Ryan Chyzowski – McKeen's Hockey

WHL 2019-2020 Season Preview – Eastern Conference

Vince Gibbons — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 22:00:28 +0000

One of the joys of junior hockey is that the age limitations force roster turnover of top teams in 3-4-year cycles creating a new league every couple of seasons. This ensures that no team stays at the top of the league for too long. The class of the league last season was the Prince Albert Raiders. Wire to wire the top team in the WHL with three lines of scoring, three defenders with over 40 points each, and an NHL-drafted goalie prospect in Ian Scott, they ticked all the boxes of a team that was able to dominate the league.

This year they will be without three graduated top overage forwards in Dante Hannoun, Noah Gregor, and Sean Montgomery, who combined for an impressive 101 goals. Top scorer from last year Brett Leason is still in pro camp and could play in the AHL this season if he continues to show well. If he does that is another 36 goals no longer with the roster. Does this leave the door open to another team in the WHL to dominate the 2019-2020 regular season? Does Prince Albert have the staying power to remain at the top? These articles will try to answer those questions months in advance. (Teams are listed in their projected divisional rankings). Today we look at the Eastern Conference. The Western Conference article will be published tomorrow.

Peyton Krebs. Photo by Robert Murray/WHL

East Division

Winnipeg ICE (1^st)

No team has had more season-over-season change than Winnipeg. Formerly based in Kootenay, the roster looks substantially different with a plethora of scoring options up front, something they have struggled mightily with the past few seasons. The import draft provided the ICE two gifted forwards in Michal Teply (Chicago, 4^th 2019) and Nino Kinder (undrafted). Both have been impact players in the early part of the season at well over one point per game. Peyton Krebs (Vegas, 1^st 2019) will be playing with some talent this year when he returns from his off season injury and will get a chance to showcase his playmaking skills on a team with finishers on both wings. Connor McClennon is their top prospect for this year’s draft; the smallish winger is like a waterbug out on the ice with some high end offensive skills. Perhaps the most interesting player on the roster though, is 2004 born Matthew Savoie who was not granted exceptional status for this season. Rumors of him sticking with the team all season anyway are out there so it will be fascinating to watch this all unfold, regardless. There is a ton of scoring talent in Winnipeg to potentially pace them to the top of the division.

Saskatoon Blades (2^nd)

The Blades roster lost Max Gerlach’s 42 goals but for the most part remains intact up front. Kirby Dach (Chicago, 1^st 2019) remains in camp and will likely get a few games in the NHL but should return to Saskatoon, where he will lead a very strong group. Eric Florchuk (Washington 7^th 2018) and Chase Wouters will have to provide more offense especially while Dach is still in the NHL. Kyle Crnkovic had a very solid draft minus one season and look for him to produce a lot of offense on the wing of one of the top two lines. Despite his size, he could force his way into a middle round pick in the upcoming draft. The final difference maker on this roster is between the pipes, where undrafted Nolan Maier has shown the pedigree to be a top goaltender in the WHL. Last season his .910 save percentage was in the top half of the league and with the relative stability of the defensive corps, he will look to build on that.

Prince Albert Raiders (3^rd)

Despite the loss of talent already mentioned this team still boasts a strong roster. Returning import player Aliaksei Protas (Washington, 3^th 2019) has hit the ground running with five points in his first three games this season. Playing with Cole Fonstad (Montreal, 5^th, 2019) expect for Protas to have productive minutes and improve on last season’s totals. Both players will be counted on to be primary producers this year rather than the secondary roles they had previously. Two draft eligible players of note on the roster are winger Ozzy Wiesblatt, who has good speed and vision, and Kaiden Guhle, a solid two way defender. This year they should be on both special teams units because of their high hockey IQ and solid passing skills. Recently acquired Boston Bilous was brought in to stabilize the net with Ian Scott having a shot at a pro hockey this year. These players make this roster dangerous and a tough out on any given night.

Brandon Wheat Kings (4^th)

Just missing the playoffs last season, Brandon has plenty of young talent looking to take a step forward. Led by Luka Burzan (Colorado, 6^th 2019) and his impressive 40 goals last season, this team is flush with ’02 born talented players. Ty Thorpe, Nolan Ritchie, Ridly Greig and Riley Ginnel plus late ’01 birthday Jonny Hooker have all shown flashes of being quality forwards. On the back end they have one of the WHL’s top draft eligible defenders in Braden Schneider who logs a lot of minutes. In goal, they have used an overage and an import spot for Jiri Patera (Vegas, 6^th 2017) to protect the blue paint which enables them to compete every night.

Moose Jaw Warriors (5^th)

The offseason trade of Jett Woo coupled with the graduations of Justin Almeida and Josh Brook has left Moose Jaw at the start of a rebuild. Brayden Tracey has looked the part in Ducks camp, exceeding expectations, but should be back in Moose Jaw soon enough. He is the last remaining part of a lethal power play unit from last season and will be expected to continue producing despite recent graduates. In terms of this year’s NHL draft, Daemon Hunt looks to be the top prospect on the Warriors. They also have an impact players for further down the road with Ryder Korczak a late ’02 and ’03 birth year Eric Alarie who have been torching the league in preseason and are both ready to contribute regularly.

Regina Pats (6^th)

The Regina Pats are going through what most host cities of the Memorial Cup go through. After trading away futures to ensure a strong showing, the cupboard looks a little barren with no Bantam first round picks on their roster, save overager Dawson Holt. Austin Pratt, who led the team in scoring last season, returns as a 20 year old and should be a point per game player this year. He is an intriguing player that never took off the way it was expected when he came up from Minnesota. He has a huge frame and good skating but has never been consistent enough to take over a game and garner much pro hype. With the roster in Regina he should get every opportunity to be successful.

Dylan Cozens. Photo by Erica Perreaux - Lethbridge Hurricanes

Central Division

Calgary Hitmen (1^st)

The Hitmen possess a roster with some serious depth at every position. The acquisition of Jett Woo in the offseason makes their defense corps one of the best in the WHL. Yegor Zamula (Philadelphia, UDFA 2018) Luke Prokop, Dakota Krebs, and Jackson van de Leest can all play a tough physical brand of hockey and play the game with a real edge. At forward they have a top list of options led by overage player Mark Kastelic (Ottawa 5^th, 2019). He has great size and plays a heavy game. Fellow overager James Malm has shown good offensive skills despite being a little undersized. With drafted centerman Riley Stotts (Toronto, 3^rd 2018) and Carson Focht (Vancouver, 5^th 2019) also capable of filling the net they have as well balanced a team as anyone. Riley Fiddler-Schultz and Adam Kydd have some offensive tools and both could hear their names called on draft day in 2020.

Edmonton Oil Kings (2^nd)

Despite being without the services of Trey Fix-Wolansky (Columbus, 7^th 2018), one of the more dynamic offensive weapons in the WHL the past few seasons, Edmonton looks the part of a playoff team. Matthew Robertson (NY Rangers, 2^nd 2019) leads a strong, experienced blue line. Up front they boast six bantam draft former first round picks in Dylan Guether, Liam Keeler, Quinn Benjafield, Jake Neighbours, Brendan Semchuk, and Josh Williams. With Neighbours being one of the top draft eligible players in the WHL this year, he will be a large part of the offense as Edmonton battles for tops in the division. Relying on experience in overage goalie Dylan Myskiw and 2000 born Todd Scott to hold down the crease, Edmonton looks capable of pushing for top spot in the East this season.

Medicine Hat Tigers (3^rd)

Medicine Hat will be led by a couple of Danish born players (checks notes again), yes two Danish players. Jonathan Brinkman and Mads Sogaard (Ottawa, 2^nd 2019) both hail from Aalborg, Denmark. Sogaard was a revelation last season starting in both the WJC and Top Prospects Game and having a huge role in Medicine Hat sticking with Edmonton in the first round of the playoffs. Brinkman is looking to make his mark in the WHL after going undrafted last season. The Tigers also possess a team with lots of experience with James Hamblin, Bryan Lockner, Brett Kemp, and Ryan Chyzowski all in as undrafted 19 and 20 year olds. Eric Van Impe leads the team defensively and plays a nice brand of physical hockey coupled with some pretty good offensive upside which should get plenty of looks from NHL scouts this year.

Lethbridge Hurricanes (4^th)

Any team with a player as dynamic as Dylan Cozens (Buffalo, 1^st 2019) has the ability to win on any given night. This year he will do it on his own back as there as Lethbridge’s depth took a serious hit in the offseason. Likely graduated players Jordan Bellerive (Pittsburgh, UDFA 2018), Jake Elmer (NY Rangers, UDFA 2019), Nick Henry (Colorado, 4^th 2017) and Jake Leschyshyn (Vegas, 2^nd 2017) will create opportunities for younger players like Logan Barlage and recently acquired Dino Kambeitz. Calen Addison (Pittsburgh, 2^nd 2018) is still there to quarterback the powerplay and has shown he can produce as well as any forward in the WHL. The crease is a platoon style early as both guys have started a couple of games and shown well. If the goaltending is good enough they will be a playoff team in the East, however they will be in tough competing with the depth of some other teams.

