Red Wings prospect Finnie named Tempo WHL Player of the Week
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Emmitt Finnie of the Kamloops Blazers has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending February 11, 2024.
The Detroit Red Wings prospect led all WHLers with seven goals, two assists and a plus-three rating in three games.
Finnie kicked his week off with a bone-crunching hit on Seattle’s Nico Myatovic to steal the puck and set up Ashton Ferster’s game-opening goal on February 7. In a crucial third-period penalty kill, Finnie picked off a Thunderbirds pass to streak up the ice on a breakaway and slip a five-hole shot through the pads of Scott Ratzlaff to seal a 4-1 victory at the Sandman Centre.
The Blazers would trail the Kelowna Rockets 6-0 in their next game out, but Finnie helped minimize the damage by ripping a powerplay marker past Jari Kykkanen to get Kamloops on the board late in the second period. The alternate captain would add a second with a nifty deflection in front of the Kelowna net in the final frame, though the Blazers would ultimately fall by a score of 6-3.
However, Finnie would get the final word in a rematch the following night. With Kelowna leading 2-1 in the middle frame, Finnie leveled the match with a sharp angle shot that pinballed off a Rockets player and into the net. He’d help the Blazers take their first lead of the game with an assist on a Harrison Brunicke powerplay goal. Finnie found the scoresheet again after cutting in the slot from behind the Kelowna net and firing a no-look backhander past Kykkanen for what would stand as the game-winner. The Rockets would get within one in the third period, but Finnie ripped another shot from an impossible angle to score his first WHL hat trick and restore the two-goal lead. He’d add an empty net for good measure to cap off a 7-3 win and five-point night.
The Lethbridge, Alta. product leads the Blazers with 16 goals and 30 assists for 46 points in 45 games.
He’s currently riding an 11-game point streak that’s seen him pile up 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points.
Finnie was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the seventh round, 201st overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Kamloops (16-30-3-2) is 7-3-0-0 in its last 10 games.
The Blazers get back in the saddle to face the northern rival Prince George Cougars (35-15-0-2) at the CN Centre on February 16.
2023-24 Tempo WHL Player of the Week
February 5, 2024: Egor Sidorov, Saskatoon Blades (Anaheim Ducks)
January 29, 2024: Carter Yakemchuk, Calgary Hitmen
January 22, 2024: Luca Cagnoni, Portland Winterhawks (San Jose Sharks)
January 15, 2024: Matthew Savoie, Moose Jaw Warriors (Buffalo Sabres)
January 8, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
January 2, 2024: Chase Bertholet, Spokane Chiefs
December 18, 2023: Tij Iginla, Kelowna Rockets
December 11, 2023: Dominik Rymon, Everett Silvertips
December 4, 2023: Conor Geekie, Wenatchee Wild (Arizona Coyotes)
November 27, 2023: Andrew Basha, Medicine Hat Tigers
November 20, 2023: Koehn Ziemmer, Prince George Cougars (Los Angeles Kings)
November 13, 2023: Gabe Klassen, Portland Winterhawks
November 6, 2023: Trevor Wong, Saskatoon Blades
October 30, 2023: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)
October 23, 2023: Andrew Cristall, Kelowna Rockets (Washington Capitals)
October 16, 2023: Ryder Ritchie, Prince Albert Raiders
October 10, 2023: Easton Armstrong, Wenatchee Wild
October 2, 2023: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)
September 25, 2023: Zac Funk, Prince George Cougars
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 offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 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 close to 60 years. The WHL is also a 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.
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