The last time the Portland Winterhawks took to home ice, they were 60 minutes from a Western Hockey League championship.
For returning players, coming up short in Game 7 against Edmonton provides added motivation for the 2014-15 season that begins with Friday’s game against Seattle at the Moda Center.
There has been significant change in Portland since the Winterhawks won a fourth consecutive Western Conference championship and finished one win short of a second consecutive league title.
There is a new coach and general manager as Mike Johnston was hired to coach the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Jaime Kompon, a longtime NHL assistant coach, was hired to replace Johnston in both positions.
One thing that hasn’t changed are expectations for a franchise that Johnston led from irrelevance to one of the premier junior hockey franchises in North America. Here are a few themes to watch as the 2014-15 season unfolds:
• Kompon’s philosophy: According to several Winterhawks veterans, the new coach is a lot like the old coach.
“A lot of it is very similar: Very high pace, very direct, and I think we’re going to play a very hard-nosed style,” 20-year-old defenseman Josh Hanson said. In terms of tactics, Kompon has implemented some subtle changes in the defensive zone.
Forward Paul Bittner said both Kompon and Johnston are intense coaches who emphasize “pushing the pace, puck management and getting lots of shots.”
Kompon said that “pushing the pace and attention to detail are things that I’m very big on, especially without the puck. We all like to play with the puck. We want to get it back as quick as we can.”
• Returning firepower: Oliver Bjorkstrand (50 goals, 59 assists), Nic Petan (38 goals, 78 assists) ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in the WHL in points last season. Bjorkstrand added 16 goals and 17 assists in the playoffs. Chase De Leo ranked 10th in the WHL with 39 goals last season. Bittner (22 goals, 27 assists last season) could be one of the first forwards taken in the 2015 NHL Draft. After being drafted this summer, Dominic Turgeon and Keegan Iverson appear ready for a breakout season.
• NHL draftees: Bjorkstrand (Columbus), Brendan Burke (Arizona), Anton Cederholm (Vancouver), De Leo (Winnipeg), Iverson (Rangers), Petan (Winnipeg), Alex Schoenborn (San Jose) and Turgeon (Detroit) attended NHL rookie camps this week. Bjorkstrand, Burke, Petan and Turgeon were expected to stay with their teams for the start of NHL training camps. Blake Heinrich (Washington) is out with a concussion and did not go to the Capitals rookie camp.
• Restructured defense: For the first time in several season, Portland doesn’t have an established blue chip blueliner. Derrick Pouliot will begin his professional career in Pittsburgh after three-plus seasons in Portland. Matt Dumba and Garrett Harr also are gone. Cederholm, Layne Viveros, Keoni Texeira and Josh Hanson return. Blake Heinrich, the Capitals’ draftee, should be an impact offensive-minded defenseman.
• Goalie depth: Brendan Burke will be the No. 1 net minder for the second year in a row, but Adin Hill played well in a few appearances last season. Michael Bullion, 17, played well in preseason.
• Bottom line: The Winterhawks lost Johnston to the NHL, but still have assistant GM Matt Bardsley overseeing a dozen scouts — more than some pro teams. Portland should remain one of the highest scoring teams in the WHL, which should make it entertaining and maybe a contender (again) for the league title.
About Winterhawks hockey
Home arenas: Moda Center and Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Tickets: winterhawks.com.
Webcasts: Available for purchase through www.whl.ca.
Radio: 860 AM and winterhawks.com.
What is major junior hockey? The WHL is a high-level developmental league for players ages 16-20 who aspire to play professional hockey. Nine players on the Winterhawks roster have been drafted by NHL teams. Paul Bittner is considered one of the top forward prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft.
