The 91原创-based Vancouver Giants are congratulating one of their own this week, for earning a rare distinction.
Team captain Mazden Leslie was named a first team Western Conference all-star for the 2024-25 Western Hockey League season.
It's a distinction, the Giants noted, that hadn't been held by a member of the local hockey team for seven years, when Bowen Byram was named to the team during the 2018-19 season.
Leslie, a 19-year-old product of Lloydminster, Alta., finished second in scoring among all WHL defencemen with 72 points (21G-51A) in 66 games this season.
The 6-foot-1, 202-pound Leslie established new career highs in goals, assists, points, and power-play goals (14) as the Giants leader on the backend.
His 21 goals were tied for second among all WHL defencemen, while his 14 power-play goals were best among WHL defencemen and tied for sixth among all WHL skaters.
Leslie made his way up the franchise leaderboard in multiple categories this season.
First, he became the Giants franchise leader for career goals by a defencemen with 57, which is now eight more than Jonathon Blum's previous benchmark of 49.
His 72 points this year also tied Kevin Connauton for the most in a single season by a Giants defenceman.
In his career, Leslie now ranks 10th all-time among all Giants skaters with 190 points (57G-133A).
His 133 assists are the sixth-most among all skaters, while his 280 career games played are tied for sixth.
Originally selected by the Giants in the first round (10th overall) of the 2020 WHL prospects draft, Leslie was also named the Tempo WHL player of the week back in October.
WHL Conference All-Star Teams are voted upon by WHL general managers. This represents the return to the WHL Conference All-Star Team format for the first time since 2019-20.
The WHL selected division all-star teams from 2020-21 through 2023-24.
The Giants are currently in round one of the WHL playoffs, taking on the Spokane Chiefs. As of Thursday, April 3, with three games under their belt, they were trailing 2-1 in the series.
