Portland Winter Hawks
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Portland Winter Hawks | |
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| City: | Portland, Oregon |
| League: | Western Hockey League |
| Conference: | Western |
| Division: | U.S. |
| Founded: | 1976-77 |
| Home Arena: | Rose Garden Arena & Memorial Coliseum |
| Colours: | red, white and black |
| Head Coach: | Mike Williamson |
| General Manager: | Ken Hodge |
| Franchise history | |
| 1951-1976: | Edmonton Oil Kings |
| 1976-Present: | Portland Winter Hawks |
The Portland Winter Hawks are members of the Western Hockey League, the highest level of non-professional hockey in the world. The team has been in Portland since 1976-77 when the team moved from Edmonton. Owner Brian Shaw was a pioneer in many aspects of Junior Hockey, not only moving a team to the United States for the first time, but also is credited with designing the current CHL championship format of the champion from each of the three leagues (WHL, OHL, and QMJHL) as well as a host-city team competing for the Memorial Cup. Portland won the Memorial Cup in 1983 and 1998.
The Winter Hawks were also pioneers of promotion and are credited with the invention of the "Dash for Cash" where contestants are picked to run onto the ice and try to scoop up as many silver dollars in 2 minutes as they could. This popular promotion has been running for many years. Also, in late November/early December, they hold their annual teddy bear toss, which fans throw teddy bears on the ice.
They play their home games at the Rose Garden Arena, and the old Memorial Coliseum.
Previously, the team was known as the Edmonton Oil Kings. While in Edmonton, the team won the Memorial Cup twice and was runner-up seven times.
The Winter Hawks wear jerseys similar to those of the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League, causing some to erroneously assume that the Winter Hawks are a minor league farm team of the Blackhawks. In actuality, the jerseys originally worn by the first Winter Hawks team were a used set of Chicago jerseys obtained through connections between the owners of the two teams. In early photos, the old Chicago jerseys are identifiable by the letter C with crossed tomahawks on the shoulder crest. The Winter Hawks eventually changed the C to a P. The Winter Hawks also currently wear a unique alternate jersey, which is black with a red and white Portland skyline and the word PORTLAND around the bottom hem.
The team name of the Winter Hawks was inspired by a movie called Winterhawk. Team owner Brian Shaw liked the sound of the name, but decided it would be two words.
The team mascot of the Winter Hawks is a white bird with multicolored tail and wing feathers, named Tom-A-Hawk. Tom-A-Hawk was introduced in 1997. He wears jersey number 00. Tom-A-Hawk's main rival is Cool Bird of the Seattle Thunderbirds.
[edit] Season-by-season Record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties OTL = Overtime losses Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1976-77 | 72 | 36 | 29 | 7 | - | 359 | 294 | 79 | 3rd West | Lost semi-final |
| 1977-78 | 72 | 41 | 20 | 11 | - | 361 | 296 | 93 | 1st West | Eliminated in West Division round robin |
| 1978-79 | 72 | 49 | 10 | 13 | - | 432 | 265 | 111 | 1st West | Lost final |
| 1979-80 | 72 | 53 | 18 | 1 | - | 398 | 293 | 107 | 1st West | Eliminated in West Division round robin |
| 1980-81 | 72 | 56 | 15 | 1 | - | 443 | 266 | 113 | 2nd West | Lost West Division final |
| 1981-82 | 72 | 46 | 24 | 2 | - | 380 | 323 | 94 | 1st West | Won championship |
| 1982-83 | 72 | 50 | 22 | 0 | - | 495 | 387 | 100 | 1st West | Lost final; Won Memorial Cup |
| 1983-84 | 72 | 33 | 39 | 0 | - | 430 | 449 | 66 | 3rd West | Lost West Division final |
| 1984-85 | 72 | 27 | 44 | 1 | - | 365 | 442 | 55 | 4th West | Lost West Division semi-final |
| 1985-86 | 72 | 47 | 24 | 1 | - | 438 | 348 | 95 | 2nd West | Lost West Division final |
| 1986-87 | 72 | 47 | 23 | 2 | - | 439 | 355 | 96 | 2nd West | Lost final |
| 1987-88 | 72 | 24 | 45 | 3 | - | 328 | 449 | 51 | 6th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1988-89 | 72 | 40 | 28 | 4 | - | 408 | 395 | 84 | 1st West | Lost final |
| 1989-90 | 72 | 24 | 45 | 3 | - | 322 | 426 | 51 | 5th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1990-91 | 72 | 17 | 53 | 2 | - | 298 | 450 | 36 | 5th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1991-92 | 72 | 31 | 37 | 4 | - | 314 | 342 | 66 | 5th West | Lost West Division quarter-final |
| 1992-93 | 72 | 45 | 24 | 3 | - | 343 | 275 | 93 | 1st West | Lost final |
| 1993-94 | 72 | 49 | 22 | 1 | - | 392 | 260 | 99 | 2nd West | Lost West Division final |
| 1994-95 | 72 | 23 | 43 | 6 | - | 240 | 308 | 52 | 6th West | Lost West Division semi-final |
| 1995-96 | 72 | 30 | 39 | 3 | - | 283 | 301 | 63 | 6th West | Lost West Division quarter-final |
| 1996-97 | 72 | 46 | 21 | 5 | - | 300 | 196 | 97 | 1st West | Lost West Division quarter-final |
| 1997-98 | 72 | 53 | 14 | 5 | - | 342 | 203 | 111 | 1st West | Won championship and Memorial Cup |
| 1998-99 | 72 | 23 | 36 | 13 | - | 215 | 278 | 59 | 5th West | Lost West Division quarter-final |
| 1999-00 | 72 | 16 | 49 | 7 | 0 | 173 | 296 | 39 | 7th West | Out of playoffs |
| 2000-01 | 72 | 37 | 27 | 5 | 3 | 254 | 237 | 82 | 2nd West | Lost final |
| 2001-02 | 72 | 36 | 25 | 5 | 6 | 269 | 243 | 83 | 1st U.S. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
| 2002-03 | 72 | 19 | 40 | 8 | 5 | 192 | 243 | 51 | 3rd U.S. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
| 2003-04 | 72 | 34 | 29 | 6 | 3 | 199 | 206 | 77 | 2nd U.S. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
| 2004-05 | 72 | 35 | 27 | 5 | 5 | 204 | 198 | 80 | 2nd U.S. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
| 2005-06 | 72 | 32 | 32 | 3 | 5 | 204 | 258 | 72 | 3rd U.S. | Lost Western Conference semi-final |
[edit] NHL Alumni
Dozens of Winter Hawk players have gone on to long careers in the National Hockey League. These include:
[edit] External link
| Western Hockey League |
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| Current teams : Brandon Wheat Kings | Calgary Hitmen | Chilliwak Bruins | Everett Silvertips | Kamploops Blazers | Kelowna Rockets | Kootenay Ice | Lethbridge Hurricanes | Medicine Hat Tigers | Moose Jaw Warriors | Portland Winter Hawks | Prince Albert Raiders | Prince George Cougars | Red Deer Rebels | Regina Pats | Saskatoon Blades | Seattle Thunderbirds | Spokane Chiefs | Swift Current Broncos | Tri-City Americans | Vancouver Giants |
| Expansion for 2007-08 : Edmonton Oil Kings |
| CHL: Memorial Cup | President's Cup | OHL | QMJHL | WHL |
