Sept. 22, 2018. That was the last time the Everett Silvertips hoisted a green-colored banner, their 2017-18 Western Conference championship banner to be specific, to the rafters at then-Xfinity (now Angel of the Winds) Arena in downtown Everett.
Despite three (technically four, counting the shortened 2021 season) U.S. Division titles, two Scotty Munro Trophies for best regular-season record, and never missing the playoffs, the ultimate prize of WHL champion has eluded the Silvertips’ grasp.
The Silvertips will host Games 1 and 2 of their first-round playoff series on Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28, against *gulp* their arch-rival Portland Winterhawks, the team that has knocked them out each of the last two seasons.
It sounds like a broken record at this point, but the Silvertips have been fixtures in the playoffs every season, qualifying all the way back to the franchise’s first year. In fact, to put into detail how impressive the team’s longevity of regular-season success is, all but one team in the WHL has missed the playoffs at least three times since the team entered the league in 2003-04. The lone team with only one miss is Medicine Hat. Insane.
Winning the Scotty Munro Trophy and having regular-season success is fun, but it’s not the ultimate goal.
“It signifies, obviously, we’ve had a good run here in the regular season,” head coach Steve Hamilton said. “It’s not the trophy we’re here to play for.”
The playoffs are “a whole different animal” for the Silvertips, especially of late. This year’s team just feels different, though.
Setting franchise records for wins (57), points (117) and goals (304) in a single season, many factors play into the Silvertips’ favor. They play at a pace much faster than everyone else, and it’s tough for opponents to match their energy. The team finished the season with four of the top five leaders in plus/minus in the WHL.
Led up front by Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen, his fellow Finn Matias Vanhanen, and Rylan Gould, alongside a cast of players such as Detroit Red Wings prospect Carter Bear and Zackary Shantz, the Silvertips boast a lineup of speed, versatility, and power. These are players who can will their team to victory night after night.
Landon DuPont leading the way on blue line
While the forward corps has been good, Everett’s bread and butter is on the blue line, particularly star defenseman Landon DuPont. Ahead of what is sure to be a hectic, attention-filled draft year for DuPont, the Calgary, Alberta, native has proven repeatedly this season why he is projected to be chosen first overall in 2027.
In 63 games this season, he scored 18 goals and added 55 assists. The intangibles and details that make up his game are worth the price of admission alone, and it will be fascinating to see his second go-around in the WHL playoffs. As a reminder, he’s still just 16 years old.
Having a player like him on the back end has been a key element to the team’s sustained success over the last two seasons. Anaheim Ducks third-rounder and Silvertips captain Tarin Smith attested to this.
“That kid does some ridiculous things with the puck,” Smith said. “I feel like no matter what he’s doing with it or where I am, like he can always find me,” Smith said. “It’s like, he’s got seven pairs of eyes all around his head.”
Along with the pairing of DuPont and Smith, the defensive corps is rounded out by reliable players such as Brek Liske and Kayd Ruedig.
And in goal, following in the long lineage of great Silvertips netminders, Anders Miller and Raiden LeGall have been steady all year. A 2.54 team save percentage ranks second in the league. There isn’t really a flash-of-the-leather type who can steal a game this year, but sometimes steadiness is all you need, and in the case of this team, that will be important if it expects to achieve its goal.
This year’s Memorial Cup is in Kelowna, British Columbia, about a five-hour drive from Everett. While it may be a bit premature to count eggs before they hatch and guarantee victory for the green and silver, let just say it’s a very convenient year for the tournament to be relatively close.
“We’re a confident group,” Smith said. “A lot of times, no matter what the scoreboard says or stuff like that, we know that no matter what, we have it in us.”
Seattle gets in
This season has been a rocky one for the Seattle Thunderbirds. What was expected to be a step-forward year turned into a process of finding the right pieces and putting everything together.
Trading Braeden Cootes midseason to Prince Albert put a dent in expectations, but acquiring Cameron Schmidt from Vancouver helped get the team back on track.
