Jevin Morrison, Artello Forestal lead the top performers at the 2026 Alberta Cup
RED DEER, Alberta — The Alberta Cup does not have the national profile of the World U17 Hockey Challenge or the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, but for the province's best 2011-born players, it carries a weight that those events do not. Hundreds of players try out annually for 120 spots across six regional teams, and the ones who make it understand what is at stake: a pathway through Hockey Alberta's Team Alberta program, and ultimately a shot at representing the province at the 2027 Canada Winter Games. The coaches, officials, and support staff are being evaluated alongside the players, making it one of the more complete development environments on the Canadian calendar.
The alumni list tells its own story. Dylan Guenther, Brayden Point, Jake Sanderson, and Jared Spurgeon all came through this event before going on to NHL careers. This year, Madden Daneault added his name to the record books, posting 13 points in five games, good for third in all-time tournament scoring. The level of talent on display in Red Deer this week made it clear that the 2026 WHL Draft class is not short on players capable of following that same path.
Here is our breakdown of the top performers, organized by team.
Team Alberta Black
Madden Daneault, C, Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA
Alberta Black dropped their opening two games 7-3, and Daneault's response to that adversity was its own kind of statement. He ended the tournament with seven goals and six assists in five games, the third-highest point total in Alberta Cup history, but the number that might matter most is the one that followed those two losses: Black went 3-0 once he seized control of the tournament. That shift was not a coincidence. He was first on the forecheck, first to retrieve loose pucks, first to the slot, and first to break up plays heading the other way. A windmill deke under pressure, a sharp cross-ice pass threaded through the slot, a puck stolen cleanly off the wall that instantly became a quality shot on the rush. He was everywhere, and his line dominated possession in games where the team around him was struggling to find footing.
What this tournament offered that previous viewings hadn't was a window into how he responds when things aren't going his way. The character showed up as clearly as the skill. He didn't coast or disappear when the scoreboard was lopsided. He competed harder, created for linemates when his own chances weren't falling, and carried an exhausting work rate across five games without letting it drop. The case for Daneault as the consensus first-overall pick in the WHL Draft rests on many things, such as the skating, the shot, the playmaking and the physicality, but an Alberta Cup where his team went 3-0 after he took over, while posting a historic point total, made the argument more convincing than any dominant performance on a dominant team could have.
Cole Chudyk, RW/C, Calgary IHA U15 Prep
Cole Chudyk made the most of every shift alongside Daneault and looked entirely deserving of that placement. His forecheck was his most consistent weapon throughout the tournament, generating turnovers with relentless pressure and converting those steals into immediate attacking opportunities. The speed he plays with along the wall is the engine behind it: he wins races to pucks in tight spaces and transitions instantly, giving his team's cycle a gear that most players at this level cannot match. A heavy shot and quick hands under pressure complement a physical edge he is not shy about deploying. He makes the players around him harder to defend, and on a line with Daneault, that value compounds quickly. He projects as a support winger who elevates those around him, a player whose motor and detail work give him a role that translates cleanly to higher competition.
Nate Lodge, LD, Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA
Nate Lodge set a tone early and never let it slip. His physicality was the most immediately felt element of his game, including one sequence where a follow-through check was forceful enough that the forward ended up pushed through the bench door, the kind of moment that sends a message to every opposing forward for the rest of the game. But Lodge is far more than a physical presence. He carried the puck confidently through transition, deked through rushing forwards to sustain possession, and delivered clean breakout passes consistently enough to earn trust in high-leverage situations. A point shot for a goal demonstrated that the offensive tools are real. The combination of power, speed, and puck skills gives him a profile that resists easy categorization, and that balance makes him one of the more intriguing defenders to come out of Black's tournament.
Braydon Lynam, RD, OHA Edmonton U15 Prep
Braydon Lynam was Alberta Black's most reliable breakout option, and the margin was not close. He read pressure patiently, used cutbacks to avoid forecheckers before committing to an outlet, and found targets with the crispness of a player who always knows where the play is going before it arrives. His blueline mobility was active throughout, and his activation decisions to keep pucks in the offensive zone reflected a hockey sense that gives his offensive game real credibility. In a tournament where Black's breakout was under sustained pressure for long stretches, Lynam was the reason the zone was being exited cleanly and consistently. He contributed in all three zones without overreaching or creating risk, and the reach and passing vision he brings offensively give his profile a projectable upside that goes well beyond just being a stable, reliable presence.
