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DuPont scores twice in return, Silvertips rout Sagueneens 6-1 to advance to 2026 Memorial Cup Final

Sat, 30 May 2026 05:26:48 +0000

Kelowna, B.C.- The Everett Silvertips will play for the Memorial Cup in the club's first-ever appearance at the tournament. Projected top 2027 NHL Draft pick Landon DuPont scored twice in his return to the lineup to seal a 6-1 win, while netminder Anders Miller denied 25 of 26 opportunities for a .962 save percentage. "In a game like this when you win or go home," DuPont said postgame. "No guy in that room wanted to go home. I think we did a good job showing up and just mentally... It's not hard getting up from your nap and heading to this game. It's pretty cool." As the teams settled into a nervy first period, alternate captain Jaxsin Vaughan drew first blood as the 'Tips capitalized on a costly Chicoutimi turnover. Lukas Kaplan stole the puck inside the Sagueneens blueline and immediately put it up to a lone Vaughan for a point-blank shot in the slot that was destined for the top corner. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2060535392949194867 Utah Mammoth Thomas Lavoie kept it close by levelling the match with a four-on-four tally midway through the frame, but Everett had a quick answer- much as they did in round-robin action against the Sags. Detroit Red Wings prospect Carter Bear collected the puck behind the Chicoutimi net and ripped a pass to DuPont on the blueline. The exceptional-status defender curled and dragged before firing a long shot through traffic for his first goal of the tournament. "I hate watching our team play," DuPont said of his one-game stint in the press box. "I hate being in the crowd. I just wanted to be out there and to get one in the first almost felt like a relief, just I was just super happy to be back and playing." https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2060538534671585692 Following more of the themes from the first meeting between these squads, Everett created distance off the steam of a three-goal second period. After hitting the crossbar earlier in the period, Bear converted his third goal of the Memorial Cup to make it a 3-1 game. With Everett reaping the rewards of a delayed penalty, Nolan Chastko sprung Bear for a partial break, where he went bar down with a pair of Sagueneens defenders hot on his heels. What's more- the goal came after an extended shift in the defensive zone that nearly saw Chicoutimi tie the match. "Anders was big and has been for us all year, and those are the moments where you get that key save, or you're able to thwart the mounting tide," Hamilton added. "We were able to kind of just resettle ourselves, and you get a quick strike, and suddenly you're back in business. There's ebbs and flows to the game." https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2060549105269846217 Overager Zackary Shantz was the next to find twine on a grit-and-grind shift. After Jesse Heslop put a shot off the metal, Everett kept the pressure on before Shantz poked a rebound home. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2060552087591936196 After getting taken down behind his own net, DuPont got some revenge by capping off the period with a furious one-timer on a four-on-three powerplay. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2060556789259853987 Everett kept its foot on the gas pedal with another powerplay goal just 45 seconds into the final period. A precision passing play saw Rylan Gould tee up 2026 WHL Playoffs MVP and Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen for a one-timer in the slot. Miettinen's first tuck of the tournament made it 6-1 and spelled the end of Ottawa Senator prospect Lucas Beckman's night in net. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2060563495062810868 From there, the Silvertips locked it down. Precourt would stop all eight shots he faced in relief until the clock ticked down to a 6-1 final. Everett will battle the OHL Champion Kitchener Rangers for the 2026 Memorial Cup on Sunday, May 31, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. PT. "It's the last game of the season, so it's our last game with each other," Bear said postgame. "We're never gonna play with this group of guys again, so obviously it's a special game for sure." for Carl. Carter, just walk us through what you saw playing kitchen in the round robin, and what your preparation will look like for the human resume. TSN will broadcast to fans in Canada, while Victory+ and the NHL Network will carry the games for those in the United States and around the world.

