Victoria Royals Enter 2026–27 With a Win-Now Roster Led by Cameron Schmidt

Edited by Arik Krause

The Victoria Royals will begin the 2026–27 Western Hockey League season with one of the most dramatically improved rosters in the league.

Victoria’s opening group includes 16 forwards, eight defencemen and three goaltenders. The roster is headlined by Dallas Stars prospect Cameron Schmidt, former Tri-City Americans scoring leader Savin Virk, captain Miles Cooper and St. Louis Blues goaltending prospect Vladimir Proskurin.

The Royals finished last season with 28 wins and 66 points, falling two points short of qualifying for a playoff tiebreaker. Rather than accepting another gradual development season, Victoria responded by assembling a roster expected to contend immediately.

That ambition has been recognized nationally. The Canadian Hockey League placed Victoria third in its preseason Top 10 rankings, trailing only the Guelph Storm and Cape Breton Eagles.

Cameron Schmidt Transforms the Offence

No addition changes Victoria’s outlook more than Cameron Schmidt.

The Dallas Stars prospect tied for the CHL lead with 51 goals last season and finished with 100 points in 72 games between the Vancouver Giants and Seattle Thunderbirds.

Adding a 50-goal scorer would dramatically improve almost any junior team. For Victoria, Schmidt immediately becomes the most dangerous offensive player on a roster that already contains several proven contributors.

He possesses elite speed, a dangerous release and the ability to create offence before defensive structures can become established. Opponents must account for him whenever he enters the offensive zone, creating additional space for his linemates and Victoria’s trailing defencemen.

Schmidt should receive significant minutes at even strength and on the power play. He will also become the player opponents build their defensive game plans around.

Repeating a 100-point season is never guaranteed, especially following a change of team, but Schmidt enters the year as a legitimate candidate to lead the WHL in goals. His presence changes Victoria from a team hoping to return to the playoffs into one expected to challenge near the top of the Western Conference.

Savin Virk Gives Victoria Another Proven Scorer

Savin Virk is another major offseason addition.

Virk led the Tri-City Americans in goals, assists and points last season, finishing with 27 goals and 38 assists for 65 points in 66 games.

His arrival gives Victoria another forward capable of carrying a scoring line. The Royals can play Virk alongside Schmidt to create an extremely dangerous top unit, or separate them and force opponents to defend multiple scoring lines.

Virk’s production should also make Victoria’s power play considerably more difficult to contain. Opponents cannot focus exclusively on Schmidt when another 65-point forward is available on the opposite side of the formation.

The Royals lacked a point-per-game scorer last season. They now enter the new campaign with two forwards who reached or surpassed that pace.

Nolan Stewart and Hayden Moore Provide Returning Production

Victoria’s returning core is led by Nolan Stewart and Hayden Moore.

Stewart recorded 16 goals and 34 assists for 50 points in 65 games last season. Moore added 18 goals and 30 assists for 48 points in 62 appearances.

Both players were already established offensive contributors before Victoria added Schmidt and Virk. They should now benefit from facing less concentrated defensive attention.

Stewart’s playmaking makes him a natural option to skate with a high-end finisher. Moore provides another balanced scorer who can produce goals while contributing to puck movement.

Victoria can build its first two lines around Schmidt, Virk, Stewart and Moore without requiring any of its younger forwards to carry an unrealistic workload.

That depth is one of the clearest reasons the Royals have entered the season with significant expectations.

Miles Cooper Leads the Group as Captain

Miles Cooper has been named the 11th captain in Victoria Royals history.

The 20-year-old forward recorded 10 goals and 27 assists for 37 points in 50 games last season. While his offensive totals may be overshadowed by Victoria’s headline additions, Cooper remains one of the roster’s most important players.

His role will extend beyond scoring. Cooper must help integrate several new players into the lineup, establish expectations and provide stability during inevitable difficult stretches.

He should still receive opportunities in the top six and on special teams. Playing alongside one of Victoria’s elite finishers could also help Cooper exceed his previous career highs.

The Royals have constructed a roster designed to win now. Giving the captaincy to an experienced returning player provides continuity within a team that has undergone substantial change.

Caleb Matthews Is the Dark-Horse Breakout Candidate

Caleb Matthews may be Victoria’s most intriguing dark-horse scoring candidate.

Matthews recorded 15 goals and 21 assists for 36 points in 65 games last season. He also finished strongly, scoring twice on the power play during Victoria’s penultimate game against the Prince George Cougars.

The additions of Schmidt and Virk should push Matthews further down the opposition’s matchup priorities. That could provide him with more favourable minutes against secondary defensive pairings.

Matthews does not need to become the centrepiece of the offence. Victoria already has enough established scorers to absorb that pressure. He can instead focus on becoming a reliable secondary contributor.

A move beyond 20 goals and 45 points would make an already deep forward group even more difficult to defend.

Victoria Has Additional Skill Throughout the Lineup

The Royals’ depth extends beyond their leading five forwards.

