Five Hitmen Named in NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings
Five Hitmen Named in NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings
Category: Article
Five Calgary Hitmen Players have been listed by NHL Central Scouting in it’s Final Rankings or the 2024 NHL Draft. Players ranked amongst North Americans Skaters are Carter Yakemchuk (#11), Carson Wetsch (#50), Keets Fawcett (#138), Chase Valliant (#179), and Dax Williams (#204).
The final rankings list is compiled by NHL Central Scouting and splits prospects into both North American (NA) and International categories.
RANK #11 ⇓ (midterm #6) : CARTER YAKEMCHUK (’05) – DEFENCE
HOMETOWN: Calgary, AB
DOB: September 29, 2005
HEIGHT: 6’3
WEIGHT: 201lbs
SHOOTS: Right
Coming in at number 11 is Carter Yakemchuk. The defenceman joined the Hitmen after being drafted by Calgary in the third round (65th overall) in the 2020 WHL Prospects draft. He was named to the 2024 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game back in January. Yakemchuk had a record-breaking year, making history with the most goals recorded by a Hitmen defenceman in a single season, beating the previous record of 24 set by Jake Bean 2015-16 season. The 18 year-old finished the season second in team scoring with a career high 71 points (30g, 41a) and lead all WHL defencemen with 30 goals. Most recenlty he was nominated for the Bill Hunter award, being named the WHL Central Division Defenceman of the Year.
RANK #50 ⇓ (midterm #44): CARSON WETSCH (’06) – FORWARD
HOMETOWN: North Vancouver, BC
DOB: May 5, 2006
HEIGHT: 6’0
WEIGHT: 190lbs
SHOOTS: Right
Carson Wetsch joined the Hitmen after being drafted by Calgary 12th overall in the 2021 WHL Prospects draft. The 17-year-old finished the 2023-24 campaign with 25 goals and 25 assists for 50 points, more than doubling his point production from the previous season. The forward won a gold medal with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup last August and was just named to Canada’s National Men’s under-18 team for the 2024 IIHF World Championship. Wetsch was also selected for the 2024 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game alongside teammate Carter Yakemchuk, representing Team White.
RANK #138 ⇑ (midterm #163): KEETS FAWCETT (’06) – FORWARD
HOMETOWN: Grimshaw, AB
DOB: February 23, 2006
HEIGHT: 5’10
WEIGHT: 170lbs
SHOOTS: Left
Jumping up to number 138, Fawcett is 2006-born forward Keets Fawcett. Undrafted, Fawcett was listed and signed by the Calgary Hitmen and made team out of training camp. He finished his rookie season with an impressive 45 points (19g,26a) in 65 games.
RANK #179 ⇑ (midterm #195): CHASE VALLIANT (’06) – FORWARD
HOMETOWN: Surrey, BC
DOB: May 18, 2006
HEIGHT: 6’1
WEIGHT: 180lbs
SHOOTS: Left
Also jumping up in the rankings is Chase Valliant coming in at number 179. Drafted in the third round (58th overall) by the Calgary Hitmen in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Chase Valliant has proved himself to be a two way centre in his rookie season. Sidelined for 2 months with an upper body injury, the forward had a strong return and finished out the season with 20 points (6g,13a).
RANK #204 ⇑ (midterm #211): DAX WILLIAMS (’05) – DEFENCE
HOMETOWN: Calgary, AB
DOB: September 28, 2005
HEIGHT: 6’1
WEIGHT: 195lbs
SHOOTS: Left
In his second full season with the Calgary Hitmen, defenceman Dax Williams has become a stalwart on the Hitmen’s backend. Drafted by the club in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft in the sixth round (121st overall), the product from Calgary has tripled his point production from his previous season with 20 points (4g,16a) and finished with a plus/minus of +18.
The 2024 NHL Draft will be held from June 28–29 at Sphere in Las Vegas.
57 WHL players named to Final Rankings for 2024 NHL Draft
Hockey Operations & Staff
John Bean
President and CEO
John Bean was named president of the Calgary Hitmen on July 16, 2018. He joined Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) in January 2010 as Senior Vice President, Finance and Administration and CFO before being named Chief Operating Officer of CSEC in September 2013. That summer he lead the restoration and recovery of the Scotiabank Saddledome which was significantly impacted by the flood of 2013. In less than 70 days the entire event level was stripped down to the concrete and rebuilt in time for the 2013/2014 hockey season.
