10 Dub Playoff Things From Glen Erickson, Volume XXXV
The WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien is all set. This should be a real good one. The top two teams during the regular season are still standing. We’ll know within a couple of weeks on which side of the 49th parallel the Ed Chynoweth Cup will reside.
1 – Prince Albert Wins – The Raiders eliminated the Medicine Hat Tigers in six games, winning twice at Co-Op Place. In fact, I felt the Raiders dominated all three games in Medicine Hat, though the Tigers won Game 3 in overtime, 2-1. The teams split the first two games at the Art Hauser Centre, combining for eight goals apiece while each game was decided by a five-goal margin. The Raiders outscored the Tigers 28-22 in the series but did not score in Game 2. In the games Prince Albert won, they scored 8, 6, 6 and 7 goals. That’s not particularly stellar defending by the defending league champions. The difference as I saw it was the Raiders’ depth, a roster that enabled the coaching staff to roll four lines that were capable of creating energy and offence. The Tigers were game each time out and many in the Gas City will rationalize the flu bug perhaps played a role in the defeat. In fairness, the illness did impact how the coaches deployed assets. Prince Albert, now 12-3 in the post-season, moves on to face the Everett Silvertips in a matchup featuring the respective conference champions. The 2026 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien begins this weekend in Washington State.
2 – Prairie Fire – The Eastern Conference final was brutal. High energy and fast pace for the purists. Tough, chippy and physical for those of us who prefer what comes along with a bit of nastiness. What’s not to like? Games 3 and 4 especially at Co-Op Place in Medicine Hat were as vicious as I’ve seen in a long time. Well, “modern-day vicious”, more stickwork than fisticuffs. Both teams played nasty, and I loved it. I could run down a list of players on both teams who just played mean. But I don’t have the space, and I wouldn’t want to risk leaving anyone out! I rather enjoyed commentary from both sides, too. Seems each fanbase wanted its team to play as if “anything goes”, while they fully expected the opposition to damn well play by the Marquess of Queensbury rules. The emotion of it all was, at times, laughable. Each fanbase took its turn behaving like the neighbourhood tough, then a delicate flower. In the aftermath of Game 6, the series clincher won 7-6 in Medicine Hat by the Raiders, Lance Doll of the Tigers radio broadcast team summed it up best in my opinion. He said, “If you had no horse, and were just watching, you were treated to an absolute gem.” That nailed it for me, because neither team has ever been a particular favorite of mine. However, they are unquestionably the two most elite teams in the east this season. Doll was referring specifically to Game 6, but his comment rings true when describing the entire series. Medicine Hat graduates overage players Ethan Neutens, Andrew Basha and former Tigers stick boy, Josh Van Mulligen.
3 – Everett Wins – Many onlookers have pretty much conceded the Everett Silvertips are just doing what they are supposed to be doing. That is…Win! With a 12-1 record through three playoff rounds, the Silvertips have been resting easy since April 28 after its sweep of the expansion Penticton Vees. All told, regular season and playoffs combined, Everett is 69-8-2-1. The Finnish import combination of Matias Vanhanen and Julius Miettenen are near the top of the playoff scoring derby with 19 and 18 points respectively. Each has scored 10 goals, tops in the league among forwards so far during the post-season. Goaltender Anders Miller is credited with each of the ‘Tips 12 victories and boasts a 1.79 goals against average. Landon Dupont and Carter Bear are also contributing on the offensive side. It’s redemption of sorts for Bear, who suffered a season-ending skate cut injury in March of the 2024-2025 campaign and did not participate in the playoffs. The last time Everett advanced to the WHL Championship Series was back in the spring of 2018. The Silvertips were on the losing end, dropping a six-game decision to the Swift Current Broncos. Of note in that series is the roster of goaltenders. Carter Hart and Dustin Wolf stood on guard for Everett, while Stuart Skinner and Joel Hofer held the fort for Swift Current. All four are currently employed in the National Hockey League. By eliminating Penticton in four straight games, the Silvertips will have had time on its hands to watch Prince Albert and Medicine Hat beat the crap out of each other.
4 – Penticton Vees – Following its playoff ouster, the Vees can look back on a very successful first season in the WHL. The club set records for most wins by an expansion team (44) and also the longest winning streak by an expansion team (14). The rules nuance allowing the Vees to carry four overage players this season may have had some impact, though this group was constructed as every bit a veteran junior team. Head Coach and General Manager, Fred Harbinson, named the Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy Executive of the Year, will have plenty of work to do during the off-season to maintain high expectations in Penticton. Given the roster included a dozen 19-year-olds, it seems hard to fathom the boss looking outside the current group to compile his group of three overage players for next season. The Vees graduated overage players Brady Birnie, Nolan Stevenson, Ryden Evers and Matteo Danis. And what do the Vees do in goal? Andrew Reyelts and Ethan McCallum both celebrated their 20th birthdays within the last couple of months. The Vees had eight U.S.-born players on its roster. What impact might the NCAA have on the moves Penticton makes?
5 – Travel Plans – I’m always interested in how the WHL coordinates travel during the league final. Will this be another journey on a chartered Air North 737? The logistics always intrigue me. I assume the will Raiders fly out of Saskatoon? Do they land at SeaTac? Or perhaps in Everett, where Boeing’s main commercial production hub is located? If the teams are flying back to Saskatchewan together, can a fully-loaded 737 land in Prince Albert? I dunno. Will they land in Saskatoon, then bus to PA? Stay tuned.
6 – Really Good Teams – I have made the comment a number of times. I just didn’t think there were as many good teams this season, compared to last season. A couple folks didn’t seem to like the assertion, suggesting it perhaps tarnished how solid the Prince Albert Raiders regular season was. While puttering away before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final in Medicine Hat, a nifty compilation of statistics in the media game notes caught my eye. So, I tackled the math. Prince Albert had a 17-1 record at the Art Hauser centre against East Division teams. On the road against divisional opponents, they were 15-2-1. That’s 32-3-1 within the division, 67.3% of its 52 victories. The only loss at home to a division opponent was January 31, a 4-0 verdict to the Saskatoon Blades. Does that sound like any East Division teams really tested the Raiders? Add its sweep of the Blades in the second round and that’s 36-3-1 against the East. The Raiders were 5-0-0-1 against the B.C. Division, all home games, including a shootout loss to another division winner, the Penticton Vees. Against the U.S. Division on the road, Prince Albert went 4-1-1. They did knock off the eventual league champion Everett Silvertips back on Remembrance Day, 4-1. That’s 9-1-1-1 against the Western Conference. The only division that really gave the Raiders any trouble was the Central, as they produced a combined 11-6-3 ledger during the regular season. In the post-season, Prince Albert went 8-3 against Central Division teams. By the way, whoever produced the Game Notes during the Raiders / Tigers conference final? It was outstanding work!
7 – Play-By-Play – Bumped into Nick Nielsen last week at Co-Op Place. He’s the Prince Albert Raiders radio voice. He was kind enough to give up the crucial information I asked for! Nick, a good Saskatchewan lad from Wilkie, will celebrate his 30th birthday later this year. This is his second season handling the Raiders play-by-play. It got me thinking about the other teams playing in the conference finals. I know Will Bryant, from Vancouver Island, is in his second season on the call for the Medicine Hat Tigers. In Penticton, Riley Pollock (from Calgary?) has just completed his first WHL season with style and panache. Way out on the west coast in Everett, Casey Bryant, who is no relation to Will, is actually the elder statesman of the group. An American, he’s near completion of his fifth WHL season and could very well wind it up with a trip to the Memorial Cup. That’s four talented, energetic young broadcasters with a combined 10 seasons in the WHL. I guess it wouldn’t surprise me if one of these gents uses the WHL as a stepping stone in short order. I hope they stick around for a few more seasons because, if they do, I think we all win. If these guys are the future, I think it looks very bright. I like what I see…and hear!
8 – NCAA – Curious to see what comes from the NCAA college hockey meetings in Florida last week. Yes, there was a day when this might all land in a file cabinet at the Department of Who Cares, but not anymore. A host of rules topics were tossed on the table, according to Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota. Discussions specific to Division-1 men included whether to allow video technology on the bench to help coaches decide whether to challenge calls. And to date, there is no penalty assessed when a player for puts the puck over the glass in the defensive zone, as is the case in the National Hockey League. As I’ve said many times before, so many hockey fans watch the NHL then assume each and every other league plays by the same rulebook. There was also discussion about how to curb diving/embellishment, but no word if any FIFA experts were brought in to advise. There were also discussions about extending the overtime period by a couple of minutes, but here’s the one I like; a rule to prevent constant regrouping. Stay tuned.
9 – Farewell – I’ve enjoyed this weekly foray into the WHL for The Rod Pedersen Show. Last season and this. When I reflect on over 20 years of WHL coverage, I have learned very well as a media wag over the years about the concept of sitting on my hands while watching and working WHL games. I’m not sure as a punk kid I ever thought I could watch a hockey game between two teams I have no interest in. Er go, the Eastern Conference final. But, work is work! Unlike many modern-day sportswriters and bloggers, it was not at all difficult for me to understand why it just doesn’t seem right to cheer for your team from the press box. That seems to be a ‘thing’ among youngsters these days. I do have a favourite team – my hometown Saskatoon Blades, but that is more boyhood sentiment than Internet Era fascination. And yes, a WHL title at some point in my lifetime would be quite wonderful. Sadly, I suspect I am destined to reside in the “long-suffering” category on that one.
10 – Goodbye – To coin a phrase, “I have one foot out the door and the other is in the air.” I’ve been at this freelance media gig, covering the DUB for the better part of the last 22 years in a few different ways, shapes and forms. At times it was a somewhat lucrative proposition. At other times, not so much; didn’t even get the t-shirt. The WHL office was kind enough to provide me a copy of its 50thSeason Commemorative Book back in 2016. It is a valued and treasured memento. I’ve worked four Top Prospects Games, three World Junior Championships, conducted more interviews than I can remember, sat in on plenty of radio broadcasts, and I wilfully ingested some of the worst popcorn on the planet in at least three western provinces. All told for 55 years I’ve enjoyed just about every aspect of my relationship with the WHL, the game, the business, and the company of many wonderful hockey people. While so many seem to be in a rush to focus mightily on what is being referred to as the WHL’s Internet Era, it has been an immense pleasure to write about what I refer to as the league’s Rotary Dial Era. Many of a certain vintage remember those days gone by. It was some damn good hockey! For the youngsters who will never know, suffice to say it was just different and also every bit as entertaining as the game today. In many, many ways, it was actually a helluva a lot more exciting, too. Of that, there is no doubt. I will fill this space with another submission following the opening weekend of the 2026 WHL Championship Series for the Ed Chynoweth Cup. That’ll do it!
(Glen Erickson is a freelance hockey writer based in Medicine Hat, AB)