Red Deer Rebels (5^th)

Last season was disappointing in Red Deer despite the Rebels making the playoffs. This year with the youth the team is ‘blooding’ expectations are pretty low. There is no dynamic scorer in any of their overage players and Brett Davies (Dallas, 6^th 2017) has been underwhelming since coming over in trade last season. It will be scoring by committee if they have any success this year. The likes of Josh Tarzwell, Cameron Hausinger, and Chris Douglas will have to up their games as none have had a 20 goal season in a Rebels’ uniform. There is reason for optimism though, particularly along the blue line, as Red Deer sports a number of young up and coming defenders. Led by Dawson Barteaux (Dallas, 6^th 2018) and draft eligible Christoffer Sedoff on the top pairing, and youngsters Blake Gustafson, Mason Ward, and Joel Sexsmith will also garner scouts attention as the season goes on. With two solid WHL goalies on the roster, both Byron Fancy and Ethan Anders are capable of carrying a young team into the season with the stability they provide in the crease. The playoffs would be a stretch for them this year, especially with the strength of the Eastern Division likely competing for both Wild Card spots.

Swift Current Broncos (6^th)

Swift Current is just two seasons removed from a Memorial Cup and have a roster that lacks experience going into this season. The highlight of their roster is a pair of draft eligible Finnish players, winger Joona Kiviniemi who returned after leading the team in goals last season, and looks to improve on his 16 goals from a season ago, and Kasper Puutio who the was the first overall pick in the latest CHL Import Draft. Pro scouts will be following the progression of these two in the North American game and they should keep fans interested as the season moves along. Ben King has also shown flashes of potential as a power forward but has not been able to put it together night in and night out as of yet. Expect another long season out in Speedy Creek.

WHL Playoff Preview (Eastern Conference): Prince Albert dominates but Vancouver hot down the stretch

Kevin Olexson — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 18:12:54 +0000

After another exciting season in the Dub it took one final game to finalize this year’s playoffs. The Kelowna Rockets and Kamloops Blazers finish the season tied forcing a one-game playoff, the seventh in WHL history, to move on and play the Victoria Royals.

The Blazers made up a seven-point deficit in the last week and a half of the season, going 5-0-1 to tie Kelowna and earn a home tie-breaker game. They came in riding some momentum and sported a 6-3-1 record against the visiting Rockets this season. The Blazers were led by 16-year-old rookie goaltender Dylan Garand, who put aside 27 out of 28 shots, and forwards Connor Zary, Zane Franklin, Brody Stuart, and Captain Jermaine Loewen to earn their biggest win of the season. Next year’s Memorial Cup hosts have some work to do, as this is only the second time in the Rockets tenure that they have missed the playoffs.

The Prince Albert Raiders were far and away the top team in the Dub this year finishing with a 54-10-2-2 record for a league leading 112 points. The Vancouver Giants finished with the second-best record after going on a real tear in the last quarter of the season, as they surpassed the Everett Silvertips for the best record out of the BC and US divisions erasing a 16-point deficit. The Edmonton Oil Kings finished the season as the hottest team down the stretch winning their last 10 games to edge out the Lethbridge Hurricanes by two points for the division title.

As the quest to represent the WHL in this year’s MasterCard Memorial Cup begins, the Eastern Conference matchups look like this:

Eastern Conference

Brett Leason. Photo by Robert Murray/WHL.

The top seeded Prince Albert Raiders open their playoff series against the Red Deer Rebels boasting the best overall record, and head in to the postseason with a 7-2-1 record, where the Rebels stumbled in with a 4-5-1 record down the stretch finishing with 33 wins and 72 points. These teams played four times this season, with the Raiders taking three of the four games, losing only their first meeting of the season in Red Deer. All four games were decided by one goal, including a 2-1 shootout win by the Raiders in their most recent game played in Prince Albert.

The Raiders led the league in goals scored and finished the season with the second-best goals against. They are loaded up front with Brett Leason (36-53-89), San Jose prospect Noah Gregor (43-45-88), Montreal prospect Cole Fonstad (29-44-73), Ottawa prospect Kelly Parker (35-32-67), and Dante Hounen (29-38-67) who was acquired from the Victoria Royals and put up 31 points in 28 games with the Raiders.

The Rebels are led by Buffalo pick Brandon Hagel (41-61-102), Reece Johnson (27-26-53), and a couple of acquisitions in Cameron Hausinger (21-33-54) who put 37 points in 40 games, and Dallas pick Brett Davis (20-30-50) who produced 31 points in 41 games. On the back end, the Raiders are more than solid with Brayden Pachal (15-36-51) with 51 sporting an amazing +76, his partner Zach Hayes (3-24-27) with an equally impressive +71, Sergei Sapego (10-33-43) with a +42, and Max Martin (6-35-41) showing a +45. They have Washington Capitals 2018 first round selection Alexei Alexeyev with 43 points in 49 games, who is dealing with something but should be available, and Dawson Barteaux (7-27-34) to work their blue line.

In goal, Ian Scott has had a stellar season for the Raiders, going 38-8-1-2 with a 1.83 GAA, and a save percentage of 0.932 posting eight shutouts. The Rebels are back stopped by Ethan Anders 28-22-4-1 with a 3.09 GAA and a save percentage of 0.907 and two shutouts.

The Raiders seem to have the edge in most of the categories, but every game has been extremely close, and Red Deer was a top team last year, and anything can happen in the playoffs.

Pick - Raiders in 5

Kirby Dach

The Saskatoon Blades and Moose Jaw Warriors are set to meet as the second and third seeds in the East. The Blades have dominated the Warriors this year going 5-1 against them, including a 5-3 win near the end of the season. These are two good teams meeting, with lots of talent and players to watch.

At forward the Blades are led by top prospect Kirby Dach (25-48-73) who is slated to be a top five pick in this year’s draft, Max Gerlach (42-32-74), Washington prospect Eric Florchuk (21-29-50), and acquisitions Ryan Hughes (30-39-69) who had 29 points in 25 games, and Gary Haden (31-35-66) who scored 62 points in 55 games. The Warriors are led by line mates Tristan Langan (53-60-113) who topped 50 goals and sports a +43, and Justin Almeida (33-78-111), finishing second and third respectively in league scoring. Rookie Brayden Tracey scored 36 goals and put up 81 points in his first season with the Warriors.

On defense, both clubs have some nice features, as the Blades boast Dawson Davidson (13-62-75) and Nolan Kneen (6-39-45) with 25 points in 33 games since being acquired. One of the Warriors strengths is in their D-line, with Montreal prospect Josh Brook who scored 75 points in only 59 games, and Vancouver Canucks draftee Jet Woo (12-54-66).

In goal, Nolan Maier (36-10-6) backstops the Blades with a 2.64 GAA, a 0.910 save percentage, and four shutouts. The Warriors have used more of a committee approach as goalies Adam Evanoff (19-10-2-1) with a 2.62 GAA and a 0.916 save percentage, and Brodan Salmond (21-10-4-1) with a 2.73 GAA and 0.906 save percentage have shared the crease duties all season.

This should be a very good series to watch, and these teams are similar and should put forth an entertaining series. The Blades have dominated the regular season series, and have been the better club, and are headed in to the playoffs on an 8-2 run, but the Warriors enter on a three-game winning streak and will give them trouble, and make them earn it.

Pick - Blades in 6

Matthew Roberston, Edmonton Oil Kings

The central division winning Edmonton Oil Kings will host the Medicine Hat Tigers in the next matchup, and really seem to have the edge after going 5-0-1 against the Tigers this year, although all the games were relatively close except for one game which was a 5-0 final.

The Oil Kings Trey Fix-Wolansky (37-65-102), a Columbus Blue Jackets pick has led the charge all season and is definitely a player to watch. He is supported by Vince Loschiavo (37-25-62), Quinn Benjafield (15-39-54), and then 2019 draft prospects in Josh Williams, Vladimir Alistrov, and Jake Neighbours who will carry the load. The Tigers will rely on James Hamblin (33-44-77), Ryan Jevne (32-36-68), former Edmonton player Brett Kemp (33-27-60) who scored 21 points in 24 games for MH, and Ryan Chyzowski (27-28-55) to provide the scoring.

The Oil Kings defence is led by Conner McDonald (19-31-50), and Matthew Robertson (7-26-33) who is eligible for this year’s draft. The Tigers defence is led by Florida Panthers pick Linus Nassen (7-39-46) who will log a lot of minutes in this one. In goal, the Oil Kings have Dylan Miskew (28-11-2-3) between the pipes, who finished the season strong with his 2.53 GAA and 0.914 save percentage. He will battle the Tigers rookie Mads Sogard (19-8-2-2) with a 2.64 GAA and a 0.921 save percentage.

Even with the Oil Kings dominance throughout the regular season against the Tigers, it has been a close series and pretty equally matched. The Oil Kings ride an 11-game winning streak into the playoffs and look they have gotten hot at the right time. I like the forward depth for the Tigers and the defensive edge for the Oil Kings, and with two strong goaltenders this should be a close series. I feel it has upset potential, and despite the regular season series results, I think that Sogard can make a big difference and possibly steal this one.

