Winterhawks Hall Of Fame
The Portland Winterhawks have one of the most storied histories in major junior hockey, and to honor that history the organization has founded the Portland Winterhawks Hall of Fame. The Winterhawks Hall of Fame currently consists of 11 members and one player – Cam Neely – has even had his jersey number retired by the Club.
2023 Inductees:
Randy Heath, Cam Neely, Grant Sasser, Ken Yaremchuk
On March 18th, 2023, the Winterhawks inducted four members of their 1983 Memorial Cup winning team to the Winterhawks Hall of Fame. Former Winterhawks forwards Randy Heath, Cam Neely, Grant Sasser and Ken Yaremchuk were all inducted into the Hall of Fame and Cam Neely became the first Winterhawk to have his jersey retired when they sent #21 to the Veterans Memorial Coliseum rafters.
Randy Heath
Heath played three seasons in Portland from 1981 to 1984 and was a part of two Memorial Cup runs during his time in the Rose City. He is among the all-time leading scorers in Winterhawks history, scoring 178 goals (2nd all-time) and 340 points (8th all-time) in 199 career WHL games.
The Vancouver, B.C. native is one of seven Winterhawks to record two 50+ goal campaigns during his time in Portland and shares the Winterhawks’ record for most goals (82) in a single season with the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, Dennis Holland.
As a 19-year-old left wing, Heath scored 11 points in four games during the Hawks’ 1983 Memorial Cup championship run and was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star team. After back-to-back trips to the Memorial Cup tournament, Heath was selected 33rd overall by the New York Rangers in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. He returned to Portland for one final prolific season of junior hockey and concluded his Winterhawks career as a two-time First Team Western Conference All-Star. Before beginning his professional career, Heath also represented Canada at the 1984 IIHF Under-20 World Junior Championship and produced nine points in seven tournament games.
He made his National Hockey League debut with the Rangers on December 5, 1984, and he scored his first career NHL goal against the New Jersey Devils a month later. After splitting two seasons with the Rangers and their American Hockey League affiliate New Haven Nighthawks, Heath took his talent overseas and played professionally in Sweden for three seasons before retiring after the 1989 season.
After his playing career, Heath eventually returned to the Winterhawks organization as a regional scout for a few seasons.
Cam Neely
Neely’s list of accomplishments at both the junior level and in the National Hockey League showcase why he is one of the team’s all-time greats.
Neely played in Portland during the 1982-83 and 1983-84 seasons before beginning his professional career. In 91 regular season games with the Hawks, he registered 64 goals and 82 assists for 146 points.
The Comox, B.C. native was an integral part of the Winterhawks’ first Memorial Cup Championship in 1983, scoring a team-high five goals and nine points in four tournament games. Neely scored a hat trick in the championship game in front of 9,527 fans at the Memorial Coliseum when the Hawks beat the Oshawa Generals 8-3 to become the first U.S. team to win the prestigious trophy.
In the summer after winning the Memorial Cup championship, the Vancouver Canucks selected Neely 9th overall in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. The following season, he played just 19 games with the Winterhawks before the Canucks called him up to the National Hockey League and to kick off his 13-year playing career.
He began life in the NHL with three straight 30+ point campaigns before being traded to the Boston Bruins in 1986. Neely became known as one of the league’s most prolific goal scorers in the late 1980’s and 90’s with the Bruins, scoring 50 goals in back-to-back seasons in 1989-90 and 1990-91. He went on to win the Bill Masterton Trophy in 1994, which is given “to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.”
The five-time NHL All-Star retired in 1996 with 395 goals, 694 points and 1,241 penalty minutes in 726 career games. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2005.
Grant Sasser
Sasser played three seasons in Portland from 1981 to 1984 and played in two Memorial Cups with the Winterhawks. The Portland, Ore. native registered back-to-back 40+ goal and 100+ point seasons before wrapping up his Hawks tenure in 1984.
