Rockets Sign 2025 First-Round Pick Will Kelts to WHL Scholarship & Development Agreement
WHL Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Sign 2025 First-Round Pick Will Kelts to WHL Scholarship & Development Agreement

Published on July 3, 2025 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


KELOWNA, BC - The Kelowna Rockets are proud to announce that Will Kelts has signed a WHL Scholarship & Development Agreement with the hockey club.

Kelts, a 6'2", 192-pound left-shot defenceman from Consort, Alberta, was selected 20th overall in the first round of the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft by the Rockets last month.

The 15-year-old spent the 2024-25 season with the Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 Prep program in the CSSHL, where he recorded 13 goals and 26 assists for 39 points in 35 games. He also added 3 assists in 5 playoff games and made a brief appearance with the Xtreme's U18 Prep team, posting 4 points in 3 games.

Kelts was a standout at the prestigious John Reid Memorial Tournament, where he helped lead his team to a championship title, producing 2 goals and 7 assists for 9 points in 6 games and was one of the highest-scoring defencemen in the tournament.

Kelts also represented Team Alberta Blue at the 2025 Alberta Cup, recording 3 assists in 5 games and earning an invite to Hockey Alberta's Male U16 Summer Camp, taking place July 1-6 in Red Deer. The camp features 80 of the province's top 2010-born players and serves as the final evaluation for selection to Team Alberta's roster for the 2025 WHL Cup.

"Will is a big, strong, physical defenseman that can skate, is very responsible defensively, makes the good, solid first pass out of the zone or has the ability to carry the puck and lead the rush, he has a good, heavy, hard shot; he plays the game hard and makes life miserable for opposing players, finishing checks and being aggressive." - Terry McFaul, Director of Player Personnel

Kelts is the first addition to a promising 2025 draft class by the Rockets and is expected to play a significant role on the blue line in the coming seasons.

The Kelowna Rockets would like to welcome Will and the Kelts family to the organization.

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from July 3, 2025


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