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 start with the Eastern Conference.
Eastern Conference First Team:
Forwards: Trey Fix-Wolansky (Edmonton Oil Kings), Tristin Langan (Moose Jaw Warriors) and Brett Leason (Prince Albert Raiders)
-Some may have thought that the Columbus Blue Jackets were reaching a bit when they took Fix-Wolansky in the seventh round last June. Instead they were so transfixed with the 1999-born diminutive winger that they have already signed him. He piled up 37 goals and 65 assists for 102 points in 65 games which is a good 40 points more than any of his teammates. Any time Edmonton needed a big goal. it was a safe bet that Fix-Wolansky would either be scoring it or setting it up.
-Langan was often overlooked last season on a team that had WHL scoring leader Jayden Halbgewachs and Brayden Burke piling up the points. This season he had a coming out party with 113 points in 67 games, just one off the WHL lead. His 53 goals and 60 assists were key in keeping the Warriors in the hunt this season, after losing so many prolific players off of last season’s Scott Munro trophy winning team.
-Leason had an incredible run to start the season. His 30-game point streak to kick the 2018-19 campaign blew the minds of WHL fans. He went on to a starring role with Hockey Canada’s World Juniors team and once back with the Raiders, the twice overlooked in the NHL draft Leason, is now getting projected to be taken in the first round come June. Leason and the Raiders locked up the best record in the WHL and his 89 points led the way.
Defensemen: Josh Brook (Moose Jaw) and Dawson Davidson (Saskatoon Blades)
-Montreal Canadiens signed defenseman Brook tied for the lead in the WHL in points from the back end with 75 points in only 59 games. The right-handed blue liner more than doubled his output from the season prior and his 1.27 points-per-game is good for 14th among all skaters in the league.
-Davidson was the other blue liner with 75 points. The overage defenseman bounced around Kamloops and Regina before ending up in Saskatoon at the trade deadline as part of Regina trading for Libor Hajek. The combination of Davidson and new head coach Mitch Love has been a great one as he has put up a plus-27 while going form 0.63 points=per-game last season to 1.10.
Goalie: Ian Scott (Prince Albert)
-While Leason’s great start to the 2018-19 season drew a lot of attention, the play of his goaltender flew under the radar. Scott put up a 1.83 GAA and 0.932 save percentage to help him to an incredible 38-8-1-2 record. The former first round WHL pick and Toronto Maple Leafs fourth round choice has realized the potential he showed at times over the past few seasons and no matter how the team played in front of him, he gave them a chance to notch one of their WHL-leading win total.
Eastern Conference Second Team:
Forwards: Justin Almeida (Moose Jaw), Brandon Hagel (Red Deer Rebels) and Stelio Mattheos (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Defense: Calen Addison (Lethbridge) and Jett Woo (Moose Jaw)
Goalie: Nolan Maier (Saskatoon)
Eastern Conference Third Team:
Forwards: Nick Henry (Lethbridge Hurricanes), Noah Gregor (Prince Albert) and Dylan Cozens (Lethbridge)
Defense: Brayden Pachal (Prince Albert) and Egor Zamula (Calgary Hitmen)
Goalie: Mads Sogaard (Medicine Hat Tigers)
