WHL Power Rankings: Week Five
Western Conference teams are pushing forward in Week Five of the WHL Power Rankings, with top 2025 NHL Draft prospects making sure to leave a lasting impression on scouts.
We’ll mention some of the top picks in this article, but you can check out where WHLers currently rank in NHL Central Scouting’s Preliminary Players to Watch list HERE.
1. Everett Silvertips
1st U.S.- 9-2-0-0
For the second time this season, Everett has claimed the top spot!
Riding a three-game winning streak, the Silvertips have allowed just one goal this week and boast the top offence and stingiest defence in the WHL.
Jesse Sanche posted his first career shutout in a 3-0 decision against Portland and turned aside 29 of 30 shots in a 6-1 win against Wenatchee.
Meanwhile, 2025 NHL Draft ‘B’ prospect Carter Bear continues to raise his draft stock with two goals and two assists to sit in a tie for second in points among all WHLers with 18.
2. Saskatoon Blades
1st East- 9-2-1-0
Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Evan Gardner turned in one of his best performances of the young season with a 33-save effort against Red Deer, but the Rebels eked out a 2-1 win in regulation.
Still, the Blades maintained their grasp on the league standings with an emphatic victory over Seattle, thanks in part to draft-eligible David Lewandowski’s one goal, one assist, +3 game.
Saskatoon is gearing up for a battle between the top two teams in the division as they visit Brandon on Friday night.
3. Victoria Royals
1st B.C.- 7-2-1-1
More like the Victori-ous Royals, amritie?
The Island bunch picked up four of a possible six points this week to seize the B.C. Division lead and climb to third on our list.
Project 2025 NHL Draft first-rounder Cole Reschny was one of the team’s top performers with three goals and three assists over his last three games.
The Macklin, Sask. product delivered under pressure with the game-tying goal against Kelowna with 30 seconds remaining in regulation and added a clutch shootout goal in a 4-3 victory.
4. Prince George Cougars
2nd B.C.- 6-4-2-1
Los Angeles Kings prospect Koehn Ziemmer had a goal and an assist as the Cougars dropped a 7-3 decision to Lethbridge in their lone match of the week.
The Cats will try to prove they’re still the team to beat out West as they host the Royals in back-to-back matches at the CN Centre this weekend.
5. Spokane Chiefs
2nd U.S.- 8-4-0-0
Another strong team with a blip on their resume, the Spokane Chiefs came up short with a 5-0 loss to Swift Current.
Spokane wraps up its East Division road trip with a 3-3 record but lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.
Up next, a four-game homestand, starting with Friday’s tilt against…
6. Vancouver Giants
3rd B.C.- 6-4-1-0
Guess who has the league’s first 10-spot of the season!
Winnipeg Jets prospect Connor Levis had a hat trick and seven Vancouver skaters found the back of the net in a 10-1 beatdown of Prince Albert, though they’d settle for a single point in a 3-2 overtime loss to Wenatchee the following night.
NHL ‘B’ rated prospect Cameron Schmidt boasts the WHL’s longest current points streak (11 games), is tied for the league points lead with 19 and has sole possession of first in the goals race with 12.
Can he continue the momentum against Spokane tonight?
7. Brandon Wheat Kings
2nd East- 6-4-0-1
Pretty impressive, ‘A’?
Roger McQueen is one of six WHL skaters to be tapped as a potential 2025 NHL first-round draft pick in Central Scouting’s preliminary rankings, but the rest of the Wheat Kings aren’t to be overlooked.
Nolan Flamand had a goal and two assists in Brandon’s lone match of the week- a 4-1 victory against Seattle- while Philadelphia Flyers prospect Carson Bjarnason picked up second star honours with a 37-save performance against tough competition like Vancouver Canucks prospect Sawyer Mynio and draft-eligible Braeden Cootes.
8. Lethbridge Hurricanes
1st Central- 6-2-1-0
Lethbridge leads the Central Division and sits fourth overall with a .727 win percentage.
An up-and-down week saw the Hurricanes steamroll Prince George with ‘C’ rated prospect Will Sharpe burying two goals and two assists while Toronto Maple Leafs defensive prospect Noah Chadwick put up a goal and three assists and Nashville Predators pick Miguel Marques served up five assists for the first time in his WHL career.
Marques also picked up a sixth helper in a 6-1 loss to the Hitmen.
The Canes will celebrate 50 years of the WHL in Lethbridge when they honour the Lethbridge Broncos in Saturday’s tilt against former Bronco Brent Sutter’s Red Deer Rebels.
