Blades, Hurricanes jockey for playoff positioning in Wednesday Night in the Dub smackdown

Like most hockey fans, Brayden Yager has been fired up by the 4 Nations Face-Off.

But when the Winnipeg Jets prospect watches the NHL’s best hit the ice, he’s also watching guys he knows and has suited up with during preseason camps- like former WHL Champion Josh Morrissey and QMJHL legend Sidney Crosby.

“First guy you think of is Sid,” Yager, who was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins, said. “He’s one of the best to ever play, if not the best. You see how good of a person he is and as soon as you get on the ice, it’s game time and you know he’s out there to win, and he just competes so hard. Whenever he’s out there, you’re watching him closely and trying to learn as much you can from a guy like him.”

Like Sid, Yager is channeling a fierce competitive streak as he looks to help the Lethbridge Hurricanes inch closer to clinching a berth in the 2025 WHL Playoffs.

That’s no joke in the WHL’s logjammed Central Division, which sports the highest collective winning percentage of any Division in the league.

Lethbridge has gone all-in with major in-season moves, adding 2024 WHL Champions Yager, defenceman Vojtech Port and goaltender Jackson Unger.

Yager has 12 goals and 25 assists for 37 points in 21 games as a Hurricanes, and the two-time WHL Sportsmanlike Player of the Year has surpassed 250 career games and 300 career points this season.

Lethbridge is the second-stingiest team in the WHL with only 156 goals allowed over 55 games.

The Hurricanes blueline is patrolled by towering Captain and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect, Noah Chadwick, who will suit up for his 200th career game as a Hurricane on Wednesday, Anaheim Ducks prospect Port, and blockbuster 2025 Trade Deadline acquisition Caden Price.

Price, a Seattle Kraken Prospect, has 38 points (7G-31A) in 44 games this season and recently scored the game-winning goal against the Red Deer Rebels on February 12.

Between the pipes, 2024 WHL East Division First-Team All-Star Jackson Unger has been rock solid, picking up WHL Goaltender of the Week Honours in mid-December.

Since being traded to the Hurricanes on December 2, 2024, Unger is 16-5-1-0 with a career-best 2.36 GAA and a .912 save percentage.

On the other side of the ice, the Saskatoon Blades are ready to show why no one should underestimate them.

The 2024 WHL regular season champions may have a new-look roster but have consistently proven they can take it to the league’s most formidable teams.

December WHL Goaltender of the Month and Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Evan Gardner is building on last season’s WHL Rookie of the Year nomination with another stellar campaign, boasting the league’s fifth-best save percentage (.906) and snagging his fifth career shutout.

Up front, veteran Tyler Parr is pacing the squad with 52 points (18G-34A) and is chasing his first 20-goal season and upstart rookie Cooper Williams has burst onto the scene with 39 points (16G-39A) in 53 tilts.

Williams, who was named WHL Rookie of the Week back in early October, sits fifth in goals among all first-year players and second in points.

Saskatoon’s biggest Trade Deadline addition- literally- is 6-foot-6 Calgary Flames prospect Hunter Laing, a bruising winger who has quickly piled up 10 points (6G-4A) in his first 15 games with the Bridge City Bunch. He also follows in the footsteps of his grandfather, Bill Laing, who suited up for the Blades in the 1970s.

The regular season series between these teams is tied at one win each, with Saskatoon putting up a 4-1 victory on November 29, 2025, and Lethbridge eking out a 2-1 decision on December 11, 2025.

Puck drops at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena at 7:00 p.m. MST.

All Wednesday Night in the Dub featured games will be free to stream on WHL Live and the WHL’s YouTube Channel.

STAT PACK

	Saskatoon Blades	Lethbridge Hurricanes
Record	28-18-3-4 (3rd East)	34-18-2-1 (3rd Central)
Leading Scorers	Tyler Parr (18G-34A, 52PTS) Rowan Calvert (22G-24A, 46PTS) Cooper Williams (16G-23A, 39PTS)	Brayden Yager (23G-44A, 67PTS) Brayden Edwards (22G-40A, 62PTS) Logan Wormald (28G-29A, 57PTS)
Leading Goaltender	Evan Gardner (18-12-3-1, 3.03 GAA, .906 save percentage, one shutout)	Jackson Unger (20-16-4-1, 3.30 GAA, .898 save percentage, one shutout)
Powerplay	28.6% (6th)	25.4% (9th)
Penalty Kill	75.8% (12th)	80.3% (4th)

 

NHL PROSPECTS

Saskatoon Blades

F- Hunter Laing (Calgary Flames)

