Seattle Kraken: Portland Winterhawks alumni who could come back to the PNW

This is part one of our series looking at players with ties to the Pacific Northwest who could come “home” in the Seattle Kraken 2021 Expansion Draft. We start with the Portland Winterhawks.

No one knows yet who will or will not be exposed to the Seattle Kraken in next year’s expansion draft. Fans can get a better read on the situation after the Stanley Cup Playoffs, free agency, arbitration, and 2020 NHL Entry Draft. All of which should be wrapped up by November. Of course, dates may still change due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Draft Rules

This is a brief recap of the rules in place when the Seattle Kraken make their selections in the Expansion Draft some time in early-to-mid-summer of 2021.

• All teams except Vegas, who is exempt, have two options for protecting players.
• Option 1: Protect seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie.
• Option 2: Protect eight skaters, in any combination of forwards or defensemen, and one goalie.
• At least one defenseman, two forwards, (who played at least 40 games in the prior year or 70 games in the two prior years), and one goalie that are under contract (goalies can be restricted free agents as well).
• First and second-year players in addition to unsigned draft choices are exempt. Many young players are ineligible because they have not had enough games in the NHL in the last two years.

Portland has been successful in putting players into the NHL. Unfortunately for the Seattle Kraken, there isn’t much of a chance that the following players are left unprotected by their current teams.

Oliver Bjorkstrand, forward, Columbus Blue Jackets.

Nino Niederreiter, forward, Carolina Hurricanes.

Matt Dumba, defenseman, Minnesota Wild.

Henri Jokiharju, defenseman, Buffalo Sabres.

Ryan Johansen, forward, Nashville Predators.

Seth Jones, defenseman, Columbus Blue Jackets.

There are several Winterhawks Alumni who could be available to the Seattle Kraken next summer, either in the expansion draft, or as unrestricted free agents.

Next: Page 2 – Forwards

Forwards

Nic Petan, Toronto Maple Leafs

Drafted 43rd overall in 2013 by the Jets, Nic Petan has earned 27 points in only 129 games with a plus/minus of -20. At 25-years-old, Petan struggles to find the same success he had with the Winterhawks. He shared the Bob Clarke Trophy with teammate Brendan Leisic as the leading scorers in North American Junior Hockey for the 2012–13 season. Petan also led all WHL players in +/- that season as well.

Colton Sceviour, Florida Panthers

A nine-year NHL veteran, Colton Sceviour has played 454 NHL games with 141 points, mostly as a bottom-six forward. Scevior played four seasons with Portland before moving on to Lethbridge, where he broke out and caught the attention of NHL scouts. Dallas drafted him 112^th overall in 2007.

Brandon Dubinsky, Columbus Blue Jackets

The New York Rangers selected Bradon Dubinsky 60th overall in 2004. A fan favorite, he has played 823 games with 438 points and a plus/minus of 24. He played minor leauge hockey in Anchorage, where he was born, and in Seattle with the Sno-King Amateur Hockey Association. Until last week, the former United States Olympian was someone Kraken GM Ron Francis might have considered in free agency. A wrist condition that required surgery earlier in the month will likely end his professional career.

Brendan Leipsic, Washington Capitals

Brendan Leipsic was drafted 89th overall in 2012 by the Predators. He has played 187 games in the NHL with 59 points. Leipsic was a huge scorer at the Junior level. As mentioned earlier, he and Petan lit up WHL goalies in 2012–13.

Sven Bäertschi, Vancouver Canucks

Drafted 13th overall by the Flames in 2011, Sven Bäertschi is struggling as a fringe NHL forward. He played two years in the World Junior U-20 Championships for the Swiss team during his time with the Winterhawks in the WHL. In 291 NHL games, he has 138 points with a plus/minus of -33.

Next: Page 3 – Defensemen and Goalies

Defensemen

Braydon Coburn, Tampa Bay Lightning

Braydon Coburn has 232 points in 964 games with the NHL since the 2005–06 season. His plus/minus in the NHL is 49. In February of 2005, while still playing with the Winterhawks, he tied a record for most goals scored in one game by a defenseman (4).

Derrick Pouliot, St. Louis Blues

The former CHL Defenseman of the Year hasn’t lived up to the expectations of a top-10 draft pick. Since being selected eighth overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2012, Derrick Pouliot has bounced around to several NHL teams. In 202 NHL games played, he has 48 points and a -35 plus/minus.

Luca Sbisa, Winnipeg Jets

In 2008, Philadelphia selected Luca Sbisa 19th overall in the draft. At 6-3, 205-pounds Sbisa has good size, but his lack of speed has forced him into a bottom pairing/ seventh defenseman role for most of his career. After Philly, Sbisa played for the Ducks, Canucks, Golden Knights, and Islanders before landing in Winnipeg last season. In 548 NHL games, he has 113 points with a plus/minus of -18.

Dennis Cholowski, Detroit Red Wings

The Langley, BC native was the 20th overall selection in 2016 by the Red Wings. Still in the early stages of his NHL career, Dennis Cholowski has played only 88 NHL games with 24 points and a -49 plus/minus. He played in the WHL’s All-Star games in the 2017-18 season. While with the Winterhawks, he played 69 games with 66 points and a plus/minus of 29.

Goalie

Adin Hill, Arizona Coyotes

Adin Hill was drafted in 2015 by the Coyotes, 76th overall. He is currently the number three goalie in Arizona. Injures to the Coyotes top two goalies the previous several seasons resulted in HIll getting chances the to step in. Over 30 NHL games, he has a .907 save percentage and 2.81 goals against average. In the 2014–15 season with the WHL, he earned the award for best save percentage on .921.

Check back with us later in the week for part two of our series.

Which Winterhawks alumni do you think will come back to the Pacific Northwest to play for the Seattle Kraken? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.

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