Swift Current Broncos secure berth in 2025 WHL Playoffs

Ready player eight?

The Swift Current Broncos clinched the final Eastern Conference berth in the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien following Red Deer’s overtime loss to Prince Albert on Friday night.

There is now only one Western Conference spot up for grabs.

While Swift Current found themselves shutout by their East Division rivals, the Spokane Chiefs, the evening was not entirely lost, as an extra-time loss delivered to the Rebels sealed both clubs’ fate.

2025 NHL Draft-eligible forward Luke Mistelbacher‘s breakout season has given the Broncos faithful plenty to cheer about.

The Steinbach, Man. product leads his team with 85 points (40G-45A) and is tied for fourth in the WHL goals race with a career-best 40 tallies. He’s also tied for the most hat tricks by a WHL player this season with three and boasts the second most game-winning goals with eight.

Seattle Kraken prospect and Broncos Captain Clarke Caswell is tied for seventh across the WHL in assists (60) as he hones his two-way game and thrives on a line with Mistelbacher in his draft-plus-one season.

Veteran centreman Carlin Dezainde has come in clutch since being acquired in a trade with the Prince George Cougars back in October. He’s closing in on his 250th career game while breaking 150 points in his final season of WHL eligibility.

Six-foot-five blueliner Peyton Kettles has intimidated opponents and thwarted many of their attempts on net with an impressive NHL Draft season.

Kettles was ranked 26th among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting in the agency’s midterm player rankings back in January.

In net, veteran Reid Dyck is one game away from 150 career regular season starts and has completed a second consecutive 20-plus win season and recorded his 70th career victory.

The Broncos have been crowned WHL Champions three times in franchise history, most recently in 2018 when Edmonton Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner was between the pipes and Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy winner for Coach of the Year (and current Vancouver Giants bench boss) Emanuel Viveiros was behind the bench.

The Speedy Creek crew won its first Memorial Cup in 1989 in the first-ever all-WHL, all-Saskatchewan final with a 4-3 overtime win (Tim Tisdale potted the historic goal) against the host Saskatoon Blades.

Swift Current will conclude its regular-season schedule on the road with a showdown against the 2024 WHL Champion Moose Jaw Warriors on March 22.

The 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien kick off on Friday, March 28.