Winterhawks 2025 WHL Drafts Preview

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WHL Portland Winterhawks

Winterhawks 2025 WHL Drafts Preview

May 3, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


The 2024-25 season was one of consistently exceeding expectations for the Portland Winterhawks. For the 14th consecutive year, the team competed in the WHL Playoffs, and the Winterhawks advanced to the Western Conference Championship for a second year in a row. They did so with a 36-28-3-1 record during the regular season, good for the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.

Under first-year head coach Kyle Gustafson, the Winterhawks upset in seven games the No. 4 seed Prince George Cougars, a rematch of the 2024 Western Conference Championship series. Then, Portland again won a Game 7 on the road. This time, the Hawks took down the Scotty Munro Champion and No. 1 seed, Everett Silvertips. After losing the top six scorers from last season, the Winterhawks had 18 players make their WHL debut during the regular season, and 11 of those appeared in at least one playoff game as well.

Now, under President and General Manager Mike Johnston, the team will welcome several new names and faces to the organization.

Next week will be busy for the Hockey Operations Department, with three drafts scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

The 2025 WHL Expansion Draft will be held on Wednesday, May 7, as the Penticton Vees join the Western Hockey League for the 2025-26 season.

Later that day, the first round of the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft begins at 4:00 p.m. Pacific.

Portland is not expected to make a selection on Wednesday as its first-round pick belongs to the Brandon Wheat Kings as part of last year's blockbuster Nate Danielson acquisition. Danielson helped the Winterhawks to a Western Conference Championship and registered a team-leading 24 points (7G, 17A) in 18 playoff games.

Portland is not the only team to trade its first-round selection, as 14 of the 23 picks scheduled for Wednesday have already changed hands.

"In talking with our scouting staff, we are excited that we will get some solid Winterhawks prospects in this year's draft. The organization has done a great job in the past of identifying quality future Winterhawks later in the draft, and we expect to do the same again with this year's selections," Portland's Director of Player Personnel Matt Davidson shared.

Then, on Thursday morning, the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft takes place, where each team makes two picks. The order was determined via a lottery system executed in two stages. Portland will pick 18th and 30th overall.

"We are really looking forward to this year's U.S. Priority Draft with the wealth of talent in the American 2010 age group," Winterhawks Assistant to the GM and Director of U.S. Scouting Greg Sampson said. "Obviously, this is the first draft in the new era of (NCAA) college eligibility, which puts the WHL in a fantastic position in terms of recruiting high-end U.S. players. I'm proud of the work our scouts have put in this season with respect to building relationships and evaluating talent in our territory. The Winterhawks are poised to select two excellent prospects with our picks in the U.S. Priority Draft."

Players eligible for the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft are 2010-born players who have resided in the United States for two or more consecutive hockey seasons immediately preceding the WHL U.S. Priority Draft. Should a player's family have moved from WHL territory in Canada to the U.S. for at least one complete season, the player will be eligible for the WHL U.S. Priority Draft. To be eligible for the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft, a player must reside in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming.

Players not selected in the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft will remain eligible to be selected in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft, beginning in the second round.

For complete coverage of the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien and the 2025 WHL Drafts, visit WHL.ca.

Once those 46 picks have been completed, there will be a brief break before the remaining rounds of the WHL Prospects Draft occurs, starting with the second round.

"Overall, this year's (Canadian) Prospects Draft is a quality class with some skilled forwards and defenseman, as well as some quality goalie prospects. Our regional scouting staff, both in Canada and the U.S., continues to set a high standard in terms of evaluation and forming relationships with players and families," Davidson said.

Portland's second-round draft pick belongs to Medicine Hat as a result of a condition in the Diego Buttazzoni trade. Again, teams have not been shy about moving these picks; only seven teams still own their second-round selection.

The Winterhawks will call their first name, 49th overall, which is the third pick in the third round. Originally belonging to the Regina Pats, Portland holds this selection as a result of a trade made on May 28, 2024, when Josh Mori was traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings. Nine picks later, with their own, the Winterhawks will make a second selection in the third round.

After those two names are called, Portland is currently slotted to select in the fourth, fifth, sixth (with Brandon's in the Dawson Pasternak trade), eighth, ninth, and tenth rounds.*

"This is an exciting time as the hard work of our scouting staff pays off over the next week. The organization is excited to continue to identify and recruit quality players and people to the Winterhawks organization," Davidson concluded.

* The Winterhawks previously held an additional fifth-round pick, but now it belongs to the Kelowna Rockets as part of the Max Pšenička trade. Portland's original sixth-rounder was traded to Edmonton on January 18, 2024. Lastly, when the Winterhawks traded with Tri-City to acquire goaltender Nick Avakyan, the 2025 seventh-round selection was sent to the Americans.

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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.

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