20 standout performers from the WAAA U15 Showcase
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The 2027 WHL Draft is still months away, but Manitoba is already producing plenty of names worth knowing. The WAAA U15 Showcase felt like a coming-out party for several of them, with legitimate top-end prospects showing why the province could have a strong class at the top of the draft.
Jhase Jarzyna was one of the weekend's biggest standouts, combining power, skill, and a mean streak to make himself a nightmare to defend. Wyatt Cochrane continued to make a massive impact after joining Southwest from the Yellowhead Chiefs, while Johnathan Brunel showed us why he is one of the class's most dangerous shooters.
Those weren't the only names to stand out. There is plenty of Day 1 and top-50 upside throughout this group, and the top of the Manitoba class is starting to take shape.
Jhase Jarzyna, LW/RW, Winnipeg Bruins Gold U15 AAA
Jhase Jarzyna was one of the scariest players at the showcase.
The power has always been noticeable, but he looked significantly quicker and more confident, adding another dynamic dimension to his size, physicality, and skill. His agility has taken a major step forward, allowing him to use cutbacks and changes of direction to create separation, while his stride continues to have power once he gets going.
His shot remains one of his biggest weapons, and he found ways to get it off cleanly, whether catching passes in motion or creating his own shooting lanes. But there's a whole lot more to his game than shooting. He showed high-end vision and reads throughout the weekend, using his handling to attack the middle and creating for his teammates with feathered cross-ice passes through traffic, drop passes off the rush, or backdoor feeds.
Jarzyna has a mean streak, and while this went a step too far in a few moments, the overall impact of his skill set and tenacity was exceptional. He has become quicker, more agile, and much more confident without losing that edge. Through three games, no one could handle him.
Wyatt Cochrane, RD, Southwest Cougars U15 AAA
Wyatt Cochrane looks like a potential top prospect in this class. Standing 6-foot-2, he is already a big defenceman, but the mobility he brings at that size is what really stands out. His lateral mobility has taken a major step forward despite a recent growth spurt, and he showed the edges to shake pressure at the blueline, escape forecheckers, and make plays through the middle. He is also an aggressive defender, regularly getting to the rush early, using his stick well, and making himself extremely tough to handle.
His activation habits might be the most intriguing part of his game. Cochrane regularly joins the play, pushes the pace off retrievals, and looks for opportunities to attack rather than simply moving the puck and staying home. He scored an excellent power play goal when he picked up the puck in his own zone, cut wide around the forechecker, accelerated through the neutral zone, cut to the interior, and sniped the top corner.
He has been prone to mistakes with the puck, but the overall package is compelling. The size, mobility, activation habits, and shot are already giving him a strong WHL foundation. Cochrane looks like one of the names to watch closely in this class.
Johnathon Brunel, C, Eastman Selects U15 AAA
Johnathon Brunel builds off impressive speed, handling, and a laser of a shot to create an off-rush sniper projection.
His speed is immediately apparent. He generates impressive power out of his crossovers, can leave defencemen in the dust, and can pivot on a dime to maneuver through defensive layers while maintaining his posture and keeping his knees over his toes. He uses that mobility to create open ice for himself, constantly looking for opportunities to attack the middle and get his shot off. That shot is a major weapon, especially when he can build speed through the neutral zone before attacking defensive layers. He also showed some playmaking upside, using his handling and vision to create for teammates when defenders collapsed on him.
Brunel has the tools to become a top-six goalscorer at the WHL level. His speed gives him a way to consistently create separation, while his handling and shooting ability allow him to turn that separation into scoring chances.
Lukas Hamelin, C/W, Winnipeg Bruins Gold U15 AAA
Lukas Hamelin is a sniper first and foremost, and that was his identity on a powerhouse line with Jarzyna and Bentley Peters.
Hamelin has a natural ability to find open ice and get his shot off before defenders can adjust. He supports the play well, sneaks into soft areas, and can accelerate into space when an opportunity opens up. His shot is the obvious weapon, but his handling and anticipation give him more options than simply waiting for a chance to shoot. He can make plays under pressure, including quick passes into dangerous areas, and his ability to threaten with both his shot and passing makes him difficult to predict once he gets moving. His stride and crossovers also give him enough speed to break through pressure and attack off the rush when the puck finds his stick.
