Chiefs' GM Matt Bardsley Named Finalist for 2024-25 WHL Executive of the Year

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WHL Spokane Chiefs

Chiefs' GM Matt Bardsley Named Finalist for 2024-25 WHL Executive of the Year

April 8, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


Spokane Chiefs General Manager Matt Bardsley has been named one of six finalists for the 2024-25 Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy, as announced by the Western Hockey League Tuesday.

The distinguished trophy is awarded annually to the WHL Executive of the Year.

WHL General Managers vote on the league's major awards. This represents a return to the WHL conference awards format, rather than divisional, for the first time since 2019-20.

Winners of the 2025 WHL Awards will be announced from Tuesday, April 22, through Wednesday, May 7.

WHL Executive of the Year Nominees

Eastern Conference- Willie Desjardins- Medicine Hat Tigers

Eastern Conference- Garry Davidson- Calgary Hitmen

Eastern Conference- Colin Priestner- Saskatoon Blades

Western Conference- Matt Bardsley- Spokane Chiefs

Western Conference- Jake Heisinger- Victoria Royals

Western Conference- Mike Fraser- Everett Silvertips

WHL Executive of the Year Biographies

Matt Bardsley (Spokane Chiefs)

Matt Bardsley's wheeling and dealing helped form the WHL's most potent line in 2024-25.

2024 WHL Trade deadline acquisition Shea Van Olm enjoyed a breakout season to become the WHL's regular season goals leader while playing on a line with Chiefs Captain Berkly Catton. The duo hit another level after Bardsley acquired Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall in one of the biggest moves of the season.

The trio combined for 67 goals and 108 assists once Cristall joined the team. He was also crowned the WHL's top scorer for 2024-25 with a blistering 132 points (48G-84A) in 57 games. 72 of his points (22G-50A) came with the Chiefs. Cristall and Catton were named to the 2024-25 WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team, while Van Olm was recognized on the Second All-Star Team.

Bardsley also brought in 2024 CHL Import Draft first-round pick Assanali Sarkenov, who added plenty of bite and 27 points (10G-17A) in his first season of hockey in North America.

Spokane finished second in goals for (292) and fifth in goals against (202) and dominated in special teams with the league's top powerplay (28.9%) and third-best penalty kill (80.8%).

The Chiefs finished second in a stacked U.S. Division with a 45-20-1-2 record, marking Spokane's winningest season since 2010-11.

Willie Desjardins (Medicine Hat Tigers)

After entering the season with lofty expectations, Willie Desjardins' Medicine Hat Tigers overcame potentially devastating early-season injuries with impact performances from team-developed talent and key trade acquisitions.

The Tigers' 47-17-3-1 record saw the team clinch its 10th division title and first seed in the Eastern Conference while posting Medicine Hat's winningest season since the WHL moved to a 68-game schedule in 2018-19. The Tigers closed the regular season on a 10-game winning streak. Medicine Hat also led the WHL in goals for (300) while allowing the third-fewest goals against (193).

Desjardins' work began before the puck dropped on the regular season by bringing in Minnesota Wild prospect Ryder Ritchie, who averaged more than a point per game in Medicine Hat and posted 29 goals.

He bolstered the team's depth in net by adding Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Harrison Meneghin, who picked up WHL Goaltender of the Month honours twice and WHL Goaltender of the Week three times.

The team's biggest swing came at the 2025 WHL Trade Deadline with the arrival of smooth skating Nashville Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk, a 2025 WHL Eastern Conference First-Team All-Star who brings vital leadership and playoff experience after reaching Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Championship with the Saskatoon Blades in 2024 and was named an alternate captain for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Garry Davidson (Calgary Hitmen)

2018 Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy winner Garry Davidson's second season at the helm in Calgary has seen the Hitmen return to the postseason as a WHL powerhouse.

Calgary (45-17-3-3) put up its best season in a decade while finishing two points behind the Central Division-winning Tigers.

Davidson aimed for championship experience when tinkering with his roster in 2024-25, starting with the acquisition of 2024 WHL Champion defender Kalem Parker, a Minnesota Wild prospect. The Hitmen added grit and chemistry to the Oliver Tulk/Ben Kindel line with the addition of Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Tanner Howe.

