2022-23 CHL All-Star Teams announced
The Canadian Hockey League has announced the 20 players named to its 2022-23 CHL All-Star Teams.
It marks the first time in more than a decade that the CHL has unveiled a CHL First All-Star team, CHL Second All-Star team, CHL Third All-Star team and CHL All-Rookie Team.
Players were last named to CHL’s First All-Star team, Second All-Star team and All-Rookie Team at the conclusion of the 2009-10 season while Third All-Star team recipients last took place in 2002-03.
CHL First All-Star Team
After he led the CHL in goals (71) and points (143) in the regular season, Regina Pats forward Connor Bedard is an unanimous selection. Named to the CHL Team of the Month on five separate occasions, Bedard registered a +39 rating while his 360 shots and 2.51 point-per-game average led the CHL. In 57 games, he tallied nine hat-tricks and had 10 separate games where he had at least five points. The 17-year-old also won 53.6 per cent of his faceoffs and is expected to be selected first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. Furthermore, Bedard collected the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as WHL Player of the Year.
Halifax Mooseheads forward Jordan Dumais (CBJ) finds himself selected after a 140-point season. His 54 goals were the third most in the QMJHL, and fourth most ever by a Mooseheads skater, while his 140 points were second most in the CHL and a new Halifax franchise record. Dumais, who was named to the CHL Team of the Month three times throughout the season, had a 2.19 point-per-game average, recorded five hat-tricks, tallied a +54 rating while 46 of his points came via the power play. He was named the Michel Briere Trophy winner as QMJHL MVP.
With a 97-point season in his pocket, where he averaged 2.02 point-per-game, Kamloops Blazers captain Logan Stankoven (DAL) completed the forwards group. Stankoven, who was named CHL Player of the Year in 2021-22, scored 34 goals and tallied a +36 rating. The Kamloops native, who was named to the CHL Team of the Month twice, scored two hat-tricks and won 58.3 per cent of his draws in 48 games.
Despite only making his season debut on Jan. 12, Barrie Colts defenceman Brandt Clarke (LA) is named to the blue line after he recorded 61 points in just 31 games. Clarke’s 23 goals were fourth most in the OHL while his 1.97 point-per-game average was the second best by a defenceman in OHL history. The 20-year-old, who was named to the CHL Team of the Month on two occasions, tallied a +40 rating and registered three hat-tricks. Clarke began the season in the NHL and played nine games with L.A.
Also on the back end is Kamloops Blazers d-man Olen Zellweger (ANA) who scored 32 goals and 80 points in 55 games. Zellweger, who began the year in Everett before he was traded to Kamloops ahead of the WHL Trade Deadline, fired 345 shots on goal and had a +30 rating. The 19-year-old, who was selected to February’s CHL Team of the Month, recorded his first WHL hat-trick Oct. 12 while his six game-winning goals were tied for the CHL lead among blueliners.
Between the pipes, Seattle Thunderbirds netminder Thomas Milic was chosen after a dominant season in which he went 27-3-2. His 2.08 GAA and .928 save percentage led the WHL while he ranked second in both categories across the CHL. Milic registered three shutouts in the regular season while his 60 career wins with Seattle are sixth most in team history.
CHL Second All-Star Team
After he posted his second straight 50-goal campaign, the Quebec Remparts’ Zachary Bolduc (STL) earned a spot up front. Bolduc’s 50 goals were tied for the fourth most in the QMJHL while his 110 points were the third most by a Quebec player in franchise history. The 20-year-old posted a +52 rating, three hat-tricks and 38 points on the man advantage while his 1.80 point-per-game average was the third best in the Q.
Josh Lawrence of the Halifax Mooseheads had a dominant season in his overage campaign as he tallied 119 points, the third most in the CHL. A Memorial Cup champion with Saint John a year ago, Lawrence began the season in Blainville-Boisbriand before a November trade to Halifax. With the Mooseheads, the 21-year-old recorded 87 points in just 44 games while throughout the regular season he had six hat-tricks and five games with at least five points. Lawrence was selected to March’s CHL Team of the Month.
The OHL’s MVP, the Windsor Spitfires’ Matthew Maggio (NYI) earned his spot with an 111-point campaign. He became just the seventh Spit to score more than 50 goals (54) in a season while his 111 points were the 10th most. Of his 54 goals, just four came on the power play while another three came shorthanded as he demonstrated his ability to score even strength. Maggio’s 311 shots led the OHL while he recorded a +41 rating. He was a two-time member of the CHL Team of the Month in December and February.
Defensively, the Gatineau Olympique’s Tristan Luneau (ANA) led the QMJHL in scoring among defencemen with 83 points, a number that also established a new team record. His 63 assists ranked second among CHL blueliners while his 20 goals established a new career high. He recorded a +49 rating while 32 of his points came on the power play. Luneau, who was selected to the CHL Team of the Month in March, was the recipient of the Emile Bouchard Trophy as QMJHL Defenceman of the Year.
