Hawk 08-09 Pre-Season Predictions · 19 September, 16:12

So what do the Western Major Junior Hockey Writers Association think of the Portland Winter Hawks chances this year. How about dead last, 22nd in a league of 22.

The writers also put the Hawks US division rivals at the top of the list with the 2007-08 Memorial Cup champions Spokane Chiefs number 1, and the Tri-City Americans 5th.

That does not bode well for a team that plays both teams 17 times. Even so, the young Hawks have shown improvement in pre-season. The young guns of Hutt, Ross, and Reddin have added some chemistry and a knack for scoring that the team didn‘t have last year. The defense lead by Travis Ehrhardt, Brock Cornish and Ryan Kerr should provide some depth, skill and a year of experience. Goaltending will be solid with Mucha, White, and Hamilton. Coach Rich Kromm has finally had time to put his system in place.

With that in mind I see team goal scoring increasing from 132 to 185 and the goals against decreasing from 318 to 270.

If they can stay healthy, the Hawks will at least double their wins from 11 to 22. Will this be enough to get out of the cellar? Maybe.

Last year’s Kamloop Blazers only scored 27 goals and 58 points to make the playoffs. The year before that the Prince Albert Raiders made the playoffs with 27 wins and 60 points; and don’t forget in 04-05, the Swift Current Broncos had only 14 wins and 39 points and still made the playoffs.

This will be the year we should have had last year…with young players developing and showing a lot of improvement in the second half.

The past is the past. Who believes polls anyway. The Western Major Junior Hockey Writers Association is represented by the Everett Herald, Seattle Times, Spokesman-Review (Spokane), Tri-City Herald, Kelowna Capital News, Kelowna Daily Courier, Red Deer Advocate, Swift Current Prairie Post, Prince George Citizen, Lethbridge Herald, Medicine Hat News, Chilliwack Progress, The Kootenay NewsAdvertiser, Moose Jaw Times-Herald, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post and the Brandon Sun.

I don’t see the Portland Tribute, Columbian, or the Oregonian listed in the association, or weighing in on the results. Last place teams in the WHL usually don’t stay there very long. Predicting that the Hawks will for the third straight year is a prediction I am not going to make.

And I do look forward to seeing the Hawks prove them all wrong.

Results of the poll:
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
1. Spokane Chiefs (14) 371
2. Kelowna Rockets (1) 343
3. Lethbridge Hurricanes (1) 335
4. Brandon Wheat Kings 325
5. Tri-City Americans (1) 316
6. Vancouver Giants 278
7. Medicine Hat Tigers 266
8. Seattle Thunderbirds 251
9. Calgary Hitmen 233
10. Regina Pats 223
11. Swift Current Broncos 221
12. Saskatoon Blades 150
13. Kamloops Blazers 149
14. Moose Jaw Warriors 143
15. Prince George Cougars 129
16. Kootenay Ice 125
17. Prince Albert Raiders 114
18. Everett Silvertips 91
19. Chilliwack Bruins 88
20. Edmonton Oil Kings 77
21. Red Deer Rebels 54
22. Portland Winter Hawks 19

— S. Blanchard

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US Divisional News · 18 January, 16:48

— S. Blanchard

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