Hamelin looks like he could be a top-six scorer at the WHL level. While there is work to do away from the puck and defensively, his value comes from what he creates offensively, and that will be his role. When defenders respect his shot, he has the handling, anticipation, and passing ability to make them pay as they close in on him.
Bentley Peters, W/C, Winnipeg Bruins Gold U15 AAA
What stood out the most with Bentley Peters was his spatial awareness and ability to see plays developing before they opened up. He consistently found ways to position himself in space, scan the ice, and make passes before defensive systems closed in on him.
Peters has the footspeed and handling to turn that vision into a real weapon. He can move himself into better positions with the puck while keeping his head up, and his passing allows him to find teammates in places other players simply do not see. Off the cycle, he was particularly strong at waiting out defensive layers before finding an open teammate, while his ability to make quick plays in transition gives him another way to create offence. He also competed well around the puck, using his stick effectively on the forecheck and showing a willingness to battle in the slot.
Peters looks like he could develop into a middle-six playmaker at the WHL level. The footspeed and puck skill give him a foundation to contribute offensively, while his vision allows him to create chances in multiple ways. As he grows stronger and gains experience, his ability to manipulate defensive layers should remain a core piece of his identity.
Zander Harder, W/C, Winnipeg Wild Green U15 AAA
Zander Harder looked the part of a potential Day 1 prospect in the WHL Draft, combining power-forward size with the puck skills of a smaller offensive player. He controls the pace of play well for his size, getting into open ice, supporting teammates, cutting to the interior, and using his strength to absorb pressure before finding a seam. His shot is heavy enough to create offence even when he does not have much room, and his ability to shoot in motion adds another layer to his offensive game. He isn't a high-pace player, but he consistently puts himself in opportune positions and makes quick decisions once the puck arrives.
Harder also showed impressive handling and vision, including the ability to work through layers and find teammates when defenders collapse on him. The combination gives him a versatile offensive skill set and a clear path toward becoming a middle-six power winger at the WHL level.
Kieran McNish, LW/C, Winnipeg Wild Red U15 AAA
Kieran McNish is a true power forward, using his size, strength, and powerful stride to drive through pressure and attack the interior. Once he gets moving with the puck, he is difficult to stop, showing enough agility to spin off contact, cut back, and maintain possession through pressure. His shot and ability to drive the slot are his biggest offensive weapons, giving him a clear way to create scoring chances even when space is limited. Down a goal with the net empty, McNish drove the net on a wraparound attempt and kept pushing through the goalie, two defencemen, and two of his own teammates as he tried to force the puck across the line, pushing the net, and all five players clean to the boards. It was a strong example of how difficult he is to stop once he gets his momentum going toward the net.
There is more skill underneath the physical game, with flashes of handling and the ability to create off the rush, but McNish's effectiveness will depend on how much of that skill he can bring into his physical style. He already projects as an effective bottom-six WHL forward, while improving on his play-driving habits could increase the ceiling. He's a unique prospect.
Oliver Tetrault, LD, Winnipeg Bruins Gold U15 AAA
Oliver Tetrault is a smaller offensive defenceman with an impressive activity rate, strong skating mechanics, and the mobility to drive play from the defensive end. His crossovers generate significant power, while his agility and acceleration allow him to open himself up to the play, skate into passes on the breakout, and attack through the neutral zone. With the puck, he is slippery enough to cut through defensive layers and create offence, featuring the skill to become a dangerous power play quarterback.
Tetrault's activation habits can occasionally get him into trouble when he ends up below the goal line, but the offensive upside is clear. He also brings an edge that separates him from many smaller offensive defencemen, consistently engaging physically and competing for pucks in the corners while regularly getting under opponents' skin. If he can control his activation game, his mobility, skill, and competitiveness make him a very intriguing prospect.
