2023-24 Season Preview – Tri-City Americans
The Tri-City Americans returned to the WHL Playoffs last spring after a fifth-place finish in the Western Conference and this year, the goal is to improve on what was a memorable 2022-23 campaign. Head coach Stu Barnes enters his third year as Americans head coach with a large returning cast: NHL Draft picks Lukas Dragicevic and Parker Bell headline a balanced attack that produced the seventh-most goals in the WHL a season ago. The sense of optimism in the Tri-Cities is palpable, as this year’s group gets set to test its strength in an always-competitive U.S. Division.
Key Returners
Tri-City returns a veteran crew this fall, with a pair of NHL Draft selections headlining the list. Defenceman Lukas Dragicevic was the only blueliner in the WHL to lead his Club in scoring last season, collecting 75 points before being selected in the second round of the NHL Draft by the Seattle Kraken this past June. Forward Parker Bell, a fifth-round pick by the Calgary Flames in 2022, scored 29 times for the Americans in 2022-23 and forms a hefty one-two punch with Jake Sloan up front. Jordan Gavin’s 22 goals in 2022-23 were fourth-most among WHL rookies last season, while his 54 points were third-most among all 16-year-old players.
Who’s In And Out
The Americans have added veterans from around the WHL as well as new faces from North America and beyond ahead of the 2023-24 season. Forwards Jake Gudelj and Brandon Whynott arrive in Kennewick from the Spokane Chiefs and Calgary Hitmen, respectively, while defenceman Jackson Smith, the second-overall pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, enters his first full WHL campaign after putting up a pair of assists in six regular season outings a season ago. Tri-City selected a pair of Czechs in the 2023 CHL Import Draft including forward Maximilian Curran, who recently helped Czechia to a silver medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
NHL Draft Prospects
Newcomer Jake Gudelj will look to build on a 2022-23 season that saw him score 16 points with the Spokane Chiefs, all while earning U.S. Division Scholastic Player of the Year honours. Gudelj is joined among first-year NHL Draft eligibles by returning Americans Merrek Arpin and Camerin Cardona, as well as new Czech forward Maximilian Curran, who made his pro debut in that country’s second division last season with HC Slavia Praha. Gavin is the most heralded of Tri-City’s 2006-born players but due to his birthdate, is not eligible for the NHL Draft until 2025.
AMERICANS BY THE NUMBERS (2022-23):
Team Record: 34-26-5-3 (76 points)
Division Ranking: 3rd, U.S.
2023 WHL Playoffs: lost First Round (Prince George)
Goals For: 256 (7th)
Goals Against: 245 (T-16th)
PP (Overall): 27.3% (5th)
PK (Overall): 74.5% (17th)
Leading Scorers: Dragicevic (15-60-75), Bell (25-39-64), Ernst (32-31-63)
Leading Rookie: Gavin (22-32-54)
NHL Draft: Bell (CGY – 2022), Dragicevic (SEA – 2023)
