The Victoria Royals are making a bold statement this season. After posting their best regular season in nearly a decade and launching a strong start to their postseason, three of their players – goaltender Jayden Kraus, forward Kenta Isogai, and defenceman Keaton Verheoff – have earned major recognition with nominations for prestigious Western Hockey League (WHL) awards.
The Royals are facing off against the Tri-City Americans in the Western Conference quarter-finals, currently holding a 3-1 series lead.
Game 4 saw Victoria suffer their first loss, with Tri-City breaking through for six goals – each from players who had yet to score in the series.
It was a back-and-forth affair, with the Americans surging to a 2-0 lead, their first of the series, before Victoria responded with a power-play goal from Cole Reschny and a game-tying score from Kenta Isogai early in the second period.
Tri-City regained control with two quick goals following Victoria's equalizer, leaving the Royals unable to recover despite two goals from Winnipeg Jets draft pick Markus Loponen.
The Americans chased Johnny Hicks from his crease after allowing four goals on 18 shots, this followed three consecutive starts that earned him WHL goalie of the week honours.
Jake Gudelj, Grady Martin, Savin Virk, Jackson Smith, Cash Koch, and Max Curran all scored for the Americans. Koch earned first-star honours after adding two assists to his goal, while Smith received second-star recognition. Meanwhile, Czech Republic's Lukas Matecha earned third-star honours after making 40 saves on 44 shots.
See the highlights from tonight's game pic.twitter.com/3eXruQXkc6
— xy - Victoria Royals (@victoriaroyals) April 3, 2025
Off the ice, Kraus has earned a nomination for the Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the WHL Humanitarian of the Year. His “Saves for Mental Health” initiative raised over $1,000 for CMHA programs, helping to raise awareness about mental health and sparking important conversations among athletes.
Kraus is aiming to de-stigmatize discussions around men’s mental health and encouraging sports organizations to establish support systems for athletes who may be struggling. He shared his message at the Canadian Mental Health Association’s 2025 Headstrong Youth Summit.
Isogai, who finished the season with 78 points in 59 games, is up for the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy, awarded to the league’s Most Sportsmanlike Player. The Nagano, Japan native, acquired from the Wenatchee Wild at the trade deadline, has proven to be an invaluable asset for Victoria. He finished the season with only 12 penalty minutes.
The third nomination comes from one of the Royals' most promising players, one considered a can't-miss talent and poised to be the highest draft pick in Royals history in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The 16-year-old Verhoeff, from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., has been nominated for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy for Rookie of the Year.
He set a new Royals franchise record for the most goals by a defenceman in a single season, netting 21 goals. He also ranks third all-time for goals scored by a 16-year-old defenceman in the WHL, with the most since 1985.
The WHL Awards will be announced between April 22 and May 7, but for now, the Royals remain focused on their playoff run.
Game 5 is set for Friday in Kennewick, Wash., with Game 6 potentially returning to Victoria on Sunday.
