Hurricanes continue to bolster, acquire World Junior blue liner Caden Price

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on January 7, 2025.

sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

The Lethbridge Hurricanes decided the Price was Right Monday night.

The Hurricanes acquired 19-year-old defenceman Caden Price from the Kelowna Rockets in exchange for 17-year-old blue liner Will Sharpe, the WHL playing rights to 17-year-old goaltender Harrison Boettiger and five draft picks.

They sent Kelowna a 2026 first-round draft pick, a 2025 fourth and a 2025 sixth round pick, a 2027 fifth-round pick and a conditional fourth-round draft pick in the 2025 draft.

The Seattle Kraken prospect has six goals and 32 points in 26 games this season with Kelowna. The Saskatoon product represented Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa where he had a goal and an assist in five games. He signed an entry-level deal with the Kraken in April, 2023 and has 26 goals and 148 points in 201 WHL regular season games.

“We are thrilled to be able to add Caden to our group,” Hurricanes general manager Peter Anholt said in a release. “He is an elite defenceman who is a signed guy and will bolster our defence. He’s an outstanding skater who can quarterback a power play while also being a strong two-way guy. Having him with Hockey Canada, most recently at the World Juniors, this is a guy we had targeted and am very excited to be able to add him.”

Monday’s deal is the third high-calibre acquisition the Hurricanes have made this season, having acquired Winnipeg Jets prospect Brayden Yager and 19-year-old goaltender Jackson Unger from the Moose Jaw Warriors on Dec. 2. They previously traded for defenceman Vojtech Port from the Warriors on Nov. 15.

The 17-year-old Sharpe has played in 95 career games with Lethbridge, notching seven goals and 38 points. He had three goals and 27 points in 35 games this season in the red and blue.

“Will is a high-end, young defenceman who we selected in the first-round and it’s hard to give up young, talented players like him at any point, but to make a trade like this it costs you,” Anholt said. “He has been a great Hurricane in his time with our organization and we wish him the best moving forward.”

Boettiger was drafted fourth overall by the ‘Canes in the 2022 WHL US Priority Draft.