Seven trades made in WHL on Wednesday ahead of today’s deadline

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on January 8, 2026.

sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

A relatively quiet Wednesday on the WHL trade market preludes deadline day.

A total of seven trades were reported Wednesday, the day before the trade freeze goes into effect at 6 p.m. MST.

The Medicine Hat Tigers and Lethbridge Hurricanes made the first move, with the defending WHL champions acquiring forward Luke Cozens from the Hurricanes for defenceman Kyle Heger. The two teams swapped conditional 2028 fourth-round picks in the deal.

The 19-year-old Cozens led the Hurricanes in scoring with 17 goals and 44 points in 39 games this season, a career year for the Whitehorse, Yuk. product. The 18-year-old Heger has tallied five goals and 15 points in 35 games in his first WHL season.

Calgary acquired a pair of skaters on the day as the Hitmen gear up for the playoffs.

They opened the day picking up 2007-born forward Blake Vanek from the Wenatchee Wild, sending the Western conference team the rights to 2008-born forward Carter Ernst and a sixth-round pick in the 2029 WHL Draft.

Vanek, an Ottawa Senators prospects, has eight goals and 18 points in 37 games in his first WHL season.

Calgary then acquired 2007-born defenceman Jakub Seidl from the Everett Silvertips in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2026 CHL Import Draft. Siedl, the Silvertips 89th pick in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, has a goal and eight points in 32 games this season.

Everett swung two other trades on the day.

They sent 2007-born defenceman Kaeson Fisher to the Prince George Cougars in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick. Fisher is playing in the MJHL with the Winkler Flyers, notching a goal and 25 points in 29 games.

The WHL-leading Silvertips acquired 2007-born blue liner Kayd Ruedig from the Kamloops Blazers, sending out a 2028 first-round pick and a 2028 fourth-round pick. Ruedig leads all Blazers blue liners with 10 goals and 24 points in 37 games.

Kamloops also saw 2006-born defenceman Harrison Brunicke reassigned to them Wednesday from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Swift Current Broncos traded 2008-born forward Noah Kosick to the Seattle Thunderbirds in exchange for 2008-born forward Brendan Rudolph, a 2026 first-round pick (previously Prince Albert’s) and a 2027 fourth-round pick (previously Calgary’s).

Kosick has 10 goals and 34 points in 37 games this season with Swift Current, traded from Calgary in the offseason.

Rudolph has played in parts of three seasons for Seattle, recording nine goals and 16 points in 35 games this year.

The Kelowna Rockets cleared up roster room Wednesday, trading 2007-born forward Levi Benson to the Wenatchee Wild for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fourth-round pick. Benson has five goals and 16 points in 30 games this season.

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