Kraken Prospect Catton's Milestone Season Headlines WHL Monthly Awards

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Kraken Prospect Catton's Milestone Season Headlines WHL Monthly Awards

March 4, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, Alta. - Spokane Chiefs Captain Berkly Catton has been named WHL Player of the Month for February, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.

This is the first time Catton has captured the monthly award this season, though he's been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week twice.

Catton racked up 13 goals and 21 assists for 34 points in 13 games as the Chiefs steamrolled the competition by going 10-1-1-1 in February.

The Saskatoon, Sask. product registered 10 multipoint games in January and was only held off the scoresheet once. Catton scored four times and added an assist in a 9-1 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds on February 7 and recorded a second five-point (2G-3A) night against the Tri-City Americans on February 21. The 19-year-old also served up two helpers as the Chiefs downed the Kamloops Blazers 4-2 on February 17 to clinch a berth in the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien. With a goal against the Wenatchee Wild on February 28, Catton became the fifth player in franchise history to record back-to-back 100-point seasons.

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound winger has dominated with 36 goals and 65 assists for 101 points in 50 games this season. He sits third in points and points-per-game and fourth in assists across the entire WHL.

Spokane drafted Catton with the first overall pick in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft. Since then, he's established himself as a franchise great, putting up 114 goals and 162 assists for 276 points in 190 regular season games. Catton sits 11th in all-time Chiefs scoring and is six points away from passing Jason Podollan (1991-1996, 281PTS) for a spot in the top 10.

Catton was named the 2023-24 U.S. Division Player of the Year after a 116-point campaign and picked up WHL U.S. Division First-Team All-Star Honours.

The Seattle Kraken selected him eighth overall at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and signed the Catton 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.

On the international stage, Catton has represented Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he tallied an assist, and at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he led all skaters with eight goals and two assists in five games en route to a gold medal. He also clinched a bronze medal at the 2023 IIHF World U18 Championship and silver at the 2023 World U-17 Hockey Challenge.

Spokane (41-18-1-1) is 7-2-0-1 in its last 10 games to sit second in the U.S. Division and third in the Western Conference.

The Chiefs will battle the B.C. Division-leading Victoria Royals (36-15-3-6) in a pair of matches on Vancouver Island starting on Friday, March 7 at 7:05 p.m. PST.

2024-25 WHL Player of the Month

September/October: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers

November: Andrew Cristall, Kelowna Rockets (Washington Capitals)

December: Oliver Tulk, Calgary Hitmen

January: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers

HITMEN NETMINDER HAUSER NAMED WHL GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH FOR FEBRUARY

Calgary, Alta.- Calgary Hitmen netminder Daniel Hauser has been named WHL Goaltender of the Month for February, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.

The veteran is chasing down club and league history with an impressive 6-2-0-0 run in February with a 2.04 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage and three consecutive shutouts.

Hauser's three straight clean sheets tied a Hitmen franchise record originally set by Justin Pogge in 2005-06 and tied by Martin Jones in 2009-10. Hauser has since broken the record with a fourth shutout on March 2, though the milestone win doesn't count toward the Goaltender of the Month award.

The Chestermere, Alta. product allowed two or fewer goals in six of eight appearances in February. His first shutout, a 14-save effort against the Regina Pats, clinched Calgary's return to the WHL postseason. He followed it up with a 28-save performance against the surging Brandon Wheat Kings and a monster 23-save win against Swift Current in front of more than 17,000 fans at the Scotiabank Saddledome for Calgary's annual TELUS Be Brave #EndBullying game on February 21.

Hauser is 15-3-0-0 with a 1.85 goals-against average, a .926 save percentage and five shutouts since being traded to the Hitmen from the Wenatchee Wild in early January. He holds an overall record of 23-12-2-1 with a 2.62 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage this season.

The 5-foot-11, 166-pound netminder leads all WHL goalies in shutouts and ranks second in GAA and save percentage while sitting fifth in wins.

Hauser was originally drafted by the then-Winnipeg ICE in the sixth round of the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft. He backstopped the Winnipeg ICE to appearances in the Eastern Conference Championship in 2022 and the WHL Championship Series in 2023 while making the WHL East Division First All-Star Team in both campaigns.

The 21-year-old is the WHL's active wins leader with a 118-35-8-1 career record, a 2.60 goals-against average, a .909 save percentage and 17 shutouts.

Hauser is now chasing the 120-win mark set by Tyson Sexsmith (Medicine Hat Tigers, Vancouver Giants) and Corey Hirsch (Kamloops Blazers) to sit second in all-time WHL victories. Nolan Maier (Saskatoon Blades) broke the all-time wins record with his 122nd regular-season victory in 2022.

Hauser will join the NCAA's University of Wisconsin upon the completion of his WHL eligibility.

Calgary (39-15-3-3) is on a 6-0-0-1 run to sit second in the Central Division and third in the Eastern Conference.

The Hitmen will look to hit 40 wins for the first time since the 2015-16 season as they host the Swift Current Broncos on Friday, March 7 at 7:00 p.m. MST.

2024-25 WHL Goaltender of the Month

September/October: Jesse Sanche, Everett Silvertips

November: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades (Columbus Blue Jackets)

December: Raiden LeGall, Everett Silvertips

January: Harrison Meneghin, Medicine Hat Tigers (Tampa Bay Lightning)

AMERICANS FORWARD VIRK NAMED WHL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH FOR FEBRUARY

Calgary, Alta.- Tri-City Americans forward Savin Virk has been named WHL Rookie of the Month for February, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.

The 17-year-old led all first-year players with nine goals and eight assists for 17 points in 11 games.

Virk put up four multipoint games in February, highlighted by his first WHL hat trick (which included the overtime winner) in a 4-3 victory against the Prince George Cougars on February 4. Other standout performances include a career-high four-assist night in a 4-2 win over the Kelowna Rockets and a 5-4 win against the powerhouse Spokane Chiefs that saw Virk add two helpers and net the shootout winner. He was named WHL Rookie of the Week on February 10.

Tri-City went 7-4-0-0 in February to clinch a berth in the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien and stay in the battle for home-ice advantage in Round One.

Virk, from Surrey, B.C., was drafted by the Americans in the third round of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft and joined the squad after signing a Scholarship and Development Agreement on November 14, 2024.

The 6-foot, 175-pound winger has amassed 19 goals (including three game-winners) and 18 assists for 37 points in 42 games. He sits fifth on the Americans in goals and is tied for fourth among all WHL rookies.

Virk is the second Americans rookie to earn the monthly award this season after Gavin Garland (20G-20A) was recognized for his achievements in November.

Tri-City (31-23-5-1) is on a 3-0-1-0 run with eight games remaining on their regular season slate.

The Ams kick off a three-game homestand against the league-leading Everett Silvertips (42-11-4-3) on Friday, March 7 at 7:05 p.m. PST.

2024-25 WHL Rookie of the Month

September/October: Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips

November: Gavin Garland, Tri-City Americans

December: Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips

January: Daxon Rudolph, Prince Albert Raiders

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