WHL Power Rankings: Week 15
1st B.C.- 40-15-0-3
The Cats have clawed their way back to the top.
With a resounding 5-1 win over Kamloops and a 6-5 shootout thriller against Kelowna, Prince Geroge has earned points in nine of its past 10 games to clinch the B.C. Division title for the second time in team history.
Tempo WHL Player of the Week and Minnesota Wild prospect Riley Heidt hit 100 points on the season on Saturday, while league goals leader Zac Funk sits at 99 after netting his eighth (!!!) hat trick of the campaign in the win over Kelowna.
Funk, who has freshly inked a deal with the Washington Capitals, will look to hit triple digits as the Cougars host the Spokane Chiefs for a pair at the CN Centre this weekend.
2. Saskatoon Blades
1st East- 42-11-2-3
The Saskatoon Blades are keenly aware their reputation proceeds them and they’ll get every opponent’s best game every night.
This week, the Blades lost both matches to Brandon (4-1) and Red Deer (5-0), getting shut out for the first time this season while being outscored 9-1.
Anaheim Ducks prospect Igor Sidorov scored his 44th of the campaign against the Wheat Kings.
Saskatoon looks to avoid tying its longest losing streak of the season when the Blades face off against Lethbridge on Friday night.
3. Portland Winterhawks
1st U.S.- 39-15-2-1
Portland dominated Victoria with 6-2 and 5-2 victories before falling to Moose Jaw 4-3 (despite a valiant third-period comeback push).
Detroit Red Wings prospect Nate Danielson had two goals and three assists, hitting 200 career WHL points with a goal and assist against the Warriors.
With two goals and an assist, Seattle Kraken draft pick Tyson Jugnauth continues to chug along at a point-per-game pace.
The Winterhawks are one point away from locking up home-ice advantage in the playoffs.
Next up, a tilt against Regina on Friday.
4. Moose Jaw Warriors
2nd East- 37-19-0-2
Moose Jaw is 3-0-0-0 at the midway point of a difficult six-game U.S. Division road swing- including a statement 4-3 win against the Winterhawks on Wednesday night.
Seattle Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus reclaimed the league points lead by hitting 101- he also got to take in the Kraken-Penguins game at Climate Pledge Arena (along with Pittsburgh prospect Brayden Yager and the rest of the team).
Hometown boy Atley Calvert has been named WHL Player of the Month for February after racking up 27 points in 12 games and finding the scoresheet in 17 straight.
Moose Jaw will try to keep the wins rolling- and become the next team to clinch a playoff berth- when they visit Everett on Friday.
5. Everett Silvertips
2nd U.S.- 38-18-2-2
A quiet week for Everett saw the Silvertips beat Seattle 4-1 in their lone match of the week.
2024 NHL Draft-eligible forward Julius Miettinen earned a goal and assist in the match to hit 50 points on the season.
The ‘Tips play host to Moose Jaw and Regina in a pair of Saskatchewan matchups this weekend.
Two points earned will give Everett home-ice advantage in Round One of the 2024 WHL Playoffs.
6. Swift Current Broncos
2nd Central- 32-19-4-2
With a weekend sweep of Medicine Hat (4-1, 4-3 OT), Swift Current has extended its win streak to six games, going 8-1-1-0 in their past 10 outings.
Luke Mistelbacher scored three goals and an assist to lead the Broncos.
At the same time, Arizona Coyotes prospect Conor Geekie extended his points streak to six games and Anaheim Ducks prospect Connor Hvidston netted the overtime winner on February 24.
Oh yeah, Reid Dyck snagged WHL Goaltender of the Month honours, going 9-0-1-0 in February with a 1.81 goals-against average, a .931 save percentage, one shutout and eight straight wins.
The Broncos are stampeding into the final month of the regular season with matches against Red Deer and Edmonton on tap this weekend.
7. Medicine Hat Tigers
1st Central- 33-18-5-2
The Tigers only earned one of a possible four points with those losses to Swift Current, but they still have a chance to clinch a playoff berth by Saturday night.
Gavin McKenna was held to a goal and an assist last weekend but was still far and away the top pick for WHL Rookie of the Month.
The 16-year-old recorded 20 points (8G-12A) in 11 games to lead all WHL rookie scorers during February, including six multi-point efforts.
2024 NHL Draft-eligible forward Tomas Mrsic is heating up with six points in his last four games and looks to become the seventh Tigers player to eclipse 20 goals in the regular season.
Medicine Hat welcomes Edmonton to Co-op Place on Friday night.
8. Red Deer Rebels
3rd Central- 30-21-2-6
Red Deer’s dominant 5-0 win over the top-ranked Saskatoon Blades overshadows losses to Wenatchee (3-2) and Prince Albert (5-1).
Chase Wutzke made 36 saves for his first shutout of the season, taking home first star honours and a massive two points.
The three-time WHL Goaltender of the Week winner went 1-1-0-0 this week with a 1.52 goals-against average and a .951 save percentage.
Czech product Frantisek Formanek has also caught fire with three goals, one assist, and a plus-three rating this week.
