The WHL Eastern Conference All-Stars team was selected by a panel of three WHL General Managers from teams which had the best record at the 30 game mark in the 2001-02 WHL schedule. The selection committee consisted of Brent Sutter of the Red Deer Rebels, Brad McEwen of the Swift Current Broncos and Kelly McCrimmon of the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Brent Sutter of the Red Deer Rebels has been named head coach while Brad McEwen of the Swift Current Broncos and Dallas Gaume of the Red Deer Rebels will serve as assistant coaches.
“There were some tough decisions to be made but with the group of players that were chosen we feel that our conference will be represented very well, ” stated Brent Sutter, Head Coach of the WHL’s Eastern Conference All-Star Team.
The team includes the current top three WHL scorers, Nathan Barrett, Lethbridge Hurricanes (1st – 68 Pts), Tyler Beechey, Calgary Hitmen (Tied 2nd – 59 Pts) and Matt Hubbauer, Regina Pats (Tied 4th – 57 Pts). Leading the defence will be Ian White of the Swift Current Broncos, the Western Hockey League’s leading scoring defencemen with 52 points. Also included on the team are four members of Canada’s Silver Medal National Junior Team (Jay Bouwmeester, Medicine Hat Tigers; Garth Murray, Regina Pats; Nathan Paetsch and Brian Sutherby of the Moose Jaw Warriors).
“The new interlocking all-star game format provides our top players in the Western Hockey League with a rare opportunity to compete against the best the OHL has to offer,” stated Ron Robison, Commissioner of the WHL. “Given the rivalry that exists between our leagues it promises to be a very entertaining game for the fans,” continued Ron Robison.
Proceeds from the Hershey Cup CHL All-Star Series game played in Red Deer will be donated to various charities including the Ron MacLean Foundation and the Sutter Fund, two non-profit organizations involved in various charitable endeavours in Red Deer and throughout Central Alberta.
The Ontario Hockey League also announced today the OHL’s Western Conference All-Stars that will travel to Red Deer to battle the WHL’s Eastern Conference. Included on the team are seven members of Canada’s Silver Medal National Junior Team (Brad Boyes, Erie Otters; Carlo Colaiacova, Erie Otters; Jay Harrison, Brampton Battalion; Rick Nash, London Knights; Steve Ott, Windsor Spitfires; Jason Spezza, Windsor Spitfires and Stephen Weiss, Plymouth Whalers) and two members of Russia’s Gold Medal National Junior Team (Fedor Tjutin, Guelph Storm and Agris Saviels, Owen Sound Attack).
Coaches of the OHL’s Western Conference All-Stars are Peter DeBoer (Head Coach) and Steve Spott of the Kitchener Rangers.
The Hershey Cup CHL All-Star Series is a three-game interlocking series involving the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The OHL’s Eastern Conference All-Stars host the QMJHL’s Lebel Conference All-Stars on Wednesday January 16, 2002 at the Civic Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. The WHL game will be held in Red Deer, Alberta on Wednesday January 23, 2002 with the WHL’s Eastern Conference All-Stars hosting the OHL’s Western Conference All-Stars. The final game of the Hershey Cup CHL All-Star Series will have the QMJHL Dilio Conference All-Stars host the WHL’s Western Conference All-Stars in Rimouski, Quebec on Wednesday, February 6, 2002.
WHL’S EASTERN CONFERENCE
Goaltenders
Garnett, Michael Saskatoon Blades
Harding, Josh Regina Pats
Defencemen
Bouwmeester, Jay Medicine Hat Tigers
Lynch, Doug Red Deer Rebels
Novak, Filip Regina Pats
Paetsch, Nathan Moose Jaw Warriors
White, Ian Swift Current Broncos
Woywitka, Jeff Red Deer Rebels
Forwards
Armstrong, Colby Red Deer Rebels
Barrett, Nathan Lethbridge Hurricanes
Beechey, Tyler Calgary Hitmen
Craig, Ryan Brandon Wheat Kings
Hubbauer, Matt Regina Pats
Jaffray, Jason Swift Current Broncos
Kopecky, Tomas Lethbridge Hurricanes
Murray, Garth Regina Pats
Smith, Nathan Swift Current Broncos
Sutherby, Brian Moose Jaw Warriors
Tootoo, Jordin Brandon Wheat Kings
Watson, Greg Prince Albert Raiders
OHL’S WESTERN CONFERENCE
Goaltenders
Bacashihua, Jason Plymouth Whalers
Emery, Ray S.S. Marie Greyhounds
Defencemen
Colaiacovo, Carlo Erie Otters
Eminger, Steve Kitchener Rangers
Gleason, Tim Windsor Spitfires
Harrison, Jay Brampton Battalion
Saviels, Agris Owen Sound Attack
Tjutin, Fedor Guelph Storm
Forwards
Boyes, Brad Erie Otters
Brown, Dustin Guelph Storm
Jamieson, Dusty Sarnia Sting
Kelly, Brent S.S. Marie Greyhounds
Larose, Chad Plymouth Whalers
Nash, Rick London Knights
Newbury, Kris Sarnia Sting
Ott, Steve Windsor Spitfires
Pecker, Cory Erie Otters
Roy, Derek Kitchener Rangers
Spezza, Jason Windsor Spitfires
Weiss, Stephen Plymouth Whalers
