The WHL announced the Western Conference all-star teams and awards finalists this morning, with one Everett player receiving recognition as Tips defenseman Ryan Murray was named a second-team all-star. The 17-year-old Murray was one of Everett’s co-MVPs, along with goaltender Kent Simpson, tallying six goals and 40 assists in 70 games. It’s a well-deserved honor for Murray.
No other Tips were honored either on the all-star teams or among the awards finalists, and that’s not a surprise. I thought there might be an outside chance Simpson could sneak onto the second team, but the combination of an average first half and getting injured just as he was at his peak in the second half probably doomed his chances.
Glancing over the rest of the all-star teams and award nominees, it’s hard to quibble much with the choices. I think maybe Kelowna goaltender Adam Brown warranted mention (it was a very tricky season for honoring Western Conference goaltenders this season), and Portland probably could have gotten more than one forward on the all-star teams. But otherwise the selections pretty much line up with what I expected.
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