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Portland Winterhawks
Portland Winterhawks logo 2021.svg
City Portland, Oregon
League Western Hockey League
Conference Western
Division U.S.
Founded 1950
Home arena Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Colors Biscuit black, buzzer red, squall gray, celly gold, ice white
                        
General manager Mike Johnston
Head coach Mike Johnston
Franchise history
1950–1976 Edmonton Oil Kings
1976–2009 Portland Winter Hawks
2009–present Portland Winterhawks
Championships
Regular season titles 4 (1979–80, 1997–98, 2012–13, 2019–20)
Playoff championships Ed Chynoweth Cup
3 (1982, 1998, 2013)
Conference Championships
4 (2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14)
Memorial Cup
2 (1983, 1998)

The Portland Winterhawks are a junior ice hockey team based in Portland, Oregon, playing in the Western Hockey League (WHL), one of three leagues making up the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Prior to the 2021–22 season, the Winterhawks split their home games between the Veterans Memorial Coliseum and the Moda Center, which they shared with the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Winterhawks have won the Ed Chynoweth Cup three times and the Memorial Cup twice in five appearances. The team has been in Portland since 1976–77.

History

Portland Winterhawks Logo
The Winterhawks logo from 1976 to 2021

The Winterhawks were founded in 1950 as the Edmonton Oil Kings. The franchise moved to Portland on June 11, 1976. The team, owned by Brian C. Shaw, made the move citing a much cheaper stadium deal in Portland along with low attendance due to the presence of a professional team in Edmonton. In their first season in Portland, the club would lose 7–2 to a travelling Russian club in an exhibition match watched by more than 5,000.

Sven Bärtschi
Sven Baertschi previously played for the Winterhawks.

On November 28, 2012, the WHL announced sanctions against the Winterhawks for a series of player benefits violations over the four previous seasons. As punishment for the violations WHL Commissioner Ron Robison suspended the team from participation in the first five rounds of the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft and forfeiture of their first round picks from the 2014 to 2017 WHL Bantam Drafts and were fined $200,000. The WHL also suspended General Manager and Head Coach Mike Johnston for the remainder of the 2012–13 season, including the 2013 WHL playoffs.

On May 12, 2013, the Winterhawks defeated the Edmonton Oil Kings 5–1 in Game 6 to become the 2012–13 WHL champions. On April 25, 2014, the Winterhawks defeated the Kelowna Rockets 7–3 to win their fourth-consecutive Western Conference Championship.

The franchise filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portland, Oregon. The Winterhawks were financially stable, but owner Bill Gallacher had to sell the franchise in order to repay other debts.

The WHL Board of Governors has approved Winterhawks Sports Group (WSG) as the new owners of the Portland Winterhawks franchise, effective January 1, 2021. WSG is led by Michael Kramer and Kerry Preete, who will also be the managing partners. Along with the Winterhawks franchise, WSG has also acquired the operations of the Winterhawks Skating Center in Beaverton, OR and all Winterhawks Junior Hockey programs.

Prior to the start of the 2021-22 WHL season, the Winterhawks ownership announced the team would be returning to the Veteran's Memorial Coliseum full-time.

Uniforms, logos and mascot

The team was known as the Winter Hawks until May 2009, when it issued a press release that "the space...announced its retirement" and that the team was renaming itself the Winterhawks.

Winterhawks 01-24-16 01
Portland Winterhawks vs. Tri-City Americans, January 24, 2016

The team mascot of the Winterhawks is a white bird with multicolored tail and wing feathers, named Tom-A-Hawk. Tom-A-Hawk was introduced in 1999–2000. He wears jersey number 00. Tom-A-Hawk's main rival is Cool Bird of the Seattle Thunderbirds. Tom-A-Hawk announced in January 2019 that he would retire from injuries.

On July 14, 2021, the Winterhawks announced their new identity and that they would be moving from the similar looking Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL logo, to a "Winterhawk". The Winterhawks organization partnered with local apparel company Portland Gear on the rebranding to help create the new primary logos, secondary logos, as well as the word marks.

Championships

  • Memorial Cup (2): 1982–83, 1997–98
  • President's Cup (3): 1981–82, 1997–98, 2012–13
  • Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy (4): 1979–80, 1997–98, 2012–13, 2019–20
  • Conference Champions (6): 1997–98, 2000–01, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14
  • Division Playoff Champions (6): 1978–79, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1992–93
  • Regular Season Division Champions (15): 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1988–89, 1992–93, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2019–20, 2023–24

