10 WHL Playoff Things from Glen Erickson, Volume XXXIV
We’re sure into it now, eh? The Western Hockey League playoffs are down to the Final Four. In fact, the top four teams in the league this season! The division winners. Buckle up for a busy week. Here we go…
1 – EAST: Raiders 1; Tigers 1. – How do you determine whether or not a series is “close”? Prince Albert drilled Medicine Hat, 8-3 in Game 1 at the Art Hauser Centre. The next night, the Tigers drubbed the Raiders, 5-0. Yes, that’s 13-13, so far. Neither game was close. But, the series is tied. If it goes the full seven games and each contest is a blow out, I suppose many will still consider it a “close” series. Frankly, I think the hockey has been dismal. Each team has played one solid game at the same time the other has been AWOL. The Tigers don’t appear to be set between the pipes, but Jordan Switzer probably gets the nod moving forward after his clean sheet in Game 2. The Raiders are riding hulking import netminder, Michal Orsulak. I hope both teams bring their best on the same night at some point. Aside from the almost unwatchable hockey this past weekend, the Tigers post-game prayer circle has gotten a rise out of both fan bases. Curiously, there was no prayer circle that I could see after Friday’s loss? But, kudos to the Tigers players who understand a prayer at centre ice or in the defending zone, is still a prayer. Kudos to the Raiders for defending the team logo. And kudos to Raiders fans for filling the building! The Art Hauser Centre is typically a very tough place to play. I think the Raiders will find out quickly this week that Co-Op Place can be a little nasty, too. It’s a best-of-five now!
2 – WEST: Silvertips 2; Vees 0. – Did you know the Everett Silvertips, since its first season – 2003-2004 – has never missed the WHL playoffs? The best tilt of either conference final this post-season took place Saturday at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett. A see-saw affair one might say? Everett edged Penticton 5-4 in the second overtime period with a power play tally. The Vees scored in the final minute of the third period to force extra time. The Silvertips have carried the territorial play through the first two games, outshooting the Vees 84-57. In Game 2 during the 26:41 of overtime, Everett outshot Penticton, 24-5. The Vees appear to have their hands full with Carter Bear, Landon Dupont, Julius Miettinen and Matias Vanhanen. If you’re bored, Joe Pohoryles of HeraldNet.com wrote a terrific game coverage story, highlighting overage forward Rylan Gould and his overtime game-winning tally. Gould, who joined the ‘Tips in November after decommitting from the NCAA, is a veteran of 336 WHL games and counting, regular season and playoffs combined. Pohoryles’ piece is a good read. Meanwhile, Penticton continues to get outstanding goaltending from Minnesota-born Andrew Reyelts. I wonder what the population might be this week for the two games at the South Okanagan Events Centre? The average through six post-season contests in Penticton is 4,120 per game, with the high so far at 5,112 for Game 5 against Prince George.
3 – Life Lessons – “They have all sorts of different issues. I think sometimes the public forgets that it’s more than just hockey and scoring goals and the glamour of the media etc. It’s about being homesick, it’s about breaking up with your girlfriend, it’s about not doing well in school.” These are a few sentiments regarding WHL players offered by Ken Schneider, who retired from his assistant coaching role with the Regina Pats at the end of the season. Schneider, 65, who I have not met, is returning home to southwestern Manitoba where it would appear he is excited to simply enjoy life. I hope you can visit the Brandon Sun website and give this feature a read. I continue to enjoy when Perry Bergson paints a picture at his keyboard. It’s the kind of sports journalism I really enjoy.
4 – Crickard to Swift Current – Nice to see Travis Crickard back in the WHL. I met Crickard a few times while he was a member of the Kelowna Rockets coaching staff. What impressed me most was his confidence. He seemed to know when “it was his time”. During his first season (2014-2015) with the Rockets, Crickard was a member of Dan Lambert’s coaching staff during the team’s league championship season. That roster included Leon Draisaitl and Josh Morrissey, among many others. When Lambert moved on to the Buffalo Sabres, Crickard stuck with the Rockets as an assistant until midway through the 2018-2019 season. A couple of months after head coach Jason Smith was fired October 22, 2018 and replaced by Adam Foote, I’m sure many wondered aloud if Crickard would actually get the nod. Regardless, while covering the Rockets for the Kelowna Daily Courier, I felt Foote was kind of a bull-in-a-china-shop as the Rockets head coach. I’m not sure he always stayed in his lane.
5 – Crickard, Part Deux – Alas, something had to give and it didn’t take long. Management wanted the new head coach to work with the existing support staff, but I’m not certain Crickard and Foote saw see eye-to-eye. A couple of months later, Crickard and the Rockets parted ways about a week before Christmas. The staff at the time also included Kris Mallette, who would eventually replace Foote. All Crickard has done since then is bolster his coaching resume, and I suppose the same can be said for Foote. Crickard was hired as an assistant during the 2021-2022 season by the Saint John Sea Dogs and helped guide the team to the 2022 Memorial Cup title. He was promoted to head coach later that year and eventually resigned a couple of months ago in February. He has stayed involved with Hockey Canada programs, most recently at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Crickard will handle both the head coach and general manager roles for the Swift Current Broncos.
6 – Giants Openings – It has been a couple of weeks since Vancouver Giants head coach Parker Burgess was let go after one WHL season. The same week, prior to Parker’s walking papers being delivered, general manager Hnat Domenichelli was moved to another role in player personnel. The Giants finished 14 points shy of a playoff berth with a 25-39-2-2 record. Top prospects Mathis Preston and defenceman Ryan Lin are touted as first round picks at the 2026 NHL Draft. But Lin, who celebrated his 18th birthday April 18, is said to be headed for the current NCAA Frozen Four champions next season, the University of Denver Pioneers. There are rumblings the Giants might approach former Giants coach, Michael Dyck, but one wonders who else might come calling. The Giants will pick second and fourth overall at the 2026 WHL Draft, with a total of five picks in the first three rounds. Last season, at the Langley Events Centre, the Giants drew an average of 3,700 per game. The year before, it was 3,738.
7 – Snub City – The WHL Rookie of the Year is not a good enough player to earn a spot on the United States entry for the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Hockey Championship. Of course, if there is an undisclosed injury in the mix, or if the player chose to throw eggs at the coach’s car, I could understand the omission. But I have to ask, how do the powers-that-be not include the highly-skilled and tenacious J.P. Hurlburt of the Kamloops Blazers among the group now in Slovakia? I’d be very surprised if the player declined an invitation. Hurlburt appeared in all 68 regular season games, collecting 42 goals and 55 assists, good for fourth place in WHL scoring. The Allen, Texas native added a goal and two assists in four playoff games.
9 – IIHF World U18 Championship – This annual spring IIHF event has always been a challenging proposition for Canadian entries, as many of the top eligible players across the country are still busy with the playoff runs of the respective CHL teams. Through its four round robin games, Canada lost its opener to Slovakia (2-1), then defeated Latvia (6-0), Norway (8-0) and Finland (7-0). Canada takes on Sweden in a Wednesday quarter-final game. Ryan Lin (1-5; 6) and Mathis Preston (3-2; 5) are among Team Canada’s scoring leaders so far. A total of seven WHL players made the Team Canada roster. There are 23 players and 16 support staff flying the Canadian colors in Slovakia. Canada earned a gold medal at the 2025 tournament.
10 – Numbers Game – WHL teams played a total of 59 games through the first two playoff rounds. Everett, Penticton, Prince Albert and Medicine Hat are still standing. It’s the first time since 2014 all four division winners have advanced to the conference finals. Over in the Ontario Hockey League, the teams played a total of 55 games through two rounds. Kitchener, Windsor, Brantford and Barrie are still in the hunt. In the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, it took the teams a total of 62 games to establish the conference finalists. Moncton, Blainville-Boisbriand, Chicoutimi and Rouyn-Noranda have advanced. Of the 12 teams still alive, Medicine Hat and Moncton played in the 2025 Memorial Cup in Rimouski, Quebec.
(Glen Erickson is a freelance hockey writer based in Medicine Hat, AB)
