Prince Albert, Sask. – For the first time in franchise history, the Everett Silvertips have ascended to the top of the Western Hockey League mountain.

The Silvertips secured the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the first time in history, defeating the Prince Albert Raiders by a 7-2 score in Game 5 of the 2026 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien.

GAME SUMMARY PLAYOFF STATISTICS

Florida Panthers prospect Shea Busch put forward his biggest performance of the season, recording a hat trick in the win, while linemate Zackary Shantz tallied three helpers Friday night.

“It’s unreal, it doesn’t feel real,” said Silvertips star Landon DuPont after the game. “Last season, we fell short and that was a terrible feeling. We came back this year and I’m so proud of these guys – coaching staff, trainers, players – just so proud of everyone in this group. So determined and so hardworking – to see it pay off, it’s amazing.

“This is a first-class organization – the way they treat all the players, all the people. It’s truly so unreal I went to a team like this and I couldn’t be more thankful.”

Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen was named 2026 WHL Playoffs MVP after recording 27 points (14G-13A) in 18 games. The 6-foot-3, 207-pound product scored in each of the first four games of the series and logged nine points (4G-5A) over five WHL Championship contests.

“I could have never even dreamed of this,” Miettinen said postgame after being awarded the WHL Playoff MVP. “We were so tight as a group. There isn’t a single guy who can’t play on this team. Amazing guys.”

For the fifth consecutive game, it was the Silvertips opening the scoring. The 6-foot-3, 214-pound Busch tapped home a puck on a two-on-one opportunity only 68 seconds into the affair, giving Everett a quick 1-0 advantage. The goal was Busch’s fifth of the WHL Playoffs and second of the WHL Championship Series.

The Silvertips doubled their lead with 4:03 to go in the first period, as defenceman Mattias Uyeda sent a long wrist shot to the top corner for his second goal of the playoffs. After 20 minutes of play, the Silvertips owned a 2-0 lead on the scoreboard, thanks in part to a sizeable 14-5 margin on the shot clock.

The Raiders weren’t without some fight. Veteran forward Brayden Dube tallied his seventh goal of the playoffs 3:38 into the second period, injecting some life back into the over-capacity crowd of 3,299 at the Art Hauser Centre.

Prince Albert continued to build momentum through the second period. With 10:04 on the clock, 2026 NHL Draft-eligible forward Jonah Sivertson drove the net for a great opportunity, only to by stymied by Silvertips netminder Anders Miller, who made arguably his best save of the night.

Shortly after Miller’s showstopper, the Silvertips took control.

2026 NHL Draft-eligible defenceman Brek Liske tallied what went on to be the game-winning and championship-clinching goal on a great individual effort that eluded Raiders goaltender Michal Orsulak with 5:09 to go in the second period. Before the middle period came to a close, Busch found the back of the net for a second time in the contest, converting on a power play with 44 seconds remaining.

Busch, who hails from North Vancouver, B.C., maintained the hot hand to start the third period, recording his third goal of the game 6:17 in. A mere 50 seconds later, 20-year-old Nolan Chastko piled on, giving the visitors a commanding 6-1 lead.

The heart and soul of the Raiders – captain Justice Christensen – refused to give in. Midway through the third period, the Red Deer product used a power-play opportunity to score his fourth goal of the WHL Championship to give his team a breath of life.

But DuPont, the 16-year-old phenom, quickly snuffed it out, notching his fifth goal of the postseason to restore Everett’s five-goal advantage.

At the end of the outing, Everett had outshot Prince Albert by a 36-24 margin. The Silvertips were 2-for-5 on the power play, while the Raiders went 1-for-5 with the man advantage.

In net, Miller made 22 saves to secure his 16th win of the 2026 WHL Playoffs.

Silvertips alternate captain Jesse Heslop enjoyed a multipoint night (2A), as did Liske (1G-1A).

Having won their first WHL Championship since first joining the WHL in 2003-04, the Silvertips now advance to the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota, scheduled for Friday, May 22, to Sunday, May 31, in Kelowna, B.C.

The WHL Champion Silvertips begin their Memorial Cup quest Saturday, May 23, against the champions of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. The QMJHL champion is still to be determined with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens leading the Moncton Wildcats 3-2 in the best-of-seven battle for the Gilles Courteau Trophy.

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 consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 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 over 50 years. The WHL is also the 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.