Team Alberta Blue
Jevin Morrison, RD, Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA
Jevin Morrison was the best defenceman on the ice across his viewings at this tournament, and the margin was clear enough that it was not a debate. His game runs through his skating in a way that makes him uniquely difficult to account for: four-way mobility that covers ground before defenders register he has moved, a first step that creates immediate separation, and a change of pace that draws forecheckers in before he pulls the puck back, steps the other way, and breaks the play open in the opposite direction. That sequence showed up multiple times throughout the tournament as a reliable tendency rather than a trick. He drove offensive play consistently, beating defenders wide to pass to the slot, intercepting at the blueline, and winning foot races that most defenders at this level would not bother contesting. His activation habits ensured that his team was generating something from nearly every shift.
The defensive side of his game has taken a genuine step, and Red Deer reinforced it. He closed gaps with purpose, used a quick defensive stick to contest the rush without overextending, and his mobility allowed him to cover the full width of the ice surface in a way that most defenders his age cannot manage. There were no sequences where he was caught flat or unable to recover, and several where his first step bailed his team out of a difficult transition moment. Morrison came into this tournament carrying top-10 WHL Draft buzz and left with it amplified. The combination of elite mobility, offensive creation, and improving defensive reliability gives him a profile that already points clearly toward a top-pair role in the WHL.
Emmett Abel, LW, Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 Prep
Emmett Abel was the surprise performer for Alberta Blue, ending with six points in five games and driving play in a way that caught more than a few people off guard. He is a physically imposing presence along the wall, but the offensive skill he pairs with that physicality was the real revelation here. He scored on a backhand breakaway after stealing the puck in the defensive zone, used pure speed to separate from the defender, and beat the goalie cleanly. His second goal came off a rush where he faked the goalie out with a patient delay before scoring. His cutback work behind the net consistently created possession problems for opponents, and a spin pass through traffic on another shift showed soft hands that complement the power game well. He has the makings of a complementary WHL forward who generates offence without needing a heavy diet of touches.
Lucas Seidel, LD, Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA
Lucas Seidel is undersized for a defenceman, and it was genuinely irrelevant watching him play. His mobility, intelligence, and activation habits compensated for every size disadvantage an opponent tried to exploit, and by the end of the game, the size conversation had faded into the background entirely. He read the play quickly at the blueline, intercepted a breakout attempt with well-timed activation, and consistently made the right decision with the puck under pressure. His breakout passing was clean and reliable, and he walked the offensive zone with a poise that made defenders hesitant to press him. In an elevated role, his offensive instincts would have even more room to develop. The size development will be the primary storyline going forward, but the foundation of intelligence and mobility is already there, and those qualities tend to hold up as competition increases.
Madden Rome, LD, Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA
Madden Rome is a 6-foot-2, 190-pound defender who plays physically and activates into the rush with a confidence that is rare for a player still growing into his frame. He uses his size to contain along the wall, keeps play to the outside effectively, and generates real speed at full stride, which gives him the ability to take over a transition if the opportunity opens. He intercepted a neutral zone attempt and converted quickly, and his hits along the wall were consistently purposeful. The lateral speed and pivot quality will need development, and he was beaten on the rush on at least one occasion because of it. A 6-foot-2 defender with his athletic talent, defensive intelligence, and activation instincts is exactly the kind of player WHL teams invest in early, and there is meaningful upside here if the skating refinement follows.
Team Alberta Gold
Artello Forestal, C, OHA Edmonton U15 Prep
Artello Forestal ended with nine points in five games and was the engine behind everything Alberta Gold generated offensively. The speed at which he plays is genuinely difficult to account for: quick feet and quick hands operating in combination make him a constant threat off the forecheck and in transition. He picked off passes in the defensive zone, chipped free along the boards to generate partial-break opportunities, and brought stick-checking intensity to the penalty kill that made him one of the better defensive forwards on the ice at this tournament. His forechecking pressure was a recurring problem for opposing defences, and the coaching staff trusted him with penalty kill minutes because he backed the responsibility up with results.
