Former Canucks Head Coach Finding Major Success After Leaving Vancouver
A former Vancouver Canucks Head Coach is off to the 2025 Memorial Cup after his Western Hockey League club won the Ed Chynoweth Cup this weekend.
The Memorial Cup is one of the best hockey tournaments on the planet and has provided fans with some great moments over the years, including Vancouver Canucks prospect Josh Bloom's buzzer beater in the Championship Game against the London Knights last year.
This year, the four-team field was officially set on Saturday night and a former Vancouver Canucks Head Coach will be looking to lead his team to Canadian junior hockey supremacy.
Former Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Willie Desjardins heading to Memorial Cup
On Saturday night, the Medicine Hat Tigers, who had a 3-1 series lead, faced off against the Spokane Chiefs in Game 5 of the Western Hockey League Final.
Behind the bench for the Tigers is none other than former Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Willie Desjardins, who is in his 14th season with the club and sixth since returning in 2019.
The Tigers picked up a 4-2 win over the Chiefs last night, not only clinching the Ed Chynoweth Cup, but also a berth in the Memorial Cup for the sixth time in franchise history and third under Willie Desjardins.
"🏆 THE HUNT IS OVER 🏆
THE MEDICINE HAT TIGERS ARE YOUR 2025 WHL CHAMPIONS!!!" the WHL said on X.
THE MEDICINE HAT TIGERS ARE YOUR 2025 WHL CHAMPIONS!!!" the WHL said on X.
After the win, Wille Desjardins spoke about the team's magically playoff run up to this point where they outscored opponents 86-46 enroute to a 16-2 record in 18 games, while touching on the adversity they faced at times.
"It's hard to believe. Winning is so, so tough. To win three on the road, I never would've thought, when I started I said 'we just want to get back home', we want to get to Game 6 in our building and give us a chance back home.
You get one and then you get two and you think, 'well geez, maybe we have a chance'. Lots of things went our way, our guys played really hard. We had a good group." Desjardins said.
You get one and then you get two and you think, 'well geez, maybe we have a chance'. Lots of things went our way, our guys played really hard. We had a good group." Desjardins said.
The Medicine Hat Tigers were led by 2026 projected first-overall pick Gavin McKenna, who had 129 points in 56 games during the regular season, while adding 38 points in 16 post season contests.
Also on the Tigers' roster is 2024 fourth overall pick Cayden Lindstrom, who missed the entire 2024-25 regular season and first three round of the playoffs as he was recovering from back surgery and he made an impact in the final, putting up four points in four games.
Joining Willie Desjardins' Medicine Hat Tigers at the 2025 Memorial Cup are the London Knights, Moncton Wildcats and the hosts, Rimouski Oceanic, whose roster includes Vancouver Canucks prospect Basile Sansonnens.
The Medicine Hat Tigers and Rimouski Oceanic will open up the tournament on Friday, May 23rd, with puck drop set for 4 pm PT on TSN.
Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily
| POLL | ||
MAI 18 | 732 ANSWERS Former Canucks Head Coach Finding Major Success After Leaving Vancouver Do you think Willie Desjardins' team, the Medicine Hat Tigers, will win the 2025 Memorial Cup? | ||
| Yes | 421 | 57.5 % |
| No | 311 | 42.5 % |
| List of polls | ||