2026 Memorial Cup Head to Head: Miller, Beckman looking for brick-wall performances

Sat, 30 May 2026 00:47:55 +0000

Kelowna, B.C.- Eminem's 'Lose Yourself' is a perennial pregame anthem blasted in hockey rinks around the world- including Prospera Place in Kelowna. While netminders Anders Miller and Lucas Beckman have one opportunity, they'll surely face more than one shot in the 2026 Memorial Cup Semifinal on Friday night. It's all about the goaltenders with a berth in the title match against the Kitchener Rangers on the line. Miller is 2-1-0 at the tournament and coming off a 28-save shutout against the Kelowna Rockets in round-robin action. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound puckstopper from Anchorage, Alaska, has posted a 3.00 goals-against average and .889 save percentage at the tournament. "He's been one of our key players on the team," Silvertips alternate captain Carter Bear said. "He's always there for us in the net. Everyone trusts him in the net, and whenever he needs to make a big save, we always believe in him." https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2058399345817620920 On the flip side, Chicoutimi Sagueneens goalie Beckman is the most highly-touted netminder in Kelowna. The Ottawa Senators prospect is 1-2-0 with a 2.99 GAA and .892 save percentage. Just goes to show how narrow the margins are at this stage. Miller came out with the 'W' in a 5-3 tournament-opening win over Beckman and the Sagueneens last Saturday, making 22 stops to Beckman's 32. After starting the season with the Calgary Hitmen, Everett acquired Miller in a trade in mid-October. The 19-year-old went 35-5-0-0 with a 2.30 GAA, .914 save percentage and four shutouts, finishing second among all WHL netminers in wins, GAA, save percentage and clean sheets. Beckman is a more recent addition to the QMJHL Champion Sagueneens, coming over to Chicoutimi in a blockbuster trade with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on December 27, 2025. The QMJHL Goaltender of the Year finalist went 13-1-0 with his new squad, sporting a 1.52 GAA, .940 save percentage and four shutouts. He also signed his entry-level deal with the Senators on April 21, 2026. The duo will battle 200 feet away from each other at 6:00 p.m. PT at Prospera Place. TSN will broadcast to fans in Canada, while those in the United States and around the world can stream on NHL Network and Victory+.

2026 Memorial Cup Semi-Final Player to Watch: Matias Vanhanen, Everett Silvertips

Fri, 29 May 2026 23:15:17 +0000

Kelowna, B.C.- In December of 2025, Silvertips Head Coach Steve Hamilton knew it was time for a talk with rookie forward Matias Vanhanen. Heading into the holiday break, the youngster had shown tremendous ability in his first season of hockey in North America, but his point totals were looking a little lopsided with seven goals and 37 assists. "We were just noticing early on- powerplays, especially- he was reluctant to shoot," Hamilton explained. "Everybody does their homework and does the pre-scout, and suddenly they're just taking away his passing options, and then as soon as he started to turn the corner and go downhill looking to shoot as well, now you can't just assume that he's passing, and it's made him even more valuable, more dangerous on the ice. He has a heck of a shot, you know. It's just trusting it. He's got all the weapons he needs. I think a lot of it is just mindset, too. As soon as you become a shooter, as well as the playmaker that he is, you're a dual threat." Indeed, Vanhanen has enjoyed a monster season in the WHL, closing out the campaign with 21 goals (including six game-winners) and 66 assists for 87 points and a +58 rating in 62 games. "You always want to score and help the team, so that gets (you) more confident," Vanhanen said. " But you know, I don't care about points that much, just like helping the team win." The 5-foot-10, 175-pound winger from Nokia, Finland, has carried the momentum into the postseason with another 24 points (12G-12A) in the 2026 WHL Playoffs. Now, he's tied for second in scoring among all skaters at the 2026 Memorial Cup with three goals and two assists in three games. Vanhanen's five points have him tied for fourth in all-time points by a Finnish skater at the Memorial Cup, trailing Pentti Lund's record of eight points for the Port Arthur West Ends way back in 1945. "I think he really turned up his game during the playoffs, and obviously right now he's been unbelievable," Vanhanen's linemate and 2025 Detroit Red Wings first-round pick Carter Bear said. "I can't wait for the guy to see (him) in the future, and whoever drafts him is going to get a pretty special player, for sure." Vanhanen, 18, is ranked 54th among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting in the agency's final rankings ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft. But all the talk of records and NHL clubs is on the back burner as Vanhanen focuses on the match ahead. Every contribution is twice as valuable as the 'Tips enter Friday's semifinal match against the QMJHL Champion Chicoutimi Sagueneens. The winner will face the OHL Champion Kitchener Rangers in Sunday's Memorial Cup Final. Vanhanen and the Tips will battle the Sagueneens at 6:00 p.m. PT on Friday, May 29. TSN is broadcasting to fans in Canada, while those in the United States and around the world can follow along on Victory+ and NHL Network.