The WHL Playoff MVP award is presented to a player deemed to have made the strongest contribution to his Club throughout the WHL Playoffs, as voted by members of the media.

The prospect of the Seattle Kraken is the first Finnish-born player to earn WHL Playoff MVP honours, and only the second import player to accomplish the feat, following former Kelowna Rockets star Leon Draisaitl, who made history in 2014.

The 6-foot-3, 207-pound centre helped Everett claim the franchise’s first Ed Chynoweth Cup. The Silvertips had previously appeared in two WHL Championships, including during the team’s expansion season (2003-04) and most recently in 2017-18.

Selected by the Kraken in the second round (40th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft, Miettinen tallied 27 points to finish tied for the scoring lead in the 2026 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien,

Originally selected by the Silvertips in the first round (30th overall) of the 2023 CHL Import Draft, the 20-year-old product of Helsinki, Finland, had his way during the WHL Championship, recording nine points.

Miettinen scored in four of the five games of the WHL Championship, and he collected multipoint efforts in four of the five outings as well.

In Game 2 at Angels of the Winds Arena, the power forward posted four points (1G-3A), including three primary helpers, as the Silvertips registered a 6-2 win to even the best-of-seven series at one game apiece.

Game 3 at the Art Hauser Centre represented the only contest in which Miettinen was limited to one point. But he made that one point count, tallying the game-winning goal with only 4:28 to go in regulation, breaking a 2-2 tie and vaulting the Silvertips to a 3-2 victory and 2-1 series lead.

Miettinen is the first forward to be named WHL Playoff MVP since Glenn Gawdin of the Swift Current Broncos in 2018.

Over 154 career WHL regular season games, Miettinen has logged 182 points (77G-105A).

WHL Playoff MVPs

2025 – Harrison Meneghin, Medicine Hat Tigers 2024 – Denton Mateychuk, Moose Jaw Warriors 2023 – Thomas Milic, Seattle Thunderbirds 2022 – Kaiden Guhle, Edmonton Oil Kings 2021 – not presented due to COVID-19 2020 – not presented due to COVID-19 2019 – Ian Scott, Prince Albert Raiders 2018 – Glenn Gawdin, Swift Current Broncos 2017 – Mathew Barzal, Seattle Thunderbirds 2016 – Nolan Patrick, Brandon Wheat Kings 2015 –  Leon Draisaitl, Kelowna Rockets 2014 – Griffin Reinhart, Edmonton Oil Kings 2013 – Ty Rattie, Portland Winterhawks 2012 – Laurent Brossoit, Edmonton Oil Kings 2011 – Nathan Lieuwen, Kootenay ICE 2010 – Martin Jones, Calgary Hitmen 2009 – Tyler Myers, Kelowna Rockets 2008 – Tyler Johnson, Spokane Chiefs 2007 – Matt Keetley, Medicine Hat Tigers 2006 – Gilbert Brule, Vancouver Giants 2005 – Shea Weber, Kelowna Rockets 2004 – Kevin Nastiuk, Medicine Hat Tigers 2003 – Jesse Schultz, Kelowna Rockets 2002 – Duncan Milroy, Kootenay ICE 2001 – Shane Bendera, Red Deer Rebels 2000 – Dan Blackburn, Kootenay ICE 1999 – Brad Moran, Calgary Hitmen 1998 – Brent Belecki, Portland Winter Hawks 1997 – Blaine Russell, Lethbridge Hurricanes 1996 – Bobby Brown, Brandon Wheat Kings 1995 – Nolan Baumgartner, Kamloops Blazers 1994 – Steve Passmore, Kamloops Blazers 1993 – Andrew Schneider, Swift Current Broncos 1992 – Jarrett Deuling, Kamloops Blazers

The Silvertips clinched the Ed Chynoweth Cup with a 7-2 win over the Eastern Conference Champion Prince Albert Raiders in Game 5 of the 2026 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien.

A three-goal performance from Florida Panthers prospect Shea Busch propelled the Silvertips to victory in Game 5.

The Silvertips run to the WHL Championship was a dominant one, beginning with a four-game sweep of the Portland Winterhawks to open the 2026 WHL Playoffs.

The second round featured another five-game triumph – this one over the 2026 Memorial Cup-host Kelowna Rockets – and led into a four-game sweep of the expansion Penticton Vees in the WHL’s Western Conference Championship.

