Two more regular season-ending W-H-L Awards had finalists named Thursday.
Among the six final nominees for the Jim Piggott Memorial Award for Rookie-of-the-Year is Blades’ centre Cooper Williams plus Prince Albert defenceman Daxon Rudolph. Williams played in all 68 games this season, posting 21 goals amongst 57 points. Rudolph had 34 assists amongst 41 points in 64 games for the Raiders. Piggott is the original founder and owner of the Saskatoon Blades’ franchise. In addition, a pair of Saskatoon products, and N-H-L first round draft picks, are among the six finalists for the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy as the W-H-L’s Most Sportsmanlike Player. They are centres Brayden Yager of Lethbridge and Berkly Catton of Spokane. Yager was taken in the first round of the 2023 N-H-L Draft by Pittsburgh, then traded to Winnipeg last summer, while Catton was chosen by Seattle in last year’s N-H-L Draft. Following are news releases from the Blades and the W-H-L…..
Blades forward Williams named finalist for 2024-25 WHL Rookie of the Year
Saskatoon, SK – Saskatoon Blades forward Cooper Williams has been named an Eastern Conference finalist for the 2024-25 WHL Rookie of the Year award. The Western Hockey League (WHL) announced the finalists for both conferences on Thursday.
The nomination completes a stellar first year for the 2008-born centre. The 2026 NHL draft-eligible forward received two WHL Rookie of the Week nominations throughout the season, and was named the league’s top rookie for March.
Williams was at the forefront of the Blades’ young core, helping the Bridge City Bunch qualify for a sixth consecutive postseason. The Calgary, AB native finished second in WHL rookie scoring with 21 goals and 36 assists for 57 points. Williams was the only Blade besides 20-year-old defenceman Grayden Siepmann to appear in all 68 games and finished with the second-best +/- on the team at +19. The 6-foot forward’s point total was the third-most by a Blades rookie in the last 25 years and led all 2008-born WHL players.
The left-handed shot set the tone early with a seven-game point streak to begin his WHL career. Williams scored four goals and six assists through that span, helping the Blades to a 5-1-1-0 start. Fans got a glimpse of what was to come for the 16-year-old forward in the team’s home opener on September 21 at SaskTel Centre, scoring his first career WHL goal along with two assists in a 9-3 win against the Swift Current Broncos.
In 37 games following the Christmas break, Williams led the way offensively with 15 goals and 20 assists in 37 games. The rookie’s efforts helped the Blades be within one win of the East Division championship in the final game of the regular season.
The Blades second-round (41st overall) pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft averaged half a point-per-game in his first taste of WHL playoff action. Williams recorded two helpers through four games in Round 1 against the Calgary Hitmen.
It’s the second consecutive year a member of the Bridge City Bunch is nominated for the league’s top rookie. Blades goaltender Evan Gardner was last year’s recipient while also receiving his second straight WHL Humanitarian of the Year award nomination.
The Blades look to eye their next superstar next month at the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR JIM PIGGOTT MEMORIAL TROPHY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2025
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League has announced the 2024-25 Conference nominees for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy.
The distinguished award is presented annually to the league’s Rookie of the Year.
Recent winners include reigning NHL Rookie of the Year Connor Bedard (Regina Pats), Utah Hockey Club forward Dylan Guenther (Edmonton Oil Kings/Seattle Thunderbirds) and Ottawa Senators forward Dylan Cozens (Lethbridge Hurricanes).
WHL General Managers vote on the league’s major awards. This represents a return to the Conference awards format, rather than divisional, for the first time since 2019-20.
Winners of the 2025 WHL Awards will be announced from Tuesday, April 22, through Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
WHL Humanitarian of the Year Nominees
Eastern Conference- Daxon Rudolph (Lacombe, Alta.) – Prince Albert Raiders
Eastern Conference- Lukas Sawchyn (Grande Prairie, Alta.) – Edmonton Oil Kings
Eastern Conference- Cooper Williams (Calgary, Alta.) – Saskatoon Blades
Western Conference- Landon DuPont (Calgary, Alta.) – Everett Silvertips
Western Conference- Ryan Lin (Richmond, B.C.) – Vancouver Giants
Western Conference- Keaton Verhoeff (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) – Victoria Royals
WHL Rookie of the Year Biographies
Daxon Rudolph (Prince Albert Raiders)
The 17-year-old from Lacombe, Alta. made a splash in his inaugural WHL season with seven goals and 34 assists for 41 points in 64 games with the Raiders.
