Three Winterhawks Alumni Competing in the 2025 IIHF World Championships

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WHL Portland Winterhawks

Three Winterhawks Alumni Competing in the 2025 IIHF World Championships

May 10, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Portland, Ore. - The Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club is proud to recognize Rihards Bukarts, Joachim Blichfeld, and Simon Knak, who are representing their respective country in the 2025 IIHF World Championships.

The annual tournament is being held in Stockholm, Sweden, and Herning, Denmark, from May 9 to May 25, 2025.

Burkarts played for the Winterhawks during the 2015-16 season after being acquired from the Brandon Wheat Kings. In 55 regular-season games, the Jurmala, Latvia, native scored 26 goals and 27 assists. On December 9, 2015 against Everett, he tied a franchise record (Ray Ferraro, Randy Heath, and Nic Petan) of three power-play goals in a game. This is his 13th different international tournament representing Latvia.

Blichfeld, a native of Frederikshavn, Denmark, joined Portland after being selected 85th overall in the 2016 CHL Import Draft. The 1998-born winger played 187 regular-season games with the Winterhawks and totaled 105 goals, 123 assists, and 228 points in his WHL career. Blichfeld also contributed 23 playoff points in 28 playoff contests throughout three postseasons.

2018-19 was a special year for Blichfeld as he was named to the WHL Western Conference First All-Star team, won the Bobby Clarke Trophy for most points (114), and received the prestigious Four Broncos Memorial Trophy for being the WHL Player of the Year.

The San Jose Sharks drafted Blichfeld 210th overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. He then made his NHL debut during the 2019-20 season. This is Blichfeld's tenth time competing with Denmark internationally.

Knak played for the Winterhawks for two seasons, one of which was the COVID-shortened season in 2020-21, where only 24 games were played. In 73 total appearances in a Portland sweater, the Zurich, Switzerland, native tallied 25 goals and 38 assists.

His development in the Rose City helped him accomplish a personal goal of representing his country at the 2020 World Juniors and was named one of Switzerland's top three players following the tournament. During that offseason, the Nashville Predators drafted Knak in the sixth round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.

The 2025 IIHF World Championships is his seventh time putting on the Switzerland jersey.

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