WHL Power Rankings: Week 25
It’s the penultimate edition of the 2024-25 WHL Power Rankings!
A lot can change in the final weekend of the regular season, but some teams have already staked their claim for home-ice advantage in Round One of the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien.
1. Medicine Hat Tigers
1st Central- 45-17-3-1
How much time do you have?
Medicine Hat is heading into the final weekend of the regular season on an 8-0-0-0 streak after an overtime win against Lethbridge and a regulation win over Red Deer.
It’s a two-horse race for the WHL’s scoring title and Gavin McKenna is just five points behind Andrew Cristall for the lead after netting 11 points in his last two games to sit at 121 (37G-84A).
The top 2026 NHL Draft prospect has also surpassed Sidney Crosby for sole possession of the second-longest point streak by a Canadian Hockey League skater in the 21st century with points in 38 straight matches.
Captain Oasiz Wiesblatt scored the overtime winner against the Hurricanes and had a hat trick against Red Deer to hit 100 points on the season and 100 career goals.
2. Everett Silvertips
1st U.S.- 46-12-4-4
X. Y. Z.
The Silvertips clinched the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as WHL regular season champions for the second time in franchise history with wins over Portland and Spokane.
Nashville Predators prospect Austin Roest scored twice against the Winterhawks and is averaging a point per game in his return to major junior (3G-2A), while exceptional status defenceman Landon DuPont potted the game-winner and grabbed an assist versus the Chiefs.
Plus, rookie netminder Raiden LeGall now leads all WHL goaltenders in goals-against average (2.18) and save percentage (.919).
Everett is locked and loaded to face the Seattle Thunderbirds in Round One of the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien.
The Silvertips have also sold out four straight matches at Angel of the Winds, and they’ll hope to feel the fan support as they play their home finale against Wenatchee on Friday
3. Calgary Hitmen
2nd Central- 44-16-3-3
There’s a new name going into the WHL history book!
With a 21-save performance against Red Deer on Wednesday night, Daniel Hauser became the WHL’s all-time winningest goalie with his 123rd career victory.
Remember, he also tied a league record earlier this season with four consecutive shutouts.
Veteran Oliver Tulk hit 100 points (38G-62A) for the first time in his career and linemate Ben Kindel (34G-64A) isn’t far behind, either.
Plus, veteran Ethan Moore has five goals in his last three games- including a game-winner against the Hurricanes.
The Hitmen and Tigers will clash in their final regular season game on Sunday night in a tilt that could determine who gets the Central Division title and first seed in the Eastern Conference.
The special edition of Wednesday Sunday Night in the Dub will be streamed for free on WHL Live and the league’s YouTube channel.
4. Spokane Chiefs
2nd U.S.- 44-20-1-1
Five different Chiefs players found the back of the net in a 5-1 win against Tri-City, but they couldn’t find an equalizer in a narrow 2-1 loss to Everett.
Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall is up to 126 points (47G-79A) atop the scoring leaderboard.
Cristall and Shea Van Olm (48G) are the closest WHLers to hitting 50 this season.
Dawson Cowan is also third among all WHL netminders in goals-against average (2.61) and leads the pack with 34 wins.
5. Victoria Royals
1st B.C.- 39-17-3-7
The Royals have won three straight to re-take the B.C. Division lead with one last weekend to play.
Utah Hockey Club prospect Justin Kipkie paced his team with six assists, while 2025 NHL Draft-eligible centreman Cole Reschny picked up four points, including two highlight-reel goals against the Rockets in Wednesday Night in the Dub action.
Victoria has major milestones on the horizon with Reschny sitting at 149 career points and sniper Brandon Lisowsky entering this weekend with 298 career points.
But to hit the markers, they’ll need to go through a familiar foe.
6. Prince George Cougars
2nd B.C.- 40-20-4-2
The Cougars have put forward a ferocious push in the last month, going 9-1-0-0 in their last 10 to clinch home-ice advantage in Round One.
Captain and Minnesota Wild prospect Riley Heidt popped off for a goal and six assists in two tilts against the Wenatchee Wild to seize the team scoring lead with 87 points (29G-58A).
The top-ranked goaltender ahead of this year’s NHL Draft, Joshua Ravensbergen, has also moved up to fifth in all-time franchise wins with 59.
Prince George will get a final push for a second-straight B.C. Division title as they host the Royals for the final two games of the regular season at the CN Centre, starting on Friday night.
7. Lethbridge Hurricanes
3rd Central- 41-20-3-2
The Hurricanes dropped a 4-1 lead as they settled for a single point in an overtime loss to Medicine Hat before stumbling against Calgary in regulation.
Still, Nashville Predators pick Miguel Marques has been hot in his return with three goals in his last two games, Brayden Edwards hit 200 career points with a pair of assists and Captain Noah Chadwick picked up a goal and an assist from the blueline.
The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect has 99 career assists entering Friday’s action.
