Raiders defenceman Nolan Allan was named as the Raiders' Most Valuable Player. (Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff)

By Jeff D’Andrea

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The present and future of the Raiders’ blueline reflected at awards banquet

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The Prince Albert Raiders have been largely built from the blueline out.

Since 2012, the Raiders have had a top-three pick three times, and have used defencemen each time.

Brendan Guhle was drafted third overall by the Raiders in 2012, five years before his brother Kaiden Guhle was picked first overall in 2017. Nolan Allan is the most recent of those top rearguard picks, as he was picked third overall in the 2018 draft.

Allan was named as the Raiders’ Most Valuable Player on Wednesday at their awards banquet. Allan scored seven goals and 38 points in 63 games, while delivering crushing open-ice hits and munching tons of minutes.

But with how much the Raiders value talent on their blueline, Allan was fighting against defensive partner Landon Kosior, who’s tied for second in the WHL with 18 goals on the season and is having one of the better offensive seasons for a defenceman in Raider history.

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“It’s great. There’s definitely a couple other guys that easily could have got it as well. But we’re a team here, we need every guy. It isn’t just a one-man show,” Allan said. “It doesn’t matter how small your role is, how big it is, we need everyone to pull. That’s how we’re going to win hockey games with this group.

“This is everything. We’ve got a really tight group. Everyone likes being on this team. You can talk to anyone, they treat you so well,” Allan added. “The culture that’s been built here through the years with the coaches and the older guys that came before us. It’s great and it’s something that you’ve got to be a part of the Raiders to understand.”

Raiders goaltender Tayem Gislason clears the net for goaltender Tikhon Chaika. (Jeff D’Andrea/paNOW Staff)

Another defenceman on the Raiders that received some big accolades on Wednesday was Tayem Gislason, who earned the Most Improved Player Award. Gislason made his WHL debut last year in the shortened 24-game season and was mainly used as a depth defenceman.

He started this season that way as well, before being promoted to the shutdown pairing along with overaged assistant captain Remy Aquilon. Gislason has 12 points in 60 games, with three goals, and said the Raiders have allowed him to grow as a player.

“This was the best place to develop in the whole league, I think. The coaches are great, they care a lot. We do a lot of extra stuff after practice. If you’re committed, you’ll improve here,” Gislason said.

The Raiders will wrap up the regular season with literal do-or-die games against the Swift Current Broncos on Friday on the road, and the Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday at the Art Hauser Centre.

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Jeff.dandrea@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW