By Chris Wahl via Western Hockey League

CALGARY, Alta. – The Western Hockey League, in partnership with BC Hockey, Hockey Alberta, Hockey Saskatchewan and Hockey Manitoba, announced today that the City of Red Deer will serve as the host for the 2023 WHL Cup presented by FPS Payment.

Scheduled to be held October 18-22, the 2023 WHL Cup will be played exclusively at the Peavey Mart Centrium – home of the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels. The tournament will feature teams from the four Western Canadian provinces competing in a round-robin tournament format followed by playoffs.

The 2023 WHL Cup will showcase the top 2008-born players from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Rosters, ticketing information, and live streaming details for the 2023 WHL Cup will be announced at a later date.

The WHL Cup, established in 2009, is held every season except in years when the Canada Winter Games are contested, and is the first step in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence for players.

The WHL Cup was last hosted in 2021 in Red Deer.

The 2023 WHL Cup represents the first tournament presented by FPS Payment. Having joined the WHL as a corporate partner in August, FPS Payment offers a wide range of business solutions in the spheres of e-commerce as well as a multitude of point-of-service payments solutions in the restaurant and retail industry.

2023 WHL Cup – Event Schedule

Wednesday, October 18

• Game 1 – Manitoba at Alberta – 4:15 p.m. MT
• Game 2 – Saskatchewan at British Columbia – 7 p.m. MT

Thursday, October 19

• Game 3 – British Columbia at Manitoba – 4:15 p.m. MT
• Game 4 – Saskatchewan at Alberta – 7 p.m. MT

Friday, October 20

• Game 5 – Manitoba at Saskatchewan – 4:15 p.m. MT
• Game 6 – Alberta at British Columbia – 7 p.m. MT

Saturday, October 21

• Semifinal 1 – Third Place at Second Place – 10:15 a.m. MT
• Semifinal 2 – Fourth Place at First Place – 1 p.m. MT

Sunday, October 22

• Bronze Medal Game – 10:15 a.m. MT
• Gold Medal Game – 1 p.m. MT

Past Participants

[Player (Branch), Last WHL Club, NHL Draft Club (NHL Draft Year)]

2009
Matt Dumba (Alberta), Portland Winterhawks, Minnesota Wild (2012)
Derrick Pouliot (Saskatchewan), Portland Winterhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins (2012)
Griffin Reinhart (British Columbia),  Edmonton Oil Kings, New York Islanders (2012)
Morgan Reilly (British Columbia), Moose Jaw Warriors, Toronto Maple Leafs (2012)

2011
Jake Virtanen (British Columbia), Calgary Hitmen, Vancouver Canucks (2014)
Jayce Hawryluk (Manitoba), Brandon Wheat Kings, Florida Panthers (2014)
Conner Bleackley (Alberta), Red Deer Rebels, St. Louis Blues (2016)
Brayden Point (Alberta), Moose Jaw Warriors, Tampa Bay Lightning (2014)
Ryan Gropp (British Columbia), Seattle Thunderbirds, New York Rangers (2015)
Haydn Fleury (Saskatchewan) Red Deer Rebels, Carolina Hurricanes (2014)

2012
Mathew Barzal (British Columbia), Seattle Thunderbirds, New York Islanders (2015)
Nick Merkley (Alberta), Kelowna Rockets, Arizona Coyotes (2015)
Jansen Harkins (British Columbia), Prince George Cougars, Winnipeg Jets (2015)
Brendan Guhle (Alberta), Prince George Cougars, Buffalo Sabres (2015)
Ethan Bear (Saskatchewan), Seattle Thunderbirds, Edmonton Oilers (2015)

2013
Tyler Benson (Alberta), Vancouver Giants, Edmonton Oilers (2016)
Brett Howden (Manitoba), Moose Jaw Warriors, Tampa Bay Lightning (2016)
Sam Steel (Alberta), Regina Pats, Anaheim Ducks (2016)
Kale Clague (Alberta), Moose Jaw Warriors, Los Angeles Kings (2016)
Nolan Patrick (Manitoba), Brandon Wheat Kings, Philadelphia Flyers (2017)