Bean is also the National Lacrosse League Governor for the Calgary Roughnecks, Chairman of the NLL Audit and Finance Committee, a member of the CFL Audit and Finance Committee and the Treasurer for the Calgary Flames Foundation for Life. Prior to joining CSEC, Bean, a Chartered Accountant, held a variety of senior executive roles in the oil and gas services industry including Vice President, Finance with CCS Corporation Ltd. and Chief Financial Officer with Hazco Environmental Services Ltd.
Born and raised in Saskatoon before attending the University of Saskatchewan he and his wife Rhonda moved to Calgary in 1988 where they have raised two children. Bean enjoys golfing and spending time with his family.
Mike Moore
Vice President and Governor
Mike Moore is in his 26th season in the Western Hockey League and 15th with the Calgary Hitmen. His tenure with the franchise began with a one-year term as assistant general manager in 1997-98. He then served as general manager of the Kamloops Blazers (1998-2004) and Medicine Hat Tigers (2004-05) before spending three seasons as director of athletics with Edge School (2005-08).
His return to the Hitmen for the 2008-09 season saw Moore as director of business operations before adding the title of assistant general manager in 2012. Moore moved to the role of general manager and vice president of business operations in 2013 and was then promoted to vice president and alternate governor in 2017.
During his Hitmen tenure, Moore has received a pair of WHL recognitions: Marketing/Public Relations Award in 2010-11 and Eastern Conference nominee for the Lloyd Saunders Memorial trophy as WHL Executive of the Year in 2013-14.
Garry Davidson
General Manager
In a Hockey career spanning more than three decades, Davidson has served as a Head Coach, GM and Owner at various levels in both the junior and professional ranks. The Manitoba native has worked extensively in the British Columbia Hockey League and WHL since the early 1990’s. Before joining the Calgary Hitmen, Davidson took on the role as General Manager for the Everett Silvertips after spending four years as Director of Player Personnel for the Portland Winterhawks.
This is Davidson’s third season with the Calgary Hitmen, holding the title of Director of Player Personnel from 2021- 2023 before becoming the Director of Hockey Operations at the beginning of the 2023-24 season. Davidson now holds the role of General Manager.
Steve Hamilton
Head Coach
Steve Hamilton is in his fifth season with the Calgary Hitmen having guided the club to a combined 71 wins during his first two years at the helm. Before moving to the Stampede City he helped the Edmonton Oil Kings as an associate coach to three straight WHL Finals, two league championships in 2012 and 2014, culminating with a Memorial Cup title in 2014. The 47-year-old has 10 seasons of WHL experience and has also served as a head coach and assistant with Hockey Canada working with the U17’s and U18’s in 2013, 2014 and again in 2017. Hamilton, a three-time AJHL Coach of the Year with the Fort Saskatchewan Traders in 2006 and Spruce Grove Saints in 2009 and 2010, spent 13 years as a teacher and hockey instructor with Donnan Elementary and Vimy Ridge Academy from 2001 to 2014.
Trent Cassan
Assistant Coach
Trent Cassan is in his seventh season as an assistant coach with the Calgary Hitmen following parts of seven years as head coach of the Yorkton Terriers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. He also spent two SJHL seasons as general manager. During his time as bench boss, he compiled a record of 177-123-17-24 while advancing to the playoffs in six campaigns, including four league final berths. Under his guidance, the Terriers captured the club’s first-ever RBC Cup as Canada’s National Junior A champions in 2014 along with two Canalta Cups (2013 & 2014). Cassan, who has made two appearances at the World Junior A Challenge as both an assistant coach (2013) and head coach (2014) with Team Canada West, was the co-recipient of the SJHL’s Coach of the Year award in 2012-13. A Medora, Manitoba native, Cassan is a graduate of the NCAA’s Division III SUNY Geneseo Knights (2004-08) and a Terriers alumnus (2001-04).
Don MacGillivray
Assistant Coach
Don MacGillvray joins the Calgary Hitmen after having spent three seasons as the head coach for the Brandon Wheat Kings. Before that Done served as the assistant coach for the club from 2016-2020. MacGillivray brings an extensive coaching background behind the bench in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League with the Portage Terriers, Neepawa Natives, St. James Canadiens and the Winnipeg Blues. He also spent two seasons as Head Coach with the Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) as well as three seasons as the head coach of the University of Manitoba Bisons (CIS), where he was named Canada West Coach of the Year in 2008.