Silvertips blank Rockets, advance to 2026 Memorial Cup semifinal

Thu, 28 May 2026 05:20:55 +0000

Kelowna, B.C.- It was Christmas in May at Prospera Place with an all-colour jersey matchup between the Kelowna Rockets and Everett Silvertips in the Memorial Cup round-robin finale. However, the Silvertips wouldn't give up a single goal, much less a lump of coal. The shorthanded Silvertips came out flying with a 4-0 over the Rockets to advance to the 2026 Memorial Cup semifinal. Everett has not lost consecutive games in 2025-26. Anders Miller denied all 28 shots he faced for his first Memorial Cup shutout and his sixth clean sheet of the 2025-26 season. "I feel like all the support I had going for this game has just, like, helped me motivate myself to come in there and just kind of play my game, trust my game," Miller said postgame. Matias Vanhanen and Kayd Ruedig each recorded a goal and an assist in the victory. Already entering the tournament without the services of team captain and Anaheim Ducks defensive prospect Tarin Smith, the Silvertips were also without Defenceman of the Year finalist and projected top 2027 NHL Draft pick Landon DuPont for the critical tilt. The battered blueline saw forward Nolan Chastko filling in on a pairing with NHL Draft-eligible Brek Liske. "That was a big, big moment as a group to rally around the fact that, you know, we have to insulate each other," Silvertips Head Coach Steve Hamilton said. "I have to give a shoutout to Nolan Chastko. I mean, Nolan is as consummate a team guy as you find anywhere. The story about him in November coming back and playing defensc for 30 games and moving back to forward... I'm glad we knew we could play there, and just knowing our group, I knew they would recognize the situation and make sure that we were taking care of each other out there. I like the team having made 28 blocks tonight. That's probably a pretty telling stat." The Western League clubs went tit for tat with solid early chances, including a wild sequence that saw Josh Banini stone Jesse Heslop on the doorstep before Anders Miller shut the door on Los Angeles Kings prospect Vojtech Cihar on a two-on-one rush. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2059809480859406647 The WHL Champions hit paydirt midway through the first period as 2026 WHL Trade Deadline acquisition Ruedig turned off the wall and ripped a wrister on net, which trickled past Banini for Ruedig's first goal of the tournament. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2059813341061885979 The PA announcer had barely started announcing the goal before Everett struck again. This time, it was 17-year-old rookie Jaxon Pisani with a point shot that solved the Kelowna netminder. In an interesting twist, the goal marks Pisani's first strike as a Silvertip, scoring in the Memorial Cup before lighting the lamp in WHL play. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2059815185330958426 Pisani's father, retired NHLer Fernando Pisani, was also in attendance to see his son's trivia-worthy goal. "I was pretty ecstatic," the former Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks blueliner said on the TSN broadcast. "You know, to score his first goal in this stage in this environment, I was pretty happy for him." Just over a minute into the second period, NHL Draft-eligible Matias Vanhanen padded the lead as he blocked an attempted zone-clearing pass and wound deep into the Kelowna zone to snap a shot high blocker side. Vanhanen, who is ranked 54th among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft, sits third in goals at the tournament with three. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2059827965001961959 Vanhanen's tuck prompted the Rockets to put fellow NHL Draft-eligible Harrison Boettiger in net. The Wheat Ridge, Col. product stood tall with a series of highlight reel saves, while holding Everett scoreless on three powerplays. Detroit Red Wings first-round pick and Silvertips alternate captain Carter Bear made it 4-0 after collecting his own rebound and lofting a shot past Boettiger. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2059845666906726820 The loss marks the end of the Kelowna Rockets' season. "It wasn't from a lack of care on the bench, it was just, you know, if goals cost $1, we brought 75 cents to the rink with us tonight," Rockets Head Coach Derrick Martin said. "Props to them. I thought they played a good game. They're short-staffed right now. I thought Miller was big when he needed to be big. I didn't think we did a good enough job of testing him in the first 40 minutes. The end result is, unfortunately, we're done." Everett (2-1-0) will now face the QMJHL Champion Chicoutimi Sagueneens in the Memorial Cup semifinal on Friday, May 29, at 6:00 p.m. PT. TSN will broadcast to viewers in Canada, while those in the United States and around the world can follow along on Victory+ and NHL Network.

