2024 Road to Memorial Cup: WHL preview
Similar to the QMJHL and the OHL, there will be a new champion in the WHL this year.
Seattle, Ed Chynoweth Cup winners in 2023, won’t defend their title after they missed the postseason.
The Prince George Cougars ended the regular season as the no. 1 team in the CHL Top 10 rankings while the Saskatoon Blades were the league’s only 50-win club. But the Everett Silvertips, Moose Jaw Warriors and Portland Winterhawks will all have something to say as those three clubs all recorded at least 44 wins in 2023-24.
Eastern Conference
(1) Saskatoon vs. (8) Prince Albert
It was quite the season in Saskatoon.
The Blades registered their best regular season since 2011 after they were the lone WHL club to record 50 wins in 2023-24, a feat they achieved for the third time in franchise history.
Captain Trevor Wong tallied 100 points in his overage season while Egor Sidorov (ANA) scored his 50th goal in the final minute of the regular season.
The club’s two-headed goaltending tandem was also fantastic all year long as Austin Elliott and Evan Gardner combined for eight shutouts and gave up just 163 goals. The Blades also owned the WHL’s best penalty kill at 86.1 per cent.
For their storied history, the Blades have yet to win a WHL championship but have finished as runners-up five times (1973, 1975, 1976, 1992, 1994).
Prince Albert makes an immediate return to the postseason after they missed out last year.
The club won 31 games – a game under .500 – and were paced by overage forward Sloan Stanick who tallied 84 points. The Raiders will also be encouraged by the return of Ryder Ritchie, a projected first round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, who is healthy after he missed 21 games throughout the regular season.
The Raiders were WHL champions just five years ago and also claimed the title in 1985.
*Note: Game 1 took place Thursday night as Prince Albert skated away with a 4-3 victory.
Season series: Saskatoon won 8-0-2
Series schedule:
Game 1 — March 28 — PA 4-3 SAS
Game 2 — March 29 — PA @ SAS — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 3 — April 2 — SAS @ PA — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 4 — April 3 — SAS @ PA — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 5* — April 5 — PA @ SAS — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 6* — April 6 — SAS @ PA — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 7* — April 8 — PA @ SAS — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
*if necessary
(2) Swift Current vs. (7) Lethbridge
Like a lot of clubs do, the Broncos faced a decision as to what direction to take at the WHL trade deadline approached.
The answer; acquire Conor Geekie (ARI).
Since his debut Jan. 9, the Broncos went 20-7-2 where Geekie himself had 50 points (23 goals) in just 29 games. All in all, he finished the year with 99 points. Clarke Casell, who is draft eligible this year, led the team with 77 points while Connor Hvidston (ANA) and Josh Filmon (NJ) each scored 27 times. In fact, the Broncos’ 286 goals were the fifth most in the WHL.
In goal, Reid Dyck (BOS) had a breakout campaign as he went 25-7-2 with a 2.70 GAA and .911 save percentage.
Swift Current, who won 40 games for only the second time since 2009, return to the postseason for the first since 2018 where they will hope for a repeat of the outcome that season; the Broncos were crowned WHL champions.
After a 33-win season, the Hurricanes find themselves in the postseason for the seventh straight year.
Lethbridge have a pair of offensive threats in 2024 NHL Draft prospect Miguel Marques and Brayden Edwards, both of whom passed the 70-point mark this year. However, the Hurricanes’ 214 goals are the second fewest among WHL playoff teams.
The club don’t give up much; their 210 goals against were the fifth fewest in the WHL as 2024 NHL Draft prospect Harrison Meneghin won 27 games.
As the Lethbridge Hurricanes, the franchise have one WHL championship in 1997.
Season series: Lethbridge won series 4-3-1.
Series schedule:
Game 1 — March 29 — LET @ SC — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 2 — March 30 — LET @ SC — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 3 — April 2 — SC @ LET — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 4 — April 3 — SC @ LET — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 5* — April 5 — LET @ SC — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 6* — April 7 — SC @ LET — 8pm ET / 5pm PT
Game 7* — April 9 — LET @ SC — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
*if necessary
(3) Moose Jaw vs. (6) Brandon
With a nucleus of Jagger Firkus (SEA), Denton Mateychuk (CBJ), Brayden Yager (PIT), the Warriors had a potent group. Then they added Matthew Savoie (BUF).
Moose Jaw won 44 games – their most since 2018 – on the heels of an offence that scored 297 goals, the third most in the WHL.
Firkus led the CHL in scoring with 126 points while his 61 goals ranked second. Yager finished the year with 95 points (35 goals) while Mateychuk finished third in d-man scoring with 75 points. Oh, and Savoie had 47 points in just 23 games.
They locked it down defensively as well; Jackson Unger led the WHL and was tied first in the CHL with 35 wins.
As the Moose Jaw Warriors, the club are still without a WHL title; they lost in the finals in 2006 to Vancouver.
Brandon were without postseason hockey for just one year as they return to the WHL playoffs after a 33-win season.
