Utah Mammoth prospect Iginla named Tempo WHL Player of the Month for March, fuelled by Co-op
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today Utah Mammoth prospect Tij Iginla of the Kelowna Rockets has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Month for March, Fuelled by Co-op.
Iginla, a 19-year-old product of Lake Country, B.C., recorded 28 points (10G-18A) and a plus-18 rating in 12 games, as the Rockets finished fourth in the WHL’s Western Conference before staking out a commanding 3-0 lead over the Kamloops Blazers in their best-of-seven, first-round WHL Playoff series. Set to host the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota, Iginla and the Rockets are trending in the right direction as post-season play gets underway.
Selected by the Mammoth in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound recorded 19 points (5G-14A) in eight of nine regular season games during the month of March. Upon launch of the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien, Iginla exploded for nine points (5G-4A) in three games as the Rockets faced their rivals from Kamloops.
Iginla’s regular season effort during the month of March was highlighted by a five-point night (1G-4A) Saturday, March 7, as the Rockets dethroned the Victoria Royals by a 9-2 score. The following week, Iginla scored his 40th goal of the season Wednesday, March 11, as the Rockets once again defeated the Royals – this time by a 2-1 score in overtime. Iginla’s milestone marker came 3:28 into the extra period, giving Kelowna the victory.
As the 2026 WHL Playoffs got underway, Iginla opened Kelowna’s first round series with a two-point performance (1G-1A) in Game 1 on Friday, March 27. The veteran forward’s first goal of the 2026 post-season came 10:18 into the third period and stood up as the game-winning marker, with the Rockets knocking off the Blazers by a 3-1 score.
Game 2 against the Blazers saw Iginla find the back of the net twice, adding an assist for a three-point night. Iginla’s first goal of the evening came in the dying minute of the first period, as he found the back of the net with 50 seconds to go. The strike gave Kelowna a 2-0 lead at the time and it once again stood up as the game-winning goal, with the Rockets extinguishing the Blazers 5-1 to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Tuesday, March 31, Iginla was at it again, securing four points (2G-2A) in a 7-4 road victory over the Blazers. On this night, Iginla got the party started, opening the scoring 6:37 into the first period. He tallied his fifth goal of the 2026 WHL Playoffs 3:56 into the second period, putting the Rockets out front by a 4-1 margin.
With 90 points (41G-49A) in 48 regular season games, Iginla finished the best production rate in the WHL this season, registering 1.88 points per game. He was named to the WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team for his impressive campaign. His torrid pace has continued into post-season play – with nine points (5G-4A) in three games, the former WHL Champion sits atop the WHL Playoffs scoring charts through three contests.
Originally selected by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Iginla won a WHL Championship with Seattle in 2023. In 184 career WHL regular season outings, Iginla has posted 225 points (108G-117A). Over three post-seasons and 17 playoff games, the pure goal scorer has registered 25 points (14G-11A).
Iginla and the Rockets will look to eliminate the Blazers Wednesday, April 1 (7 p.m. PT), when the two B.C. Division rivals take to the ice for Game 4 of their best-of-seven series at Sandman Centre in Kamloops. Watch this critical matchup FREE on Victory+.
Tempo WHL Player of the Month
September / October: JP Hurlbert, Kamloops Blazers
November: Tij Iginla, Kelowna Rockets
December: Bryce Pickford, Medicine Hat Tigers
January: Jacob Kvasnicka, Penticton Vees
February: Carter Bear, Everett Silvertips
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 consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 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 over 50 years. The WHL is also the 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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