WHL Awards

Press Release

Calgary, AB - The Western Hockey League announced today the 2008-09 WHL Western Conference First and Second All-Star Teams and the Western Conference Finalists for the 2008-09 WHL Awards. The WHL Player of the Year finalists will be announced on Wednesday, April 15th, 2009.
The WHL Western Conference All-Star Teams are as follows:

WHL WESTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STAR TEAMS

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM
Goaltender – Chet Pickard (Winnipeg, MB), Tri-City Americans
Defenceman – Jonathon Blum (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA), Vancouver Giants *
Defenceman – Thomas Hickey (Calgary, AB), Seattle Thunderbirds
Forward – Casey Pierro-Zabotel (Kamloops, BC), Vancouver Giants *
Forward – Jamie Benn (Victoria, BC), Kelowna Rockets
Forward – Evander Kane (Vancouver, BC), Vancouver Giants

SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM
Goaltender – Dustin Tokarski (Watson, SK), Spokane Chiefs
Defenceman – Tyler Myers (DeWinton, AB), Kelowna Rockets
Defenceman – Brent Regner (Newbrook, AB), Vancouver Giants
Forward – Drayson Bowman (Littleton, CO), Spokane Chiefs
Forward – Colin Long (Santa Ana, CA), Kelowna Rockets
Forward – Taylor Procyshen (Emerald Park, SK), Tri-City Americans
* indicates unanimous selection

The WHL announced the Western Conference Finalists in the following categories.

WHL Rookie of the Year, Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy
Western Conference – Brett Connolly (Prince George, BC), Prince George Cougars

WHL Goaltender of the Year, Del Wilson Trophy
Western Conference – Chet Pickard (Winnipeg, MB), Tri-City Americans

WHL Defenceman of the Year, Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy
Western Conference – Jonathon Blum (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) Vancouver, BC

WHL Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year, Brad Hornung Trophy
Western Conference – Colin Long (Santa Ana, CA), Kelowna Rockets
WHL Scholastic Player of the Year, Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy
Western Conference – Tyler Maxwell (Manhattan Beach, CA) Everett Silvertips

WHL Coach of the Year, Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy
Western Conference – Don Hay, Vancouver Giants

WHL Executive of the Year, Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy
Western Conference – Scott Bonner, Vancouver Giants

WHL Regular Season Champions, Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy
Calgary Hitmen: GP – 72 W – 59 L – 9 OTL – 3 SL – 1 Pts – 122

WHL Top Scorer – Bob Clarke Trophy
Casey Pierro-Zabotel – (Kamloops, BC) Vancouver Giants
GP – 72 G – 36 A – 79 Pts – 115 PIM – 52

The winners of these awards along with the WHL Player of the Year will be announced at the 2008-09 WHL Awards Luncheon in Edmonton, Alberta on Wednesday, April 29th, 2009.

The WHL will announce the Eastern Conference awards finalists at the 2009 Playoff press conference in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on Thursday, March 19th.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)