SEASON 13 HAS ARRIVED
Tonight’s game marks the beginning of Everett’s 13th season in the Western Hockey League. The Silvertips have qualified for the postseason in every year of their existence, making them one of only four WHL teams to make the playoffs in each of the last 12 seasons (Kootenay, Medicine Hat and Tri-City are the others). Coming off their The ‘Tips have compiled an all-time regular season record of 431 wins, 340 losses and 90 ties/OT losses/shootout losses in 864 games for a .550 winning percentage.
A BANNER SEASON
For the first time since 2007, the Silvertips raised a division banner to the rafters of XFINITY Arena by capturing the U.S. Division title, their fourth all-time while reaching the second round of postseason play. With a record of 43-20-3-6 (95 points), the Silvertips reached the 40-win and 90-point plateau for the first time since 2009-10.
HEAD-TO-HEAD: LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN
The Prince George Cougars went 31-36-2-3 (67 points) last season, finishing seventh in the Western Conference while compiling a home record of 16-17-1-2. Center Jansen Harkins led the Cougars in scoring last season, collecting 79 points (20g-59a) in 70 games and was selected in the second round (47th overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Winnipeg Jets. His father, Todd, skated over the course of three seasons in the NHL with Calgary and Hartford and currently serves as general manager for the Cougars. Overage forward Chase Witala led the Cougars last season with 38 goals.
The Silvertips went 2-2-0 in last season’s series with Prince George, last facing the Cougars on Feb. 28 at XFINITY Arena (5-1 defeat). The last time the two teams met in Prince George was Jan. 21, a 4-1 victory for Everett (Nikita Scherbak earned the game winning goal and Carter Hart made 17 saves in net).
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
Everett’s current roster includes 27 players (15 forwards, 9 defensemen and 3 goaltenders), including defenseman Noah Juulsen who has been attending NHL training camp with the Montreal Canadiens. 16 of those players were regulars on last year’s team, while five others saw spot duty with Everett last season. A total of 12 players on the Silvertips roster enter their first full WHL season. The ‘Tips are still carrying four overagers and three goaltenders. Although he is not currently on the roster, Montreal Canadiens first round (2014) selection, Nikita Scherbak is eligible to return to the Silvertips if Montreal does not elect to keep him on the NHL or AHL roster.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Silvertips are 4-4-1-1 all-time in season openers and have lost in regulation just once in the last five seasons (3-1-0-1). The last time they opened the season in Canada was 2008-09, a 3-2 overtime defeat at Kamloops.
ALL-TIME SEASON OPENERS
DATE | OPPONENT RESULT FIRST SILVERTIPS GOAL
9/20/14 | @ Seattle W, 1-0 | Graham Millar
9/21/13 | Prince George W, 8-3 | Dawson Leedahl
9/22/12 | Prince George L, 0-6 | Kohl Bauml (scored on 9/23)
9/23/11 | @ Portland SOL, 2-3 | Josh Winquist
9/24/10 | Seattle W, 4-3 | Campbell Elynuik
9/18/09 | @ Seattle L, 3-4 | Markus McCrea
9/19/08 | @ Kamloops OTL, 3-4 | Paul Van de Velde
9/21/07 | Tri-City L, 5-6 | Dan Gendur
9/23/06 | @ Chilliwack W, 2-1 |Zach Hamill
9/24/05 | @ Kamloops L, 4-6 | Shaun Heshka
9/25/04 | @ Kelowna W, 4-2 | Curtis Billsten
9/19/03 | @ Kamloops L, 1-4 | Jovan Matic (first in club history)
STINGY SILVERTIPS
The Silvertips ranked second in the WHL last season for fewest goals allowed (2.7) per game and fewest shots allowed per game (27.9). The Tips allowed four goals or less in 50 games last season, going 39-7-1-3 in that situation. They outshot their opponent in 33 games, going 25-7-0-1.
THE KEVIN CONSTANTINE FILE
Kevin Constantine returns for his seventh season overall as head coach of the Silvertips, ranking as the club’s all-time leader in wins (244) and posting a record of 244-140-48 in his Everett career. All four of the Silvertips’ division titles have been achieved with Constantine as head coach, most recently last season which was Everett’s first since 2006-07. He was the recipient of the Dunc McCallum Trophy (WHL Coach of the Year) in 2003-04, when the Silvertips broke nearly every WHL expansion record and became the first expansion team in WHL history to win a division title. Constantine has coached in the NHL over the course of seven seasons with San Jose, Pittsburgh and New Jersey, helping guide all three clubs to an appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN
The Silvertips named Dawson Leedahl their 12th captain in franchise history in a vote by Silvertips teammates. Leedahl enters his fourth season with Everett with 178 career games, 74 points and 168 penalty minutes. He has suited up in 15 career postseason games, earning seven points (2g-5a). The 6-foot-1, 200-pound forward was the recipient of the Silvertips “Unsung Hero” award last season, notching career-highs in points (33) and goals (14) with a +11 rating in 52 games, helping guide Everett to the U.S. Division title.
ALL TIME SILVERTIPS CAPTAINS
PLAYER YEAR
Bryan Nathe 2003-04
Mitch Love 2004-05
Torrie Wheat 2005-06
Cody Thoring/ 2006-07
Jason Fransoo
Jonathan Harty 2007-08
Zack Dailey 2008-10
Landon Ferraro 2010-11
Ryan Murray 2011-13
Matt Pufahl 2013-14
Kohl Bauml 2014-15
Dawson Leedahl 2015-16
MILESTONE TRACKER
- Remi Laurencelle is 9 games away from 100 in his Silvertips career and 200 in his WHL career
- Dawson Leedahl is 22 games away from 100 in his WHL and Silvertips career
- Cole MacDonald is 5 games away from 200 in his WHL career
- Patrick Bajkov is 36 points away from 100 in his WHL career
You can click here to buy special tickets to the home opener on October 10th.
September 25, 2015
Everett, Everett Sports