SERIES PREVIEW: Seattle Thunderbirds vs. Winnipeg ICE
Winnipeg, Man. – The 2023 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien begins Friday, May 12 in Winnipeg, featuring the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy winners and WHL Eastern Conference Champion Winnipeg ICE and, for the second consecutive year, the WHL Western Conference Champion Seattle Thunderbirds.
The 2023 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien opens Friday Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, thanks to True North Sports + Entertainment. The ICE will host Games 1 and 2 of the 54th WHL Championship, before the series shifts across the border to the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash., for Games 3, 4 and 5. If necessary, the WHL Championship Series will conclude with Games 6 and 7 at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.
The ICE and Thunderbirds will challenge for a berth into the 103rd edition of the Memorial Cup presented by Kia, scheduled for May 26 to June 4 in Kamloops, B.C.
Games 1 and 2 of the WHL Championship Series will be available exclusively on WHL Live on CHL TV. Beginning with Game 3 and carrying through Game 7, TSN will provide national broadcast coverage of the WHL Championship Series.
The 2023 WHL Championship Series is presented by the WHL’s newest partner, Nutrien.
Nutrien and the WHL represent a natural fit, with Nutrien’s global headquarters located in Saskatoon, Sask., and other corporate offices in Calgary, Alta., and Regina, Sask., along with Nutrien’s extensive retail branches and Nitrogen and Potash operations found throughout Western Canadian provinces and the Pacific Northwest United States. Like the WHL, Nutrien strives to be a meaningful partner in the communities where its employees live and work.
This marks the first time in WHL history the Winnipeg ICE and Seattle Thunderbirds will meet in the WHL Championship Series.
The ICE last appeared in the WHL Championship Series in 2011, defeating the Portland Winterhawks to claim the franchise’s third WHL Championship (2011, 2002, 2000).
Seattle advanced to Game 6 of the 2022 WHL Championship Series, falling to the Edmonton Oil Kings. In 2017, the Thunderbirds won the WHL Championship Series for the first time in franchise history. Ths came one year after suffering defeat at the hands of the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2016 WHL Championship Series.
2023 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien – Game Schedule
| DATE | GAME | AWAY | HOME | TIME | |
| Friday, May 12 | 1 | Seattle | at | Winnipeg | 7 p.m. CT |
| Saturday, May 13 | 2 | Seattle | at | Winnipeg | 6 p.m. CT |
| Tuesday, May 16 | 3 | Winnipeg | at | Seattle | 7:05 p.m. PT |
| Wednesday, May 17 | 4 | Winnipeg | at | Seattle | 7:05 p.m. PT |
| Friday, May 19 | 5* | Winnipeg | at | Seattle | 7:05 p.m. PT |
| Sunday, May 21 | 6* | Seattle | at | Winnipeg | 7 p.m. CT |
| Monday, May 22 | 7* | Seattle | at | Winnipeg | 5 p.m. CT |
* = if necessary
Ticketing Information – WHL Championship Series
Click HERE for ticket information in Winnipeg
Click HERE for ticket information in Seattle
Here’s a look at the matchup for the 2023 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien:
WINNIPEG ICE vs. SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS
2022-23 Regular Season Records
Winnipeg: 57-10-1-0 (115 points)
Seattle: 54-11-1-2 (111 points)
When the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season came to a close, it was the Winnipeg ICE and Seattle Thunderbirds perched atop their respective conferences. As the 2023 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien opens this Friday, the Winnipeg ICE and Seattle Thunderbirds remain seated atop their respective conferences, prepared to faceoff for ultimate WHL glory.
The ICE cruised through the Eastern Conference with a 12-2 record, with four-game sweeps of the Medicine Hat Tigers and Saskatoon Blades bookending a second-round, six-game saga against the Moose Jaw Warriors.
Seattle’s road has been very similar. The Thunderbirds secured back-to-back four-game sweeps of the Kelowna Rockets and Prince George Cougars, before the Memorial Cup host Kamloops Blazers pushed them to six games in the WHL Western Conference Championship Series.
