No WHL team was ransacked by NCAA defections more than the Victoria Royals.

The Royals lost their top five scorers eligible to return this season to the American collegiate system, with centre Cole Reschny (North Dakota), winger Teydon Trembecky (Michigan Tech), defenceman Justin Kipkie (Arizona State), defenceman Nate Misskey (UMass-Lowell) and defenceman Keaton Verhoeff (North Dakota) all heading south.

They combined for 334 points last season.

Reschny ( Calgary Flames , 2025 first round), Kipkie (Minnesota Wild, 2025 fifth round) and Misskey (San Jose Sharks, 2024 fifth round) are NHL Draft picks and Verhoeff is projected to be a top-five selection next summer.

The Medicine Hat Tigers lost the league’s best player and all the pomp and circumstance that goes with having the No. 1 p

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