Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today the Vancouver Giants, and the Langley Events Centre, will play host to the inaugural WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass.
Scheduled for Wednesday, February 18, the 2026 WHL Prospects Game will pit the most highly touted, NHL Draft-eligible prospects from the WHL’s Eastern Conference against those from the WHL’s Western Conference in a one-game battle for WHL supremacy in front of hundreds of NHL scouts and thousands of WHL fans.
“We are excited to introduce the 2026 WHL Prospects Game and thrilled to host this brand-new event alongside the Vancouver Giants at the Langley Events Centre,” commented WHL Commissioner Dan Near. “The WHL remains the premier development league for hockey players in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest, and we’re looking forward to showcasing the league’s elite NHL Draft-eligible talent in February.”
Team West will feature hometown product and Vancouver Giants defenceman Ryan Lin, along with Spokane Chiefs forward Mathis Preston, a native of Penticton, B.C.
Team East will be led by Prince Albert Raiders defenceman Daxon Rudolph, of Lacombe, Alta., along with Medicine Hat Tigers forward Liam Ruck, the pride of Osoyoos, B.C.
Additional members of both Team West and Team East will be unveiled in the lead up to the 2026 WHL Prospects Game in Vancouver. The two rosters will feature the best and brightest WHL talent eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, as identified by NHL Central Scouting and NHL Clubs, along with other stars from across the WHL.
Tickets for the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass are available beginning today at 1 p.m. PT. Please visit vancouvergiants.com/tickets for details.
The 2026 WHL Prospects Game will serve as the first all-WHL event of its kind since January 19, 2000, when Kelowna hosted the 2000 WHL All-Star Game, in which the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference by a score of 10-8 in front of 5,420 fans at Prospera Place.
Since the WHL was established in 1966-67, there have been 26 previous WHL all-star or top prospects-style events.
Vancouver last hosted a WHL All-Star Game on January 19, 1972, when the East Division defeated the West Division by a 4-2 margin.
For more information on the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass, please visit WHL.ca.
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