His 54 goals during the 1983 Memorial Cup championship season were the most in the Western Hockey League among U.S.-born players and third on his team behind fellow inductees Randy Heath and Cam Neely. His 27 points in the ’83 WHL Playoffs were third most in the league and he carried that momentum into the Memorial Cup tournament scoring at a point-per-game clip to help the Winterhawks hoist the Memorial Cup, including an assist on a pivotal goal to start the second period of the penultimate game against Oshawa.
Today, Sasser ranks second among all U.S.-born Winterhawks with 117 goals and 274 points.
Drafted in the fifth round of the 1982 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Sasser played two more seasons in the Rose City before turning pro. He was called up to the Penguins in February 1984 and became the second Oregon-born player to ever lace up and play a game in the NHL. He played three road games with Pittsburgh before returning to Portland in time for the Hawks’ run in the 1984 WHL Playoffs.
Ken Yaremchuk
Yaremchuk played three seasons in Portland from 1980 to 1983, helping the Hawks win the 1982 WHL Championship and the 1983 Memorial Cup. He produced over 100 points in all three seasons and currently ranks third on the Winterhawks all-time scoring list with 424 points in just 210 WHL games.
The Edmonton, Alta. native led his team in scoring during the ’81-’82 campaign with 58 goals and 157 points, and was honored as a WHL First-Team All-Star. In the playoffs, Yaremchuk finished second behind Randy Heath in points and helped Portland claim its first Ed Chynoweth Cup. That summer, he was selected 7th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL Draft, but returned to Portland for one final, magical season.
He paced Portland with 160 points during the 1982-83 regular season and co-led the Hawks with 11 points in the Memorial Cup to help them claim the prestigious cup. Unsurprisingly, the then 19-year-old forward was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team.
He went on to play five seasons in the NHL with Chicago and Toronto before electing to take his talents overseas. Yaremchuk spent the last ten years of his playing career in Italy and Switzerland. During his professional career, Yaremchuk also represented Canada at the Spengler Cup three times and won gold with Canada in 1993.
2018 Inductees:
Andrew Ference, Marian Hossa, Brenden Morrow, Todd Robinson
On March 10th, 2018, the Winterhawks inducted four members of their 1998 Memorial Cup winning team to the Winterhawks Hall of Fame. Former Winterhawks forwards Marian Hossa, Brenden Morrow and Todd Robinson, along with defenseman Andrew Ference were all inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Marian Hossa
Marian Hossa played in one incredibly dominant season for the Winterhawks in 1997-98 after being selected 12th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the NHL Draft. Hossa had 45 goals in 53 regular season games to lead all Portland players in scoring. Hossa would add 13 more goals in the playoffs to lead the Winterhawks to their second ever WHL Championship. In the Memorial Cup, Hossa would continue to dominate, eventually leading the Winterhawks to their second Memorial Cup win in franchise history.
Hossa has gone on to play more than 1,200 games in the NHL, scoring 500 goals and winning three Stanley Cups, all with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Brenden Morrow
Brenden Morrow registered three straight years of over 30 goals and 80 points for the Winterhawks between 1995-1999. Morrow is the only Winterhawk in franchise history with more than 275 career points and 600 career penalty minutes. Morrow was also a consummate leader on and off the ice, and was eventually named captain of the Winterhawks in 1998.
Morrow would go on to play 991 regular season NHL games and 118 Stanley Cup playoff games. He also won a Gold Medal with Team Canada in the 2010 Olympic Games.
Todd Robinson
Todd Robinson is the leading scorer in Winterhawks franchise history – and 11th leading scorer in Western Hockey League history with 470 career points. He is also 4th in league history with 325 assists. Robinson spent five seasons with the Winterhawks from 1994-1999 and twice had 100-point seasons. In 1995, he was named the WHL Rookie of the Year recording 78 points in 67 games. He led all Winterhawks in playoff scoring with 27 points in 16 games during Portland’s 1998 WHL Championship run.
Robinson would go on to have an incredible 15-year pro career, officially retiring in 2014.
