1997 Western Hockey League All-Star Game
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Coaches: Brent Peterson, Portland; Mike Babcock, Spokane
General manager: Ken Hodge, Portland
Andrew Ference
Defenseman (44)
Portland Winter Hawks
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 170
Hometown: Sherwood Park, Alberta
NHL affiliation: Eligible for June draft.
Notable: Youngest player in the game (birthdate is March 17, 1979).
Martin Cerven
Center (15)
Seattle Thunderbirds
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 200
Hometown: Trencin, Slovakia
NHL affiliation: Edmonton Oilers (7th round, ‘95).
Notable: Only European on West roster, Cerven is a favorite in Spokane. Traded by the Chiefs last January to Seattle for Jan Hrdina.
John Cirjak
Center (21)
Spokane Chiefs
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 180 Hometown: Burnaby, B.C.
NHL affiliation: Colorado Avalanche (6th round, ‘95).
Notable: Spokane scoring leader, Cirjak is best in a big game. Could be a force in all-star game format.
Brian Boucher
Goaltender (1)
Tri-City Americans Ht: 6-2 Wt: 190
Hometown: Woonsocket, R.I.
NHL affiliation: Philadelphia Flyers (1st round, ‘95).
Notable: The 22nd pick of the ‘95 draft, Boucher started for U.S. junior national team that last month won the silver medal at the World Junior Tournament.
Hugh Hamilton
Defenseman (3)
Spokane Chiefs
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 170
Hometown: Leask, Saskatchewan
NHL affiliation: Hartford Whalers (5th round, ‘95).
Notable: Key player in Team Canada’s gold medal-winning effort at the World Junior Tournament.
Brad Isbister
Right wing (18)
Portland Winter Hawks
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 180
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
NHL affiliation: Phoenix Coyotes (3rd round, ‘95).
Notable: Started the season in the NHL. Made an immediate impact upon his return to the WHL with his fourth career hat trick.
Scott King
Center (10)
Kelowna Rockets
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 180
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
NHL affiliation: Eligible for June draft.
Notable: Played last year at Boston University. Currently on the injured list. Replaced on the West roster by Shawn McNeil of Kamloops.
Patrick Marleau
Center (12)
Seattle Thunderbirds
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 180
Hometown: Aneroid, Saskatchewan
NHL affiliation: Eligible for June draft.
Notable: Skilled and motivated, Marleau (only 17) is one of junior hockey’s explosive forwards.
Donnie Kinney
Center (17)
Kamloops Blazers
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 175
Hometown: Regina, Saskatchewan
NHL affiliation: Undrafted.
Notable: Iron man. Has played in 103 straight regular-season games. Ranks 36th all-time on Blazers’ list of games played.
Zenith Komarniski
Defenseman (5)
Tri-City Americans
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 170
Hometown: Vegreville, Alberta
NHL affiliation: Vancouver Canucks (3rd round, ‘96).
Notable: Went down to the last cut in training camp last month with Team Canada.
Trent Whitfield
Center (14)
Spokane Chiefs
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 175
Hometown: Alameda, Saskatchewan
NHL affiliation: Boston Bruins (4th round, ‘96).
Notable: Key to Spokane’s late-season hope. Serious ankle injury coincided with Chiefs’ first-half fall from first to third.
Joel Kwiatkowski
Defenseman (4)
Prince George Cougars
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 188
Hometown: Ft. Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan
NHL affiliation: Dallas Stars (8th round, ‘96).
Notable: Only member of the Prince George Cougars to make the all-star squad.
Joel Tetarenko
Defenseman (6)
Portland Winter Hawks
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 200
Hometown: St. Louis, Saskatchewan
NHL affiliation: Florida Panthers (4th round, ‘96).
Notable: Played in all but one regular-season game a year ago. Leader of Portland’s superb corps of blue-liners.
Brendan Morrow
Left wing (29)
Portland Winter Hawks
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 210
Hometown: Carlisle, Saskatchewan
NHL affiliation: Undrafted.
Notable: With Robinson flanked by Isbister and Morrow, Portland has the WHL’s most potent line.
Randy Perry
Defenseman (23)
Seattle Thunderbirds
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 190
Hometown: Spruce Grove, Alberta
NHL affiliation: Undrafted.
Notable: Only 20-year-old on the West squad, Perry is having a career year after spending his first four seaons in Lethbridge.
Randy Petruk
Goaltender (35)
Kamloops Blazers
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 170
Hometown: Cranbrook, British Columbia
NHL affiliation: Colorado Avalanche (4th round, ‘96).
Notable: Lone returning player from last year’s all-star game, Petruk is one of the league’s top 18-year-old goalies.
Todd Robinson
Center (19)
Portland Winter Hawks
Ht: 5-8 Wt: 146
Hometown: Trail, British Columbia
NHL affiliation: Undrafted.
Notable: WHL rookie of the year in ‘95, Robinson’s skills rank with the best. Only knock is his size.
Derek Schutz
Center (25)
Spokane Chiefs
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 177
Hometown: Yorkton, Saskatchewan
NHL affiliation: Eligible for June draft.
Notable: Youngest of Spokane’s five all-stars at 17, Schutz is expected to go in the first two rounds of NHL draft.
Greg Leeb
Left wing (20)
Spokane Chiefs
Ht: 5-9 Wt: 150
Hometown: Red Deer, Alberta
NHL affiliation: Undrafted.
Notable: Alternate captain in Spokane, Leeb scores highlight-film goals while driving the opposition to distraction.
Tyler Willis
Right wing (9)
Seattle Thunderbirds
Ht: 5-7 Wt: 150
Hometown: Princeton, British Columbia
NHL affiliation: Vancouver Canucks (8th round, ‘95).
Notable: Credited by coach Don Nachbaur as the driving force in T-Birds’ strong first half.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Coach: Parry Shockey, Lethbridge.
General manager: Bryan Maxwell, Lethbridge.
Derek Morris
Defenseman (10)
Regina Pats
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 190
Hometown: Sylvan Lake, Alberta
NHL affiliation: Calgary Flames (1st round, ‘96).
Notable: Among the top five in WHL scoring by a D-man, Morris was 13th player to go in last year’s NHL draft.
Brad Larsen
Left wing (23)
Swift Current Broncos
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 175
Hometown: Trail, British Columbia
NHL affiliation: Ottawa Senators (3rd round, ‘95).
Notable: Captained Team Canada at the WJT.
Brian Elder
Goaltender (30)
Brandon Wheat Kings
Ht: 6-0. Wt: 175.
Hometown: Oaklake, Manitoba
NFL affiliation: Phoenix Coyotes (5th round, ‘95).
Notable: Only 20-year-old on the Eastern Conference squad. December’s goaltender of the month.
Cory Sarich
Defenseman (22)
Saskatoon Blades
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 175
Hometown: Bladsworth, Sask.
NHL affiliation: Buffalo Sabres (2nd round, ‘96).
Notable: The 27th pick of last June’s NHL draft, Sarich was his team’s scholastic player of the year last season.
Kelly Smart
Center (7)
Brandon Wheat Kings
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 165
Hometown: McAuley, Manitoba
NHL affiliation: Undrafted.
Notable: In the WHL’s top 10 in points.
Stefan Cherneski
Left wing (25)
Brandon Wheat Kings
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 185
Hometown: Thompson, Manitoba
NHL affiliation: Undrafted.
Notable: One of five Wheat Kings in this game who keyed Brandon’s run to ‘96 WHL championship.
Travis Brigley
Left wing (15)
Lethbridge Hurricanes
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 180
Hometown: Lethbridge, Alberta
NHL affiliation: Calgary Flames (2nd round, ‘96).
Notable: In fourth season with hometown club. The 39th pick of last year’s NHL draft.
Arron Asham
Center (8)
Red Deer Rebels
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 160
Hometown: Portage, Manitoba
NHL affiliation: Montreal (3rd round, ‘96).
Notable: WHL player of the week in the first seven days of October.
Byron Ritchie
Center (9)
Lethbridge Hurricanes
Ht: 5-10 Wt: 165
Hometown: North Delta, B.C.
NHL affiliation: Hartford Whalers (7th round, ‘95).
Notable: Played in last year’s all-star game during 106-point season.
Sergei Varlamov
Center (29)
Swift Current Broncos
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 167
Hometown: Kiev, Ukraine
NHL affiliation: Eligible for June draft.
Notable: Eastern Conference player of the week for the last week of November.
Josh Holden
Center (21)
Regina Pats
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 170
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
NHL affiliation: Vancouver Canucks (1st round, ‘96).
Notable: The 12th pick of the NHL draft after scoring 57 goals a year ago.
Peter Schaefer
Left wing (27)
Brandon Wheat Kings
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 187
Hometown: Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan
NHL affiliation: Vancouver Canucks (3rd round, ‘95).
Notable: Schaefer registered 108 points last year.
Dmitri Nabokov
Center (28)
Regina Pats
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 209
Hometown: Novosibirsk, Russia
NHL affiliation: Chicago Black Hawks (1st round, ‘95).
Notable: Had a league-high 10-game goal-scoring streak. Has nearly twice as many points as games played.
Justin Kurtz
Defenseman (17)
Brandon Wheat Kings
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 185
Hometown: Winnipeg.
NHL affiliation: Phoenix Coyotes (4th round, ‘95).
Notable: A second team East/Central Division all-star last year, Kurtz played in last year’s all-star game.
Shane Willis
Right wing (20)
Prince Albert Raiders
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 174
Hometown: Sylvan Lake, Alberta
NHL affiliation: Tampa Bay Lightning (3rd round, ‘95).
Notable: The 56th player in the ‘95 draft, Willis has an impressive resume that includes a gold medal at the WJT with Team Canada and an appearance in last year’s all-star game.
Chris Phillips
Defenseman (6)
Prince Albert Raiders
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 204
Hometown: Fort McMurray, Alberta
NHL affiliation: First pick in last year’s NHL draft (Ottawa Senators).
Notable: WHL rookie of the year last season. With Tri-City’s Boucher, the hottest topic in this week’s trade rumor mill.
B.J. Young
Right wing (19)
Red Deer Rebels
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 185
Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska
NHL affiliation: Undrafted.
Notable: Only U.S.-born player on Eastern Conference squad. Scored a goal for the Americans in 4-4 tie with Team Canada at the WJT.
Jesse Wallin
Defenseman (5)
Red Deer Rebels
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 175
Hometown:North Battleford, Sask.
NHL affiliation: Detroit Red Wings (1st round, ‘96).
Notable: The 26th selection of the ‘96 draft, Wallin is one of five first-round NHL draft picks on the Eastern Conference squad.
Ryan Hoople
Goaltender (1)
Lethbridge Hurricanes
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 175
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
NHL affiliation: Undrafted.
Notable: Cooled off some after a great start. WHL’s October goaltender of the month.
Mike McBain
Defenseman (2)
Red Deer Rebels
Ht: 6-1 Wt: 180
Hometown: Kimberley, B.C.
NHL affiliation: Tampa Bay Lightning (2nd round, ‘95).
Notable: Although his hometown is Kimberley, McBain - in his fourth year with Red Deer - played with silvermedal-winning U.S. junior team at the WJT.