The Modern Era - The Portland Winterhawks 1976-2009
The Edmonton Oil Kings were a Junior hockey team team, and founding member of the Western Hockey League. They played at Edmonton Gardens in Edmonton, Alberta, and later Northlands Coliseum. The Oil Kings captured back to back President's Cup titles in 1971 and 1972, however it would prove to be the final titles in the celebrated franchise's history, as the Oil Kings found it difficult to compete with the lure of pro hockey provided by the World Hockey Associations Edmonton Oilers. So, in 1976 team owners Brian Shaw and Ken Hodge moved the team to Portland, Oregon to become the Portland winterhawks.
The Portland Winterhawks are one of the elite franchises in all of junior hockey. Since arriving in Portland in 1976, the team has made it to the WHL Championship series 12 times, an average of once every three years. The team has captured the WHL title three times: in 1982, 1998 and 2013. They’ve also captured two Memorial Cup titles, in 1983 as the host team, and then again in 1998.
The Hawks enjoyed almost immediate success in Portland. In their second season they registered 93 points, the first of six straight season with at least 90 points, including the 1982 league title and 1983 Memorial Cup Championship, which featured future Hall of Famer Cam Neely. It was Neely who registered a hat trick in the 1983 Memorial Cup title game to win the championship on home ice, setting off a wild celebration in Portland.
Head Coach Ken Hodge remained behind the bench until 1993 and amassed a league record 742 career wins. His successor, Brent Peterson, then led the team to a 111-point season in 1997-98, as the Hawks stormed through the WHL en route to the Ed Chynoweth Cup and a Memorial Cup, won on an overtime goal by Bobby Russell. That team featured future NHL stars Marian Hossa, Brenden Morrow and Andrew Ference.
After lean years in the early and mid-00s, Calgary businessman Bill Gallacher purchased the team, and hired former NHL associate coach Mike Johnston as the team’s General Manager & Head Coach. The turnaround was dramatic, and in 2011 in just the third season under Johnston, the team won the first of its current four straight Western Conference championships, and in 2013 captured the franchise’s third Ed Chynoweth Cup as league champions, the franchise’s third.
Along with success on the ice, the Winterhawks have also sent numerous players to the NHL, with first round draft picks in four straight years: Ryan Johansen (Columbus Blue Jackets), Nino Niederreiter (NY Islanders, now Minnesota Wild), Sven Bartschi (Calgary Flames), Joe Morrow (Pittsburgh Penguins, now in Boston Bruins organization), Derrick Pouliot (Pittsburgh Penguins) and Seth Jones (Nashville Predators). The Winterhawks made their fifth straight conference championship appearance in 2014-15, and saw 25 alumni take the ice in the NHL in 2015-16.
The Portland Winterhawks are one of the elite franchises in all of junior hockey. Since arriving in Portland in 1976, the team has made it to the WHL Championship series 12 times, an average of once every three years. The team has captured the WHL title three times: in 1982, 1998 and 2013. They’ve also captured two Memorial Cup titles, in 1983 as the host team, and then again in 1998.
The Hawks enjoyed almost immediate success in Portland. In their second season they registered 93 points, the first of six straight season with at least 90 points, including the 1982 league title and 1983 Memorial Cup Championship, which featured future Hall of Famer Cam Neely. It was Neely who registered a hat trick in the 1983 Memorial Cup title game to win the championship on home ice, setting off a wild celebration in Portland.
Head Coach Ken Hodge remained behind the bench until 1993 and amassed a league record 742 career wins. His successor, Brent Peterson, then led the team to a 111-point season in 1997-98, as the Hawks stormed through the WHL en route to the Ed Chynoweth Cup and a Memorial Cup, won on an overtime goal by Bobby Russell. That team featured future NHL stars Marian Hossa, Brenden Morrow and Andrew Ference.
After lean years in the early and mid-00s, Calgary businessman Bill Gallacher purchased the team, and hired former NHL associate coach Mike Johnston as the team’s General Manager & Head Coach. The turnaround was dramatic, and in 2011 in just the third season under Johnston, the team won the first of its current four straight Western Conference championships, and in 2013 captured the franchise’s third Ed Chynoweth Cup as league champions, the franchise’s third.
Along with success on the ice, the Winterhawks have also sent numerous players to the NHL, with first round draft picks in four straight years: Ryan Johansen (Columbus Blue Jackets), Nino Niederreiter (NY Islanders, now Minnesota Wild), Sven Bartschi (Calgary Flames), Joe Morrow (Pittsburgh Penguins, now in Boston Bruins organization), Derrick Pouliot (Pittsburgh Penguins) and Seth Jones (Nashville Predators). The Winterhawks made their fifth straight conference championship appearance in 2014-15, and saw 25 alumni take the ice in the NHL in 2015-16.
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