Finishing seventh in the Western Conference, the Thunderbirds will take on the Penticton Vees in their first playoff appearance since ascending from the BCHL. The Thunderbirds are always feisty in playoff series and aren’t an easy out by any means, so it will be interesting to see how they navigate this one against a good Vees team.
Header courtesy of Evan Morud and the Everett Silvertips.
When the Seattle Kraken drafted Julius Miettinen No. 40 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, they selected him for his size and his ability to impose himself in the offensive zone.
Though he plays with a lot of intensity on the ice, off the ice he couldn’t be further from that. With a beaming smile, the Kraken are getting one of the brightest, most charming personalities in the WHL.
The 20-year-old from Helsinki, Finland, has enjoyed plenty of success this season with the Everett Silvertips. He has 26 goals, 38 assists, and a plus-51 rating, including a hat trick and two assists last night, Feb. 27, against the Kamloops Blazers. His five-point performance marked a WHL career high.
Now, in what is likely his final season with the Tips before turning pro, Miettinen is looking to lead the franchise to its first WHL championship in team history. He’s focused on leading his team by dominating in tight areas.
“Just small details that the pro game needs you to have. Those are what I’ve been focusing on right now because the jump (to the pros) is gonna be hard,” Miettinen said. “Now I feel like I’m so much better than I was. And I mean, just everything you do as a center affects the game so much.”
Miettinen played in his second World Junior Championship in Minnesota. While wearing an A, he had two goals and two assists in six games, helping lead the team to a silver medal.
“It was awesome,” Miettinen said. “To be there with the Finnish guys as a second-year player, and having that first-year experience under your belt, helped so much.”
According to Miettinen, the Kraken have been paying close attention, monitoring his development ahead of the jump to the pros. He’s worked on his skating and edge work over the last two seasons since being drafted.
He has been in a locker room filled with NHL talent over the past four seasons, including former Silvertips captains Austin Roest and Ben Hemmerling. He named those players as guys who made the jump to the pros and lead by example.
“New place, new guys, new team — that’s always a jump. But I try to live in the moment,” Miettinen said. “It’s cool to see guys live their dreams. Not a lot of guys get the chance to do that. But from their last years, just seeing how they do things, like the life they live — you gotta be a pro.”
Plus, playing with that Landon DuPont guy has been pretty cool, too.
“That guy’s just unbelievable at everything he does,” Miettinen said. “He is so mature. I wouldn’t believe he’s 16 if I didn’t know. How he practices, how he treats his body — it’s just unbelievable. Just everything he does, he’s a pro.”
It’s been an incredible year for the green and white once again. At 47-7-2-1 with 97 points and first place in the Western Conference, they sit a staggering 36 points ahead of the second-place team in the U.S. Division.
The Silvertips seem to be well on their way to another deep playoff run with Miettinen at the helm. The team has fallen short in prior years, but this year feels more promising to him.
“Every year is a new year. You have a different team, different guys with you. But I feel like this year is different. I don’t know how many games we’ve been trailing in the last period, and then we just find a way to come back and win the games.
From the experience of last year, we know what it’s like. We know it’s a battle. It’s one game at a time. We’ve got to focus on the little details. One shift might change the whole season.”
Photo Courtesy of Evan Morud and the Everett Silvertips
We’re about a week away from lighting the torch in Milan for the Winter Olympics, to which NHL and PWHL players will be making the voyage over the Atlantic Ocean to play in the tournament, which means there will be few games locally for most of February.
For the players not going to the Olympics, the break will be a nice time to relax, recover and get ready for the race to the playoffs. But for fans, especially those of the Seattle Kraken and Torrent, the shortest calendar month of the year is about to feel like the longest.
The Kraken only play one home game in February, which is the very last day of the month against the Vancouver Canucks. That’s the same with the Torrent, who will play just a day earlier against the Toronto Sceptres.
No live hockey for a month? Really?
Have no fear, there are plenty of alternative ways for fans to get some games in. Here’s what’s happening around the region this month to get your live hockey fix until the pro teams return to Seattle.
WHL season in full swing
Fans will need to head north to Everett or south to Kent to catch live WHL action.
