2025-26 WHL Playoffs
2025–26 WHL Playoffs at a Glance
🏆 Ed Chynoweth Cup Champion: Everett Silvertips
🥈 Runner-up: Prince Albert Raiders
🏒 Championship Series: Everett defeated Prince Albert, 4–1 (best-of-seven series), capturing the first WHL championship in franchise history.
⭐ Playoff MVP: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips. The Seattle Kraken prospect starred throughout the postseason, leading Everett to its historic championship and earning WHL Playoff MVP honors.
📅 Playoff Format: Sixteen teams qualified for the WHL Playoffs, with the top eight clubs from each conference competing through four rounds of best-of-seven series: First Round, Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, and the WHL Championship Series.
👥 Teams Qualified: 16 (Top eight teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences.)
🥅 Championship Notes:
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Everett captured the first Ed Chynoweth Cup in franchise history after more than two decades in the WHL.
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The Silvertips finished the playoffs with a remarkable 16–1–1 record, one of the most dominant postseason runs in league history.
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Everett defeated the Prince Albert Raiders in five games, clinching the championship with a 7–2 victory in Game 5.
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As WHL champions, the Silvertips advanced to represent the league at the 2026 Memorial Cup in Kelowna, British Columbia.
🎯 Featured on This Page:
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Team Playoff Performance by Goal Differential
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Offense vs. Defense Analysis
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Leading Playoff Scorers
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Leading Playoff Goaltenders
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Season-in-review commentary and analytical insights
2025–26 WHL Playoffs: Season in Review
The 2025–26 Western Hockey League Playoffs concluded with a historic championship for the Everett Silvertips, who captured their first-ever Ed Chynoweth Cup by defeating the Prince Albert Raiders in five games. Everett finished the postseason with a dominant 16–2 record, overcoming four playoff opponents while earning the franchise's first WHL championship and a berth in the 2026 Memorial Cup.
The Silvertips were the league's most complete team throughout the playoffs, combining offensive firepower, disciplined defensive play, and outstanding goaltending. Everett opened the postseason by sweeping the Portland Winterhawks, eliminated the Kelowna Rockets in five games, swept the Penticton Vees in the Western Conference Final, and then defeated Prince Albert 4–1 in the championship series. Their balanced style of play allowed them to control games on both ends of the ice and complete one of the most impressive playoff runs in recent WHL history.
The Prince Albert Raiders also enjoyed an outstanding postseason, advancing through a challenging Eastern Conference bracket before reaching the league final. The Raiders featured one of the WHL's deepest lineups, led by standout defenseman Daxon Rudolph and a balanced offensive attack. Although Prince Albert fell short against Everett in the championship series, the Raiders demonstrated exceptional consistency throughout the playoffs and proved themselves to be one of the league's elite teams.
Individually, Julius Miettinen delivered a spectacular postseason for Everett, earning WHL Playoff MVP honors after leading all skaters with 14 goals and tying for the playoff scoring lead with 27 points. His timely scoring, leadership, and two-way play were instrumental in Everett's championship run and helped establish one of the most memorable postseason performances of the 2025–26 Canadian Hockey League season.
The charts throughout this playoff review provide a data-driven perspective on the postseason by highlighting team goal differential, offensive and defensive efficiency, scoring leaders, and goaltending performance. Together, these analytics illustrate how Everett's balanced roster, exceptional special teams, and consistent execution translated into the first WHL championship in franchise history while showcasing many of the league's top players and teams during an exciting 2025–26 playoff season.
Team Playoff Performance by Goal Differential
The Team Playoff Performance by Goal Differential chart summarizes how each team performed during the 2025–26 WHL Playoffs by comparing total goals scored to goals allowed. Goal differential is one of hockey's strongest indicators of overall team success, reflecting a team's ability to consistently generate offense while limiting scoring opportunities for its opponents. Clubs with the largest positive differentials typically enjoyed the deepest postseason runs.
The Everett Silvertips dominated the field with an extraordinary +46 goal differential, by far the highest of any playoff team. That remarkable margin reflects one of the most dominant postseason performances in recent WHL history, as Everett combined an explosive offense with outstanding defensive play to capture the franchise's first Ed Chynoweth Cup. The Silvertips consistently controlled games throughout the playoffs, finishing with a 16–2 record and outscoring opponents by an average of nearly three goals per game.