Ludovic Perreault, Jacob Schwartz, Ashton Brown, Max Silver and Eliot Compton provide returning experience. Wyatt Danyleyko, Dryden Uhring and Cruz Waltze offer additional lineup options.

Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Filip Novak is listed as being away at NHL camp. His eventual addition will provide Victoria with another skilled forward capable of playing a meaningful role.

Marek Peroutka, selected in the first round of the 2026 CHL Import Draft, represents another potential source of offence. The Czech forward will need time to adjust to the smaller North American ice surface and the pace of the WHL, but he will not be required to carry the lineup immediately.

That is an ideal situation for a young import. Peroutka can develop without being forced into a role beyond his current experience.

Victoria’s forward group has enough talent to move players throughout the lineup based on chemistry. It also gives the coaching staff injury protection that many teams do not possess.

Nate Yellowaga Strengthens the Blue Line

Victoria’s improvements are not limited to its forwards.

The Royals acquired Nate Yellowaga after the defenceman recorded seven goals and 20 assists for 27 points in 67 games with the Red Deer Rebels last season.

Yellowaga provides experience, mobility and offensive production from the blue line. He should receive power-play opportunities and can help Victoria transition the puck quickly to its dangerous forwards.

His arrival is particularly important because Victoria needs defenders capable of supporting an aggressive offensive team without allowing opponents to generate easy counterattacks.

Yellowaga is already familiar with the demands of playing significant WHL minutes. That experience should allow him to take on a prominent role immediately.

Odin Vauhkonen Could Take a Major Step

Odin Vauhkonen is one of the most interesting returning players on Victoria’s roster.

The 2027 NHL Draft prospect recorded three goals and 20 assists for 23 points in 65 games last season.

Vauhkonen has already demonstrated an ability to create offence from the back end. Another year of physical development and WHL experience could allow him to become one of the better young offensive defencemen in the conference.

He should benefit from Victoria’s improved forward group. Moving the puck to Schmidt, Virk, Stewart and Moore will create opportunities for assists, while the attention directed toward those forwards may open shooting lanes from the point.

Vauhkonen has the potential to become a major riser during his draft season.

The Defensive Group Has Depth but Must Prove It Can Contain Top Teams

Sam Schulte, Axel Bisbee, Ryland Moore, Henry Peterson, Jonas Kohn and Landon Young complete the opening defensive group.

Victoria does not need every defender to become an offensive contributor. Yellowaga and Vauhkonen can handle much of the puck-moving responsibility.

The remainder of the unit must defend reliably, move the puck efficiently and protect the middle of the ice.

The Royals have built an offence capable of winning high-scoring games, but their championship potential will depend on whether the defence can consistently limit chances against the strongest teams in the Western Conference.

Victoria’s roster contains considerable skill. Becoming a legitimate contender will require the team to remain structured when that skill encourages an aggressive approach.

Vladimir Proskurin Brings NHL-Drafted Upside in Goal

Goaltending may be the most important variable in Victoria’s season.

Vladimir Proskurin was selected by the St. Louis Blues during the 2026 NHL Draft before Victoria chose him 27th overall in the CHL Import Draft.

The Russian goaltender posted a .921 save percentage and a 2.97 goals-against average last season while facing more than 30 shots per game on average.

Proskurin is listed as being away at NHL camp. Once he joins the Royals, he should have an opportunity to compete immediately for significant playing time.

His transition will be worth monitoring. North American junior hockey presents different challenges than Russian hockey, including increased traffic, quicker attacks off turnovers and more activity around the crease.

Proskurin has the talent to become Victoria’s starting goaltender, but the Royals also have Cole Prelusky and Seth Badry on the opening roster.

Prelusky has produced strong numbers during his development in the CSSHL, while Badry gained limited WHL experience last season. Carrying three goaltenders gives Victoria flexibility while Proskurin adjusts and the coaching staff evaluates its options.

If one of the three establishes himself as a dependable starter, the Royals will have few obvious weaknesses.

Victoria Has Moved Into Contention

The difference between Victoria’s position one year ago and its outlook entering 2026–27 is substantial.

The Royals narrowly missed the postseason last year. They now possess a 100-point forward, another 65-point addition, three returning forwards who scored between 36 and 50 points, an experienced captain, an improved defensive group and an NHL-drafted goaltender.

There are still questions.

Victoria must combine several new players into a cohesive lineup. Proskurin must adjust to the WHL. The defensive group must demonstrate that it can protect leads and withstand the speed of other Western Conference contenders.

The potential, however, is obvious.

Schmidt gives Victoria an elite offensive centrepiece. Virk creates another dangerous scoring option. Stewart, Moore, Cooper and Matthews provide established support. Yellowaga and Vauhkonen give the defence offensive ability, while Proskurin could stabilize the crease.

The Royals are no longer simply attempting to qualify for the playoffs.

They have constructed a roster expected to compete for the B.C. Division, make a deep postseason run and potentially challenge for the Western Conference championship.

The pressure is higher than it was one year ago, but so is the ceiling.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Arik Krause

Editor

Arik Krause is the Founder/COO of NetFront Sports