The Silvertips are flying high once again this season. At now 38-6-2-1, they sit 12 points ahead for first place in the Western Conference. Get up there to see Landon DuPont while there’s time! He’s really something special to watch in person. Check in on Seattle Kraken forward prospect Julius Miettinen too, who has 19 goals and 25 assists in 31 games this season.
Everett is looking tough to beat once again. Having made the playoffs every year in team history, the Tips are still searching for their elusive first WHL championship. It’s bound to come one of these years, right?
Meanwhile, down at accesso ShoWare Center in Kent, things have not been as smooth.
What was shaping up to be a promising year for the Thunderbirds coming in quickly went south, as the team struggled out of the gate, traded star Canucks prospect Braeden Cootes to Prince Albert, and retooled on the fly. Additions such as top-five WHL point-getter Cameron Schmidt and Noah Kosick have helped stabilize the lineup, though the T-Birds still sit just 10th in the conference at 18-22-3-2.
While things haven’t been perfect, the T-Birds are still hanging around the Western Conference playoff picture, only five points behind Victoria for the final spot. A rematch of last year’s playoff series with Everett could be in store if they find a way to get there.
Other hockey in the region worth noting includes the Seattle Totems and Bremerton Sockeyes of the USPHL, whose seasons are ramping up. And if you’re really starved for hockey, head to Cheney for the ACHA PAC-8 tournament from Feb. 6-8, featuring UW, WSU, WWU and EWU.
February hockey calendar (notable promotions included):
Sunday, Feb. 1: Everett vs. Tri-City, 4 p.m., Angel of the Winds Arena -Mascot Mania Night
Sunday, Feb. 1: Seattle vs. Penticton, 5 p.m., accesso ShoWare Center
Friday, Feb. 6: Everett vs. Kamloops, 7 p.m., Angel of the Winds Arena
Friday, Feb. 6: Seattle vs. Portland, 7 p.m., accesso ShoWare Center
Saturday, Feb. 7: Everett vs. Victoria, 6 p.m., Angel of the Winds Arena -Great Small Dog Race Night
Friday, Feb. 13: Seattle vs. Tri-City, 7 p.m., accesso ShoWare Center
Friday, Feb. 20: Seattle vs. Portland, 7 p.m., accesso ShoWare Center -Girls Night Out
Saturday, Feb. 21: Everett vs. Seattle, 6 p.m., Angel of the Winds Arena
The ice is down, training camps are underway, and anticipation is building across the Western Hockey League. With the addition of the Penticton Vees, 23 teams now enter the 2025–26 season with hope, hunger, and high expectations.
Nowhere is that more evident than in the Puget Sound area, where both the Seattle Thunderbirds and Everett Silvertips have big aspirations—and even bigger spotlights—heading into the fall.
T-Birds vs. Tips rivalry should heat up
Last season’s battles between Seattle and Everett were tighter and more intense than they’ve been in recent years.
Yes, Everett (49–15–3–1 in 2024–25) owned the season series by winning six of eight—and the playoff series—but when Seattle (32–33–2–1) found its stride in the second half of the year, it felt like Everett got the brunt of their surge.
Don’t be surprised if this rivalry reaches another level in 2025–26, especially with what feels like more even rosters. Speaking of which…
Time ticking in Everett: DuPont’s second act
It’s Year 2 of the Landon DuPont Era in Everett—and the clock is already ticking on his junior career. DuPont dazzled in his first WHL season, living up to the hype by winning the 2025 CHL Rookie of the Year Award. His poise and talent are undeniable, but Everett knows these are the years they have to capitalize on his elite talent.
This year’s team should be on par with recent rosters. The key now is injury management. There’s still a lingering “what if” since Carter Bear’s draft year last season—he was lighting up the scoresheet before a torn Achilles cut his season short, though he was still drafted No. 13 overall by the Detroit Red Wings. Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen also missed time after getting hurt at the World Junior Championship with Finland. Injuries have been a theme in Everett.
Although they did finish with the best regular-season record in 2024–25, the Tips were knocked out in Round 2—again—by their rivals, the Portland Winterhawks—again.
