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WHL Announces Weekly Award Winners

January 15, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, Alta. - The Western Hockey League announced today Matthew Savoie of the Moose Jaw Warriors has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending January 14, 2024.

In his first WHL game since December 9, 2023, Savoie stunned in his Warriors debut with two goals and three assists in a 7-2 victory over the Vancouver Giants.

With less than 30 seconds remaining in the first period, The Warriors forced a Giants turnover and sent Savoie off to the races, dishing the puck to Jagger Firkus, whose shot tipped off the pad of Brett Mirwald and into the Giants net. The pair would link up again on a second-period powerplay, with Savoie wiring a pass through traffic for Brayden Yager to bury the redirection on the doorstep. Savoie would create another golden opportunity on the penalty kill, cutting from the wing to the high slot and firing his first Warriors goal blocker side. The 5-foot-10 forward followed it up by cruising in tight and tucking the puck under the pad of Mirwald to make it 5-2 for the home side. Savoie wrapped his night up with another clean pass to Firkus for a glorious short-side goal.

Savoie was acquired by Moose Jaw on January 4, 2024, in a blockbuster deal that sent seven WHL draft picks to the Wenatchee Wild.

Savoie has only been held off the scoresheet once this season and his 13 goals and 16 assists in 12 games, leading the WHL in points-per-game with 2.42.

He was selected first overall by Winnipeg in the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft before being selected by the Buffalo Sabres ninth overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Moose Jaw (24-15-0-2) is second in the East Division with points in seven of its past 10 games.

The Warriors wrap up a three-game homestand on when they host Lethbridge (20-17-3-0) on January 17.

2023-24 Tempo WHL Player of the Week

January 8, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers

January 2, 2024: Chase Bertholet, Spokane Chiefs

December 18, 2023: Tij Iginla, Kelowna Rockets

December 11, 2023: Dominik Rymon, Everett Silvertips

December 4, 2023: Conor Geekie, Wenatchee Wild (Arizona Coyotes)

November 27, 2023: Andrew Basha, Medicine Hat Tigers

November 20, 2023: Koehn Ziemmer, Prince George Cougars (Los Angeles Kings)

November 13, 2023: Gabe Klassen, Portland Winterhawks

November 6, 2023: Trevor Wong, Saskatoon Blades

October 30, 2023: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)

October 23, 2023: Andrew Cristall, Kelowna Rockets (Washington Capitals)

October 16, 2023: Ryder Ritchie, Prince Albert Raiders

October 10, 2023: Easton Armstrong, Wenatchee Wild

October 2, 2023: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)

September 25, 2023: Zac Funk, Prince George Cougars

2024 NHL Draft-eligible netminder Wutzke named WHL Goaltender of the Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / Monday, January 15, 2024

Calgary, Alta. - The Western Hockey League announced today that Red Deer Rebels netminder Chase Wutzke has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending January 14, 2024.

The 2024 NHL Draft-eligible puckstopper went 3-0-0-0 in three straight starts, registering a 1.00 goals-against average and .959 save percentage.

The Rebels began the week with a rare visit from the Spokane Chiefs, who peppered Wutzke with 25 shots. The Debden, Sask. product conceded only one powerplay goal on Spokane's five man advantages.

With starter Rhett Stoesser sidelined, Wutzke was called on again to take on the Tri-City Americans and Edmonton Oil Kings on back-to-back nights. Again, he allowed only one goal to each team.

The 17-year-old has been rock-solid in his first full WHL season with a 10-2-1-2 record, 2.19 goals-against average and .922 save percentage.

This marks the second time this season that Wutzke has earned Goaltender of the Week honours. He was also named WHL Goaltender of the Month for December. The 6-foot-2 netminder was selected by Red Deer in the second round, 40th overall in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft.

NHL Central Scouting has ranked Wutzke 13th among North American goalies in its midterm draft rankings.

He also backstopped Canada Red to a silver medal in the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, where he went 1-1-0 in three games with one shutout, a 3.09 goals-against average and a .883 save percentage.

The Rebels (22-13-1-4) are second in the Central Division with points in nine of their last ten games.

