The W-H-L named their monthly award winners for March Tuesday.
Saskatoon centre Cooper Williams (pictured) is the Rookie-of-the-Month after posting five goals amongst 17 points in 14 games. The now 17-year-old Calgary product finished second in regular-season freshman scoring with 57 points, including 21 goals. Following are news releases from the Blades and the league…..
Blades forward Williams named WHL Rookie of the Month
Calgary, AB — Saskatoon Blades forward Cooper Williams has been named WHL Rookie of the Month for March, the Western Hockey League (WHL) announced Tuesday.
The 17-year-old has also been named WHL Rookie of the Week twice in the 2024-25 season.
Williams led all WHL rookies with five goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 14 games.
The Calgary, AB product strung together six multi-point games through March while only being held off the scoresheet four times. Williams was in on all three Blades goals (1G-2A) in a 3-0 shutout of the Swift Current Broncos on March 14 and scored the game-winning goal to go along with an assist in a key 4-1 win against the Prince Albert Raiders on March 8.
Williams capped off his first regular season with 21 goals and 36 assists for 57 points and a +19 rating through 68 games, finishing second in points among all first-year players and tying for fifth in goals. He also ranked second on the Blades in points while opening the scoring for Saskatoon five times.
He registered his first postseason point with an assist on Calgary Flames prospect Hunter Laing’s tally in a 4-2 loss to the Calgary Hitmen in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup.
Saskatoon selected Williams with the 41st overall pick in the second round of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.
He is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.
The Blades head home in hopes of picking up their first win of the 2025 WHL Playoffs when they host the Calgary Hitmen (2-0) on Tuesday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. MST.
TIGERS ALTERNATE CAPTAIN MCKENNA NAMED WHL PLAYER OF THE MONTH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2025
Calgary, Alta. – Medicine Hat Tigers forward Gavin McKenna has been named WHL Player of the Month for March, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.
This is the third time McKenna has captured the monthly award this season, in addition to three weekly award wins.
McKenna, 17, paced all skaters with 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points in seven games while helping the Tigers go undefeated in March.
The projected top pick in the 2026 NHL Draft tallied three or more points in each game, highlighted by a career-high seven points (3G-4A) night in a 7-3 win over the Red Deer Rebels. He followed it up with a five-point (2G-3A) effort in a 10-1 demolition of the Lethbridge Hurricanes and a two-goal, one assist showing in a Central Division-clinching win against the rival Calgary Hitmen in the regular season finale.
McKenna closes out the regular season on a modern WHL record point streak. The Whitehorse, Yukon product has amassed 100 points (32G-68A) in 40 consecutive games. His impressive streak is the second-longest among all CHLers in the 21st century, second only to Alexander Radulov’s 50-game streak with the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts in 2005-06.
McKenna was only held off the scoresheet three times in the WHL’s regular season and finished second in the scoring race with 129 points (41G-88A) in 56 matches.
The 6-foot, 165-pound winger’s scoring success has carried into the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien. McKenna registered an assist on all four Medicine Hat goals as the Tabbies put up a 4-0 shutout against the Swift Current Broncos in Game 1 of their quarterfinal series and topped it with a one-goal, four-assist performance in Game 2.
He leads all WHLers with nine points (1G-8A) through the first weekend of the postseason.
The reigning WHL Rookie of the Year has become the most well-known name in junior hockey since Medicine Hat selected him with the first-overall pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft.
McKenna has bagged 244 points (79G-165A) in 133 regular season games. He became the third-fastest player in modern WHL history to reach 200 points after hitting the milestone in his 118th game.
He has boosted his international resume with his first appearance at the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2025, where he recorded one goal in five games as the youngest member of Team Canada. He previously set a record for points by a Canadian (20) at the IIHF U18 World Championship en route to a gold medal in 2024 and won gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
The Tigers are heading East as they visit Swift Current for Games 3 and 4 at the InnovationPlex.
McKenna and company are back in action for Game 3 on Tuesday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. MST.
Every game of the WHL Playoffs will be streamed for free on Victory+.
