Goaltenders Dominate WHL Weekly Awards
February 18, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release
Calgary, Alta. - Spokane Chiefs Captain Berkly Catton has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending Sunday, February 16, 2025, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.
This marks Catton's second weekly award this season.
The Seattle Kraken prospect led all WHL skaters with two goals and seven assists for nine points in three games while helping the Chiefs lock down a berth in the 2025 WHL Playoffs.
Catton played a key role in three straight comeback victories for Spokane, starting with a home tilt against the Wenatchee Wild on February 11. The Chiefs' league-best powerplay went to work late in the first period as Catton burst through a pair of Wild defenders to redirect an Owen Martin pass into the net to open the scoring. Wenatchee would pull ahead to lead 3-2, but veteran Shea Van Olm scored with 30 seconds left to force overtime. In the extra frame, Catton teed up Van Olm for the game-winning goal on a three-on-two break. Catton was named first star of the night.
Spokane would head to extras again in a narrow 5-4 shootout loss to the Tri-City Americans on February 14, though Catton was all over the scoresheet with a goal and three assists. The 19-year-old dished a pair of passes to Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall as the Ams jumped out to a 4-2 third-period lead. With less than three minutes left, St. Louis Blues prospect Will McIsaac stopped Tri-City from clearing their own zone and started a passing sequence capped off with a Catton wrister to get Spokane within a goal. Catton came through again on a 6-on-5 push with a secondary helper on Brayden Crampton's game-tying goal, securing a single point for the Chiefs. This marks Catton's fifth game this season with four or more points.
The Chiefs got their revenge in a 6-3 walloping of Tri-City on February 15. Catton was named third star of the game with another three assists- two of which came on the man advantage.
Catton registered another two assists in a playoff-clinching win over the Kamloops Blazers on Monday, February 17, though that performance does not count towards this week's awards.
The Saskatoon, Sask. product sits third in the WHL scoring race with 31 goals and 59 assists for 90 points in 44 games.
He's tied for second in plus/minus at +43 while sitting third in points-per-game (2.05) and fourth in assists.
Catton is also on a 15-game point streak that's seen him tally 43 points (17G-26A).
Originally selected first overall in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Catton has become a fan-favourite in Spokane while becoming one of the franchise's top modern scorers.
The 5-foot-10, 175-pound centreman has netted 109 goals and 156 assists for 265 career points in 184 regular-season games, in addition to four helpers in eight postseason games.
Catton was named the U.S. Division Player of the Year after a 116-point campaign in 2023-24, earning WHL U.S. Division First-Team All-Star Honours and picking up a nomination for WHL Player of the Year.
The Seattle Kraken called his name eighth overall at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and signed the youngster to a three-year, entry-level contract weeks later.
He was named the 37th captain in Chiefs history ahead of the 2024-25 regular season.
Catton's international resume includes his first trip to the IIHF World Junior Championship, where he tallied an assist, and a gold medal at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he led all skaters with eight goals and two assists in five games. He also clinched a bronze medal at the 2023 IIHF World U18 Championship and silver at the 2023 World U-17 Hockey Challenge.
Spokane (37-16-1-1) is on a 7-0-1-1 point streak in the home stretch of the WHL's regular season.
The Chiefs will try to inch closer to locking down home-ice advantage in Round One when they host the Tri-City Americans (28-22-4-1) on Friday, February 21 at 7:05 p.m. PST.
2024-25 Tempo WHL Player of the Week
September 23, 2024: Roger McQueen, Brandon Wheat Kings
September 30, 2024: Nathan Behm, Kamloops Blazers
October 7, 2024: Shea Van Olm, Spokane Chiefs
October 15, 2024: Mazden Leslie, Vancouver Giants
October 21, 2024: Ben Kindel, Calgary Hitmen
October 28, 2024: Nathan Behm, Kamloops Blazers
November 4, 2024: Brady Birnie, Swift Current Broncos
November 11, 2024: Koehn Ziemmer, Prince George Cougars (Los Angeles Kings)
November 18, 2024: Tomas Mrsic, Prince Albert Raiders (St. Louis Blues)
November 25, 2024: Andrew Cristall, Kelowna Rockets (Washington Capitals)
December 2, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
December 9, 2024: Tyson Jugnauth, Portland Winterhawks (Seattle Kraken)
December 16, 2024: Gracyn Sawchyn, Edmonton Oil Kings (Florida Panthers)
December 23, 2024: Rilen Kovacevic, Moose Jaw Warriors
December 30, 2024: Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips
January 6, 2025: Evan Friesen, Wenatchee Wild
January 13, 2025: Andrew Cristall, Spokane Chiefs (Washington Capitals)
January 20, 2025: Berkly Catton, Spokane Chiefs (Seattle Kraken)
January 27, 2025: Quinn Mantei, Brandon Wheat Kings
February 3, 2025: Andrew Cristall, Spokane Chiefs (Washington Capitals)
February 10, 2025: Cole Reschny, Victoria Royals
SABRES PROSPECT RATZLAFF NAMED WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Calgary, Alta. - Seattle Thunderbirds netminder Scott Ratzlaff has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Sunday, February 16, 2025, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.