The two teams met only once during the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season, with the Thunderbirds claiming a 4-3 overtime victory in Winnipeg on January 11. 2023 NHL Draft prospect Nico Myatovic found the back of the net in extra time to give Seattle the victory, while Matthew Savoie and Reid Schaefer scored twice each for the ICE and Thunderbirds, respectively.
As much as the road to the WHL Championship Series is eerily similar between these two teams, there is also similarity in roster composition when one looks at the stacked lists of NHL-calibre prospects across the two lineups.
The ICE boast high-flying 2023 NHL Draft prospect Zach Benson, who is ranked sixth among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and led the team in scoring with 98 points (36G-62A) through 60 regular season games.
Aside from Benson, the ICE roster is loaded with seven NHL drafted prospects, including forwards Zack Ostapchuk (Ottawa, 2-39, 2021), Carson Latimer (Ottawa, 4-123, 2021), Conor Geekie (Arizona, 1-11, 2022), and Savoie (Buffalo, 1-9, 2022), defencemen Carson Lambos (Minnesota, 1-26, 2021) and Graham Sward (Nashville, 5-146, 2022), along with goaltender Mason Beaupit (San Jose, 4-108, 2022).
On the Seattle side of the equation 2023 NHL Draft prospect Gracyn Sawchyn is ranked 24th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. The product of Grande Prairie, Alta., led all Thunderbirds rookies in regular season scoring with 58 points (18G-40A) in 58 games.
The Thunderbirds arsenal is deep with 10 NHL Drafted prospects, including forwards Lucas Ciona (Calgary, 6-173, 2021), Colton Dach (Chicago, 2-62, 2021), Jared Davidson (Montreal, 5-130, 2022), Dylan Guenther (Arizona, 1-9, 2021), Jordan Gustafson (Vegas, 3-79, 2022), Brad Lambert (Winnipeg, 1-30, 2022), and Schaefer (Nashville via Edmonton, 1-32, 2022), along with defencemen Nolan Allan (Chicago, 1-32, 2021), Luke Prokop (Nashville, 3-73, 2020), and Kevin Korchinski (Chicago, 1-7, 2022).
Perhaps the most interesting draw in the Gateway to the West will be the return of Lambert, the Winnipeg Jets first-round prospect whom began his 2022-23 campaign with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. After skating in 14 AHL games, the Finnish-born Lambert was assigned by the Jets to WHL Seattle where he has torn up the competition. In 26 regular season contests, the native of Lahti, Finland collected 38 points (17G-21A), providing further depth to an already deadly Seattle lineup. Lambert, who has family ties to Saskatchewan, has continued his torrid pace during the 2023 WHL Playoffs, notching 20 points (3G-17A) in only 12 contests.
The Manitoba connections merely begin with Lambert.
On the Winnipeg side of the ledger, the ICE boast five Manitoba-born players, led by hometown captain Lambos. The prospect of the Minnesota Wild and veteran of four WHL seasons enjoyed a career regular season, posting 48 points (12G-36A) and a plus-60 rating in 61 games.
Homegrown talent in Seattle comes via 2003-born forward Mekai Sanders, who hails from Gig Harbor, Wash. The 5-foot-10, 178-pound fan favourite has skated in all 14 of Seattle’s playoff games after missing his Club’s 2022 playoff run with an injury.
If maple is more your flavour, the 2023 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien will also feature seven players who competed for Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, including Ostapchuk, Schaefer, Dach, Guenther, Allan, Korchinski and Thunderbirds netminder Thomas Milic.
In addition to backstopping Canada to World Juniors gold, Milic was recently named WHL Goaltender of the Year. He is expected to go toe-to-toe with WHL Goaltender of the Year finalist Daniel Hauser, who has registered an impressive 49 wins during the 2022-23 campaign – 37 of the regular season variety and another 12 during the post-season.
While Seattle will look to add a second WHL Championship to its mantle, the ICE will be looking for the franchise’s fourth all-time and first since moving to Winnipeg for the start of the 2019-20 season.
