Kamloops Blazers’ camp standouts turn attention to WHL pre-season

“I’m 19 now, so it’s later in my junior career. This is all I want. I’m going to do everything I can to make the team.”

Evaschesen is among those who received praise from Blazers’ brass earlier this week following the conclusion of training camp, a group that also includes returning 19-year-old forward Max Sullivan, highly touted U.S. prospect J.P. Hurlbert, first-round WHL Prospects Draft pick Teagen Bouchard and 17-year-old forward Ty Bonkowski, among others.

In March, Blazers’ head coach Shaun Clouston said tough decisions are expected to be made ahead of the 2025-2026 campaign, noting the club may move on from some returning veterans.

Sullivan, who was critical of his own consistency last season, showed goal-scoring touch during camp scrimmages and said he is welcoming competition among the 2006-born-forward group.

“I thought about it the whole off-season, just tried to work my hardest to come back and prove myself,” Sullivan said. “Enjoying that competition is the most important thing and embracing it.”

Hurlbert, 17, has done nothing to slow down his own hype train, often showing off his dangerous shot while becoming a regular on the training camp scoresheet while CFJC Today was in attendance.

The 2026 first-round NHL Draft prospect Hurlbert played on a line with Edmonton Oilers’ draft pick Tommy Lafreniere and Bonkowski, the latter receiving high praise from Blazers’ head coach Shaun Clouston after exit meetings in March.

“It was a long off-season, which was a positive for a lot of us,” Bonkowski said. “I put on some weight in the gym, got faster, stronger, worked on my skills and I think it’s paid off so far in camp.”

Bonkowski was asked about the prospect of sticking on a unit with Hurlbert and Lafreniere, a potential first-line combination.

“They’re both great players,” Bonkowski said. “We built some chemistry, connected pretty early and kind of kept it going on through camp, so that’d be a treat to play with them throughout the season.”

When Teagen Bouchard was selected by Kamloops in Round 1 of the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft in May, he told CFJC Today of his intention to play “big boy hockey.”

Bouchard is among a group of 15-year-old prospects — which also includes defenceman Mateo Ferreira and forward Brady Ondrus – that had a successful training camp.

“It was just relief when the first vet kind of came up to me [and said], ‘Don’t worry, no pressure and just play your game,’” Bouchard said. “I think in that moment that gave me a bit of relief, so I was able to kind of play my game and not worry about anything.”

The Blazers and Vancouver Giants of Langley are scheduled to square off in WHL pre-season action on Wednesday, a 7:00 p.m. start at Sandman Centre.

by Marty Hastings

Kamloops Blazers’ camp standouts turn attention to WHL pre-season

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