Spokane Chief forwards Mitch Wahl and Kyle Beach were named to the Western Hockey League’s Western Conference All-Star First Team on Thursday morning and defenseman Jared Spurgeon was named the Conference’s Most Sportsmanlike Player.  Jared Cowen, the Chiefs Captain and John “Hitman” Hern Defenseman of the Year, earned second team WHL All-Star honors.

Details below

Wahl scored 96 points, seventh in the WHL, including 66 assists, third in the WHL. Beach’s 52 goals this season were a career high and led all WHL Players.  His 12 game winning goals were also tops in the league and set a Spokane franchise record. 

Wahl and Beach become the first Chiefs since the 2001-02 season to be named to the WHL All-Star Team after goaltender Barry Brust and defenseman Kurt Sauer earned the honor.  It is the third time that two Chiefs have been named at once and just the second time that a pair of forwards earned the honor.  Forwards Pat Falloon and Ray Whitney were All-Stars in 1990-91.

Spurgeon is a finalist for the WHL’s Brad Hornung Trophy, the honor that goes to the league’s Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year, along with the Moose Jaw Warrior’s Jason Bast from the Eastern Conference. 

Cowen, the 18-year-old Captain of the team, set career highs in all categories, including goals (8), assists (22) and points (30).  His +23 led all Chiefs defensemen.   

The WHL announced the Finalists in the following categories.

WHL Rookie of the Year, Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy

Eastern Conference – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Burnaby, BC), Red Deer Rebels
Western Conference – Shane McColgan (Manhattan, CA), Kelowna Rockets

WHL Goaltender of the Year, Del Wilson Trophy
Eastern Conference – Martin Jones (North Vancouver, BC), Calgary Hitmen

Western Conference – Calvin Pickard (Winnipeg, MB), Seattle Thunderbirds

WHL Defenceman of the Year, Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Michael Stone (Winnipeg, MB), Calgary Hitmen
Western Conference – Tyson Barrie (Victoria, BC), Kelowna Rockets

WHL Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year, Brad Hornung Trophy
Eastern Conference – Jason Bast (Moose Jaw, SK) Moose Jaw Warriors

Western Conference – Jared Spurgeon (Edmonton, AB), Spokane Chiefs

WHL Scholastic Player of the Year, Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Adam Lowry (Calgary, AB) Swift Current Broncos

Western Conference – Spencer Main (North Vancouver, BC) Kelowna Rockets

WHL Coach of the Year, Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Mark Holick, Kootenay Ice
Western Conference –  Craig Hartsburg, Everett Silvertips

WHL Executive of the Year, Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Kelly McCrimmon, Brandon Wheat Kings
Western Conference – Bob Tory, Tri-City Americans

WHL Humanitarian of the Year, Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Matt Fraser (Red Deer, AB) Kootenay Ice
Western Conference – Zack Dailey (Healy, AK) Everett Silvertips

WHL Marketing / Public Relations Award
Eastern Conference – Brandon Wheat Kings, Rick Dillabough
Western Conference – Everett Silvertips, Zoran Rajcic

WHL Regular Season Champions, Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy
Calgary Hitmen:   GP – 72          W – 52      L – 17      OTL – 1      SL – 2  Pts – 107

WHL Top Scorer – Bob Clarke Trophy
Brandon Kozun – (Calgary, AB) Calgary Hitmen GP – 65 G – 32  A – 75 Pts – 107  PIM - 50

 WHL EASTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STAR TEAMS

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM

Goaltender – Martin Jones (North Vancouver, BC), Calgary Hitmen

Defenceman – Michael Stone (Winnipeg, MB), Calgary Hitmen

Defenceman – Brayden McNabb (Davidson, SK), Kootenay Ice

Forward – Jordan Eberle (Regina, SK), Regina Pats *

Forward – Brayden Schenn (Saskatoon, SK), Brandon Wheat Kings

Forward – Brandon Kozun (Calgary, AB), Calgary Hitmen

SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM
Goaltender – Darcy Kuemper (Saskatoon, SK), Red Deer Rebels
Defenceman – Travis Hamonic (St. Malo, MB), Brandon Wheat Kings

Defenceman – Colby Robak (Gilbert Plains, MB), Brandon Wheat Kings
Forward – Dustin Sylvester (Kelowna, BC), Kootenay Ice

Forward – Matt Calvert (Brandon, MB), Brandon Wheat Kings
Forward – Cody Eakin (Winnipeg, MB), Swift Current Broncos

WHL WESTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STAR TEAMS

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM
Goaltender – Calvin Pickard (Winnipeg, MB), Seattle Thunderbirds
Defenceman – Tyson Barrie (Victoria, BC), Kelowna Rockets
Defenceman – Kevin Connauton (Edmonton, AB), Vancouver Giants
Forward – Craig Cunningham (Trail, BC), Vancouver Giants *
Forward – Kyle Beach (Kelowna, BC), Spokane Chiefs      
Forward – Mitch Wahl (Seal Beach, CA), Spokane Chiefs

SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM
Goaltender – Drew Owsley (Lethbridge, AB), Tri-City Americans
Defenceman – Jared Cowen (Allan, SK), Spokane Chiefs
Defenceman – Radko Gudas (Kladno, Czech Rep.), Everett Silvertips

Forward – Shane Harper (Valencia, CA), Everett Silvertips

Forward – Nino Niederreiter (Chur, SUI), Portland Winterhawks

Forward – Prab Rai (Surrey, BC), Seattle Thunderbirds 

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