WHL Power Rankings: Week Eight
By golly, they did it.
1. Tri-City Americans
2nd U.S.- 13-3-1-0
They don’t make it easy, but they sure do make it entertaining.
The Tri-City Americans have won 12 straight games to set a modern franchise record and claim top spot for the first time in the WHL Power Rankings.
Tri-City downed the league-leading Silvertips 8-6 in a high-scoring affair before steamrolling Red Deer 7-2 and erasing a 3-1 deficit to defeat Calgary in overtime.
Veteran Carter MacAdams led his team with four goals and three assists, while NHL Draft-eligible Jordan Gavin had three goals and four assists of his own.
Nathan Preston was also named WHL Goaltender of the Week with a 47-save effort against the Rebels.
Can the Ams stretch the streak to a lucky number 13? They’ll try to keep the good times rolling on the road as they kick off an East Division road trip in Prince Albert on Friday.
2. Everett Silvertips
1st U.S.- 15-3-1-0
The Silvertips have been dethroned in the Power Rankings, but not the standings.
After falling to the Americans, Everett rebounded with big wins over Calgary (5-3) and Red Deer (6-1).
The league leaders boast an insane +41 goal differential thanks to some stingy defence and soaring performances from its skaters.
Dominik Rymon paced the squad with seven points (all assists) on the week, while 2025 NHL Draft-eligible Carter Bear scored his league-leading fifth game-winning goal.
Oh yeah, Seattle Kraken prospect Kaden Hammell also potted a shorthanded game-winner to lead all WHL defencemen in plus/minus at +22.
3. Prince George Cougars
1st B.C.- 11-4-3-2
A combined 12,000 fans piled into the CN Centre last weekend expecting to watch some hockey games.
Instead, they basically watched Los Angeles Kings prospect Koehn Ziemmer’s coronation as the goal-scoring King of the North with back-to-back wins against the Vancouver Giants.
Ziemmer netted his second hat trick of the season in a 7-1 win on Friday before picking up another two goals (including the overtime winner) and an assist in a 5-4 extra-time victory.
The Cats alternate captain enters this weekend’s matches in a four-way tie for second in the WHL goals race with 17, despite playing the fewest games of any player in the top 10.
4. Swift Current Broncos
1st East- 12-5-1-0
The Broncos do be bucking.
Swift Current has won five straight games to overtake Saskatoon for first in the Eastern Conference and crack the Power Rankings top five for the first time this season.
Luke Mistelbacher erupted for three goals (including one overtime tally) and six assists in three games and Seattle Kraken prospect Clarke Caswell is right up there with five points of his own.
Without much fanfare, Mistelbacher has hit 100 career WHL points and currently owns the top point streak in the league with 11 goals and 19 assists in 14 straight games.
Plus, the Broncos have plenty of time to rest up with no game on the docket until they host Tri-City on Tuesday.
5. Lethbridge Hurricanes
1st Central- 12-5-1-0
The Canes went on a sparkling 3-0 road trip with wins over Moose Jaw (7-3), Regina (3-2) and Brandon (3-0).
Koen Cleaver picked up his first WHL shutout with a 35-save effort against the Wheat Kings
Blueliner Tristen Doyle had a career-best four-assist night against the Warriors, while Logan Wormald tallied three goals and three assists this week.
The Canes will host the Victoria Royals on Saturday before heading south to face Everett next Wednesday for the second edition of Wednesday Night in the Dub.
6. Victoria Royals
2nd B.C.- 11-5-2-1
Victoria is back in the win column with a pair of road wins against Seattle (5-2) and Kamloops (3-1).
Defenceman Keaton Verhoeff scored the game-winner against the Blazers in his first game back from captaining Canada White to a gold medal at the 2024 U17 World Challenge.
The Royals will test their mettle on a five-game trip through a difficult Central Division starting on Friday in Medicine Hat.
7. Spokane Chiefs
3rd U.S.- 12-8-0-0
The Chiefs had a hard time handing onto leads this week after squandering a 2-0 lead in a 4-2 loss to Kamloops.
Spokane nearly saw a 4-1 advantage slip away when Kelowna’s late push forced overtime, but defenceman Brayden Crampton came through with the overtime winner to snag the second point.
Captain and Seattle Kraken prospect Berkly Catton is still hot with 12 points in his last five games and Shea Van Olm had another goal to stay tied for second in the WHL goals race.
8. Saskatoon Blades
2nd East- 11-5-1-1
Losses to Kelowna (2-1) and Kamloops (4-3) have Saskatoon heading home with a meager 1-3-0-1 record on their B.C. road trip.
