Winterhawks share promotion of Brynn Smith, welcome Josh Critzer to the family

Portland, Ore. – The Portland Winterhawks are proud to share that Brynn Smith, the team’s Manager of Communications and Digital Media, has accepted a communications role with the Florida Panthers. With the advancement news, the team is excited to welcome Josh Critzer to the Winterhawks family.

Smith spent five months with the Winterhawks, managing the team’s social media accounts, digital marketing efforts and team website, before accepting an NHL position in January 2025. Critzer will assume the position of Manager of Communications and Digital Media ahead of the Winterhawks’ final week of the regular season.

Critzer joins the Winterhawks staff after seven seasons of covering the Hawks, the U.S. Division, and Western Hockey League for PNW Hockey Talk, a media company and website he founded to expand coverage of the league. Critzer covered the 2024 CHL Memorial Cup in Saginaw, Michigan, provided league commentary on the digital landscape and media outlets like Guy Flaming’s Pipeline Show, and produced stories on numerous Winterhawks since he first wrote for the DUBNetwork in 2018. Prior to joining the Winterhawks, Critzer spent 15 years working with Wells Fargo in their digital marketing department.

Congratulations to Brynn on her promotion and welcome to the family Josh!

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