Raiders netminder Hildebrand named WHL Goaltender of the Week
Calgary, Alta. – Prince Albert Raiders netminder Max Hildebrand has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Sunday, March 23, 2025, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
Hildebrand closed out his final week of WHL regular season action with a 3-0-0-0 record, a 1.98 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage to help the Raiders clinch the East Division title.
This is the third time the Martensville, Sask. product has won the weekly award this season.
Hildebrand stopped 22 of 23 shots against the Moose Jaw Warriors on March 18 to set up a critical pair of games against the Saskatoon Blades with a shot at the division lead and a top seed in the 2025 WHL Playoffs on the line.
The 6-foot-1, 188-pound goaltender stayed sharp with a monster 35-save performance as the Blades stormed back for a 3-2 overtime victory against one of their biggest foes. Hildebrand weathered 17 shots in the second period alone, silencing the crowd of more than 10,000 fans at SaskTel Centre.
That set up a winner-take-all regular-season finale against the Blades in Prince Albert. Hildebrand saved some of his best work for last by steering aside 34 of 37 shots for a 4-3 victory in front of a raucous crowd of more than 3,200 fans. The win saw Hildebrand pick up first-star honours and Prince Albert clinch its sixth East Division title in WHL history.
Hildebrand is playing some of the best hockey of his WHL career with a 33-16-5-0 record, a 2.87 goals-against average, a .918 save percentage and three shutouts.
He’s second among all WHL goaltenders in save percentage and tied for second in wins after posting his first 30-plus victory campaign. Hildebrand also led all goalies in minutes played (3,181) and saves (1,709).
The Raiders selected Hildebrand in the 13th round of the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft.
Hildebrand has gone on to play parts of four seasons in HockeyTown North, going 69-53-10-2 with a career 3.06 goals-against average, a .905 save percentage and five shutouts.
He’s committed to Bemidji State University for 2025-26 upon the conclusion of his WHL eligibility.
Hildebrand and the Raiders will now battle to get past the first round of the WHL Playoffs for the first time since winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2019.
Prince Albert (39-23-5-1) enters the postseason as the second seed in the Eastern Conference and will kick off their first-round series against the seven-seed Edmonton Oil Kings (37-27-2-2) at the Art Hauser Centre on Friday, March 28.
All WHL Playoffs games will be streamed for free on Victory+.
2024-25 WHL Goaltender of the Week
September 23, 2024: Koen Cleaver, Lethbridge Hurricanes
September 30, 2024: Ethan Eskit, Brandon Wheat Kings
October 7, 2024: Spencer Michnik, Victoria Royals
October 15, 2024: Harrison Meneghin, Medicine Hat Tigers (Tampa Bay Lightning)
October 21, 2024: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades (Columbus Blue Jackets)
October 28, 2024: Jesse Sanche, Everett Silvertips
November 4, 2024: Carson Bjarnason, Brandon Wheat Kings (Philadelphia Flyers)
November 11, 2024: Nathan Preston, Tri-City Americans
November 18, 2024: Dawson Cowan, Spokane Chiefs
November 25, 2024: Alex Worthington, Edmonton Oil Kings
December 2, 2024: Anders Miller, Calgary Hitmen
December 9, 2024: Raiden LeGall, Everett Silvertips
December 16, 2024: Jackson Unger, Lethbridge Hurricanes
December 23, 2024: Max Hildebrand, Prince Albert Raiders
December 30, 2024: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
January 6, 2025: Burke Hood, Vancouver Giants
January 13, 2025: Jayden Kraus, Victoria Royals
January 20, 2025: Harrison Meneghin, Medicine Hat Tigers (Tampa Bay Lightning)
January 27, 2025: Harrison Meneghin, Medicine Hat Tigers (Tampa Bay Lightning)
February 3, 2025: Max Hildebrand, Prince Albert Raiders
February 10, 2025: Johnny Hicks, Victoria Royals
February 18, 2025: Scott Ratzlaff, Seattle Thunderbirds (Buffalo Sabres)
February 24, 2025: Daniel Hauser, Calgary Hitmen
March 3, 2025: Daniel Hauser, Calgary Hitmen
March 10, 2025: Burke Hood, Vancouver Giants
March 17, 2025: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades (Columbus Blue Jackets)
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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