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Exceptional Status Defenceman DuPont Among WHL Weekly Award Winners

September 30, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, Alta. - Kamloops Blazers forward Nathan Behm has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending September 29, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

The 2025 NHL Draft-eligible skater erupted for four goals and two assists in two games, leading all WHL skaters in goals and points.

Behm got the ball rolling against the Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday, September 27 by chipping a puck ahead to create an odd-man rush for the Blazers, with Andrew Thomson snagged the game-opening goal. The Calgarian would net his first goal of the season midway through the first period with a precision redirection of an Isa Guram shot from the point. The Thunderbirds would level the match at 2-2 after the first frame, but Behm put the home side back on top by tucking a puck five hole in a quick play on the doorstep. The 17-year-old completed the natural hat trick just 20 seconds later with a spin-o-rama shot from the slot. The three-goal, one-assist effort marks Behm's first WHL hat trick and most points earned in a single WHL game. Kamloops would go on to capture its first win of the young season 5-3 with Behm earning first-star honours.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound winger carried the momentum onto the scoresheet the following night against the visiting Victoria Royals. With the B.C. Division leaders up 1-0 late in the opening period, Behm parked himself in front of the Royals net and banged away at the puck for a gritty powerplay goal. In the second period, with the Blazers on another man advantage, he absorbed a hit along the boards but made the pass that led to Oren Shtrom's powerplay tally, giving Kamloops its first and only lead of the night as Victoria cruised to a 5-2 win.

Behm leads the Blazers in goals (four), assists (two) and points (six). He is tied for third in goals and points among all WHLers.

The Blazers sophomore is one of the top Kamloops players preparing for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft- but he's also impressed off the ice, winning the Canadian U17 Long Drive Championship with a 340-yard bomb over the summer.

Behm was drafted 13th overall in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft and racked up 12 goals and 19 assists for 31 points in 68 games in his rookie season.

Kamloops (1-2-0-0) kicks off a five-game road swing on Friday, October 4 at 7:00 p.m. PST against the Vancouver Giants at the Langley Events Centre.

2024-25 Tempo WHL Player of the Week

September 23, 2024: Roger McQueen, Brandon Wheat Kings

Wheat Kings netminder Eskit named WHL Goaltender of the Week

Calgary, Alta. - Brandon Wheat Kings netminder Ethan Eskit has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending September 29, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

Eskit allowed just one goal in an important road match against the Prince Albert Raiders, posting a .970 save percentage.

The 5-foot-10.5, 185-pound netminder set the tone early at the Art Hauser Centre with a highlight reel-worthy sliding glove save to deny St. Louis Blues prospect Tomas Mrsic. Eskit would deny all four Raiders powerplay attempts and was only beaten by a tipped shot courtesy of Ethan Bibeau. A pair of goals from Marcus Nguyen helped seal a 4-1 victory for the Wheat Kings, while Eskit steered aside 32 of 33 shots to preserve the victory and earn first star of the night.

Eskit, 18, leads all WHL goaltenders with three wins and has yet to lose a game in 2024-25.

The Calgary, Alta. product ranks third in the league with a 1.33 goals-against average and a .952 save percentage.

Brandon selected Eskit in the sixth round of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft and he went on to play significant minutes in 2023-24, going 9-11-1-0 with a 4.06 goals-against average, a .874 save percentage and recording his first shutout.

Brandon (3-1-0-0) returns to Westoba Place for a three-game home stand starting on Friday, October 4 when the black and gold host the Edmonton Oil Kings (1-2-0-0)

2024-25 WHL Goaltender of the Week

September 23, 2024: Koen Cleaver, Lethbridge Hurricanes

Exceptional status defenceman DuPont named WHL Rookie of the Week

Calgary, Alta. - Everett Silvertips defenceman Landon DuPont has been named WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending September 29, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

The WHL's first exceptional-status defenceman recorded three assists and a +4 rating through two games, leading all rookies in assists and tying for the most points.

DuPont recorded his first multi-point WHL game with a pair of assists on September 28 against the U.S. Division-rival Portland Winterhawks. With the Silvertips already leading 3-0 in the second period, DuPont fired a puck on net for Andrew Petruck to poke home his first goal of the season. Shortly afterward, with the teams playing four-on-four, DuPont led the Silvertips breaking before dropping the puck back to Tyler Mackenzie and screening the goaltender as Everett extended its lead to 5-0. DuPont picked up third-star honours as Everett earned its first win of the season in an 8-2 rout.

The 5-foot-11, 179-pound blueliner continued his streak the following night with a smart passing play that led to Julien Maze's game-winning goal in a 6-3 defeat of the Kelowna Rockets.

DuPont, 15, has four assists and a +6 rating through his first three WHL games. He's tied for first in assists on the Silvertips and is tied for second in assists and points among all rookie skaters.

Everett picked up the Calgary, Alta. product with the first overall pick in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft.

On April 8, 2024, it was announced that DuPont had been granted exceptional status to compete in the WHL as a 15-year-old.

He's the first defenceman and second skater- following former Regina Pats star and reigning NHL Rookie of the Year Connor Bedard- to receive exceptional status.

DuPont is also coming off his first experience with Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence after taking part in Canada's National Under-17 Development Camp in July.

Everett (2-1-0-0) kicks off a seven-game road trip on Friday, October 4 against the Prince Albert Raiders (1-2-1-0).

2024-25 WHL Rookie of the Week

September 23, 2024: Keaton Verhoeff, Victoria Royals

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