The offensive tools are as advertised. He can find seams that others miss, burn defenders with his first step when the lane opens, and make plays in tight situations that require both skill and composure. His scoring came in multiple forms throughout the tournament, including a precise shortside shot that required confidence and placement, and a cut from behind the net to the backdoor that left the goalie no chance. His playmaking gave linemates clean looks repeatedly, and the combination of dual-threat scoring and genuine defensive commitment makes him one of the more well-rounded forwards in this draft class. Top-six WHL forward upside is already visible, with legitimate 1C potential behind it.
Micah Montgomery, C, OHA Edmonton U15 Prep
Micah Montgomery posted eight points in five games, and his game read more like a quiet control mechanism than a highlight reel, which suits him perfectly. He does not need to outskate opponents; he outthinks them. His best sequence of the tournament captured the profile precisely: he drew all three defenders with deliberate puck protection, then slid a smooth pass to the point while still being leaned on. A backdoor feed, a zone entry pass to the slot, and a sharp point connection all came from the same game, each requiring vision and patience under pressure rather than speed to execute. His handling is underrated, his stick positioning limits opponents' options before they commit, and his wall battles are won with body intelligence. He looks like a player who will find a very natural top-six role in the WHL.
Taylor Mowbray, LW, KC Squires U15 AAA
Taylor Mowbray was among Alberta Gold's leading scorers and brought a blend of skill and physicality that translated across multiple situations. He handles the puck well under pressure, skates with a solid stride, and shows the ability to create time and space when the game demands it. His most eye-catching moment came when he received a pass, spun off pressure, drove hard through two defenders with his legs churning, and launched a backhand shot that nearly beat the goalie cleanly before the rebound was converted. He also showed enough soft skill and playmaking awareness to complement the physical side of his game. How much he develops his even-strength play-driving ability will go a long way toward determining where his ceiling settles, but the foundation of compete and skill is already giving him a profile worth tracking closely.
Zack Ruptash, C, St. Albert Sabres U15 AAA
Zack Ruptash put together one of the more quietly complete tournaments from a two-way centre standpoint, ending with seven points in five games while making his strongest impression away from the scoresheet. His defensive stick was active in the slot, his physicality showed up on a reverse hit and in his forecheck effort, and his ability to use his skating to defend kept his team structured in difficult moments. Offensively, he combines an east-west transition style with an intelligence that genuinely opens lanes, using crossovers to take the middle before attacking space wide or cutting back inside. His backhand is a reliable tool, and his deception in the shooting motion creates real problems for goaltenders who have to track him. He is the kind of centre who can handle meaningful situations at both ends of the ice, and that reliability is a genuine asset heading into draft conversations.
Team Alberta Green
Brody Antignani, C, Calgary Edge School U15 Prep
Brody Antignani was the facilitator at the centre of Alberta Green's most productive line, and his playmaking vision was the trait that made the trio as dangerous as it was. He finds options that most players at this level do not register as possibilities, and he delivers on them with a precision that makes the difficulty invisible. A backdoor pass off the reception for a primary assist and a one-timer converted off a clean setup both came from the same outing, and his backhand is a genuine offensive weapon rather than a desperation option. His handling and speed in transition consistently put linemates in high-danger positions, and a cutback followed by an offensive zone interception rounded out a complete offensive performance. The game-breaking ability is present, and his playmaking profile points clearly toward a top-six role in the WHL.
Luke Bodtker, W, Calgary Edge School U15 Prep
Luke Bodtker was the connective tissue of Alberta Green's most productive line, and his best moments showed exactly why creative players thrive beside him. He picked up a pass behind his back one-handed while barely breaking stride, put it through his legs, and delivered a cross-ice feed off the rush that started a goal sequence requiring precise timing and feel from everyone involved. That kind of play does not come from a player filling a role. A shot fake that opened a clean backdoor pass on a separate rush showed the same combination of deception and vision showing up as a pattern rather than in isolation. Bodtker does the necessary work to make plays happen, creates space for his linemates, and brings a creativity that gives the line options it would not have without him. On a trio producing at the rate these three were, he was a critical reason why.