The Ottawa 67’s Pavel Mintyukov (ANA) led all CHL d-men in scoring in 2022-23 with 88 points. Mintyukov began the season in Saginaw and was acquired by the 67’s ahead of the OHL trade deadline but 61 per cent of his points this season were recorded as a member of the Spirit. Alongside a +33 rating, the Russian d-man was tied for the CHL lead with six game-winning goals and was named to the CHL Team of the Month in November and December.
In goal, the North Bay Battalion’s Dom DiVincentiis (WPG) had a record-breaking season between the pipes. His 36 wins were a new franchise record as was his .919 save percentage and 2.33 GAA. His five shutouts were tied for the second most in the CHL throughout the regular season while he made a career high 47 saves in a Jan. 15 win over Flint. DiVincentiis was part of March’s CHL Team of the Month.
CHL Third All-Star Team
In his NHL Draft year, the Winnipeg ICE’s Zach Benson had a tremendous season that saw him record 98 points, the most in franchise history and third most in the WHL in 2022-23. Benson scored 36 goals in the regular season and had three hat-tricks alongside seven four-point games. His +68 rating was the second best in the WHL while his eight game-winners were tied third most. Benson was named to February’s CHL Team of the Month.
Alexandre Doucet (DET) was the third Halifax Moosehead to have a 50-goal, 100-point season in 2022-23. Doucet, who was acquired over the Christmas break from Val-d’Or, had a QMJHL best 58 goals while his 115 points ranked third. With Halifax, Doucet had four hat-tricks and 31 goals in just 36 games. The 21-year-old led the CHL with 10 shorthanded goals.
The Gatineau Olympique’s Riley Kidney (MTL) notched his second straight 100-point campaign in 2022-23. Kidney, who was traded to Gatineau in January from Acadie-Bathurst, recorded 110 points in just 60 games and owned the second-best point-per-game average in the QMJHL at 1.83. Kidney’s 82 assists were the second most in the CHL while he recorded a +32 rating. The Nova Scotian was named to January’s CHL Team of the Month.
The Seattle Thunderbirds’ Kevin Korchinski (CHI) ranked sixth in WHL scoring among defencemen with 73 points in 2022-23, a number that was the third best by a d-man in team history. Korchinski, who registered a +50 rating, had 62 assists and three games where he had at least four points. He was also a member of February’s CHL Team of the Month.
Also on the blue line is the Regina Pats’ Stanislav Svozil (CBJ) who recorded 78 points. Svozil’s 67 assists were second most in the CHL while his 36 helpers on the power play were the fourth most among CHL skaters and first among d-men. The Czech native had four games with at least four points, a +29 rating and played two games with the Blue Jackets at the end of the NHL season.
The Victoriaville Tigres’ Nathan Darveau gets the nod in goal after a stellar campaign where he won 27 games and recorded a CHL best .929 save percentage. Darveau also had a 2.34 GAA and was one of three QMJHL goalies to appear in 50 games during the regular season. His 1, 509 saves were the second most in the CHL while he recorded two shutouts.
All-Rookie Team
As a 16-year-old rookie, the Chicoutimi Sagueneens Maxim Masse had a memorable first year as he led the QMJHL in rookie scoring with 62 points in 65 games. Masse also scored 29 goals, the second most in the CHL. His six game-winning goals led all CHL rookies while his 0.95 point-per-game average ranked sixth. He recorded his first QMJHL hat-trick Feb. 3. Masse collected the Michel Bergeron Trophy as QMJHL Offensive Rookie of the Year and was also named QMJHL Rookie of the Year.
Just the eighth player in CHL history to be granted exceptional status, the Saginaw Spirit’s Michael Misa had a standout rookie campaign as a 15-year-old with 22 goals and 56 points in just 45 games. His 34 assists were the fifth most in the CHL while his 1.24 point-per-game average was the highest rate of any of the OHL’s six exceptional status talents during their first season. The Oakville, Ont., native had four multi-goal outings and had a career high four points Oct. 14. Misa won the Emms Family Award as OHL Rookie of the Year.
The Regina Pats’ Alexander Suzdalev (WSH) had a huge first year in the CHL as he led all first-year players with 86 points. Suzdalev scored 38 goals and tallied 48 assists while 36 of his points came on the man advantage with 17 goals coming on the power play. The 19-year-old tallied his first WHL hat-trick Feb. 25 and had seven games with at least three points.
Defensively, the London Knights’ Oliver Bonk had a 40-point campaign from the blue line. He ranked third among rookie blueliners in CHL scoring as did his 30 assists. His 15 power play assists led all first-year defencemen and recorded a +16 rating. Bonk’s 147 shots led all rookie defencemen in the CHL.
The Saginaw Spirit’s Zayne Parekh had a record-breaking debut season as his 21 goals in 2022-23 were the most by a 16-year-old defencemen in OHL history. Parekh concluded the season with 37 points in 50 games with five goals coming via the power play while he had three multi-goal performances.
In goal, the Saskatoon Blades’ Austin Elliott went 25-6-3 in his rookie campaign. The 19-year-old recorded two shutouts and made a career high 34 saves Dec. 3 in a win over Medicine Hat. Elliott’s 25 wins and .917 save percentage were the eight most in the WHL while his 2.20 GAA ranked third.
