Another Moose Jaw WINMAR AAA Warrior player has taken the next step in his hockey career. 

This time it is first-year defenseman Caleb Potter, who last week signed a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement with the Western Hockey League’s Seattle Thunderbirds for the 2023-24 season. 

Potter who hails from Regina, SK, was drafted by Seattle in the fifth-round 104th overall in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft. 

“It’s super exciting and I can’t wait to get started with them,” says Potter. “It’s very big news.”

This season with the WINMAR Warriors Potter has put together an impressive campaign. In 22 games, he has scored four goals to go along with 13 assists for 17 points. Through two games of their first-round playoff series he has one assist.

Potter suffered an injury in mid-November that had him unavailable to play until the end of January.

Through all the time he had off with his injury, Potter used it as an opportunity to decide which route he wanted to take in terms of his hockey career and for his future education whether that was Junior A or the WHL.

After careful consideration, and speaking with Warriors head coach Trevor Weisgerber and his family the Seattle Thunderbirds was the best option for his future.

“I thought it was better because I would get there younger and would be playing against bigger guys, and it is a lot more competitive. Those were the main reasons why I signed.”

Weisgerber says that for Potter the transition from U15 AA to U18 AAA was going to be a tough one, but he risen to the challenge.

“He did a really good job in that process,” says Weisgerber. “It was unfortunate that he got injured when he did because he had such a great start to the year. Since returning he has picked up where he left off. Seattle is lucky to have him.”

For the 15-year-old, moving forward he will be increasing his play to try and prepare for Seattle’s training camp in late August.

“I’m going to work out a lot, eat and gain weight and hopefully be ready for training camp.”

The Thunderbirds play in the WHL’s Western Conference’s US Division. Last season, the Thunderbirds made it all the way to the WHL Championship Final, but loss in six games to the Edmonton Oil Kings.

This season they have a very impressive 48-9-1-2 record for 99 points and have locked up the division title. As of Tuesday, they are the #1 team in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).

Potter is looking forward to making the jump from Saskatchewan to the Pacific Northwest hopefully next year.

“It’s far away but it should be good.”

Potter and the Warriors continue their first-round series with the Saskatoon Contacts on Thursday night in Game 4 of the best-of-five series. Moose Jaw currently leads the series 2-1.