Rilen Kovacevic wasn’t in Prince Albert for very long, but he certainly made the most of his time in Hockeytown North.
After coming over in a deadline deal from the Moose Jaw Warriors, the 20-year-old Kelowna product posted 19 points (5g, 14a) in 27 regular season games and added 10 points (6g, 4a) in 11 playoff games for the Prince Albert Raiders.
The Raiders season came to a close after falling to the Medicine Hat Tigers in four games in the second round of the 2025 WHL playoffs.
Kovacevic says it wasn’t the final result he was hoping for, but he enjoyed the opportunity to play in the playoffs in his final WHL season.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling. We were talking last night with the boys, smile because it happened. Don’t be mad because it’s done. I’m super grateful that I got to end my career in the playoffs and with a competitive team, and I’m grateful for that.”
Prince Albert was the fourth team Kovacevic suited up for in his WHL career. Kovacevic was originally selected by his hometown Kelowna Rockets in the 10th round of the 2019 Prospects Draft, 204th overall.
After suiting up in parts of four seasons with Kelowna, Kovacevic was on the move on Nov. 28 2022 when he was traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings in a deal that saw Carson Golder and a third round pick come back to Kelowna.
After just over a calendar year in Edmonton, the Oil Kings traded Kovacevic along with defenceman Vojtech Port to the Moose Jaw Warriors on Dec. 27, 2023.
Kovacevic would be a major contributor for Moose Jaw the rest of the season as the Warriors took home the franchise’s first championship with a sweep over the Portland Winterhawks.
With the Warriors in a rebuilding year after winning the championship, Kovacevic found himself on the move for the third and final time in his career on Jan. 7, 2025. Moose Jaw sent Kovacevic to Prince Albert in exchange for Krzysztof Macias, Luke Moroz and a fourth round pick.
Kovacevic says he didn’t expect to end his career as a Prince Albert Raider.
“I’m kind of used to it, it’s been three years of being gone at the deadline. It’s funny how it works. These guys that I played with, they surprised me. Looking at this team at the start of the year, I never thought I would be a Raider by deadline. They dug themselves out of a pretty big hole and surprised a lot of people. I’m happy I could be a part of it.”
With Kovacevic being on the move multiple times throughout his WHL career, he has had to meet new teammates, coaches and billets in each market he has played in. He says that experience will help him moving forward.
“It’s a fun experience, getting to move around western Canada and play different hockey and build relationships with tons of people. I’ve met so many people that I’ll be friends with for the rest of my life, and that’s the best part of Junior.”
Kovacevic was acquired to provide a veteran presence to a young Raiders team that didn’t feature a lot of playoff experience entering the season.
“I told them last night that they have a really special opportunity being so young.” Kovacevic says. “They can build really good relationships with each other and have a pretty awesome hockey team as you saw. They can have the next five years of winning culture and make some good memories and friends doing so.”
In terms of his favorite memory in a Raider uniform, Kovacevic says the first round playoff series against Edmonton stands out.
“The comeback in playoffs there, that’s a pretty awesome feeling. I knew the whole way, I don’t know if everyone else knew, but I knew the whole way we were going to get it done. Just the way that it played out with Game 7 was pretty awesome.”
Kovacevic plans to continue playing hockey, but hasn’t announce any future plans at time of publishing.
sports@paherald.sk.ca
