Pichette soaking in rookie season

By Lethbridge Herald on December 10, 2025.

Herald photo by Justin Seward Lethbridge Hurricanes Grady Pichette attempts to push Noah Milford of the Red Deer Rebels off the puck during a game last week.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Lethbridge Hurricanes rookie defenceman Grady Pichette is soaking in as much as he can in his first full WHL season.

“It’s going good,” said the Okotoks product.

“(Just) playing my game, keeping it simple and pitch in where I can.”

Pichette spoke about what it is like to be on this year’s blueline that is younger and inexperienced.

“A lot of learning,” said Pichette, who turns 17 on Dec. 28.

“I try and go everyday (and) learn something new.”

Pichette feels the blueline is coming around.

“We’re clicking, (the) powerplay’s getting better and we’re just gonna keep getting better,” said Pichette.

Pichette suited up in six regular season games and nine playoff games last season as an affiiliate.

“It helped me out so much, said Pichette, on the experience for his development.

“The experience that I got, I think it’s the best you could get and just sent me right into this season.”

Pichette agreed that experience helped him with what the WHL pace is going to be like for him.

“Especially playoffs, it was (the) quickest hockey I’ve ever played, so it was awesome,” said Pichette.

Pichette has pitched in seven points from the backend in 27 games so far this season.

“He’s a guy that’s just trying to solidify himself in the line-up,” said Ryan Aasman, Canes assistant coach.

“He’s learning how to play way more simpler, he’s passing  … better … and we just gotta continue to get him to play a little bit meaner in areas.”

While Pichette got his first WHL goal on Dec.5 in the Toque and Teddy Toss Game against Wenatchee, it was a game of learning curves for him.

“I think I had to sit him for six minutes in the second because he didn’t start very good,” said Aasman.

“Then all of sudden he comes flying out the door and he adds to the rush, and he’s got good gap control on it ,and he scores and all of sudden the mentality changes. So I think it was a great learning experience for him that night (in) that  you gotta start on time (and) you gotta make the most (of) your shifts.”

Aasman wants to see Pichette get stronger at defending.

“I want him to have good gap control, and disrupt plays with his stick, and then in the defensive zone clear the front of the net, be hard with guys and defend the corners hard,” said Aasman.

Prior to making the jump to the WHL, the Canes 2023 fourth-round draft pick’s  best campaign came last season when he collected 27 points (seven goals, 20 assists) with the Okotoks Oilers U18 AAA team.