Through 18 games, the Silvertips went 16-2, including an even 8-1 at home and 8-1 on the road.

The impressive postseason came on the heels of a second consecutive Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy, as the Silvertips claimed the WHL Regular Season crown once again, this time thanks to an all-time franchise best record of 57-8-2-1.

Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen powered the offense with 27 points in 18 games. The Finnish forward’s impressive postseason followed up a strong regular season that featured a career high 35 goals, 41 assists, and 76 points in 52 games.

Defenceman Landon DuPont anchored the blueline, tallying 23 points in 18 games. The 16-year-old product of Calgary, Alta., was called upon to take on an even larger role in the absence of Silvertips captain Tarin Smith, who was knocked out of action after four playoff games. Like Miettinen, DuPont built upon an outstanding regular season that included career highs in goals (18), assists (55), and points (73).

Between the pipes, Anders Miller of Anchorage, Alaska, was the goalie of record in all 18 games, going 16-2.

Up front, it wasn’t just Miettinen who made a mark on the WHL Championship. His line, featuring Detroit Red Wings prospect Carter Bear and 2026 NHL Draft-eligible forward Matias Vanhanen wreaked havoc throughout. Bear finished the playoffs with 22 points while Vanhanen further cemented his status as a valuable prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft after tallying 24 points.

General Manager Mike Fraser, who finished as a finalist for WHL Executive of the Year, built a quality squad, making key acquisitions that helped bolster the lineup through the season. Adding Philadelphia Flyers prospect Luke Vlooswyk via trade with the Red Deer Rebels added size and range to the blueline. The addition of Kayd Ruedig from the Kamloops Blazers added valuable depth on the backend.

Arguably the biggest addition of them all was the trade for Miller, who came to Everett early in the season from the Calgary Hitmen. Not only was he a rock during the 2026 WHL Playoffs, he logged 29 wins alongside a 2.12 GAA, .920 SV%, and four shutouts for the Silvertips after landing in the Pacific Northwest.

Behind the bench, veteran head coach Steve Hamilton was named WHL Coach of the Year and guided his Club to the promised land. This marks Hamilton’s first WHL Championship as a head coach. He previously won the WHL Championship as an assistant (2012) and associate coach (2014) with the Edmonton Oil Kings.

The Silvertips roster featured five NHL drafted prospects, including Miettinen, Bear, Shea Busch (Florida Panthers), Vlooswyk, and Smith. Everett’s squad also included 2026 NHL Draft-eligible players – Vanhanen (54th, N.A. skaters) and defenceman Brek Liske (44^th, N.A. skaters).

Joining the WHL for the 2003-04 season, the Silvertips first advanced to the WHL Championship in 2004 – a remarkable feat for an expansion team. Ultimately, the Silvertips fell to the Medicine Hat Tigers in 2004. Everett’s next trip to the WHL Championship came in 2017-18 where they were stymied by the Swift Current Broncos.

Representing the Western Hockey League, the Silvertips will look to claim the franchise’s first Memorial Cup title when they travel to Kelowna, B.C., for the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota from May 22-31.

The Memorial Cup – largely considered to be one of the most difficult trophies to win in hockey – features the championship teams from the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, along with the host Club competing in a round-robin tournament.

The OHL will be represented by the Kitchener Rangers, while the QMJHL has yet to crown a champion – the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Moncton Wildcats continue to compete for a ticket to the 2026 Memorial Cup.

About the Ed Chynoweth Cup

In 2007, the WHL Championship trophy was rededicated in honour of the late Ed Chynoweth. The Ed Chynoweth Cup was presented for the first time during the 2008 WHL Championship Series.

From Dodsland, Sask., Chynoweth was the driving force behind the growth and development of Major Junior hockey throughout Canada. He served as President of the WHL from 1972 through 1995, before becoming the majority owner of the WHL’s Edmonton ICE in 1996. After relocating to Cranbrook, B.C., Chynoweth’s ICE franchise won WHL Championships in 2000 and 2002, along with a Memorial Cup title in 2002.

Chynoweth also served as President of the Canadian Hockey League from 1975 to 1995. He was a member of the selection committee for the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Ed Chynoweth passed away April 22, 2008, at the age of 66, following a courageous battle with kidney cancer. He was posthumously inducted as a Builder into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 10, 2008.

