawks. Team W-H-L plays the Russians next Wednesday at SaskTel Centre and Thursday at Prince Albert’s Art Hauser Centre. Following is the news release from the Blades and the W-H-L…
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/ TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2019 BLADES’ WOUTERS & OIL KINGS’ WILLIAMS ADDED TO TEAM WHL FOR 2019 CIBC CANADA RUSSIA SERIES Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League, in association with the Canadian Hockey League and Hockey Canada, announced today that Saskatoon Blades captain Chase Wouters and Edmonton Oil Kings forward Josh Williams have been added to Team WHL’s roster for the 2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series. Wouters currently sits second in scoring with the Blades this season, posting 17 points (10G-7A) in 18 games. For his WHL career, the 6-foot-0, 185-pound product of Lloydminster, Alta. has 128 points (49G-79A) in 214 WHL regular season games. In 2018, Wouters was named the WHL Eastern Conference Scholastic Player of the Year. Internationally, the 19-year-old Wouters earned silver with Canada Black at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and represented Canada at the 2018 IIHF Under-18 World Championship. The Blades chose Wouters with the 19th-overall selection in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft. Williams ranks second in team scoring this season with 19 points (8G-11A) for the league-leading Oil Kings. Over his WHL career, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound product of Langley, B.C. has 73 points (34G-39A) in 133 WHL regular season games with the Oil Kings and Medicine Hat Tigers. Internationally, the 18-year-old won gold with Canada at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Williams was originally chosen fifth overall at the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft. In addition, the WHL announced that forwards Kirby Dach of the Saskatoon Blades and Peyton Krebs of the Winnipeg ICE will not participate at the event. The 2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series will represent the event’s return to both Saskatoon and Prince Albert. In 2005 and 2014, the event made an appearance in Saskatoon, while Prince Albert played host in 2008. The six-game CIBC Canada Russia Series features regional league teams of Canadian National Junior Team candidates competing against the Russian National Junior Team. Team CHL has won 12 times in event history, with Russia emerging victorious on four occasions. The 2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series is supported by title sponsor CIBC, the Official Bank of the CHL, along with associate sponsors Kia Canada, Cooper Tires, and Kubota Canada. All games will be broadcast nationally on Sportsnet and TVA Sports. Tickets for Games 5 and 6 of the 2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series are available now. Complete ticketing options available at the links below. 2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series Schedule Game 1 – Monday, November 4 at Saint John, N.B. Game 2 – Tuesday, November 5 at Moncton, N.B. Game 3 – Thursday, November 7 at Kitchener, Ont. Game 4 – Monday, November 11 at London, Ont. Game 5 – Wednesday, November 13 at Saskatoon, Sask. – TICKETS Game 6 – Thursday, November 14 at Prince Albert, Sask. – TICKETS
