WHL names 2022-23 U.S. Division Second All-Star Team
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today the U.S. Division Second All-Star Team for the 2022-23 WHL season.
WHL Division All-Stars are voted upon by WHL General Managers.
WHL U.S. Division Second All-Star Team
Goaltender – Tomas Suchanek (Olomouc, Czechia) – Tri-City Americans
Defenceman – Nolan Allan (Davidson, Sask.) – Seattle Thunderbirds
Defenceman – Luca Cagnoni (Burnaby, B.C.) – Portland Winterhawks
Forward – Chase Bertholet (The Pas, Man.) – Spokane Chiefs
Forward – Lucas Ciona (Edmonton, Alta.) – Seattle Thunderbirds
Forward – Austin Roest (Coldstream, B.C.) – Everett Silvertips
WHL U.S. Division Second All-Star Team Biographies
Goaltender Tomas Suchanek (Tri-City Americans): Suchanek helped his native Czechia earn a silver medal at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship in January while also finishing tied for third among WHL goaltenders with 27 wins during the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season. The 19-year-old, who sits eighth among North American Goaltenders on the latest NHL Central Scouting Rankings, finished with the fourth-most saves (1,383) among League netminders, while also enjoying a stretch of 13 consecutive WHL appearances withtout a loss from November 26, 2022 through February 3, 2023. The 6-foot-2, 169-pound puck-stopper holds a career 39-38-5-2 record to go along with a 3.44 goals-against average, .906 save percentage and two shutouts over his 88 career appearances with Tri-City.
Defenceman Nolan Allan (Seattle Thunderbirds): The Chicago Blackhawks prospect split the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season between the Prince Albert Raiders and Seattle Thunderbirds, collecting 16 points (7G-9A) from his 41 games with Seattle to go along with a +27 rating. The product of Davidson, Sask. helped Canada to a gold medal at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship in January. The 19-year-old matched a career best with a four-point effort (1G-3A) at Victoria February 21. Allan, who stands 6-foot-2 and 193 pounds, has totalled 79 points (21G-58A) from his 203 career WHL contests after being selected by the Raiders with the third-overall pick in the 2018 WHL Draft.
Defenceman Luca Cagnoni (Portland Winterhawks): Cagnoni led all Winterhawks blueliners with 64 points (17G-47A) and finished with the team lead with 27 power-play assists. Sitting 34th among North American Skaters in the most recent NHL Central Scouting Rankings, the Burnaby, B.C. product represented Portland at the 2023 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game in January. The 18-year-old collected 19 multi-point games over the course of the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season including a quintet of three-point efforts. In 140 WHL contests with the Winterhawks, the 5-foot-10, 179-pound defenceman has earned 103 career points (26G-77A).
Forward Chase Bertholet (Spokane Chiefs): Hailing from The Pas, Man., the 20-year-old Bertholet led the Chiefs in scoring with 69 points (28G-41A) in his first full season with Spokane, posting career bests in goals, assists, points and power-play goals along the way. Bertholet earned multi-goal games on four occasions, while matching his personal best with four-point games on two separate occasions, November 6 at Portland and March 12 at Everett. The 6-foot-0, 177-pound forward has accrued 136 career points (54G-82A) from his 166 WHL appearances.
Forward Lucas Ciona (Seattle Thunderbirds): The Calgary Flames prospect captained the Seattle Thunderbirds to a U.S. Division crown, collecting 75 points (28G-47A) to finish second in team scoring. Among the highlights for the 20-year-old Edmonton, Alta. product, a hat-trick and six-point effort October 15 at Everett. He totalled six multi-goal games over the course of the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season. The 6-foot-3, 222-pound forward scored 22 of his 28 goals at even strength and finished with a share of the team lead with seven game-winning tallies. In 195 career WHL regular season games, all with the Thunderbirds, Ciona has collected 136 points (50G-86A).
Forward Austin Roest (Everett Silvertips): A 2023 NHL Draft prospect, Roest led the Silvertips in assists (46) and plus/minus (+19), while finishing second in team scoring with 78 points (32G-46A). The product of Coldstream, B.C., more than doubled his career bests in all major offensive categories, recording three or more points in a game nine times including a five-point effort (1G-4A) January 11 at Spokane. The 19-year-old, who checks in at 5-foot-10 and 172 pounds, has earned 118 points (48G-70A) from his 142 career WHL regular season contests with Everett.