The Prince Albert Raiders, runners-up in the championship series, finished a distant second with a still-impressive +20 goal differential. Medicine Hat also enjoyed a strong postseason, posting a +13 differential while advancing deep into the Eastern Conference playoffs. Prince George and Kelowna each recorded +5, demonstrating balanced play despite shorter postseason runs.
Several clubs finished near even in goal differential. Penticton and Edmonton each ended at 0, indicating closely contested series where scoring was evenly matched. Calgary (-2) and Spokane (-5) remained competitive despite narrowly being outscored overall, while Brandon (-6) and Seattle (-7) exited the postseason with only modest negative differentials.
At the lower end of the chart, Regina (-11) and Red Deer (-11) struggled to keep pace offensively, while Kamloops (-13) and Saskatoon (-14) found themselves consistently chasing games. Portland recorded the lowest goal differential at -20, highlighting the challenges of facing the eventual champion in the opening round.
Overall, the chart emphasizes the importance of balanced team play during the postseason. While many teams remained competitive, Everett separated itself from the field by excelling at both ends of the ice. The Silvertips' league-best +46 goal differential provides a clear statistical explanation for one of the most dominant championship runs in recent WHL history and illustrates how sustained offensive production combined with disciplined defensive play is the foundation of playoff success.
Offense vs. Defense
The Offense vs. Defense chart compares each team's offensive production (goals scored per game) with its defensive performance (goals allowed per game) during the 2025–26 WHL Playoffs. Teams positioned farther to the right generated more offense, while those appearing higher on the chart allowed fewer goals per game because of the inverted defensive axis. Teams occupying the upper-right quadrant demonstrated the balanced offensive and defensive play that is most often associated with postseason success.
The Everett Silvertips clearly separated themselves from the rest of the league. The eventual Ed Chynoweth Cup champions led all playoff teams in both offensive production and defensive efficiency, averaging nearly 4.6 goals per game while allowing only about two goals per contest. Their position in the chart's extreme upper-right corner illustrates the dominance of a team that controlled games at both ends of the ice throughout its championship run.
The Prince Albert Raiders, runners-up in the championship series, also displayed an outstanding balance between scoring and defense. Averaging approximately four goals per game while allowing just over three, the Raiders earned their place in the league final through consistent two-way play. Medicine Hat combined one of the postseason's highest-scoring offenses with solid defensive numbers, while Prince George and Kelowna also occupied favorable positions near the top-right portion of the chart, reflecting strong overall playoff performances.
Several clubs finished near league averages in both categories. Penticton, Edmonton, and Calgary exhibited balanced play but lacked the offensive output of the top contenders. Spokane hovered near the playoff average in both goals scored and goals allowed, while Seattle and Red Deer struggled to generate enough offense despite remaining relatively competitive defensively.
At the lower end of the chart, Regina, Kamloops, and Portland encountered the greatest challenges. Portland combined the lowest offensive production with the highest goals-against average among playoff teams, while Kamloops and Regina also found it difficult to consistently score while limiting opponents. These imbalances contributed to shorter postseason appearances against stronger competition.
Overall, the chart reinforces a familiar postseason pattern: teams that combine elite offensive production with disciplined defensive play are the ones most likely to compete for championships. Everett's commanding position illustrates why the Silvertips captured the first Ed Chynoweth Cup in franchise history, while Prince Albert and Medicine Hat demonstrated that balanced, efficient hockey remains the foundation for deep playoff success in the WHL.
Leading Playoff Scorers
The Leading Playoff Scorers chart highlights the players who recorded the most points during the 2025–26 WHL Playoffs. Ranked by total postseason points, the leaderboard showcases the offensive stars who fueled their teams' playoff success. Because teams advancing deeper into the postseason play more games, the scoring leaders often reflect both exceptional individual talent and sustained team performance.
