A league of his own Winnipeg Ice captain Peyton Krebs is the landslide winner in Free Press poll of WHL's East Division GMs, coaches on the top players in various categories
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/03/2021 (1295 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The scene played out at Darren Ritchie’s house frequently when the world junior championship was the only hockey of consequence on TV during December’s holiday break.
The GM of the Brandon Wheat Kings would turn to his 18-year-old son Nolan, a centre preparing for his second season with the WHL team, to remind him about the education he was getting.
The message? Watch Team Canada forward Peyton Krebs; he’s writing a manual on how to play the position.
“(Nolan is) probably sick of me praising Peyton,” explains Ritchie. “He’s a hockey player that you want everybody to play like. He plays hard, he has skill and there’s no entitlement. He just looks like a pro to me. We’ve been lucky that we’ve had Matt Calvert and Brayden Schenn, who are two of the best players we’ve had, and Mark Stone, obviously. This kid reminds me of those guys; the way he just handles himself.”
Ritchie is not alone in his admiration.
Krebs, the captain of the Winnipeg Ice, has built an enviable resumé.
Poll results
With play about to begin in the WHL’s East Division hub in Regina, we asked GMs and coaches to weigh in on the finest performers in 13 individual categories.
Players are listed in order of finish, with first-, second- and third-place votes in parentheses, followed by point totals. Totals were calculated by awarding three points for a first-place vote, two for a second and one for a third. Some ballots were incomplete.
Votes for overage Brandon forwards Luka Burzan and Cole Reinhardt were tabulated, although both are currently playing in the AHL and unlikely to return to the WHL.
With play about to begin in the WHL’s East Division hub in Regina, we asked GMs and coaches to weigh in on the finest performers in 13 individual categories.
Players are listed in order of finish, with first-, second- and third-place votes in parentheses followed by point totals. Totals were calculated by awarding three points for a first-place vote, two for a second and one for a third. Some ballots were incomplete.
Votes for overage Brandon forwards Luka Burzan and Cole Reinhardt were tabulated, although both are currently playing in the AHL and unlikely to return to the WHL:
Best forward
Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg (10-0-0) 30
Tristen Robins, Saskatoon (0-5-3) 13
Ridly Greig, Brandon (0-4-2) 10
Cole Reinhardt, Brandon (0-1-0) 2
Ozzy Wiesblatt, Prince Albert (0-0-3) 3
Luka Burzan, Brandon (0-0-1) 1
Ryder Korczak, Moose Jaw (0-0-1) 1
Top faceoff man
Chase Wouters, Saskatoon (7-1-0) 23
Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg (3-4-1) 18
Ridly Greig, Brandon (0-4-1) 9
Tristen Robins, Saskatoon (0-1-1) 3
Logan Nijhoff, Regina (0-0-2) 2
Cole Reinhardt, Brandon (0-0-1) 1
Ozzy Wiesblatt, Prince Albert (0-0-1) 1
Drew Englot, Regina (0-0-1) 1
Ben McCartney, Brandon (0-0-1) 1
Luka Burzan, Brandon (0-0-1) 1
Top defenceman
Kaiden Guhle, Prince Albert (6-2-0) 22
Braden Schneider, Brandon (4-4-0) 20
Carson Lambos, Winnipeg (0-1-6) 8
Daemon Hunt, Moose Jaw (0-2-3) 7
Chad Nychuk, Brandon (0-1-1) 3
Top shot-blocker
Chase Wouters, Saskatoon (3-4-1) 18
Braden Schneider, Brandon (3-0-2) 9
Ben McCartney, Brandon (1-3-0) 7
Kyle Walker, Regina (1-2-1) 8
Kaden Guhle, Prince Albert (1-0-1) 4
Markus Sekundiak, Brandon (1-0-0) 3
Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg (0-1-0) 2
Spencer Moe, Prince Albert (0-0-1) 1
