For Abram Wiebe, hearing his name called wasn’t a sure thing at the 2022 NHL Draft. His agent gave it a 50/50 chance, with only a few teams showing interest. Even his father, Reg Wiebe, wasn’t convinced he’d get drafted—until the Vegas Golden Knights selected Abram in the seventh round.
“We were in our home here, watching the draft on TV, we knew that there was some interest from Vegas and from a couple of other teams,” Reg Wiebe recalled.” But his agent had kind of told him it was kind of 50/50, whether he would be drafted or not. And then for it to happen, it was surreal, to think that all the work that he had put in over the years had finally paid off.”
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Abram, who is slowly climbing the Golden Knights’ prospect pool, is now tasked with a historical percentage of 26% of playing an NHL game as a seventh-round pick, but those aren’t impossible odds.
“Obviously, being a seventh-rounder, it’s going to be hard to make it to the next level,” Abram Wiebe said. “I just kind of use that as motivation to just continue to push myself and kind of just narrow those odds.”
Before focusing solely on hockey, however, Abram grew up playing several sports — a foundation that helped build his skills and drive that he uses today.
Growing Up
Growing up in Mission, British Columbia, Canada, Abram played a multitude of different sports. He played basketball, like his father, Reg, and also ran track and field.
He also dabbled in swimming, where he reached the British Columbia provincial championship in the 100-meter backstroke. But despite the variety of sports Abram played, hockey was always his first choice.
“I grew up playing basketball, so I always loved the game of basketball, and that’s why I kept playing it,” Abram said, recalling his upbringing. “I started swimming at a young age, too, but I usually did all those sports when hockey ended. At that time, when hockey ends in March, a lot of kids usually spend their time playing spring hockey, but I always took that time to get away from hockey and pursue different sports. That’s when I played basketball, ran track and field, and swam. I think just playing all those sports helped grow my love for the game of hockey.”
Even if the sports weren’t played at the same time, balancing multiple sports at once is a challenge to be tasked with at a young age, but for Abram, it was always going to be hockey.
“I’ve always loved the game, and there’s never been a time I thought about hanging up the skates or quitting,” Abram said. “It’s always been number one and always will be. I did love playing other sports, but around grade 10, when I was 14 years old, I decided to focus solely on hockey. That’s when I stopped playing basketball and the others, and really began training hard and putting all my time and effort into that one sport.”
A prominent factor in Abram’s decision to go all in on hockey was his great-uncle, Keith Brown. Brown played over 15 seasons in the NHL, accumulating more than 800 games throughout his career with the Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers.
Brown was known for his work ethic and toughness he brought to the lineup, something that Abram is trying to replicate as he continues to progress through the Golden Knights pipeline.
“I’d say he’s someone I’ve looked up to my entire life and someone I want to be like him one day…,” Abram said. “I’ve always grown up wanting to be like him and have a career like his. He’s always texting me after games, giving me advice, and pushing me to be better. I’m so thankful to have him in my life, and he’s been a huge part of my success.”
Not only has Abram benefited from the advice and guidance of his great-uncle, but for his father, Reg, it was especially meaningful to know that someone with NHL experience, like Brown, saw potential in Abram.
“I think just knowing somebody that’s playing and talking to him, his uncle really encouraged him,” Reg said. “As he’s kind of growing and as he got older and better, I think his uncle saw that he had something that was special. He has been a huge kind of encouragement, and just knowing that he was somebody that played in the NHL and that he saw something in Abram, I think was special.”
Abram will be heading into his junior season in the fall with the University of North Dakota, where expectations are sky-high not only for himself but also for the Fighting Hawks.
North Dakota All the Way
When Abram arrived in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where the University of North Dakota is, he was instantly given an opportunity to play big-time minutes. For someone who was passed up on in the Western Hockey League draft, he finally had a chance to prove himself on the big stage.
“It’s a special place to play,” Reg acknowledged. “The tradition they have there, the facilities are second to none. Brad Berry gave him the opportunity in his first and second years to develop. He’s just been very fortunate there to be given that opportunity. I think he’s ready to take the next step in this junior year.”
To take that next step, Abram will have a new head coach at the helm. Following a 21-15-2 record last season and a 4-2 loss to the eventual Frozen Four champions, the Western Michigan Broncos, the Fighting Hawks fired head coach Brad Berry.
Now, Dane Jackson, who’s been with the Fighting Hawks as an assistant coach and associate coach since 2006, takes the reins. But despite the change of voice, Abram couldn’t be more pumped for what’s ahead for his junior season.
“I’m super excited…,” Abram said. “I’m really looking forward to having Dane Jackson as my head coach, Matt Smaby coming in, and Dylan Simpson returning. I’m also excited to work with all the new coaches this year, along with Bryn Chyzyk and [Jean-Philippe] Lamoureux.”
North Dakota also added top 2026 NHL Draft prospect defenseman Keaton Verhoeff to their roster among several others, who bolster a loaded Fighting Hawks team that’ll look to take control of the NCHC.
“I’ve been with them for the past few months now, and it’s a great group of guys. It seems like we’re going to have a really good team this year. I’m looking forward to taking that jump into a leadership role — helping the young guys come into college hockey, because I know it’s a tough league, and I want to make sure they’re ready when October hits.”
As his college career winds down, Abram aims to remain a strong voice in the locker room while building the confidence every defenseman needs to make the jump to the NHL.
“Personally, I’m excited to keep building my confidence,” Abram said. “I thought I had a really good season last year, taking chances and not being afraid to make mistakes. I just want to keep that going this season and do whatever I can to give our team the best opportunity to win every night.”
North Dakota will open their season against Manitoba on Oct. 4, but Abram has even bigger dates marked on his calendar — including his hopeful NHL debut, whenever that opportunity comes.
Golden Knights Have Seventh Round Steal in Abram
Despite being in college, Abram has already gotten a small taste of what the NHL will be like through the four Golden Knights development camps he has attended. During these camps, he has been tested, challenged, and given advice as he continues to make his mark in the pipeline.
“I think it was my fourth one this summer, and I’ve just started taking as much information as I can every year I go to them,” Abram said. “One thing they really like to hone in on is what it’s like to be a professional hockey player, and how important it is to take care of your body — they really preach that there. Every year, we’ve had guys come in to talk about their careers and how hard it’s been for them to get to the NHL. So I think just being able to learn from those guys and try to incorporate that into my lifestyle has been huge.”
One of those players who made his way through development camp, held at City National Arena, was Zach Whitecloud, someone whom Abram has closely followed and tries to model his game after.
“I think the big one would probably be Zach Whitecloud,” Abram said. “He actually spoke at our first development camp about his past, and he’s someone I’ve looked up to ever since I was drafted by them. He’s a big, 200-foot defenseman, and that’s how I see myself as a player as well. I try to watch him as much as I can and take bits and pieces from his game.”
One piece of advice Abram has carried with him comes from Brown, who always emphasized the importance of taking risks on the ice. That mindset has helped Abram grow and play with confidence as he seeks to do so in North Dakota and beyond.
“But he always put it into perspective — you’ve got to take chances to showcase yourself, and you can’t be afraid to make mistakes,” Abram said. “That’s helped me a lot in developing my game, taking chances offensively, and continuing to push myself.”
