A Calgary Flames prospect has changed junior teams – and leagues – mid-season. Prospect Cade Littler has moved from the United States Hockey League’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders to the British Columbia Hockey League’s Penticton Vees.
His signing by the Vees was announced on Tuesday morning.
A right-shot centre listed at 6’3″ and 209 pounds, Littler was selected by the Flames in the seventh round of the 2022 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old Littler played two seasons with the BCHL’s Wenatchee Wild (2021-22 and 2022-23), where his father, Bliss, was general manager. Littler joined Cedar Rapids at the end of last season, following Wenatchee’s exit from the BCHL playoffs.
This season, Littler has been a top six fixture with Cedar Rapids, posting eight goals and 11 points in 14 games. Moving from the USHL to the BCHL is arguably a downgrade in terms of the competitive levels of each league, but Littler gets a lot closer to home and joins a Vees squad that is a perpetual powerhouse in the BCHL. If the idea is that he’ll improve by playing with players that are better than he is, Penticton may be the best fit for him of the available options.
(Littler’s father is still GM in Wenatchee, but the Wild joined the WHL this season and his WHL rights are held by Tri-City currently, and joining a WHL team and playing games would result in him losing his college eligibility.)
Littler is committed to the University of North Dakota for the 2024-25 season. He’s expected to debut for the Vees this coming weekend.
Update: Cedar Rapids writer Jeff Johnson provided a bit of context, via RoughRiders coach/GM Mark Carlson:
The Barn Burner Nation Vacation to Arizona presented by Alberta Blue Cross is HAPPENING from Jan 11-13th, 2024! Join the action for just $1,499/person! Your ticket includes round trip flights from Calgary x Arizona, hotels, transport and hockey game tickets! Get your tickets to the ultimate sports vacation before they sell out!