Winterhawks

Meet the Portland Winterhawks

January 30, 2014 by Graham Kendrick No Comments

This is the fifth installment of our series “Introducing Portland’s Sports Teams,” where we introduce you to every professional, semi-professional and college sports program in Portland.

Who are the Portland Winterhawks?

The Portland Winterhawks are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League, one of three that make up the Canadian Hockey League. They’re owned by a Calgary businessman named Bill Gallacher who purchased the team in 2008. They came to Portland in 1976 from Edmonton, Alberta, where the Winterhawks were originally known as the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Sport: Hockey
League: WHL (Western Hockey League)
Conference: Western
Founded: 1951
Home Field: Veterans Memorial Coliseum & Moda Center
Team Colors: Red, Black, White
Owner: Terry Emmert
Head Coach: Mike Johnson
Championships: 5 (WHL: ’82, ’98, ’13; CHL: ’83, ’98)

Why you should root for them

Do you really need another reason to root for minor league hockey? If the opening scene from Happy Gilmore didn’t pique your interest then there may not be a better motivation.

Outside of the fact that Portland doesn’t have a professional NHL team, your Winterhawks are about as good as it gets. Literally. They won the WHL title last season after making it to the championship three years in a row. They’re currently in second place and riding a 7-game win streak. On top of all that, they’ve pumped out a dozen NHL draft picks over the past two seasons.

It’s also one of the cheapest shows in town, with 20-game plans starting under $40 per month. They call Veterans Memorial Memorial Coliseum home but often play in the Moda Center.

The fights are better than the pros, too. Coupled with a cold Oregon-brewed microbrew, you really can’t find a better way to spend a Friday. Not to mention, the WHL has some of the best team names and cities in all of sports: Moose Jaw Warriors. Medicine Hat Tigers. Brandon Wheat Kings. Kamloops Blazers.

The 2013-2014 season has less than two months remaining. Do yourself a favor and catch a game before the playoffs begin.