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HITMEN'S ALZNER NAMED WHL EASTERN CONFERENCE NOMINEE - Calgary, AB - The Western Hockey League today announced the WHL Eastern Conference finalist for the 2007-08 WHL Player of the Year. The two finalists for WHL Player of the Year are determined through voting by General Managers, coaches, broadcast and media representatives of all WHL Member Clubs.
In the WHL Eastern Conference, which includes the East and Central Divisions, the Player of the Year nominee is defenceman Karl Alzner of the Calgary Hitmen.
Alzner enjoyed an outstanding 2007-08 regular season with the Calgary Hitmen. The 19-year-old product of Burnaby, B.C., tallied seven goals and 29 assists for 36 points to go with a solid +26 rating in 60 regular-season games for the Hitmen. His efforts helped lead the Hitmen to a 47-20-1-4 record for 99 points as the team captured their first Central Division and Eastern Conference regular-season banners since the 1999-00 season.
Alzner was the anchor for a very deep Calgary defense corps that allowed an Eastern Conference-low 166 goals during the regular season. The 6’ 2”, 209-lb Hitmen team captain also drew only five minor penalties and 15 total penalty minutes in 60 games, despite logging large amounts of ice time in all situations.
Alzner, who is in his fourth season with the Hitmen, was drafted 5th overall by the Washington Capitals at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. The captain of Canada’s Gold medal-winning World Junior team in December and January, Alzner is also the Eastern Conference nominee for WHL Defenceman of the Year, and was selected to the WHL Eastern Conference First All-Star team.
The WHL also announced today the WHL Eastern Conference finalist for the WHL Humanitarian Award and the WHL Marketing and Communications Award.
The WHL's Eastern Conference finalist for the WHL Humanitarian of the Year award is Ashton Hewson of the Prince Albert Raiders and the WHL’s Eastern Conference finalist for the WHL Marketing and Communications award is Kip Reghenas of the Calgary Hitmen.
The recipients of all WHL individual awards will be announced at the WHL 2008 Awards Luncheon, which will be held in Calgary, Alberta, at the Round-Up Centre on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008.
Karl Alzner has trained with Sean Hope-Ross, Director of Strength and Conditioning at NSD for the last three years. NSD is very proud of Karl's nomination and wish him the best of luck.
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