2026 Memorial Cup Head to Head: One more game for tournament-leading scorers Vanhanen, Pridham
Kelowna, B.C.- No matter how you slice it, history will be made in the 2026 Memorial Cup Final on Sunday afternoon.
The Everett Silvertips will fight to become the 11th team in CHL history to win junior hockey’s top prize in its tournament debut, while the OHL Champion Kitchener Rangers are off to the big dance for a record seventh time.
With the hardest trophy to win in hockey on the line, there’s no better time to spotlight each team’s top scorer.
In less than 24 hours, NHL Draft-eligible Matias Vanhanen will be on a flight to Buffalo to take part in the 2026 NHL Combine.
But first, he’s hoping for one more flash of brilliance in Kelowna.
The 5-foot-10, 175-pound winger leads all skaters with seven points (3G-4A) at the tournament, and hasn’t been held off the scoresheet yet.
Vanhanen, 18, even scored on the power play to get Everett on the board in an eventual 6-2 loss to the Rangers in round-robin action last Monday.
POETRY IN MOTION!! ✍️🔥
Matias Vanhanen (2026 #NHLDraft Eligible Prospect) gets the @WHLsilvertips on the board. #MemorialCup | #WantTheFight
🇨🇦 TSN 1/3 | RDS
🇺🇸 NHL Network | Victory+ pic.twitter.com/DkAgVEtNdJ— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) May 26, 2026
The Nokia, Finland product was just as potent in the 2026 WHL Playoffs with 24 points (12G-12A) in 18 outings and was named a finalist for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy, which is awarded annually to the WHL’s Rookie of the Year.
Vanhanen is ranked 54th among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting heading into next month’s draft.
At the other end of the ice, Pridham, 20, is looking to cap off a banner season despite some future uncertainty.
The 2024 Chicago Blackhawks draft pick can sign an entry-level deal with the club by tomorrow, or re-enter the 2026 NHL Draft.
He’s certainly made a case for teams to look at him closely, either way.
Pridhman owns six points (4G-2A) in three games at the tournament, sitting first in goals and second in points among all skaters.
Two of his goals came against Everett in their round-robin tilt.
Back in Kelowna, back on the board 🎯
After scoring 28 goals there earlier in his career, Jack Pridham gets his first of the tournament to make it 3-0!#MemorialCup | @OHLRangers | #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/NxSPkIFt6D
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) May 23, 2026
The Stouffville, Ont. product was named the OHL’s Overage Player of the Year after potting 90 points (46G-44A) in 65 games and finishing second in goals among all OHLers in the regular season.
Vanhanen will try to help the Silvertips become the fourth American CHL squad to hoist the Memorial Cup when puck drops at 4:00 p.m. PT on Sunday, May 31.
TSN is broadcasting to fans in Canada, while those in the United States and around the world can follow along on Victory+ and NHL Network.
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