Max Hildebrand puts forward an emphatic celebration after his 30-save shutout of the Edmonton Oil Kings in Game 7. (Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nick Nielsen

High honours

Max Hildebrand named best goaltender in the WHL

Apr 30, 2025 | 2:25 PM

Fans, players, and staff of the Prince Albert Raiders have been calling Max Hildebrand the best goaltender in the WHL all season long after being treated to amazing performance after amazing performance all year long.

Now, that title is official.

On Wednesday, the WHL announced Hildebrand as the winner of the Del Wilson Trophy, joining the likes of legendary goaltenders Mike Vernon, Grant Fuhr, Cam Ward, and Carey Price.

With a save percentage at the end of the regular season at 0.918, he finished second in league save percentage behind Everett’s Raiden LeGall, who played 32 fewer games. Hildebrand was relied upon more than any goaltender in the WHL this year, with more minutes played (3,181), shots faced (1,865), and saves made (1,713) than any other goaltender in the league, all culminating in a 33-16-5-0 record.

Hildebrand becomes the second Raiders’ goaltender to win the trophy outright after Ian Scott did so in 2018-19. Keaton Rein also won the award as a member of the Raiders in 1986-87, but that year the award was split between Rein in the East and Kamloops Blazers goaltender Dean Cook.

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Also nominated this year were Calgary’s Daniel Hauser, Brandon’s Carson Bjarnason, Seattle’s Scott Ratzlaff, Prince George’s Josh Ravensbergen, and Spokane’s Dawson Cowan.

He is also still in the running for the WHL Player of the Year Award this season, and was one of the nominees for the Humanitarian of the Year Award.