Saskatoon, Sask.- Twenty-nine Western Hockey League alumni have hoisted the Dr. W.G. Hardy Trophy as 2025 Canada West Champions.
The University of Saskatchewan Huskies claimed their 12th conference title in program history and the first since 2020 with a 3-0 win over the Mount Royal Huskies on Sunday night.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling as a coach,” 2025 Canada West Coach of the Year Brandin Cote (Spokane Chiefs/Swift Current Broncos). “It’s just rewarding to see everything culminate and come together and all the buy in from our guys all year. We stuck with it and I’m really, really proud of our guys.”
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Forward Vince Loschiavo (Kootenay ICE ‘A’, Moose Jaw Warriors, Edmonton Oil Kings) buried the game-winning goal and Canada West Goaltender of the Year Roddy Ross ((Seattle Thunderbirds, Regina Pats) posted a 30-save shutout in a must-win Game 3 in front of a sellout crowd at Merlis Belsher Place.
Loschiavo found the icebreaker halfway through the final period, sparking a late-game push for the powerhouse Huskies.
Less than three minutes after Loschiavo’s strike, Ethan Regnier (Swift Current Broncos ‘C’, Everett Silvertips ‘A’) picked up a loose puck in front of the Cougars net and deked former U SPORTS Goaltender of the Year Shane Farkas (Portland Winterhawks, Victoria Royals) for the insurance marker.
Defenceman Ty Prefontaine (Prince Albert Raiders, Calgary Hitmen, Lethbridge Hurricanes ‘C’) sealed the deal with an empty-netter as the Huskies kick off a… memorable celebration (let’s just say the 2008 Spokane Chiefs can relate!).
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Saskatchewan took the first game of the best-of-three series by scoring six unanswered goals in a 6-3 victory.
Rearguard Parker Gavlas (Regina Pats, Edmonton Oil Kings, Medicine Hat Tigers) picked up three assists in the win, while Carter Stebbings (Swift Current Broncos) tallied twice and rookie Chase Bertholet (Winnipeg ICE, Spokane Chiefs) buried the game-winner.
Former Saskatoon Blades Captain Trevor Wong scored Saskatchewan’s lone goal in a 2-1 loss in Game 2.
The Blades and Mount Royal Cougars will now advance to the national championship as they travel to Ottawa, Ont. to take part in the U SPORTS University Cup from March 20-23 at TD Place, home of the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s.
Another 21 WHL alumni are on the Cougars roster and coaching staff.
Mount Royal is making its first-ever appearance at the U-Cup tournament, while Saskatchewan picked up its lone national title in 1983- though the Huskies have taken second place six times, mostly recently in 2017.
Saskatchewan Huskies- WHL Alumni
F- Chase Bertholet (Winnipeg ICE, Spokane Chiefs)
F- Ashton Ferster (Medicine Hat Tigers, Kamloops Blazers)
F- Cade Hayes (Moose Jaw Warriors, Spokane Chiefs)
F- Dawson Holt (Vancouver Giants, Regina Pats)
F- Liam Keeler (Edmonton Oil Kings, Red Deer Rebels)
F- Vince Loschiavo (Kootenay ICE ‘A’, Moose Jaw Warriors, Edmonton Oil Kings)
F- Raphael Pelletier (Swift Current Broncos, Everett Silvertips ‘A’)
F- Chantz Petruic (Moose Jaw Warriors)
F- Josh Pillar (Kamloops Blazers, Saskatoon Blades)
F- Ethan Regnier (Swift Current Broncos ‘C’, Everett Silvertips ‘A’)
F- Cohner Saleski (Prince Albert Raiders, Red Deer Rebels, Swift Current Broncos)
F- Keaton Sorensen (Red Deer Rebels, Prince Albert Raiders)
F- Carter Stebbings (Swift Current Broncos)
F- Trevor Wong (Kelowna Rockets, Saskatoon Blades ‘C’)
D- Logan Bairos (Kamloops Blazers ‘A’)
D- Parker Gavlas (Regina Pats, Edmonton Oil Kings, Medicine Hat Tigers)
D- Mac Gross (Spokane Chiefs)
D- Cole Jordan (Moose Jaw Warriors)
D- Landon Kosior (Prince Albert Raiders ‘A’)
D- Ty Prefontaine (Prince Albert Raiders, Calgary Hitmen, Lethbridge Hurricanes ‘C’)
D- Rhett Rhinehart (Prince Albert Raiders, Prince George Cougars, Saskatoon Blades ‘A’)
G- Roddy Ross (Seattle Thunderbirds, Regina Pats)
G- Ethan Chadwick (Saskatoon Blades, Everett Silvertips)
Head Coach- Brandin Cote (Spokane Chiefs ‘C’, Swift Current Broncos)
Assistant Coach- Jon Barkman (Saskatoon Blades, Prince George Cougars)
Assistant Coach- Dave Chartier (Saskatoon Blades ‘C’)
Assistant Coach- Derek Hulak (Regina Pats, Saskatoon Blades)
Goaltending Coach- Jeff Bosch (Regina Pats, Moose Jaw Wariors, Kamloops Blazers)
Video Coordinator- Wil Kushniryk (Kelowna Rockets, Tri-City Americans, Calgary Hitmen)
Several Huskies also picked up Canada West hardware and nominations to All-Star teams:
Major Canada West Awards- Saskatchewan Huskies
Goaltender of the Year: Roddy Ross, Saskatchewan Huskies (Seattle Thunderbirds / Regina Pats)
Coach of the Year: Brandin Cote, Saskatchewan Huskies (Spokane Chiefs ‘C’)
The Saskatchewan Huskies were also awarded the Adam Kryczka Memorial Trophy as the team with the fewest goals against through the regular season. Roddy Ross, Ethan Chadwick (Saskatoon Blades / Everett Silvertips) and Jordan Kooy (OHL- London Knights / Sarnia Sting / Oshawa Generals) combined for just 61 goals against and a collective goals-against average of 2.15.
First Team All-Canadians:
F- Chantz Petruic, Saskatchewan Huskies (Moose Jaw Warriors)
G- Roddy Ross, Saskatchewan Huskies (Seattle Thunderbirds / Regina Pats)
Second Team All-Canadians:
D- Landon Kosior, Saskatchewan Huskies (Prince Albert Raiders ‘A’)
For each season played in the WHL, a player is awarded a one-year post-secondary scholarship, which includes tuition, compulsory fees, and required textbooks.
In partnership with Canada West universities, numerous WHL Scholarship recipients each year are also awarded additional financial assistance from their university to receive Western Canada’s Premier Hockey Scholarship.
The WHL has awarded nearly 8,000 scholarships to graduate players since 1993.
The WHL is the leading supplier of hockey scholarships in Western Canada and offers one of the most comprehensive scholarships in North America.
