Led by three first-round selections from the 2018 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft, including third-overall selection Nolan Allan (Davidson, Sask / Prince Albert Raiders), 20 WHL players will look to guide Saskatchewan to the podium in men’s hockey at the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

Forwards Cole Sillinger (Regina, Sask. / Medicine Hat Tigers) and Gabriel Klassen (Prince Albert, Sask. / Portland Winterhawks) represent the other two first-round selection on this year’s roster, which features WHL players occupying both goaltending slots, as well as the seven defensive and 11 forward positions.

In total, 13 different WHL teams are represented on the province’s roster, with seven teams each possessing the rights to a pair of players. The Brandon Wheat Kings, Kelowna Rockets, Kootenay ICE, Medicine Hat Tigers, Moose Jaw Warriors, Raiders, and Spokane Chiefs are all represented by a pair of players.

The Kamloops Blazers, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Portland Winterhawks, Saskatoon Blades, Vancouver Giants, and Victoria Royals are all represented by a single player of the roster.

Kootenay ICE assistant coach Gordon Burnett will serve as head coach with the squad. WHL Alumni and Memorial Cup champion Rod Dallman will serve as an assistant coach with the team. Dallman played 146 WHL regular season games with the Raiders, posting 94 points (41G-53A) and serving as a member of the 1985 Memorial Cup Champion Raiders. Vancouver Giants scout Bill Gibson will serve as team’s head scout.

Saskatchewan’s lone podium finish at the quadrennial tournament came in 1995 when they won gold. Saskatchewan nearly pulled off the double-gold performance as the women won silver that year. Their next best result was a fourth-place finish in 1983.

Placed in a pool with British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba, their tournament begins Saturday, February 16 (7:30 p.m. MT).