Pick - Tigers in 7

Dylan Cozens

The last of the Eastern series is a central division matchup, with the Lethbridge Hurricanes playing the Calgary Hitmen. Once again, the Hurricanes dominated the season series by a 5-1 mark and scored handily as they averaged six goals a game in the series. Lethbridge has an abundance of offence, with five players who scored over 80 points, and will be a handful for the Hitmen.

The Hurricanes acquired forward Nick Henry (29-65-94) from Regina earlier this season, and the Colorado Avalanche prospect rolled on to lead the club in scoring as he put up 54 points in 44 games. Alongside of Henry, the Hurricanes also acquired Jake Leschyshyn of the Golden Knights (40-41-81) from the Pats, and he stepped in nicely as he had 49 points in 44 games. Top prospect Dylan Cozens (34-50-84), who is expected to go very early in this year’s draft, and Hurricanes Captain and Pittsburgh Penguins property Jordy Bellerive (33-50-83) filled the net regularly against the Hitmen, as Cozens had nine points in six games, and Bellerive had 13 in six. Joining them is Jake Elmer (39-42-81), who also had a very nice season and was able to knock 10 points in 6 games against the Hitmen.

As for Calgary, they have some offence as well, with line mates Mark Kastelic (47-30-77) and James Malm (34-43-77) leading the way. Malm, acquired from the Vancouver Giants put up a point a game against Lethbridge, while Kastelic scored nine points. They will be joined by Carson Focht (26-38-64), Kaden Elder (27-33-60) who was picked up from last year’s WHL champion Swift Current Broncos, Riley Stotts (19-38-57) , and Jake Kryski (19-27-46) to try keep pace with the Hurricanes.

On defense, the Hurricanes are led by Cale Addison (11-54-65), the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect will play a major role in this series and should have a good showing. He will be joined by hulking Ukranian defender Igor Merezheko (4-31-35) who will be responsible to shut down the Hitmen forwards. For Calgary, Russian defenseman Yegor Zamula (10-46-56), who was signed by the Philadelphia Flyers, and Belarussian Vladislav Yereomenko (7-26-33) will work with Dakota Krebs (4-21-25), as they have their work cut out to try and keep the Hurricanes forwards at bay, and hopefully keep the scoring to a minimum.

This will be an even more interesting series in the net, as both teams have rookie goaltenders that will duel against one another. Both goalies have been rather impressive thus far. Carl Tetachuk of Lethbridge put up a record of 24-9-1-1, with a GAA of 2.88 and a save percentage of 0.909 and two shutouts. His counterpart in Calgary, Jack McNaughton, went 25-14-3, with a GAA of 3.25 and a save percentage of 0.888, while posting two shutouts.

The Hurricanes finished the season going 9-1 down the stretch, while Calgary comes in with a 6-4 record to finish. The strong offence and forward depth of the Hurricanes should propel them to win the series, but the real story will be which 17-year-old goaltender will outplay the other, and even though McNaughton has played well down the stretch, his numbers against Lethbridge have not been good, going 1-2 against them, with a GAA of 5.16 and a save percentage of 0.838.

If the Hitmen can keep it close, and their special teams play, which was much better than the Hurricanes this year, seem to click, then they could make a good series out of this. The Hurricanes do have the experience after losing the Eastern Conference Championship two years in a row and should be extra motivated to get going for another chance.

Pick - Hurricanes in 6

LINK TO WESTERN CONFERENCE PREVIEW HERE

WHL 2018-19 Season Preview

Kevin Olexson — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 13:22:04 +0000

Another exciting season is underway in the WHL, and 2018-19 should be a good one. The 2017-18 season ended with the WHL’s Regina Pats hosting the 2018 Memorial Cup, in which they were defeated 3-0 by the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in the final. This season, the Kelowna Rockets have been awarded the 2020 Memorial Cup, and as the host team, trying to retool and rebuild in transition, they have a bit of work to do before then.

The WHL had some great players move on, including prolific scorers, dynamic defenders, and some top goaltenders. Now the next draft class of players is developing into prominent roles with their respective clubs, and will see more of the spotlight and new opportunities as we head towards the 2019 draft in Vancouver.

Cody Glass of the Portland Winterhawks.

The WHL was dominated primarily by the US and Eastern Division, but there will be a change in the power and balance with all of the player turnover. The US division has established itself as the strongest division over the past few years and there is no reason to think that this season will be any different. It is likely that this division will boast five playoff teams as well. Along with the three seeded division teams, two other teams will battle for the conference wild card spots. The Portland Winterhawks and Spokane Chiefs should battle for the top spot in the division. The Hawks look poised to take the division, under the leadership of the Vegas Golden Knights first franchise pick Cody Glass, who will challenge for the WHL scoring title this season and be one of the best players to take the ice in the league. The Hawks lost two top defenders in Dennis Cholowski (Detroit) and Henri Jokiharju (Chicago), as well as forwards Skyler McKenzie (Winnipeg) and Kiefer Bellows (NYI). They have a solid supporting cast, and overage forward Joakim Blichfeld (SJ) and defender Brendan DeJong (Car) will flourish this season. They also boast two top draft prospects in defenders --Clay Hanus and John Ludvig who should produce on the back end.

Jaret Anderson-Dolan, photo by Larry Brunt/Spokane Chiefs

The Chiefs are set to push for the division title with plenty of offense even after losing Edmonton prospect and team leader Kailer Yamamoto, and graduate Hudson Elynuik (Toronto Marlies). They will be led by LA Kings prospect Jaret Anderson-Dolan (who will surely be one to watch after he returns from the NHL), Sharks prospect Jake McGrew, a nice complement of 19-year-old players, and New Jersey Devils first round selection Ty Smith who will step up his game. This season the Chiefs will also show off prospect Luke Toporowski, who will contribute with a larger role for the club.

The Seattle Thunderbirds, Tri-City Americans, and Everett Silvertips will follow up jockeying for position. The T-Birds are building and are looking to improve after a big changeover in players. The load will be shouldered by Nolan Volcan and Zach Andrusiak, who will play as 20-year- olds this season and lead the team offensively. Jared Tyszka (Montreal) will lead the blue line, and help draft eligible prospect Jake Lee. Secondary scoring will come from Noah Philp, Matthew Wedman and eligible prospect Dillon Hamaliuk. Tri-City will be anxious to get back prospects Michael Rasmussen (Detroit), and defensemen Juuso Valimaki (Calgary), but it may take some time, if they return at all. Aside from that they will have a solid set of forwards led by Kyle Olson (Anaheim), Nolan Yaremko, and top draft eligible prospect Sasha Mutala. The defence is young and could be shaky, meaning that the offence and goaltending will both have to be better. The Everett Silvertips have had the biggest turnover, losing scoring leaders Patrick Bajkov (Florida) and Matt Fonteyne, as well as elite goaltender Carter Hart (Philadelphia). They will get back forwards Riley Sutter (Washington) and Connor Dewar (Minnesota) to lead the attack. Goaltender Dustin Wolf is a top prospect and played admirably behind Hart last season. He will have his chance to be in the spotlight and shine this year. Wyatte Wylie (Philadelphia) will lead the blueliners the depth of which is a strength of this team.

Milos Roman. Photo by Chris Relke/Vancouver Giants

The B.C. division took a step back, as the powerhouse teams have slipped. Now the Vancouver Giants seemed poised to sit atop the division along with the Victoria Royals. The Giants lost forwards Tyler Benson (Edmonton) and Ty Ronning (NYR), but have a great follow up with James Malm, Brayden Watts, and prospect Milos Roman (Calgary) to lead their offence. The Giants also have a great stable of defensemen, including Alex Kannok-Leipert (Washington), Dylan Plouffe, and a definite 2019 first round selection in Bowen Byram. The goaltending is also sound with the tandem of Arizona Coyotes pick David Tendeck and highly touted prospect Trent Miner who has put up great numbers with his play between the pipes.

The Victoria Royals will also challenge for the division title, as they have a good nucleus of players, solid goaltending, and great coaching. They lost a lot of firepower in Tyler Soy (San Diego Gulls) and Matthew Phillips (Calgary), but will be led by Dante Hannoun, Dino Kambeitz, and Kaid Oliver. The back end is good with Scott Walford (Montreal), Lane Zablocki (Detroit), and Ralph Jarrett. The Royals will be backstopped by one of the top goaltenders in the league in Griffin Outhouse who will help them with their push for another division title.

Kyle Topping of the Kelowna Rockets. Photo by Marissa Baecker/Kelowna Rockets

The Kelowna Rockets, Kamloops Blazers, and Prince George Cougars round out the division, as they will jockey for the third spot and possibly a wild card. The Rockets, after winning the bid to host the 2020 Memorial Cup will have to step things up, as this season looks a bit rough for them. They lost a good portion of their team, and top players Cal Foote (TBL), Dillon Dube (Calgary), Kole Lind (Vancouver), Carsen Twarynski (Philadelphia), have graduated and the team is in transition. They do however show five top rated prospects this season including Kyle Topping, who surprisingly went unselected in last year’s draft and will lead the team offensively this season. Top prospect and projected first rounder Nolan Foote will bear a larger role and be relied on to provide some much needed offence along with Leif Mattson. The Rockets are known for turning out defensemen, and they have top rated prospects in Kaden Korczak and Lassi Thomson in the works. In goal they have Roman Basran, another top prospect who pitched a shutout in his first ever WHL game, and will share backstop duties with James Porter.

