Cup Run Continues for Miettinen, Bernier

This weekend’s opening puck drop at the 2026 Memorial Cup tournament in Kelowna, BC, will kickstart the storied event for the 107th year with not one, but two drafted Kraken prospects playing in it. The Memorial Cup, so named to honor fallen World War I heroes and in 2010 rededicated to remember all fallen soldiers fighting for our northern neighbor, is an annual Canadian sports tradition predating the esteemed NCAA men’s college basketball tourney by 20 years and eight years sooner than the NHL started awarding the Stanley Cup.

The Cup is awarded to the top major junior hockey team – let’s call it elite of the elite – across all provinces and hockey towns, big and small and rabid in North America. These days, since 1972, it stages a four-team round robin tournament featuring the champions of the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League plus a host franchise, in this spring’s case, Kelowna (BC) of the WHL. The WHL, OHL and QMJHL form the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).

This year’s Memorial Cup offers distinct local angles for Seattle area hockey fans. For starters, it will include two Kraken 2024 draft picks, second-rounder Julius Miettinen (No. 40 overall) and third-round choice Alexis Bernier (No. 73). Miettinen led all WHL scorers (14 goals, 13 assists for 27 points in 18 games) during the playoffs. Earlier this week, he was named WHL Playoffs MVP as he keyed a deep Everett Silvertips team winning the WHL championship for the first time in franchise history.

For the record, Miettinen is only the second European to claim WHL Playoffs MVP honors. The first was NHL German-born superstar Leon Draisaitl. The Finnish-born 6-foot-3, 207-pound Miettinen has been a force in all zones and at the faceoff dot throughout the postseason. No doubt, Silvertips faithful will have a strong rooting interest over the next week and a half.

Bernier is a 6-foot-1, 202-pound defenseman playing 20-plus minutes every night for his Chicoutimi squad and heading up the team’s penalty kill units that doused powerful QMJHL opponents on the way to the “Q” title. On Wednesday, Bernier officially signed a three-year NHL entry level contract with the Kraken for a $1.033 million annual value.

“I’m super excited to have signed with the Kraken,” said Bernier on Wednesday, readying for Memorial Cup action that begins this weekend.  “I’m looking forward to the next steps in being part of the organization.”

Miettinen, Everett Open Against Bernier, Chicoutimi

Next steps for Bernier will include Kraken Development Camp in early July, one he attended last summer but sat out due to injury. He and fellow draft classmate Miettinen are familiar with one another from Kraken camps, but both will be all business at the Memorial Cup. Bernier and Chicoutimi face Miettinen and Everett Saturday (NHL Network, 6 p.m) after host Kelowna squares off with OHL champion Kitchener Friday at 6 p.m.

All games will be available on NHL Network and each contest in round-robin play begins at 6 p.m. Kelowna plays Bernier’s squad on Sunday at 6 p.m. while Miettinen and his Everett teammates play Kitchener on Monday. Chicoutimi finishes the qualifying round against Kitchener on Tuesday.  An Everett-Kelowna matchup is the finale before any needed play-in games to decide which two teams face off May 31 for the championship.

For Kraken fans, the optimal final would be Miettinen and his fellow Everett WHLers going up against Bernier and his Chicoutimi skaters.  The Kraken hockey operations group is excited to see both 2024 draft picks not only reach the pinnacle of major juniors hockey but be leaders and high-profile performers for their respective teams.

“It's the biggest stage,” said Cory Murphy, Kraken director of player development. “It's what teams are aiming for when they start the season. The first thing is Julius and Alexis, and their teams have reached that goal. They can be proud of the seasons they’ve had as a team. It’s a huge event in Canada. Playing in those types of games in that atmosphere just adds to their growth as players. Through a postseason like this one, Julius and Alexis are understanding just how thin the margins are in these games with so much on the line. How every play matters. Every little detail is really important.”

Playing on the ‘Biggest Stage’

One aspect of playing on “the biggest stage” of junior hockey is that the dream of winning the Memorial Cup comes with considerable pressure and expectations. Murphy said this aspect is a tenet of player development, preparing prospects to play in future Stanley Cup Playoffs and/or the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup Playoffs as part of making the transition to the pro ranks.

“That's a huge part of the game, the mental side,” said Murphy when queried about prospects handling high-pressure games and tournaments. “Our message is always to prepare the same way before every game. We talk about simply being the best version. You can't change and try to do things to be a player that you're not. It's about preparing to go and play, be the best version of yourself, and do what you do best.

“We talk about every shift in games like the Memorial Cup to be really focused on the present moment. Whatever happens, you have to turn the page, refocus, and get back to work. Nerves are normal, of course, when you're playing in games like this, But the preparation our prospects have in their careers and seasons will be important to keep doing.”

Murphy related an example about refocusing when the game goes awry. The QMJHL final included a wild back-and-forth 7-6 game in which Bernier and Chicoutimi surrendered three first-period goals before storming back for the win.

“I wrote Alex an email after that crazy 7-6 game,” said Murphy, who works with Kraken defenseman prospects in the amateur ranks, among other duties. “It was a bit of a rough start for Alex. He's on the ice for three goals against. I told him I thought he didn’t let it bother him. We had talked about that before the series, how you just have to turn the page. I thought he did that. He was really solid for the rest of the game. And he's on the ice defending a lead at the end, very strong in front of the net to help secure that win.”

Scoping the Memorial Cup

Both Bernier and Miettinen are fond of their teammates and the “complete team” each said they feel makes for a league champion and Memorial Cup contender.

“We have a pretty stacked team, good defensive pairs, good goalie, good offense,” said Bernier. “Our strength is we take pride defending and we don't give a team a lot of shots or scoring chances. We have the power to score goals, but defending is sort of our bread and butter.”

Everett has more than a dozen players returning from last season, featuring a top forward line of Miettinen and NHL first-rounder Carter Bear and draft-eligible Matias Vanhanen. Bear has 22 points in 18 games while Vanhanen has chipped in 24 points.

“We have three great players on the same line,” said Miettinen, making it clear all his teammates have helped get the team this far. “As a line, we read each other really well. We know where we are going to be.  It doesn't matter if I'm the last guy in the defensive zone, they can take my spot to be down low. We know each other so well. We are looking forward to the Memorial Cup.”