2024-25 WHL Player of the Month
September/October: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
November: Andrew Cristall, Kelowna Rockets (Washington Capitals)
December: Oliver Tulk, Calgary Hitmen
January: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
February: Berkly Catton, Spokane Chiefs (Seattle Kraken)
LIGHTNING PROSPECT MENEGHIN NAMED WHL GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH
Calgary, Alta.— Medicine Hat Tigers netminder Harrison Meneghin has been named WHL Goaltender of the Month for March, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.
Meneghin went undefeated through March with an 8-0-0-0 record, a pristine 1.87 goals-against average, a .931 save percentage and two shutouts while battling tremendously difficult circumstances off the ice.
This is the second time Meneghin has picked up the award this season, as well as his second undefeated month after he put up a 7-0-0-0 record in January of 2025.
The South Surrey, B.C. product allowed two or fewer goals in five of his eight starts throughout March. He made 26 saves in a 5-0 shutout of the Brandon Wheat Kings on March 1 and closed out the regular season with a showstopping performance that saw him make 35 saves in a critical 5-2 road win against the Calgary Hitmen. The victory saw Medicine Hat clinch the franchise’s tenth division title and first seed in the Eastern Conference heading into the postseason.
Meneghin finished regular season play with a 23-10-1-1 record, a 2.58 goals-against average, a .900 save percentage and three shutouts. He ranked third among all qualified WHL netminders in goals-against average while tying for third in clean sheets.
But the regular season ended on a heart-wrenching note for Meneghin and his family. His father, Derek, passed away unexpectedly on March 23, 2025. Meneghin returned to the lower mainland with his family but opted to return to the Tigers for the postseason and even asked Head Coach Willie Desjardins for the start in Game 1 against the Swift Current Broncos.
The 20-year-old posted a 21-save shutout, which also stands as his first victory in the WHL playoffs, and was swarmed by his teammates at the final buzzer while the packed crowd at Co-op Place gave Meneghin a standing ovation in a truly emotional display. Meneghin followed it up with a second win in a 6-3 decision in Game 2.
Meneghin, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 174 pounds, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the seventh round of the 2024 NHL Draft.
He owns a career record of 69-42-8-3 with a 2.68 goals-against average, a .910 save percentage and seven shutouts over parts of four seasons with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Medicine Hat Tigers.
With his first postseason victory in his back pocket, Meneghin now turns his attention to helping the Tigers advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the first time since 2019.
The Tigers and Broncos are set to clash in Game 3 on Tuesday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. MST at Swift Current’s InnovationPlex.
2024-25 WHL Goaltender of the Month
September/October: Jesse Sanche, Everett Silvertips
November: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades (Columbus Blue Jackets)
December: Raiden LeGall, Everett Silvertips
January: Harrison Meneghin, Medicine Hat Tigers (Tampa Bay Lightning)
February: Daniel Hauser, Calgary Hitmen
BLADES FORWARD WILLIAMS NAMED WHL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH
Calgary, Alta.— Saskatoon Blades forward Cooper Williams has been named WHL Rookie of the Month for March, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.
The 17-year-old has also been named WHL Rookie of the Week twice in 2024-25.
Williams led all WHL rookies with five goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 14 games.
The Calgary, Alta. product strung together six multi-point games through March while only being held off the scoresheet four times. Williams was in on all three Blades goals (1G-2A) in a 3-0 shutout of the Swift Current Broncos on March 14 and scored the game-winning goal to go along with an assist in a key 4-1 win against the Prince Albert Raiders on March 8.
Williams capped off his first regular season with 21 goals and 36 assists for 57 points and a +19 rating through 68 games, finishing second in points among all first-year players and tying for fifth in goals. He also ranked second on the Blades in points while opening the scoring for Saskatoon five times.
He registered his first postseason point with an assist on Calgary Flames prospect Hunter Laing’s tally in a 4-2 loss to the Calgary Hitmen in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup.
Saskatoon selected Williams with the 41st overall pick in the second round of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.
He is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.
The Blades head home in hopes of picking up their first win of the 2025 WHL Playoffs when they host the Calgary Hitmen (2-0) on Tuesday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. MST.
Fans can stream the 2025 WHL Playoffs for free on Victory+.
2024-25 WHL Rookie of the Month
September/October: Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips
November: Gavin Garland, Tri-City Americans
December: Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips
January: Daxon Rudolph, Prince Albert Raiders
February: Savin Virk, Tri-City Americans
