WHL NOTEBOOK: CHL clubs prepare for Memorial Cup

Here’s one final look at news and notes from around the Canadian Hockey League for this season.

WHL FINAL

The Everett Silvertips lost Game 1 and then swept the next four as they beat the host Prince Albert Raiders 7-2 in Game 5 to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup on Friday.

The Silvertips, which were built by general manager Mike Fraser of Brandon and included multidimensional overage forward Nolan Chastko of Brandon, swept the Portland Winterhawks, beat the Memorial Cup host Kelowna Rockets 4-1 and then swept the expansion Penticton Vees in the Western Conference final.

Overall, they went 16-2 in the playoffs after winning the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as regular season champions with a record of 57-8-2-1.

In the playoffs, they outscored their opponents 82-36.

In Game 5, Florida Panthers prospect Shea Busch had a hat trick, including a goal 68 seconds into the game, as the Silvertips built a 6-1 lead 48 minutes into the game. Chastko had his second goal of the playoffs, while Zackary Shantz had three assists.

In Game 4 last Wednesday, Julius Miettinen and Matias Vanhanen both had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 Silvertips victory.

Everett also reached the league final in its expansion season, 2004, falling to the Medicine Hat Tigers. They also lost to the Swift Current Broncos in 2018.

Seattle Kraken prospect Miettinen was named playoff MVP after he contributed 27 points in 18 playoff games. The Finnish-born player scored in 13 of their 18 playoff games, including the first four games of the final.

He is the second import player to win the award, following former Kelowna Rockets star Leon Draisaitl of Germany, who was given the award in 2015 after the swept the Brandon Wheat Kings in the final.

Everett continues its season at the Memorial Cup, which runs from May 22 to 31.

The last Wheat Kings to win the award, which has been presented since 1991-92, are Nolan Patrick in 2016 and Bobby Brown in 1996.

OHL FINAL

The Kitchener Rangers swept the Barrie Colts in the best-of-seven Ontario Hockey League final to win their first J. Ross Robertson Cup since 2008. They also captured the championship in 2003, 1982 and 1981.

The Rangers won 5-2, 4-3, 4-3 and 4-2 over the Colts en route to the victory in the final. They went 16-2 overall in the playoffs, sweeping the Saginaw Spirit, and beating the Soo Greyhounds and Windsor Spitfires in five.

Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Sam O’Reilly of the Rangers was named playoff MVP after he posted 28 points in 18 games.

QMJHL FINAL

The Chicoutimi Saguenéens captured their first Gilles-Courteau Trophy since 1994 when they beat the Moncton Wildcats 5-1 on Sunday at home to take the series 4-2.

After the teams split the first two outings, Thomas Desruisseaux scored 16:58 into overtime for a 5-4 Saguenéens victory in Game 3 late last Tuesday.

In Game 4 on Wednesday, the Wildcats overcame a 3-1 deficit to earn a 4-3 victory, with the winning goal coming off the stick of Rian Chudzinski with less than six minutes left in the third period. Utah Mammoth prospect Gabe Smith had two goals and also assisted on the winner.

Defenceman Peteris Bulans had a hat trick and an assist as the Saguenéens scored six goals on 13 shots in the final 17 minutes for a wild 7-6 victory in Game 5 on Friday. They had trailed 4-0 on the road.

On Sunday, Chicoutimi took a 2-0 lead, and after Moncton scored, added a goal with 50 seconds left in the second period. A pair of late empty-net goals made the game look more lopsided than it actually was.

MEMORIAL CUP

With the QMJHL final now over, the field has been set for the CHL’s annual showcase, which takes place in Kelowna from May 21 to 31.

The Kelowna Rockets (38-21-6-3) are appearing in their sixth Memorial Cup (2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2015, 2026), having won the title in 2004. They went 5-4 in the playoffs, falling in five games to Everett in the Western Conference semifinals.

Everett, which won a second straight Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy with a record of 57-8-2-1, is making its first appearance. The Silvertips went 16-2 in the playoffs.

The squad has three Brandon connections, general manager Mike Fraser and forward-defenceman Nolan Chastko, with Silvertips prospect Reid Nicol also travelling with the team. (They will be profiled in The Brandon Sun later this week.)

