CHL Storylines: Everett powers to the top of the WHL

The Everett Silvertips were a good team last season that found a way to get even better entering the 2024-25 Western Hockey League campaign.

Everett finished with the fourth-best record in the league last year at 45-18-5 and were competing with the Prince George Cougars and Portland Winterhawks for the top spot in the Western Conference until the final days of the season.

The Silvertips breezed through the first round by beating the Vancouver Giants in five games but were dispatched by the Winterhawks in a second round sweep.

Despite the disappointment of being eliminated, the team had a lot to be excited about heading into this season.

In 2023, the Silvertips traded star defenceman Olen Zellweger and forward Ryan Hofer to the Kamloops Blazers for forwards Drew Englot and Jack Bakker, defencemen Kaden Hammell and Rylan Pearce, and 10 draft picks, including their 2024 first-round pick.

After Kamloops finished with a league-worst 20-42-6 record last year, Everett was able to use the No. 1 overall selection to draft phenom defenceman Landon DuPont.

“Everett was a good team when they traded Zellweger, but they didn’t think they were going to win then,” said TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button. “They benefitted by getting a top player into their program because of that trade. When they traded Zellweger, it set them up big time.”

DuPont became the second player to be granted exceptional player status in WHL history, along with Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard. He is the ninth player in CHL history to get exceptional status, joining the likes of Bedard, John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid, Sean Day, Joe Veleno, Shane Wright, and Michael Misa.

To begin the 2024-25 campaign, the Silvertips have been the class of the league with a 15-3-1 record. They are the highest-scoring team with 94 goals and are only second to the Brandon Wheat Kings in goals allowed with 53.

DuPont has lived up to the hype through 15 games, recording five goals and 17 points as a 15-year-old, which is good for ninth in the league among defencemen.

“You don’t come into the league and do what he’s doing unless he’s a hell of a player,” said Button. “He does everything well. He’s a great skater, great thinker, he’s smart and competitive, and makes plays. I don’t know if there’s anything that he’s lacking.”

The Silvertips have been led up front by centres Carter Bear and Tyler MacKenzie, who are second and third in WHL scoring.

Bear, 18, is eligible for the 2025 NHL draft and leads the team in scoring with 16 goals and 32 points in 19 games. The 6-foot centre will also represent the CHL at the CHL USA Prospects Challenge later this month.

“Carter was given the opportunity to play last year and he just kept getting better throughout the course of the year,” said Button. “He’s in and around the puck, in all the hard areas, and knows how to score. Those are all attributes you want to see in a player and he has the ability to take those attributes and translate it into success.”

MacKenzie was acquired by the Silvertips from the Medicine Hat Tigers in May for a draft pick. The 20-year-old centre has 17 goals and 31 points in 19 games and is on the verge of crushing his previous career high of 16 goals and 47 points in 68 games last season.

Leading the defence along with DuPont is Anaheim Ducks prospect Tarin Smith, who leads all WHL defencemen with five goals and 23 points this season.

The additions of DuPont and MacKenzie to go along with core pieces like Bear, Smith, Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen and overage forward Dominik Rymon puts the Silvertips in a position where they win now and build for the future.

However, Button believes that the team’s focus is on this season and aren’t concerned about what next season could look like.

“Nothing that’s happening in Everett is accidental, they’re a really good team,” said Button. “They’re looking at who their competitors are now and what they can do to have a chance to win. They’re building for the future, but the future is now.”

IceDogs Return to Form

The Niagara IceDogs are back in playoff contention after being in the cellar of the Ontario Hockey League the last three seasons.

Niagara has the fourth-best record at 13-4-0 entering Wednesday’s action and their 73 goals are good for the fifth-highest in the league while allowing only 67 in their own net.

Part of the reason for the IceDogs’ success this year has been the injection of young talent the team has been able to put together the last few seasons.

Leading the way is captain Kevin He, who is tied for fifth in OHL scoring with 16 goals and 28 points. The Winnipeg Jets prospect is in his third season with the club and has seen his production rise every season.

“He has been an outstanding player for the IceDogs,” said Button. “He’s interested in driving the play and he wants the puck and wants to make plays with the puck.”

One of the only benefits of finishing near the bottom of the league is the ability to add young talent from the top of the Priority Draft. The IceDogs did that by drafting winger Ryan Roobroeck second overall and centre Ethan Czata fifth overall in 2023 while selecting forward Brady Wassilyn fourth last season.

Roobroeck joined the IceDogs last season and was immediately counted on for a scoring punch as a 16-year old. He finished third on the team in scoring last season with 28 goals and 51 points, just two points behind leader Gavin Bryant.

This season, the London, Ont., native has 13 goals and 22 points in 18 games and is a candidate to represent Canada at the IIHF U18 World Championship in April.

Czata has needed more time to get his feet wet in the OHL. As a rookie last season, he had just seven goals and 17 points in 62 games. However, the Brampton, Ont., native was able to showcase himself enough to make Canada’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup winning team.

The newfound confidence has helped the 17-year-old this season, who has four goals and 12 points through 18 games and is eligible for this year’s NHL draft.

Wassilyn has two goals and 10 points in 12 games to begin his OHL career and turned heads at the U17 World Hockey Challenge, recording two goals and three points to help Canada Red to a silver medal.

To go along with all the young talent, the IceDogs also brought in Seattle Kraken prospect Andrei Loshko in the CHL Import Draft, and he has had an immediate impact. The Belarus native is second on the team with nine goals and 25 points as he continues to grow as a player.

The IceDogs have the benefit of knowing that their young core is going to be around for awhile. He and Czata are likely to be returned to Niagara by their NHL clubs next season while Roobroeck isn’t eligible for the NHL Draft until 2026.

This allows the IceDogs to grow as a team and hopefully peak when they’re in a position to contend for a Memorial Cup.

“They have good young players who are not only going to be there this year, but are going to be there next year as well,” said Button. “You can’t win or be successful without quality players and they’ve been able to put that together this year. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t be good again [next year].”

Player to watch: Lars Steiner - Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

One of the great stories early in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League has been the play of rookie Lars Steiner.

The 16-year-old forward was selected 46th overall in the 2024 CHL Import Draft out of Switzerland by the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and has not disappointed.

Going into Wednesday’s action, Steiner is in a four-way tie for first in the league in scoring with 11 goals and 31 points. He is at the top of the leaderboard with veterans like teammate Antonin Verreault, Baie-Comeau Drakkar winger Justin Poirier, and Jonathan Fauchon of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

“Steiner is probably one of my top-15 players for the 2026 NHL Draft,” said Button. “We’re talking about someone who has a high skill level and it’s not easy to step into a league like the QMJHL. When you can think and play the game at the level he plays at, it is massively impressive.”

Despite it not showing up on the scoresheet, Steiner’s play also impressed scouts at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer, where he had a goal and two points for Switzerland.

With the 2025 World Juniors in Ottawa about a month and a half away, expect Steiner to take a role for Switzerland in the major tournament.