The Prince George Cougars have acquired 19-year-old centre Ben Riche, one of most prolific scorers in the WHL this season, in a trade from the Saskatoon Blades.
Going to Saskatoon are 18-year-old centre Hunter Laing, 15-year-old defenceman Luke Dumas, a first-round pick in the 2026 WHL Prospects draft and a fifth-rounder in 2028.
“Ben is the type of player we were looking for,” said Cougars general manager and head coach Mark Lamb. “He’s a dynamic left-shot centre with tremendous speed and offensive talent. He’s a real difference-maker.”
In 37 games, as the Blades leading scorer, Riche scored 23 goals and had 31 assists for 54 points and he currently ranks sixth in the WHL scoring race. The native of Bethune, Sask., has been on a hot streak lately, riding a nine-game point streak that’s produced six goals and 15 points.
Riche carries a plus-18 rating has four power-play goals and 15 power-play assists.
In his four-season, 170-game WHL career so far with Moose Jaw, Victoria and Saskatoon he collected 46 goals and 107 points.
Riche is committed to college hockey in the NCAA Division I at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut once his junior career is complete.
Laing was the key ingredient in the deal from the Blades’ perspective.
Picked in the sixth round by the Calgary Flames in 2024, the six-foot-six, 209-pound native of Kelowna had 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points and a plus-7 rating in 36 games this season with the Cats.
In 110 games over three seasons with the Cougars he collected 21 goals and 26 assists for 47 points.
“Hunter has been a great teammate and an important part of our group,” said Lamb. “The hardest part of hockey is saying goodbye to good players and great people.”
Dumas, a native of Beaverlodge, Alta., is currently playing in Edmonton for Titans Hockey Union in the Junior Prospects Hockey League.
The Cougars, 4-2 winners Tuesday over the Vancouver Giants, will be back on the ice at CN Centre to face the Giants again in a rematch, starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The WHL trade deadline is on Thursday at 5 p.m. PT
