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Time of India
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Niilopekka Muhonen inks entry-level contract with Dallas Stars following breakout WHL season
Niilopekka Muhone (via Instagram) The Dallas Stars have formally signed Finnish defenseman Niilopekka Muhonen to a three-year entry-level agreement, another strong move for the talented 19-year-old blueliner. The contract will come into effect in the 2025–26 NHL season, giving Niilopekka Muhonen one extra year of improvement before coming into the Stars' system permanently. Niilopekka Muhonen becomes part of Medicine Hat Tigers ' roster Kuopio, Finland native Niilopekka Muhonen signed with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL) for his first season in North America in 2024–25, where he quickly made a name for himself with his steady play in defense and excellent adjustability. A fifth-round (158th overall) selection by Dallas in the 2024 NHL Draft, Niilopekka Muhonen was one of two imports on the roster of the Medicine Hat Tigers. In 60 regular-season games, Niilopekka Muhonen accumulated 17 points (4g, 13a) and posted a +20 plus/minus rating. He also had 45 penalty minutes, all while playing significant minutes against strong competition. His performance translated into the postseason as well, where he added three points (1g, 2a) in 18 games and was a member of the Medicine Hat team that claimed the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL champions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 궁극의 모험이 기다리고 있습니다 – 준비되셨나요? Raid: Shadow Legends 플레이하기 Undo The Tigers advanced to the Memorial Cup final, where they fell short of the London Knights, but Muhonen's play on the blue line late in the season did not go unnoticed by NHL scouts and front offices across the league. At 6-5, 215 pounds, Muhonen is a combination of size, agility, and calm. A pressure-best defense decision-maker with his calmness, he was utilized in all roles by the Tigers' coaching staff, such as penalty situations and end-of-game defenseman situations. His reach and body positioning allow him to play well in front of top-flight forwards, and his passing and stickhandling portend a future offense to be built. Muhonen's signing is a nod to the Stars' dedication to creating a dynamic and agile defensive core of the future. It's anticipated that he will go back to junior hockey or to Europe or the AHL for the 2025–26 season, but Dallas sees him as part of their blue line depth in the long term. Also read: Alex Delvecchio, Detroit Red Wings legend and 3-time Stanley Cup champion, dies at 93 With his entry-level contract now signed, Muhonen will proceed with development with professional expectations firmly in view. The Stars will keep an eye on him as he sets out to improve upon a breakthrough season and eventually sees his game come to the NHL level. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Hamilton Spectator
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Tigers want to win Memorial Cup for goalie Meneghin: ‘Harrison's our heartbeat'
RIMOUSKI - Oasiz Wiesblatt skated up to the Western Hockey League's championship trophy. A hockey team's captain traditionally hoists the silver chalice first before handing it off to teammates for their celebratory laps. Not this time. Wiesblatt, who wears the 'C' for the Medicine Hat Tigers, posed for a quick photo with the Ed Chynoweth Cup two weeks ago before calling over Harrison Meneghin — the team's goalie who unexpectedly lost his father in March — to raise it into the air. 'Something that we did for Harry,' Wiesblatt said of that night in Spokane, Wash. 'We're all striving for doing things for him, and for the team and the city, but this thing was a lot more special than that.' The Tigers have rallied around Meneghin in the months since his father, Derek, died at just 49. Their goal now is to give him another trophy to lift Sunday when they battle the London Knights in the Memorial Cup final. 'Without him, we wouldn't be here,' star forward Gavin McKenna said. 'We want to do it for him, he's done a lot for us.' On March 23 in Calgary, Meneghin stopped 35 of 37 shots to help the Tigers beat the Hitmen and clinch first place in the Eastern Conference in their final regular-season game. The team celebrated after achieving a season-long goal. The mood drastically shifted when Meneghin stepped off the ice and received the devastating news of his father's passing. 'It went from such a high to such a low, I've never experienced a flip so quick on a team,' Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins said. 'It didn't just devastate Harrison, it devastated the whole team, because the whole team looked at it like, what happens if it was my dad?' 'It was so, so bad. But with that, for sure we rallied, the boys had his back,' he added. 'They did everything they could for him. They knew he was going to have good times and bad times, and they were there for it.' Meneghin flew home to Surrey, B.C., for a few days, but returned to the Tigers for their next game on March 28, posting a 21-save shutout in a 4-0 win over the Swift Current Broncos to open the playoffs. Wiesblatt said it's one of the most memorable moments of his junior career. 