Blazers retain hold of B.C. Division crown

For the fourth consecutive season, the Kamloops Blazers are B.C. Division Champions.

The 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia hosts secured the 2022-23 Division crown Saturday evening.

Armed with a 39-11-4-2 record, and propelled by nine NHL prospects including reigning WHL Player of the Year Logan Stankoven, Kamloops has held the Division lead for much of the regular season.

Entering Saturday’s action, the Blazers’ +88 goal differential was third-best in the WHL, while Stankoven’s 86 points were fourth-most among WHL skaters.

2023 NHL Draft prospect Dylan Ernst has grabbed the crease this season following the graduation of Dylan Garand to professional hockey; the product of Weyburn, Sask. leads the League with 33 wins and is ranked by NHL Central Scouting ahead of the June Draft in Nashville.

Kamloops reached the Eastern Conference Championship in 2022, while Stankoven led all WHL Playoffs performers with 17 goals and 31 points last spring.

This year, the Blazers will start the First Round of the 2023 WHL Playoffs against either the #7 or #8 seed in the Western Conference.