Canadiens prospect Guhle named WHL Player of the Week

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Edmonton Oil Kings defenceman Kaiden Guhle has been named WHL Player of the Week for the week ending May 29, 2022.

The Montreal Canadiens prospect recorded five points (3G-2A) in three outings this past week as the Oil Kings captured the Eastern Conference Championship for the first time in eight years.

The 20-year-old began his week Monday, May 23 with a two-point effort in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Championship, a 4-3 Edmonton overtime victory versus the Winnipeg ICE. Guhle scored 2:12 into the second period before drawing the primary assist on the game-tying goal with 1:18 remaining in regulation time.

Guhle, who hails from Sherwood Park, Alta., registered six shots on goal in Game 4 Wednesday, May 25 as the Oil Kings doubled up the ICE 4-2 to take a 3-1 series lead.

He then helped close out a five-game Edmonton series victory Friday, May 27 with a three point effort (2G-1A), scoring even-strength markers in the first and second periods.

Guhle’s six goals in the 2022 WHL Playoffs are tied for the League lead among defencemen, while only one blueliner, teammate Simon Kubicek, has more shots on goal than the 56 recorded by Guhle during the post-season.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound defenceman was selected in the first round, 16th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2020 NHL Draft. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Canadiens in October of 2020.

Guhle was originally selected by the Prince Albert Raiders with the first-overall pick in the 2017 WHL Draft before being acquired via trade by Edmonton in December of 2021. In 217 career WHL regular season and playoff appearances with the Raiders and Oil Kings, he has totalled 117 points (28G-89A).

He won a WHL Championship with the Raiders in 2019.

Guhle and the Edmonton Oil Kings will open the 2022 WHL Championship series on home ice versus either the Kamloops Blazers or the Seattle Thunderbirds. Game 1 is slated for Friday, June 3 (7:00 p.m. MT, Rogers Place).

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 consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five 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 over 50 years. The WHL is also the 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.