WHL Championship history

  • 1978–79: Loss, 2–4 vs Brandon
  • 1981–82: Win, 4–1 vs Regina
  • 1982-83: Loss, 1–4 vs Lethbridge
  • 1986-87: Loss, 3–4 vs Medicine Hat
  • 1988–89: Loss, 0–4 vs Swift Current
  • 1992–93: Loss, 3–4 vs Swift Current
  • 1997–98: Win, 4–0 vs Brandon
  • 2000–01: Loss, 1–4 vs Red Deer
  • 2010–11: Loss, 1–4 vs Kootenay
  • 2011–12: Loss, 3–4 vs Edmonton
  • 2012–13: Win, 4–2 vs Edmonton
  • 2013–14: Loss, 3–4 vs Edmonton

Memorial Cup finals history

  • 1983: Win, 8–3 vs Oshawa
  • 1998: Win, 4–3 OT vs Guelph
  • 2013: loss, 4–6 vs Halifax

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
1976–77 72 36 29 7 - 359 294 79 3rd West Lost semifinal
1977–78 72 41 20 11 - 361 296 93 1st West Eliminated in West Division round-robin
1978–79 72 49 10 13 - 432 265 111 1st West Lost final
1979–80 72 53 18 1 - 398 293 107 1st West Eliminated in West Division round-robin
1980–81 72 56 15 1 - 443 266 113 2nd West Lost West Division final
1981–82 72 46 24 2 - 380 323 94 1st West Won championship
1982–83 72 50 22 0 - 495 387 100 1st West Lost final; Won Memorial Cup
1983–84 72 33 39 0 - 430 449 66 3rd West Lost West Division final
1984–85 72 27 44 1 - 365 442 55 4th West Lost West Division semifinal
1985–86 72 47 24 1 - 438 348 95 2nd West Lost West Division final; Memorial Cup host
1986–87 72 47 23 2 - 439 355 96 2nd West Lost final
1987–88 72 24 45 3 - 328 449 51 6th West Out of playoffs
1988–89 72 40 28 4 - 408 395 84 1st West Lost final
1989–90 72 24 45 3 - 322 426 51 5th West Out of playoffs
1990–91 72 17 53 2 - 298 450 36 5th West Out of playoffs
1991–92 72 31 37 4 - 314 342 66 5th West Lost West Division quarterfinal
1992–93 72 45 24 3 - 343 275 93 1st West Lost final
1993–94 72 49 22 1 - 392 260 99 2nd West Lost West Division final
1994–95 72 23 43 6 - 240 308 52 6th West Lost West Division semifinal
1995–96 72 30 39 3 - 283 301 63 6th West Lost West Division quarterfinal
1996–97 72 46 21 5 - 300 196 97 1st West Lost West Division quarterfinal
1997–98 72 53 14 5 - 342 203 111 1st West Won championship and Memorial Cup
1998–99 72 23 36 13 - 215 278 59 5th West Lost West Division quarterfinal
1999–00 72 16 49 7 0 173 296 39 7th West Out of playoffs
2000–01 72 37 27 5 3 254 237 82 2nd West Lost final
2001–02 72 36 25 5 6 269 243 83 1st U.S. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2002–03 72 19 40 8 5 192 243 51 3rd U.S. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2003–04 72 34 29 6 3 199 206 77 2nd U.S. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2004–05 72 35 27 5 5 204 198 80 2nd U.S. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2005–06 72 32 32 3 5 204 258 72 3rd U.S. Lost Western Conference semifinal
2006–07 72 17 52 1 2 146 316 37 5th U.S. Out of playoffs
2007–08 72 11 58 2 1 132 318 25 5th U.S. Out of playoffs
2008–09 72 19 48 3 2 176 288 43 5th U.S. Out of playoffs
Season GP W L T OTL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
2009–10 72 44 25 2 1 266 241 91 4th U.S. Lost Western Conference semifinal
2010–11 72 50 19 0 3 303 227 103 1st U.S. Lost final
2011–12 72 49 19 3 1 328 229 102 2nd U.S. Lost final
2012–13 72 57 12 1 2 334 169 117 1st U.S. Won championship; Lost Memorial Cup final
2013–14 72 54 13 2 3 338 207 113 1st U.S. Lost final
2014–15 72 43 23 2 4 287 237 92 2nd U.S. Lost Western Conference final
2015–16 72 34 31 6 1 228 227 75 3rd U.S. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2016–17 72 40 28 1 3 278 256 84 4th U.S. Lost Western Conference semifinal
2017–18 72 44 22 1 5 274 214 94 2nd U.S. Lost Western Conference semifinal
2018–19 68 40 22 3 3 258 210 86 3rd U.S. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2019–20 63 45 11 3 4 270 164 97 1st U.S. No playoffs due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 24 13 8 3 0 96 72 29 2nd U.S. No playoffs were held
2021–22 68 47 16 3 2 298 192 99 2nd U.S. Lost Western Conference semifinal
2022–23 68 40 20 5 3 244 218 88 2nd U.S. Lost Western Conference semifinal
2023–24 68 48 15 4 1 330 204 101 1st U.S. TBD

Players

Current roster

Updated March 30, 2024.