With more roster consistency and health, maybe this can finally be the year head coach Steve Hamilton’s group breaks through and goes on a deeper playoff run.
I had the chance to check out Tips training camp on Friday afternoon, which fielded an intensely competitive atmosphere. Returning players like Cole Temple and Lukas Kaplan were names that made their presence known.
Also, keep an eye on some of the young emerging talent like ‘09 forward Mirco Dufour or ‘08 defenseman Cameron Dillard.
Braeden Cootes: The face of the Seattle franchise
While it may be less than ideal for Seattle hockey fans to watch a Canucks first-rounder blossom here, I just can’t get enough of Braeden Cootes.
Still the youngest active captain in the WHL, even after a full year, the 18-year-old led the T-Birds in assists and points in 2024–25. His two-way game and leadership make him a cornerstone piece to watch for the T-Birds this year.
“He’s got the high hockey IQ, the 200-foot game, really cares about his own end, and the intangibles you need,” said head coach Matt O’Dette. “These NHL teams want guys who can win games in crunch time — and he’s that guy.”
T-Bird time: Seattle poised for a surge
Finally, it looks like the pendulum is swinging in the right direction in Kent.
After spending the early months of last season well beneath the .500 threshold and in last place in the Western Conference, looking like they were on their way to another dud of a season, the T-Birds surged in the second half and jumped three spots to make the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.
With the talents of Cootes, Radim Mrtka, and Ashton Cumby coming off being drafted into the NHL, along with depth forwards like Antonio Martorana and Matej Pekar looking to take the next step, it sure does look like a strong year is in store at accesso ShoWare Center.
Kelowna to host the Memorial Cup
The 2026 Memorial Cup will be hosted by Kelowna, adding even more urgency for WHL contenders—especially those in the Western Conference. Could a Puget Sound team make the trip? And if so, would that team have a chance to win it all?
This WHL season feels wide open, especially with the likes of generational talent Gavin McKenna leaving Medicine Hat and taking his talents to the NCAA and Penn State. There’s no obvious frontrunner now, and both Seattle and Everett are stocked with talent and motivation.
Whether it’s the leadership of Cootes, the brilliance of DuPont, or the rising stars across both teams, there’s plenty of reason for hockey fans in the Sound to be excited. It will all be made even more exciting now that you can watch every game for free on Victory Plus.
Strap in—it’s going to be a fun season.
Header Photo Courtesy of Brian Liesse and the Seattle Thunderbirds
The Kraken remain captain-less (for now), along with Utah, as one of the two remaining NHL teams without a full-time captain in place. But just because there is no captain at the moment doesn’t mean there aren’t leaders beginning to blossom elsewhere within the organization.
Seattle has steadily built its farm system by way of players who felt destined to lead by example one way or another on their own squads. Whether it be scoring tons of points, laying hits, or just being all-around solid players, there have been expectations set forth by the development staff for them to take on the responsibilities of a leader.
Kraken head coach Dan Bylsma was adamant about seeing young players continue to grow as leaders with their junior teams this upcoming season.
“It’s their job to take that and be leaders with their own careers,” Bylsma said. “It takes the lessons they learned, taking what they saw here [at training camp] and adding it to their game going back to juniors and having a great season.”
The Seattle Kraken have leaned heavily on the Western Hockey League through the last few draft cycles, but it looks to be paying dividends this season. No Kraken prospects were full-time captains on any team anywhere in the CHL last season. But for this season, there will be four, and they were all named this week in the league closest to home.
Clarke Caswell, Swift Current Broncos
After coming close to reaching the WHL Finals last season, the Eastern Conference finalist Swift Current Broncos had a lot of players graduate through the system last season.
Those exits left an opportunity for Kraken forward prospect Clarke Caswell to further his progression with the Broncos, and he was named the captain of Swift Current last week.
The fourth-round selection in 2023 had 23 goals and 77 points while playing all 68 games for the Broncos in 2023-24. Caswell, 17, mentioned Yanni Gourde as a player he got to shadow during his time at Kraken training camp.
