WHL Royalty: Victoria's Reschny and Hicks Highlight WHL Weekly Awards
February 10, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release
Calgary, Alta. - Victoria Royals alternate captain Cole Reschny has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending Sunday, February 9, 2025, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
Reschny paced all WHL skaters with four goals and seven assists for 11 points in four games.
The speedy centreman ran up the score in a 7-3 victory over the Kelowna Rockets on February 4 with two goals and two assists. With the game tied at one midway through the first period, Reschny teed up veteran Teydon Trembecky to give the Royals their first lead of the night. He played helper again with a powerplay assist on Kenta Isogai's eventual game-winning goal in the second period. He lit the lamp himself with a slick one-timer as Victoria's league-best powerplay went to work again. The Royals added some more insurance as Captain and Utah Hockey Club prospect Justin Kipkie blocked a shot on the penalty kill and sprang Reschny for a partial breakaway and his first shorthanded goal of the season. Reschny was named first star of the night as he hit 20 goals on the season and picked up two more assists in the rematch the following night, which saw the Royals down the Rockets 5-2.
Reschny and the Royals struck early and often as they turned their attention to the Tri-City Americans on February 7. The Macklin, Sask. product scored on the first shot of the game with a deft wrister 31 seconds into the match. Victoria extended its lead to 6-0 in the second period but wasn't done lighting the lamp. On another lethal powerplay opportunity, Trembecky tipped a Reschny point shot into the net to close out the frame. Reschny capped off the game with a powerful one-timer on a delayed penalty in an eventual 9-1 decision.
The Royals closed out the week with their toughest test- a razor-thin 5-4 overtime win over the Spokane Chiefs on the road. Reschny served up two assists for Isogai and went 17/28 at the faceoff dot in the win.
The 17-year-old has set new career highs across the board in his second full WHL season with 22 goals and 50 assists for 72 points and a +31 rating in 48 games.
He's also riding an eight-game scoring streak that's seen him pot 20 points (7G-13A).
Reschny has emerged as one of the most intriguing prospects to watch heading into the 2025 NHL Draft.
NHL Central Scouting ranked the 5-foot-10, 197-pound centreman 34th among all North American skaters in its Midterm Rankings in January.
He was named to Team CHL for the first-ever CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota Canada back in November of 2024. Reschny scored the deciding goal with 1:12 remaining in Game 2 for a 3-2 win over the United States on November 27, 2024.
The youngster also tied for Canada's top scorer at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with seven points (3G-4A) in five games to clinch a gold medal.
Victoria selected Reschny as the third overall pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft. Since then, he's piled up 44 goals and 88 assists for 132 points over parts of three seasons. He played a key role in Victoria's push for the 2024 WHL Playoffs after a four-season drought.
Victoria (31-14-3-5) has won five straight and is 7-2-0-1 in its last 10 games to sit first in the B.C. Division and second in the Western Conference.
The Royals gear up for a home-and-away set against the rival Vancouver Giants (25-20-6-0) starting on Friday, February 14 at 7:05 p.m. PST.
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)
ROYALS NETMINDER HICKS NAMED WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Calgary, Alta. - Victoria Royals netminder Johnny Hicks has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Sunday, February 9, 2025, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
The new face on the team went 2-0-0-0 this week with a 1.50 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage.
Hicks got the call against the Kelowna Rockets for the February 5 edition of Wednesday Night in the Dub. The Kamloops, B.C. product stood tall against an early drive by Nashville Predators prospect Hiroki Gojsic and survived a flurry of opportunities on a Rockets two-on-one in a scoreless first period. He went on to steer aside 31 of 33 shots to seal a 5-2 win.
The 19-year-old dominated again in a 9-1 landslide against the Tri-City Americans on February 7. Hicks was named first star of the game with 23 saves and was only beaten by Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Charlie Elick.
Hicks is 6-2-0-0 with a 2.34 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage since joining the Royals on January 3, 2025. The 5-foot-11, 154-pound netminder had previously been playing for the Brooks Bandits of the BCHL. Hicks had an 18-3-0 record with the Bandits at the time and led the BCHL in GAA (1.37) and save percentage (.943). He was also named to the 2025 BCHL All-Star Team.
He's slated to play for Tennessee State University after his time in Victoria.
Victoria (31-14-3-5) looks for a sixth straight win when they host the Vancouver Giants (25-20-6-0) on Friday, February 14 at 7:05 p.m. PST.
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
AMERICANS FORWARD VIRK NAMED WHL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Calgary, Alta. - Tri-City Americans forward Savin Virk has been named WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending Sunday, February 9, 2025, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
Virk led all first-year players with three goals and four assists for seven points in three games.
The Surrey, B.C. product got the fans in Kennewick, Wash. on their feet with his first WHL hat trick- including the game-winning goal- in a 4-3 overtime thriller against the Prince George Cougars on February 4. Virk broke through just 19 seconds into the match with a sneaky backhand shot. The Cougars would tie the game late in the third, but Virk restored the lead with a one-timer from the high slot off of a Carter MacAdams feed. He capped off the hat trick with a perfectly placed wrister on a two-on-one overtime rush with Captain Jake Sloan. Virk was named first star of the night.
The 17-year-old was held off the scoresheet as the Royals barrelled past the Americans in a lopsided 9-1 match, but Virk bounced back with a new career high in a 4-2 victory against the Kelowna Rockets on February 8. Virk earned an assist on all four of Sloan's goals for his highest-scoring game in the WHL. He picked up second star with the multipoint effort.
Virk has 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points in 33 games with the Americans.
He was originally selected by Tri-City with the 46th overall pick in the third round of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft and signed a Scholarship and Development Agreement on November 14, 2024. The 6-foot, 175-pound winger previously suited up for the BCHL's Chilliwack Chiefs, where he had 12 points (7G-5A) in 18 contests in 2024-25.
Virk is committed to play for Michigan State University in the future.
Tri City (25-21-4-1) sits fourth in the U.S. Division with points in five of their last 10 games. The Ams head north to face the Blazers (18-28-4-0) in Kamloops on Tuesday, February 11 at 7:00 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
January 27, 2025: Matej Pekar, Seattle Thunderbirds
February 3, 2025: Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips
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Western Hockey League Stories from February 10, 2025
- Preview: Americans at Blazers - February 11, 2025 - Tri-City Americans
- McIntyre Called Up, Rejoins Team for this Week's Games - Spokane Chiefs
- February 10 - Canes Chatter - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Rebels this Week - Red Deer Rebels
- Savin Virk named WHL Rookie of the Week - Tri-City Americans
- Cole Reschny Named Tempo WHL Player of the Week & Johnny Hicks Named WHL Goaltender of the Week - Victoria Royals
- WHL Royalty: Victoria's Reschny and Hicks Highlight WHL Weekly Awards - WHL
- Americans sign Ryan Gibbs to Scholarship and Development Agreement - Tri-City Americans
- Winterhawks Weekly: Team Scores in All Six Periods in Weekend Split - Portland Winterhawks
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