Hitmen Announce 2021 Opening Night Roster
March 2, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL) - Calgary Hitmen News Release
Calgary, AB - The Calgary Hitmen Hockey Club today announced their 22-player opening night roster for the 2021 Western Hockey League regular season. The lineup of 13 forwards, seven defencemen and two goaltenders includes 16 returning players from the 2019-20 club.
The Hitmen will begin their 26th WHL season on Friday, March 5th at home against the Red Deer Rebels. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Seven Chiefs Sportsplex on Tsuut'ina Nation.
A temporary move out of Scotiabank Saddledome is required this season in accordance with NHL and AHL COVID-19 protocols governing both the Calgary Flames and Stockton Heat.
ROSTER BREAKDOWN (22):
2000-born (3): Josh Prokop (RW), Riley Stotts (C), Orca Wiesblatt (RW)
2001-born (6): Blake Allan (C), Connor Gabruch (RW), Jack McNaughton (G), Conrad Mitchell (LW), Jackson van de Leest (D), Cael Zimmerman (C)
2002-born (5): Riley Fiddler-Schultz (C), Evan Toth (D), Adam Kydd (LW), Brayden Peters (G), Luke Prokop (D)
2003-born (6): Zac Funk* (LW), Tyson Galloway (D), Rory Neill* (D), Owen Palfreyman* (D), Sean Tschigerl (LW), Tristan Zandee* (LW)
2004-born (2): Grayden Siepmann (D)*, Brandon Whynott* (LW)
*Denotes rookie
The Hitmen, who received an opening weekend bye, will play a 24-game regular season schedule comprising of the five Alberta-based Central Division teams. Under AHS protocols, fans are not permitted to enter WHL facilities however they can watch Friday's opener on the all-new WHL Live on CHL TV or listen to the radio broadcast on Sportsnet 960-The Fan.
2021 CALGARY HITMEN REGULAR SEASON ROSTER
NO FORWARDS (13) POS SH HT WT HOMETOWN DOB 19-20 SEASON LEAGUE GP G A PTS PIM DRAFT
10 Prokop, Josh RW R 5'11" 189 Edmonton, AB Jan. 30/00 Calgary Hitmen WHL 57 15 21 36 18 Free Agent
11 Zimmerman, Cael C L 5'11" 186 Englefeld, SK Jan. 17/01 Calgary Hitmen WHL 30 7 6 13 4 Eligible 2021
14 Zandee, Tristan* LW L 6'3" 202 Airdrie, AB Nov. 28/03 Canmore Eagles AJHL 46 12 13 25 65 Eligible 2022
17 Gabruch, Connor RW R 6'4" 200 Saskatoon, SK Sept. 16/01 Spokane Chiefs / Calgary Hitmen WHL 61 5 5 10 23 Eligible 2021
18 Stotts, Riley C L 6'0.5" 187 Winnipeg, MB Jan. 5/00 Calgary Hitmen WHL 64 25 43 68 34 Free Agent
19 Tschigerl, Sean LW L 6'0" 186 Whitecourt, AB April 11/03 Calgary Hitmen WHL 56 4 9 13 16 Eligible 2021
21 Fiddler-Schultz, Riley C L 6'1" 196 Fort Saskatchewan, AB May 13/02 Calgary Hitmen WHL 44 9 10 19 26 Eligible 2021
23 Kydd, Adam LW L 5'11.5" 194 Regina, SK April 19/02 Calgary Hitmen WHL 53 6 6 12 17 Eligible 2021
24 Funk, Zac* LW L 5'11.5" 195 Coldstream, BC July 20/03 Okanagan Rockets BCU18 29 19 32 51 102 Eligible 2021
25 Allan, Blake C L 6'2" 192 Davidson, SK April 21/01 Regina Pats / Calgary Hitmen WHL 62 6 7 13 39 Eligible 2021
26 Mitchell, Conrad LW L 6'5.5" 232 Thorsby, AB Jan. 25/01 Everett Silvertips / Calgary Hitmen WHL 46 5 2 7 53 Eligible 2021
27 Whynott, Brandon* LW L 6'1.5" 180 Langley, BC April 16/04 Yale U18 Prep CSSHL 36 16 18 34 30 Eligible 2022
28 Wiesblatt, Orca RW R 5'10" 186 Calgary, AB June 2/00 Calgary Hitmen WHL 64 20 37 57 62 Free Agent
NO DEFENCE (7) POS SH HT WT HOMETOWN DOB 19-20 SEASON LEAGUE GP G A PTS PIM DRAFT
3 Toth, Evan D L 6'2.5" 202 Winnipeg, MB June 13/02 Calgary Hitmen WHL 50 2 6 8 18 Eligible 2021
4 Palfreyman, Owen* D L 6'4.5" 184 Whitehorse, YT Nov. 10/03 Cariboo Cougars BCU18 37 1 10 11 62 Eligible 2022
5 van de Leest, Jackson D L 6'7" 238 Kelowna, BC June 15/01 Calgary Hitmen WHL 64 3 25 28 71 Eligible 2021
6 Prokop, Luke D R 6'5" 221 Edmonton, AB May 6/02 Calgary Hitmen WHL 59 4 19 23 30 NSH Rd. 3, 2020
7 Neill, Rory* D L 6'0" 165 Winnipeg, MB July 18/03 Winnipeg Wild MBU18 35 14 38 52 18 Eligible 2021
8 Siepmann, Grayden* D R 5'9.5" 179 Abbotsford, BC May 26/04 Yale U18 Prep CSSHL 30 4 13 17 12 Eligible 2022
22 Galloway, Tyson D L 6'3.5" 200 Kamloops, BC Jan. 20/03 Calgary Hitmen WHL 33 0 1 1 8 Eligible 2021
NO GOALTENDERS (2) POS CA HT WT HOMETOWN DOB 19-20 SEASON LEAGUE GP MP GAA SAV% SO DRAFT
31 McNaughton, Jack G L 6'1.5" 192 Calgary, AB Oct. 30/01 Calgary Hitmen WHL 31 1,672 3.34 0.878 1 Eligible 2021
35 Peters, Brayden G L 6'2" 199 Taber, AB May 22/02 Calgary Hitmen WHL 35 2,043 2.76 0.902 0 Eligible 2021
*Denotes rookie
The Hitmen, who received an opening weekend bye, will play a 24-game regular season schedule comprising of the five Alberta-based Central Division teams. Under AHS protocols, fans are not permitted to enter WHL facilities however they can watch Friday's opener on the all-new WHL Live on CHL TV or listen to the radio broadcast on Sportsnet 960-The Fan.
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