Mike Johnston Named Slats Gill Sportsperson of the Year
August 31, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release
Portland, Ore. - Portland Winterhawks President and General Manager Mike Johnston has been named the Slats Gill Sportsperson of the Year, honoring the most outstanding coach, administrator or organization from an Oregon-based team at any level of competition. Johnston and the other Oregon Sports Awards recipients will be honored at the Night of Champions ceremony in Beaverton on Tuesday, October 29.
The Oregon Sports Awards recognize athletes, coaches, and teams each year from across the spectrum of Oregon sports, including those in the high school, college, and professional ranks. They have made helped put our state on the map this year with their awe-inspiring achievements.
In his 13th season as the head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, Mike Johnston led his team to its fifth Western Hockey League Finals appearance in 2023-24, coming just short of his second and the team's fourth WHL championship. During the season, Johnston, who will now focus on the development aspects of the team as its president and general manager, became just the 11th coach in the WHL to surpass 500 career wins while amassing one of the highest winning percentages with an overall record of 544-249-33-31 in the league.
Under Johnston's guidance, Portland was one of just three teams to finish last season with more than 100 regular-season points, compiling a record of 48-15-4-1 (101 points) over the course of the campaign. The Winterhawks led all WHL teams in goals scored in 2023-24 with 330 and finished third in fewest goals allowed (204).
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