WHL Power Rankings: Week 16
Another week is done and dusted.
While Everett maintains its sizeable lead on *everyone* in the standings, a big ole battle is percolating in the U.S. Division and could reach a boiling point when the top two-ranked teams clash next Wednesday.
1. Everett Silvertips
1st U.S.- 30-5-3-3
First team to 30 wins!
Everett came up big with a 4-2 win against the loaded-up Spokane Chiefs on January 10 before rounding out the week with a shootout loss to Seattle (never count the T-Birds out on home ice) and a dominant win against Tri-City.
Cole Temple led all Silvertips skaters with six assists, while Jesse Sanche recorded career wins number 20 and 21- including a 43-save effort against Spokane.
Sanche continues to pace all qualified goaltenders with a league-best 2.21 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage.
2. Spokane Chiefs
2nd U.S.- 28-14-0-0
Spokane is 10 points behind Everett for second in the league standings and narrowly fell to the Tips in a tight match- but Spokane fans may argue that win comes with an asterisk.
The game marked Andrew Cristall’s Chiefs debut, and in the two games since, he’s found excellent chemistry with Captain and Seattle Kraken prospect and top goal-scorer Shea Van Olm.
The Washington Capitals pick and Tempo WHL Player of the Week has piled up 12 points in the two games since, including a seven-point (3G-4A) showing against Wenatchee and five points (2G-3A) against his former club, the 2026 Memorial Cup host Kelowna Rockets.
Dawson Cowan also posted his league-leading fourth shutout and 21st win this season… He sits second only to Sanche in GAA and save percentage.
Wouldn’t you know it, Spokane and Everett will face off on the January 22 edition of Wednesday Night in the Dub, which will be streamed for free on WHL Live and the WHL’s YouTube channel.
3. Calgary Hitmen
2nd Central- 24-11-3-1
Wins over Saskatoon and Brandon have extended Calgary’s win streak to six games, leaving them neck and neck with the Medicine Hat Tigers for the Central Division and Eastern Conference lead.
Ben Kindel’s point streak is up to 23 games with another goal and two assists, tying for the second-longest in the WHL since current Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Denton Mateychuk’s 26-game run in 2023-24.
Captain and San Jose Sharks prospect Carson Wetsch has also hit several important career milestones with 54 goals, 50 assists and 104 points in 152 games.
The Hitmen and Tigers have 52 points each and go head-to-head at the Saddledome on January 17.
4. Medicine Hat Tigers
1st Central- 25-15-2-0
The Tigers mauled the competition this week, outscoring Red Deer and Edmonton by a combined score of 14-2 to mark four straight wins.
Veteran forward Marcus Pachecho’s first career WHL hat trick was the difference-maker in an 8-1 win over the Rebels, while Tampa Bay Lightning goaltending prospect Harrison Meneghin registered two (!!) shorthanded assists on a pair of Pachecho’s goals.
Nashville Predators pick Tanner Molendyk also scored his first goal as a Tiger, which also stood as the game-winner.
Medicine Hat has had Calgary’s number so far this season with a 4-0-1-0 record- one of the Tabbie’s wins also came in the shootout.
5. Victoria Royals
2nd B.C.- 23-12-3-4
The Royals are on the cusp of seizing the B.C. Division lead once again after collecting wins against Wenatchee and Tri-City before falling to Brandon on home ice.
Brandon Lisowsky has come exactly as advertised with six goals in six games as a Royal, while standout defenceman Keaton Verhoeff netted another five assists to sit fourth in points among all rookies.
Netminder Jayden Kraus is also getting his flowers after being ranked 11th among North American goaltenders in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm report.
The Prince Albert, Sask. product is 18-7-3-3 in his first season as a starter and ranks third league-wide in both goals against average and save percentage.
6. Lethbridge Hurricanes
3rd Central- 24-14-1-1
The Hurricanes are on a hard-fought five-game heater which has seen three of those wins require overtime or a shootout.
Kooper Gizowski played OT hero in a 2-1 decision against Swift Current, while alternate captain Logan Wormald snagged a hat trick- including the fourth-frame snipe- to take down Tri-City by a 3-2 score.
Vegas Golden Knights prospect and 2023 WHL Champion Jordan Gustafson also made a splash in his return to the WHL, picking up an assist and a shorthanded empty-netter to take out Moose Jaw.
7. Prince George Cougars
1st B.C.- 24-12-3-2
The Cougars still lead the B.C. Division by a whisker.
A down week saw Prince George fall to Kelowna and Kamloops- and Victoria and Prince George now have 53 points each, though the Cats own the tiebreaker with an additional regulation win.
Six different Cougars found the back of the net in back-to-back 6-3 losses.
Prince George is still 7-3-0-0 in its last 10 games but has a tough road schedule ahead with matchups against Spokane and Everett on tap.
