Tyson Barrie said he was fortunate to play with fellow Islander Jamie Benn in the Western Hockey League with the Kelowna Rockets, one of the best-operated franchises in all of major-junior. It was a fortuitous pairing for both Victoria players, who were named Tuesday as among the 125 greatest WHL players of all-time.
Also selected are Victoria Cougars legends Mel Bridgman, Barry Pederson and Grant Fuhr.
The list, compiled by a panel of hockey experts, was produced as part of the WHL’s 50th anniversary celebrations taking place this season. Fans can vote online for any of the 125 players beginning in October. Then the top-50 greatest WHL players will be announced in January.
“This is such a big honour,” said Barrie.
“A lot of great players have come out of there [WHL]. It’s really cool to see your name among them.”
The mobile 24-year-old blue-liner Barrie, a graduate of the Juan de Fuca Minor Hockey Association, is entering his fourth NHL season with the Colorado Avalanche.
Benn, out of the Peninsula Minor Hockey Association, has gone on to captain the Dallas Stars, capture Winter Olympics gold with Canada at Sochi 2014 and is the defending Art Ross Trophy winner as NHL points-scoring champion.
Selected in the fifth round of the 2007 NHL draft, the Central Saanich product was a late bloomer who became a revelation. Benn began his junior career in the BCHL with the Victoria Grizzlies before transferring to the WHL for his final two seasons with the Rockets.
“Jamie’s inclusion [on the WHL list] is no surprise. He is a special player and I’m glad to have played with him in Kelowna,” said Barrie, named WHL top defenceman in 2009-10.
“Jamie is only getting better and that’s the scary part.”
Because Benn is two years older, Barrie never got to play against him on the Island.
“I’m pretty sure Juan de Fuca would have beaten Peninsula,” quipped Barrie.
During their WHL careers, both Barrie and Benn won medals with Canada at the world junior championship, with Benn taking gold in 2009 and Barrie silver in 2011.
Forward Pederson and goaltender Fuhr were part of the 1980 WHL-finalist and 1981 WHL-champion Victoria Cougars. The latter team still holds the WHL and Canadian Hockey League records for most wins in a season — 60.
Two-season Cougar and Spruce Grove-native Fuhr famously went on to win four Stanley Cups as the crease mainstay of the Edmonton Oilers dynasty. Pederson was a seamless player in junior with two seasons in Nanaimo with the BCHL Clippers followed by three WHL seasons in Victoria. The native of Big River, Sask., played 12 seasons and 701 games in the NHL.
Bridgman moved to Victoria at age 12 from Thunder Bay, Ont., and immediately took to the ice at the Racquet Club. From Island Junior B, he moved up to the late Paddy Ginnell’s WHL’s Cougars at the old Memorial Arena. Bridgman remains the only No. 1 overall NHL draft pick from the Island — he was selected first in 1975 by the Philadelphia Flyers.
Former Boston Bruins NHL and Portland Winterhawks WHL great Cam Neely, a native of Comox, is on the list, too.
Also among the 125 is former Swift Current Broncos captain and 2012-13 WHL MVP Adam Lowry, son of Victoria Royals WHL head coach Dave Lowry, and an emerging NHL forward with the Winnipeg Jets.
Other notables named to the WHL all-time list are Bobby Clarke, Reggie Leach, John Davidson, Lanny McDonald, Jarome Iginla, Trevor Linden, Glen Hanlon, Kelly Hrudey, Duncan Keith, Barry Beck, Clark Gillies, Bernie Federko, Ron Chipperfield, Bryan Trottier, Cliff Ronning, Mike Modano, Wendel Clark, Bill Derlago, Joe Sakic, Ryan Smyth, Theo Fleury and Dan Hamhuis.
