Speed, skill, tenacity, leadership, commitment, positive attitude, work ethic, and compete-level are all traits of a good hockey player.
For the Portland Winterhawks, forward Josh Zakreski checks all the boxes.
Zakreski is incredibly proud to assume more of a leadership role this season, with 12 rookies on the roster.
“Honestly, I’m just kind of being myself. I think you don’t really need to change anything,” he answered about how this year is different for him. “Obviously, you want to hang out with the younger guys and off the ice and kind of get to know them a little bit more, and it’s just kind of get through the introduction phase. I think we’re all past that now. I think we’re all just brothers now in that room. I think I have a little bit more of a voice in that room, but I just encourage everyone to just be themselves,” Zakreski said.
The younger players have been receptive to what the veterans have shared and are eager to learn. However, the older players must buy into this and not just isolate themselves.
“These guys are watching us older guys to see how we carry ourselves. This can’t be a ‘sit on the sidelines’ approach for us as leaders. We have an obligation to connect with these guys. You have to put yourself in their shoes, and you kind of remember they’re all new to this league and may be a bit nervous,” Zakreski said.
First-year assistant coach and former Winterhawks forward Sven Bärtschi has seen the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native demonstrate how actions are louder than words.
“I think that’s part of the duty here is passing on what they know. What’s worked, what hasn’t worked, and that’s part of our leadership group, and that’s not just (Zakreski). Those are things we need our leadership group to pass along. Our job as coaches is to do it as well. Guys like Zakreski have lived through it. They were 16 and 17 once, and they were still learning. Josh has done a great job,” Bärtschi commented.
16-year-old forward Jordan Duguay appreciates all the insight Zakreski and others have shared with him. “Josh and all the older guys have helped me feel comfortable even when I’m nervous about something I haven’t seen before.”
Finding his stride
Zakreski has been on a rollercoaster of emotions for the last several months.
He was a key member of last year’s Winterhawks team that won the Western Conference championship which led to jubilation. However, the playoff run ended after losing in four to Moose Jaw in the WHL Championship. Then, he was excited about the NHL Draft but was not selected. However, he received an invite to the Philadelphia Flyers training camp and got into games where he showed well. From there, he returned to the Rose City and was named an alternate captain.
Zakreski’s attitude towards everything that happened is mature beyond his years.
“It was definitely disappointing not getting drafted. I know Diego (Buttazzoni) and I had a chance to both get drafted. I think you just come back with a bit of vengeance. It’s the NHL; they didn’t see something they liked enough to pick me. I’ve just taken that feedback, didn’t get mad about it, and just went back to work. You use that as motivation to go back to work every day and work twice as hard as you were. I know there is another level I can get to with my game. I’ll keep working and grinding and trying to prove everyone wrong,” Zakreski said.
The 5-foot-11, 191-pound winger is draft-eligible again in 2025 but is not something that is even remotely on his radar. During his tenure in Portland, Zakreski has seen examples of a path to an entry-level contract even if his name is not called.
“This is all just a process. It isn’t my choice to decide if I get drafted or not. It is an exciting thing to know that based on previous teammates like James (Stefan) and Taylor (Gauthier) I can still sign a pro deal even if I’m not drafted. People thought differently about me, and that’s okay. I’m focused on having a great year and helping my teammates. I haven’t really been thinking a whole lot about it since the season started. I know with my performance on and off the ice, gelling with the boys, being a good teammate, and continuing to work, my hockey future will take care of itself,” Zakreski said.
Attending rookie and training camp in Philadelphia was a valuable experience for Zakreski.
“That was a really big eye-opener for me,” he said. “Going to that camp was crazy! I mean, the competitive level is just out of this world. These guys are stronger and faster, and so even playing in those rookie games, there were a lot of older guys on the Rangers. I noticed it is just how quick you have to make a play; it’s a crazy difference. You go from the WHL, where you have maybe a couple extra seconds to going right away at the snap of a finger. That’s how quickly you have to make a play at that level.”
When Zakreski returned to Portland after being released from the Flyers’ training camp, his re-entry was bumpier than he hoped.
“That was definitely one of the adjustments I had to make coming back here, knowing that I may have that split second longer to make the right play. I think it just goes to show that I maybe was rushing some things. I opened my mind to that I’ve got more time than I think so I can make the right play and get that muscle memory. I know now I’ll have to know where the next play will go and be able to make it. If I can do that more, that will help my development,” Zakreski said.
While Zakreski was not playing up to the caliber he felt he was capable of, he was still productive on the scoresheet. In his first game back in the WHL, Zakreski assisted on a Kyle Chyzowski goal. Then, he found the back of the net in three straight games.
Bärtschi extended Zakreski some grace and also shared how much of a critical piece the 19-year-old is to helping the Winterhawks have success. “Going to an NHL camp obviously is great, but adjusting back to the junior level is not always easy. So it took him a little bit of time there to readjust and get going again with us. He’s been one of our go-to guys, and that’s key for him. He’s a player who is going to give us a lot of offensive zone time. It also means we want him to produce, obviously. If he’s on his game, he’s great on the forecheck and doing all the little things right. He’s been generating shots, generating scoring chances, and that’s key for us.”
Zakreski is red-hot as of late, putting up points in four straight games and five out of six. He’s currently riding a three-game scoring streak as well.
“My start to the season, I wasn’t playing my best, but I think I’ve started to pick up and started playing to my true potential again. I’m really happy about that. I’ve been playing on a different line every game it feels like, and I think it shouldn’t change for me how I play. If I’m playing with (Kyle) McDonough and (Ryan) Miller or Chyz (Kyle Chyzowski) and Diego (Buttazzoni), it doesn’t change at all. My mindset is to go out there and be first to pucks, play to my power forward type of game, and just go be myself,” Zakreski said.
In the 15 games Zakreski has played, he has scored seven times. In the video clip below, you’ll see various ways the puck has found the twine off his stick.
What does a successful Zakreski shift look like if a goal is not scored?
“Playing well defensively, taking care of his own end first, and then on the rush, I want to see a lot of speed,” Bärtschi said before going further in-depth. “To me, he’s really slippery, hard to check, and then when he’s in the offensive zone, he’s got a lot of good puck protection. I want to see him taking the pucks to the net. Those are all indicators that he’s having a good night. When he’s aggressive on the rush and wanting to challenge guys and getting around them with speed, he’s usually going strong. He’ll be really good in the corners and net-front as well while making small-area plays, coming up with pucks, puck recoveries, and forcing turnovers with his backcheck. He needs to utilize his combination of size and speed. That’s the biggest thing for him; when he does, he’s hard to stop.”
Zakreski’s attitude, leadership, production, and other intangibles on and off the ice will have immediate and long-term impacts on the Portland Winterhawks.
