WHL Western Hockey League

WHL Graduates Represent 100% of Canada West Hockey All-Stars

February 20, 2008 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


The Western Hockey League is proud to announce that all 17 players named to the 2007-08 Canada West Hockey All-Star teams, by the Canada West University Athletic Association, are WHL graduates. Of the 17 WHL graduates named all-stars, 14 are currently utilizing Western Canada's Premier Hockey Scholarship, a combination of the guaranteed WHL Scholarship and additional financial assistance provided by each individual Canada West Men's Hockey University.

Prince George Cougar alumnus and current University of Alberta Golden Bear forward Eric Hunter was amongst the 17 WHL graduates announced as a Canada West Hockey All-Star. Hunter was the only player to be named to a Canada West All-Star team (2nd) and to the All-Freshman team. Among the six players named 1st Team All-Star is WHL graduate and Canada West Conference leading goaltender (2.11 GAA), Jeff Harvey of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

Six of seven conference teams are represented on the 2007-08 Canada West Hockey all-star teams that were announced by the conference on Wednesday, February 20, 2008.

The University of Alberta Golden Bears, who finished first in the conference regular season standings lead the way with six players selected to the conference's three post-season teams, while the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds have four selections. The University of Calgary Dinos add three players to the all-star teams, while the University of Manitoba Bisons and University of Saskatchewan Huskies each have two selections and the University of Regina Cougars one. The University of Lethbridge Pronghorns, who had four players selected to the 2006-07 conference all-star teams, was the lone team without a player selected.

The Canada West Hockey first and second all-star teams and all-freshman team were selected by a vote of the seven Canada West Hockey coaches.

Jeff Harvey of the Saskatchewan Huskies was named the first team goaltender and was joined by defencemen Harlan Anderson of Alberta and Brad Zanon of British Columbia. The forward line was composed of Calgary's Jared Aulin, Mason Wallin of Saskatchewan and Alberta's Ian McDonald.

Harvey led Canada West Hockey in both goals-against average and save percentage with a 2.19 GAA and .915 save percentage in 16 games. He was third in the conference in wins (12) and tied for fourth with one shutout.

Anderson makes his second consecutive appearance on the conference's first all-star team. The Golden Bears captain led Canada West Hockey defencemen in scoring with 11-16-27 in 22 games and topped blueliners with his 11 goals. Seventeen of Anderson's 27 points came on the powerplay as he scored 7-10-17 to lead the conference in powerplay scoring. Zanon moves up to the 2008 first team following his selection to the 2007 second team. The fourth-year senior defenceman netted 4-14-18 in 28 games for the Thunderbirds to place fourth in scoring among conference defencemen.

The forward line was composed of three of the conference's top ten scorers. Jared Aulin of Calgary, who was the top vote getter among forwards, finished second in the conference scoring race, averaging more than two points- per-game. The former Los Angeles King, who joined the Dinos in November, scored 14-20-34 in 16 games to average 2.13 points-per-game. Aulin was joined by Saskatchewan's Wallin, who finished third in the conference scoring race with 11-20-31, and McDonald of Alberta, who scored 11-17-28 to tie for tenth place.

Alberta' Aaron Sorochan, who was the first team goaltender in both 2005-06 and 2006-07, earned the second team goaltending position, while Rob Smith of Manitoba and Travis Friedley of Calgary were the two defencemen selected. The second team forward line includes Darrell May of British Columbia, Chris Falloon of Manitoba and Alberta's Eric Hunter, who is the lone freshman on the conference's two all-star teams.

Sorochan led Canada West Hockey with 18 wins and was third in the conference with a 2.52 goals-against average. Smith and Friedley finished fifth and sixth in scoring among defencemen with 3-14-17 and 0-16-16, respectively.

Darrell May led British Columbia in scoring and was tied for fourth in the conference scoring race with 8-22-30 in 28 games. Falloon also led his team in scoring this season, topping the Manitoba Bisons and finishing sixth among Canada West Hockey scorers with 14-15-29 in 27 games. Hunter scored 11-15-26 with three-game winning goals in his freshman season to place third in scoring among first year players.

Alberta's Anderson is the only player to make a repeat appearance on the conference's first all-star team, having been selected to the team in 2006-07. Eight other players join Anderson as repeat selections, including teammate Sorochan, who is making his fourth appearance on the conference's post-season all-star teams.

Seven of the twelve players named to either the Canada West Hockey first or second all-star teams have previously been selected to the conference's All-Freshman Team, including three from the 2005-06 team and two each from the 2003-04 and 2006-07 teams.

