The Seattle Thunderbirds have their redemption.
Making the most of their second straight trip to the WHL Championship, the Thunderbirds defeated the Winnipeg ICE to secure the 2023 Ed Chynoweth Cup after losing to the Edmonton Oil Kings in spring 2022.
Seattle secured victory with a 3-1 win over ICE at the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington, securing a best-of-seven series in five games.
This is the Thunderbirds’ second WHL championship in franchise history.
Under the leadership of head coach Matt O’Dette, the Thunderbirds remained ranked in the WHL all season and finished the 2022-23 WHL regular season atop the Western Conference with a record of 54-11-1-2. The 111 points represents the best regular season in Thunderbirds franchise history.
Enjoying the comfort of their home at the Accesso ShoWare Center all season, the Thunderbirds recorded an impressive 29-3-1-1 record on home ice.
Seattle finished the 2023 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien with a record of 16-3. The Thunderbirds once again dominated 9-1 at home and also clinched the Ed Chynoweth Cup at the Accesso ShoWare Center.
No team scored more goals during the 2023 WHL Playoffs as the Thunderbirds conceded 82 goals (4.32 goals conceded per game) while conceding just 38 goals (2.00 goals conceded per game).
The Thunderbirds advanced through the first two rounds of the Nutrien-presented 2023 WHL Playoffs, defeating the Kelowna Rockets and Prince George Cougars back-to-back. The WHL Western Conference Championship proved to be a tougher test, as it took Seattle six games to defeat Memorial Cup hosts Kamloops Blazers.
Arizona Coyotes junior Dylan Guenther (Edmonton, Alta.) led the offense and scored 28 points (16G-12A), leading the Thunderbirds in points standings. His 16 goals led the entire WHL during the 2023 WHL Playoffs. Gunther’s impressive performance followed 29 points (13G-16A) in 20 regular-season games as he returned from the NHL Coyotes to the Thunderbirds late in the season.
2023 NHL draft nominee Thomas Milic (Coquitlam, BC) helped shore the Thunderbirds to their second WHL title in franchise history. The World Juniors gold medalist was named WHL Goaltender of the Year for his performance in the regular season and carried that over into the postseason, leading the WHL in all major goaltending categories, including goal scoring average (1.95), saving average (.933) and wins (16).
WHL Manager of the Year Bil La Forge acted as the architect of a Thunderbirds roster unparalleled in recent WHL history. La Forge made a number of significant additions to the 2022-23 edition of the Thunderbirds, including the additions of Guenther, Chicago Blackhawks prospect Nolan Allan (Davidson, Sask.), Chicago Blackhawks prospect Colton Dach (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.) and Winnipeg Jets contender Brad Lambert (Lahti, Finland) and Nashville Predators contender Luke Prokop.
The Seattle roster was packed with NHL contenders, including the aforementioned Guenther, Allan, Dach, Lambert and Prokop, as well as Calgary Flames contender and Thunderbirds captain Lucas Ciona (Edmonton, Alta.) and Montreal Canadiens contender Jared Davidson (Edmonton, Alta). ), Vegas Golden Knights contender Jordan Gustafson (Ardrossan, Alta.), Nashville Predators contender Reid Schaefer (Spruce Grove, Alta.), and Chicago Blackhawks contender Kevin Korchinski (Saskatoon, Sask).
Davidson made a huge impact in both the regular season and the playoffs. With 82 points (38G-44A) in 60 contests, he led the Thunderbirds in points standings during the regular season. He then went on to score an additional 11 goals in the 2023 WHL playoffs, which helped him become the Thunderbirds’ top scorer in the playoffs.
Lambert, who was acquired by the Saskatoon Blades earlier in the season, was assigned to WHL Seattle by the NHL’s Jets late in the season. From there, he was just “Wow,” scoring 38 points (17G-21A) in 26 regular-season games and an additional 26 points in 17 playoff games (6G-20AA).
In addition to the NHL drafted talent, the Thunderbirds also have six players drafted by NHL Central Scouting for the 2023 NHL Draft, including Milic, Gracyn Sawchyn (Grande Prairie, Alta.), Nico Myatovic (Prince George, BC), Sawyer Mynio (Kamloops, BC), Jeremy Hanzel (Coquitlam, BC) and Scott Ratzlaff (Irma, Alta.)
The Thunderbirds won the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the first time in 2017 after ending the regular season with a record of 46-20-4-2 (98 points). The Thunderbirds also won the first two rounds of the WHL Playoffs in 2017, defeating the Tri-City Americans and the Everett Silvertips. Seattle then went on to defeat the Kelowna Rockets in six games and win the WHL’s Western Conference Championship before defeating the Regina Pats in six games to win the 2017 WHL Championship.
The 2017 champion, the Thunderbirds, was led by players like future NHL stars Mathew Barzal (New York Islanders), Keegan Kolesar (Vegas Golden Knights) and Ethan Bear (Vancouver Canucks). Barzal was named the 2017 WHL Playoffs MVP.
The Thunderbirds will now compete in the 2023 Kia Presented Memorial Cup taking place May 26-June 4 in Kamloops, BC. Seattle’s first game is scheduled for Saturday, May 27 against the OHL champion.
Past WHL Champions
2022 – Edmonton Oil Kings
2019 – Prince Albert Raiders
2018 – Swift Current Broncos
2017 – Seattle Thunderbirds
2016 – Brandon Wheat Kings
2015 – Kelowna Rockets
2014 – Edmonton Oil Kings*
2013 – Portland Winterhawks
2012 – Edmonton Oil Kings
2011 – Kootenay ICE
2010 – Calgary Hitmen
2009 – Kelowna Rockets
2008 – Spokane Chiefs*
2007 – Medicine Hat Tigers
2006 – Vancouver Giants
2005 – Kelowna Rockets
2004 – Medicine Hat Tigers
2003 – Kelowna Rockets
2002 – Kootenay ICE*
2001 – Red Deer Rebels*
2000 – Kootenay ICE
1999 – Calgary Hitmen
1998 – Portland Winterhawks*
1997 – Lethbridge Hurricanes
1996 – Brandon Wheat Kings
1995 – Kamloop’s Blazers*
1994 – Kamloop’s Blazers*
1993 – Swift Current Broncos
1992 – Kamloop’s Blazers*
1991 – Spokane Chiefs*
1990 – Kamloop’s Blazers
1989—Swift Current Broncos*
1988 – Medicine Hat Tigers*
1987 – Medicine Hat Tigers*
1986 – Kamloop’s Blazers
1985 – Prince Albert Raiders*
1984 – Kamloops Junior Oilers
1983 – Lethbridge Broncos
1982 – Portland Winterhawks
1981 – Victoria Cougars
1980 – Regina Pats
1979 – Brandon Wheat Kings
1978 – New Westminster Bruins*
1977 – New Westminster Bruins*
1976 – New Westminster Bruins
1975 – New Westminster Bruins
1974 – Regina Pats*
1973 – Medicine Hat Tigers
1972 – Edmonton Oil Kings
1971 – Edmonton Oil Kings
1970 – Flin-Flon bombers
1969 – Flin-Flon bomber
1968 – Estevan Bruins
1967 – Moose Jaw Canucks
*Memorial Cup Winner