WHL Portland Winterhawks

Twenty-Five Hawks Alumni Have Suited up in the NHL this Season

Published on March 23, 2016 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


When Chase De Leo stepped onto the ice in a Winnipeg Jets uniform Sunday, it gave the Portland Winterhawks an incredible accomplishment as he became the 25th alumnus to suit up in an NHL game during the 2015-16 season.

De Leo was called up by the Jets on an emergency basis and played Sunday vs. Anaheim. He was the second former Hawk to make his debut in the last week, after Oliver Bjorkstrand joined the Columbus Blue Jackets last Thursday. Bjorkstrand then scored twice in the Blue Jackets' win over the New Jersey Devils Saturday.

Not only have 25 alumni played in the NHL this season, but already nine players from the Winterhawks' 2012-13 championship team have suited up in the NHL: Bjorkstrand, De Leo, Seth Jones, Taylor Leier, Brendan Leipsic, Nic Petan, Derrick Pouliot, Ty Rattie and Tyler Wotherspoon.

The team's connection in the NHL reached a unique point when two former Hawks were traded for each other in January in a one-for-one trade when Nashville sent Jones to Columbus in exchange for Ryan Johansen.

Since the team's inception in 1976, the Hawks have now had 120 players suit up in the NHL, with sixteen of those players doing so since Bill Gallacher became the team's owner in 2008.

The full list of players to play in the NHL in 2015-16 is as follows (players listed in alphabetical order):

Sven Baertschi - Vancouver Canucks

Oliver Bjorkstrand - Columbus Blue Jackets

Braydon Coburn - Tampa Bay Lightning

Craig Cunningham - Arizona Coyotes

Chase De Leo - Winnipeg Jets

Brandon Dubinsky - Columbus Blue Jackets

Matt Dumba - Minnesota Wild

Andrew Ference - Edmonton Oilers

Paul Gaustad - Nashville Predators

Jannik Hansen - Vancouver Canucks

Marian Hossa - Chicago Blackhawks

Ryan Johansen - Nashville/Columbus

Seth Jones - Columbus/Nashville

Rob Klinkhammer - Edmonton Oilers

Taylor Leier - Philadelphia Flyers

Brendan Leipsic - Toronto Maple Leafs

Cody McLeod - Colorado Avalanche

Joe Morrow - Boston Bruins

Nino Niederreiter - Minnesota Wild

Nic Petan - Winnipeg Jets

Derrick Pouliot - Pittsburgh Penguins

Ty Rattie - St. Louis Blues

Luca Sbisa - Vancouver Canucks

Colton Sceviour - Dallas Stars

Tyler Wotherspoon - Calgary Flames

Group tickets include free Winterhawks hats starting at only $18 each while ticket plans begin at $90 each and include free Winterhawks scarves. Email seats@winterhawks.com or call 503-236-HAWK to buy seats today.

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 23, 2016


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