The Kamloops Blazers are looking to take a step up after going through many changes last season. The Blazers seem like they are in rebuild mode, but they will be led by Jermaine Loewen returning from the Dallas Stars. The Blazers have some young players on their roster, and the back end will be anchored by Nolan Kneen, who should be in store for a big year. The Blazers could very well surprise a lot of teams, especially if returning goaltender Dylan Ferguson (Vegas) can put up solid numbers as he should be busy. The Cougars are also in the midst of a rebuild, as they unloaded many of their assets to finish at the bottom of the division. They have a young team without any returning NHL draftees on it, but will be led by defenders Joel Lakusta, Ryan Schoettler, Rhett Rhinehart, and forwards Ethan Browne and import Vladislav Mikhalchuk. They have a top rated goalie prospect in Taylor Gauthier between the pipes, and he looks to face a lot of shots behind a weak defence.

The battle of the Central Division should come down to the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Medicine Hat Tigers, followed by the Red Deer Rebels and Edmonton Oil Kings, leaving the Kootenay Ice and Calgary Hitmen battling for the wildcard positions.

Calen Addison. Photo by Robert Murray.

The Hurricanes seemed primed and ready, as they welcome back their leaders from other camps and tryouts. The offence will certainly be dynamic with Jordy Bellerive (Pittsburgh) returning, and prospect Dylan Cozens - who will definitely be an early first round pick in next year’s draft - leading the charge as they both push for the WHL scoring title as well. The secondary scoring will be in the hands of eligible prospect Logan Barlage, Taylor Ross, and Kelti Jeri-Leon. On the back end, Calen Addison (Pittsburgh) returns to beef up this blue line and contribute from the point. The goaltending looks solid with Reece Klassen, who should have a good nucleus of defence in front of him to help him put up good numbers. Medicine Hat should also be able to keep up with Lethbridge on the offensive side of things, as they also have some firepower up front. Ryan Chyzowski and Josh Williams are one of the top tandems in the league, and Williams is a likely first round selection in the upcoming draft. Captain James Hamblin will also provide some scoring punch, as they also show a very balanced group of forwards.

The Tigers lost offensive defensemen David Queneville (NYI), meaning defenders Linus Nassen (Florida) and Dylan Macpherson will have to step into bigger roles to help fill that void. The goaltending will be fine with Jordan Hollett (Ottawa) stopping pucks on the back end, but the defence is young. The Rebels also have some nice players returning, and coach Brett Sutter will be happy with Brandon Hagel and Jeff DeWit coming back to lead the forward group. The Rebels also welcome back Alexander Alexeyev (Washington) and Dawson Barteaux (Dallas) to the group, as they should both have very productive seasons. The Rebels have two players of note for draft hounds with import center Oleg Zaytsev and goaltender Ethan Anders, who should both improve this season with expanded roles.

The Edmonton Oil Kings have also been in a rebuild mode, and are looking to take the next step of their transition. They have a young team who will be led by Trey Fix-Wolansky (Columbus), along with veterans Quinn Benjafield and Vince Loschiavo to play along side of draft eligible prospects David Kope, Vladimir Alistrov, and Brett Kemp. On defence, a top prospect and projected first round selection Matthew Robertson leads the blue line with fellow draft-eligibles Jacson Alexander and Conner McDonald. The Oil Kings also have some young goaltenders in their net, and could help this team move up the ranks with some solid play.

Riley Stotts. Photo by Candice Ward/Calgary Hitmen.

Calgary will have forwards Jake Kryski and Riley Stotts (Toronto) back, along with defenseman Vladislav Yeryomenko (Nashville) who will all take larger roles and provide leadership for their maturing team. The Hitmen have a hulking defender on the radar as Jackson Van De Leest is a top draft-eligible prospect. The Kootenay Ice have been developing and rebuilding for a few years now, and they are showing a lot of youth, and a top end talent in Peyton Krebs (yet another definite first round selection). He will be joined by Brett Davis (Dallas) to lead the charge for the young ICE team. They will rely on Jonathan Smart to anchor and lead their group of defensemen as this team looks to improve and make a surge for a playoff spot.

The Eastern Division standings will look different. This division has been hit the hardest as the top teams from last season have had major overhauls, and return depleted rosters. After being defeated in the Memorial Cup Final, the Pats have lost forwards Sam Steel (Anaheim), Cameron Hebig (Edmonton), and Matt Bradley from their impressive lineup of scorers. They will be led this year by Jake Leshyshyn (Vegas), Nick Henry (Colorado), Austin Pratt, and eligible prospect Koby Morrisseau to carry the load. On defence, losing Josh Mahura (Anaheim), Cale Fleury (Montreal), and Libor Hajek (TBL) opens the door for Aaron Hyman to take a leadership role, and allow eligible prospects Nikita Sedov and Jonas Harkins to play larger parts and flourish on an experienced team. In goal, they have Max Paddock, who should get some consideration, as he backstopped the Pats to the Memorial Cup final as a rookie netminder and looked good in the process.

Cole Fonstad

It looks like the Prince Albert Raiders are ready to take a major leap and push for the division crown. The Raiders are loaded up front with players to watch in Cole Fonstad (Montreal), Noah Gregor (SJ), undrafted Brett Leason, and returnee Kody McDonald leading the way. They have an experienced blue line with Sergei Sapego, Max Martin, and Brayden Pachal ready to deliver in larger roles. Goaltender Ian Scott (Toronto) is ready to be one of the top tenders in the DUB this season and lead this team. They will battle with the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Saskatoon Blades for the division crown in what should be an exciting division to follow. The Wheat Kings will also boast a stellar offence and solid goaltending. With last seasons leading scorer Ty Lewis (Colorado) eligible to return, which would add even more scoring punch to this already impressive lineup of forwards.

Ty Smith

Stelio Mattheos (Carolina), Connor Gutenberg, Cole Reinhart, and draft eligible Luka Burzan will lead the charge for the Wheat Kings. The defence will be led by Schael Higson and Chase Hartje, with youngsters Braden Schneider and Jonny Lambos getting increased minutes. Las Vegas prospect Jiri Patera will handle duties in net, and looks to be very solid for the Wheaties, which will also help push them to the top of the division. The Saskatoon Blades have also made enormous strides this year, and will take a step up as well. They have some great prospects on the roster that will make their way to the draft this spring. They also have a forward group that can fill the nets with Max Gerlach, Eric Florchuk, and Josh Paterson returning to support Kirby Dach. Dach will be a prolific scorer and early first round pick at the draft. He will be joined by import defensemen and fellow top prospect Emil Malysjev who will settle in to a prominent role by playing with the likes of Dawson Davidson and Jackson Caller. The Blades also feature a top goaltending tandem with top prospect Nolan Maier who will carry the load this season after a stellar rookie season, and Dorrin Luding, who has looked very impressive in his appearances.

Jett Woo

The Moose Jaw Warriors will find themselves in the mix as well with Justin Almeida (Pittsburgh) back in the fold, and leading the way as one of the top players in the Dub. Almeida will take the reigns of the offence after the loss of Jayden Halbgewachs (SJ), Brayden Burke (Arizona), and Brett Howden (NYR). He will be joined by Ryan Peckford, who looked promising last year despite being passed over in the draft. He will look to make amends for that with a good showing this year with an increased role on this club. He will be joined with fellow prospect Brayden Tracey and veteran forward Tristan Langan. The back end will miss top defender Kale Clague (LAK), but will be in good shape with a strong core as Josh Brook (Montreal) and Jett Woo (Vancouver) are back there. In net, the Warriors have Adam Evanoff who was great in a limited role in his rookie season, and will get to display his skills this year in a main role. He will share time with ex-Kelowna Rocket Broden Salmond who will add some experience.

Last but not least, last seasons WHL Champion Swift Current Broncos will be hit the hardest of all teams. They have lost most of their scoring, and are in a definite rebuilding mode. Gone are the likes of Glen Gawdin (Calgary), Aleksi Heponiemi (Florida), Giorgio Estephan (Buffalo), Matteo Gennaro, Beck Malenstyn (Washington), and their leader in Tyler Steenbergen (Arizona). The defence was also depleted by losing Colby Sissons (NJ), and surprisingly undrafted Artyom Minulin (who will miss lots of time with offseason surgery). This team will be led by Max Patterson, Alec Zawatsky, and defender Connor Horning. The Broncos are young, and will be in development mode for the next few seasons. Goaltender Joel Hofer (St. Louis) is the only player that has NHL labelling, and will be extremely busy throughout the year and will face a whole lot rubber. He will have to hone his skills and stop a lot of pucks, but is unlikely to steal many games for this team.

WHL Playoff Preview: An Eastern Conference arms race and a wide open West.

Vince Gibbons — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 15:40:00 +0000

The WHL season has been highly competitive with some excellent individual stories wrapped in with some incredible team play. There was Jayden Halbgewachs’ (SJS) chase of 70 goals which he accomplished on the last weekend of the season, Nick Schneider’s (CGY) leading the league in minutes played by a goaltender, or any of a number of the impressive rookie seasons that have kept fans engaged all season. The duel between Swift Current and Moose Jaw has been captivating all season and heated up even more at the trade deadline. The arms race to get out of the Eastern Division has to be the top story across the league.

