Brian Liesse

2019 DUBNetwork WHL Awards: Western Conference First, Second and Third Teams

It’s that time of year again folks. The 2018-19 regular season has concluded and our team at DUBNetwork has watched a ton of games.

I reached out to our beat writers and those associated with the site and had them votes on a variety of categories, just like we did a season ago.

Today we reveal our first, second and third all-star teams for both conferences. First we did the Eastern Conference. Now we continue with the Western Conference.

Western Conference First Team:

Forwards: Joachim Blichfeld (Portland Winterhawks), Connor Dewar (Everett Silvertips) and Cody Glass (Portland)

Joachim Blichfeld (Photo: Portland Winterhawks/Matthew Wolfe)

-The Winterhawks were handed some unexpected news in September when the San Jose Sharks decided they did not want Blichfeld to play in the AHL as a 20-year-old. Blichfeld came back and together with Glass torched the WHL. Blichfeld piled up a league-high 114 points in 68 games. He also tied for the WHL lead with 53 goals. His one-timer has haunted goaltenders all season. His overage season was so strong that he matched the previous two seasons point totals in just one year.

-Dewar may have been overlooked as a Bantam Draft pick but has developed into an elite player who just never takes a game off. Dewar had 36 goals and 45 assists for 81 points in 59 games. He was head coach Dennis Williams’ Swiss army knife on the ice as he carried the offense, while making life tough for the best offensive players on the opponent. With Riley Sutter missing most of the last half of the season, Dewar carried a lot of the load and played more as a center. His overall play is a key reason the Silvertips again were able to take home the U.S. Division crown.

Connor Dewar (Chris Mast)

-Glass may just have taken the WHL MVP this season but for missing nearly half the season. In just 38 games, the Vegas Golden Knights first round pick put up 54 points. His 1.82 points-per-game led the entire WHL by a good 0.09 margin. Despite missing 30 games, he was 10th in the league in assists. His name being on this list is a sign of how dominant he was in the time he was on the ice this WHL season.

Defensemen: Bowen Byram (Vancouver Giants) and Ty Smith (Spokane Chiefs)

Bowen Byram (photo-Chris Relke)

-Byram has had one of the better seasons by a 17-year-old in recent history in the WHL. He set the mark for most overtime goals in the league with six and set the franchise mark for goals by a blue liner with 29. The smooth skating d-man was all over the place and his activation into the play when the ice opened up was just amazing to watch. Whenever the Giants needed a big goal, they looked back to their blue line where the B.C. native was waiting ready to pounce.

-Smith meanwhile provided the Chiefs with a little bit of everything. The New Jersey Devils first round pick very nearly made the team out of training camp and came back to the Chiefs to put up 62 assists and 69 points. That assist number was good for tops among all blue liners and fourth most in the whole WHL. The incredible Chiefs power play needs Smith to run, as shown by his 31 power play points.

Goalie: Dustin Wolf (Everett)

-Two-Sixths of the first team this year in the Western Conference is made up of players born in 2001. That is more than the number of overage players. Wolf ran away with the first team nomination in the Western Conference and leads the WHL in a large number of categories. He put up a 1.69 GAA, 0.936 save percentage and 41 wins – all leading the way. In just 81 career WHL games played, the young Wolf already has 11 shutouts, including seven this season.

Western Conference Second Team: 

Forwards: Davis Koch (Vancouver), Parker AuCoin (Tri-City Americans) and Jaret Anderson-Dolan (Spokane)

Defense: Wyatte Wylie (Everett) and Scott Walford (Victoria Royals)

Goalie: Trent Miner (Vancouver)

Western Conference Third Team: 

Forwards: Matthew Wedman (Seattle Thunderbirds), Riley Woods (Spokane) and Bryce Kindopp (Everett)

Defense: Nolan Reid (Spokane) and Aaron Hyman (Tri-City)

Goalie: Beck Warm (Tri-City)