The Buffalo Sabres prospect backstopped the surging Thunderbirds with a 3-0-0-0 record, a pristine 1.33 goals-against average, a .959 save percentage and one shutout.
Ratzlaff was named second star after steering aside 25 shots in a 3-2 win over the Kelowna Rockets on February 11, with one goal against coming on a Kelowna powerplay.
The Thunderbirds cranked up the intensity in an I-5 rivalry showdown against the visiting Portland Winterhawks on February 15. Seattle never trailed in the match as Ratzlaff put forward a stunning 40-save performance to pick up first-star honours in a 4-2 victory.
Ratzlaff saved his best for last this week with his first clean sheet of the season. He made 28 saves to blank the Wenatchee Wild on February 16, including a furious 14-shot push in the third period. Beyond another first-star effort, Ratzlaff also picked up Real Canadian Superstore WHL Save of the Night with a sliding stop on a Wenatchee two-on-one play.
Seattle has now won four straight games and eight of their last 10 to climb into a playoff position with just over a month remaining in the WHL regular season.
Ratzlaff is 18-16-1-1 in his fifth WHL season with a 3.41 goals-against average, a .900 save percentage and a shutout. He's won eight of his last nine appearances.
The 6-foot-1, 178-pound puckstopper has also faced the fifth-most shots of any WHL netminder this season, highlighted by a 43-save win against the league-leading Everett Silvertips on January 11, 2025.
The Irma, Alta. product was drafted by the T-Birds 43rd overall in the second round of the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft and was a backup to former WHL Goaltender of the Year Thomas Milic as Seattle made back-to-back trips to the WHL Championship Series in 2022 and 2023, with the Thunderbirds winning it all in 2023 and reaching the Memorial Cup Final.
Ratzlaff holds a career record of 82-52-3-3, a 2.94 goals-against average, a .906 save percentage and eight shutouts. He's tied for second among active WHL goaltenders in wins.
The Sabres selected Ratzlaff in the fifth round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and signed him to an entry-level contract in October of 2024.
The 19-year-old was named a WHL U.S. Division Second-Team All-Star for 2023-24 and has represented Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship and the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he backstopped the Canucks to gold with two shutouts and a .976 save percentage.
Seattle (22-28-2-1) is on the hunt for a fifth straight win when they visit the Wenatchee Wild (18-29-6-1) on Friday, February 21 at 7:00 p.m. PST.
2024-25 WHL Goaltender of the Week
September 23, 2024: Koen Cleaver, Lethbridge Hurricanes
September 30, 2024: Ethan Eskit, Brandon Wheat Kings
October 7, 2024: Spencer Michnik, Victoria Royals
October 15, 2024: Harrison Meneghin, Medicine Hat Tigers (Tampa Bay Lightning)
October 21, 2024: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades (Columbus Blue Jackets)
October 28, 2024: Jesse Sanche, Everett Silvertips
November 4, 2024: Carson Bjarnason, Brandon Wheat Kings (Philadelphia Flyers)
November 11, 2024: Nathan Preston, Tri-City Americans
November 18, 2024: Dawson Cowan, Spokane Chiefs
November 25, 2024: Alex Worthington, Edmonton Oil Kings
December 2, 2024: Anders Miller, Calgary Hitmen
December 9, 2024: Raiden LeGall, Everett Silvertips
December 16, 2024: Jackson Unger, Lethbridge Hurricanes
December 23, 2024: Max Hildebrand, Prince Albert Raiders
December 30, 2024: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
January 6, 2025: Burke Hood, Vancouver Giants
January 13, 2025: Jayden Kraus, Victoria Royals
January 20, 2025: Harrison Meneghin, Medicine Hat Tigers (Tampa Bay Lightning)
January 27, 2025: Harrison Meneghin, Medicine Hat Tigers (Tampa Bay Lightning)
February 3, 2025: Max Hildebrand, Prince Albert Raiders
February 10, 2025: Johnny Hicks, Victoria Royals
TIGERS NETMINDER SWITZER NAMED WHL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Calgary, Alta. - Medicine Hat Tigers netminder Jordan Switzer has been named WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending Sunday, February 16, 2025, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.