With Regina hosting the 100^th Memorial Cup in a few months, all eyes have been on the Prairie Province to see how competitive they would be this season while hosting junior hockey’s premier event. Entering into the first round of the playoffs Saskatchewan will be sending four teams into the fray, which is great news, however based on seeding they have all ended up head to head. Regina looks to be in tough to get to the Memorial Cup in the honest way as a first round trip down Highway 1 to Swift Current looms. This year’s host team could have a month without competitive hockey before the start of the Memorial Cup.

*Note Team stats (GP-W-L-OTL-SOL-PTS), Player Stats (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)

Eastern Conference:

1E Vs WC 2 Moose Jaw (72-52-15-2-3-109) vs Prince Albert (72-32-27-9-4)

Prediction: Moose Jaw in five

Moose Jaw has been a dominant team wire to wire this year. They have been ranked in the top 10 for 23 weeks of the season and are the only team in the WHL to eclipse 50 wins. They are an offensive juggernaut averaging an impressive 4.5 goal per game, they have the league’s top scoring forward in the aforementioned Halbgewachs (SJS) (72-70-57-125-12) surpassing expectations with the first 70 goal season in the league since 1998-99 (Pavel Brendl). The team boasts several offensively dangerous forwards in Brayden Burke (ARZ) (61-31-82-113-45), Justin Almeida (72-43-55-98-10), and Brett Howden (NYR) (49-24-51-75-42) who can balance the attack and keep the pressure on all the way down the lineup. Defensively they added the most productive blueliner in Kale Clague (LAK) (54-11-60-71-43) to help anchor them for a long playoff run. Moose Jaw has been the class of the league for most of the season but down the stretch have lost games to Regina, Red Deer and Prince Albert making them more vulnerable for upset than at any point in the season.

Prince Albert will be riding high into the playoffs after a 9-0-1 stretch enabled them to nip a playoff spot from Saskatoon. During that stretch they took three points of a possible four from Moose Jaw as well as solid divisional wins over Swift Current and Brandon. Prince Albert has been playing playoff-like hockey for over a month just to get to in, so the pressure will be off with nothing to lose against a powerhouse team like Moose Jaw.

Cole Fonstad. Photo courtesy of Prince Albert Raiders

Cole Fonstad (72-21-52-73-6) has had a great second half of the season and will end the season as one of the most productive draft eligible forwards in the WHL this year. Jordy Stallard (WPG) (72-44-47-91-26) has been an exceptional player this year, and Winnipeg may have found another late round gem. A couple of mid-season additions in Regan Nagy (57-25-20-45-53) and Kody McDonald (68-34-32-66-139) have chipped in some nice secondary scoring but they will have to be at their best to give the Raiders a chance of getting through this tough first round match up.

2E Vs 3E Swift Current (72-48-17-5-2-103) vs Regina (72-40-25-6-1-87)

Prediction: Swift Current in five Games

Tyler Steenbergen. Photo courtesy of Swift Current Broncos

Swift Current poses matchup problems for any team they play against. Like Moose Jaw they have elite scoring with the likes of Glen Gawdin (CGY), (67-56-69-125-101), Aleksi Heponiemi (Fla), (57-28-90-118-28)), and WJC game winning goal scorer Tyler Steenbergen (ARZ) (56-47-55-102-44) leading the way. There is a great supporting cast and what may be a difference maker in net in the form of Stuart Skinner (EDM). In 23 games since joining Swift Current has put has put up a stellar .917 Sv% and a 2.60 GAA. The team’s defensive corps is led by Colby Sissons (NJD) (72-13-58-71-69) and Artyom Minulin (64-13-30-43-26) who both play a physical and abrasive style of game that can get under the skin of opponents. This team is built to compete against any style of team in the league and has the best shot of taking down Moose Jaw in the East.

Regina has been on fire down the stretch which is great for momentum but tough for the match up. Holding down the top wild card would have seen them ship out of such a tough division and play Medicine Hat who has struggled down the stretch and looks ripe for an upset. It was not to be however and Regina’s strong play down the stretch has earned them a tough match up with Swift Current. Regina has a highly competitive team and in other seasons would have had a chance to get to the Memorial Cup the hard way but with the strength against them they will be in tough to escape the first round. What would it look like for Regina to upset Swift Current?

Sam Steel

Sam Steel (ANA) (54-33-50-83-18) would have to play lights out controlling the tempo and dictating the play like his line did at the World Juniors. Perhaps even more important would be the play of Josh Mahura (ANA) (60-22-47-69-42) and Cale Fleury (MTL) (68-12-39-51-58) who, when together on the blueline, give the Pats one of the top pairings in the league. Even when split up 5 on 5 to help defend against a deep team like they face in the first round they will need to maintain their balanced play for the team to have any success. Rookie Max Paddock will also need to get on a roll in between the pipes as his strong play down the stretch has made him the probable starter in this first round series. Finally 20 year old Cameron Hebig (EDM) (66-41-49-90-44) will have to deliver a complete game every night.

1C Vs WC2 Medicine Hat (72-36-28-8-0-80) vs Brandon (72-40-27-3-2-85)

Prediction: Brandon In six

Medicine Hat has had the benefit of playing in one of the weakest divisions across the CHL this season. Despite leading their division they trail both Wild Card teams in terms of point production. Even with having home ice advantage the Tigers are in tough against Brandon but they do have enough weapons to make this series a coin flip. Mark Rassell (70-50-30-80-23) is having a great overage season scoring 50 goals for the first time in his career. That coupled with the impressive offensive production of undersized defender David Quenneville (NYI) (70-26-54-80-58) who leads all WHL defenseman in goals and points will have to take their games to another level to push Medicine Hat through this first round match up. Draft eligible Ryan Chyzowski (72-21-31-52-28) has also had a strong season while playing on the second line.

Luka Burzan. Photo by Brandi Pollock/Brandon Wheat Kings.

Despite trading Kyle Clague (LAK) to Moose Jaw at the deadline there is still plenty of production in this line up to be dangerous. Undrafted Ty Lewis (COL as a UFA) (70-44-56-100-60) and Stelio Mattheos (CAR) (68-43-47-90-81) have had great seasons and can do some real damage in the postseason. With two draft eligible forwards adding some secondary scoring in Luka Burzan (72-15-25-40-20) and Cole Reinhardt (68-19-15-34-40) they should be deep enough to compete with Medicine Hat. Defensively there was a big hole with Clague out but a couple of rookies have stepped in and had a positive impact. Chase Hartje (58-3-22-25-18) has seen an increased role since coming over from Moose Jaw while 2001 born Braden Schneider (66-1-21-22-16) has been quietly impressive helping Brandon to a 7-3 record over their last 10 games as they head into the playoffs.

2C Vs 3C Lethbridge (72-33-33-6-0-72) Vs Red Deer (72-27-32-10-3-67)

Prediction: Red Deer in six

Calen Addison. Photo by Robert Murray.

Lethbridge boasts some highly talented youngsters who continue to develop nicely while gaining valuable experience. Calen Addison (68-11-54-65-53) is dynamic young skater who is on the cusp of being a first round pick this year. Dylan Cozens (57-22-31-53-20) has been a solid player at both ends of the ice especially considering the fact that as a 2001 born rookie he is lining up against guys two and three years his senior. But the real straw that stirs the drink for Lethbridge is Jordy Bellerive (PIT) (71-46-46-92-82). He plays a physical, hard-working style of game that creates plenty of offensive zone time where he is a clinical finisher. To have success this time of year they need one or two depth players contribute at a higher level, perhaps Jake Elmer (70-18-19-37-46) could be that guy for Lethbridge this year.

Kristian Reichel. Photo by Dave Brunner/Red Deer Rebels.

Red Deer has united the three best forwards they have giving them a formidable top line that can compete with most teams. Centered by Kristian Reichel (63-34-23-57-32), with wingers Mason McCarty (69-38-36-74-82) and Brandon Hagel (BUF) (56-18-41-59-45), the top line has been stellar since Christmas. Defensively two players stand out and both are eligible for this year’s draft. Alexander Alexeyev (45-7-30-37-29) is a big, strong defender who skates well and has nice vision and puck handling skills that makes him a first round candidate. Dawson Barteaux (64-3-29-32-22) is a good skater who passes the puck well and looks to go in the back half of the draft. Early into the New Year Red Deer trailed Edmonton, Calgary, and Kootenay, and was well out of any playoff conversation but winning 10 of 15 down the stretch, including a four game sweep through BC, has ensured that they will be there and in good form upon arrival.

Predictions Second round and beyond:

If things unfold as expected Moose Jaw and Swift Current will play one another in the second round which could very well be the best series in all the CHL playoffs let alone the WHL. I expect Swift Current to beat Moose Jaw based on their incredible depth, overall defensive game and higher end goaltending. In the Central division it seems likely that Brandon makes short work of both of their Central opponents, but they will be overmatched in the conference final, a Swift Current victory.

