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WHL Portland Winterhawks

Dye Proving "Portland to the Pros" Has Multiple Paths

July 27, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Portland, Ore. - The Portland Winterhawks have now produced 145 NHL Draft selections and 127 total players who have played in the league. They've produced more professional athletes than any other amateur or collegiate team in the State of Oregon within the last ten years.

Yet, when it comes to having success at the next level, the organization has more to offer than just on the ice.

Earlier this offseason now-former Winterhawks Associate Coach and Assistant General Manager Kyle Gustafson accepted the role of Assistant / Special Assignment Coach with the Vancouver Canucks. Josh Dye was a scout for the team for eight seasons between 2006-2017 before accepting a role in the Hockey Operations Department of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Along with the great responsibilities of the next level also come potential great rewards though.

Monday, the City of Portland and Winterhawks fans were treated with the presence of the Stanley Cup, an occasion most only get to experience once in their lifetime. For the Rose City-raised Dye, the encounter has already surpassed that quota though, now winning the trophy twice in his first two seasons as an amateur scout for his new team.

"This is really, really special," Dye began with a smile as he addressed media members prior to an event at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where hundreds of fans came to see the Cup and take pictures with the iconic trophy. "It's great to come to Portland and share it with the people here."

The Cleveland High School product and the Lightning won the cup less than three weeks ago - July 7 to be exact - but as soon as Dye found out he'd be getting his day with the cup, he knew exactly where he'd be heading with it.

"I may not live here right now, but this is home. It feels like home and it's great to be back here," Dye continued. "It's amazing to see these people, my family, my friends all just having their reactions to seeing the Stanley Cup."

Despite being quick to deflect the congratulations to the players on the ice that made it happen, there was no shortage of proudness from Dye when sharing how his time here got him ready for his current role.

"My time as a member of the Winterhawks prepared me tremendously [for the opportunity in Tampa], it was fairly seamless in terms of the way they operate. They just operate on a much larger scale. Instead of one Mike Johnston, one Kyle Gustafson, one Don Hay, there's like ten of each. So my head spins around a bit because there's so many amazing hockey people within the organization but it's been seamless because Mike and the staff here trained us in a good way."

After all, there's only a letter's difference between WHL and NHL. And when it comes to preparing players and personnel, there may be even less.

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The Portland Winterhawks begin their 46th season of play on October 1 and will host Seattle on October 2 for the team's home opener.

Season Ticket Memberships and 20-Game Plans are now on sale for the 2021-22 season. Season Ticket Memberships are the best way to never miss a second of the action, including the same great seat to all 34 Winterhawks games at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. 20-Game Plans allow flexibility while still containing a guaranteed 20 nights of excitement! To learn more about all available ticketing options, visit Winterhawks.com.

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Western Hockey League Stories from July 27, 2021


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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