The Western Hockey League opens play tonight, so we checked out the rosters on the league website and found four Alaskans who will play on that major-junior circuit this season.
Center Lane Bauer, 18, of Anchorage, returns for a second season with the reigning champion Edmonton Oil Kings, who also won the Memorial Cup as champs of all major-junior pucks. In 47 regular-season games as a rookie last season, Bauer earned 7-9--16 and +5 totals. He didn't have a point in six playoff games and was -2.
Defenseman Josh Hanson, 20, of Eagle River, returns to the Portland Winterhawks (2013 champs) for a fifth season. Hanson has played 313 regular-season and playoff games combined in the Dub, as the league is known to some. He went 2-16--18 and +17 in 68 regular-season games in 2013-14, and added 0-2--2 and +2 totals in 14 playoff games. Also with Portland is goaltender Michael Bullion, 17, of Anchorage, a rookie.
And center Justin Gutierrez, 18, of Anchorage, returns for his third full season with the Tri-City Americans. He furnished 3-18--21 and -14 totals in 70 regular-season games in 2013-14, and went 1-3--4 and +6 in five postseason games.
The WHL plays a 72-game regular season. It's the route NHLers like center Scott Gomez, Brandon Dubinsky and Nate Thompson, all from Anchorage, took on their path to the world's best league.