WHL names 2022-23 B.C. Division Second All-Star Team – Kamloops Blazers
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today the Second All-Star Teams for the 2022-23 WHL season.
WHL Division All-Stars are voted upon by WHL General Managers.
WHL B.C. Division Second All-Star Team
Goaltender – Dylan Ernst (Weyburn, Sask.) – Kamloops Blazers
Defenceman – Kyle Masters (Edmonton, Alta.) – Kamloops Blazers
Defenceman – Hudson Thornton (Winnipeg, Man.) – Prince George Cougars
Forward – Caedan Bankier (Surrey, B.C.) – Kamloops Blazers
Forward – Riley Heidt (Saskatoon, Sask.) – Prince George Cougars
Forward – Matthew Seminoff (Coquitlam, B.C.) – Kamloops Blazers
WHL B.C. Division Second All-Star Team Biographies
Goaltender Dylan Ernst (Kamloops Blazers): The product of Weyburn, Sask. led all WHL goaltenders with 38 wins, earning a 2.69 goals-against average, .906 save percentage and two shutouts along the way. The 19-year-old enjoyed a stretch of 16 consecutive appearances without suffering a regulation loss, a span which ran from November 9 through December 30. In 82 career WHL regular season appearances, all with Kamloops, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound netminder holds a career 55-19-4-1 record to go along with a 2.78 goals-against average, .903 save percentage and four shutouts.
Defenceman Kyle Masters (Kamloops Blazers): The 19-year-old enjoyed a career year, finishing the regular season with 65 points (11G-54A) to sit tied for seventh in scoring among WHL defencemen. Hailing from Edmonton, Alta., Masters arrived in Kamloops prior to the start of the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season after spending three seasons patrolling the blue line with the Red Deer Rebels. The 6-foot-0, 175-pound rearguard signed an entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild earlier this month after being selected in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft. Masters has compiled 92 points (16G-76A) in 175 career WHL games.
Defenceman Hudson Thornton (Prince George Cougars): Thornton, who hails from Winnipeg, Man., finished second among B.C. Division defencemen in scoring with 74 points, setting a Prince George franchise record for goals by a blueliner with 23. The 19-year-old scored 12 times on the power-play, most among Western Conference defencemen, while also improving his plus/minus rating by 27 points from the 2021-22 season. He enjoyed an 11-game assist streak from October 28 – November 19. In 139 career WHL games, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound rearguard has earned a total of 122 points (38G-84A).
Forward Caedan Bankier (Kamloops Blazers): A member of Canada’s gold medal-winning entry at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, Bankier set new personal bests in 2023 with 37 goals, 85 points and 12 power-play markers. The product of Surrey, B.C. also accrued seven game-winning goals in 2022-23, most among Blazers skaters. The 20-year-old signed an entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild March 1 after being selected by the NHL Club in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound forward has collected 188 points (76G-112A) over his 202 WHL regular season appearances.
Forward Riley Heidt (Prince George Cougars): Rated #26 among North American Skaters in the NHL Central Scouting Mid-Term Rankings, Heidt finished the season with a share of the League lead with 72 assists. The product of Saskatoon, Sask. finished third among NHL Draft-eligible skaters, and second among Prince George players with 97 points, while his 43 power-play points were third among all WHL skaters. The 18-year-old finished the regular season on a 10-game point streak. Heidt, who checks in at 5-foot-11 and 178 pounds, has collected 163 career points (48G-115A) from his 155 career regular season appearances with the Cougars.
Forward Matthew Seminoff (Kamloops Blazers): A prospect of the Dallas Stars, the 5-foot-11, 183-pound Seminoff finished third among Blazers skaters in regular season scoring, totalling 82 points (31G-51A) and surpassing the point-per-game mark (1.32) for the first time in his WHL career. The product of Coquitlam, B.C. held the high-water mark for points in a game during the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season, collecting eight (4G-4A) in a win over the Victoria Royals March 15. The 19-year-old has appeared in 196 WHL regular season contests with Kamloops, totalling 170 points (73G-97A).