Peter Mueller and Kyle Beach have been dubbed the best in the west, at least in some regards.
The Tri-City Herald’s annual Best of the West Poll was released last weekend, with Everett forwards Mueller and Beach among those who placed first in categories.
The poll is conducted among the 10 teams in the Western Hockey League’s Western Conference, with players, coaches and broadcasters filling out ballots. The top six in each category were listed.
Mueller was tabbed as the best pro prospect, garnering 77.5 percent of the maximum possible score, just edging Tri-City goaltender Carey Price. Mueller was also all over the other categories, finishing third in MVP to team; fourth in most-accurate shot, top faceoff man and hardest shot; and fifth in best skater.
Beach headed the top rookie (63.3) and top 16-year-old (89.8) categories. He also finished second in most irritating.
Everett also placed first in best fans (89.9).
Among other Everett players: Leland Irving was second in best goalie and fourth in best pro prospect; Moises Gutierrez was third in most improved and sixth in most overrated; and Brennan Sonne was fourth in most irritating.
Kevin Constantine was second in best coach, Doug Soetaert was third in top exectuive.
The other category winners were: best coach, Dean Clark (Kamloops); best skater, Michael Grabner (Spokane); most-accurate shot, Aaron Gagnon (Seattle); most irritating, Garet Hunt (Vancouver); top executive, Bob Tory (Tri-City); most underrated, Brock Nixon (Kamloops); most improved, Nixon; best referee, Rob Matsuoka; best defensive forward, Alex Aldred (Tri-City); toughest player, Matt Kassian (Kamloops); most overrated, Chris Durand (Prince George); hardest shot, Roman Teslyuk (Tri-City); best goalie, Carey Price (Tri-City); MVP to team, Gagnon; best stay-at-home defenseman, Brett Festerling (Vancouver); best overager, Gagnon; best faceoff man, Gagnon.
Slap shots: Spokane has been hammered by major injuries in February. In this month alone the Chiefs lost forwards Seth Compton (broken ankle), Drayson Bowman (broken wrist) and J.P. Szaszkiewicz (emergency appendectomy), and defenseman Justin Falk (broken wrist). … Medicine Hat extended its league-best winning streak to 17 games. Also, Tigers goaltender Matt Keetley earned his 100th WHL victory in Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Regina. … Two more teams booked their playoff tickets this weekend as Brandon and Kootenay clinched berths. … Vancouver owner Ron Toigo publicly expressed dismay that the league didn’t suspend Kamloops defenseman Keaton Ellerby. Ellerby allegedly made a throat-slashing gesture at Vancouver’s Michael Wuchterl during the Giants’ 5-1 victory on Feb. 9.
League leaders: Points – Zach Hamill (Everett), Ryan White (Calgary) 79; goals – Colton Yellow Horn (Tri-City), Reid Jorgensen (Kamloops) 39; assists – Hamill 55; penalty minutes – Mike Gauthier (Prince Albert) 219; wins – Matt Keetley (Medicine Hat) 37; goals against average – David Reekie (Everett) 1.75; save percentage – Leland Irving (Everett) .930.
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