Kitchener is playing in its seventh Memorial Cup (1981, 1982, 1984, 1990, 2003, 2008, 2026), with victories in 1982 and 2003. It posted the second best record in the OHL at 47-14-5-2 and went 16-2 in the playoffs.

Chicoutimi is skating into its fourth Memorial Cup (1991, 1994, 1997, 2026) but hasn’t won yet.

The Saguenéens (49-10-3-2) finished second overall in the QMJHL in the regular season, and were 16-4 in the playoffs.

Here’s a look at the schedule. Every game except for the finals begins at 8 p.m. CST.

• Friday, May 22 – Kitchener vs. Kelowna.

• Saturday, May 23 – Everett vs. Chicoutimi.

• Sunday, May 24 – Kelowna vs. Chicoutimi.

• Monday, May 25 – Everett vs. Kitchener.

• Tuesday, May 26 – Chicoutimi vs. Kitchener.

• Wednesday, May 27 – Kelowna vs. Everett.

If necessary, a tie-breaker will be on Thursday, May 28, and the semifinals are on Friday, May 29. The final is set for Sunday, May 31 at 6 p.m. CST.

WHL DRAFT

Teams drafted just 206 players earlier this month, down from 271 and 283 in the previous years.

That included 60 Americans, which was down slightly from 66 when the U.S. priority draft was still held in 2025, and 85 players from the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. In 2025, 82 were taken.

You have to wonder if the cream of the crop across Junior A leagues will be scooped up by WHL teams, similar to how Brandon added rugged 19-year-old defenceman Max Lavoie to its lineup last season.

They also brought in forward Brett Wilson after Hockey Canada’s roster deadline freeze because he was playing in the outlaw BCHL, which isn’t bound by the national rules because it’s independent.

CHL TOP 50

Here are the final three players in the Canadian Hockey League’s top 50 players in 50 years, which includes their contributions beyond major junior.

3. Wayne Gretzky (Peterborough Petes/Soo Greyhounds, 1976-78)

A product of Brantford, Ont., Gretzky was called up as a 15-year-old by the Peterborough Petes during the 1976-77 season, then selected third overall by the Soo Greyhounds in the first round in 1977.

In his sole season there in 1977-78, Gretzky contributed 182 points on 70 goals and 112 assists in 64 regular-season games. He added 26 points in 13 playoff games.

Gretzky began his professional career in the World Hockey Association before joining the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL in 1979-80. Over 20 seasons in the NHL with the Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers, Gretzky became the league’s all-time leader in goals (894), assists (1,963) and points (2,857), winning four Stanley Cups, nine Hart Trophies as MVP and 10 Art Ross Trophies as the league’s scoring leader.

Gretzky held 61 NHL records when he retired.

You have to wonder if the largely apolitical Gretzky was penalized for his friendship with American president Donald Trump, which landed him in some hot water in light of Trump’s actions and words toward Canada since being re-elected.

2. Sidney Crosby (Rimouski Océanic, 2003-2005)

A product of Cole Harbour, N.S., Crosby was selected first overall by the Océanic in 2003.

As a rookie, he had 135 points in 59 regular-season games, setting a QMJHL record for points by a 16-year-old and being named the CHL rookie of the year, player of the year and top scorer.

The next season, he recorded 168 points (66 goals, 102 assists) in 62 regular-season games, with 31 points in 13 playoff games as the Océanic won the QMJHL championship.

He was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2005, and has 1,761 points in 1,420 regular-season games. He has won three Stanley Cups and also two Olympic gold medals.

1. Mario Lemieux (Laval Voisins, 1981-84).

Lemieux, who is from Montreal, was the first overall pick in the 1981 QMJHL draft and had 96 points in 64 games in his rookie season. After jumping to 184 points (84 goals, 100 assists) in 66 regular-season games in his second season, his third season was one for the record books.

In 70 games during the 1983-84 season, he piled up 133 goals, 149 assists and 282 points, with a CHL-record 61-game point streak.

He hit the 50-goal mark in just 27 games, and won the scoring race by 112 points.

Lemieux was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1984, and in 915 regular-season NHL games, he had 690 goals, 1,033 assists and 1,723 points. He won two Stanley Cups as a player and three as the team’s owner.