2024 NHL Draft-Eligible forward Miettinen named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week for second-straight week
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Julius Miettinen of the Everett Silvertips has been named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending January 14, 2024.
The 17-year-old led all WHLers with three goals, five assists and a plus-five rating in three games, earning Rookie of the Week honours for a second straight week.
The 6-foot-3, 180-pound forward has jumped up to third in rookie scoring with 20 goals (including three game-winners), 22 assists and a plus-14 rating in 44 games.
Miettinen wired a centering pass to Dominik Rymon to open the scoring just two minutes into the Silvertips’ match against the Kamloops Blazers on January 12. Miettinen played helper again with a dish to his roommate, Eric Jamieson, later in the period. Jamieson’s deflected shot would stand as the game-winner. The Helsinki, Fin. product would cap off a three-assist period with another tight pass to Rymon just north of the Blazers’ crease. Everett would go on to take the game 8-2.
The teams would face off again the following night south of the border. This time, Miettinen lit the lamp himself, winning a faceoff and driving the net to tip a Tarin Smith shot home. The Tips would snag another win over the Blazers, 4-1.
Miettinen wrapped up the week by sparking a comeback against the Wenatchee Wild while playing his third game in as many nights. With Everett trailing 3-1 late in the second frame, Miettinen teed up Dominik Rymon for a powerplay marker. The Silvertips would seize a slim lead going into the third, and Miettinen erased any hope of a Wild comeback with a pair of goals on the Wenatchee doorstep and a give-n-go pass to Rymon for his second of the night. An eventual 7-3 victory sealed Everett’s fifth-straight win.
Miettinen is currently riding a seven-game point streak that’s seen him tally eight goals and seven assists.
Miettinen, a 30th overall pick in the 2023 CHL Import Draft, has seen his NHL draft stock rise significantly this season. He was assigned a ‘C’ by the NHL Central Scouting Service in the fall, projecting him as a fourth-to-sixth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Central Scouting mid-term rankings now have him ranked 49th among North American Skaters with potential to be selected in the second or third round.
Miettinen is also one of 18 WHL players invited to the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at the Avenir Centre in Moncton, N.B. on January 24.
Everett (27-14-1-2) leads the U.S. Division and has points in eight of its past 10 games.
Next up, the Silvertips get a bit of a break before visiting the Spokane Chiefs on January 19.
2023-24 WHL Rookie of the Week
January 8, 2024: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips
January 2, 2024: Cole Reschny, Victoria Royals
December 18, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars
December 11, 2023: Max Curran, Tri-City Americans
December 4, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
November 27, 2023: Ethan Eskit, Brandon Wheat Kings
November 20, 2023: Dakota MacIntosh, Moose Jaw Warriors
November 13, 2023: Ben Kindel, Calgary Hitmen
November 6, 2023: Ethan McCallum, Medicine Hat Tigers
October 30, 2023: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips (NHL CSS: C)
October 23, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)
October 16, 2023: Ty Coupland, Swift Current Broncos
October 10, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)
October 2, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)
September 25, 2023: Oscar Lovsin, Wenatchee Wild
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.
-30-