With a new captain in tow, the Prince Albert Raiders say they’re ready to become a threat night in and night out on the ice this 2024-25 WHL season.
The Raiders named 19-year-old defender Justice Christensen as the 49th captain in franchise history this week as the team prepares for their first game of the season on Friday night hosting the Regina Pats.
“I think we’re right there,” said Christensen. “The last couple of years that I’ve been here, we’ve done the right things and we’ve strived to be the best that we can. I think this year we have the group that can do it.”
After missing the WHL post-season in 2022-23, the Raiders were able to make a resurgence this past spring qualifying for playoffs as the eighth seed before falling in five games to the Saskatoon Blades.
What followed was a busy off-season for general manager Curtis Hunt, swinging a pair of blockbuster trades which saw sniper Ryder Ritchie and defensive stalwart Terrell Goldsmith moved to the Medicine Hat Tigers and Tri-City Americans, respectively.
In their place, the Raiders will relying on WHL veterans Tomas Mrsic and Lukas Dragicevic who will soon be returning from NHL training camps with the St. Louis Blues and Seattle Kraken.
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“They know the league,” said Raiders head coach Jeff Truitt. “They know what it takes, they’re drafted for a reason. Two impact guys who like the puck, speed and we want them to continue their development.”
One constant in Prince Albert will be Max Hildebrand, set to return for a fourth and final WHL season after emerging as a true number one goaltender last year.
The Martensville product finished the 2023-24 regular season with a 2.88 goals against average and a .907 save percentage, both good enough to finish top-10 in the league.
“I think it was just my mindset knowing that I was going to be the guy in the net every single game pretty much,” said Hildebrand. “Just having that comfort and confidence in myself to help my team and give them a chance every night.”
The Raiders will be looking to take that next step into competing for an East Division title, buoyed by a trio of elite prospects from the 2023 WHL Draft in Daxon Rudolph, Riley Boychuk and Ty Meunier set to make their debuts as full-time rookies.
They bring a combination of skilled youth and veteran leadership, which Truitt is wanting to result in greater consistency.
“The biggest thing for me is we get better every month or short increments here,” said Truitt. “Hopefully towards the end we’re peaking and we’ll let the chips fall where they may.”
Prince Albert will open the 2024-25 season at 7:00 pm at the Art Hauser Centre against Regina, before hitting the road Saturday to take on the reigning champion Moose Jaw Warriors.