Western Conference:

1US Vs WC 2 Everett (72-47-20-2-3-99) Vs Seattle (71-34-27-8-2-78)

Prediction: Everett in five

Riley Sutter (Photo by Christopher Mast/Icon Sportswire)

Everett boasts the largest X-factor player in the entire league, in netminder Carter Hart (PHI). He leads the league in most statistical categories including save percentage (.947), Goals against average (1.60), and shutouts (7). Even on the rare occasion that his team does not play well in front of him he can still steal a game. Hart is not the only reason for team success though as Patrick Bajkov (FLA) (72-33-67-100-56) recently signed an entry level contract after an impressive season. Also contributing offensively is Riley Sutter (68-25-28-53-70) who is draft eligible this year, Garrett Pilon (WSH) (69-34-46-80-48), and Matt Fonteyne (72-35-53-88-22) who could well find himself with a pro deal by the end of the summer. With a team that plays a sound defensive game and has so many steady offensive contributors expect them to go far.

Seattle has played Everett tough this year despite only getting two wins in seven attempts. In only one game did they lose by more than a goal, and only once did Everett get four goals in seven games head to head. That sort of effort will be required to hang tight game to game. In a series of one goal games a little puck luck could help beat the top team in the Western Conference. Veteran players like Nolan Volcan (70-32-44-76), Neuls Donovan (71-22-54-76-48), and Zack Andrusiak (71-35-38-73-20) will have to find a way to score while Austin Strand (LAK) (68-25-38-63-75) will be relied on heavily on the back end as his 25 goals was second in the league by defenseman. Seattle’s magic number is three. If they can get three goals past Hart they are 2-0 this season.

1BC Vs WC1 Kelowna (72-43-22-5-2-93) Vs Tri-City (71-37-25-8-1-83)

Prediction: Kelowna is six

Kyle Topping. Photo by Marissa Baecker/Kelowna Rockets.

Kelowna has an impressive roster from top to bottom with some of their talent that is not even draft eligible until 2019. Kole Lind (VAN) (58-39-56-95-65), Dillon Dube (CGY) (53-38-46-84-52), and Cal Foote (TBL) (60-19-51-70-46) start off an impressive cast of players each more than capable of creating offense while keeping pucks out at the same time. Kyle Topping (66-22-43-65-56), draft eligible in 2018, is another forward who stands out with his near 1.0 point per game production. Cal’s younger brother Nolan Foote (50-13-27-40-31) is yet another offensive weapon and he will not be eligible until the 2019 draft but he has shown some high end offensive tools.

Juuso Valimaki of the Tri-City Americans.

Tri-City has had some struggles with injuries to top players this year. Michael Rasmussen (DET) (47-31-28-59-40) missed nearly 1/3 of the season while Juuso Valimaki (CGY) (42-14-29-43-32) has managed to get into just 42 games. Regardless, both look healthy as they enter the playoffs. Tri-City has a dynamic blueline with three of their top eight scorers coming from their back end. Jake Bean (CAR) (56-11-35-46-22), who was added at the deadline, Dylan Coghlan (VGK) (69-17-46-63-65), and the aforementioned Valimaki are all big time contributors to the Americans success. If the likes of Morgan Geekie (CAR) (67-30-53-83-32), and overage player Jordan Topping (71-38-41-79-56) are able to keep up their scoring rates from regular season they will have more than a puncher’s chance against Kelowna.

2BC Vs 3BC Victoria (72-39-27-4-2-84) Vs Vancouver (72-36-27-6-3-81)

Prediction: Victoria in six

Tyler Benson. Photo by Chris Relke/Vancouver Giants.

A short ferry ride is all that separates these two team geographically and even less separates them on the ice. Both have diminutive but dynamic goal scorers. Victoria boasts Matthew Phillips (CGY) (71-48-64-112-36) while Vancouver sports Ty Ronning (NYR) (70-61-23-84-47). Both teams have solid offensive depth although the Victoria looks to run a little bit deeper there. Between the pipes each team has a veteran goalie with a save percentage above 0.910 and a goal’s against right around 3.00. Tyler Benson (EDM) (58-27-42-69-39) has been excellent when healthy for Vancouver but the deciding factor in the match up could be the play of 20 year olds. If Tyler Soy (ANA) (66-36-56-92-42) and Chaz Reddekopp (LAK) (46-7-24-31-42) are able to out produce Ronning and Brennan Riddle (67-1-11-12-48) then Victoria looks to make it out of this closely contested first round match up.

2US Vs 3US Portland (71-44-22-1-4-93) Vs Spokane (71-40-25-3-3-86)

Prediction: Portland in seven

Henri Jokiharju of the Portland Winterhawks. Photo credit: Chad Baker/Portland Winterhawks

Portland’s offence is not quite as deep as the top teams from the East but having six players averaging right around a point per game or better is a tough match up for anyone. Cody Glass (VGK) (63-37-64-101-24) has paced the offense all year bringing his consistent effort and excellent playmaking skills to a team with plenty of finishers. Skyler McKenzie (WPG) (71-46-40-86-54), Kieffer Bellows (NYI) (55-40-33-73-63) and Joachim Blichfeld (SJS) (55-24-32-56-51) have all produced at a high level this season on his wings at different times of the year. Their back end boasts two elite level puck movers in Henri Jokiharju (CHI) (62-12-59-71-14) and Dennis Cholowski (DET) (68-14-52-66-32). These two help them transition the puck quickly and make their offense even more explosive.

Ty Smith of the Spokane Chiefs. Photo by Larry Brunt/Spokane Chiefs

Spokane looks like the banana peel that everyone treads lightly around in the first round. Elite skating and dynamic playmaking defender Ty Smith (69-14-59-73-30) has led this team offensively all season and is a lock to be the top player taken from the WHL in this year’s draft. Since the WJC Kailer Yamamoto (EDM) (40-21-43-64-18) has elevated his game and the entire team has benefited. Both Jaret Anderson-Dolan (LAK) (69-40-51-91-25) and Hudson Elynuik (CAR) (71-31-55-86-78) have been the most rewarded as they sit one and two in team goals. In addition to that, they have four other players with 20 or more goals across the team giving them balance and depth for a long series. If there was a team in the US division that could score with Portland over a seven game series it would be Spokane. While they lost the first five regular season match ups against Portland they have won the last two, both in convincing fashion, 6-3 and a 9-3 performances.

Predictions Second round and beyond:

The Western Conference is more wide open than the East where Swift Current and Moose Jaw stand out well above the rest. Everett’s total team commitment to defense has them as my favorite to come out of the West as their stingy goaltending has the potential to shut down any high scoring offense they may face. I see Kelowna handling either of Victoria or Vancouver but as long as Carter Hart is healthy they would be hard pressed to beat Everett in the Western Final.

A WHL final with Everett and Swift Current has a number of interesting storylines as both clubs have not been traditional WHL powerhouses but have recruited and drafted well over the past few years. Two of the top goalies in the WHL going head to head, a chance to test the old adage that defense wins championships, and the story book ending as Tyler Steenbergen scores the winning goal in another big Championship game would really round out what has been an excellent 2017-2018 WHL season.

State of the CHL: The Western Hockey League

Vince Gibbons — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 16:45:59 +0000

The ebbs and flows of Junior hockey is part of what makes each season so interesting and entertaining. Powerhouse programs must reset every couple of years and out of those ashes new teams move to take over the league and dominate the game. This year in the WHL is no different with a couple of teams really taking steps forward with a good shot at becoming the WHL Champions and Memorial Cup Contenders. With the trade deadline recently passing (and what a wild ride that was this season), the rosters have stabilized and these will be the teams going forward.

Moose Jaw and Swift Current have taken the league by storm this year as they battle for home ice advantage throughout the playoffs. Their division also boasts a Brandon Wheat Kings team that has been in and out of the CHL top 10 standing all year as well as the 100^th Memorial Cup hosts Regina Pats so game in and game out there has been highly competitive hockey, for critical points in the standings. Out in the West things are as competitive as ever with Everett, Portland, Kelowna and Victoria all within 4 points of each other at the top of the Western Conference. Everett continues to impress league-wide, with a sound defensive game and high end goaltending and solid team game. The other top teams of the East are sporting high end offensive talents like Cody Glass (Por), Skyler McKenzie (Por), Matthew Phillips (Vic), Kole Lind (Kel), and Dillion Dube (Kel) who are all having excellent seasons having been previously drafted into the NHL.

The Eastern Conference:

East Division GP-W-L-OTL-SOL-PTS

Moose Jaw Warriors 48-38-7-1-2-79

Jayden Halbgewachs. Photo by Marc Smith

Moose Jaw has been an offensive dynamo all season and at the trade deadline were able to add pieces that will help stabilize the back end and the defensive game. The scoring is being led by two 20 year olds in Brayden Burke (Unsigned) and Jayden Halbgewach (signed SJS) who are sitting one and two in the WHL in scoring. These two might not even be the most offensive players on the team as Brett Howden missed 24 games and has only lately seemed to be hitting his stride. At the deadline Moose Jaw addressed their biggest needs by grabbing a big stay out home defenseman in Brandon Schuldhaus from Red Deer as well as top scoring defenseman and recent World Juniors Gold Medalist Kale Clague (LAK 2016) from Brandon. His dynamic puck moving skills should only enhance this team’s offensive prowess. The largest contribution from a draft eligible player has to have come from Jett Woo. He has been a consistent defender in all situations showing a strong competitive fire in his own zone. He isn’t a dynamic player but more of a jack of all trades defender who can chip in offensively while playing steady responsible minutes. This team has set themselves up to come out of the East as they have the top offensive numbers averaging nearly 0.75 of a goal per game more than anyone else in the league. That coupled with the roughly 3.00 overall goals against average is a strong indicator of future success for this win-now franchise.

