WHL NAMES EAST & CENTRAL DIVISION
ALL-STAR TEAMS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MONDAY, MAY 31, 2021

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today the East Division and Central Division All-Star teams for the 2020-21 WHL season.

WHL Division All-Stars are voted upon by WHL General Managers.

WHL East Division All-Star Team
Goaltender – Nolan Maier (Yorkton, Sask.) – Saskatoon Blades
Defenceman – Ryker Evans (Calgary, Alta.) – Regina Pats
Defenceman – Braden Schneider (Prince Albert, Sask.) – Brandon Wheat Kings
Forward – Connor Bedard (North Vancouver, B.C.) – Regina Pats
Forward – Peyton Krebs (Okotoks, Alta.) – Winnipeg ICE
Forward – Ben McCartney (Macdonald, Man.) – Brandon Wheat Kings

WHL Central Division All-Star Team
Goaltender – Sebastian Cossa (Fort McMurray, Alta.) – Edmonton Oil Kings
Defenceman – Cole Clayton (Strathmore, Alta.) – Medicine Hat Tigers
Defenceman – Matthew Robertson (Sherwood Park, Alta.) – Edmonton Oil Kings
Forward – Dylan Guenther (Edmonton, Alta.) – Edmonton Oil Kings
Forward – Brett Kemp (Yorkton, Sask.) – Medicine Hat Tigers
Forward – Jake Neighbours (Airdrie, Alta.) – Edmonton Oil Kings

WHL East Division All-Star Team Biographies
Goaltender Nolan Maier (Saskatoon Blades): Maier finished fifth among WHL goaltenders in wins, posting a 12-3-1-1 record in 17 games to go along with a 2.34 goals-against average and 0.915 save percentage. No East Division goaltender had more than the two shutouts recorded by the 20-year-old Yorkton, Sask. product. The 6-foot-0, 173-pound netminder is the Blades career wins leader, posting a 91-49-9-5 record, 2.92 GAA, 0.903 SV%, and nine shutouts over 156 regular season appearances in the WHL.

Defenceman Ryker Evans (Regina Pats): Evans set a career best with 25 assists during the 2020-21 season, finishing second among WHL blueliners with 28 points (3G-25A). The 5-foot-11, 184-pound rearguard finished tied for the Pats scoring lead and finished the season on a strong note tallying 15 points in his final 11 games. The 19-year-old Calgary, Alta. product has accrued 70 points (11G-59A) in 132 WHL regular season games.

Defenceman Braden Schneider (Brandon Wheat Kings): The 19-year-old product of Prince Albert, Sask. led the Wheat Kings from the blue line, totalling 27 points (5G-22A) in 22 games to finish third in scoring among WHL blueliners, and his 15 power-play assists were second-best in the WHL. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound defenceman finished tied for sixth among WHL skaters in assists. The New York Rangers prospect has recorded 115 points (21G-94A) in 207 WHL regular season games and is currently competing for Canada at the 2021 IIHF World Championship in Riga, Latvia.

Forward Connor Bedard (Regina Pats): The first player in WHL history to be granted exceptional status, Bedard was leading the WHL in scoring before leaving to represent Canada at the 2021 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in mid-April. The 15-year-old product of North Vancouver, B.C. finished with 28 points (12G-16A) from 15 games played, 10 of which were multi-point efforts. The 5-foot-9, 165-pound centre is eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft.

Forward Peyton Krebs (Winnipeg ICE): The 20-year-old ICE captain led the WHL in both assists (30) and points (43), setting a franchise record by recording points in 23 consecutive games. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound product of Okotoks, Alta. had five games in which he recorded three or more points during the 2020-21 season. The first-overall selection from the 2016 WHL Draft and Vegas Golden Knights prospect has tallied 231 points (62G-169A) in 199 WHL regular season games.

Forward Ben McCartney (Brandon Wheat Kings): Recording 37 points (13G-24A) in 24 games, the 19-year-old McCartney helped pace the Wheat Kings to the East Division title. The 6-foot-0, 185-pound left winger from finished second in WHL scoring and tied for the league lead in game-winning goals with four. The Arizona Coyotes prospect from Macdonald, Man. has tallied 151 points (61G-90A) in 205 WHL regular season games.

WHL Central Division All-Star Team Biographies
Goaltender Sebastian Cossa (Edmonton Oil Kings): In 19 games, Cossa compiled a 17-1-0-1 record, 1.57 goals-against average, 0.941 save percentage, and four shutouts as the Oil Kings captured the Central Division title. The 6-foot-7, 203-pound product of Fort McMurray, Alta. led WHL goaltenders in GAA and SV% while finishing tied for the league lead in shutouts, and second among WHL netminders in wins. The 18-year-old is ranked #1 among North American goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting ahead of the 2021 NHL Draft. In 52 career WHL regular season appearances, Cossa boasts a record of 38-7-2-2, with a 1.98 GAA, 0.928 SV% and eight shutouts.

Defenceman Cole Clayton (Medicine Hat Tigers): The 20-year-old Tigers blueliner led all WHL defencemen in goals and points, matching his career best point total of 30 (9G-21A) in the process. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound product of Strathmore, Alta. led the Tigers in power-play goals with seven, and was one of only two WHL defencemen to record a hat-trick during the 2020-21 season. Clayton graduates from the WHL having recorded 88 points (45G-190A) in 214 WHL regular season games.

Defenceman Matthew Robertson (Edmonton Oil Kings): The steady Robertson put up 22 points (4G-18A) during the 2020-21 season, finishing tops among WHL defencemen in plus/minus with a career best +26. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound blueliner helped the Oil Kings finish the season with the best record in the WHL. A prospect of the New York Rangers, the Sherwood Park, Alta. product has recorded 127 points (31G-96A) in 208 WHL regular season games.

Forward Dylan Guenther (Edmonton Oil Kings): Guenther scored 12 times in his 12 games played, posting 24 points (12G-12A) during the 2020-21 WHL season before helping Canada to a gold medal performance at the 2021 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Texas. The 18-year-old product of Edmonton, Alta. finished third among Oil Kings skaters in goals. The 6-foot-2, 181-pound forward sits #5 among North American skaters in the final NHL Central Scouting rankings ahead of the 2021 NHL Draft, and has amassed 87 points (41G-46A) in 78 WHL regular season games.

Forward Brett Kemp (Medicine Hat Tigers): Recording 31 points (12G-19A) in 23 games, Kemp paced the Tigers offence leading the club in scoring. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound product of Yorkton, Sask. enjoyed a stretch of five consecutive multi-point games in April. The 21-year-old centre graduates from the WHL having compiled 218 points (96G-122A) in 255 WHL regular season games.

Forward Jake Neighbours (Edmonton Oil Kings): With 33 points (9G-24A) in 19 games, Neighbours led the Central Division in scoring. The 6-foot-0, 197-pound product of Airdrie, Alta. posted 11 multi-point efforts and finished second on the Oil Kings in power-play assists with eight. The prospect of the St. Louis Blues has put up a total of 131 points (43G-88A) in 141 WHL regular season games.