Cade Mazurski, LW, Calgary Edge School U15 Prep
Cade Mazurski ended the tournament with five points in five games, including four goals, and each one told a different story. He scored off the rush with conviction, made the right read on a two-on-one by delivering the pass instead of forcing his own chance, and timed a backdoor tap-in off a passing sequence that required him to read the play at full speed and arrive at exactly the right moment. His speed and shiftiness make him naturally well-suited to playing alongside creative linemates, and he showed a consistent instinct for reading what Antignani and Bodtker were generating before it fully developed. His willingness to compete in tight spaces is important for a player of his size, and adding strength to sustain that presence as competition increases will be the primary development item. The foundation for a legitimate WHL role is already there.
Zachary Pomeroy, LD, Calgary Edge School U15 Prep
Zachary Pomeroy recorded four assists in a single game and made every one of them count. He moves the puck to the slot with purpose and timing, and his best power play sequence showed the intelligence behind the production: he slid patiently around the zone, identified the opening, and placed a point shot precisely on the backdoor for a tap-in that required spatial awareness as much as execution. His physical intelligence runs alongside the offensive game. He was first to contact consistently, used smart positioning to hold off a pressuring forechecker before spinning to find the outlet, and mixed in wall work without sacrificing his offensive awareness. Finding the balance between offensive involvement and defensive responsibility will be the ongoing development task as he moves up, but the tools and the production are both pointing clearly in the right direction.
Carter Jarvis, W, SAHA U15 Prep
Carter Jarvis is not the flashiest player in this group, but he might be the most complete. He processes the game at a speed that makes difficult plays look routine: when he picked up a loose puck, cut through three defenders, and delivered a clean pass to the slot, every step looked like it could unravel, and none of them did. That composure under pressure is a recurring theme throughout his game. He handles well in motion, uses cutbacks off the rush to reset plays, brings a legitimate shot from the high slot, and backs it all up with a reliable defensive stick and genuine forecheck effort. His contact skills give him the ability to absorb pressure and continue making plays, and his hockey sense ties everything together into a player who is effective in virtually any situation. A fiercely intelligent forward who will be a WHL pick.
Team Alberta Grey
Justin Castonguay, W/C, Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 Prep
Justin Castonguay was Alberta Grey's most impactful forward and the player with the highest offensive ceiling on the roster. At 6-foot-2 with elite puck skill, soft hands, and genuine playmaking vision, he is the kind of player who can make something out of nothing when his tools are running. He drove transition consistently, created plays for linemates, and showed up in the moments that mattered. A backhand pass threaded through traffic to the slot, a convincing fake wide off the rush that opened a lane to find a teammate, and a drop pass off the rush that reflected an awareness of where the play was going before it arrived all captured the skill level he brings. He even attempted a windmill under pressure, which tells you something about his confidence with the puck. The area to develop is urgency away from it. When his work rate climbs to match the skill, the combination will be genuinely difficult to defend. The tools are already there. A high-end profile worth watching closely heading into draft night.
Jaxon Weisgerber, C, OHA Edmonton U15 Prep
Jaxon Weisgerber never stopped moving, and that relentless pace was the foundation of everything he generated. He pressured constantly, darted into soft ice, created screens, funnelled pucks inside, and got back defensively with the same urgency he brought to the offensive end. A power play sequence where he ran a net-front screen while repeatedly flashing past the goaltender's sightlines captured the off-puck creativity that gives his game real value in team environments. He nearly converted off a second-period rebound by simply being first to the puck while others were still tracking it. His route changes and delay work off the rush showed a skill layer underneath the pace. The skating mechanics will need refinement as he develops, but the activity rate and hockey sense are already the kind of traits that help players find roles at higher levels of competition.
