WHL Everett Silvertips

"Just Like Brothers:" Zackary Shantz on his Run with the Silvertips

Published on March 20, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Everett Silvertips News Release


EVERETT, Wash. - Zackary Shantz found brotherhood in his third stop in the Western Hockey League.

Acquired via trade at the 2024 trade deadline from the Regina Pats, Shantz fit right in with a tight-knit group with their eyes on a championship.

"We're just all like brothers," he said. "We chirp each other sometimes, love each other most of the time, and just have fun with everything we do. I think how close we are as a team really helps what we do on the ice."

Shantz's overage season in the WHL has been a breakout one, as he has more than doubled his total regular season points from last season. Racking up 27 goals and 38 assists for 65 points in 64 games played, he has been a near-constant on the statsheet while playing key defensive minutes as a center. He truly burst onto the scene with a natural hat trick on opening night, propelling the Silvertips to a 4-3 comeback shootout victory against the Wenatchee Wild.

The Prince George Cougars originally selected Shantz in the 2020 WHL Draft. He suited up for nine games with the Cougars in both the '21-22 and '22-23 seasons before being traded to the Regina Pats where he posted 17 goals and 34 assists in 117 games played. He was a key piece for the Silvertips down the stretch in 2024-25, logging 11 points in 21 games and six points in 13 Playoff outings.

The importance of keeping things fun is not lost on the Silvertips and their overager crew. Reflecting on his time in the WHL, Shantz conceded maintaining a loose and positive attitude is his top piece of advice for young newcomers to the league.

"Just have fun with it," he noted. "A 20-year-old told me when I was 16 just to enjoy every moment. For me, just being present everywhere I am, I think that helps a lot."

Shantz shares his overager status with Rylan Gould, who he skated against numerous times as East Division rivals playing for Regina and Swift Current, respectively.

"I remember battling with him and him being such a good player," Gould reminisced. "I'm lucky enough to get to play with him this year. He's my best friend and we're so close. We share everything with each other. He's such a great guy and great player."

"I think he's an under-appreciated guy," noted fellow overager Nolan Chastko. "He doesn't get enough credit for what he does. He works unbelievably hard. He's the true definition of what a Silvertip is, and off the ice, he's a super great guy."

Amidst a record-breaking season, Shantz is doing his best to stay level-headed and focused on a bigger prize.

"It hasn't really settled in yet," Shantz said of the impending end of his WHL career. "We're not done with this season yet. I'm just taking it day by day still. I don't really want it to end, so just trying to go as far as we can."

Shantz announced his commitment to play Division-I hockey next season at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota in February, a new venture he's eagerly anticipating. "They just have an awesome program and everything that I was looking for. I think another league will be exciting and I'm excited just to make new friends."

In the meantime, he's relishing every opportunity to play in Everett.

"Just getting this opportunity to play here has meant so much to me. To be here, I think it's the best city to play in."

Article by Lindsey McClellan

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 20, 2026


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