WHL Lethbridge Hurricanes

Canes Alumni Named Stanley Cup Champs

Published on June 10, 2010 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Lethbridge Hurricanes News Release


Lethbridge, AB - The Lethbridge Hurricanes are very proud to congratulate Canes alumni Tomas Kopecky, Brent Seabrook and Kris Versteeg on their Game 6 Stanley Cup victory in Philadelphia. In total, this year's Stanley Cup Champions had 10 former WHL players on their roster, while a total of 15 former WHL players participated in the Cup finals (5 - Philadephia, 10 - Chicago).

Kopecky, a native of Slovakia, totaled 109 regular season games in a Hurricanes jersey over the course of the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons. During that span he tallied 126 points (56 goals, 70 assists) and 146 PIMs while capturing the 00-01 Carl Trentini Memorial Award for the Hurricanes Rookie of the year as well as the Hurricanes Plus/Minus Award and the Hurricanes 3 Stars Award in 01-02. The 6'3", 203-lb forward had four goals and six points in 17 post-season games for the Hawks in the 2010 playoffs.

Tsawwassen, B.C. product Brent Seabrook played four seasons for the Lethbridge Hurricanes from 2001-05 and during that time became the one of the most decorated Hurricanes players of all time. In 264 regular season games, Seabrook posted 39 goals and 176 points. Seabrook was drafted by the Hawks 14th overall in the 2003 NHL Draft and along with Carolina Hurricanes prospect Zach Boychuk (2008), remains the highest drafted Lethbridge Hurricanes player of all time. In 01-02, Seabrook won the Carl Trentini Memorial Award (Hurricanes Rookie of the Year), the 03-04 Hurricanes Most Popular Player Award as voted by the fans and the 04-05 Harry Ingarfield Memorial Award for the Hurricanes MVP. He was also the three time winner of the Hurricanes Top Defenseman Award (02-03, 03-04, 04-05) and is also the Hurricanes only three year captain (02-03, 03-04, 04-05) in club history. Seabrook partnered with Norris trophy nominee and former Kelowna Rocket Duncan Keith to form one of the NHL's best defensive duos through the 2009-10 season and played integral minutes in the Blackhawks 22 post season games.

Versteeg, a Lethbridge, AB, native, played four seasons in the WHL - his first three with his hometown Hurricanes - notching a career-best 22 goals and 52 points during the 2004-05 season. In 2003-04 he tied Florida Panthers prospect Nick Tarnasky for the team scoring title before being drafted in the fifth round, 134th overall in the 2004 NHL Draft. Versteeg, a Calder trophy nominee in 08-09 for the NHL's Rookie of the Year finished the 2010 Playoffs with 14 points (6G, 8A) and a pair of game winning goals.

The Hurricanes would like to congratulate all three of these players on this extraordinary accomplishment and wish them all the best in their promising careers.

The WHL continues to be one of the World's top development Leagues for supplying talent to the National Hockey League. Over 21% of all players who played at least one game in the NHL during the 2009-10 regular season are WHL graduates.

Former WHL Players playing for the Chicago Blackhawks Marian Hossa (Portland) Dustin Byfuglien (Brandon, Prince George) Kris Versteeg (Lethbridge, Kamloops, Red Deer) Tomas Kopecky (Lethbridge) Troy Brouwer (Moose Jaw) Andrew Ladd (Calgary) Colin Fraser (Red Deer) Brent Seabrook (Lethbridge) Duncan Keith (Kelowna) Brent Sopel (Saskatoon, Swift Current).

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Western Hockey League Stories from June 10, 2010


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