WHL NOTEBOOK

The voters have spoken, and as far as they’re concerned the Everett Silvertips are all about loud noise and agitation.

The Tri-City Herald released its annual Best of the West poll last weekend, in which the players, coaches and broadcasters of the Western Conference’s 10 teams are asked their opinions on a variety of subjects, and Everett found the top spot in two categories.

For the fourth consecutive year, Everett won the category for best fans, receiving 83.1 percent of the maximum point total. Meanwhile, Tips captain Zack Dailey was voted the conference’s most irritating player, garnering 29 percent of the vote.

Everett had little representation in the poll as a whole. Dailey also took second in the top faceoff man category and third in the top defensive forward category, and leading scorer Kellan Tochkin ranked second for top rookie. The only other members of the Everett organization who earned mention were defenseman Taylor Ellington (sixth in best stay-at-home defenseman) and left wing Tyler Maxwell (fifth in top rookie).

Four players earned the top spot in two different categories. Spokane’s Tyler Johnson was voted the top defensive forward and the top faceoff man; Prince George’s Brett Connolly was named the top rookie and best 16-year-old; Kelowna’s Jamie Benn was first in hardest shot and most accurate shot; and Kamloops’ C.J. Stretch was awarded most underrated player and most improved player.

Vancouver’s two big offensive stars each came away with one category as Casey Pierro-Zabotel was named the best overage player and Evander Kane was named the best pro prospect. Vancouver also swept the non-player categories as Don Hay was named the top coach and Scott Bonner the top executive.

In an interesting juxtaposition, Spokane goaltender Dustin Tokarski was voted the most valuable to his team, but Tri-City’s Chet Pickard was named the best goaltender.

Kelowna’s Tyler Myers was named the best stay-at-home defenseman, while his teammate Ryley Grantham was named the toughest player. Seattle’s Thomas Hickey was named the best skater.

Andy Thiessen was named the top referee, despite the fact he’s working a limited number of games this season.

Around the WHL: Seattle still has a chance of adding Oscar Moller to its roster. The T-birds acquired the rights to the electrifying 19-year-old forward, who’s spent the season with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, from Chilliwack at the trade deadline. The Los Angeles Daily News reported last week that the Kings are still not sure whether to keep Moller or return him to the WHL for the remainder of the season. The Kings have until the NHL’s trade deadline on Mar. 4 to decide. … The shoulder injury suffered by Vancouver captain Jonathon Blum is not as serious as originally expected. Blum, an MVP candidate, suffered the injury during Vancouver’s 4-3 overtime loss to Kelowna on Friday and was originally expected to miss a minimum of two weeks. However, he’s been upgraded to day-to-day, meaning there’s a good chance he’ll be available for the Giants’ two games against Everett next week. … Because of the unusual Monday game in Portland, the Player of the Week award is not being handed out until today.

League leaders: Points — Casey Pierro-Zabotel (Vancouver) 99; goals — Joel Broda (Calgary) 45; assists — Pierro-Zabotel 67; penalty minutes — Ryley Grantham (Kelowna) 162; wins — Martin Jones (Calgary) 38; goals against average — Dustin Tokarski (Spokane) 1.83; save percentage — Tokarski .940.

Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog