Courtesy CHL Prospects Hockey:


2010-11 WHL Mid-Season Review: Eastern Conference



Having played roughly half of their regular season schedules, and it's time to take a look at how the season has shaped up so far.

In the WHL Eastern Conference, the top teams have started to separate themselves from the pack while a number of Clubs remain in the thick of the race for playoff spots.

Can the Saskatoon Blades continue their run at the top of the East Division and Eastern Conference standings? Who will emerge from the Central Division battle between the Rebels, Ice and Tigers? Can the Moose Jaw Warriors continue their surge up the standings? These questions will be answered through the second half of the 2010-11 WHL season.

Here’s a look at the WHL’s Eastern Conference teams through the 2010-11 season’s first half:

WHL EASTERN CONFERENCE

East Division

Brandon Wheat Kings
2010-11 record: 38gp 13-20-1-4, 31pts (5th in Div., 10th in Conf.) GF: 119 GA: 138
Top Scorers:
Mark Stone 37gp-18g-27a-45pts
Scott Glennie 36gp-14g-28a-42pts
Shayne Wiebe 38gp-17g-10a-27pts

Although the Wheat Kings came out of the gate strong with four straight wins to start the season, a pair of lengthy losing skids – one nine-game and one 11-game losing streak – has put the defending East Division champs behind in the race for a playoff spot. Mark Stone has emerged as an offensive leader for the Wheat Kings, pacing the team in goals and points, while sophomores Michael Ferland and Brenden Walker have taken on bigger roles with the club, as well. The Wheat Kings have given up the third-most goals in the Eastern Conference. Tightening up their 20th-ranked penalty killing unit will be a key in helping the team improve defensively as they look to make a push up the East Division standings in the second half of the season.

Moose Jaw Warriors
2010-11 record: 36gp 21-13-0-2, 44pts (2nd in Div., 5th in Conf.) GF: 131 GA: 120
Top Scorers:
Dylan Hood 35pg-17g-26a-43pts
Quinton Howden 29gp-22g-18a-40pts
Spencer Edwards 35gp-14g-20a-34pts

The Warriors started the slow this season, going 4-8-0-1 through their first 13 contests. Yet, the team has managed to turn their fortunes around and become one of the top teams over the last two months, posting a solid 17-5-0-1 record since October 27th. Led by Florida Panthers prospect Quinton Howden, the Warriors boast the third-best offense in the Eastern Conference and the 6th-ranked power play in the League. Currently, the Warriors have five players with 30 or more points, indicative of the team’s solid offensive depth. On the back end, 16-year-old defenseman Morgan Rielly has been a revelation in his first season, adding an offensive spark from the blue line. The Warriors have a tough second-half schedule with 23 of their remaining 37 games on the road.

Prince Albert Raiders
2010-11 record: 37gp 14-19-2-2, 32pts (4th in Div., 8th in Conf.) GF: 119 GA: 147
Top Scorers:
Jonathan Parker 37gp-22g-21a-43pts
Mark McNeill 37gp-17g-23a-40pts
Brandon Herrod 36gp-15g-17a-32pts

The Raiders’ first half has seen ups and downs, but ended with them holding down the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Offensively, the Raiders have been led by veterans Jonathan Parker and Brandon Herrod, and sophomore star Mark McNeill. Parker scored just two goals in 29 games for the Raiders last year, but has already racked up 22 tallied this season. McNeill is solidifying his case as one of the WHL’s top NHL draft-eligible prospects. Losing veteran Igor Revenko to a knee injury has hurt the Raiders’ attack. Defensively, the Raiders have surrendered the second-most goals in the WHL. Ryan Button and Co. will need to shore up their defensive play and improve upon their 17th-ranked penalty killing unit if they are to stay among the top eight in the Conference. Rookie goaltender Eric Williams has performed admirably, establishing himself as one of the top young netminders in the League.

Regina Pats
2010-11 record: 37gp 11-20-5-1, 28pts (6th in Div., 11th in Conf.) GF: 122 GA: 167
Top Scorers:
Jordan Weal 37gp-18g-30a-49pts
Brandon Davidson 37gp-5g-24a-29pts
Colin Reddin 37gp-7g-18a-25pts

The Pats have endured a difficult first half of the season, and currently find themselves out of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. Offensively, Jordan Weal has carried the bulk of the scoring and is averaging better than a point-per-game. Aside from Weal, only defenseman Myles Bell and team captain Garrett Mitchell have reached the 10-goal mark. Having traded veteran point producers Carter Ashton and Thomas Frazee indicates the Pats have an eye on getting younger and building for the future. Defensively, the Pats have surrendered the most goals of any WHL team, and own the WHL’s 21st-ranked penalty killing unit. Bell has established himself as a top prospect for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft with his strong two-way play while fellow sophomore Brandon Davidson has also been strong at both ends of the rink.

