On Monday afternoon in Kamloops, one former Cougars was eagerly anticipating his debut. Monday night, was the first game of the CIBC Canada-Russia Series in Kamloops, as Team WHL edged Team Russia 2-1. Former Cougars and current Moose Jaw Warriors forward Justin Almeida is on Team WHL’s roster.
The Kitimat product, and former Cariboo Cougar, was drafted by the Cougars in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft and broke into the league with the Cougars as an 16-year-old. Almeida was traded to the Warriors in the 2016-17 season, that saw the Cougars net forward Nikita Popugaev in return. Almeida had 98-points on a deep Warriors team last year, and in June was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth-round, 129th overall. This season he’s off to a strong start, leading the Warriors in scoring with 23-points in 15 games.