'He didn't have to come, and we said we would do it for him, and he decided to come back,' he said. 'It's just a really remarkable thing.' Meneghin went on to earn the WHL playoff MVP after backstopping the Tigers with a 14-1 record, posting three shutouts, a 2.32 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. Two days later, the 20-year-old signed an entry-level contract with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning. And so far in the Memorial Cup, the six-foot-four, 174-pound netminder has a 3-0 record with a .927 save percentage, including a 35-stop outing in a 3-1 win over London that propelled Medicine Hat into the final. 'Harrison's our heartbeat,' Wiesblatt said. 'For him to go through something like that, which is never easy to go through and such a big tragedy, but for him to be here with the team, and for him to almost play for his dad, it's been unbelievable to be a part of.' Wiesblatt's decision to hand Meneghin the WHL trophy is one of many examples of ways the Tigers have tried to support him. Desjardins and some teammates attended Derek Meneghin's funeral in April. The head coach, who acquired Meneghin from Lethbridge earlier this season, quickly learned why he has a lighthearted nature. 'His dad had a great sense of humour. Harrison has a great sense of humour,' Desjardins said. 'He's always involved in something. There's some joke going on, you know Harrison's part of it. 'I could see his dad in Harrison.' Medicine Hat forward Mathew Ward, who also grew up playing spring hockey with Meneghin, said teammates have made a point of spending time with their netminder. 'You just don't really want to be alone thinking about stuff, because then things can snowball,' Ward said. 'He definitely did rely on us a lot, I know that, but I think that just speaks to how much of a family we are in our room.' Desjardins also said they've given Meneghin — who hasn't spoken to reporters at the Memorial Cup — a break from media sessions, hoping to avoid a scenario where difficult moments come flooding back to him in front of cameras. 'The hardest thing about something like that is you can be going along so well, then one thing can happen, and it can bring you back to the worst moment you've ever had,' he said. 'That's just the nature of it. So I don't know when that moment could happen, but you don't want it to happen in media.' The hockey, meanwhile, is giving Meneghin something else to focus on. 'There's no right or wrong way to grieve,' Desjardins said. 'What you do, you do as hard as you can, and then you let them know that they're part of it and you're doing it for them.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Tigers want to win Memorial Cup for goalie Meneghin: ‘Harrison's our heartbeat'
RIMOUSKI – Oasiz Wiesblatt skated up to the Western Hockey League's championship trophy. A hockey team's captain traditionally hoists the silver chalice first before handing it off to teammates for their celebratory laps. Not this time. Wiesblatt, who wears the 'C' for the Medicine Hat Tigers, posed for a quick photo with the Ed Chynoweth Cup two weeks ago before calling over Harrison Meneghin — the team's goalie who unexpectedly lost his father in March — to raise it into the air. 'Something that we did for Harry,' Wiesblatt said of that night in Spokane, Wash. 'We're all striving for doing things for him, and for the team and the city, but this thing was a lot more special than that.' The Tigers have rallied around Meneghin in the months since his father, Derek, died at just 49. Their goal now is to give him another trophy to lift Sunday when they battle the London Knights in the Memorial Cup final. 'Without him, we wouldn't be here,' star forward Gavin McKenna said. 'We want to do it for him, he's done a lot for us.' On March 23 in Calgary, Meneghin stopped 35 of 37 shots to help the Tigers beat the Hitmen and clinch first place in the Eastern Conference in their final regular-season game. The team celebrated after achieving a season-long goal. The mood drastically shifted when Meneghin stepped off the ice and received the devastating news of his father's passing. 'It went from such a high to such a low, I've never experienced a flip so quick on a team,' Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins said. 'It didn't just devastate Harrison, it devastated the whole team, because the whole team looked at it like, what happens if it was my dad?' 'It was so, so bad. But with that, for sure we rallied, the boys had his back,' he added. 'They did everything they could for him. They knew he was going to have good times and bad times, and they were there for it.' Meneghin flew home to Surrey, B.C., for a few days, but returned to the Tigers for their next game on March 28, posting a 21-save shutout in a 4-0 win over the Swift Current Broncos to open the playoffs. Wiesblatt said it's one of the most memorable moments of his junior career. 'He didn't have to come, and we said we would do it for him, and he decided to come back,' he said. 