The Kamloops Blazers celebrate a goal against the Penticton Vees on Jan. 10, 2026.

By Marty Hastings

IN THE WHL

Blazers mixing and matching line combinations, pairings with trade deadline in rear-view mirror

Jan 12, 2026 | 6:36 PM

KAMLOOPS — Trial and error in game situations over the next month will give both the Kamloops Blazers and their fans the chance to analyze lines, pairings and goaltenders, with the WHL trade deadline in the past and the stretch drive looming.

Blazers’ head coach and general manager Shaun Clouston said analytics programs such as InStat Hockey and Sportlogiq are used to augment traditional methods of analysis for determining deployment.

“The stats try to tell you that (for example) these three guys are better than those three guys together – here’s how many minutes they’ve played, here’s their expected goals for versus goals against,” Clouston said. “You can actually get a little bit of insight there, ideas.”

With the deadline acquisition of 18-year-old forward Ty Coupland and the return of 20-year-old centre Jordan Keller from injury, the Blazers will tinker and test in the coming weeks.

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“It starts in practice,” said Keller, who registered three points in his return to action on Saturday and played on a line with Coupland and Owen Cooper.

“We mix it up quite a bit and see what works and what doesn’t. So far, obviously, our top line has been really good.”

Whether that top line – J.P. Hurlbert, Tommy Lafreniere and Nathan Behm – sticks together remains to be seen.

European import Vit Zahejsky is likely to return from injury this month, perhaps in time to play against the Wild in Wenatchee on Jan. 23, adding to options up front.

“We can go back and look at video,” Clouston said. “There was a stretch where [Josh] Evaschesen centred Behm and Hurlbert. You can pull up video instantly from those games and listen or not listen to what the advanced stats tell you about those combinations. Same thing on the back end.”

Analysis of the blueline hit a speed bump on Friday (Jan. 10) when captain Ryan Michael – who was playing on the top pair with Harrison Brunicke – sprained his thumb in a 4-2 loss to the Penticton Vees.

Brunicke played with Isa Guram on Saturday, when the Vees edged the hometown Blazers 5-4 in overtime.

Michael is expected to return to the lineup on Friday (Jan. 16), when the Blazers (18-14-4-4) host the Prince George Cougars (23-16-2-0) at Sandman Centre. The Cougars have one win in their last 10 games, and they’re mired in a seven game losing streak that began Dec. 30 in Kamloops.

“In the first half of the season, the challenging part with our top pair is almost anybody that plays with Mikey was pretty good, but it was a tough match and it felt like guys could do it for a game or two, and then it gets really tough,” Clouston said.

“Somebody gets called up and they’re playing on adrenaline and they oftentimes will play fairly well, but it’s hard to maintain that because they’re pushing so hard.”

Overage rearguard Rhett Ravndahl said his teammates can breathe easy now that the deadline has passed – perhaps no one is breathing easier than him.

“You ask anyone and no one ever feels safe,” said Ravndahl, who escaped being traded at the deadline for the first time in three years. “It’s one of those things. It’s always in the back of your mind. Anything can happen at any moment. We brought in some key pieces and we’re really happy with where we we’re at.”