Hamblin named first-team all-star

By Medicine Hat News on April 8, 2020.

James Hamblin can expect plenty more accolades in the coming two weeks, but he got a pair on Tuesday.

The outgoing Medicine Hat Tigers captain was named to the WHL’s Eastern Conference first all-star team, shortly after the Tigers made it official he was their leading goal scorer this shortened season.

Hamblin had 36 goals in 63 games, finishing his major-junior career with 115 of them in 324 games as a rare five-year player with the same franchise.

He was third this season in WHL scoring, adding 56 assists to finish with 92 points.

With no ability to hold a formal awards banquet and players already sent home due to the global pandemic, the Tigers announced Monday they’d be releasing their yearly awards one day at a time, concluding with the most valuable player award April 19. Hamblin will no doubt be a frontrunner for that and other trophies, though it’s unclear when he’ll be back in the city to hold them aloft.

He’ll add a leading scorer award from the team today, with other possible wins coming next week.

Along with Hamblin, the WHL put the following players on its top Eastern all-star roster:

– Jiri Patera (G, Brandon)

– Calen Addison (D, Lethbridge)

– Braden Schneider (D, Brandon)

– Dylan Cozens (F, Lethbridge)

– Alexis Protas (F, Prince Albert)

As for the Western Conference, the following players were named first-team all-stars:

– Dustin Wolf (G, Everett)

– Johnny Ludvig (D, Portland)

– Ty Smith (D, Spokane)

– Adam Beckman (F, Spokane)

– Seth Jarvis (F, Portland)

– Connor Zary (F, Kamloops)

The league’s bantam draft will take place April 22.

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