Royals netminder Kraus named WHL Goaltender of the Week

Calgary, Alta. – Victoria Royals netminder Jayden Kraus has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Sunday, January 12, 2025, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

Kraus went 3-0-0-0 on the week with a 1.76 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage. He’s won six straight games dating back to New Year’s Day, allowing two or fewer goals in five of those matches, and has the most wins of any WHL netminder in 2025.

The 6-foot-2, 207-pound netminder went undefeated in his three road matches, starting with Tuesday’s 4-1 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. Kraus turned aside 29 of 30 shots and held the 2023 WHL Champions without a goal on three powerplay opportunities in a 4-1 win.

The Prince Albert, Sask. product was considerably less busy in a January 10 visit to the Wenatchee Wild but still stood tall with 16 saves in a 5-2 victory. Wenatchee’s goals came on a powerplay and a delayed penalty. Kraus closed out the road trip by steering out 23 of 25 shots as the Royals cruised past the Tri-City Americans by a 6-2 score on January 11.

Kraus is 18-6-3-3 in his first season as Victoria’s starting netminder with a 2.66 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage and one shutout. He’s been rock-solid in recent weeks with nine wins and only two regulation losses since December 1, 2024. Kraus ranks second among all WHL goaltenders in goals-against average and save percentage while facing the fifth-most shots (927).

He was originally drafted by the Royals in the third round of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft.

Kraus, 18, has a career record of 26-19-3-4 with a 3.41 goals-against average, a .891 save percentage and one shutout.

Victoria (23-11-3-4) is on a 6-0-0-1 point streak and has wins in seven of their last 10 games to tie the B.C. Division-leading Prince George Cougars in points (Prince George owns the tiebreaker with 24 wins).

The Royals kick off a three-game homestand with the chance to seize the Division lead when the Brandon Wheat Kings (19-13-3-2) on Wednesday, January 15 at 7:05 p.m. PST.

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

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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