Where Do We Go from Here?

With the Portland Winterhawks' season concluding last night, that meant there were a few players who will have suited up in a Winterhawks uniform for the last time.  Through graduation or turning pro, those players will leave holes that coach/GM Mike Johnston will have to fill in order to make it five in a row next season.  There's also the overager quota, as they will need to figure out which three players, either on their own roster or through trade, will be on the roster, as well as whether they're comfortable with their two import players (Oliver Bjorkstrand and Anton Cederholm).  Looking at the year-end roster, I will attempt to figure out who's staying and who's going.

Gone for sure: Corbin Boes, Adam Rossignol, Garrett Haar, Matthew Dumba

Boes, Rossignol, and Haar are overagers that will be moving on.  Boes was a mid-season acquisition that provided a veteran presence for Brendan Burke and proved to be a leader in the locker room.  Rossignol was an energy guy and Haar provided a dependable presence on the blue line.  Dumba is heading to the pros, as he has used up his first year of the entry level contract with Minnesota.

Likely gone: Derrick Pouliot, Taylor Leier, Brendan Leipsic

Pouliot has nothing left to prove in the WHL and will either start next season in Pittsburgh or the AHL.  Leier and Leipsic could return as two of the overagers, but there is a possibility that both could be in the AHL next season to start their pro careers.

Overage possibilities: Leier, Leipsic, Josh Hanson, Adam De Champlain

Hanson and De Champlain are the likeliest to return next season, as they would fill the need for a veteran presence on the blue line and third-line player that can drop the gloves when needed, respectively.  The third spot could be filled by Leier, Leipsic, or someone that the Winterhawks have an eye on for a trade with another team.

Import players: Oliver Bjorkstrand, Anton Cederholm

With the Import Draft coming up, the Winterhawks may very well stand pat here, as Bjorkstrand was an offensive force that could use another year of junior to gain a little weight, and Cederholm provided a physical presence from the blue line.

Goalies: Brendan Burke, Adin Hill

Currently, this is the duo that will be in net next season, and while Burke has had bouts of inconsistency, he has also shown flashes of brilliance, as well.  Hill played well in a handful of games, winning them all.  He will step into the back-up role, with a chance to start when Burke needs a rest.

Defense: Hanson, Blake Heinrich, Keoni Texeira, Cederholm, Justin Greer, Layne Viveiros

This is the group that has a chance of coming back, and they will be a fairly veteran bunch, with Greer and Texeira being the kids of the group.  Texeira will be expected to provide more of an offensive presence with his shot from the blue line, but finding a way to replace the production that both Pouliot and Dumba had will be a tall task.

Forwards: Ethan Price, Paul Bittner, Chase De Leo, Keegan Iverson, Tyson Predinchuk, Nic Petan, Alex Schoenborn, Dominic Turgeon, Bjorkstrand, Skyler McKenzie

The names listed here are the most likely to return.  Petan still has a year of junior eligibility left, and it is unlikely that the Jets will rush his development.  Bjorkstrand also has a year of eligibility left, and the Blue Jackets don't have an immediate need for him, which means the top two scorers are likely to return.  Like the defense, this will be a unit that has experience, with most of the forwards listed having been a part of the WHL Finals the last two years.  De Leo and Bittner are likely to be asked to step up their games next season.