The Lethbridge Hurricanes are bidding farewell to forward Cameron Norrie.
The 2007-born forward was selected by the Penticton Vees in the 2025 WHL Expansion Draft. The 17-year-old was undrafted in the WHL Prospects Draft and signed by the Lethbridge club in 2024. In 56 regular season games during his rookie season, he scored three goals, dished out five assists, and recorded 14 penalty minutes through the 2024-25 season. Norrie also skated in five playoff games.
“It’s tough to lose Cameron in the Expansion Draft. He was a player that showed a lot of growth in his game as this season went along and filled important roles for our club this year with injuries along the way,” says Hurricanes general manager Peter Anholt.
“We wish Cameron and the entire Norrie family the best of luck moving forward in Penticton.”
The Penticton Vees will make their WHL debut during the 2025-26 season.
The Vees selected 22 players in their expansion draft, with 13 chosen directly in the draft and the remaining players acquired by trades made in place of expansion draft selections.
The list of players selected by Penticton is available at the WHL website.
SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED
While the team lost Norrie to Penticton, the Hurricanes signed 2009-born forward Enzo DiDomenicantonio to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement this week.
The 15-year-old was chosen by the Lethbridge club in the first round (13th overall) of the 2024 WHL US Priority Draft.
From Los Angeles, he spent the 2024-25 season with the HoneyBaked 15U AAA team in Detroit, scoring 57 goals and recording 60 assists across 69 games. DiDomenicantonio finished first in team scoring and goals, ending the season 10th in 15U league scoring.
Additionally, the forward had 22 goals and 12 assists with the HoneyBaked 15U team in MAHA 15U team play.
He scored 45 goals and had 57 assists with the Los Angeles Jr. Kings 14U AAA team during the 2023-24 season, as well as four goals and two assists in four playoff contests.
DiDomenicantonio joins fellow 2009-born skaters Tyden Lafournaise, Reid Soper, Leif Oaten, Cohen Pentney, Jake Evans and Matteo Di Stefano to sign with the ‘Canes, while becoming the first every player selected in the US Priority Draft to sign with Lethbridge.
2025 US PRIORITY DRAFT
The 2025 US Priority Draft on Thursday, May 8 saw the Hurricanes select 2010-born forward Cash Whitmore of Long Tree, Colorado and 2010-born defenseman Drew Kortan from Moorhead, Minnesota.
Whitmore was taken 23rd overall in the first round by Lethbridge, with Kortan selected in the second round with the 24th pick.
Whitmore skated in 59 games with the Colorado Thunderbirds 14U AAA team during the 2024-25 season, recording 62 goals and 20 assists, and 120 penalty minutes. In four playoff contests, the 14-year-old scored one goal and had one assist.
Meanwhile, 14-year-old Kortan had two goals and 12 assists, along with 23 penalty minutes with the Minnesota Blue Ox 14U AAA team in 2024-25. Additionally, he scored two goals and recorded another 12 assists with the Moorhead Bantam AA team. Kortan scored one goal and dished out three assists in six games at the US 14U Nationals.
AWARD WINNER
The Hurricanes are celebrating a big win, with 2008-born forward Easton Daneault named the Canadian Junior Hockey League Rookie of the Year.
The 17-year-old was selected by Lethbridge in the seventh round (146th overall) in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.
From Red Deer, Daneault suited up for the Drumheller Dragons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League during the 2024-25 season.
In 54 regular season games, he scored 21 goals and had 35 assists. He added one goal and six assists in 11 playoff games for Drumheller. Daneault finished the regular season second in team scoring and tied for seventh in AJHL scoring, leading all rookie scorers.
On top of winning the CJHL Rookie of the Year award, Daneault was named the AJHL Rookie of the Year.
He signed with the Hurricanes in December 2024, making his debut with the team on December 27 against the Calgary Hitmen at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena. He laced up his skates in six regular season games for Lethbridge, notching an assist in his debut.
READ MORE: Red Deer’s Easton Daneault signed by Lethbridge Hurricanes
Daneault went on to appear in eight playoff games for the Hurricanes, recording two assists and six penalty minutes. The WHL team says he is expected to be on the club’s main roster for the 2025-26 regular season.
A TOUGH FIGHT
The Hurricanes made a strong push in the 2025 playoffs, conquering Brandon four games to one in the first round before eliminating Calgary in seven games in round two.
The ‘Canes were eventually swept and eliminated by the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Eastern Conference Championship Series.
READ MORE: Hurricanes swept in eastern final by Tigers, ending 2025 playoff run