G- Evan Gardner (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Lethbridge Hurricanes

F- Jordan Gustafson (Vegas Golden Knights)*

F- Miguel Marques (Nashville Predators)*

F- Brayden Yager (Winnipeg Jets)

D- Noah Chadwick (Toronto Maple Leafs)

D- Caden Price (Seattle Kraken)

D- Vojtech Port (Anaheim Ducks)

*- unable to participate

TOP 2025 NHL DRAFT ELIGIBLES (PER NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING)

Saskatoon Blades

F- David Lewandowski (52)

D- Jack Kachkowski (224)

Lethbridge Hurricanes

G- Koen Cleaver (16)

SOUND OFF

Hunter Laing

On his first 15 games with Saskatoon:

The whole organization has been super welcoming and they’ve really made it easy for me to join here. All my teammates have been like brothers so far, so I’m really fitting in and I’m having fun so far.

On the identity the new-look Blades are establishing:

we’re a team that works hard. We compete hard. Every night we have a guy who steps up, and, you know, the couple injuries here, we’ve had many guys step up, and anyone can be the hero any night for us… The message when I got here was we’re a good team. We’re pushing for playoffs. We’re pushing for that top spot. Every guy in that room believes that we can make a big playoff push and fight for that number one seed.

On continuing his family legacy with the Blades:

It’s been really cool so far… Didn’t really know much about my papa playing here in Saskatoon and how much, kind of, a celebrity he is, but it’s definitely cool to wear the same logo that he did.

On the Lethbridge Hurricanes:

They just play a fast, tough game. They’ve got some D-men that can play up and play in the D-zone, so we’re looking forward to the challenge and we’re ready for it.

On Winnipeg Jets prospect Brayden Yager:

You see him with his speed, his shot, you know, at the World Juniors.  I think a good thing about him is his 200-foot game. That’s kind of something I look at and want to try to build into my game.

On what it will take to snag the win on Wednesday:

We’ve just got to go in there and play a hard, fast game and bring some energy and compete well. I think if we do that, then we should have a chance.

Brayden Yager

On bringing a winning mentality to the end of the regular season and playoffs:

The whole regular season builds up to the playoffs. Every team battles adversity and that just kind of brings you closer together. You know you’re going to go through a lot of adversity throughout the playoffs… Obviously, the Hurricanes have been in the playoffs the past couple years and I think there are players there that also have experience. I think myself, Jackson Unger and, obviously, (Vojtech) Port as well coming from a winning team last year can definitely spread little lessons or messages to other players about what it’s like to have a winning culture and be a part of a winning team.

On hitting 250 career games and 300 career points in 2024-25:

I didn’t really know that I was close to 250 games. It kind of just happened. It definitely goes by super fast. Obviously, hitting 300 points doesn’t happen without playing with some pretty special players. Obviously, Jagger Firkus (is) a big part of that, Denton Mateychuk, (Matthew) Savoie, played with some really great players. Coming here to Lethbridge, you’re also playing with some really good players. I think that doesn’t happen without my teammates. But yeah, it’s a pretty cool accomplishment, and I’m definitely proud of it

On what he can still prove at the WHL level:

Winning last year, that’s the whole goal is to win and obviously want to do it again. The WHL, it’s such a good league for development, especially coming back here just trying to take the next step every year that you come back. I think just being a 19-year-old in the league, (I’m) trying to develop leadership skills, my 200-foot game is going to be a big thing going to the next level. Talking with the Jets guys just about all the stuff that can take me to the next level and the WHL is a big part of that.

On the feedback he’s getting from the Winnipeg Jets:

I think the biggest thing is always compete. I think a lot of guys focus on points, but it’s not the case. There are so many things that go into the game other than points. I think that 200-foot game, like I talked about, is huge. You want to play in the NHL as a young player, I think you got to be able to develop the trust of your coach and being able to play on both ends of the ice is a really big part of that. Faceoffs are another big one, especially as a centreman. So yeah, a lot of lot of things away from the puck and at the end of the day, it comes down to compete.

On the Saskatoon Blades:

They play a really hard game… They play their system really well. I don’t think they let up a whole lot of goals over the years. They’ve always been a team that plays really good defense and can really score goals as well. So, I think they play really good all-around game and we’re definitely going to have to prepare our best and bring our best come Wednesday.

On Calgary Flames prospect Hunter Laing:

The first thing you notice is how big he is. Obviously, a real big forward, skates well and has a lot of skill. Played him a couple times when he was in Prince George and obviously a dangerous player. I think he’s going to be a guy that we watch for.