By james art 
November 4, 2024 – Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release.
Calgary, Alta. – Swift Current Broncos forward Brady Burney has been named the Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending Nov. 3, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
The 19-year-old had four goals, three assists and a +5 rating as the Broncos went 2-1-0-0 on the week.
Swift Current snapped a four-game winning streak in a 3-1 loss to the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Oct. 30, though Birnie registered an assist on Luke Mistelbacher’s powerplay goal in the second period.
The Broncos would not be kept out of the win column for long. Birney opened the scoring less than two minutes into an East Division win against the Prince Albert Raiders on Nov. 1 with a player destined for the top shelf. He followed it up with a cross to Seattle Kraken prospect Clark Caswell to double the lead less than five minutes later. Burney capped off a dominant first period by tapping in a rebound pass from Josh McGregor to give the Broncos a convincing 4-0 lead. He completed his second career hat trick in the second period with a deceptive long-range shot. Birney’s three-goal, one-assist, +5 performance earned him a first star in a 9-4 win over the Raiders.
Regina, Sask. product closed out the week with another stellar performance in his hometown as the Broncos doubled up on the Pats 4-2. Birney opened the scoring again, ricocheting in on the power play for his 13th score of the season. Late in the second period, he matched Caswell once again for the eventual tying goal. Bernie was named second star with the point performance. The win also saw the Broncos tie the Eastern Conference leader Saskatoon Blades in wins with 10.
Burney has 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points in 16 games this season. He leads the Broncos in goals and points and is third in both categories in the league.
The 5-foot-8, 160-pound wing is currently riding a hot streak that has seen him score 10 goals (including his first two WHL hat tricks) and eight assists for 18 points in eight straight games.
Burney, who was selected by the Broncos with the 21st pick in the first round of the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, is on pace for a career-best season as he averages 1.63 points per game for the first time in his junior career . He currently has 59 goals and 71 assists for 130 points in 222 games with Swift Current.
He also had three goals and an assist in nine games in his first WHL playoff appearance in 2024.
Swift Current (10-6-0-0) has won seven of its last 10 games and looks to add another when the team hosts the Edmonton Oil Kings (7-6-1-1) on Saturday, November 9 .
2024-25 Tempo WHL Player of the Week
September 23, 2024: Roger McQueen, Brandon Wheat Kings
September 30, 2024: Nathan Behm, Kamloops Blazers
October 7, 2024: Shea Van Olm, Spokane Chiefs
October 15, 2024: Mazden Leslie, Vancouver Giants
October 21, 2024: Ben Kindel, Calgary Hitmen
October 28, 2024: Nathan Behm, Kamloops Blazers
FLYERS PROSPECT BJARNASON ANNOUNCED WHL GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
Calgary, Alta. – Brandon Wheat Kings netminder Carson Bjarnason has been named the WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Nov. 3, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
The Philadelphia Flyers prospect recorded his first shutout of the season with 33 saves against the Medicine Hat Tigers to extend Brandon’s hitting streak to five games.
The Tigers, one of the Eastern Conference’s highest scoring teams, rolled into Westoba Place on Saturday, Nov. 2 on a three-game winning streak. The Tigers pounded Bjarnason with 33 innings. Notably, Bjarnason went post after post to deny captain Oasis Wiesblatt with a stop before taking advantage of opportunities from WHL Player of the Month Gavin McKenna and Florida Panthers prospect Hunter St. Martin. Bjarnason denied all three Medicine Hat power plays and was named the first star of the night.
The 6-foot-3, 208-pound netminder is 4-3-1-0 on the season with a 2.77 goals-against average, .924 save percentage and one shutout. Bjarnason is tied for first in save percentage among qualified WHL goaltenders while averaging 33 saves per game.
Bjarnason, from nearby Carbury, Manchester, was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers 51st overall in the second round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and signed his entry-level contract next September. He is coming off a promising training camp with the Flyers that included preseason action against the Washington Capitals and a strong showing against New York Rangers prospects in the NHL’s annual rookie series.
