Kamloops Blazers goaltender Ivans Kufterins makes a save against Wenatchee on Nov. 22, 2025. (Image Credit: Brian Johnson/Kamloops Blazers)

By Victor Kaisar

In the WHL

Blazers’ Kufterins named to preliminary Latvian World Juniors roster; Gibson called up

Dec 15, 2025 | 2:07 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Blazers have called up 16-year-old goaltender Braxton Gibson as Ivans Kufterins will be stepping away from the team after he was named to Latvia’s preliminary World Juniors roster.

Gibson, who was drafted by the Blazers in the sixth round of the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft, is currently playing for the Calgary IHA U18 Prep. The Calgary native has a 5-5 record, a .903 save percentage and a 3.20 goals against average in 10 games this season.

ROSTER NEWS: G Braxton Gibson has been called up from Calgary IHA U18 Prep. pic.twitter.com/i5bGrY1mPG

— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) December 15, 2025

Kufterins, 18, is the youngest of the three goaltenders who will be at Latvia’s training camp in Bemidji, Minnesota between Monday (Dec. 15) and Christmas Day, when the final 25-man roster is expected to be named.

In 13 games with the Blazers this season, Kufterins has a 6-5-1-1 record, an .888 save percentage and a 4.03 goals against average.

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Latvia will begin its 2026 World Juniors campaign against Canada on Dec. 27. They will also face Czechia, Denmark and Finland in round-robin action.

Nineteen-year-old Harrison Brunicke, who has yet to play for the Blazers this season, is expected to feature for Team Canada at the World Juniors, while Blazers Director of Goaltending Development Dan e Palma will be on the coaching staff.

The Blazers will play twice this week — at home against the Tri-City Americans on Wednesday (Dec. 17) and on the road against the Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday (Dec. 19) before the WHL breaks for the holidays.