WHL glory, and a berth in the 2023 Memorial Cup in Kamloops, B.C., awaits the victor.
WINNIPEG ICE
2023 WHL Playoffs Scoring Leaders
C Matthew Savoie – 14 GP, 11-16–27 points
RW Connor McClennon – 14 GP, 13-8–21
D Ben Zloty – 14 GP, 1-20–21
C Conor Geekie – 14 GP, 6-9–15
C Zach Benson – 10 GP, 4-8–12
Current NHL Prospects
| PLAYER | POSITION | BIRTH YEAR | NHL CLUB |
| Geekie, Conor | C | 2004 | Arizona Coyotes (2022, 1-11) |
| Latimer, Carson | RW | 2003 | Ottawa Senators (2021, 4–123) |
| Ostapchuk, Zack | C | 2003 | Ottawa Senators (2021, 2-39) |
| Savoie, Matthew | C | 2004 | Buffalo Sabres (2022, 1-9) |
| Lambos, Carson | D | 2003 | Minnesota Wild (2021, 1-26) |
| Sward, Graham | D | 2003 | Nashville Predators (2022, 5-146) |
| Beaupit, Mason | G | 2003 | San Jose Sharks (2022, 4-108) |
2023 NHL Draft Prospects
| PLAYER | POSITION | BIRTH YEAR | CENTRAL SCOUTING RANK |
| Benson, Zach | C | 2005 | 6 (N.A. Skaters) |
SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS
2023 WHL Playoffs Scoring Leaders
RW Dylan Guenther – 14 GP, 14-7–21 points
C Jared Davidson – 14 GP, 10-11–21
C Brad Lambert – 12 GP, 3-17–20
D Jeremy Hanzel – 14 GP, 2-13–15
LW Reid Schaefer – 14 GP, 6-7–13
Current NHL Prospects
| PLAYER | POSITION | BIRTH YEAR | NHL CLUB |
| Ciona, Lucas | LW | 2003 | Calgary Flames (2021, 6-173) |
| Dach, Colton | C | 2003 | Chicago Blackhawks (2021 2-62) |
| Davidson, Jared | C | 2002 | Montreal Canadiens (2022, 5-130) |
| Guenther, Dylan | RW | 2003 | Arizona Coyotes (2021, 1-9) |
| Gustafson, Jordan | C | 2004 | Vegas Golden Knights (2022, 3-79) |
| Lambert, Brad | C | 2003 | Winnipeg Jets (2022, 1-30) |
| Schaefer, Reid | LW | 2003 | Nashville Predators (EDM 2022, 1-32) |
| Allan, Nolan | D | 2003 | Chicago Blackhawks (2021, 1-32) |
| Korchinski, Kevin | D | 2004 | Chicago Blackhawks (2022, 1-7) |
| Prokop, Luke | D | 2002 | Nashville Predators (2020, 3-73) |
2023 NHL Draft Prospects
| PLAYER | POSITION | BIRTH YEAR | CENTRAL SCOUTING RANK |
| Sawchyn, Gracyn | C | 2005 | 24 (N.A Skaters) |
| Myatovic, Nico | LW | 2004 | 26 |
| Mynio, Sawyer | D | 2005 | 62 |
| Hanzel, Jeremy | D | 2003 | 124 |
| Ratzlaff, Scott | G | 2005 | 4 (N.A. Goaltenders) |
| Milic, Thomas | G | 2003 | 28 |
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The 2023 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien will begin Friday, May 12 at 7 p.m. CT as the Winnipeg ICE host the Seattle Thunderbirds. The winner of the best-of-seven series will advance to the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia in Kamloops, B.C., which is scheduled for Friday, May 26 through Sunday, June 4.
Games 1 and 2 of the WHL Championship Series are available exclusively on WHL Live on CHL TV. Games 3 through 7 of the WHL Championship Series will be broadcast nationally by TSN. Check local listings for up-to-date television schedules.
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