Vinny Iorio, Brandon (0-0-1) 1
Drew Englot, Regina (0-0-1) 1
Brad Ginnell, Moose Jaw (0-0-1) 1
Logan Nijhoff, Regina (0-0-1) 1
Best penalty-killer
Chase Wouters, Saskatoon (7-0-1) 22
Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg (2-3-0) 12
Braden Schneider, Brandon (0-5-0) 10
Caiden Daley, Saskatoon (1-0-0) 3
Kaden Guhle, Prince Albert (0-0-3) 3
Ridly Greig, Brandon (0-1-1) 3
Logan Nijhoff, Regina (0-1-0) 2
Spencer Moe, Prince Albert (0-0-2) 2
Tristen Robins, Saskatoon (0-0-1) 1
Ben McCartney, Brandon (0-0-1) 1
Tate Popple, Moose Jaw (0-0-1) 1
Ozzy Wiesblatt, Prince Albert (0-0-1) 1
Top pro prospect
Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg (6-1-0) 19
Kaden Guhle, Prince Albert (2-2-3) 13
Braden Schneider, Brandon (1-3-0) 9
Carson Lambos, Winnipeg (1-1-3) 8
Ridly Greig, Brandon (0-2-3) 7
Nolan Allan, Prince Albert (0-1-0) 2
Ryder Korczak, Moose Jaw (0-0-1) 1
Most-feared player
Braden Schneider, Brandon (4-1-0) 13
Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg (3-0-0) 9
Justin Nachbaur, Prince Albert (1-1-3) 8
Kaden Guhle, Prince Albert (1-2-0) 7
Tristen Robins, Saskatoon (0-2-0) 4
Ridly Greig, Brandon (0-2-0) 4
Reid Perepeluk, Brandon (0-1-0) 2
Chase Wouters, Saskatoon (0-1-0) 2
Jakob Brook, Regina (0-0-1) 1
Ozzy Wiesblatt, Prince Albert (0-0-1) 1
Ryder Korczak, Moose Jaw (0-0-1) 1
Brad Ginnell, Moose Jaw (0-0-1) 1
Best skater
Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg (4-2-0) 14
Ridly Greig, Brandon (1-3-1) 10
Kaden Guhle, Prince Albert (3-1-0) 10
Luka Burzan, Brandon (1-1-0) 5
Carson Lambos, Winnipeg (1-0-1) 4
Kyle Crnkovic, Saskatoon (0-1-1) 3
Ozzy Wiesblatt, Prince Albert (0-0-3) 3
Ryder Korczak, Moose Jaw (0-1-0) 2
Chase Wouters, Saskatoon (0-1-0) 2
Connor McLennon, Winnipeg (0-0-2) 2
Tristen Robins, Saskatoon (0-0-1) 1
Nolan Allan, Prince Albert (0-0-1) 1
Top playmaker
Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg (6-1-1) 21
Ridly Greig, Brandon (2-2-1) 11
Ryder Korczak, Moose Jaw (1-2-2) 9
Connor McLennon, Winnipeg (1-2-1) 8
Tristen Robins, Saskatoon (0-2-2) 8
Ozzy Wiesblatt, Prince Albert (0-1-1) 3
Kyle Crnkovic, Saskatoon (0-0-2) 2
Top rookie
Conor Geekie, Winnipeg (3-4-1) 18
Connor Bedard, Regina (3-1-0) 11
Nate Danielson, Brandon (0-3-1) 7
Brandon Lisowsky, Saskatoon (1-0-2) 5
Denton Mateychuk, Moose Jaw (0-1-2) 4
Brett Hyland, Brandon (1-0-0) 3
Atlee Calvert, Moose Jaw (1-0-0) 3
Tyson Zimmer, Brandon (0-0-1) 1
Colby Wotton, Regina (0-0-1) 1
Top goaltender
Max Paddock, Prince Albert (4-2-2) 18
Roddy Ross, Regina (3-4-0) 17
Nolan Meier, Saskatoon (2-3-2) 14
Ethan Kruger, Brandon (1-0-2) 5
Isaac Poulter, Swift Current (0-1-3) 5
Koen MacInnes, Saskatoon (0-0-1) 1
Top OT performer
Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg (7-0-1) 22
Tristen Robins, Saskatoon (1-3-1) 10
Connor McClennon, Winnipeg (1-2-0) 7
Luka Burzan, Brandon (1-1-1) 6
Ridly Greig, Brandon (0-1-4) 6
Kyle Crnkovic, Saskatoon (0-2-1) 5
Ozzy Wiesblatt, Prince Albert (0-1-0) 2
Chase Wouters, Saskatoon (0-0-1) 1
Ryder Korczak, Moose Jaw (0-0-1) 1
Best shot
Luka Burzan, Brandon (2-3-0) 12
Tristen Robins, Saskatoon (3-1-0) 11
Connor McClennon, Winnipeg (0-3-3) 9
Kaden Guhle, Prince Albert (2-1-0) 8
Kyle Crnkovic, Saskatoon (1-0-1) 4
Ryder Korczak, Moose Jaw (1-0-1) 4
Braden Schneider, Brandon (1-0-0) 3
Ben McCartney, Brandon (0-1-0) 2
Carson Lambos, Winnipeg (0-1-0) 2
Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg (0-0-1) 1
Justin Nachbaur, Prince Albert (0-0-1) 1
Cole Reinhardt, Brandon (0-0-1) 1
His teammates respect him; opponents hate to play against him. Widely praised for his combination of skill and leadership ability, the 20 year old from Okotoks, Alta., appears destined for a long and successful career in the NHL.
