OKOTOKS, AB (September 15, 2023) — The Okotoks Oilers are happy to announce nine newly signed players ahead of the opening of the 2023-24 Alberta Junior Hockey League season.
Ethan O’Halloran (Calgary, AB) signed with the Oilers after completing last year with the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the BCHL, to whom he was traded from the Brooks Bandits, with whom he played in 90 games over three seasons, recording 30 points (3 goals, 27 assists) in the process. The ’03-born defenceman is originally a graduate of the Calgary U18 Flames, and also scored 1 point in 2 games at the 2022 Centennial Cup.
Shane Shelest (Pointe-Claire, PQ) joins the team after spending last year with the Nanaimo Clippers of the BCHL, where he posted a .919 save percentage in both regular season and playoffs, taking over the starting role for the team in the postseason. The overage goaltender previously played in the prep school ranks for Phillips Academy Andover in 2021-22.
Sam Hall (Oldwick, NJ) signed with the Oilers in the summertime after serving as an alternate captain with Salisbury School in Connecticut last season, his second with the team. The ’04-born import defenceman scored 10 points in 28 games in the prep school ranks last season.
Ryder De Nys (Canmore, AB) signs as a fully rostered player this season after playing in an affiliate role last year with the Oilers, where he scored 5 points in 13 regular season games and dressed in an additional 6 games in playoffs. Previously, the ’05 defenceman had played for the U18 Airdrie Bisons in the AEHL, where he was the team’s highest scoring defenceman in 2021-22 with 25 points in 36 games.
Brett Wilson (Calgary, AB) was a key member of the U18 Calgary Flames that won provincial and regional championships this past year, scoring 37 points in 31 games while also affiliating with the Oilers for 6 games, scoring one assist. The ’06-born forward was previously also Top Forward of the AEHL’s U16 division in 2021-22 with the Flames.
Kade Duell (Taber, AB) led last year’s Circle K Classic in scoring with 13 points (6 goals, 7 assists) in 13 games with his South Alberta Hockey Academy team, for whom he chipped in 46 points in 30 regular season games. The ’06-born forward also dressed in eight games as an affiliate with the Oilers, scoring three assists, and will be the youngest player on the team’s season-opening roster.
Colton Alexander (Cochrane, AB) signed with the Oilers from the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL, where he scored 11 points in 46 games in his rookie Junior season last year. Previously, the ’04-born forward was a top scorer at the Edge School, where he tallied 21 points in 25 games in his final season in 2021-22.
Christian Green (Oldwick, PA) put up an over-.930 save percentage with the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers of the T1EHL in the United States last season, helping them reach the USA Hockey National Championships in San Jose, California. The ’04-born goaltender was a preseason standout for the Oilers and will complete a three-person goaltending tandem to start the campaign for Okotoks.
Thomas Matte (Calgary, AB) signed in preseason with the Oilers and was also part of the provincial and regional champion Calgary U18 Flames last season, where he scored 24 points (14 goals, 10 assists) in 36 regular season games, also dressing for 4 games as an affiliate with Okotoks. The ’05-born, 6’4″ tall forward also tallied two goals at the U18 Nationals with the Flames.