NHL Draft Preview: Winterhawks Players and Prospects to be Selected
July 23, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release
Portland, Ore. - Friday night begins the National Hockey League's 2021 Draft, the annual event where players' dreams will come true over a pair of days.
(Watch Info: Round One - Friday, 5 p.m. PT on ESPN 2 || Rounds Two through Seven -Saturday, 8 a.m. PT on NHL Network)
This year's draft will be no different from those of years past in the sense that Portland will have multiple players selected, adding to the long history of players that the Winterhawks have sent to the professional level. Through 45 seasons in the Rose City, the Portland Winterhawks have produced 142 NHL draft picks and the team is hopeful to add to that impressive number this weekend.
So, who will we be keeping an eye out for this weekend?
To begin, the following 2020-21 roster players have been listed by one or several of the many draft rankings platforms available:
It's fair to say that the entirety of that list will factor more into Saturday's selections, being that Friday night will be just the first round.
That doesn't mean Friday night won't contain any interest to Winterhawks fans though, as several Portland prospects are expected to be selected within the opening 31 picks. (Note: The Arizona Coyotes have forfeited their pick at #11 as a result of violating predraft scouting policies in previous seasons.)
Jesper Wallstedt, whom the Winterhawks acquired the rights to in June from Moose Jaw, is expected to be one of the first 15 picks. Where the Swedish goaltender is selected will play a big role in the potential of him coming to Portland. It will all come down to the organization that drafts him and what their vision is for the 18-year-old phenom. If the team has stable depth at the position for the upcoming 2021-22 season, but believes Wallstedt would be best served coming to North America to learn to play on smaller ice, Portland may just be landing one of the highest touted prospects in franchise history.
Chaz Lucius is another name expected to be called in the first round of the draft. The high-scoring forward was selected by the 'Hawks in the 2018 Bantam Draft and while he is currently committed to the University of Minnesota for the fall, we know to never say never when it comes to him winding up in Portland. After being selected in the first round of the 2016 draft by the New York Islanders, Kieffer Bellows played just one season at Boston College before changing his route to the pros and coming to the Pacific Northwest. Don't count that out for Lucius.
Defenseman Shai Buium is another first round eligible prospect whose CHL rights are owned by the Winterhawks. Similar to Lucius, the San Diego-born defenseman is currently slated to be at the University of Denver for the 2022-23 season, but as we know, things can change. With a pro-ready frame at 6-foot-3, 214 pounds, Buium dominated in the United States Hockey League (USHL) this past season, totaling 26 points in 50 games in his first full season there - also while finishing with a plus-16 rating.
While the above three are all strong candidates for night one, there are several more Winterhawks prospects that are ranked by NHL Central Scouting and could have their name called over the weekend:
Matthew Knies
Andre Gasseau
Ty Murchison
Stay tuned to Winterhawks.com for updates on selections both Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.
Western Hockey League Stories from July 23, 2021
- Five WHL Players Selected in First Round of 2021 NHL Draft - WHL
- Wallstedt Becomes Highest Drafted Swedish Goaltender Ever, One of Two Winterhawks Prospects Taken Night One of the NHL Draft - Portland Winterhawks
- Lambos Selected by Wild 26th Overall in 2021 NHL Draft - Winnipeg Ice
- Giants Prospect Fabian Lysell Selected 21st Overall by the Boston Bruins - Vancouver Giants
- Sillinger Drafted by Blue Jackets in 1st Round - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Oil Kings Sebastian Cossa Drafted 15th Overall by Detroit Red Wings - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Oil Kings Dylan Guenther Drafted Ninth Overall by Arizona Coyotes - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Seth Jones Traded to Chicago, Reunited with Brother Caleb - Portland Winterhawks
- NHL Draft Preview: Winterhawks Players and Prospects to be Selected - Portland Winterhawks
- The Stanley Cup Is Coming to Portland - Portland Winterhawks
- 2021 NHL Entry Draft: Who to Watch - Saskatoon Blades
- Repcik Inks with Hurricanes - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- ICE Set for 2021 NHL Draft - Winnipeg Ice
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.