Rudolph, the first overall pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, finished fourth in points among rookie defencemen and fifth among all rookies in assists.
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound rearguard went on an astonishing 12-game point streak that saw him net two goals and 13 assists from January 1, 2025, to January 26, 2025.
Rudolph potted a career-best five points (1G-4A) in a key win over Moose Jaw on February 17, 2025 and another game-winner against the Warriors in the final week of the regular season to help the Raiders clinch the East Division title.
In November, he helped Canada White win gold at the 2024 U17 World Challenge in Sarnia, Ont.
Rudolph was named WHL Rookie of the Month for January in addition to one weekly award win in late February.
He’s eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.
Lukas Sawchyn (Edmonton Oil Kings)
2025 NHL Draft-eligible Lukas Sawchyn made an immediate impact in his first Western Hockey League campaign with 15 goals and 40 assists for 55 points in 66 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings.
Sawchyn finished third on the team in points and second in assists, trailing only his older brother, Florida Panthers prospect Gracyn Sawchyn.
The 18-year-old from Grande Prairie, Alta. ranks fifth in scoring among all WHL rookies, third in assists and 11th in goals. He also went on a 10-game point streak to pile up six goals and eight assists from January 3, 2025, to January 24, 2025.
Seattle originally selected the 5-foot-10, 174-pound winger with the sixth overall pick in the 2022 U.S. Priority Draft after Sawchyn put up 85 points in 52 games with the Shattuck St. Mary’s 14U AAA program in 2021-22.
Edmonton acquired his rights in 2024 as part of the trade that brought Gracyn north of the border.
Sawchyn is ranked 119th among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting in the agency’s midterm rankings.
Cooper Williams (Saskatoon Blades)
Seventeen-year-old Cooper Williams gave the Saskatoon Blades an offensive jolt in his first season in Toon Town.
The Calgary, Alta. product earned his first WHL point with an assist on Saskatoon’s season opening goal and lit the lamp for the first time one night later.
Williams placed second on the Blades in points with 57 (21G-36A) and ranks second in scoring among all WHL rookies.
He’s one of seven first-year players to surpass 20 goals, tying for fifth-most while sitting fourth in assists. Williams finished fourth in rookie faceoff wins with 336 wins at the dot.
The 6-foot, 150-pound forward also opened the scoring a team-high five times.
Saskatoon selected Williams with the 41st overall pick in the second round of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.
Williams was named WHL Rookie of the Month for March in addition to weekly award wins in October and March.
He’s eligible for the NHL Draft in 2026.
Landon DuPont (Everett Silvertips)
Landon DuPont already made league history before stepping onto the ice for the first time.
The Calgary, Alta. product is the first defenceman and second player in WHL history to be granted exceptional status to compete in the league full-time as a 15-year-old, though you wouldn’t guess his age from watching him play.
DuPont paced all WHL rookies with 60 points (17G-43A) in 64 games. His 17 goals tied for ninth, his 43 assists came in second, and his +31 rating was good for third.
With an assist against the Kamloops Blazers on February 2, 2025, DuPont became the first defenceman aged 16 or younger to hit the 50-point marker in their first season since Hockey Hall of Famer and, funnily enough, Blazers legend Scott Niedermayer in 1989-90.
DuPont ranks ninth in goals and second in assists among first-year players, but also stood among the top blueliners in the league. The 5-foot-11, 179-pound defender finished eighth in points among all defencemen and tied Anaheim Ducks prospect as the top-scoring defencemen on Silvertips.
The impressive run helped Everett clinch the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as 2024-25 regular season champions.
Across the entire CHL, DuPont’s 60 points led all rookie defencemen and tied for second among all rookie skaters, trailing only 19-year-old Shawinigan Cataractes forward Matvei Gridin (79PTS).
He also racked up four assists in four games en route to a silver medal with Canada Red in November’s U17 World Hockey Challenge.
Everett selected DuPont first overall in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft.
DuPont was named WHL Rookie of the Month for September/October and December while picking up weekly wins in September and February.
He’s eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft.
Ryan Lin (Vancouver Giants)
Sixteen-year-old Ryan Lin dished up piles of assists in his inaugural WHL campaign.
The Vancouver Giants rearguard bagged five goals and 48 assists for 53 points in 60 games, sitting sixth on the team in points and second in helpers.
