Here. We. Go. The 2024 WHL Playoffs, the best time of year for fans of junior hockey, is finally upon us, with games beginning Friday night. The barns throughout the WHL will come alive and fill with some of the most passionate fans in not just junior hockey, but hockey as a whole. And with stakes in every game, there’s never a dull moment.
There will be goosebumps aplenty. Who will be dancing in the Western Conference this season?
1.Prince George vs. 8. Spokane
Pick: Prince George in five games
There’s going into the playoffs hot, then there’s what the Prince George Cougars have been doing down the stretch, with them winning nine in a row to clinch the Western Conference regular-season title. They also won the B.C. Division for the second time in their history since moving from Victoria in 1994.
A lot of the credit goes to the one-two punch of Zac Funk (WSH) and Riley Heidt (MIN), who have been the driving force on the front end for the Cougars. Funk and Heidt finished second and third respectively in points on the season, with Funk being the top goal getter in the WHL this season with 67.
The Cougars clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference during the final weekend of the regular season, having their spot in the dance reserved long before their first-round opponent in the Spokane Chiefs could even nab the No. 8 spot available to them.
The Chiefs gingerly enter the playoffs as the lowest seed, but they could be dangerous with a few weapons of their own. A pair of 100-point forwards in Berkly Catton and Conner Roulette are the lifeblood of the Chiefs’ offensive attack.
Catton, 2024 draft eligible and projected to go in the top 10, was named first-team All-U.S. Division with 116 points during the regular season and finished just one point behind Heidt for third in total WHL points.
Travel could play a factor in this series, which will be played in a 2-3-2 series to limit the number of trips back and forth. The ride from Prince George to Spokane will feel even longer for the Chiefs if they can’t find a way to pull off at least one win up north in Games 1 and 2.
Spokane’s key to the series: Production from all lines
The Chiefs were a team during the regular season that relied on their stars to do the heavy lifting offensively, with each contributing points on over 40 percent of the goals Spokane scored on the season. A dynamic player can steal a game or two in the playoffs, but involvement from up and down the lineup is pivotal against a team like Prince George.
Head-to-head: The Cougars and Chiefs each won a pair of games in the four matchups between the two this season, with each winning one game at home and one on the road.
2. Portland vs. 7. Victoria
Pick: Portland in four games
Arguably one of its deepest teams in franchise history, the Portland Winterhawks have a spread-out attack throughout their lineup. And they honestly couldn’t have asked for a more ideal first-round opponent.
The top-placing team in the U.S. Division couldn’t quite finish with the top seed in the conference, but still, the Winterhawks are going to be one tough cookie to crumble.
The front end is loaded and led by Gabe Klassen, James Stefan (EDM), and in-season acquisition Nate Danielson (DET), and Portland is led on the blue line by defensive stalwart Lucas Cagnoni (SJS), who became the first WHL defenseman in 30 years to reach 90-points in a single season.
The Winterhawks’ opponent in the Victoria Royals has had trouble neutralizing offenses this season with a negative-51 goal differential, by far the worst for any team that qualified for the playoffs.
Portland’s key to the series: stay true to offensive strengths
Against a weaker team like Victoria, even though at times they can force opponents to spread out across the ice and play to the outside, the Winterhawks need to keep the puck moving at a quick pace to stay the course.
Head-to-head: Portland and Victoria met four times in total during the regular season, with Portland grabbing wins in all four games played.
This series will be structured the same as the Prince George-Spokane series.
3. Everett vs. 6. Vancouver
Pick: Everett in six games
It’s been a roller coaster of a week for the Silvertips prior to their series against the Vancouver Giants.
Could there be potential distractions surrounding Everett, in particular for soon-to-be-former head coach and general manager Dennis Williams? Williams has been named the head coach at his alma mater, Bowling Green State University in the NCAA.
The timing of the announcement is unfortunate with the series just about to begin, but in order for Williams to get a head start with the NCAA transfer portal, it had to be done sooner rather than later.
Williams will remain with the Silvertips through the playoffs, even though he was introduced at a Bowling Green press conference on Thursday. Even with him staying through the postseason, the coach having one foot out the door already leaves questions about how focused his group will be. Will that impede on the current mentality of the coaching staff as a whole? Will that trickle down to the players on the ice during these pivotal games?
Even if these playoffs go sideways as a result, winning the first overall selection in the WHL Prospects Draft for the first time in team history surely will help console Silvertips fans. Everett won thanks to one of the first-round picks they acquired from the Kamloops Blazers as a part of the Olen Zellweger deal last season. They will more than likely select ’09-born defenseman Landon Dupont from Edge School U18 Prep.
As for the current team, it’s been harped on all year that home ice is Everett’s bread and butter. To have the advantage of the extra game of a best-of-seven playoff series helps the team’s chances.
Leading point-getter Ben Hemmerling (VGK) and Dominik Rymon each matchup well against Vancouver’s steady blue line. Rymon has five goals and six assists in four games against Vancouver this season.
While Vancouver has gotten decent goaltending numbers, with starter Brett Mirwald finishing third in save percentage among goalies with 30 or more starts (.913), a high-volume shooting team like the Silvertips should overwhelm the Giants’ efforts to neutralize attacks.
Everett’s key to the series: getting the quick starts
The Silvertips were one of the better teams in the WHL at getting the ball rolling early in games this season, scoring the first goal in 26 of 36 home games, and those goals would often come within the first 10 minutes of action. It sets the tone for them and gives them the direction they need.
Head-to-head: The Silvertips took three out of four in season series, but the Giants took the most recent matchup 4-3 on Feb. 3.
4. Wenatchee vs. 5. Kelowna
Pick: Kelowna in seven games
For the first time in Wenatchee, not only will they be in the playoffs, but they’ll hold home-ice advantage. Unfortunately for the Wild, it’s the dreaded four versus five, flip-of-a-coin matchup that could go either way.
Kelowna stuttered into the playoffs but still has a more complete offense to match up with Graham Sward and the Wild’s defense units.
Andrew Cristall (WSH) and 2024 draft-eligible prospect Tij Iginla lead the charge for the Rockets. Each recorded over 40 goals during the regular season.
Wenatchee’s key to the series: Kenta Isogai
Just let Isogai go off and do his thing. The leading scorer on the Wild this season had his best performance against the Rockets on Jan. 6 when he tallied three goals and two assists. The Wild are going to need him to channel that energy more often to give them a chance to win.
Head-to-head: Both teams took two games apiece from each other in the four games they played this season, but haven’t met since that Jan. 6 game when the Wild snatched a 6-3 win.
Eastern Conference matchups (my picks):
1. Saskatoon vs. 8. Prince Albert (SAS in 4)
2. Swift Current vs. 7. Lethbridge (SC in 6)
3. Moose Jaw vs. 6. Brandon (MJ in 5)
4. Medicine Hat vs. 5. Red Deer (RD in 6)
0 Comments