The Rebels host Swift Current and Calgary this weekend.
9. Vancouver Giants
3rd B.C.- 28-26-3-0
Vancouver fell to Kelowna 4-1 before storming to a 7-1 win over Kamloops to go 8-2-0-0 in their past 10 games.
The February 24 victory over the Blazers marked Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week Cameron Schmidt’s first WHL hat trick, propelling him to 22 goals in his first full season.
There’s some deja vu this weekend as the Giants play Kelowna and Kamloops again- but with some help on the out-of-town scoreboard, Vancouver could pass Victoria in the B.C. Division Standings.
10. Wenatchee Wild
3rd B.C.- 31-24-4-0
Wenatchee’s first trip through central and northern Alberta built confidence for a Wild squad that has slid in recent weeks, collecting wins over Calgary (3-2 OT) and Red Deer (3-2) before falling to Edmonton (5-2) and returning home to double up Regina (6-3).
Kenta Isogai led his team with four goals, three assists and a plus-three rating through four games, surpassing 80 points and sitting one goal away from 30.
With a pair of goals and five assists on the week, Nashville Predators prospect Graham Sward has tied Portland’s Luca Cagnoni as the top-scoring defenceman in the league with 73 points.
If Wenatchee can deny Moose Jaw on Friday night, the Wild have a chance to lock up their first WHL playoff berth on Saturday.
11. Brandon Wheat Kings
3rd East- 29-23-5-1
A 34-save performance from Carson Bjarnson and Matteo Michael’s fourth game-winning goal of the season helped power the Wheat Kings to a 4-1 victory over Saskatoon on February 23.
Brandon rode the momentum into a tilt against Prince Albert the following night, jumping out to a 1-0 lead at the Art Hauser Centre, but was overwhelmed by a flurry of Raiders goals and fell 5-2.
Czech import Dominik Petr scored twice in the loss and has six points in his last three games.
Brandon has a pair of home rematches on tap as they host Prince Albert on Friday and look to dish Saskatoon another loss on Saturday at Westoba Place.
12. Prince Albert Raiders
4th East- 28-26-1-3
Prince Albert looks sneaky good coming down the home stretch with wins over Brandon (5-2) and Red Deer (5-1) extending their current run to 7-3-0-0.
Sloan Stanick’s hat trick on Kid Takeover night and one goal, two assist performance against the Rebels brought his season totals to 28 goals and 48 assists.
The Rapid City, Man. product is one point away from hitting 200 in his WHL career and is on pace to set a new personal best for goals.
Between the pipes, Max Hildebrand impressed with a 1.50 goals-against average and .935 save percentage in two starts.
He also boasts wins in five of his last six appearances.
Prince Albert looks to keep pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race with tilts against Brandon and Lethbridge this weekend.
13. Victoria Royals
2nd B.C.- 27-24-4-4
A disappointing week saw Victoria get swept by Portland 6-2 and 5-2.
With two goals and an assist, Tyson Laventure was in on three of the Royals’ four goals to bring his season total to 56 and inch closer to Dawson Pasternak’s team-leading 61.
Victoria still has a solid place in the standings, and with some help from the out-of-town scoreboard, could clinch a playoff spot as soon as Saturday.
The Royals take on Tri-City on Friday before looking for revenge against the Winterhawks on Saturday.
14. Kelowna Rockets
4th B.C.- 26-28-3-1
Kelowna is on the rebound after collecting three of a possible four points this week.
Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall scored his second hat trick of the season to down the red-hot Vancouver Giants 4-1 and top 2024 NHL draft prospect Tij Iginla hit 40 goals on the season in a four-point (2G, 2A) night against Prince George.
Iginla’s top assist came on surging rookie Hiroki Gojsic’s game-tying goal against Prince George, though the Rockets would eventually fall 6-5 in a shootout.
Kelowna will try to stretch its point streak to four games when the team visits Vancouver on Friday.
15. Lethbridge Hurricanes
4th Central- 26-26-5-0
Sean Tschigerl spoiled Edmonton’s bid at a shutout, but the Oil Kings still managed to edge the Hurricanes 2-1.
Lethbridge responded by erupting for its most dominant game of the season, blowing by the Calgary Hitmen by a score of 9-2.
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Noah Chadwick earned first star with a two-goal, one-assist performance.
The Canes are currently hanging onto the final playoff spot in the west but need more points to gain some breathing room against ninth-place Calgary.
Lethbridge faces Saskatoon on Friday night.
16. Spokane Chiefs
4th U.S.- 24-28-4-1
Spokane started strong with a 5-2 win over Regina, but ran out of gas in a 12-3 blowout to Moose Jaw and a 5-2 loss to Kamloops.
Top NHL Draft prospect Berkly Catton and veteran Connor Roulette combined for nine points across the three games.
The pair are on 11 game points streaks that have seen Catton score 10 goals and eight assists and Roulette serve up seven goals and 11 assists.
The duo will try to convert their strong offensive output into wins when the Chiefs visit the Prince George Cougars for a pair at the CN Centre this weekend.
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