Lin joined DuPont as the second defender in 35 years to surpass 50 points in their rookie season on March 9, 2025. He also set a Giants franchise record for points by a rookie defenceman.
The Richmond, B.C. product led all WHL first-years in assists and clocked in at fifth in points.
He closed the regular season on a seven-game assist streak.
Lin also registered a goal and an assist to help Canada White claim gold at the 2024 World U17 Challenge, along with fellow nominees Rudolph and Keaton Verhoeff.
Vancouver drafted the local product with the sixth overall pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.
The 5-foot-11, 171-pound defenceman appeared in one regular-season game and three playoff matches in the 2023-24 season before making the full-time jump this year.
Lin was named WHL Rookie of the Week in late January and is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.
Keaton Verhoeff (Victoria Royals)
Six-foot-4, 212-pound blueliner Keaton Verhoeff made Royals history in his first campaign on Vancouver Island.
His 21 goals (including four game-winners) saw the 16-year-old set a franchise record for single-season goals by a defenceman.
Verhoeff tied for second in goals among all WHL defencemen and was one of only five defenders to break the 20-goal mark.
He tied for fifth in goals when up against all rookies and finished eighth in points and 11th in assists.
Verhoeff went on a 10-game point streak (2G-10A) from December 28, 2024, to January 17, 2025.
His efforts helped Victoria clinch its second-ever B.C. Division title.
He tallied a goal and four assists- including a helper on the gold medal-winning goal- at the 2024 World U17 Challenge and tied for the most points by a defenceman at the tournament.
Verhoeff was named WHL Rookie of the Week on three occasions in 2024-25.
Victoria selected the Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. product with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects draft.
He’s eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE ANOUNCES FINALISTS FOR BRAD HORNUNG MEMORIAL TROPHY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2025
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League has announced the 2024-25 Conference nominees for the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy.
The distinguished award is presented annually to the league’s Most Sportsmanlike Player.
Recent winners include Carolina Hurricanes forwards Logan Stankoven (Kamloops Blazers) and Seth Jarvis (Portland Winterhawks) and Stanley Cup Champions Sam Reinhart (Kootenay ICE) and Mark Stone (Brandon Wheat Kings).
WHL General Managers vote on the league’s major awards. This represents a return to the Conference awards format, rather than divisional, for the first time since 2019-20.
Winners of 2025 WHL Awards will be announced from Tuesday, April 22, through Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
WHL Humanitarian of the Year Nominees
Eastern Conference- Jordan Gavin (Surrey, B.C.) – Brandon Wheat Kings
Eastern Conference- Oliver Tulk (Gibsons, B.C.) – Calgary Hitmen
Eastern Conference- Brayden Yager (Saskatoon, Sask.) – Lethbridge Hurricanes
Western Conference- Berkly Catton (Saskatoon, Sask.) – Spokane Chiefs
Western Conference- Emmitt Finnie (Lethbridge, Alta.) – Kamloops Blazers
Western Conference- Kenta Isogai (Nagano, Japan) – Victoria Royals
WHL Most Sportsmanlike Player Biographies
Jordan Gavin (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Jordan Gavin kept it consistent in his third full WHL season with another 20-plus goal campaign and zero penalty minutes.
The 2025 NHL Draft-eligible forward registered 21 goals (including two game-winners) and 36 assists for 57 points and no penalties in 68 games with the Brandon Wheat Kings and Tri-City Americans.
Gavin finished third on the Wheat Kings in scoring after being acquired by Brandon at the 2025 WHL Trade Deadline.
The 18-year-old has amassed 67 goals and 114 assists for 181 points and just four penalty minutes in 207 career games over parts of four seasons.
Gavin is ranked 123rd among all North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting in the agency’s Midterm Rankings ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft.
The 5-foot-11, 179-pound forward helped Canada win gold at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and represented Canada Black at the 2022 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, where he picked up a goal and an assist in six games.
Oliver Tulk (Calgary Hitmen)
Calgary Hitmen veteran Oliver Tulk enjoyed a career season that saw him score a career-high 38 goals and add 62 assists for his first 100-point season. Tulk was one of only six skaters to hit the century mark in 2024-25.
The 20-year-old registered only 20 penalty minutes, all of which were minors, and tied for the third-fewest penalty minutes among Hitmen skaters who played 50 or more games. Calgary was also the second-least penalized team in the WHL in the regular season.
Tulk led the Hitmen in points, goals and plus/minus with a +40 rating while sitting second in assists. The Gibsons, B.C. product finished sixth in the WHL points race and tied for seventh in goals.