8. Saskatoon Blades
1st East- 37-22-3-4
The East Division is also primed for a photo finish with Saskatoon, Brandon and Prince Albert all within striking distance of the division win and the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
But the Blades have all the momentum right now.
Saskatoon has won three straight and seven of their last 10 games.
Evan Gardner won WHL Goaltender of the Week with his back-to-back shutouts and made 33 saves against the Wheat Kings to leapfrog Brandon for first (at least for now).
The cherry on top?
He also earned his NHL entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets this week.
WHL Rookie of the Week Cooper Williams and 2025 NHL Draft-eligible David Lewandowski also picked up five points each on the week.
Saskatoon wraps things up with a final pair of consequential games against the rival Raiders.
9. Prince Albert Raiders
1st East- 37-23-5-1
The Raiders have also won three games in a row to sit one point behind the Blades leading into Friday’s match at SaskTel Centre.
Alternate captain Aiden Oiring netted a hat trick, including the overtime winner, to down Red Deer before Prince Albert moved on to wins over Edmonton and Moose Jaw.
With two wins on the week, veteran Max Hildebrand has also passed 30 wins for the first time in his career (he sits third among all goaltenders with 31) while sporting a personal-best save percentage of .918.
10. Brandon Wheat Kings
3rd East- 36-23-5-1
The Wheat Kings are just two points behind Saskatoon after coming up short in a 3-1 loss to the Blades on Wednesday.
Still, they took four of a possible six points off the week with a set of wins against Moose Jaw.
Projected 2025 NHL first-round draft pick Roger McQueen tallied a goal and four assists in three games, while Luke Shipley erupted for three goals and three assists.
Brandon will take its shot at the second seed as it wraps up its schedule with a home-and-away against the Regina Pats.
11. Portland Winterhawks
3rd U.S.- 36-26-3-1
Portland pushed hard, but couldn’t find an equalizer in a loss to Everett before going on to wins against Seattle and Vancouver.
Alex Weiermair’s 20th goal of the season kicked off six straight lamp-lighters against the Thunderbirds, highlighted by a two-goal effort from Josh Zakreski that included a shorthanded goal.
Seattle Kraken pick Tyson Jugnauth also racked up another five assists to continue to lead all defencemen with 88 points (13G-75A)/
No matter how the standings shake out, Portland will face either Victoria or Prince George in Round One- setting the stage for a 2024 WHL Playoffs rematch.
12. Edmonton Oil Kings
4th Central- 36-26-2-2
The Oil Kings broke Prince Albert’s shutout bid but couldn’t muster any further offence before erupting for their highest-scoring game of the year against Calgary.
Florida Panthers prospect Gracyn Sawchyn hit 30 goals for the first time against the Hitmen and owns 199 career points.
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Miroslav Holinka led the pack with two goals and one assist, while Ethan Simcoe made a career-high 42 saves in the 8-4 win in Calgary.
13. Vancouver Giants
3rd B.C.- 32-26-8-0
Vancouver managed to split their home-and-away set against the rival Royals before getting doubled up by Portland.
2025 NHL Draft-eligible winger Cameron Schmidt continued his heater with three goals and three assists on the week to reach 39 on the season- the seventh-most of any WHL skater.
Captain Mazden Leslie added another four points to hang on to second in the defenceman scoring race (21G-51A)
The Giants face Kamloops on Friday before closing out the regular season at home against Kelowna.
14. Seattle Thunderbirds
5th U.S- 27-33-4-1
Despite the aforementioned loss against Portland, Seattle also picked up a pair of wins against Tri-City to help them clinch the final berth in the postseason.
The T-Birds scored four unanswered goals in a 6-3 win over the Ams, with Captain and top 2025 draft prospect Braeden Cootes getting first star with a goal and an assist and alternate captain Nathan Pilling leading the team with two goals and three helpers.
Buffalo Sabres prospect Scott Ratzlaff also recorded his 86th career victory with a 40-save effort on March 16.
15. Swift Current Broncos
4th East- 34-29-1-2
The Broncos were blanked by the Blades before splitting a pair against Regina.
Still, there’s plenty to be excited about going into playoffs.
Alternate captain Rylan Gould scored his first WHL hat trick to down the Pats while Luke Mistelbacher added four assists.
Defenceman Hunter Mayo also tallied his first five-point game (2G-3A) against the Pats to reach 19 goals on the season. Only four defenders have cracked 20 this year and he has a chance to join them with two games against Moose Jaw on tap.
16. Tri-City Americans
3rd U.S.- 31-27-6-1
Tri-City will look to crank up the offensive production after going 0-3-0-0 in the league’s penultimate week.
After potting two goals this week, Captain Jake Sloan is one away from hitting the 30-goal threshold for a second straight season. He’s also reached 100 career goals.
Colorado Avalanche prospect Max Curran also chipped in four assists against Seattle and Spokane to hit 101 career points in 102 regular-season games.
Tri-City will wrap up the regular season against Portland, Spokane and Seattle.
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