Wednesday's Portland Winterhawks News and Notes: Over-age Deadline Tomorrow

Hughson was released today

Quinney Traded, Hughson Released:
-Two more WHL teams shedded over-age players earlier today as Kelowna traded Gage Quinney to the Kamloops Blazers for a 3rd round 2016 Bantam pick and Spokane released Goalie Garret Hughson.
-Quinney was traded from Prince Albert to Kelowna last season along with Josh Morrisey. He has 7 points over hid first 5 games and immediately becomes Kamloop's leading scorer. Strangely enough, Kamloops is still one over-ager over the limit as they  released Luke Harrison earlier in the day but still have D-men Marc McNulty and Ryan Rehill and forward Matt Needham to go along with Quinney now.
-The release of Hughson made sense for Spokane as 18 year old Tyson Verhlest has actually played better than Hughson this year and 17 year old Matt Berlin provides them with an adequate back up. With Adam Helewka now in the AHL though, it means Spokane has only two 20 year olds and are the only team besides Portland to have an opening.
-Hughson joins Everett's Austin Lotz as an over-age goalie looking for a WHL home. The Tips sent Lotz home to await an eventual trade as he was deemed the team's expendable 20 year old. That trade has not happened as of yet and there really does not seem to be a home on another WHL team for Lotz.

The Tigers were one team featured

-If Portland is able to acquire a 20 year old, here's hoping he has the type of effect that Jon Martin has had for Swift Current. Kootenay traded Martin to the Broncos last week and in the 5 games since he was traded, Martin has 11 points.
-Funnily enough, in the WHL's ongoing feature going over the WHL champions over the last 49 seasons, the two featured in this week's segment, both won their WHL titles in Finals against the Hawks.

Notable WHL Scores:
-Luke Philp may not be a member of the Kootenay Ice in the morning but he scored the only goal of the game (unassisted) as Kootenay took down Moose Jaw 1-0 tonight. Wyatt Hofflin (another Ice 1995 born player) stopped all 34 Warrior shots.
-Tyler Wong had a hat trick and the hot Lethbridge Hurricanes took down Regina 6-4. The Canes have won 5 of their first 7 games this year. They only won 20 games last season.
-Dillon Dube had 3 points as the Kelowna Rockets handed the Red Deer Rebels another tough loss on their B.C. swing: 5-4.
-Prince Albert kept the good times going on their U.S. Division swing, dropping Tri City: 5-3 tonight. Brendan Guhle, Reid Gardiner and Austin Glover each had 2 points.

Hawks in the NHL:
-Ryan Johansen is providing offense, but the Columbus Blue Jackets cannot get a win in the early going.  They were up 3-2 in the 2nd period, before the Ottawa Senators stormed back and trounced them 7-3. Johansen had 2 assists in the game and has points in the first 4 games of the season. Brandon Dubinsky scored his first goal of the season, as well, in the loss. CBJ is now 0-4 and head coach Todd Richards might be on the hot seat already.