NHL Draft-eligible forward Behm named Tempo WHL Player of the Week

NHL Draft-eligible forward Behm named Tempo WHL Player of the Week

October 28, 2024 at 12:11 pm  Kamloops Blazers, Sports
Calgary, Alta. – Kamloops Blazers forward Nathan Behm has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending October 27, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

The 2025 NHL Draft-eligible forward led all WHL skaters in points with four goals, six assists and a +6 rating in three games.

Behm erupted for a career-best night to carry Kamloops to a comeback victory against the B.C. Division-leading Victoria Royals on October 22. With Victoria leading 2-0 in the first period, Behm got the Blazers on the board by picking off a Royals attempted breakout pass and ripping a shot that trickled past the goaltender and into the net. Less than five minutes later, he fired a backhand stretch pass down the ice to spring Detroit Red Wings prospect Emmitt Finnie for a breakaway to level the game. Victoria would retake a one-goal lead late in the frame, but the Blazers leveled things again in the second period with Behm picking up a secondary assist on a Tommy Lafreniere lamp-lighter. It was all Kamloops from that point on, with Behm netting his second goal on the powerplay on a bad-angle shot. In the third, he danced two Victoria penalty-killers to feed Finnie for a second goal. Behm capped off his first career six-point night with an empty net goal to complete the natural hat trick in a 6-3 win. He was also named first star of the game.

The Calgary, Alta. product served up another huge performance as Kamloops hosted the reigning WHL champion Moose Jaw Warriors on October 26. With Kamloops up 2-1 entering the second period, Behm flicked a pass from behind the Warriors net to set up John Szabo for a goal just 29 seconds into the period. Finne and Behm linked up again with Finnie dishing cross-ice to Behm for a tap-in goal to make it a 3-1 game. He added two more assists as he helped Szabo complete his first career hat trick in the space of a single period- including the eventual game-winning goal in a 6-4 win. Behm picked up second star with a four-point effort as the upstart Blazers extended their win streak to four games.

The Giants would hold Behm off the scoresheet in a 3-1 Vancouver win to close out the week, standing as only the third time the youngster has been gone without a point this season.

Behm is now tied for the league lead in goals (12) and points (22) while adding 10 assists in 13 games. He’s already matched his goal total from the 2023-24 season, thanks, in part, to two hat tricks and three games where he’s snagged four or more points.

NHL Central Scouting has listed the 6-foot-2, 200-pound winger as a ‘B’ prospect, or projected second or third-round pick, in the agency’s Preliminary Player List ahead of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

Originally chosen by Kamloops with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, Behm is also a force from the tee box. This summer, he won Canada’s National U17 Amateur Long Drive Championship with a 340-yard drive.

Kamloops (6-7-1-0) is back in action on Friday, November 1 when they host the Highway 97 rival Prince George Cougars (7-4-2-2).

2024-25 Tempo WHL Player of the Week
September 23, 2024: Roger McQueen, Brandon Wheat Kings
September 30, 2024: Nathan Behm, Kamloops Blazers
October 7, 2024: Shea Van Olm, Spokane Chiefs
October 15, 2024: Mazden Leslie, Vancouver Giants
October 21, 2024: Ben Kindel, Calgary Hitmen

 

About the Western Hockey League

Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.

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