Portland Winterhawks Acquire Max Pšenička from Kelowna Rockets

The Portland Winterhawks have announced the acquisition of Max Pšenička’s Western Hockey League (WHL) playing rights from the Kelowna Rockets. This trade involves Portland receiving the rights to Pšenička, a 2007-born defenseman, in exchange for two conditional WHL Prospects Draft picks, specifically a fifth-round pick in 2025 and a third-round pick in 2026.

Pšenička, who is 17 years of age, is currently playing for HC Plzeň U20 in the Czech Extraliga. In his current season with Plzeň, Pšenička has tallied five points, consisting of two goals and three assists across 11 games. As a tall and athletic player, Pšenička stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 176 pounds. He was originally picked by the Kelowna Rockets during the first round of the 2024 WHL Import Draft, where he was the 32nd overall selection.

The young defenseman has shown promise through his performance at HC Slavia Praha’s U17 and U20 divisions. During his tenure with the U17 team, he recorded 50 points, split between 13 goals and 37 assists, over 70 games. Internationally, Pšenička contributed to the Czech national U17 team, notching three assists in eight games during the 2023-24 season.

As part of the corresponding roster strategy, the Winterhawks have decided to release defenseman Marek Chaloupka. The club has extended its thanks to Chaloupka for his contributions over his period with the team and wished him success in his future ventures.

In related news, the Kelowna Rockets have confirmed that their next home game will feature the Portland Winterhawks. This game is set for October 11 at Prospera Place, with a special ‘Paint The Rink Pink’ theme in support of the Canadian Cancer Society.