Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen and his Everett Silvertips won the franchise’s first-ever WHL Title Friday night. By clinching the Ed Chynoweth Cup, the Silvertips will now compete for the championship of junior hockey, the Memorial Cup.
In the clinching Game 5 at the Prince Albert Raiders, Everett took a 7-2 decision. Shea Busch led the attack with a hat trick; goalie Anders Miller sparkled again with 22 saves. Anders, who won for the 16th time, has a playoff goals-against south of 2.0 and a save percentage north of .930.
Despite being held off the scoresheet Friday, Miettinen was named MVP of the WHL playoffs. He somehow upped his game from an impressive 35 goal, 76 point regular season. The Kraken 2024 2nd-rounder scored 14 goals and 13 assists in 18 playoff games. He also won nearly 60% of his postseason faceoffs, and is +21.
“I could never even dream of this,” Miettinen said in a postgame TV interview. “We’re so tight as a group. There isn’t a single guy on this team who can’t play.”
The Silvertips certainly didn’t sit back with their 3-1 series lead. They got 1st period goals from Busch and Mattias Uyeda, outshot PA 14-5, and hit two posts besides. They never looked back.
The ‘Tips won the final four games of the series, continuing a dominant 16-2 postseason run through four rounds. Coming off a 57-win regular season, best in the WHL, Everett has a combined record of 73-10-3. They haven’t lost two games in a row all season.
Miettinen’s Monster WHL Finals
Everett center Miettinen continued to be a beast in the WHL Championship round.
The 20-year-old recorded six points (2 goals, 4 assists) as the Silvertips split the opening two games of the WHL Finals with Prince Albert. After a goal and helper in a Game 1 loss, Miettinen erupted for four points (1 goal, 3 assists) in Game 2, and was named second star of the ‘Tips 6-2 victory.
“That was something else tonight,” Miettinen said of the home crowd at Angel of the Winds Arena. “I’ve never heard this place that loud.”
The series moved to Prince Albert, Sask. for the final three games. Miettinen scored the game-winning goal with 4:28 to play in Game 3, giving the Silvertips a 3-2 victory. The Helsinki, Finland, native said, “The puck just came right on my stick and I had an empty net. You can’t really miss those when you have a chance.”
The 6-foot-3, 207-pound center got another chance 32 seconds into Game 4, slamming home a rebound. Miettinen added an assist in Everett’s 5-2 victory, his 27th point of the postseason.
Silvertips Memorial Cup-Bound
The 2026 Memorial Cup starts May 22 in Kelowna, BC, a four-team round robin among the champions of the three Canadian junior hockey leagues (collectively the CHL), joined by the team from the host city. This year’s teams will be:
- Kelowna Rockets – host city team
- Everett Silvertips – Western Hockey League champion
- Kitchener Rangers – Ontario Hockey League champion
- Chicoutimi Saguenéens or Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
2nd Kraken Prospect Still Alive In QMJHL Final
Chicoutimi – and Kraken prospect Alexis Bernier – lead Monton three games to two in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Final. The Saguenéens can punch their Memorial Cup ticket with a Game 6 win Sunday in Chicoutimi. If necessary, Game 7 would be Tuesday in Moncton.
Bernier, a 2024 3rd round pick, spent much of this season rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered late last season. The defenseman has played nearly as many postseason games (20) as in the regular season (21).
At the time he was drafted, Elite Prospects lauded him for “breakout abilities (that) help him cut down his defensive zone time. They contribute to his shutdown abilities. As much as possible, he keeps the puck in control of his team with his poise and clever, simple passes.”
Bernier, however, may only be a Kraken prospect for two more weeks. Seattle owns the blueliner’s rights until June 1. They must either sign him to an entry-level contract or allow him the chance to enter the 2026 NHL Draft.
Earlier Kraken:
— Kraken First Round; Mock Draft Predictions
