Kyle Obobaifo (left) has been sent back to AAA, while Max Heise (centre) has returned from San Jose Sharks camp. Justice Christensen (right) is still away with the Detroit Red Wings. (Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nick Nielsen

Check ins on Christensen and Dragicevic

Raiders roster moves: Obobaifo sent down, Heise set to debut

Sep 23, 2025 | 2:44 PM

After a successful opening weekend that saw them pick up three of a possible four points, there have been two moves made around the Prince Albert Raiders roster heading into the first weekend road trip of the year. The first move was made for the Raiders by the San Jose Sharks who sent back Max Heise, and the second move saw the Raiders send Kyle Obobaifo back down to AAA.

Starting with Heise, who was drafted 150th overall in the fifth round by the Sharks this year, the recently signed 19-year-old was part of the first round of cuts out of the Sharks training camp. The Sharks played their first preseason game on Sunday, but Heise was not in the lineup before Monday’s roster cuts announcement was made.

At 6-3, Heise is expected to add a mix of physicality and scoring touch for the Raiders. He finished fourth in team scoring last year with the BCHL version of the Penticton Vees with 27G-13A-40P, and in the playoffs he lead the Vees through three rounds with 5G-12A-17P in 14 games before being eliminated by the Brooks Bandits in the semifinal.

With Heise coming back and the start of the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) U18AAA season arriving this coming weekend, the Raiders also sent 16-year-old forward Kyle Obobaifo back to the Calgary NW Flames. As a 15-year-old last year in his first year of U18 AAA hockey, Obobaifo finished the season with 10G-16A-26P in 36 games.

Obobaifo and his Flames lost just one playoff game on their way to an AEHL Championship last year, and lost in a three-game regional series to the Okanagan Rockets, finishing just one goal away from heading to the Telus Cup National Championships.

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This preseason, Obobaifo appeared in five games and managed an assist.

There are still three other players expected to come into the Raiders lineup this year. Ethan Bibeau has started the season played one game in the preseason this year, and since then has been battling a upper body injury. He will likely make his regular season debut in the coming weeks.

There’s also 20-year-old Justice Christensen who is away with the Detroit Red Wings as they get their preseason started. The Red Wings play their first game of the preseason today (Tuesday, September 23), and Christensen was not announced as part of the team’s roster for that game. With Christensen still in Detroit, it’s likely the Red Wings want to see him in preseason action before sending back to Prince Albert. The next time the Raiders play a preseason game is Thursday, so it still possible Christensen could get into a game with Detroit and still return in time for this upcoming weekend roadtrip to Regina and Brandon.

Including Christensen, the Raiders are still carrying four 20-year-olds with Brayden Dube, Harrison Lodewyk, and Aiden Oiring on the roster. If and when Christensen comes back, one of the other three will likely be moved. Teams in the WHL are allowed to have more than three overage players until Oct. 16, as long as they are do not dress more than three overage players during a game according to the WHL’s FAQ page.

The final Raider yet to make a regular season appearance is the first ever Kazakhstan born Raider, 18-year-old Alisher Sarkenov. Raiders General Manager Curtis Hunt said before the season that with the process of getting a travel visa from Kazakhstan, the Raiders weren’t expecting to see Sarkenov before the first two weeks of the season.

There’s also the case of Lukas Dragicevic, who is unlikely to come back to Prince Albert and more likely to start his pro career. He’s with the Seattle Kraken who have played their first game of the preseason on Sunday, but Dragicevic also was not in the lineup. The Kraken play again today (Tuesday, September 23), but they have not announced their roster for the game.

The Kraken’s AHL affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds don’t play their first and only preseason game until Thursday, October 2.

The Raiders roster currently has 15 forwards, eight defencemen, and three goaltenders for a total of 26 players including Sarkenov and Christensen.

They head on the road this coming Friday and Saturday for games against the Regina Pats and the Brandon Wheat Kings.