Brady MacDonald, W, St. Albert Sabres U15 AAA
Brady MacDonald was exactly what a coaching staff wants from a detail-forward winger. He was a relentless forechecker, engaged physically throughout, and used his stick positioning to disrupt breakouts and force turnovers on a consistent basis. He tracked down loose pucks, used his body well to shield and protect along the wall, and showed the positioning intelligence to be an effective option at the top of the circles as the high forward on his line. His penalty kill details were equally impressive, with an active stick covering passing lanes and shot blocks late in games where the result was already secured. That compete level does not turn off when the scoreboard makes it optional. He projects as a responsible, supportive forward at the WHL level, the kind of player teams look to add in the middle and later rounds.
Team Alberta Red
Wyatt Jolleys, C, Calgary Bisons U15 AAA
Wyatt Jolleys was Alberta Red's most important player from beginning to end. He drove most of their transition, was reliable at both ends of the ice, and showed the dual-threat scoring ability that makes him genuinely difficult to contain. His playmaking details are already fairly advanced: he adjusts his arms and upper body to pull pucks back mid-stride, threads in-motion passes east-to-west under pressure, and reads where plays are going before they fully develop. He stripped the puck cleanly on a penalty kill, got back to poke away an attacking drive in the third period when it mattered, and scored by snapping a shot through traffic with the confidence of a player who trusts his hands in those situations. The frame is slight right now, and strength development will be a significant priority, but the intelligence and skill are already pointing toward a legitimate top-six WHL forward.
Jett Evans, W/C, Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 Prep
Jett Evans was a first-round calibre player throughout this tournament and played like one. His game along the wall was the foundation of his impact: he used cutbacks and puck protection to hold off pressure, moved the puck to the middle consistently, and did the necessary dirty work that gives skilled players the freedom to operate. He was reliable on the forecheck across multiple games, showed the instincts to make clean passes in transition, and scored on an open-ice chance by reading the play early and arriving at exactly the right moment. His short-side shot showed both the hands and the confidence to score when the chance appeared. The combination of wall tenacity, transition sense, and scoring upside gives him a profile that projects cleanly to a top-six WHL role, and as he adds strength to his frame, the tools he already possesses will only become more dangerous to defend against.
Joe Marien, LD, Calgary IHA U15 Prep
Joe Marien was the most entertaining defender to watch in Red's tournament, and the edgework was the reason. His heel work opened up lateral mobility that most defenders take years to develop, and he used it to carve through transition and activate at the blueline with timing that regularly caught opponents flat-footed. His speed at full stride is a genuine asset, and he placed passes to the slot and into motion consistently when the lane was available. The next developmental step is offensive confidence: getting to the slot himself, committing to high-danger passes, and embracing the risk that his tools actually support taking. Adding strength will help on the defensive end and along the wall. The skating and mobility foundation is already there, and if the offensive assertiveness follows, there is a meaningful ceiling attached to this profile.
Easton Mattersdorfer, W/C, Lethbridge Golden Hawks U15 AAA
Easton Mattersdorfer's profile is an interesting one. He is undersized, but his edgework, handling, and creativity in traffic make him a legitimate offensive threat in ways the physical profile alone would not suggest. He weaved through opponents with slick edges, showed soft hands cutting toward the middle, and was engaged along the wall with a tenacity that did not let size become a limiting factor. The ideas and the skill to execute them are both present, and the combination of creativity and wall tenacity gives his profile a dimension that pure skill players at this age often lack. As he adds strength and continues to grow, the gap between what he can currently do and what the level demands should close naturally. A WHL team with patience and a late pick could find genuine value here.
Mark Ma, LD. SAHA U15 Prep
Mark Ma was Alberta Red's most reliable defenceman and handled a heavy load of minutes with quiet efficiency. His breakout passing was clean and rarely missed, his activation habits showed when the play called for it, and his lateral mobility and defensive stick were sound enough to contest the rush without conceding. There are no standout individual skills that jump off the page, but the overall package of reliable mobility, consistent first passes, and measured activation gives him a projectable foundation at the WHL level. He did not create problems while contributing positively to the team's structure throughout the tournament, and versatile, dependable defenders with that kind of baseline are always in demand.
