Tigers claim first WHL title since 2007
Photo credit: Larry Brunt
The Medicine Hat Tigers have returned to the summit of the Western Hockey League for the first time in 18 years.
One of the most iconic franchises in league history, the Tigers claimed its sixth Ed Chynoweth Cup Friday night after they defeated the Spokane Chiefs in five games in the WHL Championship Series.
Medicine Hat’s six WHL titles are now tied for the most in league history with the Kamloops Blazers while their three since 2000 are tied for the second most behind the Kelowna Rockets’ four.
Goaltender Harrison Meneghin (TB) was named MVP after a postseason in which he went 14-1-0 with three shutouts, a 2.32 GAA and a 0.907% save percentage in 16 appearances. In the WHL Championship Series, he registered a .929 save percentage and 2.20 GAA while in Game 3 of the series he recorded a 28-save shutout.
Offensively, Gavin McKenna (2026) led the Tigers with 38 points (nine goals) in just 16 games to finish third in WHL playoffs scoring. Captain Oasiz Wiesblatt led the team with 14 postseason goals while d-man Bryce Pickford (2025) scored 13 times and ended the playoffs on an eight-game scoring streak. Pickford’s 24 points were the second most among WHL blueliners in the playoffs.
YOUR NEW WHL CHAMPIONS! 🏆@tigershockey | #WHLChampionship | #RoadtoMemorialCup pic.twitter.com/LshOP8EIJb
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) May 17, 2025
As WHL champions, the Tigers will join hosts Rimouski Oceanic, the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats and the OHL’s London Knights at the 2025 Memorial Cup that will take place May 24 – June 1.
This past season, the Tigers spent 14 weeks inside the CHL Top 10 on route to a WHL Central Division. The club won 47 games – their most since 2017 – while they collected 98 points, the eighth most in a single season in team history.
In the postseason, the Tigers took their game to another level as they suffered just two losses on their way to a WHL title.
An 18-year wait ends as @tigershockey have re-claimed the Ed Chynoweth Cup! #WHLChampionship | #RoadtoMemorialCup pic.twitter.com/DIA2JNa83U
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) May 17, 2025
They needed five games to take out Swift Current in the first round and followed that up with a four-game sweep of Prince Albert. In the WHL Eastern Conference Championship Series, the Tigers needed the minimum to eliminate Lethbridge in four games.
Buoyed by the return of Cayden Lindstrom (CBJ) and Andrew Basha (CGY) for the WHL Championship Series, the Tigers got off to a perfect start with a 4-1 victory in Game 1.
After a 6-2 loss in Game 2, the Tigers rebounded immediately to take a 2-1 series lead as Meneghin posted a 28-save shutout as part of a 6-0 win despite the absence of McKenna.
Pickford’s three-point (2G/1A) outing led the charge in Game 4 as Medicine Hat – who were without Lindstrom and McKenna – won 5-2 before a 4-2 victory in Game 5 – where McKenna scored his first of the WHL Championship – completed the series.
Medicine Hat will open its 2025 Memorial Cup campaign against hosts Rimouski on May 23 before they face Moncton on May 26. They return to the ice a day later to complete its round-robin against London.
The tournament will be the Tigers’ sixth appearance and first since they lost in the 2007 final. Medicine Hat are two-time winners (1987 and 1988) and are just one of six CHL clubs to have won consecutive Memorial Cup titles since 1972.
Scheduled from May 22 – June 1 in Rimouski, Québec, every game of the 2025 Memorial Cup will air on TSN and RDS in Canada and be available via live stream on TSN.ca, the TSN app, RDS.ca, and the RDS app. In addition to full coverage in Canada on TSN and RDS, the 2025 Memorial Cup will be available to stream live for free on Victory+ for viewers outside of Canada.
2025 Memorial Cup schedule:
May 23 – Game 1: Medicine Hat vs. Rimouski — 7:00pm ET
May 24 – Game 2: Moncton vs. London — 6:00pm ET
May 25 – Game 3: Rimouski vs. London — 6:00pm ET
May 26 – Game 4: Moncton vs. Medicine Hat — 7:00pm ET
May 27 – Game 5: London vs. Medicine Hat — 7:00pm ET
May 28 – Game 6: Rimouski vs. Moncton — 7:00pm ET
May 29 – Tie-breaker (if necessary) — 7:00pm ET
May 30 – Semi-final — 7:00pm ET
June 1 – Final — 7:00pm ET
