A look at some squads that have gone above and beyond in the 2024-25 season.
With playoffs looming, and teams already beginning to reserve their spots, THN looks at three Eastern Conference teams that may have surprised some people, relative to our preview of them in September.
Calgary Hitmen
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After missing the postseason in 2023-24, the Hitmen have returned with a vengeance. Currently second place in the Central Division, Calgary has gone on a run of 8-1-0-1 in their last 10 games and set some records in the process. Ben Kindel set a team record for longest point streak, and Carter Yakemchuk broke a 24-year mark for most goals by a Calgary defenceman.
The list of contributors for the Hitmen is a mile long, the obvious suspects being Kindel and Oliver Tulk, but big seasons from Connor Hvidston as well as new acquisitions Sawyer Mynio and Daniel Hauser have turned the Highway 2 South squad into a powerhouse.
Prince Albert Raiders
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We at THN did predict the Raiders to scrap for a playoff position this season, but as the title suggests, Prince Albert is on a run themselves. Leading the Eastern Division along with the Saskatoon Blades, the Raiders can attribute most of their offensive success to one player: Tomas Mrsic. The St. Louis Blues prospect is blowing his previous career high (62 points) out of the water, recording 30 goals and 72 points in just 46 games this season. With that said, Prince Albert has been a unit thus far, making some big trades as well.
Rilen Kovacevic, while cooling down slightly, has 52 points in 47 games this season and has been important to Prince Albert's most recent run. In addition, former Red Deer Rebel Matteo Fabrizi is bringing some physicality that was taken away regarding the departure of forward Krzyzstof Macias.
Lethbridge Hurricanes
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With the quiet summer that the Hurricanes had, it was not expected that there would be a lot of outside growth and things would have to improve from within. While that is true, getting productive seasons from players like Logan Wormald and Leo Braillard, Lethbridge went out and made a handful of massive swings in the trade market during the regular season. World Juniors forward Brayden Yager as well as veteran goaltender Jackson Unger have been invaluable to the Hurricanes since being acquired in December, and while losing defender Will Sharpe must sting, Kelowna Rockets chip Caden Price certainly hasn't hurt in his stead.
Following Calgary closely in the standings at third place in the Central, Lethbridge has been heating up at the right time (8-2 in their last 10) and is poised to make a lengthy playoff run; even if they don't, fans can get excited for some riveting series.
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