Despite the departure of Nate Danielson (DET) at the WHL trade deadline, the Wheat Kings leaned on overage forward Brett Hyland (WSH) while 2025 NHL Draft prospect Roger McQueen passed the 50-point mark for the first time in his career.
In goal, Carson Bjarnason continues to give the franchise a chance every night; he finished the year with 24 wins and a .907 save percentage.
Brandon have won the Ed Chynoweth Cup on three occasions with the most recent coming in 2016.
Season series: Moose Jaw won series 4-3-1.
Series schedule:
Game 1 — March 29 — BDN @ MJ — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 2 — March 30 — BDN @ MJ — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 3 — April 3 — MJ @ BDN — 8pm ET / 5pm PT
Game 4 — April 4 — MJ @ BDN — 8pm ET / 5pm PT
Game 5* — April 6 — BDN @ MJ — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 6* — April 7 — MJ @ BDN — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 7* — April 9 — BDN @ MJ — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
*if necessary
(4) Medicine Hat vs. (5) Red Deer
The youth movement in Medicine Hat really came together this season as the Tigers posted their best record since 2019-20.
Gavin McKenna was sensational as a 16-year-old as he recorded 97 points, the fourth most by a player his age in WHL history. Oasiz Weisblatt, alongside 2024 NHL Draft prospects Andrew Basha and Tomas Mrsic, have also provided plenty of offence for a Tigers squad that ranked seventh in WHL scoring.
Medicine Hat hasn’t made it out of the first round since 2016-17 but with a group that will be competitive for the years ahead, the Tigers’ window is only just opening beginning. The Tigers are five-time WHL champions, tied for the second most in league history, with their last title coming 2006-07.
For the eighth straight season, Red Deer find themselves in the postseason after a 33-win campaign.
Captain Kai Uchacz’s 79 points led the team as he was the only Rebels player to surpass 50 points this year; of the 16 WHL playoff teams, the Rebels scored the fewest goals in the regular season with 213.
However, Red Deer remain a stingy defensive club. Their 217 goals against were the sixth fewest in the WHL and that can largely be attributed to 2024 NHL Draft prospect Chase Wutzke who burst onto the scene with 19 wins, the third most among rookie goaltenders.
The Rebels have made it to Round 2 the past two seasons but have not lifted the Ed Chynoweth Cup since 2001.
Season series: Tigers won series 4-2-0.
Series schedule:
Game 1 — March 29 — RD @ MH — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 2 — March 30 — RD @ MH — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 3 — April 2 — MH @ RD — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 4 — April 3 — MH @ RD — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 5* — April 5 — RD @ MH — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 6* — April 7 — MH @ RD — 4pm ET / 1pm PT
Game 7* — April 9 — RD @ MH — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
*if necessary
Western Conference
(1) Prince George vs. (8) Spokane
It was a special season in Prince George as the Cougars set a new franchise record with 49 wins and 102 points.
The club’s offence was dynamic on a nightly basis; Zac Funk (WSH) led the CHL in goals with 67 and finished second in scoring with 123 points while Riley Heidt (MIN) had 117 points to finish tied third in CHL scoring. Terik Parascak, one of the top prospects for the 2024 NHL Draft, finished with 105 points (43 goals). The team’s 316 goals were the second most in the WHL.
Defensively, they were top notch too. Rookie Joshua Ravensbergen recorded six shutouts as part of his 24-4-2 record while the club’s 187 goals against were the second fewest in the league.
The Cougars have never won the Ed Chynoweth Cup but have never found themselves in a position this strong in their 30-year history.
Spokane made a swift return to the postseason behind the pair of Berkly Catton and Conner Roulette.
Catton, who will have his named called early at the 2024 NHL Draft, had 54 goals and 116 points to finish fifth in CHL scoring while Roulette, in his final year of junior, recorded 108 points (45 goals).
The Chiefs concluded the regular season as the seventh highest scoring club in the WHL with 268 goals; however, their 283 goals against are the most of any postseason WHL team.
Spokane last tasted WHL glory in 2008 and also lifted the trophy in 1991.
Season series: Series tied 2-1-1.
Series schedule:
Game 1 — March 29 — SPO @ PG — 10pm ET / 7pm PT
Game 2 — March 30 — SPO @ PG — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 3 — April 2 — PG @ SPO — 10:05pm ET / 7:05pm PT
Game 4 — April 3 — PG @ SPO — 9:35pm ET / 6:35pm PT
Game 5* — April 5 — PG @ SPO — 10:05pm ET / 7:05pm PT
Game 6* — April 8 — SPO @ PG — 10pm ET / 7pm PT
Game 7* — April 10 — SPO @ PG — 10pm ET / 7pm PT
*if necessary
(2) Portland vs. (7) Victoria
Overage forwards Gabe Klassen and James Stefan had 100-point seasons to power the Winterhawks to a 48-win campaign.
Stefan also recorded 50 goals while Luca Cagnoni (SJ) became the first WHL defenceman in 30 years to record 90 points in a single season.