Tied atop the scoring race were Julius Miettinen of the Everett Silvertips and Daxon Rudolph of the Prince Albert Raiders, each finishing with 27 points. Miettinen's postseason was particularly memorable, as the Silvertips forward led the league with 14 playoff goals and earned WHL Playoff MVP honors while helping Everett capture its first Ed Chynoweth Cup. Rudolph, one of the league's premier defensemen, matched the scoring lead despite playing from the blue line, underscoring his importance in Prince Albert's run to the championship series.
Everett's championship lineup featured exceptional offensive depth beyond Miettinen. Matias Vanhanen contributed 24 points, Landon DuPont added 23 points, and Carter Bear finished with 22 points. This balanced production throughout the lineup was a key reason the Silvertips dominated the postseason, consistently generating offense from multiple lines and defensive pairings.
The Prince Albert Raiders also showcased impressive scoring depth, placing five players among the top ten playoff scorers. In addition to Rudolph, Braeden Cootes recorded 23 points, Brock Cripps added 21 points, Aiden Oiring finished with 20 points, and Brayden Dube contributed 19 points. Their balanced attack powered the Raiders through the Eastern Conference and into the WHL Championship Series.
Rounding out the leaderboard was Andrew Basha of the Medicine Hat Tigers, who totaled 21 points during another outstanding postseason. His production highlighted Medicine Hat's explosive offense and helped lead the Tigers on a deep playoff run.
Overall, the scoring leaderboard illustrates that the WHL's most successful teams relied on both elite individual performances and exceptional roster depth. Everett and Prince Albert combined to place nine of the top ten scorers on the list, reflecting the offensive consistency that carried both clubs to the league final. Ultimately, Everett's balanced scoring, combined with outstanding defensive play and goaltending, proved to be the difference in capturing the 2025–26 Ed Chynoweth Cup.
Leading Playoff Goaltenders
The Leading Playoff Goaltenders chart highlights the netminders who made the greatest impact during the 2025–26 WHL Playoffs by emphasizing playoff wins while also presenting games played, minutes played, save percentage, goals-against average (GAA), and shutouts. By combining workload with traditional goaltending statistics, the chart recognizes the goaltenders who consistently performed at a high level while carrying their teams through multiple playoff rounds.
Leading the chart is Anders Miller of the Everett Silvertips, whose stellar play anchored Everett's historic championship run. Miller recorded 16 playoff victories in 18 appearances, posting an outstanding .932 save percentage, a 1.91 goals-against average, and one shutout. His consistency, composure, and ability to make key saves throughout the postseason were instrumental in helping Everett capture its first Ed Chynoweth Cup, earning him recognition as one of the WHL's premier playoff performers.
Michal Orsulak of the Prince Albert Raiders finished second with 13 playoff wins, appearing in a postseason-high 20 games as the Raiders advanced to the WHL Championship Series. Orsulak recorded three shutouts, the most among the featured goaltenders, while logging nearly 1,200 minutes of playoff action. His heavy workload and dependable play were essential to Prince Albert's run to the league final.
Several other goaltenders also delivered outstanding postseason performances. Andrew Reyelts of the Penticton Vees earned eight victories while posting a .907 save percentage and 2.77 goals-against average. Jordan Switzer of the Medicine Hat Tigers added seven wins, helping guide the Tigers deep into the Eastern Conference playoffs. Joshua Ravensbergen of the Prince George Cougars was among the most efficient netminders on the list, recording a .918 save percentage and 2.71 goals-against average while earning six victories.
Additional strong performances came from Eric Tu (Calgary Hitmen), Evan Gardner (Saskatoon Blades), and Harrison Boettiger (Kelowna Rockets), all of whom recorded four playoff wins while posting competitive save percentages. Carter Casey (Medicine Hat) and Carter Esler (Spokane Chiefs) round out the leaderboard after contributing valuable performances for their respective clubs during shorter postseason runs.
Overall, the chart reinforces the critical role of elite goaltending in postseason success. Everett and Prince Albert received outstanding performances from their starting goaltenders throughout the playoffs, with Miller's combination of exceptional efficiency and championship-winning consistency ultimately standing above the rest. The 2025–26 WHL Playoffs once again demonstrated that while offensive firepower is essential, sustained success is often built on reliable, high-level goaltending under the pressure of a long playoff run.