WHL Tape-to-Tape: WHL Alumni continue to shine

 

Welcome to Western Hockey League Tape to Tape. Each week, we’ll highlight fun social media moments and stories from WHL graduates around the world! From the National Hockey League to Canada West and professional leagues around the globe, we take a closer look at what WHL Alumni have been up to throughout the season.

Sam versus Sam: a match up between The Four Broncos Memorial Trophy winners

This week’s edition of WHL Tape-to-Tape starts in Buffalo with the red-hot Sabres who have received a great boost of offence and leadership from former Kootenay ICE captain, Sam Reinhart. The second-overall selection of the 2014 NHL Draft is coming off his best season with the Sabres registering 65 points (22G-43A) in 82 games. After a tough end to last year for the team, the Sabres will have their eyes on a playoff berth this year and have started out strong with a 6-1-1-0 record to open the season. Reinhart was dynamite in his five years with the ICE, registering 319 points (120G-199A). The North Vancouver, B.C. product picked up three individual trophies with the ICE winning, the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL Rookie of Year in 2011-12, the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as WHL Player of the Year and the Brad Hornung Trophy as WHL’s most Sportsmanlike Player in 2013-14.

On Wednesday, the Sabres visited the Anaheim Ducks with two former Four Bronco Memorial Trophy winners square off. Reinhart and the 30th-overall selection of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Sam Steel went toe-to-toe. Steel, the younger of the two, has become a key piece for the Ducks this season after spending 22 games with the team last season, registering 11 points (6G-5A). The Sherwood Park, Alta. product became the youngest Ducks player to record a hat-trick after the rookie potted three goals against the Vancouver Canucks on March, 26, 2019.

Steel spent his time in the WHL with the Regina Pats from 2013-18 registering 338 points (123G-215A) in 258 games. The 2017 season saw Steel capture the Bob Clarke, Four Broncos Memorial and CHL Top Scorer awards. Both Reinhart and Steel have also represented Canada at the international level and have led the team to gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2013 and 2018; respectively.

In the matchup on Wednesday, October 16, the Ducks prevailed, handing the Sabres their first loss of the season with a 5-2 victory. Both Steel and Reinhart picked up assists for their teams.

Lethal. 😏#Sabres50 | @NewWaveEnergyCo pic.twitter.com/qwPWde0xtm

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) October 17, 2019

https://twitter.com/AnaheimDucks/status/1184672304036380672

A Bear on the back end 

The Edmonton Oilers have found another top level defenceman who got his start in the WHL. Ethan Bear has found home on the Edmonton top defensive pairing this season with Darnell Nurse and has drawn early praise from the teams’ new head coach Dave Tippett.

"It's credit to him. He prepared hard this summer, he prepared hard in training camp, and he's earned the right to be where he's at."@EdmontonOilers coach Dave Tippett has been impressed with Ethan Bear so far: pic.twitter.com/Djt74KD70C

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 16, 2019

After splitting the last two years with the Oilers and the Bakersfield Condors, Bear has settled in early with the team’s main roster. The Oilers are off to a hot start, leading the Pacific Division with a 6-1-0-0 record. Bear spent his WHL career with the Seattle Thunderbirds from 2012-17. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound player was selected in the fifth round, 124 overall, in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Oilers. The Regina, Sask. product had back-to-back break-out seasons in 2015-16 tallying 65 points (19G-46A) then 70 points (28G-42A). The Thunderbirds had a 2016-17 season to remember winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup led by Bear and 16th-overall selection of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Mathew Barzal. At the end of the season, Bear was awarded the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s defenceman of the year. Bear has since settled in with the Oilers, picking up a goal in the team’s 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.

B̶a̶r̶-̶d̶o̶w̶n̶s̶k̶i̶ ❌
Bear-downski ✔️#LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/sAewgGjrQp

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 17, 2019

Bear has also given back to the hockey community as an Indigenous player and helps run hockey camps during the summer in his home Ochapowace First Nation in southern Saskatchewan.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXYj95kASSq/?hl=en

Mr. Jones between the pipes 

After a slow start, the San Jose Sharks have won back-to back games led by stellar goaltending from former Calgary Hitmen goalie, Martin Jones. The North Vancouver, B.C. product was selected in the fourth round, 74th overall, in the WHL Bantam Draft. Jones had an amazing career with the Hitmen notching 108 wins in 148 games while also leading the Hitmen to an Ed Chynoweth Cup in the 2009-10 season. Jones would go on to win three individual trophies that season after capturing, the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy for top goaltender in the league, WHL Playoffs Most Valuable Player and the Hap Emms Memorial Trophy for top goaltender at the Memorial Cup. His career would continue after being picked up by the Los Angeles Kings and spending the majority of four seasons with the Manchester Monarchs. In the 2013-14 season, Jones got the call up from the Kings and played a key role as the teams’ back-up goaltender helping the team to its second Stanley Cup in three years.

Jones has since settled into the starter’s role with the San Jose Sharks after spending the last four seasons with the team, tallying 138 wins for the team. After coming off a playoff run with the Sharks last season, look for the team to push for a playoff position this year with Jones at the back end.

𝙶 𝙰 𝙼 𝙴 𝙾 𝙽 #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/7g5rnIIgWV

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) October 17, 2019

Return of the Pat 

Also with the Sharks, Patrick Marleau made his return to San Jose for his first home game back with the team against the Calgary Flames. Marleau started his junior career with the Seattle Thunderbirds, spending two seasons with the team before being picked with the second-overall selection in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Sharks. The Swift Current, Sask. product was a key player in the Thunderbirds’ franchise registering, 199 points (83G-116A) in his two seasons. In his second season, Marleau was awarded the captain role for his team and earned the Western Conference Player of the Year Award in the 1996-1997 season following a 125-point season (51G-74A).

Marleau would go on to spend 20 seasons with the Sharks becoming the franchise leader in almost every stat with the team. The forward is the franchise all-time leader in goals (510), points (1,082) and games played with the team (1,493). Marleau also became the youngest player ever in the league to reach the 1,400-game mark for his playing career. The 40-year-old has also played a vital role at the international level, helping Canada capture back-to-back gold medals in the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympic Games. After spending two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the forward has made it back to where it all started and is poised to play a key role for the Sharks this season. In his first game back with the team, Marleau recorded two goals against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Will Patty score in his return?

(Hope you bet the over) pic.twitter.com/SPGWVjdEWa

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) October 11, 2019

Overseas Spotlight

From 200 feet, Matt Fraser has put @aevpanther into the Playoffs! #ChampionsGoBeyond pic.twitter.com/Q7TQTn8zKX

— Champions Hockey League (@championshockey) October 16, 2019

Former Red Deer Rebel and ICE forward Matt Fraser scored a pivotal goal for the Augsburger Panthers in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga to send the team the playoffs. Fraser had a successful career in the WHL tallying 174 points (87G-87A) in 265 games in the league also helping the ICE to a 2010-11 WHL Cup victory. Fraser also was awarded the Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy as the WHL Humanitarian Player of the Year. The 6-foot-2, 196-pound forward was picked up by the Dallas Stars as a free agent in 2010 and spent two years playing for the the Texas Stars. Fraser had two successful seasons with Texas, notching 55 points (37G-18A) in the 2011-12 season and 46 points (33G-13A) in the 2012-13 season. The Red Deer, Alta. prospect has settled into a key role with the Augsburger Panthers now coming off a great season with the team.