But, it should be noted every single game on the swing was decided by a single goal and two required overtime or a shootout.
The Blades also boast the best home win percentage in the league- they haven’t lost as SaskTel Place in regulation yet- and some home cooking could be just what the doctor ordered as Edmonton visits on Friday.
9. Brandon Wheat Kings
3rd East- 11-5-1-1
NHL Draft-eligible Joby Baumuller scored twice and added an assist as Brandon unseated Regina 5-2 for their lone win of the week before falling to Prince Albert (5-4) and Lethbridge (3-0).
Philadelphia Flyers prospect Carson Bjarnason still shined in the shutout loss with 30 saves on 32 shots.
Brandon has allowed the fewest goals against in the league (49) and netminders Bjarnason and Ethan Eskit sit third and second, respectively, in goals-against average among all qualified goalies.
10. Vancouver Giants
4th B.C.- 9-5-3-0
Vancouver had to settle for a single point in a weekend set against the Prince George Cougars.
The bright side?
Top 2025 Draft Prospect Cameron Schmidt added three more goals to continue his torrid scoring pace and continue to lead the league with 20 lamp-lighters in 17 games.
Schmidt also ranked second across the CHL- only trailing Saginaw Spirit star Michael Misa, who has 23 in 19 games.
11. Medicine Hat Tigers
2nd Central- 11-9-0-0
The Tigers lost to Edmonton- and lost forward Andrew Basha with a lower-body injury- at the start of the week, but rallied for a big win over Moose Jaw (8-4) and got revenge against the Oil Kings (2-1).
Gavin McKenna’s one goal and six assists in three games brought his season point total to 39- good for a tie for first across the CHL (that Michael Misa kid is also something else).
Florida Panthers prospect Hunter St. Martin scored his second hat trick of the month and Liam Ruck- another U17 gold medal winner- found the back of the net in his return.
More good news- defenceman Josh Van Mulligen and Minnesota Wild prospect Ryder Ritchie could make their return to the ice as soon as this weekend.
12. Kamloops Blazers
3rd B.C.- 10-9-1-1
Gotta love some depth!
Eight different skaters found the back of the net for the Blazers as Kamloops doubled Spokane (4-2), held off Saskatoon (4-3) and just fell short against Victoria (3-1) to end a four-game winning streak.
Twenty-year-old Oren Shtrom led the pack with a goal and three assists on the week and is on pace for a career season as he approaches the 200 games-played milestone.
13. Calgary Hitmen
4th Central- 8-7-3-1
The American swing can be a grind, but Calgary his five of a possible eight points to show for their efforts so far.
Rookie goaltender and hometown kid Kason Kobelka stopped 28 shots to beat Portland 3-1 in his WHL debut on Wednesday.
Top 2025 NHL Draft prospect Ben Kindel is still dragging the Hitmen into games with three goals and two assists in three outings this week, while highly-touted Ottawa Senators prospect Carter Yakemchuk has added four more assists on this roady.
Calgary closes out its U.S. Division trip against Spokane and Wenatchee this weekend.
14. Kelowna Rockets
5th B.C.- 7-7-1-1
Have the dark times truly ended for Kelowna?
The Rockets are knocking on the door of a playoff spot with points in eight of their last ten games (6-2-1-1)- including wins against Saskatoon (2-1) and Seattle (5-2) this week, while nearly pulling off a comeback against Spokane (6-5 OT).
Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall is averaging nearly three points per game with another three goals and five assists this week, while alternate captain Caden Price tacked on two goals and four helped.
Price, another Kraken prospect, is now tied for the league lead in points by a defenceman with 23.
15. Red Deer Rebels
3rd Central- 9-8-1-1
The road has not been kind to the Rebels with just one point earned against the Thunderbirds on a U.S. Division trip.
Kraken prospect Ollie Josephson and rookie Beckett Hamilton both have three goals and two assists over four games, but they’ll try to salvage the remainder of the trip against Portland and Spokane this weekend.
16. Edmonton Oil Kings
5th Central- 8-8-1-1
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Miroslav Holinka had a goal and two assists in Edmonton’s lone victory of the week, a 4-2 decision against Medicine Hat.
One-goal losses to Swift Current (4-3) and Medicine Hat (2-1) followed, but goaltender Alex Worthington was steady all week with a .909 save percentage and star of the night recognitions in both tilts against the Tigers.
On a side note, projected 2025 NHL first-round draft pick Blake Fiddler has been announced as an alternate captain ahead of this month’s CHL USA Prospects Challenge in Ontario!
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