Tracking the 8 BCHL alumni at the 2026 World Championship
The path from the BCHL to the international stage is rarely a straight line. It’s often a grind of affiliate call-ups, NCAA commitments, and bus trips across multiple continents. As the 2026 IIHF World Championship gets underway, that reality is reflected in the rosters of several competing nations.
While the BCHL is frequently cited as a pipeline to the collegiate ranks, its global footprint is becoming increasingly visible in the professional game. This year, eight former BCHL talents have swapped their club colours for national sweaters.
Here is a look at the alumni competing for international glory this month.
Devin Cooley — United States (G)
2025-26 Team: Calgary Flames (NHL)
2025-26 Stats: 31 GP, 10-10-6, 2.69 GAA, .909 SV%
BCHL Team: Wenatchee Wild (2016-17)
BCHL Stats: 14 GP, 7-3-0, 2.45 GAA, .887 SV%
Cooley’s rise to a steady NHL roster spot has been an exercise in professional persistence. After a 14-game stint with the Wenatchee Wild in 2016-17, Cooley spent three seasons at the University of Denver. His professional journey saw him navigate the ECHL and AHL – most notably with the Milwaukee Admirals -before breaking into the NHL with San Jose in 2023-24. Now a reliable piece of the Calgary Flames’ goaltending tandem, the product of Los Gatos, CA, brings a veteran composure to the American crease.
Embed from Getty ImagesFraser Minten — Canada (C/LW)
2025-26 Team: Boston Bruins (NHL)
2025-26 Stats: 82 GP, 17 G, 18 A, 35 PTS
BCHL Team: Prince George Spruce Kings (2019-20)
BCHL Stats: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS
Though his BCHL resume is limited to a two-game affiliate appearance with Prince George, Minten’s inclusion on Team Canada speaks to his rapid ascent. After a standout WHL career with Kamloops and Saskatoon, the Vancouver product made the full-time jump to the Bruins this season, appearing in every game in 2025-26. His two-way reliability and high hockey IQ make him a trusted depth option for the Canadian coaching staff.
Mat Robson — Great Britain (G)
2025-26 Team: Coventry Blaze (EIHL)
2025-26 Stats: 41 GP, 21-20-0, 2.97 GAA, .918 SV%
BCHL Team: Penticton Vees (2016-17)
BCHL Stats: 49 GP, 35-13-0, 1.94 GAA, .930 SV%, 6 SO
Robson’s 2016-17 season in Penticton remains one of the most dominant statistical performances in recent BCHL history. That .930 save percentage earned the Mississauga, ON native a ticket to the University of Minnesota, where he eventually signed an NHL entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild. After time in the AHL and a tour of European leagues in Germany and France, Robson has found a home in the UK. He qualifies for Great Britain via residency, providing them with a battle-tested starter.
Liam Steele — Great Britain (D)
2025-26 Team: Sheffield Steeldogs (NIHL) / Sheffield Steelers (EIHL)
2025-26 Stats: 50 GP, 15 G, 26 A, 41 PTS (NIHL) | 3 GP, 0 PTS (EIHL)
BCHL Teams: Chilliwack Chiefs, Salmon Arm Silverbacks (2022-23)
BCHL Stats: 43 GP, 3 G, 13 A, 16 PTS
Steele split time in the 2022-23 BCHL season between Chilliwack and Salmon Arm, using his 6-foot-4 frame to establish himself as a reliable puck-mover. Following an NCAA national championship with Cornell in 2024, the dual-national defenceman returned to the UK. This past season, Steele, who’s from Cobham, GBR, was a big offensive contributor in the NIHL and earned call-ups to the top-flight Steelers, earning his place on the senior national roster.
Samuel Lyne — Great Britain (F)
2025-26 Team: Cranbrook Bucks (BCHL)
2025-26 Stats: 47 GP, 11 G, 18 A, 29 PTS
BCHL Team: Cranbrook Bucks (2024-25, 2025-26)
BCHL Stats: 88 GP, 17 G, 30 A, 47 PTS
Lyne is a rarity in this tournament. The Chelmsford, GBR product just finished his Junior A career and is now competing at the senior men’s level. The British forward has spent the last two seasons in Cranbrook, showing steady offensive growth. Already a veteran of the Great Britain U20 program, Lyne’s selection to the men’s squad is a massive developmental milestone before he heads to Colgate University (NCAA) this fall.
Carmine Buono — Italy (D)
2025-26 Team: Gherdëina (AlpsHL)
2025-26 Stats: 42 GP, 9 G, 18 A, 27 PTS
BCHL Team: Powell River Kings (2014-15, 2016-17, 2017-18)
BCHL Stats: 121 GP, 12 G, 59 A, 71 PTS
A veteran of the Powell River blueline, Buono’s 121 games in the BCHL provided the foundation for a professional career that has spanned several European countries. After collegiate stints at UMass and Alaska-Anchorage, the Burnaby, BC native moved to the Italian leagues. Now a regular for Gherdëina in the AlpsHL, his physical, two-way game is a staple for the Italian team’s defensive rotation.
Embed from Getty ImagesMatt Bradley — Italy (C)
2025-26 Team: HC Bolzano (ICEHL)
2025-26 Stats: 41 GP, 11 G, 29 A, 40 PTS
BCHL Team: Surrey Eagles (2013-14)
BCHL Stats: 8 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS
Bradley’s time in Surrey was a brief eight-game appetizer before he became a solid scorer in the WHL. After successful pro stints in the ECHL and a taste of the AHL, the product of Vancouver moved to Europe, where he has been a consistent offensive threat. Coming off a near point-per-game campaign with Bolzano, he enters the Worlds as one of Italy’s primary offensive catalysts.
Niccolò Mansueto — Italy (F)
2025-26 Team: GDT Bellinzona Snakes / HC Sierre (Swiss League)
2025-26 Stats: 50 GP, 9 G, 10 A, 19 PTS (combined)
BCHL Team: Powell River Kings (2024-25)
BCHL Stats: 53 GP, 5 G, 16 A, 21 PTS
Mansueto, from Verona, ITA, represents the growing trend of European players using the BCHL for a season of North American development. He recorded 21 points for the Kings in 2024-25 before returning to the Swiss pro ranks this past season. At 21, he is part of a younger wave of talent for Italy as they come off their role as Olympic hosts earlier this year.
The reality of the development curve
The presence of these eight players at the World Championship highlights a crucial truth about the BCHL: it isn’t just about the draft-day headlines. While some, like Minten and Cooley, found their way to the NHL, others, like Robson and Buono, have used the league as a springboard to long, successful professional careers overseas.
For the current crop of players in the league, these eight alumni serve as a reminder that the developmental path is wide and, for those willing to put in the work, can lead to the world stage.