Matt Stajan
Skills and Development Coach
Matt Stajan is in his third year with Calgary Hitmen, taking on a new role as the team’s Skills and Development Coach. Prior to stepping behind the bench, the 37-year-old Mississauga, Ontario native was drafted in the second round of the 2002 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, and played seven seasons before being traded to the Calgary Flames. In 2014-15 he helped the Flames make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in six seasons, and continued with the team through the 2017-18 Season. In 1,003 career NHL games, he recorded 146 goals and 413 points. Most recently, Stajan played with Munich EHC in the Deutsche Eishockey League (Germany) before announcing his retirement from professional hockey in 2019.
Theodore Zubot
Goaltending Coach
Theodore joined the Calgary Hitmen in 2021 as the teams goaltending coach. Theodore grew up playing minor/junior hockey in Edmonton before pursuing a career in coaching. Theodore moved to Calgary where he graduated from the University of Calgary and is working towards becoming a Commercial Pilot.
Theodore has over 12 years coaching experience working with multiple Junior, College, and Professional goaltenders. He has also had the opportunity to work with the Canadian National Women’s goaltenders in preparation for the 2022 Olympic games
Owners
N. Murray Edwards is chairman, director and co-owner of the Calgary Flames Hockey Club. He is also Owner and President of Edco Financial Holdings Ltd. He is a leading investor, managing director, chairman, or vice chairman of several publicly traded companies including Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., Ensign Energy Services Inc., and Magellan Aerospace Corporation. Today, these companies employ more than 15,000 people.
Mr. Edwards received a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan and a Bachelor of Laws with honors from the University of Toronto.
At the community level, Mr. Edwards is a member of The Council of Champions for the Calgary Children’s Initiatives, a director of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives and Banff Centre, and a member of the Canada West Foundation.
Alvin G. Libin is a native Calgarian with business interests in real estate, oil and gas and financial services. Mr. Libin is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Balmon Investments Ltd., a private management services and investment company. He has a strong commitment to the city of Calgary and has provided leadership in various volunteer positions.
In 2003, Mr. Libin and his wife, Mona, through the Alvin and Mona Libin Foundation, established the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta in partnership with the University of Calgary and the Calgary Health Region. Its mission is to provide world-class cardiovascular health care, education and research for southern Alberta. He is past chairman of the Alberta Ingenuity Fund, a foundation created by the Government of Alberta to stimulate and support science and engineering research for the benefit of Albertans. He also serves as a director of several corporate and community boards.
Mr. Libin is an Officer of the Order of Canada and holds an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Calgary. He was inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2004.
Allan P. Markin is Chairman of Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL), an oil and natural gas exploration, development and production company. He worked with Amoco Canada, Merland Explorations, and served as president of Poco Petroleum. In 1993, he received a Pinnacle Award of Business Excellence in Alberta, and an Oilweek Producer of the Year Award. He has been distinguished for several years by the Wall Street Journal Gold Awards for Outstanding Achievement–Canadian Oil Producers. The Mayor of the City of Calgary bestowed him with the Citizen of the Year Award in 2004.
Mr. Markin is a graduate of the University of Alberta with a B.S. in chemical engineering. In 1998, he received honorary Doctor of Law degrees from University of Calgary, University of Alberta, and University of Lethbridge. St. Mary’s University College also honored him with a fellowship in 2004.
His philanthropy and personal involvement in the broader community is extensive not only in North America, but also in the U.K. and West Africa.
Jeffrey J. McCaig is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Trimac Transportation group of companies. Trimac is the largest provider of bulk trucking services in North America and also provides complementary logistics services, including transload facility operations, distribution management, and freight brokerage.
In addition to being a director and chairing the Boards of the Trimac group of companies, Jeff is a director of Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada. He is also a director and Chairman of Bantrel Company and a director and co-owner of the Calgary Flames Hockey Club.
Jeff is a member of several Canadian and American industry associations relating to the trucking industry and currently serves as Chairman of the National Tank Truck Carriers Association in Washington, DC.
He obtained his undergraduate degree in Economics from Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts; his law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto; and his Master of Science in Management degree from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.
