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Lightning Prospect Strikes Twice as WHL Goaltender of the Week

January 27, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, Alta. - Brandon Wheat Kings Captain Quinn Mantei has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending Sunday, January 26, 2025, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

The defenceman erupted for a goal and seven assists in three games as the Wheat Kings closed a daunting road trip on a high note.

Brandon filled the net against the Kelowna Rockets in a dominant performance on January 21. With the Wheaties up 1-0 in the second period, Mantei picked up the first of four assists on the night with a play leading to a Luke Shipley goal. He picked up another helper on a tic-tac-toe powerplay goal with Dominik Petr and added a third assist on Nolan Flamand's insurance marker. Mantei linked up with Shipley again to close the Wheat Kings scoring in a 7-3 rout. Mantei was named the third star of the night with his second-career four-point effort.

The Weyburn, Sask. product carried the momentum into Kamloops the following night. With the match tied at two in the middle frame, Brandon made the most of their penalty kill. Matteo Michels picked up a loose puck and streaked down the ice to feed Mantei for a lethal shorthanded wrister to give the visitors the lead. The Wheat Kings' special teams continued to run wild as Mantei dished another powerplay assist, before finishing the night with a shorthanded assist on a Caleb Hadland empty-netter. Mantei picked up first-star honours with a three-point effort.

Brandon's impressive run would come to a close in Prince George as they fell to the Cougars 3-2 in a tight match that featured a quick run of goals in the third period. Mantei assisted Carter Klippenstein's eighth goal of the season to give the black and gold a late 2-1 lead, but the Cougars responded with a pair of quick tallies to seal the win.

Mantei is in the midst of a career-best season with five goals and 24 assists for 29 points in 39 games. Originally drafted by the Wheat Kings with the 13th overall pick in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, the 6-foot, 186-pound blueliner has played 225 games with Brandon over four seasons.

He's amassed 12 goals and 84 assists for 96 points in the regular season, in addition to a trio of assists in two trips to the WHL Playoffs.

Off the ice, Mantei was named the 2023 winner of the Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy as the WHL Scholastic Player of the Year after recording an overall average of 96 per cent in his core school subjects.

Mantei was named the 53rd Captain in Wheat Kings history prior to the start of the 2024-25 season. He's also a two-time winner of Brandon's Brad McCrimmon Trophy for the team's top defenceman.

Brandon (22-16-3-2) is 5-5-0-0 in its last 10 games as they return home to host the Red Deer Rebels (16-24-4-2) on Wednesday, January 29.

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)

LIGHTNING PROSPECT MENEGHIN REPEATS AS WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Calgary, Alta. - Medicine Hat Tigers netminder Harrison Meneghin has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Sunday, January 26, 2025, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

Meneghin has earned the honour in back-to-back weeks, in addition to a WHL Goaltender of the Week win in October.

The Tampa Bay Lightning prospect went 2-0-0-0 on the week with a 1.50 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage to kick off a U.S. Division road trip.

Meneghin came out on top in a goaltending battle between two of the league's highest-scoring teams on January 24. Going up against the Spokane Chiefs, the 20-year-old steered away 27 of 29 shots- including a spectacular toe stop on Mathis Preston and a dramatic glove save on WHL goals leader Shea Van Olm- to preserve a 3-2 victory for the Tigers. Meneghin also held the Chiefs' league-best powerplay scoreless on three attempts.

The 6-foot-4, 174-pound netminder was solid again the following night in a 3-1 win against the Tri-City Americans. Meneghin stopped 21 shots and held the Ams scoreless on two powerplays to extend Medicine Hat's winning streak to a WHL-leading nine games.

Meneghin has won his last five appearances and is 11-8-0-0 on the season with a 2.49 goals-against average, a .901 save percentage and two shutouts.

The South Surrey, B.C. product sits second among all qualified goaltenders in goals-against average, ninth in save percentage and is tied for second in shutouts.

Meneghin was listed by Lethbridge in 2021 and played parts of four seasons with the Hurricanes before being acquired by the high-powered Tigers at the start of the 2024-25 campaign.

The 2024 WHL Goaltender of the Year nominee has hit major career milestones this season with a 57-40-7-2 record, a 2.68 goals-against average and six shutouts while surpassing 100 games played and closing in on 3,000 saves.

He was named a WHL Central Division Second Team All-Star in 2023 and a First Team All-Star in 2024.

The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Meneghin in the seventh round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.

Medicine Hat (30-15-2-0) is 9-1-0-0 in its last 10 games to lead the Central Division and the Eastern Conference

The Tabbies continue their road trip against the Wenatchee Wild (17-23-3-1) on Tuesday, January 28 before facing the league-leading Everett Silvertips on January 29.

The clash between the conference leaders is this week's Wednesday Night in the Dub matchup, which will be streamed for free on the WHL's Youtube channel and on WHL Live.

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)

THUNDERBIRDS FORWARD PEKAR NAMED WHL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Calgary, Alta. - Seattle Thunderbirds forward Matej Pekar has been named WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending Sunday, January 26, 2025, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

The 17-year-old led all first-year players with four goals in three games.

Pekar netted the game-winning goal in a 7-1 rout of the Vancouver Giants on January 21. The 5-foot-10, 165-pound left winger drove the blue paint to bat the puck past a sprawling Giants netminder.

The Prerov, Cze. product came up big for his team in a heated home match against the B.C. Division-leading Victoria Royals on January 24. With the Royals leading 1-0 in the second period, Pekar deked a Victoria defender and ripped a shot through traffic to get Seattle on the board. The Thunderbirds Czech contingent linked up to put an exclamation point on the game as top 2025 NHL Draft prospect Radim Mrtka slid a centering pass to a trailing Pekar for a sensational one-timer to cap off a 4-1 win. Pekar was named third star of the night with his second WHL two-goal game.

Seattle's win streak would come to an end in a 6-1 loss to the league-leading Everett Silvertips on January 26, but Pekar would deny the Tips the shutout with a gritty goal after a scramble in the Everett crease.

Pekar has nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points in 42 games in his first season in North America.

Last season, he suited up for the Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta's U17 and U20 squads, totaling 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points in 43 contests.

The Thunderbirds selected Pekar with the 11th overall pick in the 2024 CHL Import Draft.

He's represented his Czechia four times on the international stage, most recently earning silver with a goal and three assists at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton, Alta.

Pekar is eligible for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

Seattle (16-27-2-1) is 5-5-0-0 in its last 10 games to stay in the Western Conference playoff hunt.

The Thunderbirds open a three-game homestand against the Vancouver Giants (23-17-6-0) on Friday, January 31 at 7:05 p.m. PST.

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

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