8. Portland Winterhawks
3rd U.S.- 24-15-2-1
The Winterhawks have been on a reign of terror on their East Division road trip, going 3-1-0-0 on a busy week.
The usual suspects are at it again, with captain Kyle Chyzowski and Seattle Kraken prospect Tyson Jugnauth netting three goals and four assists each in wins over Bandon, Regina and Saskatoon. The pair also both scored in the shootout to down the Blades.
Jugnauth is sitting at 99 career points and Chyzowski is five away from 200 as the Winterhawks have quietly become the second-highest-scoring team in the West.
Portland’s road trip continues with a 2024 WHL Championship rematch against Moose Jaw on Friday before wrapping up in Swift Current on Saturday.
9. Prince Albert Raiders
2nd East- 21-15-3-0
The Raiders are the only team to hand Portland a loss on this road trip.
Prince Albert has cracked the Top 10 once again after rookie Daxon Rudolph popped off for six assists in a 2-1-0-0 week.
2024 WHL Champ Rilen Kovacevic has also racked up two goals and three assists with his new squad, while veteran Max Hildebrand posted a 22-save shutout against Red Deer and game-saving 37 stops against Portland.
The Raiders will try to keep the Art Hauser rocking as they continue a four-game homestand against the Broncos on Friday.
10. Edmonton Oil Kings
4th Central- 22-16-1-2
Edmonton edged Prince Albert at Rogers Place before suffering back-to-back setbacks against Medicine Hat and Swift Current.
The positives?
Defenceman Blake Fiddler was recently ranked 24th among all North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting and has two goals and a helper in three straight games, while Florida Panthers prospect Gracyn Sawchyn has reached new heights with 60 goals and 121 assists for 181 points in 150 regular season games.
The Oil Kings look to get back in the win column with road tilts against Moose Jaw and Regina on tap.
11. Brandon Wheat Kings
3rd East- 20-13-3-2
Brandon regrouped after losses to Portland and Calgary with a strong showing on their Western road trip against Victoria.
Rookie Jaxon Jacobson had the game-winning goal and an assist against the Royals, while newcomer Jordan Gavin scored his first as a Wheat Kings.
Defenceman Luke Shipley has also been on a tear with three goals and three assists in his last four games.
The roady continues with a daunting stop in Everett on Friday.
12. Vancouver Giants
3rd B.C.- 20-16-5-0
Vancouver collected three of a possible four points on the week with an extra-time loss to Kamloops before filling the net against Kelowna.
Ty Halaburda led the way with a trio of goals, while Captain Mazden Leslie steered the ship with four assists.
Leslie has two goals and eight assists in his last five games to sit third in points among all defencemen.
13. Saskatoon Blades
1st East- 22-14-2-3
The Blades fell to Calgary and earned a point in a shootout loss to the Winterhawks to maintain their grasp on first place in the East Division.
New acquisition Hayden Harsanyi has found the scoresheet in all three games with his new team, including a pair of goals this week.
Next up, Saskatoon hosts Red Deer on Friday night- and those games have promised spice and drama all season.
14. Swift Current Broncos
4th East- 20-17-1-1
Swift Current is feverishly clinging to the final playoff spot in the East with a chance to move up the standings.
Reid Dyck shined with 33 saves in a tough 2-1 overtime loss to Lethbridge, but the Broncos bounced back by trouncing Edmonton 6-3.
Seattle Kraken pick and Captain Clarke Caswell scored twice and added a helper to hit 50 career goals as he continues his best season yet.
Towering rookie Sawyer Dingman was also named a star of the game in the win with a couple of assists.
15. Tri-City Americans
4th U.S.- 21-14-3-1
A frustrating 2025 has continued for the Americans, with the team earning one point in their last four games.
Top 2025 NHL Draft prospect Jackson Smith, ranked ninth among North American skaters, recorded his first four-point WHL game with four helpers in a narrow loss to the Thunderbirds.
Colorado Avalanche pick Max Curran is right there with him with three goals and an assist on the week, while goaltender Lukas Matecha made a league-high 115 saves on the week.
Tri-City will ‘tri’ to change their fortunes with a trip to Langley to take on the G-men on Friday.
16. Kamloops Blazers
5th B.C.- 15-21-3-0
The Blazers have snuck into the Sweet 16 for the first time since November, thanks, in part, to the efforts of players like WHL Rookie of the Week Tommy Lafreniere.
The 2025 NHL Draft-eligible forward tallied six points in major wins over Vancouver and Prince George, including a game-tying goal with 10 seconds left to force overtime against the Giants.
That’s where Jordan Keller scored the game-winner while lying on his back in one of the week’s wildest highlights.
The Blazers followed the 5-4 win up with a shocking 6-3 decision against Prince George that saw another 2025 NHL Draft prospect, Nathan Behm, pot two goals while Dylan Ersnt steered aside 40 shots for his 80th regular season dub.
Kamloops will square up against Victoria on Friday with a chance to jump into a playoff position this weekend.