READ | East Division Elite

After more than a year there is hockey in the East Division of the Western Hockey League again!

And with it comes plenty to watch for – high end newbies, draft eligibles, and the elite.

You know, the players who lead their teams and are honing their games for a shot at the pros.

We’re talking first and second round NHL draft picks, draft picks-to-be, impressive vets, and maybe a surprise too.

Of course, like any list, there will be plenty of talk about who’s here and who isn’t but that’s what these exercises are all about so enjoy and discuss amongst yourselves!

 

KREBS TOPS LIST

Winnipeg ICE Captain Peyton Krebs immediately jumps to mind when listing the elite in the east.

Krebs, selected 17th overall by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2019, returns to the ICE after a silver medal showing with Canada at the 2021 World Junior Championship in Edmonton where he recorded eight points in seven games for the red-and-white.

But, the Okotoks, Alberta product didn’t stop there.

Peyton went from wild rose country to the sagebrush state playing five American Hockey League games and putting up five points for the Golden Knights’ affiliate in Henderson, Nevada before being re-assigned to the ICE in accordance with the NHL-CHL agreement.

Want more? Krebs led all WHL players in assist-per-game (1.26) and finished fourth in points-per-game (1.58) in 2019-20.

And, while many of his peers were pumping iron in their parent’s garage last summer Krebs was in the NHL bubble with the Golden Knights who went all the way to the Western Conference Final.

Safe to say, the slick centre is ready, willing, and could very well shine brightest in the Hub.

Sticking with the ICE lookout for impressive two-way defenceman Carson Lambos and Philadelphia Flyers’ draft pick Connor McClennon.

Lambos is a projected first rounder in the upcoming 2021 NHL Draft after an eye-catching rookie season in the WHL when he led all first-year blueliners in scoring while managing a top-pairing assignment.

McClennon is poised to bounce back after an upper-body injury ended a prolific season early. The feisty winger led Winnipeg with 42 points in 49 games at the time his season was cut short.

 

RAIDERS IMPRESS

The Prince Albert Raiders are the reigning WHL champs, and they led the East Division in points when play was halted last season, so the program is no stranger to quality – collectively and individually.

Leading the way for P.A. in Regina have to be a pair of 2020 NHL Draft first round selections.

Defenceman Kaiden Guhle went 16th overall to the Montreal Canadiens, and like Krebs represented Canada at the World Junior, before getting a taste of the American Hockey League by skating in three contests for the Laval Rocket.

Recently named P.A. captain, and coming off a 40-point season, Guhle is only going to take things to another level in the Saskatchewan showcase.

Dynamo Ozzy Weisblatt is the other 2020 first-rounder with the Raiders.

The San Jose selection may have been the final pick of the first round but that makes him 31st off the board in the world.

Weisblatt’s 70 points in 64 Raider games in ’19-’20 make him the club’s top returning scorer and he too flashed his potential in the AHL recently with a goal in three games for the Barracuda.

 

WHEATIES BOAST BUSHEL OF TALENT

The Brandon Wheat Kings may be Manitoba rivals of the Winnipeg ICE, but even a rival can see the Wheat Kings are an impressive bunch.

Afterall, the Wheaties are the only team that can match the Raiders when it comes to 2020 NHL Draft first rounders.

Stalwart defenceman Braden Schneider was chosen 19th overall by the New York Rangers and will wear the “C” on his jersey in Regina after earning the honour in the lead up to the Hub.

Schneider is mobile, physical, contributes to the attack and has the character teams look for – so much so the Rangers inked the Prince Albert-product earlier in the month.

Up front Brandon has graduated some attacking talent, but looks to Ottawa first-rounder Ridly Greig to help fill the void.

Greig can get in your grill, as evidenced by a three-game ban as a result of a hit-from-behind in the Wheaties opener,  and fill your net (60 points/56 games last year). It’s a combination the Sens liked enough to call his name after picking Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson.

By the way, both Schneider and Greig saw AHL time before returning to Brandon which has to boost their level of understanding of what it takes to advance.

 

ROCKIN’ ROBBINS

The Saskatoon Blades may not have a first-rounder to boast about, but they’re more than happy to talk about 2020 San Jose second round pick Tristen Robins.

Robbins, was a sharp a Blade as there was last season slicing through defenses to the tune of 33 goals and 40 helpers.

Playing better-and-better as the season progressed, Robins’ stock rose with scouts as he piled up 48 points more than in 2018-19.

Now his game seems poised for another jump after being selected in round two and appearing in a pair of games for the AHL Barracuda.

 

YOUNG GUN, PROVEN VET

The host Regina Pats have an interesting marquee pairing with the Western League’s first exceptional player in Connor Bedard and overage goalie Roddy Ross.

Bedard arrives with the “exceptional” tag, and the spotlight that comes with it. But, his stunning two-goal debut against Prince Albert on opening night in the Hub suggests his dominance in the U-18 Canadian Sports School circuit – 84 points in 36 games as a 14-year-old – is only the beginning!

Beyond the first overall pick in the 2020 WHL Draft, the Pats have veteran netminder Roddy Ross to backstop them.

The Flyers’ prospect was acquired from Seattle to stabilize things for the improving Pats and with a 3.03 career average, and .912 lifetime save-percentage (74 appearances), Ross may be the teams’ unsung star in this 24-game sprint.

 

WARRIORS AND BRONCOS CAN’T OVERLOOKED

The Moose Jaw Warriors and Swift Current Broncos are two clubs re-tooling after shooting their shots.

Remember, the Broncos won the WHL ticket to the Memorial Cup three years ago and the Warriors made some noise of their own.

Even though heady days like those may be down the road a bit for these clubs they still have names to watch for and talent to show off.

Warriors’ forward Ryder Korczak is tabbed as a potential first round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft after a 67-point performance in 62 appearances last season, his second in the WHL, and first since coming over from Calgary in a deal that sent Canucks’ prospect Jett Woo the other way.

Joining Korczak in the pre-Hub buzz is defenceman Daemon Hunt.

Hunt was picked by the Minnesota Wild in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft and may have gone higher if-not for an injury interrupted draft year.

All of that appears behind the Brandonite now after he appeared in three games for the Iowa Wild early in the AHL season and was given the captaincy by the Warriors prior to entering the Hub.

In the last but not least category, Swift Current goalie Isaac Poulter.

Poulter faced plenty of rubber last season for the Broncos but posted a near .900 save percentage in 47 outings to make the Broncos a tough out many nights.

Don’t be surprised if the Broncos surprise a few opponents on the back of some Poulter magic.