2015 WHL Cup All-Star Team
G – Matthew Thiessen (Manitoba), Tri-City Americans, Vancouver Canucks (2018)
D – Ty Smith (Alberta), Spokane Chiefs, New Jersey Devils (2018)
D – Jett Woo (Manitoba), Calgary Hitmen, Vancouver Canucks (2018)
F – Carson Focht (Saskatchewan), Calgary Hitmen, Vancouver Canucks (2019)
F – Eric Florchuk (Alberta), Vancouver Giants, Washington Capitals (2018)
F – Eli Zummack (British Columbia), Spokane Chiefs

2016 WHL Cup All-Star Team
G – Byron Fancy (Alberta), Red Deer Rebels
D – Kaeden Korczak (Saskatchewan), Kelowna Rockets, Vegas Golden Knights (2019)
D – Braden Schneider (Saskatchewan), Brandon Wheat Kings, New York Rangers (2020)
F – Logan Barlage (Saskatchewan), Medicine Hat Tigers
F – Peyton Krebs (Alberta), Winnipeg ICE, Vegas Golden Knights (2019)
F – Josh Williams (British Columbia), Edmonton Oil Kings

2017 WHL Cup All-Stars
G – Bryan Thomson (Saskatchewan), Lethbridge Hurricanes
D – Kaiden Guhle (Alberta), Edmonton Oil Kings, Montreal Canadiens (2020)
D – Daemon Hunt (Manitoba), Moose Jaw Warriors, Minnesota Wild (2020)
F – Justin Sourdif (British Columbia), Edmonton Oil Kings, Florida Panthers (2020)
F – Kyle Crnkovic (Alberta), Seattle Thunderbirds
F – Connor McClennon (Alberta), Winnipeg ICE, Philadelphia Flyers (2020)

2019 WHL Cup All-Stars
G – Dylan Ernst (Saskatchewan), Kamloops Blazers
D – Denton Mateychuk (Manitoba), Moose Jaw Warriors, Columbus Blue Jackets (2022)
D – Graydon Gotaas (Alberta), Edmonton Oil Kings
F – Conor Geekie (Manitoba), Wenatchee Wild, Arizona Coyotes (2022)
F – Carter Dereniwsky (Saskatchewan), Victoria Royals
F – Brandon Lisowsky (British Columbia), Saskatoon Blades, Toronto Maple Leafs (2022)

2021 WHL Cup All-Stars
G – Ethan McCallum (Manitoba), Medicine Hat Tigers
D – Keith McInnis (Alberta), Red Deer Rebels
D – Jonas Woo (Manitoba), Wenatchee Wild
F – Jordan Gavin (British Columbia), Tri-City Americans
F – Miguel Marques (British Columbia), Lethbridge Hurricanes
F – Tomas Mrsic (British Columbia), Medicine Hat Tigers

About the WHL Cup
The majority of players participating in the event were selected in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft or have been listed by WHL Clubs. The WHL Cup, formerly known as the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup, has been sponsored since 2009 by the Western Hockey League. The 2023 tournament represents the first involving a three-year sponsorship by FPS Payment.

This year will mark the 10th year of the event. The first ever WHL Cup was held in Blackfalds, Alta., in 2009 and featured four of the top eight players selected in the 2012 NHL Draft. In 2011, the Moose Jaw Warriors and Hockey Saskatchewan hosted the event at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw, Sask. In 2012 and 2013, the tournament was hosted in Calgary at Father David Bauer Arena, the home of the WHL. From 2015 through 2019, the WHL Cup was hosted in Calgary at the Markin MacPhail Centre.

In 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022 the WHL Cup was not contested due to the Canada Winter Games.

Team Alberta is a five-time champion of the WHL Cup, hoisting the trophy in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016, while Team British Columbia is the defending champion of the WHL Cup, having won the event in 2012, 2017 and 2021. Team Saskatchewan won its lone WHL Cup in 2019, defeating Team Manitoba in the Gold Medal game.

About FPS Payment
FPS Payment is a company specializing in the sale of payment terminals, focusing mainly on the restaurant and retail industry. Thanks to their simple and secure payment solutions, FPS greatly simplifies the lives of businesses and their transactions. Their payment terminals offer exceptional ease of use, allowing merchants to accept payments smoothly and efficiently. Additionally, security is a top priority for FPS, ensuring that their customers’ sensitive financial information is protected. With FPS Payment, businesses can focus on their core business with confidence knowing that their transactions are being processed reliably and securely.

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 offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 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 close to 60 years. The WHL is also a 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.