But before he makes a permanent transition to the pro ranks, we are unveiling Krebs as the major winner of the inaugural Free Press East Division GM/coaches poll.
In voting prior to the start of the East Division hub in Regina, Krebs was declared the winner of five individual categories (best forward, top pro prospect, best skater, top playmaker, top OT performer) and finished second in three others (best faceoff man, top penalty-killer, most-feared player).
Two representatives of each East Division team were asked to vote for their choices as the top three players in each of 13 categories. GMs and coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.
The Winnipeg Ice and Saskatoon Blades did not participate.
The Wheat Kings and Ice will face each other four times in the hub and Krebs is expected to bring his fire to the simmering intra-provincial rivalry.
“Anytime he plays us I’m going to be cringing all the time but you’ve got to appreciate good hockey players,” says Ritchie.
Brandon defenceman Braden Schneider also figured prominently in voting, winning the most-feared player category and finishing second in best defenceman and top shot-blocker and third in best penalty-killer and pro prospect.
“There’s a level of commitment that I’ve seen Braden put into his growth on and off the ice that has put him in a situation where he is one of the top defenceman in our league, not just our division,” says Regina Pats head coach Dave Struch.
“He takes up a lot of space, he moves well and he’s very mobile and he’s out there to be very hard to play against. And that’s with and without the puck. When you have that, when you have that presence on the ice, it takes a lot of courage to go up against that.”
Saskatoon Blades captain Chase Wouters remains undrafted by the NHL but he has earned wide respect from the big brains in the East, dominating the balloting for best faceoff man, top shot-blocker and top penalty-killer.
“He’s a guy that if you asked every coach or GM in our division they would love to have on their team because he does everything right,” says Ritchie. “He plays 200 feet. Just a solid player and everything you hear about the kid is he’s a solid person. I think those are the kind of guys you want leading your team.”
Struch’s knowledge of Schneider and Wouters isn’t solely based on game-planning against them. He served on coaching staffs for Hockey Canada squads with Schneider and Wouters in the lineup.
“When I played, there was a lot of guys that played like Braden,” says Struch, who wrapped up his four-year WHL playing career in 1992. “And there were a lot of guys that played like Chase. These guys, they’re playing some old school hockey in the new era and they’re very hard to play against. And we as coaches on every team, we always talk about being hard to play against.”
The top rookie competition drew a wide range of opinions with Winnipeg centre Conor Geekie leading the voting. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft, Regina centre, Connor Bedard was a close second. He has been granted exceptional status to play immediately for the Regina Pats.
If Ice right-winger Matt Savoie was not finishing the season with Dubuque of the USHL, he would surely have been a contender for top spot.
mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @sawa14
Mike Sawatzky
Reporter
Mike has been working on the Free Press sports desk since 2003.
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History
Updated on Friday, March 5, 2021 7:33 PM CST: Updates Max Paddock photo.
