Hawks Announce Opening Night Roster
Published on September 21, 2023 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release
Portland, Ore. - The Portland Winterhawks today announced the club's 2023-24 opening night roster ahead of its season-opening game in Wenatchee, Wash. on Friday. The initial 29-man roster includes 17 forwards, nine defensemen and three goaltenders.
The Hawks are set to feature four NHL draft picks this season in defensemen Marek Alscher (FLA '22), Luca Cagnoni (SJ '23) and Carter Sotheran (PHI '23), as well as forward Josh Davies (FLA '22). Additionally, Portland boasts three high-end 20-year-old forwards in Gabe Klassen, Jack O'Brien and James Stefan who each earned invitations to NHL camps this month. Three players named to this roster are in line to skate in their first regular-season WHL games as defensemen Cohen Massey and Kayd Ruedig join goaltender Luke Brunen as debut hopefuls this weekend, while other newcomers in Davies, forward Tyson Yaremko and goaltender Justen Maric will look ahead to their first games as Winterhawks after coming to Portland via trade.
Alscher, Cagnoni, Davies and Sotheran remain at their clubs' training camps and are not expected to feature in either game this weekend, but each player maintains WHL eligibility and can return to the Winterhawks at any time at their NHL club's discretion. Goaltender Jan Špunar (MTL) also remains with the Canadiens after earning a main camp invitation and can return to the Hawks at Montreal's discretion. Defenseman Ryder Thompson (ARI) will miss Friday's contest against the Wild, but is expected to join the club in time for Saturday's game in Kelowna.
Forwards Kyle McDonough, Ryan Miller and Aiden Sotas are each currently week-to-week with injuries and will not play this weekend.
Portland opens its season with three games on the road across the next two weeks before returning to the VMC for the home opener on October 6 against the Everett Silvertips. Click here to view the team's full schedule, or click here to purchase tickets to any upcoming home game.
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