The 6-foot, 183-pound product of Sherwood Park, Alta., has put up four points (1G-3A) in four games of the WHL Championship and sits tied for fourth in WHL Playoff scoring with 22 points (7G-15A) in 19 games.

The Raiders are up against the wall, down 3-1 in the best-of-seven WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien. Now, their goal is to do something only one other team has ever done over the course of WHL history – erase the 3-1 deficit to claim the WHL crown.

“We’re just taking it a game at a time, a shift at a time,” Cootes said. “It is what it is. If you would have told us at the start of playoffs that we would be in this position, we would take it. Enjoy the moment and play our game.

“We need to stick to our process and what we’ve been talking about the whole time. The whole playoffs that has made us successful. Play free out there, play our game and have confidence. Take it a shift at a time, a period at a time and hopefully we get the one win and can go back to Everett.”

Only the Victoria Cougars have ever accomplished that feat, coming from behind to knock off the Calgary Wranglers in the 1981 WHL Championship.

With that said, this Raiders team knows about the art of the comeback. In 2024, they erased a 3-1 series deficit – albeit not in the WHL Championship – to knock off the Edmonton Oil Kings in the first round of the 2024 WHL Playoffs.

Selected by the Canucks in the first round (15th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, the 19-year-old Cootes was named the WHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player for the 2025-26 season after recording 63 points (24G-39A) in 45 games.

Originally selected by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the first round (10th overall) of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, Cootes has secured 162 points (64G-98A) in 176 regular season games.

Game 5 of the 2026 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien is set Friday, May 15, at 7:30 p.m. MT as the Prince Albert Raiders host the Everett Silvertips. The winner of the best-of-seven series will advance to the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota in Kelowna, B.C., which is scheduled for Friday, May 22, through Sunday, May 31.

All seven games of the WHL Championship Series are available in Canada on TSN. Viewers can also stream the entire series globally and for FREE on Victory+.

The 19-year-old product of West St. Paul, Man., is enjoying a stellar run through the 2026 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien, skating on a line with Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen and 2026 NHL Draft-eligible prospect Matias Vanhanen.

In Game 4, Bear recorded the game-winning goal, giving the Silvertips a 3-1 series lead and putting the franchise on the brink of claiming its first ever Ed Chynoweth Cup.

“Emotions are running through – a lot of excitement for sure,” Bear said. “We can do something today that is really special, but we can’t think about it that much. We have to wait until it comes and be ready when it comes to game time.”

Over the entire WHL Playoffs, the 6-foot, 177-pound left winger has racked up 22 points (7G-15A) in 17 postseason contests.

Selected by the Red Wings in the first round (13th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, Bear’s 2025-26 regular season featured 77 points (36G-41A) in 53 games.

The third-year WHL forward was originally selected by the Silvertips in the sixth round (132nd overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft and has collected 218 points (102G-116A) in 195 career regular season outings.

https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2055370381972889630?s=20

Game 5 of the 2026 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien is set Friday, May 15, at 7:30 p.m. MT as the Prince Albert Raiders host the Everett Silvertips. The winner of the best-of-seven series will advance to the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota in Kelowna, B.C., which is scheduled for Friday, May 22, through Sunday, May 31.

All seven games of the WHL Championship Series are available in Canada on TSN. Viewers can also stream the entire series globally and for FREE on Victory+.

Prince Albert, Sask. – The Everett Silvertips are on the verge of a franchise first Ed Chynoweth Cup following a 5-2 win over the Prince Albert Raiders in Game 4 of the 2026 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien Wednesday at the Art Hauser Centre.

“That was a grind,” said Steve Hamilton, Head Coach of the Silvertips. “You can bend, you can’t break. Our guys got some timely offense, got some great goaltending, some pretty key penalty kills and that was probably the difference in the game.”

GAME SUMMARY PLAYOFF STATISTICS

Florida Panthers prospect Shea Busch put the game out of reach when he scored his fourth goal of the postseason with 9:40 to go in the third period, giving Everett a 4-2 advantage. 2026 NHL Draft-eligible forward Matias Vanhanen extended the cushion by scoring an empty-net goal with 2:25 remaining in regulation.

“I just got to credit my linemate [Zack Shantz] there,” Busch said postgame. “I was lucky enough for that one to go in the back of the net.”

Through 40 minutes of play, the game was up for grabs, with the Silvertips carrying a 2-1 lead into the third period.

Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen continued to impose his will on the WHL Championship, recording another multipoint night with a goal and an assist. A mere 32 seconds into the affair, the burly Finn slammed home a rebound for his 14th goal of the postseason, giving Everett a 1-0 advantage. Fellow Finn Vanhanen drove down the right wing and shovelled the puck towards the net, resulting in a rebound that Miettinen made quick work of.

The Raiders were boosted by the return of Dallas Stars prospect Brandon Gorzynski, who had been out of the lineup since Game 3 of the WHL Eastern Conference Championship Series presented by Nutrien. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound product of Scottsdale, Ariz., made an immediate impact, tallying his fifth goal of the playoffs 9:53 into the second period, injecting life into the over-capacity crowd of 3,299 at Prince Albert’s Art Hauser Centre.

“Obviously, it’s the championship and everyone wants to play in games like this,” Gorzynski said Wednesday night. “It was special for that goal to go in and to even be playing tonight.

“Obviously, you want to play in special games like this in the playoffs. When Puff [Duane Bartley] said it was my choice to play tonight, it was a no brainer. How many times do you get to play in the Championship Series?”

As the second period wound down, the Raiders had built momentum off the strength of back-to-back power plays. A late penalty against Prince Albert stole the energy and veteran forward Rylan Gould made the hosts pay, finishing off a pass from Miettinen to restore the Everett lead with 1:17 to go in the second period.

The Silvertips continued to make the Raiders pay on special teams, as Detroit Red Wings prospect Carter Bear collected his seventh goal of the postseason with a power-play marker 4:24 into the third period, giving Everett a 3-1 lead at the time.

Raiders captain Justice Christensen provided a quick response, tallying his fourth goal of the postseason and third of the WHL Championship to make it a 3-2 game, but it wasn’t enough for the Raiders on this night as the Silvertips claimed a stranglehold on the best-of-seven series.

“Our guys played hard right to the end,” said Ryan McDonald, Head Coach of the Raiders. “Really liked our effort, liked our compete. Consistency, at times, we needed to make sure was there. But again, really liked our push, liked our urgency, and desperation as we continued to settle into the game. We got to our push in the second period and created some o-zone chaos and some havoc, got to our Raider way. For us, making sure our emotions are in check and we’re three or less on the penalty clock. That was a hard-fought battle.”

Silvertips defenceman Landon DuPont finished Game 4 with two helpers, pushing his playoff point total to 22 points (4G-18A) in 17 games.

“It helps when you have the team and the D-core that we have,” DuPont said. “Everyone is stepping up – whether you’re a 16-year-old or a 20-year-old.”

Miettinen’s multipoint night pushed him to 27 points and into a tie for the WHL Playoffs scoring lead with Raiders defenceman Daxon Rudolph, who returned to the series following a one-game suspension.

In net, Anders Miller turned in a 31-save performance to secure his 14th victory of the 2026 WHL Playoffs. The 19-year-old product of Anchorage, Alaska, has enjoyed an outstanding postseason with a record of 15-1-1-0, a 1.91 goals-against average, .933 save percentage, and one shutout.

Everett outshot Prince Albert by a narrow margin of 35-33.

The Silvertips wrapped Game 4 having converted on two of five power-play opportunities, while the Raiders went 0-for-6.

The Everett Silvertips lead the best-of-seven WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien 3-1 through four games. Game 5 of the WHL Championship Series is set for 7:30 p.m. MT on Friday, May 15, at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert, Sask. The winner of the best-of-seven series will advance to the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota in Kelowna, B.C., which is scheduled for Friday, May 22, through Sunday, May 31.

All seven games of the WHL Championship Series are available in Canada on TSN. Viewers can also stream the entire series globally and for FREE on Victory+.

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 consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 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 over 50 years. The WHL is also the 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.

Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, the 6-foot-2, 188-pound, right-shot rearguard logged two assists in a big Game 3 win that put the Silvertips out front 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

“We’ve been consistently good, I think, we just have to keep at it,” Liske said before Game 4. “I think we grinded them down as the game went on. We’re consistently getting hits in and doing the things that we do well.

“We had more of an attack mentality, played on our toes more. That’s what we did and it worked, so that’s our goal for tonight.”

In 16 postseason appearances, the 18-year-old product of Beausejour, Man., has secured 14 points (3G-11A).