2026 Memorial Cup Head-to-Head: former Broncos teammates Gould and Kettles face off in round-robin finale

Thu, 28 May 2026 01:04:49 +0000

Kelowna, B.C.- They're a long way from Speedy Creek, but former Swift Current Broncos Peyton Kettles and Rylan Gould are ready to get out of the stable and onto the ice with their new clubs at the 2026 Memorial Cup. The pair suited up for parts of three seasons with the Broncos before Gould was traded to the Everett Silvertips and Kettles was acquired by the Kelowna Rockets three games into the 2025-26 season. Kettles, 18, missed the bulk of the campaign with a shoulder injury that required surgery, but recovered in time to skate in the host squad's Memorial Cup-opening game. The 6-foot-6, 198-pound rearguard also signed his entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins in November after being selected with the 39th overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft. "It's definitely been a long journey, painful too, but just super excited to be able to be on this team and play in the tournament with the guys," Kettles said after Kelowna's match against Kitchener. Gould, 20, is capping off his major junior career in style after winning the West with the Silvertips. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound forward assisted Everett's game-tying goal en route to a 5-3 win over the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in their tournament opener, and logged a goal and a helper in a 6-2 loss to the Kitchener Rangers. While the pair have caught up briefly in Kelowna, it's largely friends off for the Manitobans- Kettles from Winnipeg, and Gould from Headingley, heading into the high-stakes tilt. "I'm excited," Gould said on Tuesday morning. "Peyton's a good player, glad to see him healthy. You never really want to see anyone hurt or sidelined for that long, so it's good to see that he's healthy, but yeah, he won't be my friend tomorrow." "I think it's going to be pretty fun to play against him," Kettles added. "Obviously, guys get traded, and all that stuff, but it's gonna be cool to play against him. (I) train with him in summer, so it's gonna be a lot of fun." There's plenty on the line as Kelowna hunts for its first win of the Memorial Cup and Everett fights to keep its sparkling record of zero back-to-back losses alive. An Everett win would eliminate Kelowna, while a single-goal Rockets win would send Everett to the semifinal and set up a tiebreaker game between Kelowna and Chicoutimi. If Kelowna wins by two or more goals, the Rockets will advance to the semifinal and the Silvertips and Sagueneens will face off in the tiebreaker. The round-robin finale begins at 6:00 p.m. PT on Wednesday, May 27.

2026 Memorial Cup Game 6 Player to Watch: Tij Iginla, Kelowna Rockets

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:23:12 +0000

Kelowna, B.C.- The stage is set, and the stakes are high. Kelowna alternate captain Tij Iginla and his Rockets need a win against the Everett Silvertips to keep their season alive. From there, the sky is the limit. "It's do or die," Iginla said Wednesday morning. "We've just got to have our best game and put our best foot forward and come together as a group and get a big win." The Rockets feel they've built some momentum coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens on Sunday. Iginla and alternate captain Mazden Leslie scored for the home side in the hotly contested affair. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound pivot also owns the second-most faceoff wins of any centre at the tournament with 36 in two games (55.4%). https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2058737396871823420 After two tilts against unfamiliar opponents from the OHL and QMJHL, there's plenty of history to draw on between the Rockets and WHL Champion Silvertips. Everett eliminated Kelowna in five games in the second round of the 2026 WHL Playoffs, though the Rockets were one of only two teams to hand the 'Tips a postseason loss, and two of the games required overtime. Iginla, 19, scored twice against Everett in the playoffs, including the overtime winner to force a Game 5. The series also saw the teams combine for 166 penalty minutes and 45 powerplays. "Any team that plays with a lot of emotion, like we often do, I think has to be mindful of having that discipline and staying out of the box," Iginla added. "I think just trying to play real hard, whistle to whistle, and then in the scrums, being smart and not, you know, punching a guy in the face that's not punching you necessarily." The Utah Mammoth prospect was named a finalist for WHL Player of the Year after bagging 90 points (41G-49A) in 48 regular-season games. He also claimed bronze for Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship with eight points (4G-4A) in seven games. The Lake Country, B.C. product will lean on that experience with the Rockets' backs against the wall. "It's kind of similar to World Juniors in the sense it's that every game, you know, it's not a series," Iginla explained. "I see similarities there, and every player, every team is just doing everything they can." Should Kelowna win by a single goal, they'll face the QMJHL Champion Sagueneens in a tiebreaker match on Thursday. A win by two or more tallies would see Kelowna advance directly to Friday's semifinal, while the Silvertips and Sags would go head-to-head in the tiebreaker. It all gets going at 6:00 p.m. PT at Prospera Place on Wednesday, May 27.

