Chiefs netminder Esler named Mary Brown’s Chicken WHL Goaltender of the Week
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today Spokane Chiefs netminder Carter Esler has been named Mary Brown’s Chicken WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Sunday, October 4.
A 17-year-old product of Okotoks, Alta., Esler went 2-0-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average, and .961 save percentage this past weekend, helping the Chiefs secure the WHL In-Season Cup. Born in late November, Esler is eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft.
Friday, October 2, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound Esler made 26 saves on 27 shots as the Chiefs defeated the Portland Winterhawks by a 6-1 score to take hold of the WHL In-Season Cup. Esler nearly went the distance with a clean sheet, before Alessandro Domenchelli spoiled his shutout bid with 2:07 remaining in the third period.
With Esler on the bench, the Chiefs protected the WHL In-Season Cup on Saturday, October 3, knocking off the Portland Winterhawks by a score of 3-1 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Sunday, October 4, saw Esler back between the pipes with an opportunity to defend the WHL In-Season Cup. The veteran puckstopper made good on his end of the deal, steering aside 23 of 24 shots as the Chiefs knocked off the defending WHL Champion Everett Silvertips by a 3-1 score at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett.
Through four appearances this season, Esler is 4-0-0-0 with a 1.47 GAA and .935 SV%. His four wins lead all WHL goaltenders.
With a perfect record of 5-0-0-0, the Chiefs are the only undefeated team remaining in the WHL to start the 2026-27 regular season.
Selected by the Chiefs in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, Esler is in his third WHL season. He was a member of the 2024-25 Chiefs squad that advanced to the WHL Championship Series, appearing in 18 games as a rookie.
Over 66 career WHL regular season outings, Esler is 38-24-2-0 with a 2.83 GAA, .902 SV%, and five shutouts.
He represented Canada at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, securing a bronze medal.
The Chiefs return home for three consecutive games, beginning Friday, October 9, when they host the Lethbridge Hurricanes (1-4-0-0) at Numerica Veterans Arena. Stream the action FREE on YouTube.
Mary Brown’s Chicken WHL Goaltender of the Week
September 21, 2026: Grayson Malinoski, Seattle Thunderbirds
September 28, 2026: Grayson Malinoski, Seattle Thunderbirds
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 23 member Clubs with 17 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 over 60 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.