Swift Current Bronco’s 49-33-12-3-1-70

Tyler Steembergen, Swift Current Broncos. Photo courtesy of Swift Current Broncos,

Swift Current possess the most dynamic duo in the league this year and it really hasn’t even been that close. Tyler Steenbergen (Ari) is averaging over one goal per game with 36 in 34 games while averaging an assist per game at 35 assists in 34 games. Even more impressive is Aleksi Heponiemi (Fla) who has 89 points in just 37 games (2.41ppg). Throw in an amazing overage year for Glenn Gawdin (Cgy) and they were a one line team who were impressing night after night. Over the course of the season a number of key additions have been made to balance out the scoring and ensure the team kept rolling with a few key members at the WJC. Matteo Gennaro, Beck Malenstyn, and Giorgio Estephan now lead a more than capable supporting cast of forwards who will help the offense. On the defensive side Colby Sissons (NJ) has taken a big step offensively while maintaining his strong defensive play. Finally the addition of Stuart Skinner (Edm) as a true #1 has been a great add as they push for a seemingly inevitable clash with Moose Jaw in the Eastern Final. Riley Stotts (2018) had been their best draft eligible prospect but was moved out to add Gennaro and Malenstyn so they look pretty thin for 2000’s on the roster.

Brandon Wheat Kings 48-28-15-3-2-61

Stelios Matheos, Photo by Tim Smith, courtesy of the WHL

You can assess what Brandon thought of their chances of coming out of the East this year by what they did at the deadline. After being in and out of the CHL top 10 most of the season Brandon traded away their MVP and perhaps the top defenseman in the league this year to a divisional rival in Moose Jaw. Brandon had been paced by Ty Lewis and Stelio Mattheos up front both on pace for 40 goals seasons but that didn’t look to be enough to get past one let alone both of Moose Jaw and Swift Current. Brandon has a lot of young talent to build around going forward with Chase Hartje (2018) and Luka Burzan (2018) coming over in the deal for Clague, as well as the home grown Cole Reinhardt (2018). The nicest future piece could be the speedy play in Jonny Hooker (2020) who has not looked out of place in a his 31 games.

Regina Pats 49-24-20-5-0-53

As the Host of this year’s Memorial Cup Regina has a spot already booked in the tournament but has been adding veteran players throughout the season to ensure a strong showing. The team has been built around an impressive top pairing for Josh Mahura and Cale Fleury. Both log big minutes in all situations creating offense while shutting the door on some of the top forwards in the WHL. Mahura has taken another step this year and his offensive production has been amongst the league leaders from the back end. Cameron Hebig has adjusted quickly to add some 20 year old offense after a slow offensive starts to the season for Nick Henry (Col) and Jake Leschyshyn (VGK). Sam Steel (Ana) is really the straw that stirs the drink for this team offensively as he averages over 1.3 ppg heading into the last 20 games of the season. This team is poised to be the top wild card which is a pretty favorable outcome heading out of the division and avoiding the top three teams in the conference. Despite trading away a lot of youth to keep the team strong for a host season the club have managed to keep Emil Oksanen (2018) on the roster through the deadline. He is a fast, offensive minded right shot winger who is averaging just under a point per game while looking to be drafted in his second year of eligibility.

Saskatoon Blades 48-23-22-2-1-49

Saskatoon will likely make the playoffs as the Central Division is really struggling to produce anything that resembles a challenge for the Wild card. Saskatoon has to be pleased with the development of Eric Florchuk (2018) and Chase Wouters (2018) who have both been solid contributors. While neither looks to be a high end offensive talent at the pro level both have shown themselves to be effective secondary producers in junior. Throw in the development of Kirby Dach (2019) and Saskatoon looks ready to take over the division as some of these teams start to age out of their current rosters.

Prince Albert Raiders 47-18-20-7-2-45

As the division basement dwellers standing suggests they are weaker than all the previously mentioned teams. That said they likely would make the playoffs as a 2 or 3 seed in the Central division. The team plays a structured game and while there aren’t big name drafted players Vojtech Budik (Buf) has acquitted himself well on the back end. The real jewel of Prince Albert’s roster is Cole Fonstand (2018) who leads all WHL draft eligible players in primary points with 34 in 47 games. Overall he averages .98 points per game and is able to drive offense despite being undersized on a team that doesn’t have a ton of high end support for him.

Central Division GP-W-L-OTL-SOL-PTS

Medicine Hat Tigers 48-24-19-5-0-53

The Tigers lead the Central division by a pretty wide margin in what could be the worst division in the CHL this season. The team is led in all respects by David Quenneville (NYI) who drives play with his excellent transition game and is leading the WHL in defensive scoring this year with 53 points. Medicine Hat has a pretty young team that is gaining confidence with each victory this year. That youth is led by 2018 draft eligible Ryan Chyzowski, who has good size and can play in all three zones. He has earned power play time in the second half of the season which should help improve his production (15G, 17A) as we close out the season.

Lethbridge Hurricanes 47-22-21-4-0-48

Lethbridge has been a team in flux. Earlier in the season they seemed to be making a push acquiring Lane Zablocki (Det) from Red Deer but then at the deadline shipped him to Victoria to help them make a push. Once the decision to move out some veterans had been made they moved major assets in Stuart Skinner (Edm) and Giorgio Estephan to bring back some youth and draft picks. In a division where a win one lose one record pulls you ahead for a playoff spot the team is not a serious contender to oust any of the power house teams in the Eastern division. Through all this transition one thing has been a constant; undersized defender Calen Addison (2018) has been driving offensive chances and using his great vision and playmaking to produce points at a very high level (G-7-A-33-PTS-40).

Kooteney ICE 47-21-23-3-0-45

Kooteney has been in the basement of this division since the departure of Sam Reinhart (Buf) to the NHL. This current incarnation’s place in the standings is more the rest of the division getting worse than it is of team gaining legitimacy as a force in the Central. The most impressive piece on this roster is 16 year old Peyton Krebs (2019) who looks every bit the part of a first overall pick from the 2016 Bantam Draft. He is near a point per game playing in all situations and is second on the team scoring in his Draft -1 year, very impressive.

Calgary Hitmen 47-15-26-5-1-36

The Calgary Hitman had a fire sale this season and while most of the assets collected came back in draft picks a good number of draft eligible players remain part of the roster. With Jake Bean (Car) moved out Vladislav Yeryomenko (2018) has become the number one defender for this team. He is aggressive and skates very well with and without the puck and is starting to show better playmaking skills. In addition a rookie in Jackson Van De Leest (2019) has shown he is capable of helping shoulder more minutes on the back end. Those kids coupled with the a nice collection of 17 year olds in Riley Stotts (2018), Carson Focht (2018), Tristen Nielsen (2018), and Egor Zamula (2018) are all getting valuable minutes for the remainder of the season.

Red Deer Rebels 47-11-25-8-3-33

The Rebels have under achieved throughout the early part of the season forcing management’s hand to start rebuilding. Two key pieces in the rebuild look to be Kristian Reichel (2018) and Alex Alexeyev (2018). While playing in the Czech league Reichel was overlooked but this year in Red Deer coupled with a strong showing at the WJC have him moving up draft boards. His skating is very strong which has helped him establish himself as a 200 foot player capable of producing and defending. Alexeyev has been impressive this year and he has dynamic skating and excellent vision and passing skills. He needs to work on his game in his own zone and can have mental lapses in his own zone but he has a ton of potential. They have also been running a 2019 eligible goalie as a starter for most of this season. Ethan Anders‘ (2019) numbers have been respectable despite a number of breakdowns defensively in front of him.

Edmonton Oil Kings 46-13-27-4-2-32

Edmonton’s Memorial Cup victory seems a long time ago as the organization has had another tough season after building back to back Memorial Cup teams just a few years ago. The offense comes from the stick of Trey Fix-Wolansky (Unsigned) who is a very dangerous undersized player. Brett Kemp (2018) may be a late round pick this year despite the team’s struggles overall. The real developmental progression for the Oil Kings is in the 2001’s where Matthew Robertson and Liam Keeler both have shown some real promise.

The Western Conference:

U.S. Division GP-W-L-OTL-SOL-PTS

Everett Silvertips 48-30-16-1-1-62

Everett seems to be built for playoff hockey. Carter Hart (Phi), after being afflicted with mono to start the season, has rebounded to put up some ridiculous numbers. His sparkling 1.51 GAA in 24 games is leaps and bounds better than anyone else in the league. By comparison only three other goalies have a GAA under 3.00 (at least 20 games played) and the best of them is at a 2.77. His save % of .953 is 40 points higher than the next goalie who has played at least 20 games. The scoring is well distributed on this team but the real punch comes from two overage players that have produced while still buying into the defense first system of head coach Dennis Williams. Both Matt Fonteyne and Patrick Bajkov have really shown something this year as they both average well over 1.00 ppg. 2018 draft eligible Riley Sutter has shown that he too can generate offense while playing a sound defensive game. He has good size and speed that sets him apart from other draft eligible forwards in this year’s draft.