Kallan McDougall, RW, Southwest Cougars U15 AAA
Kallan McDougall put together one of the weekend's most productive performances, scoring seven goals against Winnipeg Bruins Gold on October 4 before ending the showcase with 11 goals and 16 points in three games. The production is impressive, but his game looks more like a dual-threat than a pure scorer. He sees passing lanes well off the rush, uses delays to create time and space, and consistently makes the decision to pass or shoot based on what plays open up.
McDougall is not always the first player to draw attention because so much of his impact comes through small decisions. He supports the play well, gets to the interior, and quietly keeps possessions moving, while his vision gives him another way to create when defenders take away his path to the net. He provides a steady, efficient offence without needing to control every shift, just due to how intelligent he is on and off the puck.
Brody McNish, C, Brandon Wheat Kings U15 AAA
Brody McNish was the top-line centre on a Brandon Wheat Kings team that went 3-0 this weekend, and he was a significant reason why. He's a versatile forward in all three zones, but the playmaking is what drives his game, even if a second-period hat trick against Interlake might suggest otherwise. He threads passes with confidence, reads defensive layers early, and regularly attracts pressure before slipping the puck into the space left behind. On one sequence, a cross-ice pass through a collapsing defence created a clean slot chance; on another, a backdoor feed off the cycle arrived perfectly weighted for a tap-in. The backhand is as reliable as the forehand, and the ability to create in both directions makes him consistently difficult to pin down.
The projection is interesting. McNish has the projectable size and contact skills along the wall to hold a role in tighter games, and the combination of playmaking instincts and goal-scoring upside gives him more than one pathway at the next level. A power-play role feels like a natural fit based on what was on display this weekend, and the top-nine upside doesn't feel like a stretch given how naturally he manipulates defensive layers for a player at this stage of development. More looks will tell us more, but McNish left this showcase with plenty of momentum.
Kayin Alao, RW, Winnipeg Bruins Gold U15 AAA
Kayin Alao was all over the ice, using a clear size advantage to create space and drive the middle of the ice throughout the weekend. He's a natural power forward who was at his best around the net front, using his frame to screen goalies and cause havoc in high-danger areas, and that role looks like a natural home for him going forward. What makes Alao more than just a physical presence is the puck skill. He was creative and dynamic off the rush, cutting and weaving through pressure with handling ability that looked advanced for his frame, and he carried those same instincts into close quarters, showing the same creativity in the high and low slot. The combination of a power-forward game, interior dominance, and legitimate handling upside gives him a path toward middle-six WHL potential if the offensive game continues to develop.
Holden Andrews, C, Pembina Valley Hawks U15 AAA
Holden Andrews played the role of a power forward and did so extremely well, using his size, strength, and tenacity to make himself a difficult player to match up against at every turn. He was aggressive on the forecheck, hit whenever he had an opening, and was at his best along the boards and in the defensive zone, where his positional awareness and compete level consistently won him pucks. The skill flashed too, particularly on a one-handed pokecheck in the outer slot that freed the puck directly to a teammate for the goal, and a well-placed shot off reception that he buried cleanly. There is a penalty to clean up, as an overly aggressive hit from behind resulted in a minor in one sequence, but the floor here is already clear. Andrews looks like a natural bottom-six WHL forward.
Mason Cordoviz, C/W, Winnipeg Thrashers Blue U15 AAA
Mason Cordoviz is a speedy, mobile forward who uses advanced processing and four-way mobility to create off the rush and consistently get to open ice. He was a driving force in transition throughout the weekend, whether picking pucks cleanly off the wall and turning them toward the interior, carrying them through the neutral zone, or finding the trailer off the entry. His off-reception shooting gave him another option, and he did a bit of everything for Thrashers Blue across three games. The ceiling still remains to be seen, but Cordoviz has the skating, processing, and puck skill to make an impact at this level and the next.
Elijah Edwards, W/C, Winnipeg Thrashers White U15 AAA
Elijah Edwards was one of the most physically impressive players at the showcase, combining pro size with quick feet and advanced four-way mobility to be a consistent force off the rush. He generates real power out of his crossovers, can beat almost any defender wide when he wants to, and regularly takes heavy shots in motion that demand attention. The versatility was there as well, as he used cutbacks and trailer passes rather than simply going wide every time, and his vision and reads were mature for his age. The area to develop is off-cycle creation. Edwards' impact was heavily concentrated on rush opportunities, and seeing how his chance creation evolves away from open ice will be an important next step. The foundation, though, is already impressive.
