Top 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Smith Headlines Final 2024-25 Regular Season WHL Weekly Awards

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Top 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Smith Headlines Final 2024-25 Regular Season WHL Weekly Awards

March 24, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, Alta. - Tri-City Americans defenceman Jackson Smith has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending Sunday, March 23, 2025, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

Smith led all WHL defenders with four goals and two assists for six points in three games as the Americans closed out their regular season schedule.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound blueliner played a key role in Tri-City's 4-2 win against the Portland Winterhawks on March 21. Smith opened the scoring after grabbing a loose puck and ripping a low wrister past Ondrej Stebetak late in the first frame. He added some insurance on a four-on-three powerplay in the third period by serving up a pass to Savin Virk for the eventual-game-winning goal.

Smith spearheaded a strong comeback attempt against the Spokane Chiefs the following night. With Spokane leading 3-1 in the third period, Smith lit the lamp with another lethal wrister on the powerplay. The 17-year-old duplicated the goal with another impressive shot with less than a minute remaining, though the Americans would fall in a narrow 4-3 loss.

He closed out the regular season with a first-star performance in a unique match that saw Tri-City and Seattle play the remaining 38:55 of a rescheduled game. With Seattle leading 2-0 in the second period, Smith dazzled with a toe-drag around a Thunderbirds defender before firing his 11th goal of the season home from the faceoff dot. He added an assist on the powerplay as he kickstarted a clean passing play with Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Charlie Elick before Rookie Savin Virk finished off the play. The Thunderbirds claimed a 3-2 victory, but Smith was named first star of the night with one of his finest performances of the season.

Smith sits fourth on the Americans in scoring with 11 goals (including a team-leading four game-winners) and 43 assists for 54 assists in 68 games.

He's also on a five-game point streak that's seen him bag five goals and three helpers.

NHL Central Scouting rated Smith ninth among all North American skaters in the agency's midterm rankings ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft.

Smith represented the WHL at the first-ever CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota Canada in November and picked up three assists in five games to help Canada win gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

The Americans selected Smith with the second-overall pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft.

Since then, he's potted 19 goals and 66 assists for 85 points in 136 regular-season matches.

Tri-City (32-29-6-1) enters the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien as the seventh seed in the Western Conference and will take on the B.C. Division champion Victoria Royals in Round One starting on Friday, March 28.

All WHL Playoffs games will be streamed for free on Victory+.

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

February 18, 2025: Berkly Catton, Spokane Chiefs (Seattle Kraken)

February 24, 2025: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers

March 3, 2025: Teydon Trembecky, Victoria Royals

March 10, 2025: Hunter Laing, Saskatoon Blades (Calgary Flames)

March 17, 2025: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers

RAIDERS NETMINDER HILDEBRAND NAMED WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Calgary, Alta. - Prince Albert Raiders netminder Max Hildebrand has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Sunday, March 23, 2025, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

Hildebrand closed out his final week of WHL regular season action with a 3-0-0-0 record, a 1.98 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage to help the Raiders clinch the East Division title.

This is the third time the Martensville, Sask. product has won the weekly award this season.

Hildebrand stopped 22 of 23 shots against the Moose Jaw Warriors on March 18 to set up a critical pair of games against the Saskatoon Blades with a shot at the division lead and a top seed in the 2025 WHL Playoffs on the line.

The 6-foot-1, 188-pound goaltender stayed sharp with a monster 35-save performance as the Blades stormed back for a 3-2 overtime victory against one of their biggest foes. Hildebrand weathered 17 shots in the second period alone, silencing the crowd of more than 10,000 fans at SaskTel Centre.

That set up a winner-take-all regular-season finale against the Blades in Prince Albert. Hildebrand saved some of his best work for last by steering aside 34 of 37 shots for a 4-3 victory in front of a raucous crowd of more than 3,200 fans. The win saw Hildebrand pick up first-star honours and Prince Albert clinch its sixth East Division title in WHL history.

