The Seattle Thunderbirds are headed to the 2026 Western Hockey League playoffs, setting up a first-round matchup against the Penticton Vees as the postseason begins this weekend.

Seattle officially clinched a playoff berth and will face Penticton in the opening round, with the first two games scheduled on the road this Friday and Saturday before the series shifts back to ShoWare on Tuesday, Mar. 31 and Wednesday, April 1.

The matchup comes after a late season push that saw the T-Birds battle their way into the Western Conference playoff picture, finishing among the top eight teams needed to qualify.

Penticton’s 99-point season stands in sharp contrast to Seattle’s 72-point mark, underscoring the Thunderbirds’ underdog role in the No. 7 vs. No. 2 playoff matchup.

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Playoff Preview: T-Birds Face Uphill Battle vs. Penticton

The T-Birds open the WHL playoffs on the road this Friday night, Mar. 27, with a tough first-round matchup against the Penticton Vees, one of the Western Conference’s top teams.

The best of seven series begins with Games 1 and 2 in Penticton Friday and Saturday before shifting to accesso ShoWare Center in Kent for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On paper, the matchup favors Penticton. The Vees finished near the top of the standings and bring one of the league’s most productive offenses, averaging about four goals per game. Seattle, which fought its way into the postseason, has been more inconsistent defensively.

The regular season series also tilts heavily toward Penticton, which went undefeated against Seattle. Earlier matchups were lopsided, including a 10–4 loss for the T-Birds, though the most recent meeting was much closer and required a shootout.

That late season improvement, combined with Seattle winning seven of its last 10 games, gives the Thunderbirds some momentum entering the playoffs.

For the T-Birds to challenge, it will likely need strong goaltending, tighter defensive play and at least one early win on the road. If the Thunderbirds can slow Penticton’s high-powered offense, the series could become more competitive than the regular season results suggest.

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Team Awards and Standout Performers

The Seattle Thunderbirds honored standout performances on and off the ice with their 2025–26 team awards, presented after their final home game on Mar. 23 (view the full photo gallery here):

MVP (Co-Winners): Grayson Malinoski and Marek Sklenicka — Both goaltenders anchored the team’s late-season playoff push with dominant stretches in net.
Top Scorer: Cameron Schmidt — Led the team with 94 points, highlighted by a 27-game point streak and nine game-winning goals.
Most Dedicated: Sawyer Mayes — Recognized by teammates for his relentless work ethic and commitment to improvement.
Most Improved: Sawyer Mayes — Also earned this honor after significantly increasing his offensive production from the previous season.
Rookie of the Year: Brock England — Emerged as the WHL’s top-scoring 16-year-old rookie with 50 points and a strong all-around game.
Defenseman of the Year: Radim Mrtka — A top NHL draft pick and key blue-line presence who also earned international success with Czechia.
Scholastic Player of the Year: Grayson Tash — Maintained grades in the 90s while adapting to his first WHL season away from home.
Humanitarian of the Year: Marcus Laraque — Made a strong impact in the community through school visits and fan engagement during his rookie season.