The 5-foot-8, 174-pound winger surpassed major milestones this week as he reached 259 points (111G-148A) in 262 career games over four seasons in Calgary.
Tulk was named to the WHL Central Division Second All-Star Team in 2024 before bumping up to the WHL Eastern Conference First All-Star Team in 2025.
Brayden Yager (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Winnipeg Jets prospect Brayden Yager has been nominated as the WHL Sportsman of the Year for a third time after winning the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy in 2024 and 2023.
The 20-year-old is one of only seven skaters to earn the award multiple times and could become the first to complete the major award hat trick. He was also named the CHL Sportsman of the Year for 2024.
Yager averaged more than a point per game for a fourth straight season after putting up 25 goals and 57 assists for 82 points in 54 games with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Moose Jaw Warriors while only getting dinged with 22 penalty minutes. He led the Hurricanes in points after joining the Central Division squad in a blockbuster trade and ranked ninth among all WHL skaters in points per game (1.43).
The Saskatoon, Sask. product was named Captain of Team Canada for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he picked up three assists and boasted the best faceoff percentages at the tournament (71.62%) without taking a single penalty.
Yager has 332 points (129G-203) over 265 regular season games with the Hurricanes and Warriors, who drafted him with the third overall pick in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft.
The 2024 WHL Champion is one of the most decorated active WHL Players. In addition to two Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy wins, Yager earned the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy for WHL Rookie of the Year and CHL Rookie of the Year in 2022. He was also named to the WHL East Division Second All-Star Team in 2024 and the WHL Eastern Conference Second All-Star Team in 2025.
Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs)
The Spokane Chiefs Captain helped his club return to powerhouse status with a 109-point (38G-71A) season. Catton is the fifth player in franchise history to record back-to-back 100-plus point seasons- despite playing fewer games than he did in 2023-24.
Catton was third in the WHL scoring race while finishing 12th in goals, fourth in assists and fifth in plus/minus (+46) while posting a mere 30 penalty minutes.
The 19-year-old bolstered his international resume by making his first U20 appearance for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he picked up an assist. He previously won gold for Canada at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and bronze at the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship.
Catton’s impressive WHL career has seen him pile up 116 goals and 168 assists for 284 points in 197 regular-season games over parts of four seasons with Spokane. Since being selected by the Chiefs with the first overall pick in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Catton has climbed to rank eighth overall in franchise points and assists while sitting 10th in goals.
The Seattle Kraken prospect was nominated for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy for WHL Player of the Year in 2024 and earned a spot on the 2024 WHL U.S. Division First All-Star Team and 2025 WHL Wester Conference First All-Star Team.
Emmitt Finnie (Kamloops Blazers)
The Kamloops Blazers Captain’s breakout season was among the best in the West, with 37 goals and 47 assists for 84 points while posting a paltry 26 penalty minutes.
Finnie passed the 30-goal mark for the first time in his WHL career, ranking 15th among all WHL skaters in goals and 16th in points, despite playing on one of the lower-scoring teams in the league. Finnie is also fifth in faceoff wins with 735.
The 19-year-old from Lethbridge, Alta. has burst onto the WHL scene since being selected by the Blazers in the fourth round of the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft. He’s totaled 184 points (65G-119A) in 229 games over four seasons and appeared in four games for the Blazers at the 2023 Memorial Cup.
He was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the seventh round of the 2023 NHL Draft and signed his entry-level contract in March of 2024.
Finnie has also been named a 2025 WHL Western Conference Second All-Star Team member.
Kenta Isogai (Victoria Royals)
Twenty-year-old Kenta Isogai has turned heads since breaking into the WHL in the 2023-24 season.
The star winger bagged 32 goals and 46 assists for 78 points in 59 games with the Victoria Royals and Wenatchee Wild while being dinged with a mere 12 penalty minutes.
Victoria traded for Isogai with lofty playoff aspirations in mind. The Nagano, Japan, product ended up helping the Royals clinch the B.C. Division title while finishing third on the team in goals and points while having the fewest penalty minutes of any player to suit up for more than 50 games. He registered six multi-goal games and three game-winners.
Isogai has racked up 63 goals and 103 assists for 166 points in 123 regular-season games over two seasons.
He was named to the 2024 WHL U.S. Division First All-Star Team and was an alternate captain for Wenatchee prior to joining the Royals.
