2024 NHL Draft-eligible netminder Gardner named Giuseppe WHL Goaltender of the Week
Calgary, Alta. – Saskatoon Blades netminder Evan Gardner has been named Giuseppe WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending March 24, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
This marks the first time Gardner has captured the award this season, though he has previously been named Kal Tire Rookie of the Week twice.
The 18-year-old closed out the final week of the regular season with a pristine 2-0-0-0 record, a 1.49 goals-against average, a .942 save percentage and a shutout.
Gardner kicked off the week with an overtime thriller against a Calgary Hitmen team battling to remain in the playoff race. The Saskatoon netminder turned aside 22 of the 25 shots he faced, while Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Brandon Lisowsky scored the overtime winner. The victory brought the Blades within one win of clinching the Scotty Munro Trophy as regular season champions.
The Bridge City Bunch clinched the franchise’s fifth Scotty Munro Trophy win on Friday, and the following night, Gardner returned to the crease for the regular-season finale against the rival Raiders in a first-round playoff preview. A season-record 13,004 fans filled the Sasktel Centre to watch Saskatoon battle Prince Albert. Gardner was peppered with 27 shots, including a sharp Harrison Lodewyk wrist shot from the faceoff dot, but steered all clear to secure a 5-0 victory for the home side.
The 6-foot-2, 174-pound netminder closed out his first WHL regular season with a 21-5-0-2 record, becoming one of only two rookies to surpass the 20-win mark.
Gardner finished the campaign ranked first in goals-against average (1.91) and save percentage (.927) and tied for second in shutouts (four).
The Fort St. John, B.C. product is ranked 16th among North American goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting ahead of June’s NHL Entry Draft. Gardner was originally selected by Saskatoon in the third round, 53rd overall, in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft.
The top-ranked Blades kick off their quest for the Ed Chynoweth puck on Thursday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m. CST when they host Prince Albert for Game One of their 2024 WHL Playoffs first-round series.
2023-24 WHL Goaltender of the Week
March 18, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
March 11, 2024: Kolby Hay, Edmonton Oil Kings
March 4, 2024: Ethan Buenaventura, Calgary Hitmen
February 26, 2024: Reid Dyck, Swift Current Broncos (Boston Bruins)
February 20, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
February 12, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
February 5, 2024: Reid Dyck, Swift Current Broncos (Boston Bruins)
January 29, 2024: Scott Ratzlaff, Seattle Thunderbirds (Buffalo Sabres)
January 22, 2024: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
January 15, 2024: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
January 8, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
January 2, 2024: Harrison Meneghin, Lethbridge Hurricanes
December 18, 2023: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
December 11, 2023: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
December 4, 2023: Jackson Unger, Moose Jaw Warriors
November 27, 2023: Dawson Cowan, Spokane Chiefs
November 20, 2023: Rhett Stoesser, Red Deer Rebels
November 13, 2023: Evan May, Medicine Hat Tigers
November 6, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
October 30, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
October 23, 2023: Daniel Hauser, Wenatchee Wild
October 16, 2023: Jan Špunar, Portland Winterhawks
October 10, 2023: Kyle Kelsey, Red Deer Rebels
October 2, 2023: Ethan Chadwick, Everett Silvertips
September 25, 2023: Max Hildebrand, Prince Albert Raiders
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-
Loading ...