16 Current and Past Cougars to Attend NHL Camps - Prince George ...

Prince George, BC – The Prince George Cougars are proud to announce that 16 current and former players are set to attend NHL Rookie Camps this week, showcasing the talent that has emerged from the team. This impressive group includes Riley Heidt (Minnesota Wild), Koehn Ziemmer (Los Angeles Kings), Ty Young (Vancouver Canucks), Hunter Laing (Calgary Flames), Ondrej Becher (Detroit Red Wings), Borya Valis (Detroit Red Wings), Bauer Dumanski (Detroit Red Wings), Terik Parascak (Washington Capitals), Zac Funk (Washington Capitals), Hudson Thornton (Washington Capitals), Carlin Dezainde (Boston Bruins), Viliam Kmec (Vegas Golden Knights), Chase Wheatcroft (Dallas Stars), Jaxsen Wiebe (Anaheim Ducks), Ethan Samson (Philadelphia Flyers), and Tyler Brennan (New Jersey Devils).

Riley Heidt Riley Heidt, 19, is coming off a stellar 2023-24 season, tallying 117 points (37-80-117) in 66 games. The Saskatoon native set franchise records as the Cougars’ all-time leader in points (280) and assists (195). Heidt, selected 64th overall by the Wild in 2023, will attend his second NHL rookie and main camp and has earned a spot at the Canadian National Junior Summer Showcase as he vies for a place on Team Canada at the 2024-25 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa, ON.

Koehn Ziemmer Koehn Ziemmer, 20, returns to NHL Rookie Camp with the Los Angeles Kings in Southern California. Despite a lower-body injury limiting his 2023-24 season, Ziemmer contributed 31 points (11-20-31) in 23 games. A fan favorite, Ziemmer has accumulated 189 points (91-98-189) in 183 games with the Cougars. He remains eligible to return to Prince George if loaned back from the Kings.

Ondrej Becher Selected 60th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2024 NHL Draft, Ondrej Becher, 20, enjoyed his most productive WHL season with 96 points (32-65-96) in 58 games. He was instrumental in the Cougars’ playoff run and represented Czechia at the 2024 World Junior Championship, where he earned a bronze medal. Becher could rejoin the Cougars if loaned by Detroit.

Borya Valis Borya Valis, 20, will attend his first NHL Rookie Camp with the Detroit Red Wings. Acquired by Prince George late in the 2023 season, Valis made an immediate impact, recording 37 points (13-24-37) in 32 games and leading the team in playoff goals.

Bauer Dumanski Defenceman Bauer Dumanski, 19, joins the Red Wings at his first NHL camp after a strong 2023-24 season, where he posted 33 points (7-26-33) in 68 games. Despite missing Detroit’s development camp due to travel issues, Dumanski has been a cornerstone of the Cougars’ blue line.

Terik Parascak Terik Parascak, 18, set a franchise record for a rookie with 105 points (43-62-105) in 68 games. Drafted 17th overall by the Washington Capitals, Parascak signed a three-year entry-level contract following his first development camp.

Carlin Dezainde Carlin Dezainde, 20, heads to his first NHL Rookie Camp with the Boston Bruins after a career-high 56 points (25-31-56) in 51 games last season. Dezainde has developed significantly since joining the Cougars in 2021.

Viliam Kmec Viliam Kmec, 20, earned an invitation to the Vegas Golden Knights Rookie Camp after a breakout season with 34 points (9-25-34) in 58 games. The Slovak defenseman represented his country at the 2024 World Junior Championship and is among the eligible over-age players for the Cougars’ upcoming season.

Hunter Laing Hunter Laing, 18, is set for his first NHL Rookie Camp with the Calgary Flames. Drafted 170th overall, the towering forward contributed 25 points (11-14-25) in 66 games with the Cougars last season.

Ty Young Ty Young, a 20-year-old goaltender from Coaldale, AB, returns to the Vancouver Canucks Rookie Showcase. Young, selected in the fifth round in 2023, had a solid 23-11-2 record last season with a .903 save percentage and a 2.79 goals-against average.

Zac Funk Zac Funk, who had a record-setting 123 points (67-56-123) with the Cougars in 2023-24, is attending the Washington Capitals camp after signing a three-year entry-level contract. Funk is anticipated to play with the Hershey Bears, the Capitals’ AHL affiliate.

Hudson Thornton Former Cougars captain Hudson Thornton, who notched 74 points (18-56-74) last season, joins Washington after setting franchise records for a defenseman in points, goals, assists, and power-play goals.

Chase Wheatcroft Chase Wheatcroft, a fan favorite, returns to the Dallas Stars organization for his second NHL Rookie Camp. Wheatcroft signed his entry-level contract after a standout 107-point season (47-60-107) in 2022-23.

Jaxsen Wiebe Jaxsen Wiebe heads to the Anaheim Ducks camp for his second pro season. Wiebe split time between the AHL’s San Diego Gulls and the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers last season, earning a three-year entry-level deal with Anaheim.

Tyler Brennan Former Cougars goaltender Tyler Brennan, who played last season with the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder, returns to New Jersey for Devils Rookie and main camp. Selected in the fourth round by the Devils in 2022, Brennan spent four impactful seasons with Prince George.

Ethan Samson Ethan Samson, former Cougars captain, enters his third season with the Philadelphia Flyers organization after playing with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms last year. A reliable defenceman, Samson accumulated 122 points over his WHL career with the Cougars.