No one can question the Portland Winterhawks' success. But what has been the key to the club becoming a pillar franchise in the WHL and having so many talented players come through their doors on the way to NHL stardom?
In 1976, the World Hockey Association was making major waves.
Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe were among the fledgling pro league's top scorers, and fans were showing up in numbers large enough to draw a sweat from executives in both the NHL and the junior ranks.
That opened the door for a groundbreaking shift. When the Edmonton Oil Kings relocated in the fall of ’76, the Portland Winter Hawks became the first American-based team in what was then known as the Western Canadian Hockey League. The name was shortened to the Western Hockey League in 1978, and these days, six of the WHL's 23 teams make up the U.S. Division.
Celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2025-26, the team that was renamed the Winterhawks in 2009 has built a legacy that includes 15 division championships, 13 regular-season conference titles, three WHL championship wins and two Memorial Cups.
As part of its golden anniversary, the organization is honoring its top 50 players of all-time. Portland announced the alphabetical list of honorees at its home-opener against Saskatoon on Oct. 25, and the ranked list will be unveiled month by month in groups of 10.
According to longtime Winterhawks GM Mike Johnston, narrowing down the candidates and ranking their achievements across different positions and very different eras was far from straightforward.
"We had about 120 on our list, and then we narrowed it down to 50," he said. "The most challenging part was to put them in order."
Fans were enlisted to help build the list by submitting their nominees. The selection committee included team historian Andy Kemper, longtime play-by-play voice Dean 'Scooter' Vrooman and members of the Winterhawks' coaching fraternity, including Johnston.
The club has seen 100 alums skate in the NHL, including 30 as first-round picks. Wayne Babych, at No. 3 in 1978, was Portland's first first-rounder; Seth Jarvis, at No. 13 in 2020, was the most recent.
The primary focus of the 50th anniversary list was to highlight the players honored for their accomplishments during their time in the City of Roses.
"We have a Hall of Fame, which encompasses everything they did as a Winterhawk and then beyond," Johnston said. "For this one, they may or may not have gone on to become a great NHL player, but what did they do while they played for the Winterhawks?"
Peruse the franchise records, and you'll spot familiar names like Glen Wesley, Andrew Ference, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Adin Hill. The top 50 also honors players like the Winterhawks' all-time leading scorer, Todd Robinson, who carved out a 15-year minor-league career after going undrafted in the late ’90s. He's in the team's Hall of Fame, but Portland's all-time wins leader in net, Mac Carruth, is not. The 33-year-old Carruth is playing in France this season and earned a spot in the top 50 after leading the 2013 Winterhawks to a WHL championship and the Memorial Cup final.
During its history, Portland has largely defied the boom/bust cycle that's common in major junior. The early 2010s marked its longest period of sustained success, with four trips to the WHL final in as many years, including that 2013 title.
"Carruth, as a goaltender, was really, really solid," Johnston said. "We had a great group of defensemen with Seth Jones on the back end. Then, up front, we had really good balance throughout our lineup."
Like a few of the other best-known Winterhawks alumni, Jones was only in town for a brief stint. After just one season in Portland – and being selected fourth overall by the Nashville Predators – he jumped straight into the NHL at 19. Other short-term stars who made the top 50 include Marian Hossa (1997-98) and homegrown Cam Neely (1982 to 1984).
Throughout their tenure, the Winterhawks have prioritized drafting and developing over short-term acquisitions. The end goal of that development has never exclusively been NHL stardom.
"We have the top academic program, I would say, of any junior team in North America. Our academic program’s exceptional," Johnston said. "We really focus on the development of the player from 15, when we draft them. Hopefully, he leaves as a real solid person and an NHL player. But we’ve had guys go on and do other things in life that you’re really proud of, too."
What do the next 50 years hold for the Winterhawks?
"Hopefully, the same consistency," Johnston said. "That's what we want, to be right there at the top every year and develop our players so we're recognized by the NHL as one of the best development programs in North America."
The unveiling of the Winterhawks' top 50 players began on Nov. 8, with Nos. 50 through 41 being released. Another group will be revealed each month, building to the announcement of the top 10 on March 7.
This feature appeared in The Hockey News' World Junior Championship issue. We provide scouting reports of the teams and players who will compete in the tournament, and a touch of holiday-themed content.
Elsewhere in the issue, we take a look at 2026 UFAs, and features on the PWHL, AHL, ECHL, NCAA and more.
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