The Red Deer Rebels are front and centre in this year’s Best of the East poll conducted by Brandon Wheat Kings radio voice Bruce Luebke and involving Eastern Conference players, coaches and general managers.
According to those who should be in the know, Rebels defenceman Matt Dumba is the conference’s top rookie, with Medicine Hat forward Hunter Shinkaruk and Edmonton defenceman Griffin Reinhart listed at Nos. 2 and 3.
Meanwhile, netminder Darcy Kuemper is not only the best at his position — and who can argue given his miniscule 1.86 GAA, his mammoth .933 save percentage and staggering 12 shutouts — but also the East’s most valuable player. Next in line in the MVP category are Medicine Hat Tigers forward and league scoring leader Linden Vey and Rebels outstanding centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, while the Tigers’ Tyler Bunz and Moose Jaw’s Thomas Heemskerk are considered to be the second- and third-best puck stoppers.
Nugent-Hopkins is second to Saskatoon’s Brayden Schenn concerning the best drafted or undrafted pro prospects — with Kootenay’s Cody Eakin at No. 3 — and is tied for third with Moose Jaw’s Quinton Howden in the best skater category. The top two skaters in the poll are future Washington Capital Eakin and Tigers forward/Anaheim Ducks prospect Emerson Etem.
Nugent-Hopkins is also among the three most respected opposing players, following Schenn and Eakin.
Alex Petrovic is third in two categories — best defensive and best offensive defenceman. The top two defensive rearguards are Saskatoon’s Teigan Zahn and Brayden McNabb of the Kootenay Ice, while Saskatoon’s Stefan Elliott and McNabb are one-two in the category for the premier offensive blueliners.
Rebels forward Byron Froese, who displayed his sharp-shooting skills with a four-goal performance in Tuesday’s 7-0 win at Prince George, has the third-most accurate shot in the division according to his peers. The top two pinpoint shooters, say the players, coaches and GMs, are Vey and Eakin.
Finally — and this might be the most telling poll result regarding the Rebels’ success this season — Jesse Wallin is considered to be the top coach in the conference. Next in line are Saskatoon bench boss Lorne Molleken and first-year Edmonton Oil Kings mentor Derek Laxdal.
Move Bruin?
If there truly is fire where there’s smoke, then the Chilliwack Bruins may be on the move in the near future.
Rumours have been circulating regarding the possible move of the Bruins to Victoria, rumours that weren’t exactly put to rest when team president Darryl Porter spoke to the Chilliwack Times last week.
Porter admitted that the Bruins ownership group has been approached by outside parties interested in purchasing the club and that the owners are considering the offers. He also insisted that the team has been approached by interested groups multiple times over the past five years and have been rejected, and that there was nothing new to report regarding the current state of the franchise.
The rumours gathered momentum when the Victoria Times-Colonist reported that the City of Victoria will extend RG Properties’ lease on the B.C. capital’s 7,400-seat Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. Earlier in the week, radio station News 1130 said that RG Properties owner Graham Lee had been spotted at a Bruins game.
WHL commissioner Ron Robison told the Chilliwack Progress that although the Bruins lease at Chilliwack’s Prospera Centre expires at the end of the season, the team has not been sold nor has a letter of intent been signed between the current ownership group and any potential suitors.
Robison also told the Times-Colonist that the WHL has strong interest in the Victoria market and that the league would prefer to relocate a team to the city rather than expand.
More fuel was added to the fire on Thursday when Victoria radio station CFAX 1070 reported that a highly-placed WHL source has said that a deal to bring a WHL team to Victoria is 70 per cent complete. With neither the Kootenay Ice or Prince George Cougars — two other teams that have been mentioned as candidates for relocation — up for sale, CFAX suggested that the Bruins, in all likelihood, are the team moving to Victoria.
Big game for Scheidl
Former Rebels forward Lane Scheidl had a career game last Saturday.
Or at least a career game to this point in his WHL tenure.
Scheidl, who was dealt to Regina earlier this season in return for goaltender Dawson Guhle, fired four goals and assisted on two more as the Pats slipped past the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings 6-5.
“I don’t know where that came from,” a grinning Scheidl told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post. “I don’t know (how to explain it), maybe just a little luck on my side, a couple breaks going my way. I’m doing the little things right and things are finally coming together for me.”
Scheidl played on the Pats’ top line with Jordan Weal and Garrett Mitchell. Weal scored twice and added three helpers and Mitchell had five assists.
Scheidl entered Saturday’s contest with seven goals and 22 points in 61 games this season. In just one evening, those totals jumped to 11 goals and 28 points.
Niederreiter looking good
The New York Islanders have to be tickled with the continued development of top prospect Nino Niederreiter, who started the season with the NHL club before being sent back to the Portland Winterhawks.
Niederreiter has collected 61 points in 49 WHL games this season and is the current Canadian Hockey League player of the week. The 18-year-old Swiss forward sniped seven goals and added two assists in four games in the seven-day stretch ending on March 6.
gmeachem@www.reddeeradvocate.com