Seven points, a hat trick, and a +5 rating highlight Carter Sotheran's dominant week, solidifying his status as a premier WHL defenceman.
The Western Hockey League’s Player of the Week honours are heading to Manitoba.
Sanford, MB.’s Carter Sotheran earned the recognition after a dominant two-game stretch that saw the Edmonton Oil Kings defenceman pile up seven points and help his club extend its winning streak.
Sotheran’s biggest statement came Friday night in Moose Jaw, where he delivered the best performance of his WHL career. The 20-year-old recorded his first career hat trick and added two assists in an offensive explosion, showing the full range of his skillset—from activating deep in the offensive zone to finishing rebounds in tight and driving play from the blue line.
The five-point effort came in his 250th career WHL game, marking a memorable milestone for one of Manitoba's finest.
He had already made his presence felt earlier in the week, contributing a goal and an assist in a divisional win over Medicine Hat. Across both games, Sotheran wasn’t just producing offence—he controlled play and dictated pace, finishing the week with a +5 rating.
It’s been a breakout season overall for the 6-foot-4 defenceman. Split between Portland and Edmonton, Sotheran has emerged as one of the WHL’s most productive blueliners, leading all defencemen in assists and sitting among the top scorers at his position league-wide. His offensive confidence has continued to grow, particularly since joining an Oil Kings team firmly in the playoff hunt.
Originally drafted by the Portland Winterhawks in 2020, Sotheran has steadily developed into a reliable two-way presence over five WHL seasons. His combination of size, puck-moving ability, and offensive instincts has made him a key piece for a contending Edmonton roster.
The Philadelphia Flyers recognized that potential when they selected him in the 2023 NHL Draft, and his current trajectory suggests his best hockey may still be ahead.
For Manitoba hockey followers, Sotheran’s rise serves as another reminder of the province’s growing impact on the WHL—and increasingly, the professional ranks. His latest performance wasn’t just worthy of weekly honours. It was the kind of showing that reinforces his status as one of the league’s premier defencemen.
The Sanford, MB. product collected seven points and a +5 rating overall in just two games for his Oil Kings over the past week.