2025 NHL Draft-eligible defenceman Reese Hamilton named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week
Calgary, Alta. – Calgary Hitmen defenceman Reese Hamilton has been named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending March 24, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
The 16-year-old led all WHL skaters in the final week of the regular season with nine points, tallying two goals and seven assists in three games.
With the league-leading Saskatoon Blades up 3-2 late in the third period on March 20, Hamilton burst over the blueline and helped get the puck up to Connor Dale for the game-tying-goal with 1:04 remaining. Though Calgary would fall in the extra frame, the single point kept their playoff hopes alive.
Hamilton and the Hitmen showed similar tenacity against the Central Division-winning Swift Current Broncos. With Calgary trailing 5-2, Hamilton cut the deficit to two with a blast from the high slot for his seventh goal of the season. The Whitewood, Sask. product would add a pair of powerplay assists as the Hitmen furiously pushed for the equalizer, but ultimately fell 7-6.
The Calgary crew would get some revenge to end their season on a high note on home ice. With the Broncos seizing an early 2-0 lead, Hamilton helped kickstart the comeback with a helper on fellow blueliner Carter Yakemchuk’s 30th goal of the season. Hamilton would seize the lead with a powerful one-timer off the rush. He’d add three more assists- all on the powerplay- as Calgary went a perfect 5/5 on the man advantage en route to a 6-3 win to finish their season.
Hamilton closes out his first season with eight goals and 31 assists for 31 points in 42 games, tying for first in goals and third in points among rookie blueliners.
The 6-foot, 170-pound defender was selected by the Hitmen in the first round, fourth overall, in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft and is eligible for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
The Hitmen finished the WHL regular season with a 28-31-8-1 record, narrowly missing the postseason, but look to return to playoffs in the future with a roster chock-full of young talent.
2023-24 WHL Rookie of the Week
March 18, 2024: Dimitri Fortin, Moose Jaw Warriors
March 11, 2024: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars
March 4, 2024: Cole Reschny, Victoria Royals
February 26, 2024: Cameron Schmidt, Vancouver Giants
February 20, 2024: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades
February 12, 2024: Hunter Laing, Prince George Cougars
February 5, 2024: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades
January 29, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
January 22, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
January 15, 2024: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips
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.
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