Alberta Bound

Edmonton, AB - The Oil Kings are very proud to congratulate recent graduate Rhett Rachinski on his decision to utilize his WHL Scholarship. Rachinski has agreed to play next season with his hometown University of Alberta Golden Bears. He joins former Oil Kings Jordan Hickmott, Drew Nichol and JP Szaszkiewicz who all suited up for the Bears in the 2011-12 season.

Rachinski was a former Oil Kings Captain and played a key role in the Oil Kings 2012 WHL Championship run. During the regular season he set career highs with 72 games played, 27 goals, 23 assists, 50 points and a +10 plus/minus rating.

An Oil King through and through Rachinski has played in every one of the Oil Kings' playoff games in modern franchise history. Rachinski scored several significant goals in Oil Kings history. None bigger than his series changing Game 4 overtime winner in the 2012 WHL Championship in Portland. The Southside Athletic Club product also scored the game winning OT goal in the Oil Kings tie breaker game against the Prince Albert Raiders to put the team in the 2009 Playoffs.

All players who play in the WHL are eligible to receive the WHL scholarship.  For every season a player plays in the WHL, they receive a full year guaranteed WHL Scholarship, including tuition, textbooks and compulsory fees, to a post-secondary institution of their choice.

The WHL continues to be the leading provider of Hockey Scholarships in Western Canada. Since 1993, the Western Hockey League has awarded more than 4,300 Scholarships to graduate players, representing a contribution of more than $13.5 million.