Lots of Drama in the WHL’s Final Week

Saginaw Michigan. The home of the upcoming 2024 Memorial Cup. 

The junior hockey tournament, at the Saginaw Dow Event Center will take place Friday, May 24th to Sunday, June 2nd.

The winner will earn bragging rights of being the top Canadian Hockey League junior major team.

One squad from the Western Hockey League will earn the right to battle for the prestigious Memorial Cup

We're approaching the final weekend of the regular season - the WHL first-round matchups are settling into place. The playoffs fwill eature the top 8 teams from both the WHL Western & Eastern Conferences.

Wins in this final week are valued currency.

The Playoff picture in the WHL Eastern Conference:

The Calgary Hitmen's battle for the 8th and final playoff spot hung on by a thread when 16-year-old Reese Hamilton hitting the overtime game-winner - throwing Calgary a lifeline - Sunday afternoon at Calgary's Scotia Bank Saddle Dome. 

The East's 8th spot is still up for grabs

Calgary trails the Prince Albert Raiders by 3 points. For the Hitmen - the road will be steep with its final three games being against the top two teams in the East - A road game at Saskatoon and a home and home against third-place Swift Current.

Saskatoon wrapped up the one seed & still have more to play for

Even as the Saskatoon Blades have wrapped up the one seed in the east - they still have to keep a foot on the gas to hold off Prince George for the best regular season record in all of the WHL.

Why?

Potential home ice for a possible matchup with the PG Cougars in the WHL Finals.

Alexander Suzdalev’s Michigan goal helped the Blades beat Moose Jaw, Friday night at the SaskTel Centre.

Back at Ya

Moose Jaw got revenge the next night beating the first-place Blades 6-3, in front of their home crowd at Mosaic Place. The Warrior's final goal featured Seattle Kraken 2nd round draft pick, Jagger Firkus’ 300th career point - as the Warriors showed why they are the hottest team in the East - earning 17 points in their last 10 games.

Any Wild Fans - remember Moose Jaw goalie Connor Ungar?

He was simply a wall during the Warrior's sweep of all 6 U.S. Division teams a couple of weeks ago. His great form earned Ungar a prospect deal with the Edmonton Oilers. 

Two passionate fan bases desiring a banner

Neither the Saskatoon Blades nor the Moose Jaw Warriors have won a WHL title. 

Sidenote - the Moose Jaw Canucks won the WHL Championship in the 1966-67 season - the league’s first year. Moose Jaw wasn’t eligible for the Memorial Cup - as the WHL did not receive official sanctioning by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association until 1971.

Over in the WHL Western Conference:

The top three teams out west are the Prince George Cougars, The Portland Winterhawks, and the Everett Silvertips. All three are in great form as we head into the final week of the season and the upcoming playoffs. 

Of the three - Prince George and Everett have never hoisted the Ed Chynoweth Cup - the trophy for winning the WHL championship. 

Who else is hot out west?

Besides the Western Conference's big three - watch out for the Vancouver Giants. 

Vancouver just passed Kelowna for the Western Conference 5th seed and trails 4th seed Wenatchee by two points - as we head into the final week of the season. 

Congrats are in order to Vancouver Giants, 16 year old Cameron Schmidt. His recent hat-trick over the weekend - vaulted him into some rare air.

Schmidt has scored 30 goals this season.

Entering into this year: Only five players, including Connor Bedard, had tallied 30 goals in their 16-year-old seasons in the past 3 decades in the Western Hockey League.

Wenatchee is fighting for home ice

The Wenatchee Wild has a game in hand and currently holds onto the 4th seed - and home ice for the WHL first round of the playoffs. The slim lead in the Western Conference was preserved by a big Friday night home home 3-1 win over Spokane.

Wenatchee’s remaining schedule has the Wild on the road for its final 3 games.

The Wild play two games in Victoria (Wednesday and Friday) against a team that has struggled in the past month. Despite the Royals bad form, they're optimistic to turn things around with the recent good news. Victoria's top two defencemen Nate Misskey and Austin Zemlak have returned from injury.

The Wild’s regular-season finale is Saturday night at Everett - against a balanced and dangerous Silvertips squad. 

Can Vancouver snag first round home ice?

The Giants only trail Wenatchee by 2 points. Should Vancouver finish the regular season ahead of the Wild - they would win the 4th seed and home ice advantage in the first round of the Western Conference.

Vancouver’s remaining two games feature a home and home matchup versus Kelowna. The Kelowna Rockets were the hottest team in the West until their recent three-game losing skid.