Finally Their Time

In the 40 years that the WHL has been in Seattle (for the purposes of this particular franchise, we're not counting the Totems team that played prior to the current incarnation), the Breakers/Thunderbirds have never won a league championship. Yes, they have been to the Finals, getting swept by Lethbridge in 1997 and losing to Brandon in five games last year. Last night, all of that changed, as they claimed their first WHL title in franchise history by beating the Regina Pats in six games. Alexander True scored the title-winner and in the process, pushed the Thunderbirds to their second Memorial Cup, as they hosted the tournament in 1992.

This Thunderbirds team was likely the last chance at a championship, as they are going to be losing playoff MVP Matt Barzal, defenseman of the year Ethan Bear, and Ryan Gropp to the pros. Goaltending looks secure with Carl Staniowski still in the fold, as he is not draft-eligible for another year. The big question, as it is with any successful team, is what coach Steve Konowalchuk will do, as he has overseen the transformation from an also-ran when he took over as head coach in 2011 to a championship team now. With many pro teams that could be looking to fill vacancies, as well as a Buffalo Sabres team that still needs a head coach, it may not be long before Konowalchuk moves up in the coaching world.