On the back end, Davidson targeted netminder Daniel Hauser, who backstopped the then-Winnipeg ICE to appearances in the Eastern Conference Championship in 2022 and the WHL Championship Series in 2023. Hauser went 20-4-0-0 in Calgary while becoming the WHL's winningest goaltender with his 123rd victory and tying a league record for consecutive shutouts with four.

Finally, Calgary jumped on the opportunity to add Vancouver Canucks defensive prospect Sawyer Mynio, who eats big minutes and helped the Seattle Thunderbirds lift the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2023.

Calgary finished fifth in the league in goals (266), second in fewest goals against (183) and owned the WHL's best home record (26-6-1-1).

Colin Priestner (Saskatoon Blades)

Colin Priestner's upstart Blades shocked plenty of teams across the WHL with a strong regular season one year after winning the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as 2024 regular season champions.

Despite selling big-name players like Tanner Molendyk and Ben Riche, the Blades saw an instant impact from returning players while recouping two first-round picks.

Saskatoon brought in 6-foot-6 Calgary Flames prospect Hunter Laing, who finished the season with a team-leading 25 goals, and 18-year-olds Hayden Harsanyi and Jack Kachkowski, who will take on even bigger roles going forward.

2025 NHL Draft-eligible forward David Lewandowski opted to join the Blades for his first season in North America after Saskatoon selected him in the second round of the 2024 CHL Import Draft. The German forward heated up as time went on for 39 points (15G-24A) and ended the season on a seven-game point streak.

Saskatoon also saw home-grown talent evolve, with Cooper Williams emerging as a breakout star. The 2025 WHL Rookie of the Year nominee surpassed 20 goals in his inaugural season and finished second on the team in points (57). He was selected by Saskatoon in the second round of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.

Jake Heisinger (Victoria Royals)

Jake Heisinger's first campaign as the General Manager of the Victoria Royals was one for the books as the team won the B.C. Division title for the second time and posted their third-ever 40-win season.

Victoria was the class of the province with a 40-17-4-7 record while scoring the fourth most goals (272) and boasting the league's second-best powerplay at 28.6%.

The Royals were already in the midst of a promising campaign at the turn of the calendar year but shot to the top of the division after going 23-6-1-3 in the new year, thanks to some key additions.

Heisinger fortified Victoria's offense by bringing in 30-plus goal scorers Brandon Lisowsky and Kenta Isogai at the 2025 WHL Trade Deadline. Both skaters averaged more than a point per game and ranked second and third, respectively, in goals by a Royals player since pulling on a Royals uniform.

In addition, Victoria welcomed 2024 CHL Import Draft pick and Winnipeg Jets prospect Markus Loponen and beefed up their goaltending tandem with the addition of Johnny Hicks, who had previously been playing in the BCHL.

Hicks went 10-4-0-1 in his first season with a 2.69 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.

Mike Fraser (Everett Silvertips)

Mike Fraser's first season as the Everett's General Manager saw the Silvertips clinch the 10th U.S. Division title in franchise history and earn the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as regular season champions for the second time.

Everett's 48-12-4-4 record stood well above the rest of the pack while allowing the fewest goals (178) and scoring the third-most goals (277).

Fraser did some of his best work of the season off the trade market.

With starting netminder Jesse Sanche sidelined by injury, Fraser brought in rookie netminder Raiden LeGall, who helped form one the stingiest tandems in the WHL. LeGall was named WHL Goaltender of the Month for January and WHL Rookie of the Week in December.

Fraser also cleared the way for former Silvertips co-captain Austin Roest to return for a final run at a WHL Championship as the Nashville Predators prospect worked back from an early-season injury. The 21-year-old had seven points (3G-4A) in his first seven games back and has found another level in the postseason.

Prior to the start of the regular season, Fraser hired Steve Hamilton to helm the team. Hamilton won two WHL Championships (2012, 2014) and a Memorial Cup (2014) as an associate coach with the Edmonton Oil Kings.

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