Six Prince George Cougars players have been named to the WHL’s all star teams.
Hudson Thornton, Riley Heidt, and Zac Funk were named to the B.C. Division First All Star Team.
Joshua Ravensbergen, Viliam Kmec, and Terik Parascak were named to the B.C. Division Second All Star Team.
Defence – Hudson Thornton (Prince George Cougars): The 20-year-old product of Winnipeg, Man., finished fourth in scoring among all WHL defenders, tallying 74 points (18G-56A) in 68 contests. Originally selected by the Cougars in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2018 WHL Draft, Thornton has recorded 196 points (56G-140A) in 207 career WHL Regular Season games.
Forward – Zac Funk (Prince George Cougars): The 20-year-old prospect of the Washington Capitals fired home a WHL-leading 67 goals this season. His 123 points were second among all WHL skaters. The outstanding campaign from the 6-foot, 210-pound product of Coldstream, B.C., earned him a free agent contract with the Washington Capitals on March 1, 2024. Named Tempo WHL Player of the Week on September 25, 2023, Funk started the season strong and never slowed. He was also recognized as the WHL’s Player of the Month for September/October. Originally selected by the Calgary Hitmen in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2018 WHL Draft, Funk notched 227 points (119G-108A) in 228 career WHL Regular Season games.
Forward – Riley Heidt (Prince George Cougars): The 19-year-old prospect of the Minnesota Wild was a force to be reckoned with in 2023-24, finishing third in WHL scoring with 117 points (37G-80A) in 66 games. Heidt’s 80 helpers were second best in the WHL. From October 11 through November 27, 2023, Heidt strung together a point streak of 16 games, registering 33 points (8G-25A) along the way. On February 26, 2024, the 5-foot-11, 182-pound centre was recognized as Tempo WHL Player of the Week. Originally selected by the Prince George Cougars in the first round (second overall) of the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, Heidt has tallied 280 points (85G-195A) in 221 career WHL Regular Season games.
Goaltender – Joshua Ravensbergen (Prince George Cougars): The product of North Vancouver, B.C., exploded onto the scene as a rookie, recording six shutouts before the calendar flipped from 2023 to 2024. Unselected in the WHL Prospects Draft, Ravensbergen went 26-4-1-1 with a 2.46 goals-against average and .907 save percentage in 38 appearances this season. He was named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week on December 4, 2023, and also earned back-to-back Giuseppe WHL Goaltender of the Week honours on October 30 and November 6, 2023. Ravensbergen, who turned 17 in November, is eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft.
Defence – Viliam Kmec (Prince George Cougars): The 20-year-old product of Kosice, Slovakia, secured a career season on the blue line in Prince George, notching 34 points (9G-25A) and an impressive plus-39 rating in 58 games. Originally selected by the Cougars in the second round (104th overall) of the 2021 CHL Import Draft, Kmec has been a mainstay on the Prince George blueline, appearing in 180 games and posting 80 points (18G-62A) since 2021-22.
Forward – Terik Parascak (Prince George Cougars): The 17-year-old product of Lethbridge, Alta., finished first in scoring among all WHL rookies, recording 105 points (43G-62A) in 68 games. Aside from leading WHL rookies, Parascak’s 105 points were good enough for eighth among all WHL skaters. Listed 14th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings for the 2024 NHL Draft, Parascak was named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week on an impressive five occasions this season, including most recently on March 11, 2024. He was also named Tempo WHL Player of the Week on March 18, 2024. The 5-foot-11, 179-pound Parascak was originally selected by the Cougars in the fourth round (76th overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft.