Prince George hockey fans have long recognized Ethan Samson’s all-star qualities as a defenceman. Now the league has officially taken notice.
The third-year veteran from North Delta was named Thursday to the B.C. Division Second All-Star team after he scored 15 goals and had 28 assists for 43 points to finish fourth in Cougar scoring. Samson’s 235 shots on goal led all WHL defencemen.
The six-foot-three, 183-pound Samson was chosen by the Philadelphia Flyers in the seventh round, 174th overall, in the 2021 NHL draft.
The Cougars are in Portland, Ore., this weekend to open the WHL playoffs against the Portland Winterhawks. Games 1 and 2 will be played in Portland and Game 3 and 4 are set for CN Centre in Prince George, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Four Winterhawks made the all-star selections. Former Cougar goalie Taylor Gauthier was picked for the U.S. Division first team, as did forward Cross Hanas and defenceman Clay Hanus. Forward Tyson Kozak made the second team.
Gauthier was also chosen as the U.S. Division nominee for the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy as goaltender of the year.
The complete list of all-stars released by the league follows:
B.C. Division First All-Star Team
Goaltender – Dylan Garand (Victoria, B.C.) – Kamloops Blazers
Defenceman – Gannon Laroque (Edmonton, Alta.) – Victoria Royals
Defenceman – Jake Lee (Sherwood Park, Alta.) – Kelowna Rockets
Forward – Colton Dach (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) – Kelowna Rockets
Forward – Bailey Peach (Falmouth, N.S.) – Victoria Royals
Forward – Logan Stankoven (Kamloops, B.C.) – Kamloops Blazers
B.C. Division Second All-Star Team
Goaltender – Talyn Boyko (Drumheller, Alta.) – Kelowna Rockets
Defenceman – Ethan Samson (Delta, B.C.) – Prince George Cougars
Defenceman – Quinn Schmiemann (Wilcox, Sask.) – Kamloops Blazers
Forward – Tarun Fizer (Chestermere, Alta.) – Victoria Royals
Forward – Pavel Novak (Tabor, Czechia) – Kelowna Rockets
Forward – Luke Toporowski (Bettendorf, Iowa) – Kamloops Blazers
Central Division First All-Star Team
Goaltender – Sebastian Cossa (Fort McMurray, Alta.) – Edmonton Oil Kings
Defenceman – Kaiden Guhle (Sherwood Park, Alta.) – Edmonton Oil Kings
Defenceman – Christoffer Sedoff (Helsinki, Finland) – Red Deer Rebels
Forward – Arshdeep Bains (Surrey, B.C.) – Red Deer Rebels
Forward – Dylan Guenther (Edmonton, Alta.) – Edmonton Oil Kings
Forward – Ben King (Vernon, B.C.) – Red Deer Rebels
Central Division Second All-Star Team
Goaltender – Isaac Poulter (Winnipeg, Man.) – Swift Current Broncos
Defenceman – Simon Kubicek (Jindrichuv Hradec, Czechia) – Edmonton Oil Kings
Defenceman – Owen Pickering (St. Adolphe, Man.) – Swift Current Broncos
Forward – Riley Fiddler-Schultz (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) – Calgary Hitmen
Forward – Justin Hall (Edmonton, Alta.) – Lethbridge Hurricanes
Forward – Jake Neighbours (Airdrie, Alta.) – Edmonton Oil Kings
East Division First All-Star Team
Goaltender – Daniel Hauser (Chestermere, Alta.) – Winnipeg ICE
Defenceman – Carson Lambos (Winnipeg, Man.) – Winnipeg ICE
Defenceman – Denton Mateychuk (Dominion City, Man.) – Moose Jaw Warriors
Forward – Connor Bedard (North Vancouver, B.C.) – Regina Pats
Forward – Kyle Crnkovic (Chestermere, Alta.) – Saskatoon Blades
Forward – Matthew Savoie (St. Albert, Alta.) – Winnipeg ICE
East Division Second All-Star Team
Goaltender – Carl Tetachuk (Lethbridge, Alta.) – Moose Jaw Warriors
Defenceman – Ryker Evans (Calgary, Alta.) – Regina Pats
Defenceman – Chad Nychuk (Rossburn, Man.) – Brandon Wheat Kings
Forward – Jagger Firkus (Irma, Alta.) – Moose Jaw Warriors
Forward – Ridly Greig (Lethbridge, Alta.) – Brandon Wheat Kings
Forward – Tristen Robins (Clear Lake, Man.) – Saskatoon Blades
U.S. Division First All-Star Team
Goaltender – Taylor Gauthier (Calgary, Alta.) – Portland Winterhawks
Defenceman – Clay Hanus (Excelsior, Minn.) – Portland Winterhawks
Defenceman – Olen Zellweger (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) – Everett Silvertips
Forward – Jackson Berezowski (Yorkton, Sask.) – Everett Silvertips
Forward – Jared Davidson (Edmonton, Alta.) – Seattle Thunderbirds
Forward – Cross Hanas (Highland Village, Texas) – Portland Winterhawks
U.S. Division Second All-Star Team
Goaltender – Thomas Milic (Coquitlam, B.C.) – Seattle Thunderbirds
Defenceman – Kevin Korchinski (Saskatoon, Sask.) – Seattle Thunderbirds
Defenceman – Ronan Seeley (Olds, Alta.) – Everett Silvertips
Forward – Bear Hughes (Post Falls, Idaho) – Spokane Chiefs
Forward – Tyson Kozak (Souris, Man.) – Portland Winterhawks
Forward – Lukas Svejkovsky (Point Roberts, Wash.) – Seattle Thunderbirds
The league also announced its divisional nominees for overall individual awards, which will be announced on June 1.
