Lloydminster and nearby communities are well-represented among the 120 players selected to compete in the Alberta Cup male hockey tournament this week in Red Deer.
Eight boys from the region step onto the provincial stage April 23-27 for the scouting showcase, which doubles as the final evaluation of prospects for the Western Hockey League draft May 7 and 8.
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The 2010-born class of draft prospects is considered one of the best in years for Lloydminster-area talent.
“Lloyd is very deep for that 2010 age group,” said longtime minor hockey coach Scott Pratt, a Kitscoty resident who most recently coached the U17 AAA Lloydminster Lancers. “They’ve got a really good group of high-end kids.
“Last year, we only had two from Lloyd make it to Alberta Cup (Trey Bohlken and Gavin Pratt, Scott’s son).”
Swift Current Broncos’ draft choice Gavin Harrison of Cold Lake added to the regional flavour at the 2024 Alberta Cup.
This year’s prospects, including U15 AAA Lancers defencemen Cobin Garnett of Mannville and Peter Osman of Lloydminster, all played with AAA or prep teams at the U15 level this past season.
Six of the local Alberta Cup participants spent the winter away from home as they attended hockey academies in Delta, B.C., and the Edmonton area.
Tripp Fischer, a forward from
Lloydminster, was an integral part of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League champion Delta Hockey Academy.
Kitscoty forward Brody Sunderland skated with the St. Albert Raiders Sabres and helped them earn bronze in Alberta’s provincial championship.
Three other forwards — Damian Anderson of Minburn and Josh Frazer and Kael Scott of Lloydminster — played with the Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA) Edmonton program.
Will Kelts, a defenceman from Consort, was a member of the North Alberta Xtreme (NAX) Hockey Academy in Devon.
Scott Pratt, who coached many of the local prospects at various levels throughout the years, offered scouting reports on each of the Alberta Cup players from the area. While he spoke about Garnett and Osman elsewhere in this edition of the Meridian Source, here are his comments on the others:
TRIPP FISCHER – “Tripp is a natural scorer,” Pratt said. “A big body, he’s definitely gifted around the net. He can put pucks in. He’s kind of that nice — it’s an old reference — but the Eric Lindros style of player with the set of hands.”
Fischer was an offensive catalyst with the Delta team that captured the U15 prep Division 1 Western championship. After scoring 29 goals and 56 points in 35 games during the 2024-25 season, he added six goals and nine points in five games at the Westerns.
BRODY SUNDERLAND – Sunderland also has a knack for offence. He netted 18 goals and 37 points in 34 regular-season games. At the U15 AAA provincials, he pocketed three goals and seven points in five games as his St. Albert team took home bronze.
“Brody really came on the last half of the year,” Pratt said. “He had a really strong offensive year. He’s a phenomenal skater, a natural skater. He’s really stretched out. I think he’s six foot now.
“He has a lot of offensive talent. Once he’s able to put some pounds on to match his height, he’s going to have a chance to go wherever. He’s a real competitive kid. That whole (local prospects age) group is.”
DAMIAN ANDERSON – “Damian was always the little brother around the rink when we were coaching that group,” said Pratt, referencing the days when he coached Anderson’s older brother Carter. “You could always tell (Damian) had a pretty impressive skill set, as well.
“He’s got some offensive side. He’s been banged up a little bit with a shoulder injury the last couple of years. If he can get that sorted out, he’s going to be a nice player, too.”
Anderson recorded 22 points, including 17 goals, in 22 games this season.
JOSH FRAZER – Frazer, listed at five-foot-eight and 140 pounds, is reminiscent of a Brad Marchand.
“I love the way Josh plays,” Pratt said. “He’s an absolute Tasmanian devil out there. For his size, he plays about six inches above what his height is. He plays physical, he gets in the dirty areas, and he’s got an ultra-competitive streak when he’s on the ice. A great set of hands, as well.
“His work ethic on the ice is a coach’s dream. As a U17 coach, I would love to have that energy out on the ice every shift.”
Frazer scored 17 goals and 38 points in 35 games this year.
KAEL SCOTT – Scott draws comparisons to Fischer for their coveted combination of offensive skill and a propensity to mix it up physically.
“Kael is similar to Tripp,” Pratt said. “I think he’s six-one and 185 pounds already. Yeah, he’s really good around the net and loves the physical play, as well.
“The nice part about all those kids is they’re just good kids, good teammates. That’s what I love to see right now, is Lloyd has such a good group of top-end 2010 players. They could really step in and do a lot with the U17, U18 program and move on to junior very quickly, that whole group.”
Scott was OHA Edmonton’s second-leading scorer, with 22 goals and 51 points in 36 games.
WILL KELTS – That local wave of promising prospects extends south to Consort, the hometown of Kelts. From his hockey home of Devon, his NAX team went all the way to the CSSHL Western final this spring before losing 4-3 to Fischer’s Delta club.
It’s no wonder Pratt, when he was coaching U15 AAA last year, had tried to recruit Kelts to play in
Lloydminster.
“They decided to go to NAX, but we ended up playing that NAX team three times last year in tournaments,” Pratt said. “But, yeah, I’ve definitely kept track of Will. He’s a big body with a lot of offensive talent. I think he’s six-two or six-three already. Very smooth, great shot and smart and mobile for a big D-man.”
Kelts produced more than a point per game, with 13 goals and 39 points in 35 games with the Devon-based academy team.
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