Catching up with Chyzowski

Kyle Chyzowski is one of the alternate captains for the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks this season.

“It means a lot,” Chyzowski said. “I think we have a really mature group the last couple of years and being able to have an A on my shoulder means a lot, I think could go to a lot of guys but having that honor has been good and I think there’s just more than us for with the captaincy. It’s, it’s all it’s all the older guys they all have a role in it, but it’s been good for me it’s really nice.”

Chyzowski has grown from one of the younger players to one of the older veteran players. He may not be 20 yet, but as an alternate captain, he’s looked upon as a leader on the ice that the younger more inexperienced players can look up to.

“I think it’s really it’s an important role for me being able to bring up our younger guys and teach them the way,” Chyzowski said. “I think I’m just trying to teach them you know, what it takes to come you know, a good team and build a good team around guys. I think our younger guys are starting to understand how to get their routines and how to perform and look after our guys but I really liked the way our young guys have been this year and I’m just there to help them out if they ever need anything.”

The year that Chyzowski came in was the short covid season, so it was a unique circumstance to where he and others who came in during that time have been able to grow close to each other.

“think the biggest thing is, is how close we are to each other,” Chyzowski said. “You know, a big majority of us all came in during the COVID season in 2019 2020 when that season ended, so when we had that 24 game season a lot of us came in as rookies and we’ve all been together now for four more years. I think we all feel that this is our year and having you know guys on your team for four straight years. They’re more than just friends. You know, they’re kind of your brother. So I think as a group we all you know we have a common goal and we all share that amongst each other.”

They also enjoy spending time together off the ice out doing whatever they can when they have free time.

“I think a lot of guys love to get together,” Chyzowski said. “We love going to a breakfast diner and getting them a lot of calories a big breakfast and then a lot of guys love to play tennis and pickleball and to be honest, you know guys just like to get outside Portland is a nicer city. It stays warm throughout the year. So anything you know outdoorsy golf, tennis pickleball, anything like that guys love to take on.”

Last season Chyzowski had 14 goals and 21 assists for 25 points with two goals and seven assists for nine points in the playoffs. Portland has seen a lot of success this season and has the potential to make a deep run in the playoffs once they roll around. But he knows that it’s not going to be easy with the competition that they could face and how anybody can win that time of year.

“I think the biggest thing is anybody can beat anybody and how important all 68 games are going into playoffs,” Chyzowski said. “It’s such a battle to get, you know, home-ice advantage or a higher seed against the team. And I’m learning that over the years that even though you’re in November or September, October anytime early season, two points still mean a lot. So I’ve learned that and I think we’re taking that into consideration this year.”

Portland always has a good team, but this year’s team seems to have another level to it with high expectations of contending for the WHL’s Ed Chynoweth Cup.

“I think just a collective effort, I think every guy buys in,” Chyzowski said on why this season’s team is seeing so much success. “We need every guy we don’t have top-end guys who can carry us towards a championship it’s going to take all 12 for 60 (minutes) and our goalie so when I see it that way, I think that we’ve been clicking all together and I think we still have more to go.”

While it’s a full team effort each and every night that the team hits the ice, it’s clear that Chyzowski is focused on working and improving his game every chance he gets.

“I think just building off of each game and gaining more confidence and continuously keeping up with the health, I think that’s really important,” Chyzowski said. “It’s a long season. You can see a lot of guys or a lot of teams that tend to drop off because of how busy the schedule can be. I think the most important thing is staying even and looking after your body and doing the things that are right for you that’s going to help you succeed later on in the season.”

While the team started off well, they struggled a bit on their eastern swing this season before finding their footing again.

“I think you’re always gonna have those ups and downs during the year and I think the biggest thing is you have to kill it right away,” Chyzowski said. We did well to do that after those three games and kind of squash it in the bud and I think the way we do that is kind of getting back to our roots. I think sometimes you have all these voices around you telling how good you are. And you don’t have to work as hard but I think what we did was we kind of just put our foot on the ground and got back to talk on our chin and grinding again. I think that’s kind of what changed for us.”

With Portland almost a lock to make the playoffs with how well they’re doing, they know it’s not going to be a walk in the park. The WHL’s US Division is loaded with the Wenatchee Wild, Everett Silvertips, Portland and possibly if the other teams make it interesting.

“I think it’s consistency and it’s about taking every game to your fullest,” Chyzowski said. “I mean, every game matters.”

He said that despite how it was only game 19 when they defeated Everett recently on home ice, it was a huge two points for them.

“So I think taking every game and playing into the forest and not taking days off is going to be really important because we know by the end of the season, it’s gonna it’s going to come down to just a couple of points who spreads between first and second place,” Chyzowski said.

When it comes to the playoffs, Chyzowski touched on the veteran leadership that’ll have to step up and how they’ll be relied upon to lead with their experience.

“I think we have a great veteran leadership group, we have a great veteran presence, a lot of older guys who have been through it and I think it’s really important to have experience going into playoffs,” Chyzowski said. “You have that so you know we’re really excited about that guys have games under their belt this year and I think just trusting our belief, trusting our experience and confidence will be big for us.”