To commemorate its 50th year, the WHL gathered a group of league historians to name the top 125 players in its history, and now fans will get a chance to pair the list down to the top 50. It’s a challenging endeavor as some of the best WHLers weren’t in the league for long before the NHL snatched them up. To properly judge these guys you have to balance accomplishments while in junior along with their pro legacies. Ultimately there are no right or wrong answers, just some great debate and discussion.
Here is my ballot for Nos. 50 to 41, what does yours look like?
50. Gerry Pinder, F, Saskatoon Blades (1965–1967)
Pinder only stood at 5-foot-8, which made his nickname “mouse” an appropriate one. He played two full seasons in the then Western Canada Hockey League was its first MVP after the 1967 season. He potted 78 goals that year to go with 140 points.
On print and digital newsstands now: iOS | Android | Windows
49. Doug Wickenheiser, F, Regina Pats (1978–1980)
Before he was selected first overall in the 1980 draft by Montreal, Wickenheiser was a star for the Pats. His best season was his last when he scored 89 goals and 170 points, led the Pats to the WHL Championship and was named both the WHL and CHL Player of the Year.
48. Glen Wesley, D, Portland Winterhawks (1984–1987)
Playing on the Portland blueline, Wesley was named the Western Conference Defenceman of the Year in 1986 and 1987. He scored 16 goals in each of his three full seasons in the Rose City and was drafted by the Boston Bruins with the third-overall pick in the 1987 draft. Wesley would go on to play 1,457 NHL games and won a Stanley Cup with Carolina in 2006.
47. Stan Smyl, F, New Westminster Bruins (1975–1978)
The New Westminster Bruins were a junior hockey power during Smyl’s time in the league. He played in three straight Memorial Cups—winning twice—amassed 216 points in 197 WHL games before being selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1978 NHL draft. He played 896 games with Vancouver and the Canucks eventually retired his number in 1991.
46. Trevor Linden, F, Medicine Hat Tigers (1986–1988)
Linden was a key part to Medicine Hat’s back-to-back Memorial Cup championships. He scored 46 times and picked up 110 points in his draft season and Vancouver made him the second-overall pick in 1988. Linden jumped right to the NHL the next season, playing 1,382 games and had his number retired by the Vancouver Canucks.
45. Darcy Tucker, F, Kamloops Blazers (1991–1995)
Tucker was a key player in all three of Kamloops’s Memorial Cup championships—1992, ’94 and ’95. Tucker scored 64 goals for the team in 1994–95 and totaled 150 goals, 379 points and 434 PIM in his three-plus seasons. He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 1993 and played 947 NHL games.
44. Brad Moran, F, Calgary Hitmen (1995–2000)
If you read the Calgary Hitmen record book you’ll find Moran’s name on every page. He is the franchise leader in career goals (204), assists (246) and points (450), and single-season assists (72). He led Calgary to its first WHL Championship in 1999 and ended his career with the 10th most goals in league history.
43. Dion Phaneuf, D, Red Deer Rebels (2001–2005)
Phaneuf played four full seasons in Red Deer and was named WHL Defenceman of the Year in 2004 and 2005. Drafted ninth overall in 2003, he was considered one of the best junior blueliners in years, scoring 146 points in 255 games, racking up 554 PIM along the way.
42. Bernie Federko, F, Saskatoon Blades (1973–1976)
The St. Louis Blues great was a star in the WCHL first with the Saskatoon Blades. He led the league in scoring with 187 points in 1975-76—still a Blades record—and was named the league’s MVP. He ended his junior career with 133 goals and 344 points in 206 games.
41. Grant Fuhr, G, Victoria Cougars (1979–1981)
Fuhr spent two seasons on Vancouver Island with the Cougars and won an astonishing 78 games. In an era that saw a lot more open play and high scoring, he backstopped a 1980-81 Cougars team that won a WHL record 60 games. Fuhr finished that season with a 48-9-1 record to go with a 2.78 goals against average. The next season he would be in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, on his way to a Hall of Fame career.