Switzer led all WHL netminders with a 2-0-0-0 record, a .50 goals-against average, a sparkling .982 save and one shutout.
The Edmonton, Alta. product was between the pipes for a pair of highlight-reel goaltender showdowns.
Switzer battled Prince Albert Raiders veteran Max Hildebrand in the February 12 edition of Wednesday Night in the Dub, which saw Medicine Hat ultimately prevail by a score of 3-1. Switzer steered aside 32 shots and held Prince Albert scoreless on five powerplay opportunities. Some of his best moments came late in the third period while the Tigers were nursing a 2-1 lead, including a no-look stick stop on Ty Meunier and a four-on-two Raiders rush on a delayed penalty.
Switzer was tested again against the Regina Pats as the Tigers kicked off a four-game homestand on February 15. Switzer and opposing netminder Ewan Huet dueled from puck drop to the final buzzer, with Switzer prevailing with a 22-save shutout in a 1-0 victory. Switzer shined with a blocker stop with Jace Egland and Braxton Whitehead bearing down on separate shorthanded breakaways.
The youngster was named second and first star, respectively, in his two games.
Switzer, who clocks in at 6-foot, 184 pounds, is 20-6-2-0 in his first full WHL season with a 2.87 goals-against average, and .893 save percentage and two shutouts.
He sits fifth among all qualified WHL netminders in goals against average, is tied for sixth in wins and tied for second in clean sheets.
Originally drafted by the Tigers in the sixth round of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, Switzer appeared in two contests in 2023-24.
Previously, the 18-year-old was a CSSHL U17 Champion with the Northern Alberta Xtreme and posted the league's best goals-against average (1.59) and top save percentage (.942).
Medicine Hat (37-16-3-1) has since clinched a berth in the 2025 WHL Playoffs with a win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes on February 17.
The Tigers get back to work on Friday, February 21 as they host the Edmonton Oil Kings (30-20-2-2) at 7:00 p.m. MST.
2024-25 WHL Rookie of the Week
September 23, 2024: Keaton Verhoeff, Victoria Royals
September 30, 2024: Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips
October 7, 2024: Cooper Williams, Saskatoon Blades
October 15, 2024: Josh Banini, Moose Jaw Warriors
October 21, 2024: Gavin Garland, Tri-City Americans
October 28, 2024: Jaxon Jacobson, Brandon Wheat Kings
November 4, 2024: Gavin Garland, Tri-City Americans
November 11, 2024: Ondrej Stebetak, Portland Winterhawks
November 18, 2024: Kason Kobelka, Calgary Hitmen
November 25, 2024: Jordan Duguay, Portland Winterhawks
December 2, 2024: Jaxon Jacobson, Brandon Wheat Kings
December 9, 2024: Liam Ruck, Medicine Hat Tigers
December 16, 2024: Keaton Verhoeff, Victoria Royals
December 23, 2024: Parker Rondeau, Swift Current Broncos
December 30, 2024: Joe Iginla, Edmonton Oil Kings
January 6, 2025: Keaton Verhoeff, Victoria Royals
January 13, 2025: Tommy Lafreniere, Kamloops Blazers
January 20, 2025: Ryan Lin, Vancouver Giants
January 27, 2025: Matej Pekar, Seattle Thunderbirds
February 3, 2025: Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips
February 10, 2025: Savin Virk, Tri-City Americans
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Western Hockey League Stories from February 18, 2025
- Wheat Kings Earn Gutsy Win over Raiders to Take East Division Lead - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Chiefs to Induct Five New Players into List of Chiefs Legends for 40th Anniversary - Spokane Chiefs
- Winterhawks Weekly: Hawks Surpass 30 Wins - Portland Winterhawks
- February 18 - Canes Chatter - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Jordan Switzer Named WHL Rookie of the Week - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Kraken Prospect Catton Named Tempo WHL Player of the Week - Spokane Chiefs
- Goaltenders Dominate WHL Weekly Awards - WHL
- Buttazzoni Nets Game Winner for 4-3 Victory Hawks' Victory on Monday - Portland Winterhawks
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