Peyton Krebs made a bit of history on Thursday morning.
The Winnipeg Ice forward became the first person to be the top pick in the Western Hockey League Draft and be named the league’s player of the year as he was named the 2020-21 winner of the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy.
Krebs, who is 20 years of age and calls Okotoks, Alta. home, led the league in scoring this past season with 43 points in 24 games against East Division foes at the Brandt Centre in Regina.
After being held without a point in the team’s season opener, the Vegas Golden Knights prospect had a goal or an assist in the remaining 23 contests, which set a new franchise record and was the longest run of form in the league since Brett Leason’s 30-game streak for the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2018-19 season.
The first overall pick by the team in 2016, Krebs is the first Ice player to win the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy during the club’s tenure in Winnipeg.
Sam Reinhart received the award in the 2013-14 season when the Ice were located out of Cranbrook, B.C.
Dylan Guenther of the Edmonton Oil Kings, Justin Sourdif of the Vancouver Giants and Dustin Wolf of the Everett Silvertips were also nominated.
Around the WHL
The Lethbridge Hurricanes made a big addition to their blueline on Thursday afternoon as they acquired 17-year-old Nolan Bentham from the Victoria Royals for a second round pick in 2024, seventh and eighth round picks in 2022 and the rights to 2004-born forward Chase LaPinta.
Bentham, who was taken 13th overall by his hometown Royals in the 2018 WHL Draft, had three points in 52 games during the 2019-20 campaign but did not suit up for the club this spring.
A product of Frisco, Texas, LaPinta had 12 points in 12 games last season for the Dallas Stars Elite Under-16 AAA program.
LaPinta, who was an eighth round pick in 2019, is currently committed to the NCAA’s Arizona State Sun Devils.
The Hurricanes also dealt overage netminder Carl Tetachuk to the Moose Jaw Warriors on Thursday for a conditional seventh round pick in 2024.
Tetachuk, who is from Lethbridge, has compiled a 50-28-11 record with a 3.06 goals against average, a .901 save percentage and five shutouts over the last three seasons with his hometown team.
On the personnel front, former Everett Silvertips general manager Garry Davidson will remain in the WHL as he was hired by the Calgary Hitmen on Thursday to serve as the club’s director of player personnel.
Davidson was in charge of the Silvertips for nine seasons until his contract wasn’t renewed last month.
Longtime Portland Winterhawks assistant coach and general manager Kyle Gustafson joined the Vancouver Canucks coaching staff on Wednesday as he was named as the NHL’s team assistant/special assignment coach.
Gustafson had been with the Winterhawks coaching staff since 2003.
In other news, the Red Deer Rebels announced on Thursday morning that Troy Gillard will be the team’s play by play voice on a full-time basis come next season.
Gillard, who will also be the director of broadcast and media for the Rebels, took over behind the microphone on an interim basis this year when longtime announcer Cam Moon took a radio job with the Edmonton Oil Kings.