Hildebrand is playing some of the best hockey of his WHL career with a 33-16-5-0 record, a 2.87 goals-against average, a .918 save percentage and three shutouts.

He's second among all WHL goaltenders in save percentage and tied for second in wins after posting his first 30-plus victory campaign. Hildebrand also led all goalies in minutes played (3,181) and saves (1,709).

The Raiders selected Hildebrand in the 13th round of the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft.

Hildebrand has gone on to play parts of four seasons in Hockeytown North, going 69-53-10-2 with a career 3.06 goals-against average, a .905 save percentage and five shutouts.

He's committed to Bemidji State University for 2025-26 upon the conclusion of his WHL eligibility.

Hildebrand and the Raiders will now battle to get past the first round of the WHL Playoffs for the first time since winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2019.

Prince Albert (39-23-5-1) enters the postseason as the second seed in the Eastern Conference and will kick off their first-round series against the seven-seed Edmonton Oil Kings (37-27-2-2) at the Art Hauser Centre on Friday, March 28.

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

February 18, 2025: Scott Ratzlaff, Seattle Thunderbirds (Buffalo Sabres)

February 24, 2025: Daniel Hauser, Calgary Hitmen

March 3, 2025: Daniel Hauser, Calgary Hitmen

March 10, 2025: Burke Hood, Vancouver Giants

March 17, 2025: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades (Columbus Blue Jackets)

WHEAT KINGS FORWARD JACOBSON NAMED WHL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Calgary, Alta. - Brandon Wheat Kings forward Jaxon Jacobson has been named WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending Sunday, March 23, 2025, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

This is the third time the 16-year-old has snagged the weekly award.

Jacobson led all rookies with a goal and four assists for five points in three games to close out the regular season.

The 5-foot-9.5, 176-pound centreman helped get Brandon on the board in a heated showdown against the Saskatoon Blades on March 19. Jacobson earned a secondary assist on Luke Shipley's third-period tally to cut Saskatoon's lead in half, but the Blades would add an empty-netter to seal a 3-1 win.

It was a different story over the weekend, as the youngster broke the ice 90 seconds into a tilt against the rival Regina Pats. With Brandon pressing hard right out of the gates, Captain Quinn Mantei fed Jacobson to beat a defender and slip a backhand shot past the Pats netminder. Jacobson gave the Wheaties more insurance in the second period by winning a faceoff back to 2025 NHL Draft-eligible Joby Baumuller for a swift shot to double the lead. The pair linked up again less than a minute later as Jacobson dished for Baumuller on the rush to add another goal. Jacobson's three-point effort helped the Wheat Kings would cruise to a 7-3 win in their penultimate game of the regular season.

The momentum spilled into the season finale against the Pats on Saturday, March 22. With the game scoreless in the third period, Jacobson served up a powerplay assist on Luke Shipley's 20th goal of the season. The tally would stand as the game-winner as Brandon posted a 4-0 shutout.

Jacobson closes out his first full WHL season with 15 goals (including two game-winners) and 29 assists for 44 points in 51 games. He's tied for ninth in points among all rookies.

Jacobson suited up for seven games in the 2023-24 season after being selected by his hometown team fifth overall in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft. He netted four goals and two assists in the call-up appearances.

Earlier this season, he scored a goal and an assist to help Canada Red clinch a silver medal at the 2024 U17 World Challenge.

Jacobson is considered a top prospect for the 2027 NHL Draft.

Brandon (38-23-4-3) enters the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Wheat Kings will battle the fourth-seed Lethbridge Hurricanes in Round One beginning on Friday, March 28 at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena.

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

February 18, 2025: Jordan Switzer, Medicine Hat Tigers

February 24, 2025: Daxon Rudolph, Prince Albert Raiders

March 3, 2025: Luke Vlooswyk, Red Deer Rebels

March 10, 2025: Liam Ruck, Medicine Hat Tigers

March 17, 2025: Cooper Williams, Saskatoon Blades

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