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Drafted
26 Czech Republic Alscher, MarekMarek Alscher D R 20 2021 Kladno, Czech Republic 2022, 93rd Overall, FLA
90 Canada Buttazzoni, DiegoDiego Buttazzoni C L 18 2022 Langley, British Columbia Eligible 2024
73 Canada Cagnoni, LucaLuca Cagnoni D L 19 2020 Burnaby, British Columbia 2023, 123rd Overall, SJS
19 Canada Chyzowski, KyleKyle Chyzowski (A) C L 20 2019 Surrey, British Columbia Undrafted
89 Canada Danielson, NateNate Danielson C R 20 2024 Red Deer, Alberta 2023, 9th Overall, DET
29 Canada Darby, HudsonHudson Darby RW R 17 2021 Swift Current, Saskatchewan Eligible 2025
71 Canada Davies, JoshuaJoshua Davies C L 20 2023 Airdrie, Alberta 2022, 186th Overall, FLA
8 Canada Jockims, BraedenBraeden Jockims RW R 19 2023 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Undrafted
27 Canada Jugnauth, TysonTyson Jugnauth D L 20 2023 Toronto, Ontario 2022, 100th Overall, SEA
16 Canada Klassen, GabeGabe Klassen (C) LW L 21 2018 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Undrafted
34 Canada Maric, JustenJusten Maric G L 20 2023 Edmonton, Alberta Undrafted
4 Canada Massey, CohenCohen Massey D L 18 2021 Cloverdale, British Columbia Eligible 2024
18 Canada McDonough, KyleKyle McDonough C L 17 2022 Langdon, Alberta Eligible 2025
23 Canada Miller, RyanRyan Miller RW L 17 2022 Medicine Hat, Alberta Eligible 2025
2 Canada Mori, JoshJosh Mori D L 20 2019 Richmond, British Columbia Undrafted
72 Canada Nguyen, MarcusMarcus Nguyen RW R 20 2019 Calgary, Alberta Undrafted
92 United States O'Brien, JackJack O'Brien (A) C L 21 2018 Denver, Colorado Undrafted
59 Canada Sotheran, CarterCarter Sotheran D R 19 2020 Sanford, Manitoba 2023, 135th Overall, PHI
31 Czech Republic Špunar, JanJan Špunar G L 20 2022 Olomouc, Czech Republic Undrafted
13 United States Stefan, JamesJames Stefan RW R 21 2018 Laguna Beach, California 2024, FA, EDM
91 Canada Thompson, AlexAlex Thompson D R 18 2021 Winnipeg, Manitoba Eligible 2024
43 Canada Thompson, RyderRyder Thompson (A) D L 20 2019 Russell, Manitoba Undrafted
39 Canada Yaremko, TysonTyson Yaremko RW L 19 2023 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Undrafted
28 Canada Zakreski, JoshJosh Zakreski LW R 18 2020 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Eligible 2024

Hall of Famers

Four former Portland Winter Hawks alumni are inductees to the Hockey Hall of Fame (Mark Messier, Cam Neely, Marian Hossa, Mike Vernon).

This is a list of former players inducted into the Portland Winter Hawks franchise Hall of Fame.

Portland Winter Hawks franchise Hall of Fame inductees
Hall of Fame players
Ken Hodge
Todd Robinson
Dennis Holland
Cam Neely
Brent Peterson
Glen Wesley
Andrew Ference
Grant Sasser
Marian Hossa
Randy Heath
Brenden Morrow
Ken Yaremchuk

Retired numbers

Portland Winter Hawks retired numbers
No. Player Position Career No. retirement
21 Cam Neely RW 1982–1984 March 18, 2023

NHL alumni

List of Portland Winterhawks alumni who have graduated to play in the National Hockey League.