A former first-round pick (10th overall) of the Silvertips in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, Liske is ranked 44th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting for the 2026 NHL Draft.

In 121 career WHL regular season games, the mobile blueliner has posted 37 points (10G-27A).

Game 4 of the 2026 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien is set Wednesday, May 13, at 7:30 p.m. MT as the Prince Albert Raiders host the Everett Silvertips. The winner of the best-of-seven series will advance to the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota in Kelowna, B.C., which is scheduled for Friday, May 22, through Sunday, May 31.

All seven games of the WHL Championship Series are available in Canada on TSN. Viewers can also stream the entire series globally and for FREE on Victory+.

If the Raiders hope to even the best-of-seven slate, the 20-year-old product of Calgary, Alta., will need to exert his influence once again in Game 4 at the Art Hauser Centre.

“We reset after yesterday and came in here with a positive mindset,” Heise said prior to Game 4. “We know tonight’s a big game and so we’ll be ready.

“I thought we got pucks under [last night], we were physical, and we have got to stay out of the box. We have to get our shot volume up, is the biggest thing. We watched video on that, had our meetings, we will be ready to go.”

The 6-foot-3, 172-pound prospect of the San Jose Sharks registered the first goal of the game for the Raiders on Tuesday evening, and was all around it throughout the entirety of the contest.

In 14 WHL Playoff games, the first-year WHL forward has collected six points (4G-2A), building off a stellar regular season that featured 63 points (29G-34A) in 63 games. Not only has Heise contributed as a reliable two-way presence, he has served as a leader in his first WHL season after being named an alternate captain earlier in the campaign.

Selected by the Raiders in the third round (55th overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Heise committed to the WHL route ahead of the 2025-26 season, after the landscape of hockey’s development model shifted in November 2024.

The San Jose Sharks called Heise’s name in the fifth round (150th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft.

Game 4 of the 2026 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien is set Wednesday, May 13, at 7:30 p.m. MT as the Prince Albert Raiders host the Everett Silvertips. The winner of the best-of-seven series will advance to the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota in Kelowna, B.C., which is scheduled for Friday, May 22, through Sunday, May 31.

All seven games of the WHL Championship Series are available in Canada on TSN. Viewers can also stream the entire series globally and for FREE on Victory+.

The Sharks announced the signing Wednesday morning.

“Carson brings size, scoring touch, a high motor and strong character to our organization,” said Mike Grier, General Manager of the Sharks. “We are excited to add him to our group and continue his development in San Jose.”

Wetsch, a 20-year-old product of North Vancouver, B.C., enjoyed a career campaign in the Okanagan as captain of the Rockets. In 65 regular season contests, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound right winger recorded a career best 50 assists and 72 points, adding 22 goals.

Not only were Wetsch’s 50 helpers a career best, they also landed him tied atop the Rockets assist chart with defenceman Mazden Leslie. Wetsch’s 72 points ranked second in Kelowna, trailing only Utah Mammoth prospect Tij Iginla (41G-49A–90 points).

The 2025-26 season featured five multi-goal performances for the veteran Wetsch.

“Carson is a player who earned everything through hard work,” said Bruce Hamilton, President and General Manager of the Rockets. “Four years in the WHL has prepared him well and we couldn’t be happier to see him rewarded with an NHL contract.”

A veteran of four WHL seasons, Wetsch was selected by the Sharks in the third round (82nd overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft. The Rockets named him the 30th captain in franchise on October 7, 2025. Prior to serving as the captain in Kelowna, Wetsch was the 32nd captain in Calgary Hitmen franchise history.

Originally selected by the Hitmen in the first round (12th overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Wetsch played three seasons in the Stampede City before being traded to the Memorial Cup host Rockets on May 7, 2025.

The Rockets sent an impressive package to Calgary in exchange for the Sharks prospect and a conditional second-round pick in 2028, moving out 2026 NHL Draft-eligible defenceman Ben MacBeath, a 2027 first-round pick, 2025 second-round pick, and 2025 fourth-round pick.

In 246 career WHL regular season outings, Wetsch has tallied 196 points (90G-106A). He has posted another 11 points (8G-3A) in 24 games.

Wetsch and the Rockets are set to welcome the rest of the Canadian Hockey League for the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota beginning Friday, May 22.

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