2026 Memorial Cup Game 6 Player to Watch: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips

Thu, 28 May 2026 00:22:35 +0000

Kelowna, B.C.- WHL Playoffs MVP Julius Miettinen and the Everett Silvertips need to do what they've done all season. Bounce back. The WHL Champions haven't lost back-to-back games in the 2025-26 regular season or playoffs. Now, they need to get back in the saddle against an old foe after falling 6-2 to the OHL Champion Kitchener Rangers in Memorial Cup round-robin action. The Tips are going up against the very team they booted from the WHL Playoffs in the second round- the host Kelowna Rockets. Miettinen was a force to be reckoned with in that series, piling up four goals and two assists for six points in five games. The 6-foot-3, 207-pound centreman also won 71 draws against Kelowna for a 55.6% success rate at the dot. https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2043174117738946575 Miettinen, 20, was a force through the postseason with 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points and a +21 rating in 18 games, tying for first in the league in points, sole possession of first in goals, seventh in assists and third in plus/minus. The Seattle Kraken prospect has yet to earn his first points at the Memorial Cup, though he was +2 in a 5-3 win over the QMJHL Champion Chicoutimi Sagueneens in his tournament debut. There's no better time to break through than the round-robin finale against an old rival. Should Everett pick up a win, they'll eliminate the Rockets and book a rematch against the Sagueneens in the semifinal on Friday, May 29. If Kelowna wins by a goal, the Silvertips will still move on to the semifinal, while the Rockets and Sagueneens will dance in a tiebreaker game on Thursday, May 28. But if the Rockets pull ahead by two or more goals, Kelowna is going to the semifinal, and Everett and Chicoutimi go head-to-head on Thursday. Destiny is in the hands of the players. Now, it's time to see who will answer the call. Puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m. PT at Prospera Place. Fans can watch on TSN in Canada and Victory+ and NHL Network outside the country.

Western Hockey League mourns passing of longtime Raider Mark Odnokon

Wed, 27 May 2026 22:31:12 +0000

The Western Hockey League is mourning the passing of Mark Odnokon, longtime member of the Prince Albert Raiders.

The Raiders announced the passing of Odnokon on Sunday. He died at the age of 63.

Most recently, Odnokon served as a Skills Coach for the Raiders during the 2025-26 WHL season.

Hailing from Moose Jaw, Sask., Odnokon’s ties to the Raiders began in the late 1970s, when he played left wing for the Club during its final years in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) from 1978-79 through 1981-82. He helped the Raiders claim three consecutive SJHL titles (1980, 1981, 1982) before the Club joined the Western Hockey League for the 1982-83 season.

Odnokon returned to the Raiders as an assistant coach for two seasons – 1990-91 and 1991-92. He then served a second stint as an assistant coach from 2003-04 through 2006-07.

From 2015-16 through 2019-20, Odnokon was a Skills Coach for the Raiders, and helped the Club claim the WHL Championship in 2019.

Once again, from 2022-23 through this season, Odnokon lent his services as a Skills Coach for the Raiders.

Odnokon’s contributions to the Raiders also included time as the team’s Respect Champion. He was widely regarded as a great mentor for players, providing a safe place and support.

On behalf of the WHL and its 23 member Clubs, we extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to family, friends, and all of Odnokon’s Raider colleagues over his many years.

