The Victoria Royals have made a move to strengthen their offense ahead of the 2025-26 Western Hockey League season.
They acquired forward Miles Cooper from the Wenatchee Wild in a trade announced on Monday morning.
In return, Victoria sent 2010-born forward Chace Gregg and five draft picks to Wenatchee.
This includes a 2026 fourth-round pick from Brandon, a 2026 fourth-round pick from Everett, a 2027 second-round pick from Victoria, a 2027 fourth-round pick from Brandon, and a 2028 fourth-round pick from Tri-City.
Cooper, a 2006-born forward from Calgary, Alberta, adds proven scoring power to the Royals’ lineup. Over two WHL seasons with the Winnipeg ICE and Wenatchee Wild, he has played in 139 games, scoring 43 goals and making 63 assists for 106 points. Last year, he ranked second on the Wild in goals (24), assists (35), and points (59).
“Miles is an impact player that can play both centre and wing,” said Royals General Manager Jake Heisinger. “He will be an important addition to our team both on and off the ice. We welcome Miles and his family to Victoria.”
The 19-year-old was originally selected in the third round of the 2021 WHL Draft by Winnipeg and participated in the Colorado Avalanche’s 2024 rookie camp.
This is the second move the Royals have made recently to strengthen their forward group.
Over the weekend, Victoria acquired 2007-born forward Ashton Brown from the Regina Pats in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2029 draft. Brown, from Sherwood Park, Alberta, has played 108 WHL games, scoring seven goals and getting 12 assists over two seasons.
These additions come as the Royals get ready for their season opener this Friday, September 19th, at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. Victoria will host the Penticton Vees, the WHL’s newest franchise, in a 7:05 p.m. puck drop.
Victoria recently completed a strong preseason, ending exhibition play with a 5-3 win against the Everett Silvertips in Cowichan on Saturday.
Goals from Odin Vauhkonen, Heath Nelson, Ashton Brown, Layne Schofield, and Henry Peterson secured the victory. Strong goaltending and solid defense allowed the Royals to take control in the second period.
You can buy single-game tickets for the Royals’ home opener and upcoming regular-season games online at chl.ca/whl-royals/single-game-tickets or by calling 250-419-6906.
