New York Islanders prospect Kvasnicka named Sandman WHL Rookie of the Week

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today New York Islanders prospect Jacob Kvasnicka of the Penticton Vees has been named Sandman WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending Sunday, April 19.

Kvasnicka, an 18-year-old product of Burnsville, Minn., recorded four points (2G-2A) and a plus-2 rating in four games as the Vees completed a six-game triumph over the Prince George Cougars to advance to the WHL Western Conference Championship presented by Nutrien.

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound right winger tallied the insurance goal Tuesday, April 14, in Game 3, as the Vees posted a 5-3 win at Prince George. The win was Penticton’s first after falling behind 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.

The following night – Wednesday, April 15 – Kvasnicka registered two assists as the Vees scored a 5-2 triumph to even the series 2-2. Kvasnicka’s first assist came on a power play with 4:16 remaining in regulation, as he set up captain Nolan Stevenson for went onto the scoresheet as the game-winning goal.  Kvasnicka added another primary power-play assist on a goal by Brady Birnie with 51 seconds remaining.

After being held off the scoresheet in Game 5, Kvasnicka made his mark when it mattered most Sunday, April 19, in Game 6. Back in the CN Centre in Prince George, Kvasnicka scored the game-winning and series-clinching goal 2:16 into overtime, helping the Vees advance to the WHL Western Conference Championship as an expansion team. Earlier in the contest, Kvasnicka survived a thundering check from Cougars defenceman Corbin Vaughan, who levelled the WHL rookie at the blueline. The heavy hit didn’t slow Kvasnicka, who returned and pounced on a rebound in overtime to send the Vees to the WHL’s final four.

With 13 points (7G-6A) in 11 games, Kvasnicka is tied for fifth in scoring among all players in the 2026 WHL Playoffs. His seven goals are good enough to be tied for third across the WHL. Kvasnicka’s three insurance markers are tied for first in the WHL Playoffs.

Kvasnicka’s first tour in the WHL has been a success. The U.S.-born winger led the Vees in regular season scoring with 85 points (35G-50A) and was named to the WHL Western Conference Second All-Star Team for his performance. He is also a finalist for the WHL’s Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the WHL’s Rookie of the Year.

Selected by the New York Islanders in the seventh round (202nd overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, Kvasnicka signed a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement with the Vees in September 2025. The Vees acquired Kvasnicka’s rights from the Wenatchee Wild in June 2025, sending a package that included forward Aidan Grossklaus, a first-round pick in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, and a second-round pick in the 2029 WHL Prospects Draft to Wenatchee.

Kvasnicka and the Vees continue their inaugural WHL season Thursday, April 23 (7:05 p.m. PT), when they take on the Everett Silvertips in Game 1 of the WHL Western Conference Championship Series. Stream the entire best-of-seven series FREE on Victory+.

Sandman WHL Rookie of the Week

September 22, 2025: JP Hurlbert, Kamloops Blazers
September 29, 2025: Chase Surkan, Brandon Wheat Kings
October 6, 2025: Jacob Kvasnicka, Penticton Vees
October 14, 2025: Carter Casey, Medicine Hat Tigers
October 20, 2025: Andrei Molgachev, Calgary Hitmen
October 27, 2025: Chase Surkan, Brandon Wheat Kings
November 3, 2025: Dylan Dean, Edmonton Oil Kings
November 10, 2025: Kale Dach, Calgary Hitmen
November 17, 2024: Brock England, Seattle Thunderbirds
November 24, 2025: Colt Carter, Moose Jaw Warriors
December 1, 2025: JP Hurlbert, Kamloops Blazers
December 8, 2025: Boston Tait, Wenatchee Wild
December 15, 2025: Tyson Moss, Medicine Hat Tigers
December 22, 2025: Ludovic Perreault, Victoria Royals
December 29, 2025: Mason Kraft, Wenatchee Wild
January 5, 2026: Jacob Kvasnicka, Penticton Vees
January 12, 2026: Jacob Kvasnicka, Penticton Vees
January 19, 2026: Prab Bhathal, Brandon Wheat Kings
January 26, 2026: Andrei Molgachev, Calgary Hitmen
February 2, 2026: Matias Vanhanen, Everett Silvertips
February 9, 2026: Kale Dach, Calgary Hitmen
February 16, 2026: Jonah Sivertson, Prince Albert Raiders
February 23, 2026: Vojtech Cihar, Kelowna Rockets
March 2, 2026: Matias Vanhanen, Everett Silvertips
March 9, 2026: Easton Daneault, Lethbridge Hurricanes
March 16, 2026: Ben Harvey, Prince Albert Raiders
March 23, 2026: Poul Andersen, Red Deer Rebels
March 30, 2026: Brock Cripps, Prince Albert Raiders
April 6, 2026: Vojtech Cihar, Kelowna Rockets
April 13, 2026: Matias Vanhanen, Everett Silvertips

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.