Jaxon Einarson, W/C, Winnipeg Thrashers White U15 AAA
Jaxon Einarson was the driver of a Thrashers White team that leaned on him heavily throughout the weekend. He pre-scanned consistently before receiving the puck, found passing lanes others missed, and used his handling to cut through defensive layers with confidence. His ability to move off the cycle and into open ice gave him additional ways to create, and on one sequence he dove through contact to poke the puck to the backdoor for an assist, which was a good snapshot of the compete level operating behind the skill. He ended the weekend with eight points in three games and showed enough detail in his game to project as a potential third-line WHL forward.
Luke Fleming, LD, Pembina Valley Hawks U15 AAA
Luke Fleming stood out with active footwork, breakout passing, and a willingness to get up the ice. His agility and edgework allowed him to consistently break pressure on retrievals, accelerate out of passes, and drive transition, Defensively, those same feet translated well, as he stayed connected to attackers, kept his head up, and combined an active stick with strong contact skills to defend the rush better than most. Fleming did a lot of everything for the Hawks and looks like he has the tools to develop into a puck-moving defenceman at the next level, with the defensive foundation to back it up.
Sawyer Lewthwaite, LD, Winnipeg Wild Green U15 AAA
As the lone 2013-born player in this group, Sawyer Lewthwaite was one of the most intriguing players to watch. He's a smaller offensive defenceman with a strong first step and high-end agility, and carries some similarities to last year's WHL Draft pick Brady Cook in how he manipulates space and moves on the blue line. He walked the line, side-stepped pressure with ease, and quarterbacked the power play with confidence, and on one sequence he jumped to receive a pass, shook his defender, and cut into the slot for a strong shot in the high circle, all in one flowing motion. It was a high-end play executed without hesitation. His passing was equally impressive, as he consistently skated into passes and accelerated out of them. The combination of mobility, vision, and puck skill makes Lewthwaite a defenceman to track closely heading into the 2028 WHL Draft.
Jake Nychuk, RD, Interlake Lightning U15 AAA
Jake Nychuk stood out for Interlake with a fearless defensive game that consistently put him in the middle of battles he had no business winning on size alone. He drove into puck battles aggressively, cleared the slot for his goalie, and used reverse hits, first-to-contact habits, and the ability to bounce off pressure into a quick first pass to make himself one of the more technically advanced defensive players at the showcase. His skating backs all of it up: a highly advanced stride with high-end agility, sharp cutbacks, and powerful crossovers that allow him to defend the rush and recover when plays break down. The question is whether more offensive upside exists underneath the defensive skill. He can pass, he thinks quickly, and the tools are there. A stronger team environment might tell us more about what kind of offensive ceiling is there. The defensive ability, though, is already not in question.
Arinze Okaja, W/C, Winnipeg Bruins Black U15 AAA
Arinze Okaja is a do-it-all forward who thrives along the wall and in puck battles, using strong contact skills, an active stick, and relentless pursuit to win outnumbered battles without breaking a sweat. He was aggressive on the forecheck, aggressive around the slot, and brought flashes of skill to complement the physical game, cutting and weaving through defensive layers with handling that gave him a different outlet when the puck found him in space. He could also chip the puck around a defender and beat him with a quick first step, giving him a versatile transition game beyond just the physical tools. Okaja looks like a bottom-six WHL forward who can contribute in all three zones, and there is a lot to like in the foundation.
Mason Shorting, W, Brandon Wheat Kings U15 AAA
Mason Shorting worked naturally alongside Brody McNish, filling the sniper role to his playmaker, and the combination made life difficult for every team they faced this weekend. He has pro size, and used that size alongside above-average mobility to break through pressure and consistently get into open ice. The shot is the biggest weapon, whether firing a clean one-timer off reception or attacking off the rush, and he found ways to score in a variety of ways throughout the weekend. The next step is adding playmaking dynamism to the offensive game, which would force defenders to respect more than just the shot and open up even more of what he can do.