2018-19 Record 54-10-2-2= 112 points. The Raiders finished the season as both the Scotty Munro and Ed Chynoweth Cup Champions.
Dante Hannoun capped off one of the most unforgettable seasons in Raider history with a Game 7 overtime winner on home-ice to capture the Ed Chynoweth Cup. The Raiders also cleaned up at the WHL awards with Ian Scott taking home WHL and CHL Goaltender of the Year, Marc Habschield was named WHL Coach of the Year, and Curtis Hunt took home WHL Executive of the Year. 16-year-old forward Jakob Brook was the runner-up for WHL Scholastic Player of the Year. The Raiders also had Brett Leason and Ian Scott named to the Eastern Conference first all-star team, and Brayden Pachal was named to the second team.
Losses- The Raiders will see Sean Montgomery (59pts in 67 games), Noah Gregor (88pts in 63games), and Dante Hannoun (31pts in 28games) graduate from the league.
The Raiders will also likely lose 20-year-old NHL-signed players: Ian Scott (Tor) 1.83 GAA/ .932 save percentage in 49 games, Parker Kelly (Ott) 67pts in 64 games, Brett Leason (Wash) 89pts in 55 games, and Sergei Sapego (Marlies) 43pts in 58 games.
Additions:
2018 3rd overall pick Nolan Allan will draw into the lineup after dominating the SMAAAHL playoffs (21pts in 13 games) as a 15-year-old defenseman. Allan looks to be a special player that could be an early pick in 2021.
Also from that draft, Tyson Laventure will look to make an impact after an excellent season with OHA Edmonton (56pts in 32 games).
18-year-old Belarusian-born but Colorado-trained Ilya Usau has turned down a scholarship to the University of Connecticut to join the Raiders. Usau was second in Raider preseason scoring.
The 60th overall pick in the import draft, Ivan Kechkin, has come over from Russia. He looks to be a solid 200-foot player who will take time to adjust to the North American game.
SMAAAHL defenseman of the year listed player Landon Kosior (52pts in 44games) has really turned heads at camp, earning a WHL contract.
Still growing late bloomer Cole Nagy, standing at 6-foot-6, will look to grow on his dominant season with the Saskatoon Blazers (65pts in 44games).
17-year-olds Cohner Saleski, Evan Herman, and Braydon Clark will also look to make an impact in their first WHL seasons.
The Raiders recently acquired 18-year-old Remy Aquilion from Victoria for defensive depth.
20-year-old situation:
Brayden Pachal (LV) and Zach Hayes (ANA) are unsigned players that remain in NHL camps. If both or either are returned, they are locks to be members of the team. They were the best shut-down pair in the WHL last season with a combined +147. Max Martin, who was recently returned to the Raiders from the Bruins from rookie camp, would probably fill the final spot. That leaves towering defenseman Jeremy Masella on the outside looking in, but if Pachal or Hayes isn’t returned, it’s his spot.
Outlook:
It’s impossible to replace the offensive talent that the Raiders lost from graduating players. But don’t look to the Raiders to take a massive step back after the winning the WHL championship like teams have in the past. The Raiders did not mortgage their future to make a run, only trading Carson Miller and mid-to-later round picks to acquire Dante Hannoun, Boston Bilous, and Loeden Schauffer (who has since been released). They should return to the playoffs this season. The Raiders have done well drafting in the past three years, which puts them in a great position moving forward.
Three storylines to watch:
1. Boston Bilous — The Raiders’ season may live and die with the play of Bilous. He came into the league with some hype but was lost in the goaltending shuffle in Edmonton. He has looked really poised in the preseason and training camp. He has the size, skill, and athleticism to be a number one goalie in the WHL if he puts it all together. The Raider brass are very high on him.
2. The super ’02s — The 2017 draft has already paid dividends with Kaiden Guhle, Ozzy Wiesblatt, and Jakob Brook making an impact last season and poised to all be top end players for the next two to three years. Cohner Saleski, Braydon Clark, and Evan Herman from that same draft will also look to play significant roles with the club. Undrafted ’02 Landon Kosior can really move the puck and looks like a real steal. European import Ivan Kechkin adds to this class. There will be some growing pains with this group, but it has the chance to be very special.
3. Aliaksei Protas — The Belarusian, 2001-born import had an amazing playoff, scoring 12 goals and adding 10 assists in 23 games, including back-to-back hat tricks in the Eastern Conference Final. Protas is blessed with a 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame that enticed the Washington Capitals to trade up and select him in the third round. In training camp, Protas looked to improve his skating enough for the Raiders to place him at center this season. He has an elite shot and protects the puck extremely well with his massive frame. Look for him to be the top offensive producer for the Raiders this season. Protas had three points in his first preseason game with the Washington Capitals.
