Every year, the best players in the WHL come together on a single team to face off against the best junior hockey has to offer in Russia as the Russians travel across Canada. This season, Estevan's Cole Fonstad has been recognized for the first time as one those players.

Fonstad, 19, is in the midst of his fourth season in the WHL. After spending the first three with the Prince Albert Raiders, he was traded recently to the Everett Silvertips, where he got off to a hot start. On Wednesday, October 16, he potted three points in his first game in a Silvertips uniform. 

The Estevan-born Fonstad, who played his bantam hockey in Estevan with the AA Bruins and also had a brief stint with the Bruins of the SJHL, will join team WHL for two games against the Russians in Saskatoon and Prince Albert beginning on Wednesday, November 13. This season, the Russians will begin on the east coast, so the two games in Saskatchewan will be their final two stops on the tour.

Last season with the Raiders, Fonstad posted a career best 29 goals and 73 points. He helped the team to a WHL championship and then posted three points in three games at the Memorial Cup.

Fonstad has posted 12 points in 10 games this season, bringing his lifetime total to 185 points in 220 games. He is one of seven Saskatchewan born players on the team, and the only one from the Southeast. Also on the team are Nolan Meier and Adam Beckman, who both played in the SJHL briefly in the 2017-18 season. 

The remainder of team WHL is a who's who of future NHL stars. First round draft picks like Bowen Byram, Dylan Cozens, and Kirby Dach are among the players named to the roster. All three went in the top ten of the 2019 draft. 

The series against Russia dates back to 2003, and since that time the WHL has a combined record of 21-8-1-2, though Russia has proved a stiff test in recent seasons. The WHL also owns numerous records of the event, including the highest attended game and series.

The series is also generally considered one of the stepping stones to the World Junior Championships. Fonstad was named to team Canada's summer showcase squad but could not participate due to injury.