The 19-year-old was named to the 2023-24 WHL East Division Second Team All-Star and won the Hlinka Gretzky Gold and IIHF U18 World Championship bronze medals for Team Canada.
During the summer, Bjarnason was also invited to participate in Hockey Canada’s World Junior Summer Showcase.
He holds a career record of 57-49-11-2 with a 3.18 goals-against average, .902 save percentage and six shutouts.
Brandon (8-4-1-1) returns to action on Friday, Nov. 8 when the Wheat Kings head west to face the Regina Pats (5-9-1-0).
2024-25 WHL Goaltender of the Week
September 23, 2024: Koen Cleaver, Lethbridge Hurricanes
September 30, 2024: Ethan Esquith, Brandon Wheat Kings
October 7, 2024: Spencer Michnick, Victoria Royals
October 15, 2024: Harrison Menegin, Medicine Hat Tigers (Tampa Bay Lightning)
October 21, 2024: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades (Columbus Blue Jackets)
October 28, 2024: Jesse Sanche, Everett Silvertips
AMERICANS FORWARD GARLAND NAMED WHL Rookie of the Week
Calgary, Alta. – Tri-City Americans forward Gavin Garland has been named the WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending Nov. 3, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
It marks the second time the Ams standout has won the honor this season.
Garland led all WHL rookies with two goals and three assists for five points and a +3 rating in three games to help Tri-City extend its league-best nine-game winning streak and 10-game point streak .
After a six-game hitting streak snapped, Garland got back on the scoresheet against the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings on October 28. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound center scored his seventh goal of the season, winning a faceoff against Utah Hockey Club prospect Terrell Goldsmith and tipping the tall defenseman’s shot past the Oil Kings netminder. Tri-City would go on to a 6-5 overtime victory.
Tri-City would go big again in a 4-2 win over the Spokane Chiefs in front of more than 4,500 fans in Kennewick. Shortly after the Ams opened the scoring midway through the first period, top 2025 NHL draft prospect Jackson Smith fired a puck into the net to put past Garland for a 2-0 lead. Calgary, Alta. product struck again less than 30 seconds into the final period when he picked off a Chiefs pass to send Carter McAdams and Brandon Wynott for a two-on-one opportunity and Wynott’s eventual game-winning goal.
Wynot and Garland connected once again in Tri-City’s biggest win of the week, a 6-5 overtime win against the USA Division-leading Everett Silvertips the following night. With Everett up 2-1 in the second period, Garland grabbed a penalty kick rebound and flew up the ice to set up a two-on-one opportunity, feeding Wynott for the game-tying goal. On the same penalty kill, Garland fired the puck down the ice for Jake Goodale to put past the Silvertips goalie just as the penalty expired, giving Tri City its first lead of the night. The 6-5 win marked the 18-year-old’s second straight multi-point game.
Tri-City is now 9-0-1-0 in its last 10 games to move into second place in the American Division and third in the Western Conference.
Garland currently has eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points and a +10 rating in 14 games. He leads all rookies in goals and points and is tied for first in points with the Americans.
Selected by the Americans 31st overall in the second round of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Garland joins the team after spending 2023-24 with the Calgary Canucks of the Alberta Youth Hockey League, where he helped the team to win its first championship in more than two decades.
He also won the 2023 World Junior A Challenge as a member of Team Canada West and made the AJHL All-Rookie First Team.
Tri-City (10-3-1-0) will look for its 10th straight win against the league leading Everett Silvertips (13-2-1-0) on Friday, November 8th.
2024-25 WHL Rookie of the Week
23 September 2024: Keaton Verhoef, Victoria Royals
September 30, 2024: Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips
October 7, 2024: Cooper Williams, Saskatoon Blades
October 15, 2024: Josh Bannini, Moose Jaw Warriors
October 21, 2024: Gavin Garland, Tri-City Americans
October 28, 2024: Jackson Jacobson, Brandon Wheat Kings
• Discuss this story on the Western Hockey League Message Board…
The views expressed in this announcement are those of the organization issuing it and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.