Portland Winterhawks 47-28-15-1-3-60

Portland boasts some of the most offensively gifted players in the league. Undersized Skyler McKenzie (Wpg) has a shot at eclipsing 100pts this year and is still targeting a 50 goal season. He likely is the third best forward on his line as he skates with Cody Glass (VGK) and Kieffer Bellows (NYI) on a nightly basis. On the back end they are led by Henri Jokiharju (Chi) and the recently added Dennis Cholowski (Det). Both of these defenders can carry the puck and distribute it at a high level. John Ludvig is the most likely 2018 prospect for this team. He is a pretty effective defensive defenseman capable of making a good first pass while playing a strong physical game.

Seattle Thunderbirds 47-25-16-4-2-56

After losing Matt Barzal (NYI), Ryan Gropp (NYR), and Ethan Bear (Edm) a by-committee approach has led to solid season in the US Division for Seattle. The team sports five players in Nolan Volcan (Unsigned), Donovan Neuls (Unsigned), Zack Andrusiak (Unsigned), Austin Strand (LAK) and Sami Moilanen (Unsigned) who all average right around 1.00 ppg. Seattle has been looking for a stabilizing force in net as three goalies have played over ten games each already this season. The duo of Dorrin Luding (Unsigned) and Liam Hughes (Unsigned) will be asked to deliver solid performances down the stretch if they have any hopes of catching either Portland or Everett.

Tri-City Americans 46-23-16-7-0-53

Juuso Valimaki of the Tri-City Americans.

A highly competitive team that relies on the strength of their back end and strong overage goaltending to compete in a challenging division. The deadline acquisition of Jake Bean (Car) from the Calgary Hitmen really sets the expectations for the group heading into the last 20 games. Dylan Coghlan (Vgk) , Bean and Juuso Valimaki (Cgy) all put up excellent offensive numbers. Up front Morgan Geekie (Car) has been very consistent this year averaging the 1.25 ppg he did in his draft season. Isaac Johnson leads the charge for 2018 potential draft picks as he has a big frame and some decent offensive skills for an overage player. Highly touted Michael Rasmussen (Det) has continued to show his goal scoring prowess this season dispute struggling to stay in the lineup.

Spokane Chiefs 47-25-19-1-2-53

Jaret Anderson-Dolan, photo by Larry Brunt/Spokane Chiefs

The optics of being last in the division do not reflect the strength of this team and their potential to win a round as a wild card in the playoffs. Jaret Anderson-Dolan (LAK) has been a consistent and steady force for this team as it started without one of the most dynamic players in the league in Kailer Yamomoto (Edm). Now 20 games in Yamamoto has rounded back into form and is averaging 1.48 PPG. Add in the early season trade the brought in Zach Fischer (Cgy) the team has a nice balanced group of forwards. On the back end they boast Ty Smith (2018) who has a real shot at going in the top 10 of this year’s NHL entry draft. Despite his stature he projects to be a dynamic playmaker that can carry the puck with speed, while displaying excellent vision and playmaking ability.

B.C. Division GP-W-L-OTL-SOL-PTS

Kelowna Rockets 46-29-14-2-1-61

Cal Foote of Kelowna Rockets

Kelowna’s roster is loaded to bear and despite a lot of injury trouble with key players have been able to battle to the top of the B.C. Division. Kelowna was able to provide the captain for team Canada in Dillon Dube (Cgy), while also providing minute munching defender Cal Foote (TBL). Foote brings the gritty toughness you love in a top pairing defenseman while still being a good playmaker and shooter. Kole Lind (Van) has been pacing the offense this year along with Carsen Twarynski (Phi) as both are on pace to hit 40 goals this season. While being loaded with current draft picks the team still has a number of pieces NHL teams will covet over the next few drafts, Kyle Topping (2018), Libor Zabransky (2018), and Nolan Foote (2019) have all been large contributors to the team’s success this year which bodes well over the next few seasons.

Victoria Royals 48-27-17-3-1-58

Matthew Phillips (Cgy) has been one of the top goal scorers in the entire WHL over the past three seasons and with him signing his ELC in December will very likely be gone after this year. With a goal scoring talent like that leaving town Victoria has a gone all in this year adding Tanner Kaspick (StL), Noah Gregor (SJS), Lane Zablocki (Det), Andrei Grishakov, and Jeff De Wit, showing a real commitment to making their way out of the Western Conference. Tyler Soy (Ana) who early in the season was recognized as the CHL player of the week has had points in 13 of his last 15 games while the new players have since established some chemistry with their new team. In net Griffen Outhouse leads the league in shots faced and saves giving him a very respectable .912 Sv% this season which puts him 3^rd in the league for goalies who have played in over 20 games. If he can stay hot into the playoffs Victoria has a real chance at making the Western Final.

Vancouver Giants 47-25-15-4-3-57

Ty Ronning (NYR) paces Vancouver’s offense with his impressive 42 goals in just 49 games this season. This is even more impressive given that Tyler Benson (Edm) has continued to be plagued by injury problems, missing 13 games already this year after having missed 39 in 2017 and 42 in 2016. Milos Roman (2018) has taken advantage of this and has been providing a playmaking presence on the team with his 21 assists with many projecting him to be a top 60 pick this year.

Kamloops Blazers 47-21-23-1-2-45

Kamloops shipped out a number of their top guys at the deadline with key personnel Garrett Pilon and Ondrej Vala both leaving for Everett. The strength of the U.S. division means that a team stuck in neutral in the B.C. division is a long shot to make the playoffs and Kamloops would have to play lights out down the stretch to even catch a Wild Card spot.

Prince George Cougars 48-18-23-4-3

With Dennis Cholowski (Det) joining the Cougars this summer rather than continue along the college route there was a heightened expectation that was never reached this year. He was impressive scoring 13 goals and 26 assists prior to the trade deadline but could not carry the team. A major hole in the team this season has been scoring with just one player (Josh Maser) with over 20 goals. Nikita Popugaev (NJD), a promising Russian import was expected to lead the line offensively however his commitment to a total team game was lacking, as was his commitment to play in North America as he jumped ship back to Russian after only 13 games. There are a couple of promising youngsters that could hear their names called at the 2018 NHL Entry draft this year including Ilijah Colina, and Jackson Leppard. Leppard is a power forward with a big body and frame that can really shoot the puck, while Colina is a small speedy winger who was in the bottom six in Portland until heading north of the border. Since joining Prince George he has scored 6pts in 9 games in an expanded role with his new team.

***

This season the WHL has two highly competitive divisions and five elite teams in Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Everett, Portland and Kelowna all with a real shot at making the Championship series. The wildcard format is very practical this year, as without it a quality team would be left out of the playoff picture in each Conference. While it is a much debated structure in hockey this season in particular shows the practicality of having potential divisional cross over teams as it ensures that the best 16 teams in the WHL get a shot to go for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, which would not have been the case in a pure divisional playoff structure.

Ryan Chyzowski – McKeen's Hockey

WHL 2019-2020 Season Preview – Eastern Conference

East Division

Winnipeg ICE (1st)

Saskatoon Blades (2nd)

Prince Albert Raiders (3rd)

Brandon Wheat Kings (4th)

Moose Jaw Warriors (5th)

Regina Pats (6th)

Central Division

Calgary Hitmen (1st)

Edmonton Oil Kings (2nd)

Medicine Hat Tigers (3rd)

Lethbridge Hurricanes (4th)

Red Deer Rebels (5th)

Swift Current Broncos (6th)

WHL Playoff Preview (Eastern Conference): Prince Albert dominates but Vancouver hot down the stretch

WHL 2018-19 Season Preview

WHL Playoff Preview: An Eastern Conference arms race and a wide open West.

State of the CHL: The Western Hockey League

The Eastern Conference:

East Division GP-W-L-OTL-SOL-PTS

Moose Jaw Warriors 48-38-7-1-2-79

Swift Current Bronco’s 49-33-12-3-1-70

Brandon Wheat Kings 48-28-15-3-2-61

Regina Pats 49-24-20-5-0-53

Saskatoon Blades 48-23-22-2-1-49

Prince Albert Raiders 47-18-20-7-2-45

Central Division GP-W-L-OTL-SOL-PTS

Medicine Hat Tigers 48-24-19-5-0-53

Lethbridge Hurricanes 47-22-21-4-0-48

Kooteney ICE 47-21-23-3-0-45

Calgary Hitmen 47-15-26-5-1-36

Red Deer Rebels 47-11-25-8-3-33

Edmonton Oil Kings 46-13-27-4-2-32

The Western Conference:

U.S. Division GP-W-L-OTL-SOL-PTS

Everett Silvertips 48-30-16-1-1-62

Portland Winterhawks 47-28-15-1-3-60

Seattle Thunderbirds 47-25-16-4-2-56

Tri-City Americans 46-23-16-7-0-53

Spokane Chiefs 47-25-19-1-2-53