2026 WHL Championship – Game 5 Player to Watch: Carter Bear, Everett Silvertips

Prince Albert, Sask. – With six points in four WHL Championship games, Detroit Red Wings prospect Carter Bear has come alive when it matters most.

The 19-year-old product of West St. Paul, Man., is enjoying a stellar run through the 2026 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien, skating on a line with Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen and 2026 NHL Draft-eligible prospect Matias Vanhanen.

In Game 4, Bear recorded the game-winning goal, giving the Silvertips a 3-1 series lead and putting the franchise on the brink of claiming its first ever Ed Chynoweth Cup.

“Emotions are running through – a lot of excitement for sure,” Bear said. “We can do something today that is really special, but we can’t think about it that much. We have to wait until it comes and be ready when it comes to game time.”

Over the entire WHL Playoffs, the 6-foot, 177-pound left winger has racked up 22 points (7G-15A) in 17 postseason contests.

Selected by the Red Wings in the first round (13th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, Bear’s 2025-26 regular season featured 77 points (36G-41A) in 53 games.

The third-year WHL forward was originally selected by the Silvertips in the sixth round (132nd overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft and has collected 218 points (102G-116A) in 195 career regular season outings.

"A lot of excitement for sure. But, like I said, can't think about it too much."

Hear from @DetroitRedWings prospect and @WHLsilvertips forward Carter Bear ahead of a monumental Game 5 at the 2026 #WHLChampionship Series. pic.twitter.com/r6jkldzB4F

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) May 15, 2026

Game 5 of the 2026 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien is set Friday, May 15, at 7:30 p.m. MT as the Prince Albert Raiders host the Everett Silvertips. The winner of the best-of-seven series will advance to the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota in Kelowna, B.C., which is scheduled for Friday, May 22, through Sunday, May 31.

All seven games of the WHL Championship Series are available in Canada on TSN. Viewers can also stream the entire series globally and for FREE on Victory+.