Four Broncos Memorial Award nominees (player of the year)
B.C. Division – Logan Stankoven (Kamloops, B.C.) – Kamloops Blazers|
Central Division – Ben King (Vernon, B.C.) – Red Deer Rebels
East Division – Connor Bedard (North Vancouver, B.C.) – Regina Pats
U.S. Division – Olen Zellweger (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) – Everett Silvertips
Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy nominees (defenceman of the year)
B.C. Division – Gannon Laroque (Edmonton, Alta.) – Victoria Royals
Central Division – Kaiden Guhle (Sherwood Park, Alta.) – Edmonton Oil Kings
East Division – Denton Mateychuk (Dominion City, Man.) – Moose Jaw Warriors
U.S. Division – Olen Zellweger (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) – Everett Silvertips
Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy nominees (rookie of the year)
B.C. Division – Andrew Cristall (Burnaby, B.C.) – Kelowna Rockets
Central Division – Owen Pickering (St. Adolphe, Man.) – Swift Current Broncos
East Division – Brayden Yager (Saskatoon, Sask.) – Moose Jaw Warriors
U.S. Division – Kevin Korchinski (Saskatoon, Sask.) – Seattle Thunderbirds
Del Wilson Memorial Trphy nominees (goaltender of the year)
B.C. Division – Dylan Garand (Victoria, B.C.) – Kamloops Blazers
Central Division – Sebastian Cossa (Fort McMurray, Alta.) – Edmonton Oil Kings
East Division – Daniel Hauser (Chestermere, Alta.) – Winnipeg ICE
U.S. Division – Taylor Gauthier (Calgary, Alta.) – Portland Winterhawks
Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy nominees (most sportsmanlike player)
B.C. Division – Logan Stankoven (Kamloops, B.C.) – Kamloops Blazers
Central Division – Dylan Guenther (Edmonton, Alta.) – Edmonton Oil Kings
East Division – Kyle Crnkovic (Chestermere, Alta.) – Saskatoon Blades
U.S. Division – Jackson Berezowski (Yorkton, Sask.) – Everett Silvertips
Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Awardnominees (humanitarian of the year)
B.C. Division – Logan Stankoven (Kamloops, B.C.) – Kamloops Blazers
Central Division – Luke Prokop (Edmonton, Alta.) – Edmonton Oil Kings
East Division – Conor Geekie (Strathclair, Man.) – Winnipeg ICE
U.S. Division – Graham Sward (Abbotsford, B.C.) – Spokane Chiefs
Daryl (Doc) Seaman Memorial Award nominees (scholastic player of the year)
B.C. Division – Connor Levis (Vancouver, B.C.) – Kamloos Blazers
Central Division – Logan McCutcheon (Saskatoon, Sask.) – Lethbridge Hurricanes
East Division – Harrison Lodewyk (Red Deer, Alta.) – Prince Albert Raiders
U.S. Division – Gabe Klassen (Prince Albert, Sask.) – Portland Winterhawks
Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy nominees (executive of the year)
B.C. Division – Bruce Hamilton – Kelowna Rockets
Central Division – Brent Sutter – Red Deer Rebels
East Division – Matt Cockell – Winnipeg ICE
U.S. Division – Bil La Forge – Seattle Thunderbirds
WHL Business Award nominees
B.C. Division – Kamloops Blazers
Central Division – Lethbridge Hurricanes
East Division – Prince Albert Raiders
U.S. Division – Everett Silvertips
