2025 NHL Draft-eligible forward Cole Reschny named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Cole Reschny of the Victoria Royals has been named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending March 3, 2024.
It’s the second time the 16-year-old has earned a WHL Weekly Award.
Reschny led all rookies- and his Victoria teammates- with three goals and two assists in two games as the Royals went 1-0-1-0 on the week.
After Tri-City struck early against the Royals on March 1, Reschny kickstarted the Victoria comeback by driving the net and redirecting a Tyson Laventure shot on net to create a fortuitous rebound that bounced in off an Americans’ skate. Shortly after, he collected the puck behind the Tri-City net and swept a pass into the slot for Dawson Pasternak to give Victoria its first lead of the game. Reschny capped off a tremendous period for the Royals by deftly tipping a Justin Kipke point shot towards a wide-open Pasternak for Victoria’s fourth goal in eight minutes. Victoria would go on to a 6-4 win.
The following night, the Royals put up a valiant effort in one of the most hostile environments in the league in a visit to Portland. With the game tied 1-1, Reschny’s long shot found its way past Jan Spunar to put Victoria in front. With the match level at three apiece in the third, Reschny would restore the lead with a deceptive shot through traffic in the high slot for his 20th goal of the season. The Winterhawks would storm back to a 5-4 overtime win.
With 20 goals and 32 assists in 54 games this season, the Macklin, Sask. product sits sixth in the WHL’s rookie points race and third among qualified rookies with an average of .96 points per game.
Reschny, who is eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft, also captured WHL Rookie of the Month honours for November after lighting up for seven goals and five assists in eight games.
The 5-foot-9, 161-pound forward was selected by Victoria in the first round, third overall in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft. He represented Canada for the first time with Team Canada Red at the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, where he netted a trio of goals and five assists in seven contests en route to a fifth-place finish.
Victoria (28-24-5-4) sits second in the B.C. Division and has set its sights on becoming the next Western Conference team to clinch a berth in the 2024 WHL Playoffs.
The Royals head south for a midweek tilt against the Spokane Chiefs (25-28-5-1) on March 5.
2023-24 WHL Rookie of the Week
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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