Rebuild is not a word usually associated with the Portland Winterhawks, who, with the London Knights of the OHL, are the two franchises that have managed to avoid the usual three-year up-and-down cycles inherent in major-junior hockey as players age out and those younger players behind them need time to develop in the organization.
Avoiding that cycle is a delicate balance few have mastered in the Western Hockey League. The Winterhawks did as they are among only two teams, with Everett, to have not missed the playoffs since the Royals came to the Island in 2011-12.
But it all may have finally caught up with the Winterhawks, who could be facing the R-word as in rebuild, for the first time in a long while. Portland went all-in last season, including sweeping the Royals 4-0 in games in the opening round of the playoffs, in making it all the way to the league final before losing to Moose Jaw as the Warriors won their first WHL championship in the 40 years of franchise history.
Royals-killers from last spring’s playoff match-up — 2023 NHL ninth-overall first-round draft-pick Nate Danielson, Gabe Klassen and James Stefan — are gone along with others in the Winterhawks core group from last season. But returnees — forwards Kyle Chyzowski and Diego Buttazzoni and defencemen Carter Sotheran and Tyson Jugnauth — should keep the ’Hawks (2-1 to start the season) competitive.
That makes tonight’s game against Victoria a telling early-season harbinger as the Royals head into the top of their cycle after several down seasons.
“We have some high expectations. It’s kind of our year,” said Royals captain Justin Kipkie.
Royals head coach James Patrick during training camp pointed to last year’s playoff appearance, Victoria’s first since pre-pandemic 2019, against Portland in being a key juncture along his team’s learning curve: “I hope we see some growth in our returning players, to build off last year’s playoffs. They saw how hard you have to play at that time of year. We competed and tried our hardest against a better, more skilled, heavier [Portland] team. I am expecting us to play that way this season. If we do that, we are moving in the right direction.”
Victoria has earned seven of a possible eight points so far with three wins and an overtime loss to the start the season.
“I like how our goaltending [Jayden Kraus and Spencer Michnik] has been,” said Patrick, as the Royals departed Thursday to catch the ferry, cross the border and hit the I-5.
“I believe our depth has been evident, especially when we were missing five regulars [away at NHL training camps, but now all returned]. I’ve been happy with our pace of play and our ability to come back in a few games. But we need to be more consistent on the defensive side of the puck.”
The Royals are facing largely unknown quantities in the Winterhawks tonight in Portland and in Wenatchee on Saturday evening against the Wild (2-1-1).
“I can watch both Portland and Wenatchee on video but until you see them for real, you’re never totally sure of what they’ll be like,” said Patrick.
“Portland always gets better as the season goes on.”
