One of the favorite and most remembered Winterhawks of recent years, Nic Petan is a strong candidate for the title of “Best WHL Player of the 2010s”.
Nic Petan, Portland Winterhawk to Remember
In his three games with the Winterhawks during the 2010-11 season, Petan picked up a lone assist. He would join the Winterhawks for the playoffs, appearing in seven games.
He then came back for his rookie season in 2011-12 and put up 35 points in 61 games. Unfortunately, he would go without points in 22 playoff games that postseason. It wouldn’t happen to him again.
The 2012-13 season saw the Winterhawks win the US Division title for the third consecutive season, with Petan picking up 120 points in his sophomore season. 46 goals and 76 assists gave him both the Bob Clarke Trophy as the WHL’s leading scorer and were good enough to also secure the CHL leading scorer title. He went on to put up 28 points in 19 games during the Winterhawks’ run through the WHL playoffs in what was his draft year. In the Memorial Cup tournament, Petan would notch 10 points through the team’s five games, including a shorthanded goal in the championship game against the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads.
Of course, he didn’t stop there and the 2013-14 season saw Petan eclipse 100 points once again, and his 113 points were the second-most in the WHL. Once again, in the postseason, Petan would contribute 28 points, this time in 21 games.
in his final season in the WHL, Petan would tally 89 points in 54 games. While the regular season was not his best outing in his final year, the WHL playoffs would give him one more opportunity to shine. Shine he did, picking up 28 points for a third consecutive postseason, and in his fewest games yet (18).
Overall
84 points in three postseasons is a big enough point for nomination as the top player of the 2010s, but if that isn’t enough for you, Petan was a member of all three Winterhawks teams that won back-to-back-to-back US Division titles in 2011, 2012, and 2013.
He finished his WHL career with 358 points in 252 regular-season games, with 233 of the points coming in just two seasons.
Nic Petan still has an immense fanbase in the Portland community and left his mark in the WHL throughout his four full seasons and should not be overlooked.