WHL names B.C. Division All-Star Teams
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today the B.C. Division All-Star teams for the 2021-22 WHL season.
WHL Division All-Stars are voted upon by WHL General Managers.
WHL B.C. Division First All-Star Team
Goaltender – Dylan Garand (Victoria, B.C.) – Kamloops Blazers
Defenceman – Gannon Laroque (Edmonton, Alta.) – Victoria Royals
Defenceman – Jake Lee (Sherwood Park, Alta.) – Kelowna Rockets
Forward – Colton Dach (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) – Kelowna Rockets
Forward – Bailey Peach (Falmouth, N.S.) – Victoria Royals
Forward – Logan Stankoven (Kamloops, B.C.) – Kamloops Blazers
WHL B.C. Division Second All-Star Team
Goaltender – Talyn Boyko (Drumheller, Alta.) – Kelowna Rockets
Defenceman – Ethan Samson (Delta, B.C.) – Prince George Cougars
Defenceman – Quinn Schmiemann (Wilcox, Sask.) – Kamloops Blazers
Forward – Tarun Fizer (Chestermere, Alta.) – Victoria Royals
Forward – Pavel Novak (Tabor, Czechia) – Kelowna Rockets
Forward – Luke Toporowski (Bettendorf, Iowa) – Kamloops Blazers
WHL B.C. Division First All-Star Team Biographies
Goaltender Dylan Garand (Kamloops Blazers): Garand finished tied for the WHL lead with 34 wins, and second in both goals-against average (2.16) and save percentage (.925) during the 2021-22 Regular Season. The product of Victoria, B.C., and prospect of the New York Rangers tied a career best this season with four shutouts, and was named WHL Goaltender of the Month for November of 2021. The 19-year-old goaltender holds a career 90-31-5-2 record to go along with a 2.33 GAA and .919 SV% in 136 career regular season games with the Blazers.
Defenceman Gannon Laroque (Victoria Royals): San Jose Sharks prospect Gannon Laroque led the Victoria Royals in assists (42), finishing tops among Victoria defencemen and third in Club scoring with 52 points (10G-42A) during the 2021-22 Regular Season. The 18-year-old blueliner, who hails from Edmonton, Alta., had no stretches of more than three games over the course of the 2021-22 Regular Season in which he failed to find the scoresheet. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound rearguard has amassed 59 career points (11G-48A) in 87 regular season games with the Royals.
Defenceman Jake Lee (Kelowna Rockets): 20-year-old Jake Lee led all Kelowna Rockets defencemen in scoring during the 2021-22 Regular Season with 46 points (16G-30A), setting career bests in every major offensive category including a +23 rating. The product of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. enjoyed a nine-game point streak between December 10, 2021 and January 8, 2022. The 6-foot-2, 194-pound rearguard has put up a total of 120 points (31G-89A) in 277 regular season appearances with Seattle and Kelowna.
Forward Colton Dach (Kelowna Rockets): Chicago Blackhawks prospect Colton Dach led the Kelowna Rockets in scoring in his first season with the Club, finishing the 2021-22 Regular Season with 79 points (29G-50A). The 6-foot-4, 205-pound forward also finished with a share of the team lead in power-play markers with nine. The 19-year-old, who hails from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., has totalled 128 points (51G-77A) in 143 career regular season games with Saskatoon and Kelowna.
Forward Bailey Peach (Victoria Royals): 21-year-old Peach led the Royals in scoring with 37 goals and 78 points during the 2021-22 Regular Season after spending the first four years of his CHL career in the QMJHL. The product of Falmouth, N.S. was named the McSweeney’s WHL Player of the Month in December of 2021 after recording 29 points (14G-15A), including a seven-point effort December 30, 2021, versus Vancouver. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound winger totalled 185 points (77G-108A) over 250 CHL regular season appearances with the Sherbrooke Phoenix, Charlottetown Islanders and Victoria Royals.
Forward Logan Stankoven (Kamloops Blazers): The 19-year-old forward finished third in WHL scoring with 104 points (45G-59A) and was one of eight WHL players to finish with 40 or more goals during the 2021-22 Regular Season. The product of Kamloops, B.C., and prospect of the Dallas Stars helped Kamloops to a third consecutive B.C. Division Championship, recording three or more points 18 times along the way. The 5-foot-8, 170-pound forward, who was the McSweeney’s WHL Player of the Month in January of 2022, has registered 163 points (81G-82A) in 132 career WHL regular season games.
WHL B.C. Division Second All-Star Team Biographies
Goaltender Talyn Boyko (Kelowna Rockets): Boyko made 46 of his 54 appearances this season with the Kelowna Rockets following a mid-season trade from the Tri-City Americans, posting a 29-18-2-3 record, 3.03 goals-against average and .908 save percentage along the way. The product of Drumheller, Alta. made 38 or more saves on eight occasions during the 2021-22 Regular Season, compiling a 6-1-1-0 record from those eight contests. The 6-foot-7, 200-pound New York Rangers prospect holds a career 43-43-3-5 record, 3.56 GAA, .899 SV% and three shutouts over 102 regular season games with the Americans and Rockets.
Defenceman Ethan Samson (Prince George Cougars): Philadelphia Flyers prospect Ethan Samson finished second among Cougars defencemen with 43 points (15G-28A) during the 2021-22 Regular Season. Eight of the 18-year-old Delta, B.C. product’s 15 goals were power-play markers; he led all WHL defencemen with 235 shots on goal over the course of the 2021-22 Regular Season. The 6-foot-3, 183-pound blueliner has 62 career points (18G-44A) in 151 regular season outings with the Cougars.
Defenceman Quinn Schmiemann (Kamloops Blazers): The 20-year-old Schmiemann helped the Kamloops Blazers to a third successive B.C. Division title, leading all Blazers defencemen in scoring with 54 points (14G-40A). The product of Wilcox, Sask. set new personal bests in goals (14), assists (40), points (54), power-play goals (six) and game-winning tallies (three). The 6-foot-2, 200-pound rearguard has made each of his 202 regular season appearances with Kamloops, totalling 136 points (26G-110A).
Forward Tarun Fizer (Victoria Royals): Fizer finished fourth in Club scoring for the Victoria Royals during the 2021-22 Regular Season with 51 points (17G-34A) despite appearing in just 35 games. The Royals posted a 16-7-3-0 record during the 2021-22 campaign when the Chestermere, Alta. product registered at least one point. The 21-year-old graduates from the WHL having made 225 career regular season appearances with Victoria, totalling 165 points (57G-108A).
Forward Pavel Novak (Kelowna Rockets): Novak finished tied for the Club lead with 29 goals, and ended the 2021-22 Regular Season second among Rockets skaters with 72 points. The Minnesota Wild prospect, and product of Tabor, Czechia posted five multi-goal games including a pair of hat-tricks October 30, 2021 and February 12, 2022. The 20-year-old, who stands 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, has recorded 25 or more goals in each of his two WHL campaigns with Kelowna, totalling 130 points (54G-76A) over 117 regular season appearances.
Forward Luke Toporowski (Kamloops Blazers): The 21-year-old winger finished the 2021-22 Regular Season with 35 goals, 20 of which came in his 22 games with the Kamloops Blazers following a mid-season trade from the Spokane Chiefs. The product of Bettendorf, Iowa set career bests in goals (35) and points (63) despite appearing in just 47 games. The 5-foot-11, 182-pound forward has amassed 199 career points (96G-103A) in 245 regular season games with Spokane and Kamloops, adding 14 more points (8G-6A) in 21 career playoff outings.
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