Andrew Ference
Andrew Ference was the backbone of the Winterhawks blueline for over 258 WHL games from 1994-1999, including every single game in Portland’s 1997-98 Memorial Cup winning season. Ference registered 184 points and 43 goals in his Winterhawks career, ranking him 6th in defensive scoring in franchise history. In 1998, he was named a WHL Western Conference First Team All-Star.
Ference went on to have a 16-year NHL career, featuring 907 games with Pittsburgh, Calgary, Boston and Edmonton. In 2011, Ference played 25 playoff games for the Bruins and win the Stanley Cup.
2012 Inductee:
Brent Peterson
On February 3, 2012, the Winterhawks inducted former player and coach Brent Peterson to the team’s Hall of Fame. Peterson moved to Portland with the team in 1976, and was the first captain of the Winterhawks.
He went on to a 12-year playing career in the NHL, then spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the Hartford Whalers before returning to Portland and spending two seasons as an assistant coach. Peterson took over as head coach prior to the 1993-94 season, winning 49 games that season. In five seasons behind the bench Peterson amassed a record of 198-137-20. He led the Hawks to the playoffs in all five seasons, collected 45 or more wins in three seasons, and in 1997-98 guided the franchise to its second Memorial Cup.
Peterson then left the Winterhawks to join the expansion Nashville Predators as an assistant coach, and was promoted to associate coach in 2003. Peterson remained behind the bench through the end of the 2010-11 season, and is now an advisor in their hockey operations department.
2010 Inductees:
Ken Hodge, Dennis Holland; Innes Mackie Wins Award
On March 6, 2010, the Portland Winterhawks inducted their inaugural Hall of Fame class: longtime general manager and head coach Ken Hodge and the franchise’s leader in goals scored, Dennis Holland. In addition, longtime trainer Innes Mackie received the inaugural Brian C. Shaw Award for Meritorious Service to the Organization.
Ken Hodge
Hodge was the franchise’s first coach in Portland when the team moved in 1976, and beginning with the 1978-79 season they finished first three straight years. The 1981-82 season saw the Hawks finish first again, as they won the WHL championship to make it to the Memorial Cup. In 1983 they made it to the WHL Championship series, and hosting the Memorial Cup, they became the first U.S.-based team to win the championship.
Hodge remained behind the bench through the 1992-93 season, coaching a total of 1411 games, including 742 wins, both all-time WHL marks. His 101 postseason wins is also a WHL record. He became general manager in 1992 and kept the Winterhawks atop the WHL, building the team that won the 1998 Memorial Cup. During his time as coach and then general manager, Portland made the playoffs 26 times, missing the postseason just six times. Under his guidance the Hawks won two Memorial Cups and two WHL championships.
In addition, under Hodge the Winterhawks sent nearly 100 players to the NHL. Hodge has also been part a part owner of the team, and remains involved as an adviser.
Dennis Holland
Holland made his Winterhawks debut as a 16-year-old during the 1985-86 season, with three goals and two assists in just one game. It set the stage for the next three years, when he would become one of the league’s most feared snipers with 36, 58 and 82 goals, respectively. He is the Winterhawks’ all-time leading goal scorer with 179, ranks third all-time in team history with 250 assists, and is second in franchise history with 429 points.
His 82 goals and 167 points in the 1988-89 season are both single-season franchise records (the goals mark is shared with Randy Heath). On November 23, 1988 against the Kamloops Blazers he set a franchise record, and tied a league record, with seven goals. He added an assist for eight total points that night, tying a team record, a mark he’d equal later that season on February 8, 1989 against the Spokane Chiefs.
That season he led the Winterhawks to the WHL championship series against the Swift Current Broncos. In 19 playoff games, Holland registered 15 goals and 22 assists for 37 points.
Innes Mackie
Mackie, the recipient of the inaugural Brian C. Shaw Award for Meritorious Service to the Organization, came to Portland with Shaw and Hodge as the team’s trainer, a position he held for over 30 years. He was responsible for the physical well-being of every player who put on a Winterhawks uniform in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries.
He was also a well-regarded judge of hockey talent, and was known as “Eagle Eye Innes” for his ability to spot illegal sticks being used by opposing players, which would result in power plays for Portland.