Ex Tigers Amongst 57 WHL Alumni still competing in NHL, AHL and ECHL Playoffs
Calgary, AB — The Western Hockey League is well represented among 12 teams still competing for various professional hockey championships this spring with 57 WHL Alumni currently helping their respective teams as they battle for the NHL's Stanley Cup, the AHL's Calder Cup and the ECHL's Kelly Cup.
Four NHL teams are still alive and battling for the Stanley Cup, with 17 WHL grads currently involved in the action.
The NHL's Western Conference Final between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings boasts 15 former WHL players among the two teams.
The defending Stanley Cup Champion Red Wings feature six former WHL players who have played at least one post-season contest. Forwards Marian Hossa (Portland), Tomas Kopecky (Lethbridge) and Darren Helm (Medicine Hat), defensemen Brad Stuart (Calgary, Regina) and Derek Meech (Red Deer), and goaltender Chris Osgood (Medicine Hat, Seattle, Brandon) all played in the WHL during their junior careers. In addition, Red Wings' coaches Mike Babcock and Brad McCrimmon are also WHL alumni.
The Blackhawks, meanwhile, feature a whopping nine WHL grads who have seen game action during the Stanley Cup playoffs including forwards Troy Brouwer (Moose Jaw), Dustin Byfuglien (Prince George, Brandon), Colin Fraser (Red Deer), Andrew Ladd (Calgary) and NHL Rookie of the Year candidate Kris Versteeg (Lethbridge, Kamloops, Red Deer). Defensemen Cam Barker (Medicine Hat), Duncan Keith (Kelowna), Brent Seabrook (Lethbridge) and Matt Walker (Portland, Kootnenay) also played in the Western Hockey League. Blackhawks' defenseman Brent Sopel (Saskatoon, Swift Current) also played in the WHL, but has missed the entire Stanley Cup playoffs due to injury.
The NHL's Eastern Conference Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Carolina Hurricanes features a couple of WHL grads. Hurricanes' forward Ray Whitney (Spokane) and Cam Ward (Red Deer) are WHL alumni, as is ‘Canes' associate coach Kevin McCarthy.
The American Hockey League's Calder Cup playoffs have narrowed down to four teams as the Conference finals are now underway.
In the AHL's Western Conference Final, the Manitoba Moose and the Houston Aeros are battling for a spot in the Calder Cup final in a series that features 19 WHL graduates.
The Houston Aeros have nine WHL grads on their roster who have contributed to the team's post-season run including Clayton Stoner (Tri-City), John Lammers (Lethbridge, Everett), Tomas Mojzis (Moose Jaw, Seattle), Jesse Schultz (Tri-City, Prince Albert, Kelowna), Justin Falk (Calgary, Spokane), Mitch Love (Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Everett), Paul Albers (Calgary, Regina, Vancouver), Matt Kassian (Vancouver, Kamloops), and goaltender Anton Khudobin (Saskatoon).
The Manitoba Moose also boast nine former WHL players in their lineup including Jason Jaffray (Edmonton/Kootenay, Swift Current), Michael Grabner (Spokane), Mike Keane (Winnipeg/Moose Jaw), Mark Fistric (Vancouver), Mario Bliznak (Vancouver), Nolan Baumgartner (Kamloops), Zack Fitzgerald (Seattle), Shaun Heshka (Everett) and Tom Maxwell (Medicine Hat. Former WHL netminder Todd Ford (Swift Current, Prince George, Vancouver) is also on the roster but has not seen action.
The AHL's Eastern Conference final between the Providence Bruins and the Hershey Bears featured 16 former WHL players on the combined rosters.
The Bears have five WHL grads on the roster who have played at least once during the Calder Cup playoffs. Defensemen Tyler Sloan (Kamloops), Karl Alzner (Calgary), Grant McNeill (Prince Albert) and Dean Arsene (Regina, Edmonton/Kootenay), and forward Darren Reid (Medicine Hat) all played WHL hockey in their younger years. Current Saskatoon Blades' goaltender Braden Holtby is also on the Bears' roster.
Nine WHL graduates have played a role for the Providence Bruins in their quest for the 2009 Calder Cup including forwards Jeremy Reich (Seattle, Swift Current), Wacey Rabbit (Saskatoon, Vancouver), Zach Hamill (Everett), Jordan Knackstedt (Red Deer, Moose Jaw), Peter Schaefer (Brandon), Levi Nelson (Swift Current) and Ned Lukacevic (Spokane, Swift Current), defenseman Johnny Boychuk (Moose Jaw, Calgary), and goaltender Kevin Nastiuk (Medicine Hat).
In the East Coast Hockey League, the Turner Cup playoffs are down to only two teams as the Alaska Aces and the South Carolina Stingrays battle for the title. Six WHL graduates have featured in the two teams' respective runs to the ECHL Championship series.
The Stingrays feature three WHL grads including Patrick Wellar (Portland, Calgary), Lyon Messier (Kelowna), and goaltender James Reimer (Red Deer), while the Aces also boast three WHL grads including Scott Burt (Seattle, Swift Current, Edmonton), T.J. Fast (Tri-City), and Tyson Marsh (Vancouver).
-30-