'It's just a really remarkable thing.' Meneghin went on to earn the WHL playoff MVP after backstopping the Tigers with a 14-1 record, posting three shutouts, a 2.32 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. Two days later, the 20-year-old signed an entry-level contract with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning. And so far in the Memorial Cup, the six-foot-four, 174-pound netminder has a 3-0 record with a .927 save percentage, including a 35-stop outing in a 3-1 win over London that propelled Medicine Hat into the final. 'Harrison's our heartbeat,' Wiesblatt said. 'For him to go through something like that, which is never easy to go through and such a big tragedy, but for him to be here with the team, and for him to almost play for his dad, it's been unbelievable to be a part of.' Wiesblatt's decision to hand Meneghin the WHL trophy is one of many examples of ways the Tigers have tried to support him. Desjardins and some teammates attended Derek Meneghin's funeral in April. The head coach, who acquired Meneghin from Lethbridge earlier this season, quickly learned why he has a lighthearted nature. 'His dad had a great sense of humour. Harrison has a great sense of humour,' Desjardins said. 'He's always involved in something. There's some joke going on, you know Harrison's part of it. 'I could see his dad in Harrison.' Medicine Hat forward Mathew Ward, who also grew up playing spring hockey with Meneghin, said teammates have made a point of spending time with their netminder. 'You just don't really want to be alone thinking about stuff, because then things can snowball,' Ward said. 'He definitely did rely on us a lot, I know that, but I think that just speaks to how much of a family we are in our room.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Desjardins also said they've given Meneghin — who hasn't spoken to reporters at the Memorial Cup — a break from media sessions, hoping to avoid a scenario where difficult moments come flooding back to him in front of cameras. 'The hardest thing about something like that is you can be going along so well, then one thing can happen, and it can bring you back to the worst moment you've ever had,' he said. 'That's just the nature of it. So I don't know when that moment could happen, but you don't want it to happen in media.' The hockey, meanwhile, is giving Meneghin something else to focus on. 'There's no right or wrong way to grieve,' Desjardins said. 'What you do, you do as hard as you can, and then you let them know that they're part of it and you're doing it for them.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2025.
Calgary Herald
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
FLAMES RETOOL TRACKER: Why the buzz is building around forward prospect Andrew Basha
The Calgary Flames, like any NHL organization, relish the opportunity to evaluate their prospects in pressure-packed moments. Article content However, in the case of Andrew Basha, who just won a Western Hockey League title with the Medicine Hat Tigers and is headed this week to the Memorial Cup, they might have learned more when it seemed like his next big game was months and months away. Article content Article content Article content Nobody else, that is. Article content 'Basha, he said from the day he was going to get operated on that he was going to come back,' Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins told media in Medicine Hat during the WHL final. 'I agreed with him, just so he wouldn't keep talking. But I didn't think there was any chance he'd be back. Like, none. Article content 'And he kept saying it and every day he went working. The Flames, I know how impressed they were with how hard he tried and what he did. It was pretty impressive that he was able to make it back.' Article content It was equally impressive that, after a lengthy layoff, he made such an immediate impact. Article content The 19-year-old Basha returned for Game 1 of the WHL final and promptly scored on his first shift. Two of Calgary's development coaches, Martin Gelinas and Darren Rommerdahl, were in attendance at Co-op Place in 'The Hat' for that memorable marker. Article content Article content The Flames' future speedster totalled two goals and three assists in five games as the Tigers rolled over the Spokane Chiefs. He was one of only three players to hit the scoresheet on every night of the championship series. Article content Article content As Basha, in an interview with the WHL, beamed after leaving his fingerprints on the Ed Chynoweth Cup: 'That's the stuff you dream of when you're growing up, is lifting important trophies like that.' Article content That's what fuelled him, no doubt, as he recovered and then rehabbed after surgery. He made quite an impression on the staff at the Saddledome with his determination and drive during that process. Article content There is optimism the Flames amateur scouts — helmed by Tod Button — absolutely aced their assignment at the 2024 NHL Draft. Led by first-round picks Zayne Parekh and Matvei Gridin, the first seven skaters they selected all averaged upwards of a point per game this season in either the major-junior or collegiate ranks.
