Winterhawks Ranked 3rd in CHL Preseason Top 10

The CHL release their BMO preseason top 10 rankings and the Portland Winterhawks are in the #3 spot behind only the OHL's London Knights(1st), who will be the host of the 2014 Memorial Cup and the QMJHL's Baie-Comeau Drakkar(2nd).

Portland ousted London in the Semi-final of last year's Memorial Cup. London will return first round draft picks Max Domi and Bo Horvat among others and are the overwhelming favorite in the OHL.

Baie-Comeau lost in the QMJHL final to eventual CHL champion  Halifax Mooseheads. The Drakkar have Valentin Zykov (2nd round 2013 pick by L.A.) and Raphael Bussieres (2nd round 2012 pick by Minnesota) among others returning this year, making them the favorite in the QMJHL.

Other WHL teams in the preseason top 10 were Prince Albert (6th), Edmonton (8th) and Kootenay (10th).

The Kelowna Rockets were listed as an honorable mention and were the only Western Conference team listed.

Halifax and Portland were the only CHL clubs who went the entire 2012-13 season somewhere in the top 10 rankings.