Winterhawks Sign Bradley Ginnell

Ginnell celebrating with the Minor Midget Royals

The Portland Winterhawks announced yesterday that they had signed fifth round (105th overall) 2015 WHL Bantam draft selection Bradley Ginnell to a WHL education contract. Ginnell is a 2000 born forward, who hails from Calgary, Alberta. He has 40 goals and 40 assists, for 80 points in just 35 games, so far this season with the Calgary Royals AA Blue squad in Minor Midget (AMMHL). He also played five games this year with the Midget AAA Calgary Royals, where he had three goals and an assist. Right now he has 34 points more than the next highest Royals' AA Blue player and according to Elite Prospects, he is a point away from being the all-time leader in points in Minor Midget for the Royals. Also, Ginnell is second in AMMHL league scoring, seven points behind Jaxon Steele of the CBHA Rangers.

Next up for Ginnell and the Royals is the Sutter South Cup Championship Tournament from March 10th-13th in Lethbridge. They are in a group of four in Pool B and will need to finish in the top-two to make it to the semi-finals.

The likely landing spot for Ginnell next year is with the Royals Midget squad, but Ryan Hughes showed this year that with a great Neely Cup and preseason, it is possible to leapfrog Midget and go straight from Minor Midget to the WHL. Hughes is a notable exception to the usual path for Canadian players to the WHL though.


Ginnell, apparently has already put on four more inches and 32 more lbs since being drafted (now listed at 6') and 170 lbs) and it will be interesting to see if he can add even more size to that frame, while keeping his obvious skills.