“They work really hard,” Caswell said. “They never take days off. It’s their job to play hockey, so coming to the rink prepared is what I’m going to bring to the team.”
Ollie Josephson, Red Deer Rebels
Selected in the fourth round of this past NHL Draft, Kraken forward prospect Ollie Josephson was named the captain of the Red Deer Rebels on Thursday.
Josephson, 18, looks like a prime breakout candidate this season for the improved Rebels, after he tallied a career-high 47 points, also while playing all 68 games for the Rebels in 2023-24.
Meet our leadership group for 2024-25!#RDREBELS I #WHL
This one’s been alluded to by Sound Of Hockey for some time this past half-year or so, but it was finally confirmed on Friday night by the Everett Silvertips. Kaden Hammell, along with Eric Jamieson, was named a co-captain for the 2024-25 season, continuing a loose franchise tradition of carrying two captains for the season.
The native of Langley, B.C., has blossomed into a premier shutdown defenseman in the WHL, while also continuing to develop an offensive element to his game year after year, similar to Jamie Oleksiak.
Hammell, a fifth-round pick in 2022, spoke about the type of group he envisions leading.
“There’s a lot of guys that bring leadership to the room,” Hammell said. “The biggest thing is making sure everybody’s comfortable and having fun this year. We’ve got a pretty good team, so we want to make sure that we’re super competitive but having fun on and off the ice.”
There may not be a more valuable leadership opportunity in junior hockey right now than the chance to be the first real veteran mentor for a star-bound talent in fellow defenseman Landon DuPont.
Berkly Catton, Spokane Chiefs
Finally, and easily the biggest tongue twister of the bunch (Captain Catton), Berkly Catton was named captain of the Spokane Chiefs on Saturday night.
Not much more needs to be mentioned about arguably the best prospect in the Kraken’s system. Catton, 18, has been with the Chiefs throughout his whole WHL career and has seen them grow from bottom dwellers to one of the favorites to win the U.S. Division this season.
He wowed with his 116 points in 68 games in 2023-24, which parlayed him into the eighth overall selection in this summer’s draft. He’s poised for yet another standout season.
A few other Kraken prospects were assigned leadership roles as assistant captains on their respective CHL teams, including Kraken defensive prospect Caden Price for the Kelowna Rockets (third-round pick in 2023) and dynamic forward prospect Carson Rehkopf for the inaugural Brampton Steelheads (second-round pick in 2023).
The Seattle Kraken’s commitment to developing leadership within their ranks is evident, with several prospects stepping into captaincy roles this season. With talented players like Caswell, Josephson, Hammell, and Catton leading their teams, the future looks promising for the Seattle franchise. As these young leaders gain valuable experience, they are bound to play a significant role in the Kraken’s future success both on and off the ice.
Header photo: Kaden Hammell poses with fellow members of Everett leadership group. (Photo/Everett Silvertips)
It wasn’t quite the start to the season the Everett Silvertips had hoped for, falling to the Vancouver Giants 4-3 at Angel of the Winds Arena on Saturday night. While a rematch of last season’s first-round playoff series would have been enough to garner a big crowd, the 6,247 fans in attendance had added motivation for showing up Saturday. Excitement was in the air well before the gates to the arena even opened, as 15-year-old defenseman Landon DuPont was set to make his much-anticipated Western Hockey League debut.
As a refresher, DuPont was granted exceptional status by the league this past offseason which allows him to play in the WHL a season before players would typically enter. The honor has only been bestowed on a select few players in CHL history, which is why so many fans were excited to see him up close and in person for the first time. He’s just that good.
Opening night began as many debuts do with the quintessential rookie lap during pre-game warmups. DuPont was joined by fellow rookies Nolan Chasko and Kaeson Fisher. He was then introduced during full team introductions just before the game, where he and veteran teammate Dominik Rymon would receive the loudest ovation from the Everett faithful.