Red Deer wraps up a five-game homestand on January 17 when the top team in the CHL, the Saskatoon Blades, roll into town.

2023-24 WHL Goaltender of the Week

January 8, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants

January 2, 2024: Harrison Meneghin, Lethbridge Hurricanes

December 18, 2023: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants

December 11, 2023: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels

December 4, 2023: Jackson Unger, Moose Jaw Warriors

November 27, 2023: Dawson Cowan, Spokane Chiefs

November 20, 2023: Rhett Stoesser, Red Deer Rebels

November 13, 2023: Evan May, Medicine Hat Tigers

November 6, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars

October 30, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars

October 23, 2023: Daniel Hauser, Wenatchee Wild

October 16, 2023: Jan Špunar, Portland Winterhawks

October 10, 2023: Kyle Kelsey, Red Deer Rebels

October 2, 2023: Ethan Chadwick, Everett Silvertips

September 25, 2023: Max Hildebrand, Prince Albert Raiders

2024 NHL Draft-eligible forward Miettinen named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / Monday, January 15, 2024

Calgary, Alta. - The Western Hockey League announced today that Julius Miettinen of the Everett Silvertips has been named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending January 14, 2024.

The 17-year-old led all WHLers with three goals, five assists and a plus-five rating in three games, earning Rookie of the Week honours for a second straight week.

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound forward has jumped up to third in rookie scoring with 20 goals (including three game-winners), 22 assists and a plus-14 rating in 44 games.

Miettinen wired a centering pass to Dominik Rymon to open the scoring just two minutes into the Silvertips' match against the Kamloops Blazers on January 12. Miettinen played helper again with a dish to his roommate, Eric Jamieson, later in the period. Jamieson's deflected shot would stand as the game-winner. Miettinen, a Helsinki, Fin. product, would cap off a three-assist period with another tight pass to Rymon just north of the Blazers' crease. Everett would go on to take the game 8-2.

The teams would face off again the following night south of the border. This time, Miettinen lit the lamp himself, winning a faceoff and driving the net to tip a Tarin Smith shot home. The Tips would snag another win over the Blazers, 4-1.

Miettinen wrapped up the week by sparking a comeback against the Wenatchee Wild while playing his third game in as many nights. With Everett trailing 3-1 late in the second frame, Miettinen teed up Dominik Rymon for a powerplay marker. The Silvertips would seize a slim lead going into the third, and Miettinen erased any hope of a Wild comeback with a pair of goals on the Wenatchee doorstep and a give-n-go pass to Rymon for his second of the night. An eventual 7-3 victory sealed Everett's fifth-straight win.

Miettinen is currently riding a seven-game point streak that's seen him tally eight goals and seven assists.

Miettinen, a 30th overall pick in the 2023 CHL Import Draft, has seen his NHL draft stock rise significantly this season. He was assigned a 'C' by the NHL Central Scouting Service in the fall, projecting him as a fourth-to-sixth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Central Scouting mid-term rankings now have him ranked 49th among North American Skaters with potential to be selected in the second or third round.

Miettinen is also one of 18 WHL players invited to the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at the Avenir Centre in Moncton, N.B. on January 24.

Everett (27-14-1-2) leads the U.S. Division and has points in eight of its past 10 games.

Next up, the Silvertips get a bit of a break before visiting the Spokane Chiefs on January 19.

2023-24 WHL Rookie of the Week

January 8, 2024: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips

January 2, 2024: Cole Reschny, Victoria Royals

December 18, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars

December 11, 2023: Max Curran, Tri-City Americans

December 4, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars

November 27, 2023: Ethan Eskit, Brandon Wheat Kings

November 20, 2023: Dakota MacIntosh, Moose Jaw Warriors

November 13, 2023: Ben Kindel, Calgary Hitmen

November 6, 2023: Ethan McCallum, Medicine Hat Tigers

October 30, 2023: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips (NHL CSS: C)

October 23, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)

October 16, 2023: Ty Coupland, Swift Current Broncos

October 10, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)

October 2, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)

September 25, 2023: Oscar Lovsin, Wenatchee Wild

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