Saskatoon products have snared two of the three weekly W-H-L honours.
Red Deer forward and captain Beckett Hamilton is the league’s Player-of-the-Week while Grayson Malinoski of Seattle won top goaltender honours for the second time in as many weeks in the new season. A Colorado N-H-L draft pick, the 18-year-old Hamilton had four goals and an assist in two Rebels’ victories. Nineteen-year-old Malinoski stopped 32 shots for his second shutout in as many starts this season as the Thunderbirds walloped Prince George 8-0. Following is the news release from the W-H-L…..
COLORADO AVALANCHE PROSPECT HAMILTON NAMED TEMPO WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK FUELLED BY CO-OP
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / SEPTEMBER 28, 2026
Hamilton, an 18-year-old right winger from Saskatoon, Sask., recorded five points (4G-1A) and a plus-2 rating, helping the Rebels go 2-0-0-0 this past weekend.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound forward was returned to the Rebels on September 22 after attending training camp with the Avalanche. Making his season debut Friday, September 25, the Rebels captain wasted no time making an impact, posting a hat trick in his return as Red Deer edged the Lethbridge Hurricanes by a 4-3 score. Hamilton opened the scoring 3:26 into the first period, before adding a power-play marker 12:44 into the first period to give Red Deer a 2-1 advantage. Late in the second period with the game tied 3-3, Hamilton registered a shorthanded goal that went on to stand as the game winner. He was named first star of the night after scoring in every facet of the game – even strength, power play, and shorthanded.
Saturday, September 26, in Medicine Hat, Hamilton notched a goal and an assist to lead the Rebels past the Tigers by a score of 3-1. In the first period, Hamilton set up Patrick Sopiarz to open the scoring 7:38 into the festivities. With the game knotted 1-1, Hamilton recorded his second consecutive game-winning goal with only 5:53 remaining in regulation. Once again, he was named first star of the game.
With five points to his credit, Hamilton is tied for eighth across the entire WHL. His four goals have him tied for second across the League, trailing only Hunter Laing of the Saskatoon Blades and his five goals.
Selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the third round (74th overall) of the 2026 NHL Draft, Hamilton led the Rebels in scoring during the 2025-26 season, collecting a career best 62 points (24G-38A) in 67 games.
A first-round pick (18th overall) of the Red Deer Rebels in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, Hamilton is entering his third WHL season, having registered 92 points (42G-50A) in 139 career regular season outings.
Hamilton and the Rebels (2-1-0-1) return to action Wednesday, September 30, when they travel east to face the Prince Albert Raiders (1-3-0-0) at the Art Hauser Centre. Stream the action FREE on YouTube.
Tempo WHL Player of the Week fuelled by Co-op
September 21, 2026: Brayden Klimpke, Saskatoon Blades (Montreal Canadiens)
HITMEN FORWARD KATSURO NAMED RICKY’S WHL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Katsuro, a 17-year-old right winger from Moscow, Russia, recorded three points (2G-1A) in one game, helping the Hitmen dispatch the Edmonton Oil Kings on Friday, September 25.
Friday night at Scotiabank Saddledome, Katsuro registered the game-winning goal in a 6-1 victory over the Oil Kings. The Russian rookie found the back of the net 4:41 into the second period, giving Calgary a 2-1 advantage. He added a power-play assist early in the third period, helping on a strike from Pittsburgh Penguins prospects Carter Sanderson, to make it 4-1. Katsuro completed Calgary’s scoring for the evening by potting his third goal of the season with 6:36 to go in regulation.
Through three games, Katsuro is tied for the Hitmen scoring lead with five points (3G-2A). Thanks in part to the exploits of Katsuro, the Hitmen are the only undefeated team remaining in the WHL’s Eastern Conference.
Selected by the Hitmen in the second round (82nd overall) of the 2026 CHL Import Draft, Katsuro is in his first season in the WHL, after signing a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement on August 11.
Katsuro and the Hitmen (3-0-0-0) return to action Saturday, October 3, when they take on the Lethbridge Hurricanes (0-3-0-0) at VisitLethbridge.com Arena. Stream the action FREE on YouTube.
Ricky’s WHL Rookie of the Week
September 21, 2026: Dayne Beuker, Lethbridge Hurricanes
THUNDERBIRDS NETMINDER MALINOSKI NAMED MARY BROWN’S CHICKEN WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
A 19-year-old product of Saskatoon, Sask., Malinoski was perfect once again this weekend, going 1-0-0-0 with a 0.00 goals-against average, 1.000 save percentage, and 32 saves.
Saturday, September 26, Malinoski turned in a perfect performance as the Thunderbirds shut down the Prince George Cougars by an 8-0 score. The 6-foot, 170-pound puckstopper took care of the crease, making 11 saves in each of the first and second periods, and another 10 saves in the third period. For the second consecutive Thunderbirds outing, Malinoski was named first star of the game.
Last weekend, Malinoski turned in a 31-save effort as the Thunderbirds blanked the Wenatchee Wild in overtime by a 1-0 score. That result served as Malinoski’s first career WHL shutout.
The last Thunderbirds netminder to record back-to-back shutouts was Landon Bow, who accomplished the feat January 19 and 22, 2016, defeating the Saskatoon Blades and Portland Winterhawks.
The Thunderbirds last posted back-to-back shutouts as a team during the 2022-23 season, with Thomas Milic blanking the Victoria Royals on February 20, 2023, and Scott Ratzlaff shutting out the Royals the following night – February 21.
Malinoski is the first WHL goaltender to begin the season with back-to-back shutouts since Everett Silvertips netminder Dustin Wolf secured back-to-back shutouts to start the 2020-21 campaign. Wolf, now with the NHL’s Calgary Flames, went on to secure three consecutive shutouts. He was perfect against the Spokane Chiefs once and Tri-City Americans twice during his impressive start in 2020-21.
Malinoski is the sixth WHL goaltender since 2024-25 to record back-to-back shutouts in back-to-back games, including playoffs. He joins Michal Orsulak of the Prince Albert Raiders (April 11 and 14, 2026), Parker Snell of the Edmonton Oil Kings (February 27 and 28, 2026), Burke Hood of the Vancouver Giants (January 3 and 4, 2025), Daniel Hauser of the Calgary Hitmen (February 19 and 21, 2025), and Evan Gardner of the Saskatoon Blades (March 14 and 16, 2025).
This represents the first time in franchise history the Thunderbirds have started the season with back-to-back shutouts. Thunderbirds franchise history dates to 1977-78 when the Club was known as the Breakers. The team became known as the Thunderbirds for the 1985-86 WHL season.
With a perfect record of 2-0-0-0 to start the season, the Thunderbirds are one of four undefeated teams remaining in the WHL’s Western Conference, joining the Victoria Royals, Portland Winterhawks, and Spokane Chiefs.
Undrafted into the WHL, Malinoski signed a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement with the Thunderbirds on November 27, 2023. He made his WHL debut during the 2023-24 season, appearing in three contests with Seattle.
Malinoski is in his third full season in the WHL. Over 60 career appearances, he is 20-30-2-3.
The Thunderbirds will look to continue their strong start to the campaign when they host the Wenatchee Wild (0-2-1-0) on Friday, October 2, at accesso ShoWare Center. Stream the action FREE on YouTube.
