Two North East BC Trackers players taken in WHL draft

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The North East BC (NEBC) Trackers program celebrated the selection of two of its top players at the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) prospect draft this week.

Centre Trae Alexander and defenceman Linden Andersen will be joining the ranks of the WHL, and Trackers U-15 AA head coach Ray Taggart feels each will contribute to their new team with their style of play.

“I’m just extremely happy for them,” said Taggart. “They’ve put in a lot of hard work over the past couple of years, and [I’m] just extremely happy for them to get noticed.

“From an individual standpoint, Linden’s just an all-around very complete defenceman. That game translates to the next level very seamlessly. Trae has very high offensive instincts and that can help his next team as well.”

Andersen was the first of the pair to be selected in the second round.  As the 37th overall pick, he went to the Swift Current Broncos.

The five-foot-nine player had 34 points and 49 assists for 83 points, including six games with at least four points.

Meanwhile, Alexander finished the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) AA season with a point-per-game average of 2.68, with 36 goals and 47 points for 83 points as well.

The five-foot-three forward will be going to Alberta, as he was selected by the Medicine Hat Tigers in the seventh round, at the 143rd overall selection.

Other players, such as Cayden Lindstrom and Dysen Loewen, have skated with the Trackers over Taggart’s seven-plus seasons as coach, reaching both the WHL and the National Hockey League.

The players’ performance helped the Trackers finish their AEHL season with 29 wins, with just one loss and two ties in the 2024-25 AEHL regular season.

The Trackers also had silver medal performances in Calgary, Alberta at the 2025 CIHA Winter Classic, the KIBIHT tournament in Kamloops, and at the BC Hockey Tier 1 U-15 provincial championship.

 For a full list of selections, visit the WHL’s draft board website.