Cash Whitmore scored 62 goals last season for the Colorado Thunderbirds’ 14U AAA team, eclipsing the 50-goal mark and putting him in rare company among Thunderbirds who have hit that milestone.

In May, the Parker native was selected by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the first round (23rd overall) of the WHL U.S. Priority Draft and he signed with the Hurricanes almost immediately.

“The opportunity to sign happened really when I got drafted,” said Whitmore. “They wanted to sign me right away. The GM flew out to Colorado to meet me and we signed a week after I got drafted. The WHL was appealing to me mainly because the NCAA rule had just changed and it’s a great league. The rule change is a good thing because it opens up the WHL to American players and it opens up NCAA D-I hockey for a lot of Canadians.

“Once I get to Lethbridge, I feel the impact I will make as a rookie will be to be a solid player across the whole ice, being reliable on defense, and also be able to put up goals.”

Whitmore is the first 2010-born player to sign with the Hurricanes while becoming the second player in team history selected in the U.S. Priority Draft to sign, joining 2009-born California forward Enzo DiDomenicantonio, who signed with Lethbridge in May.

Before joining the Hurricanes on a full-time basis, Whitmore will skate the 2025-26 season for the NorthStar Christian Academy in Alexandria, Minn.

“My outlook this season is all about development,” Whitmore said.

Going back a few years, Whitmore said hockey has long been in the family.

“I started playing hockey because my older brothers were already playing,” he said. “I started playing hockey for Krivo at a young age and then moved to the Thunderbirds. The coaches that helped me the most are Andrei Krivokrasov, Jordan Pietrus, Michael Anton and Michael Davies.”

Looking ahead, Whitmore has lofty goals, but looking at his development and improvement the past few seasons, there’s no reason to believe his aspirations won’t come to fruition.

“My short-term goal in hockey right now is to play consistently good at NorthStar and keep good grades,” Whitmore said. “The long-term goal for hockey is to go D-I, and the long-term goal for life is to retire young.”

Photo/Trent Swanson

— Matt Mackinder

(September 7, 2025)