#WHL Landon DuPont (along with Nolan Chasko and Kaeson Fisher) take the quintessential rookie lap as the Tips take the ice for the first time in 2024-25 🐻 pic.twitter.com/9AMX7dINa8
Even some of the Kraken prospects in town for training camp had to come and get a look at the young sensation for the first time. A big group, led by Kraken director of scouting Robert Kron and Silvertips forward Julius Miettinen, wound up watching a good chunk of the game from press level at Angel of the Winds.
Everett jumped out to a 1-0 lead thanks to offseason addition Tyler MacKenzie getting on the board halfway through the first. Everett’s Andrew Petruk went after Vancouver’s Kolby Gapter to ignite the crowd in the middle parts of the period, but some costly defensive woes allowed Vancouver to score twice, jumping ahead 2-1 to end the frame.
#WHL One of the most spirited fights you’ll see in a while.
Petruk goes at it with Gapter while AOTW goes nuts 😵💫
DuPont got on the scoresheet with a stretch pass assist to his billet roommate Carter Bear, tying the game at 2-2. The assist marked the first point in his WHL career.
The game began to unravel quickly for the Silvertips, however, as goaltender Jesse Sanche let up a pair of Giants goals near the end of the period, and Everett headed to the intermission down by two.
The third period saw a big push from the Silvertips offensively, as a high-slot goal from Julien Maze cut the deficit in half at 4-3, but that’s where the score would stay in the end.
The Silvertips controlled the majority of the offensive opportunities during the evening, winning the shot battle 40-25, but Vancouver was much more efficient with its chances, which allowed the Giants to pull away. Giants forward Cameron Schmidt was a big thorn in the side of the Tips during the evening, tallying two goals and ending the evening as the game’s first star.
This marks the fifth straight loss for the Silvertips dating back to the playoffs last season.
Teachable moments
Following his first game as Silvertips head coach, Steve Hamilton felt there were some teachable moments and lessons to learn from a close and hard-fought loss.
“I think that there were really good stretches of the game where we were on point, and then there were times where we got a little bit ragged,” Hamilton said. “It was in those times that we gave up goals against, some face-off situations, a lot of things; those things are areas you can clean. It was just ragged and rough, and that’s to be expected early on in the season. My message to the guys after the game was to keep a nice, even keel and not go on the emotional roller coaster.”
DuPont played a big role
As for DuPont, he finished his first game with an assist, four total shots on goal and was a +2. He had a shot near the end of the game that would have forced overtime had it gone in. He was out to prove he belonged in this league, as he played in front of the biggest crowd of his hockey career thus far.
“The fans were super loud, and it was nice to play in front of them,” DuPont said. “I’ve never really played in front of that many people before, so I just tried my best to take in the moment and help my team win.”
With the absence of defensemen Kaden Hammell, Tarin Smith, and Eric Jamieson, each attending their respective NHL training camps, it was up to DuPont and his defensive partner for the evening, Cameron Sytsma, to man the point for most of the evening. Well, one of his partners, that is.
DuPont wound up being double-shifted a good chunk of the evening, entrusted to have the legs under him on the top pairing and more. He had no idea going into the game that his usage rate would be as high as it was, going with the flow of the game more than anything.
Hamilton admitted that it was a lot to ask of him to play as much as he did but believes he showed throughout the preseason and beyond that he is capable of handling any situation thrown at him.
“He’s a gamer in every sense of the word,” Hamilton said. “He wants to be out there and be a difference-maker, but that was his first major junior game, and that’s a lot to ask.”
NHL training camp players are expected to return in about a week or so, which Hamilton expects will help DuPont settle in and get more comfortable.
“For a first game, I think everybody in the building can see there’s some dynamic elements there. And he’ll just keep getting better and better because he’ll expect it from himself. And certainly, I think when we can surround him with a little bit more experience [with the players coming back], I think that’ll help as well.”
MacKenzie had some praise for DuPont following the contest.
“First of all, the most humble guy you’ll probably ever meet,” MacKenzie said. “I don’t know if he gets enough credit for that, but everyone needs to know that. The way he thinks about the game and skates, you just know he loves the game and that he’s going to be such a good player.”
Everett will take a week hiatus before another playoff rematch next Saturday, this time with the second-round opponent the Portland Winterhawks.