  • Jim Agnew
  • Dave Archibald
  • Dave Babych
  • Wayne Babych
  • Sven Baertschi
  • Jozef Balej
  • Jeff Bandura
  • Dave Barr
  • Ryan Bast
  • Kieffer Bellows
  • Brian Benning
  • Jim Benning
  • Oliver Bjorkstrand
  • James Black
  • Joachim Blichfeld
  • Lonny Bohonos
  • Keith Brown
  • Dennis Cholowski
  • Nick Cicek
  • Braydon Coburn
  • Ed Cooper
  • Craig Cunningham
  • Brian Curran
  • Tony Currie
  • Byron Dafoe
  • Matt Davidson
  • Adam Deadmarsh
  • Chase De Leo
  • Jim Dobson
  • Brandon Dubinsky
  • Matt Dumba
  • Brent Fedyk
  • Andrew Ference
  • Ray Ferraro
  • Jeff Finley
  • Colin Forbes
  • Michael Funk
  • Joaquin Gage
  • Paul Gaustad
  • Rob Geale
  • Cody Glass
  • Josh Green
  • Jannik Hansen
  • Randy Heath
  • Adin Hill
  • Joel Hofer
  • Marcel Hossa
  • Marian Hossa
  • Dave Hoyda
  • Cale Hulse
  • Jamie Huscroft
  • Randy Ireland
  • Brad Isbister
  • Seth Jarvis
  • Ryan Johansen
  • Henri Jokiharju
  • Caleb Jones
  • Seth Jones
  • Jakub Klepis
  • Rob Klinkhammer
  • Steve Konowalchuk
  • John Kordic
  • Richard Kromm
  • Jason LaBarbera
  • Scott Langkow
  • James Latos
  • Derek Laxdal
  • Doug Lecuyer
  • Taylor Leier
  • Brendan Leipsic
  • Jamie Linden
  • John Ludvig
  • David Mackey
  • Clint Malarchuk
  • Darrell May
  • Jason McBain
  • Frazer McLaren
  • Cody McLeod
  • Mark Messier
  • Brendan Mikkelson
  • Roy Mitchell
  • Brenden Morrow
  • Joe Morrow
  • Paul Mulvey
  • Brantt Myhres
  • Cam Neely
  • Scott Nichol
  • Nino Niederreiter
  • Gary Nylund
  • Josh Olson
  • Perry Pelensky
  • Nic Petan
  • Brent Peterson
  • Jim Playfair
  • Larry Playfair
  • Andrej Podkonicky
  • Ray Podloski
  • Derrick Pouliot
  • Nolan Pratt
  • Ty Rattie
  • Richie Regehr
  • Florent Robidoux
  • Jeff Rohlicek
  • Grant Sasser
  • Michael Sauer
  • Luca Sbisa
  • Dave Scatchard
  • Colton Sceviour
  • Jeff Sharples
  • Brandon Smith
  • Ryan Stewart
  • Joey Tetarenko
  • Mike Toal
  • Tim Tookey
  • Alfie Turcotte
  • Dominic Turgeon
  • Perry Turnbull
  • Randy Turnbull
  • Nick Vachon
  • Mike Vernon
  • Terry Virtue
  • Mickey Volcan
  • Gord Walker
  • Matt Walker
  • Blake Wesley
  • Glen Wesley
  • Jason Wiemer
  • Dan Woodley
  • Tyler Wotherspoon
  • Gary Yaremchuk
  • Ken Yaremchuk
  • Brad Zavisha
  • Richard Zednik

First round draft picks

Players chosen in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft:

  • 1978: Wayne Babych, 3rd overall by St. Louis
  • 1978: Brent Peterson, 12th overall by Detroit
  • 1978: Larry Playfair, 13th overall by Buffalo
  • 1979: Perry Turnbull, 2nd overall by St. Louis
  • 1979: Keith Brown, 7th overall by Chicago
  • 1980: Dave Babych, 2nd overall by Winnipeg
  • 1981: Jim Benning, 6th overall by Toronto
  • 1982: Gary Nylund, 3rd overall by Toronto
  • 1982: Ken Yaremchuk, 7th overall by Chicago
  • 1982: Jim Playfair, 20th overall by Edmonton
  • 1983: Cam Neely, 9th overall by Vancouver
  • 1983: Alfie Turcotte, 17th overall by Montreal
  • 1986: Dan Woodley, 7th overall by Vancouver
  • 1987: Glen Wesley, 3rd overall by Boston
  • 1987: Dave Archibald, 6th overall by Minnesota
  • 1993: Adam Deadmarsh, 14th overall by Quebec
  • 1994: Jason Wiemer, 8th overall by Tampa Bay
  • 1997: Brenden Morrow, 25th overall by Dallas
  • 1997: Marian Hossa, 12th overall by Ottawa
  • 2000: Marcel Hossa, 16th overall by Montreal
  • 2002: Jakub Klepis, 16th overall by Ottawa
  • 2003: Braydon Coburn, 8th overall by Atlanta
  • 2010: Ryan Johansen, 4th overall by Columbus
  • 2010: Nino Niederreiter, 5th overall by NY Islanders
  • 2011: Sven Baertschi, 13th overall by Calgary
  • 2011: Joe Morrow, 23rd overall by Pittsburgh
  • 2012: Derrick Pouliot, 8th overall by Pittsburgh
  • 2013: Seth Jones, 4th overall by Nashville
  • 2017: Cody Glass, 6th overall by Vegas
  • 2017: Henri Jokiharju, 29th overall by Chicago
  • 2020: Seth Jarvis, 13th overall by Carolina

Team records

During the 2012–13 season, Winterhawks captain Troy Rutkowski established the new team record for most regular games played as a Winterhawk. His career total of 351 games surpassed the previous mark of 328 games set by Kevin Haupt in the 1998–99 season.

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