Saskatoon Blades
2010-11 record: 35gp 26-8-0-1, 53pts (1st in Div., 1st in Conf.) GF: 128 GA: 106
Top Scorers:
Josh Nicholls 34gp-16g-27a-43pts
Curtis Hamilton 31gp-15g-27a-42pts
Marek Viedensky 29gp-14g-22a-36pts

The Blades have enjoyed a terrific first half of the 2010-11 WHL season, entering the holiday break tied for first place in the overall WHL standings while boasting a comfortable 11-point lead for first place in the East Division. Led by Edmonton Oilers prospect Curtis Hamilton, the Blades boast five players with 14 or more goals and eight players with 20 or more points. Sophomore Duncan Siemens has shown star potential while Chris Collins and Jake Trask have added good offensive depth since coming to the Blades in early-season trades. Improving their 18th-ranked power play would make them even more of a formidable opponent. Defensively, the Blades have been very solid, having surrendered the fourth-fewest goals in the Eastern Conference. Stefan Elliott and Duncan Siemens head up a defense corps that is a combined +68 this season. Elliott leads all WHL rearguards with 14 goals. Goaltenders Adam Morrison and Steven Stanford form perhaps the best netminding tandem in the WHL, with Stanford boasting an outstanding 17-2 record this season. If the Blades keep on their current path, they should be right in the mix for the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as the League’s best regular-season team at season’s end.

Swift Current Broncos
2010-11 record: 40gp 19-20-0-1, 39pts (3rd in Div., 6th in Conf.) GF: 104 GA: 122
Top Scorers:
Justin Dowling 40gp-12g-31a-43pts
Cody Eakin 30gp-18g-21a-39pts
Brad Hoban 39gp-13g-15a-28pts

The Broncos have endured their ups and downs through the 2010-11 WHL season’s first half, but currently find themselves in the thick of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference. Up front, the usual suspects – Justin Dowling and Cody Eakin – have led the Broncos’ offense, with the pair combining for 30 goals and 82 points. While Brad Hoban, Stepan Novotny and Killian Hutt have all topped the 10-goal mark, the secondary production drops off after that. Defensively, the Broncos boast the second-best goals-against per game in the East Division and own the League’s second-ranked penalty killing unit. Getting a bit more offensive production from the blue line that has generated just seven goals this season would greatly help the team’s attack. Mark Friesen has been a workhorse in the Broncos’ net, appearing in 36 of 39 games while posting solid numbers.


Central Division

Calgary Hitmen
2010-11 record: 36gp 10-24-2-0, 22pts (6th in Div., 12th in Conf.) GF: 90 GA: 135
Top Scorers:
Justin Kirsch 34gp-16g-8a-24pts
Kris Foucault 30gp-12g-11a-23pts
Misha Fisenko 33gp-4g-18a-22pts

The 2010 WHL Champions have endured a trying first half to the 2010-11 season, and currently find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. A big reason the Hitmen have struggled is their difficulty generating offense. One of the highest scoring teams over the last two seasons, the Hitmen have managed a WHL-low 89 goals this season, despite a power play that ranks 11th in the League. Sophomore Justin Kirsch has shown an offensive flair, scoring a team-best 15 goals, while Kris Foucault has picked up his offensive play recently. Those two, however, are among just five Hitmen skaters with more than five goals this season. Defensively, the Hitmen have been better, but still rank among the bottom five teams in goals-against. Improving their 19th-ranked penalty killing unit would help the team tighten up their goals-against. Goaltenders Michael Snider, Brandon Glover and Juraj Holly have all been given the opportunity to take on the starting job. However, consistency has eluded all three thus far.

Edmonton Oil Kings
2010-11 record: 35gp 17-16-0-2, 36pts (4th in Div., 7th in Conf.) GF: 113 GA: 115
Top Scorers:
Michael St. Croix 35gp-19g-26a-45pts
Jordan Hickmott 35gp-18g-18a-36pts
Dylan Wruck 34gp-15g-16a-34pts

The first half of the 2010-11 WHL season has seen the Oil Kings win and lose in bunches, with the team enjoying a couple of five-game win streaks while also enduring a lengthy nine-game slide in mid-October. Dynamic sophomore Michael St. Croix has led a much-improved offense. He, along with fellow 17-year-old Dylan Wruck and veteran Jordan Hickmott, has become a go-to guy for scoring. However, the team also has good offensive depth with 12 players boasting more than 10 points. Defensively, the Oil Kings are among the better Eastern Conference teams, despite a penalty killing unit that ranks 18th in the WHL. 16-year-old rookie Griffin Reinhart has shown plenty of star potential in his first season on the blue line for the Oil Kings. Goaltender Jon Groenheyde has been very strong since coming over to the team from Kamloops in November. If the Oil Kings can maintain the level of play they have been at since mid-November, they have a good chance at earning their second post-season berth.