Vees, Royals complete trade involving signing rights of Graham Jones

Wed, 27 May 2026 15:29:52 +0000

Rockets’ Smith bringing heart and heroics to final WHL season

Wed, 27 May 2026 15:04:17 +0000

Kelowna, B.C.- When 16-year-old Shane Smith was getting his first reps in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers, he didn't just have championship aspirations. He also wanted to make a difference. "Coming into a bigger community, kind of looking up to Western Hockey League players when I was growing up, knowing the impact that they had on me and that I could have on the same kids... It's really huge for me, and kind of something that's always been with me since day one," Smith said. Indeed, some of Smith's most impressive stats have come off the ice. In 2023-24, his sophomore season, the Cessford, Alta. product led the Tigers with more than 200 volunteer hours. Smith was known for his regular school visits in the Medicine Hat area to speak to students about leadership, goal-setting and mental health- and to grab a stick for some floor hockey games. He also helped coach Medicine Hat Minor Hockey players in U19 to U15 age groups while taking part in events like Skate with the Tigers, Canadian Armed Forces Family Skates at CFB Suffield and Tigers Adaptive Floor Hockey Games with the Special Olympics Medicine Hat team ahead of the annual Joey Moss Tournament. To the surprise of no one, he was named a finalist for the Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy, which is awarded annually to the WHL's Humanitarian of the Year. Smith's giving spirit has been a common denominator throughout his time in the league- but a 2024-25 trade to the Lethbridge Hurricanes, combined with some difficult family news, saw him bring a personal cause to the forefront. His niece, Maia, was diagnosed with congenital Cytomegalovirus (CMV) at birth. The virus impacts roughly one in 200 Canadian newborns and is the most common non-genetic cause of birth defects and hearing loss in infants, according to the Canadian CMV Foundation. "She's fortunate to be asymptomatic, which is amazing, but obviously that can change any time," Smith explained. "She goes through two tests a year. Her specific case, they test her hearing twice a year to make sure everything's good. When she was diagnosed, right away it was a big shock for us, because us and my sister and brother-in-law, specifically, because we didn't really know what that was." While playing for the Hurricanes, Smith launched the 'Shane Scores for Maia' campaign, which saw the teen donate $25 for every point he scored to the Canadian CMV Foundation, while creating a platform to spread awareness of the condition. Since then, Smith has raised nearly $3,000 for the organization (the Hurricanes matched his donation after a 30-point run in 2024-25) in the name of now three-year-old Maia. "It's a bit of a smaller foundation, so obviously donating the money is great too, but the biggest part is the recognition to that foundation to make sure that you know people are aware of what can be a serious disease," Smith added. "(I'm going to) continue to do what I can, and what we can do as a family to raise awareness throughout, not just Saskatchewan, where she's living, but the whole country." He's carried the initiative on in Kelowna, where the Rockets had keyed in on him as a strong playmaker and veteran presence ahead of hosting the 2026 Memorial Cup. "He's got a tremendous heart," Rockets Head Coach Derrick Martin said. "He cares about people. His emotional intelligence is off the charts. He knows the impact he has on a room and on the relationships that he carries, and we're just... It's hard to fabricate all the right words to say about him, but he means so much to us as a hockey team. He means so much to me as a coach." Of his four full seasons in the WHL, the Cessford, Alta. product has been named a finalist for the Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy three times, ultimately clinching the award in 2025-26. While he's still chasing the CHL's top prize, Smith says the recognition is one of his proudest achievements. "Probably the highlight in my career so far," Smith said. " It's a great honor to, you know, have that something I wanted to do when I came into the league. Opportunities were pushed towards me, and obviously took advantage of what I could in all three places I played, so just thankful for the opportunity I had in all three places, and continuing to strive to support the community and kind of be that role model around the community and around the league." But don't mistake his giving nature for weakness. Smith will be a key player for the Rockets as they prepare to battle the Everett Silvertips- the very team that knocked them out of the 2026 WHL Playoffs- with their season on the line. "We had some really tough days here, and he was a guy that never quit," Martin added. "I go back to the Everett series, and we go down t3-0. He's a guy that sent me a text and goes, 'I'll never quit, I promise I'll give you my best game. And he never needed to send a text like that. We knew what we were getting with him, but he's just a player that's all in all the time." Kelowna would fall in five games to the eventual WHL Champions- but Smith followed up that text by scoring the game-tying goal with eight seconds left in regulation to set up the Rockets' Game 4 win, and another late game-tying goal in Game 5. He'll look for more of that magic in the rematch between the Rockets and Silvertips on Wednesday, May 27, at 6:00 p.m. PT- with his immediate family in the building and Maia watching on from Saskatchewan.