Chiefs forward Van Olm named Tempo WHL Player of the Week

Calgary, Alta. – Spokane Chiefs forward Shea Van Olm has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending October 6, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

The former WHL Champion helped power the Chiefs to a pair of weekend wins with four goals and three assists for a league-leading seven points.

Van Olm took charge in a Friday showdown against a hungry Kelowna squad, shoveling a backhand shot past Jarki Kykkanen 15 minutes into the opening frame to break the ice. The 6-foot-1, 199-pound winger closed out the period with a slick dish to freshly minted Captain Berkly Catton, who buried to extend the Chiefs’ lead to 3-0. Catton returned the favour in the final frame as he found Van Olm for a shortside wrister. Van Olm’s second tally of the night would stand as the game-winner in a 5-3 decision for Spokane, though Kelowna tried to stage a late comeback. The 20-year-old earned first star of the night for his two-goal, one-assist effort.

Van Olm, who hails from Calgary, Alta., proved that a veteran player can still experience a lot of firsts the following night against Seattle. Van Olm opened the scoring for Spokane for the third time in four games by batting a puck out of midair and into the back of the Thunderbirds net less than a minute into the opening period. He added the primary assist on the eventual-game-winning goal by whipping a centering pass to Smyth Rebman in the slot on a powerplay. With Spokane cushioned by a 5-1 lead in the second period, Van Olm snagged another helper with a feed to Owen Martin, who tipped the puck past Grayson Malinoski to take the game into blowout territory. Van Olm laid the final strike with a powerful one-timer from the slot on the man-advantage. The 7-2 win marks Spokane’s fourth straight victory and Van Olm’s first career four-point night in the WHL.

With seven goals and six assists for 13 points in six matches, Van Olm leads the Chiefs- and the entire WHL- in points and sits second in goals- just one tally behind top 2025 NHL Draft prospect Roger McQueen of Brandon.

He’s on pace for a career-best year in his first full season with Spokane after being acquired in a trade in 2023-24. Originally drafted by Edmonton in the sixth round of the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft, Van Olm helped the Oil Kings lift the Ed Chynoweth Cup as a rookie in 2022. He also registered an assist in four appearances with the Kamloops Blazers at the 2023 Memorial Cup before finding a new home in Spokane.

The Chiefs (5-1-0-0) sit atop the league standings and look like the team to beat as they prepare for an East Division trip.

Spokane will take on Prince Albert (1-2-2-0) on Wednesday, October 9 at 7:00 p.m. ST.

2024-25 Tempo WHL Player of the Week

September 23, 2024: Roger McQueen, Brandon Wheat Kings

September 30, 2024: Nathan Behm, Kamloops Blazers

About the Western Hockey League

Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.

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