Kootenay Ice
2010-11 record: 37gp 24-10-1-2, 51pts (1st in Div., 2nd in Conf.) GF: 131 GA: 99
Top Scorers:
Kevin King 33gp-15g-24a-39pts
Max Reinhart 37gp-18g-16a-34pts
Matt Fraser 36gp-14g-19a-33pts

The Ice have enjoyed a strong first half, and closed out the pre-holiday portion of the schedule as the Central Division leader. Sporting the Eastern Conference’s fourth-best offense and the third-best defense, the Ice have been good at both ends of the rink, so far. 18-year-old Max Reinhart started to heat up recently, scoring nine goals and 16 points in 10 games leading up to the break. Kootenay has demonstrated good offensive depth with eight players having 20 or more points. Defensively, only the Red Deer Rebels have been tighter than Kootenay. The Ice have given up just 96 goals, and own the League’s seventh-ranked penalty killing unit. Led by veteran Brayden McNabb, Kootenay’s defense corps is a combined +55. McNabb has also put up 27 points in just 24 games, putting him among the WHL’s leaders in scoring by defensemen. Goaltender Nathan Lieuwen has been among the League’s top netminders this season, notching 16 wins and a 2.26 GAA.

Lethbridge Hurricanes
2010-11 record: 35gp 12-16-2-5, 31pts (5th in Div., 9th in Conf.) GF: 101 GA: 132
Top Scorers:
Cam Braes 34gp-14g-12a-26pts
Mitch Maxwell 35gp-10g-16a-26pts
Austin Fyten 19gp-12g-10a-22pts

The ‘Canes have seen some improvement from this time last season, and currently find themselves just one point out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Up front, the ‘Canes have had difficulties generating offense. 17-year-old Russian rookie Alex Kuvaev has shown some good offensive flair. Austin Fyten has averaged better than a point per game, but has spent time on the injured list. Improving their 22nd-ranked power play will be important if the ‘Canes want to make a playoff push. Defensively, the Hurricanes have given up 31 more goals than they have scored this season, but own a penalty killing unit that ranks among the WHL’s top 10. The ‘Canes could use more offense from their defensemen, who have generated just seven goals this season. The Hurricanes have seen 12 of their games decided in overtime, with nine of those going to a shootout.

Medicine Hat Tigers
2010-11 record: 35gp 23-10-2-0, 48pts (3rd in Div., 4th in Conf.) GF: 131 GA: 98
Top Scorers:
Linden Vey 33gp-23g-32a-55pts
Wacey Hamilton 35gp-10g-30a-40pts
Emerson Etem 32gp-21g-14a-35pts

The Tigers find themselves among the top teams in the Eastern Conference at the 2010-11 WHL season’s halfway mark, and right in the mix for first place in the Central Division and Eastern Conference. Linden Vey leads a Tigers attack that currently averages the most goals per game among Eastern Conference teams and owns the WHL’s eighth-ranked power play. 16-year-old rookie Hunter Shinkaruk has produced offense in his first season in the WHL, adding depth to an already talented forward group. Defensively, the Tigers are also among the WHL’s best. The team sits tied for fifth in goals-against and boasts the sixth-ranked power play. The Tigers’ defense corps, led by veteran Jace Coyle, is a combined +60 while Tyler Bunz ranks among the WHL’s top netminders in GAA and save percentage.

Red Deer Rebels
2010-11 record: 37gp 23-10-1-3, 50pts (2nd in Div., 3rd in Conf.) GF: 123 GA: 85
Top Scorers:
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 35gp-10g-37a-47pts
Andrej Kudrna 33gp-17g-22a-39pts
Byron Froese 37gp-15g-23a-38pts

The Rebels put forth a very strong first half to the 2010-11 WHL campaign, and find themselves battling for the top position in the Central Division and Eastern Conference standings. Offensively, the Rebels are in the middle of the pack and own the WHL’s 8th-ranked power play. Top NHL draft prospect Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is among the WHL’s top playmakers, leading the League in assists, while Chicago Blackhawks prospect Byron Froese has fit in nicely in his first season with the team. The Rebels’ bread and butter this season has been their defense and goaltending. The Rebels have allowed the fewest goals of any WHL team, and own the second-ranked penalty killing unit. 16-year-old Matt Dumba has made a big impact in his first season, scoring nine goals while proving to be one of the League’s more punishing hitters. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper is enjoying an outstanding season, leading all WHL netminders in almost every statistical category. Kuemper has surrendered three or more goals just eight times in 32 appearances this season.
© Canadian Hockey League 2010

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