The club also made a major splash at the WHL trade deadline as they acquired Nate Danielson (DET), the ninth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, from Brandon. Portland also got some added reinforcements on the blue through Tyson Jugnauth (SEA) after he left the NCAA to join the CHL midseason. Portland’s 330 goals led the WHL in 2023-24.
A perennial contender, the Winterhawks haven’t lifted the Ed Chynoweth Cup since 2013 while they also hoisted the trophy in 1982 and 1998. On the other hand, no WHL club has suffered more heartbreak that the Winterhawks as their nine WHL Championship Series defeats are the most in league history.
After two years without playoff hockey, the Royals are back in in 2024.
Victoria finished the season 29-30-9 as overage forward Dawson Pasternak had a career high 27 goals and 72 points. Cole Reschny, a top prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft, also turned heads with a 59-point campaign.
In their 13-year history, the Royals have made it out of the first round of the playoffs on four occasions previously.
Season series: Portland won series 4-0-0.
Series schedule:
Game 1 — March 29 — VIC @ POR — 10pm ET / 7pm PT
Game 2 — March 30 — VIC @ POR — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 3 — April 2 — POR @ VIC — 10:05pm ET / 7:05pm PT
Game 4 — April 3 — POR @ VIC — 10:05pm ET / 7:05pm PT
Game 5* — April 5 — POR @ VIC — 10:05pm ET / 7:05pm PT
Game 6* — April 7 — VIC @ POR — 8pm ET / 5pm PT
Game 7* — April 9 — VIC @ POR — 10pm ET / 7pm PT
*if necessary
(3) Everett vs. (6) Vancouver
Everett’s 2004 trio of Ben Hemmerling (VGK), Dominik Rymon and Austin Roest (NSH) combined for 243 points to lead the Silvertips to the fourth best offence in the WHL.
Roest also potted 38 goals while 2024 NHL Draft prospect Julius Miettinen had 67 points as a rookie. In his first full season in Everett, Tyler Palmer won 30 games, the fifth goalie in team history to achieve that feat.
The Silvertips have yet to lift the Ed Chynoweth Cup but came close in 2004 and 2018 but fell to Medicine Hat and Swift Current respectively.
For the third year in a row, the Giants find themselves in the postseason after a 32-32-4 campaign.
Jaden Lipinski (CGY) and Ty Halaburda each had 66 points but injury limited star forward Samuel Honzek (CGY) to just 33 games after he missed the first half of the season.
Vancouver were crowned WHL champions in 2006, their lone title in franchise history.
Season series: Everett won series 3-1-0.
Series schedule:
Game 1 — March 29 — VAN @ EVT — 10:05pm ET / 7:05pm PT
Game 2 — March 30 — VAN @ EVT — 9:05pm ET / 6:05pm PT
Game 3 — April 3 — EVT @ VAN — 10pm ET / 7pm PT
Game 4 — April 5 — EVT @ VAN — 10pm ET / 7pm PT
Game 5* — April 7 — VAN @ EVT — 10pm ET / 7pm PT
Game 6* — April 9 — EVT @ VAN — 7:05pm ET / 4:05pm PT
Game 7* — April 10 — VAN @ EVT — 10:05pm ET / 7:05pm PT
*if necessary
(4) Wenatchee vs. Kelowna (5)
It was a great first year in Wenatchee as the Wild made the postseason in their maiden WHL season after they won 34 games.
Despite trading away Conor Geekie (ARI) and Matthew Savoie (BUF), the Wild remained competitive in large part due to star d-man Graham Sward (NSH), who had 81 points, and Japanese forward Kenta Isogai who led the team with 31 goals and 88 points. Briley Wood, who had seven career points before this year, recorded 28 goals and 62 points in his overage season.
Eyes in Kelowna remain on Andrew Cristall (WSH) who became just the seventh player in team history to record a 100-point season.
Cristall concluded the year with 111 points, the second most by a Rocket in a single season while captain Gabriel Szturc (TB) parlayed an 83-point season into an NHL deal with Tampa Bay. Of course, Tij Iginla, son of Jarome, had a standout campaign in his draft year as he finished the season with 47 goals, tied for the sixth most among WHL skaters.
In their 28-year history, the Rockets have already lifted the Ed Chynoweth Cup on four occasions (2003, 2005, 2009, 2015) but haven’t made it out of the first round since 2017.
Season series: Wenatchee won series 2-1-1.
Series schedule:
Game 1 — March 29 — KEL @ WEN — 10pm ET / 7pm PT
Game 2 — March 30 — KEL @ WEN — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
Game 3 — April 2 — WEN @ KEL — 10:05pm ET / 7:05pm PT
Game 4 — April 3 — WEN @ KEL — 10:05pm ET / 7:05pm PT
Game 5* — April 5 — KEL @ WEN — 10pm ET / 7pm PT
Game 6* — April 7 — WEN @ KEL — 5:05pm ET / 2:05pm PT
Game 7* — April 9 — KEL @ WEN — 9pm ET / 6pm PT
*if necessary
Watch live on CHL TV
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