The Province
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The Province
Surrey goalie honours late father after Medicine Hat Tigers win WHL title
Netminder Harrison Meneghin, who's from South Surrey, lost his father on March 23, the final day of the WHL regular season. Derek Meneghin was 49. Get the latest from Steve Ewen straight to your inbox Harrison Meneghin (No. 35) celebrates with teammates after the Medicine Hat Tigers captured the WHL title Friday in Spokane. Photo by Larry Brunt/Spokane Chiefs Medicine Hat Tigers captain Oasiz Wiesblatt had a plan. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The 20-year-old forward accepted the Ed Chynoweth Cup on behalf of his team after they beat the Spokane Chiefs 4-2 Friday night in Spokane to capture the best-of-seven championship series in five games. That's the tradition. The team captain is also usually the first to hoist the chalice in the air and celebrate, but Wiesblatt took a pass on that, leaving that instead for Medicine Hat goaltender Harrison Meneghin. Meneghin, 20, who's from South Surrey and is a Delta Hockey Academy product, made 34 saves Friday. He was named the WHL playoff most valuable player on the strength of a 14-1 record, a 2.35 goals against average and a .907 save percentage. He had accomplished all that in the midst of family tragedy. His dad died on March 23, which was the final day of the WHL regular season. Derek Meneghin was 49. The Tigers, who are coached by former Vancouver Canucks bench boss Willie Desjardins, now represent the WHL at the Memorial Cup, the four-team national championship tournament that gets going next Thursday in Rimouski, Que. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'My teammates have been unbelievable,' Meneghin told reporters after the game Friday. 'Right before the playoffs started I was at home and Willie sent a few of my teammates to support me and my family. Even for my father's funeral, they sent some guys, too. That's the type of stuff that makes life special and makes you want to run through a wall for your team. The support has been unbelievable.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. And Wiesblatt's decision to pass up raising the trophy so that Meneghin could be the first? 'Honestly, I wasn't too surprised, because that's the type of person he is,' Meneghin said. 'Unbelievable teammate. He's part of my family now, too. Just the greatest guy ever.' Meneghin had 21 saves in a 4-0 win over the Swift Current Broncos in Game 1 of the first round on March 28, which was just five days after his father died. Wiesblatt had told reporters that night: 'I'm super proud of him. I know every guy in there is super proud of him. It shows a lot of resiliency from him. It's pretty incredible. There's not a lot of words to put towards it. Guys were crying after seeing him get that win. That was probably the most special thing I've ever been part of.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The 6-foot-4, 174-pound Meneghin started the season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes but was acquired in a trade by Medicine Hat. Meneghin was a seventh-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning last summer. He's yet to sign his entry-level contract. The Tigers had been the favourite to win it all in the WHL since the pre-season, thanks to a lineup led by 17-year-old phenom Gavin McKenna. The winger missed two games in the Spokane series with injury, but returned to action Friday and scored a goal. In 72 regular season and playoff games combined, he has 50 goals and 167 points. He's not eligible for the NHL Draft until 2026. Desjardins, 68, guided the Canucks for three seasons, with the last coming in 2016-17. This is the sixth season of his second stint with Medicine Hat. He had an eight-year run end in 2009-10 and it featured WHL championships in both 2004 and 2007. The Tigers were runners-up in the 2007 Memorial Cup, losing in the final to the host Vancouver Giants at the Pacific Coliseum. The WHL hasn't won the Memorial Cup since 2014, when the Edmonton Oil Kings captured the crown. SEwen@ @SteveEwen
