With puck drop on the 2025-26 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League season coming on Sept. 19, kijhl.ca is providing fans with a preview on all 21 teams. Next in the Quick Shift series are the Creston Valley Thunder Cats.
Last season under new head coach-general manager Geordie Wudrick, the Thunder Cats went 16-24-4-0 and earned the final playoff spot in the Eddie Mountain division. They had 36 points, three ahead of the Golden Rockets. The Thunder Cats pushed the regular season division champion Kimberley Dynamiters in a six-game, first round series.
During that opening round loss, Wudrick felt they had a good performance against the Dynamiters, who he considers “is always one of the best teams in the league.”
“That’s a team we can start competing with,” he said. “We want to take that confidence and where we had success, is being really hard to play against – structured and forechecking like demons – that is part of our identity and culture going forward.”
Wudrick also wants to see the group generate more offence and with their recruits, he believes they will be able to.
Returning Players: F- Liam Munro (42-24-25-49 – points leader), Berkley Gross (43-12-16-28), Brendan Kindlein (42-8-11-19), Kieran Strauss (40-4-12-16), Joseph Krukowski (30-6-6-12), Daniel O’Handley (38-6-6-12) Ti Regan (2-8-10), Spencer Brazel (30-3-6-9), D-Chase Bambrick (11-6-8-14), Sidney Brill (42-3-11-14), Jordan Gale (38-1-12-13), Kameron Lawrence (21-1-2-3).
Acquisitions: G- Drew Cadenhead (100 Mile House Wranglers (14-8-1-3, 2.51 GAA, .905 SP.)
Rookies: Karson Dawe – Grande Peace Storm U18AAA (37-9-8-17), Grady Clarkson – Grande Peace Storm U18AAA (37-2-5-7), Holden Parada (2007) – Indigenous Sports Academy U18 (35-10-8-18), Braxton Hanna (2007) – Lethbridge United (30-4-17-21), Tevin Klassen (2007) Lethbridge United (29-22-8-30), William Steingart (2007) Red Deer Chiefs U18 AAA (16 GP, 4.28 GAA, .892 SP), Carter Thiessen (2007) Thompson Blazers U18 AAA (34-1-17-18), Logan Findlay (2007) St. Albert Raiders U18 AAA (38-2-14-16), Owen Bambrick (2008) – Coeur d’Alene Hockey Academy (36-11-21-32).
Team Outlook: Wudrick was impressed with the pace level and compete the players showed.
“We’re going to be a team that has really good structure, compete and can pressure the puck all over the ice. I think we’re going to be a good skating team again. Last year I thought we were in that upper half. We are definitely going to do that again.”
Wudrick has seen very impressive skill levels from the rookies and said if they can come in with a good mindset and work ethic, their skills will translate to the junior level. They are gelling well with the veteran players.
Wudrick said that Hanna and Parada are excellent skaters who see the game well.
“Those are all guys that are going to have really good success this season,” said Wudrick.
The Thunder Cats will have a different look on the blueline and Wudrick says their “skating has got a lot better and our puck movement.”
“Our ability to get the puck up ice from our defenceman is going to be very good this year,” he said.
Wudrick will be joined on the bench by new assistant coach Simon Zurawski, who Wudrick played professional hockey with in Sweden. The team made the announcement on Aug. 21.