Alberta's Hunter earned his second post-season all-star team berth by being selected to the conference's all-freshman team. The first-year forward was the only freshman to earn a position on either the first or second all-star team.

Hunter is joined by Regina goaltender Brant Hilton, who had a stellar intercollegiate debut in 2007-08. The Cougars goaltender appeared in 20 of Regina's 28 games and finished second in the conference with a 2.26 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. Jason Fransoo of Alberta and Craig Lineker of British Columbia are the defencemen named to the team, while Curtis Billsten of British Columbia and Calgary's Reid Jorgensen join Hunter on the forward line.

Jorgensen led freshmen in scoring and tied for sixth in conference scoring with 7-22-29. His 22 assists were second in the conference behind teammate Ryan Annesley, who led Canada West Hockey with 27 helpers. Billsten finished second to Jorgensen in freshman scoring, averaging a point-per-game with 14-13-27 in 27 games. He finished in a four-way tie for second place in goal scoring with 14, two behind Calgary's Brett O'Malley who topped Canada West Hockey with 16 goals.

To be eligible for freshman status, a player must be 21-years-old or younger as of December 31, 2007 and must not have played intercollegiate or professional hockey at any level prior to participating at his CIS school.

2007-08 CANADA WEST HOCKEY ALL-STAR TEAMS

SVS

GP GAA. PCT. SO W-L-T

FIRST TEAM POSITION CLASS HOMETOWN GP G A PT PEN-PIM

Jeff Harvey, Saskatchewan Goaltender Junior St. Albert, AB 16 2.19 .915 1 12-3-0

Harlan Anderson, Alberta Defence 5 YR Senior Vernon, BC 22 11 16 27 10-20

Brad Zanon, British Columbia Defence 4 YR Senior Port Moody, BC 28 4 14 18 32-80

Jared Aulin, Calgary Forward 5 YR Senior Calgary, AB 16 14 20 34 7-22

Mason Wallin, Saskatchewan Forward 5 YR Senior Prince Albert, SK 28 11 20 31 5-10

Ian McDonald, Alberta Forward Sophomore Edmonton, AB 28 11 17 28 5-10

SVS

GP GAA. PCT. SO W-L-T

SECOND TEAM POSITION CLASS HOMETOWN GP G A PT PEN-PIM

Aaron Sorochan, Alberta Goaltender Junior Edmonton, AB 25 2.52 .899 1 18-5-0

Rob Smith, Manitoba Defence 4 YR Senior Winnipeg, MB 27 3 14 17 19-46

Travis Friedley, Calgary Defence Junior Delia, AB 23 0 16 16 8-24

Darrell May, British Columbia Forward Junior St. Albert, AB 28 8 22 30 11-30

Chris Falloon, Manitoba Forward 4 YR Senior Souris, MB 27 14 15 29 5-10

Eric Hunter, Alberta Forward Freshman Oakbank, MB 24 11 15 26 8-16

SVS

GP GAA. PCT. SO W-L-T

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM POSITION CLASS HOMETOWN GP G A PT PEN-PIM

Brant Hilton, Regina Goaltender Freshman Winnipeg, MB 20 2.26 .906 2 9-11-0

Jason Fransoo, Alberta Defence Freshman North Battleford, SK 24 2 12 14 11-22

Craig Lineker, British Columbia Defence Freshman Calgary, AB 28 6 13 19 20-56

Eric Hunter, Alberta Forward Freshman Oakbank, MB 24 11 15 26 5-10

Curtis Billsten, British Columbia Forward Freshman Calgary, AB 27 14 13 27 12-59

Reid Jorgensen, Calgary Forward Freshman Vancouver, BC 23 7 22 29 1-2

CANADA WEST HOCKEY MULTIPLE ALL-STAR SELECTIONS

PLAYER TEAM 2007-08 SELECTION PREVIOUS SELECTION(S)

Jeff Harvey (G) Saskatchewan 1st Team 1st Team: 2006; 2nd Team: 2007

Harlan Anderson (D) Alberta 1st Team 1st Team: 2007; AF Team: 2004

Brad Zanon (D) British Columbia 1st Team 2nd Team: 2007

Mason Wallin (F) Saskatchewan 1st Team 2nd Team: 2007; AF Team: 2004

Ian McDonald (F) Alberta 1st Team AF Team: 2007

Aaron Sorochan (G) Alberta 2nd Team 1st Team: 2006, 2007; AF Team: 2006

Travis Friedley (D) Calgary 2nd Team AF Team: 2006

Darrell May (F) British Columbia 2nd Team AF Team: 2006

Chris Falloon (F) Manitoba 2nd Team AF Team: 2005

NOTE: Players are listed by number of votes received.

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