9. Medicine Hat
3rd Central- 6-5-0-0
Forward Hunter St. Martin became the latest Tiger to ink his NHL entry-level contract when he put pen to paper with the Florida Panthers on Friday morning.
Medicine Hat is still battling a bevvy of injuries but has had more favourable results as of late, dispatching Moose Jaw 6-3 and doubling up Calgary 4-2 at Co-op Place.
Gavin McKenna has five points in his last two games to bring his season total to 18- enough to tie for second in the league.
Captain Oasiz Wiesblatt is also knocking on the door of 200 career WHL points as the Tigers go north to face Red Deer in a must-see match between two teams that don’t care much for each other (to put it very lightly).
10. Red Deer Rebels
2nd Central- 6-4-1-0
Win some, lose some.
Minnesota Wild prospect Chase Wutzke impressed with a 30-save outing (his third 30+ save performance this season) in a 2-1 win over league-leading Saskatoon, but the Rebels fell the following night to the Edmonton Oil Kings.
‘C’ rated prospect Luke Vlooswyk netted his first goal of the season in the loss to Edmonton, while Seattle Kraken prospect Ollie Josephson had a pair of assists on the week.
Red Deer has a 3-1-0-0 record against Medicine Hat this year and always seems to turn up the heat when facing their Central Division rivals.
11. Tri-City Americans
4th U.S.- 5-3-1-0
Make that four straight wins for the Tri-City Americans!
Colorado Avalanche prospect Max Curran scored late to give the Ams a 6-5 regulation win against Kelowna and captain Jake Sloan netted the overtime game-winner against Portland.
Former AJHL champion Gavin Garland picked up WHL Rookie of the Week honours with one goal and four assists over two games.
Plus, defenceman Jackson Smith can count himself among the WHL’s top potential first-round draft picks!
12. Kelowna Rockets
5th B.C.- 4-6-0-1
Jari Kykkanen made 26 saves as Kelowna shut out Wenatchee 4-0 to extend their win streak to four games, but the heater was snapped after the Rockets squandered a 4-1 lead against Tri-City in an eventual 6-5 loss.
The B.C. Division competitors closed out the week with a 4-3 shootout loss to Victoria.
Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall and Utah Hockey Club pick Tij Iginla continue to pile up points, but its Kraken defensive prospect Caden Price who leads the team with 15 points in 10 games.
13. Swift Current Broncos
3rd East- 6-5-0-0
Reid Dyck is still doing Reid Dyck things.
The 2024 WHL Second-Team All-Star made 28 stops to blank Spokane in a 5-0 victory to snap a two-game skid before edging Moose Jaw 6-5 in overtime.
Seattle Kraken prospect Clarke Caswell led the squad with a goal and five assists in two nights, while Luke Mistelbacher came through with three goals (including the overtime winner against the Warriors).
The Broncos close out a five-game homestand this weekend with tilts against Lethbridge and Seattle on tap.
14. Calgary Hitmen
5th Central- 4-5-1-0
Everyone knows you need some Kindel-ing to make fire.
‘B’ prospect Ben Kindel was named Tempo WHL Player of the Week and led the Hitmen with three goals and five assists this week.
Despite Kindel’s strong play- and top-notch performances from Ottawa Senators prospect Carter Yakemchuk and San Jose Sharks selection Carson Wetsch, Calgary split a week of Central Division matches with a 6-1 win over Lethbridge and a 4-2 loss to Medicine Hat.
15. Edmonton Oil Kings
4th Central- 4-4-0-1
The Oil Kings are still in solid shape after taking out Red Deer 5-1 in Edmonton’s lone match of the week.
Six-foot-four defenceman Blake Fiddler was recognized as a potential first-round NHL Draft pick this week, while Florida Panthers Gracyn Sawchyn picked up two goals and an assist and younger draft-eligible brother Lukas had two assists.
Netminder Alex Worthington was also named second star with a season-high 42 saves in the game.
The Oil Kings now travel south to visit the top-ranked Everett Silvertips.
16. Kamloops Blazers
4th B.C.- 5-6-1-0
The Kamloops Blazers have ridden a three-game win streak up the standings and into the Power Rankings for the first time this season!
Kamloops defeated Wenatchee 4-1 before shocking Victoria 6-3 in a statement performance from the Blazers’ top players.
‘B’ prospect Natham Behm erupted for three goals and three assists against the Royals, while Detroit Red Wings prospect Emmitt Finnie had two goals and Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Harrison Brunicke added a pair of powerplay apples.
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