The Everett Silvertips are an American major junior ice hockey team based in Everett, Washington, playing in the U.S. Division of the Western Conference of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team hosts games at Angel of the Winds Arena, located in downtown Everett.
Formation and Early Years
The city of Everett wanted a hockey team and planned to build a new arena. In 2001, the WHL agreed to let Everett have a new team. The owner of the Seattle Thunderbirds decided to sell his team to take over this new club. The new arena, the Everett Events Centre, was ready for the team's first season and could seat 8,200 fans.
The Silvertips joined the WHL as an expansion team ahead of the 2003-04 season. Beginning play in the 2003-04 season with a roster built through an expansion draft, the Silvertips rapidly established themselves as the best expansion team in league history.
Roster construction for the inaugural season relied on the WHL's expansion draft, which allowed the Silvertips to select players from other teams' protected lists, supplemented by the 2003 WHL Bantam Draft.
By January, they had won 19 games, breaking the old record for a new team. They finished their first season with 35 wins and also won their division.
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Another record was broken for a first year team in any major junior hockey leagues by gaining 80 points in the regular season standings, eclipsing the old record set by the 1982-1983 Longueuil Chevaliers of the QMJHL.
The team's name comes from the silvertip bear. The team opted for a green and silver color-scheme.
Before their first season, they introduced a bear mascot named Lincoln, named in tribute to the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier then stationed at Naval Station Everett.
Playoff Success and Championship Bids
In the playoffs, the Silvertips advanced all the way to the league final, upsetting the defending champion and heavily-favored Kelowna Rockets in the Western Conference final, with defender Mitch Love opening the series with an overtime goal. In the final series, they played against the Medicine Hat Tigers, but the Silvertips lost all four games and did not win the championship. Even so, they set new records for a new team in many areas.
Despite consistent postseason qualification since their inaugural 2003-04 season, the team has advanced to the WHL Finals twice, both times falling short in decisive sweeps or series defeats.
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In their debut season of 2003-04, the expansion Silvertips made an immediate impact by sweeping the Spokane Chiefs 4-0 in the first round, defeating the Vancouver Giants 4-2 in the Western Conference Semifinals, and defeating the Kelowna Rockets 4-3 in the Western Conference Finals, earning their first conference title. They advanced to the WHL Finals against the Eastern Conference champion Medicine Hat Tigers but were swept 0-4, concluding their playoff run with a 12-9 overall record that season.
Three seasons later, in 2006-07, the Silvertips had their best regular season ever. They won 54 games and earned 111 points. This won them the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for the best record in the league. However, they lost in the second round of the playoffs that year.
The 2006-2007 season was one of the team's most successful to date. The team entered the season as the pre-season #1 team in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) "Top Ten" Rankings. The team remained on the CHL "Top Ten" Rankings list the entire regular season, being selected #1 overall for 13 of the 25 weeks the rankings were selected, never falling lower than #5.
Division title in only four seasons of existence. The team was also awarded the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for having the best record in the WHL during the regular season, posting a record of 54-15-1-2 (111 points).
Division title. They dispatched the Vancouver Giants 4-1 in the first round and the Tri-City Americans 4-2 in the Western Conference Finals to claim their second conference championship. Facing the Eastern Conference champion Swift Current Broncos in the Finals, Everett pushed the series to six games but ultimately lost 2-4, with key defeats in Games 5 and 6 sealing the Broncos' title.
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In 2017-18, they made it to the league championship series again. This time, they were led by goalie Carter Hart and coach Dennis Williams. They had 47 wins, their best season since 2007. In the finals, they played the Swift Current Broncos. The Silvertips lost the series in six games.
The 2017-18 playoffs marked the franchise's deepest run since inception, as Everett advanced through the first round (defeating the Vancouver Giants 4-1) and semifinals (beating the Tri-City Americans 4-1) to win the Western Conference Championship before losing the WHL Finals to the Swift Current Broncos in six games.
Team Identity and Rivalries
The team adopted the "Silvertips" name after the grizzly bears of the Pacific Northwest. Their team colors are green and silver.
The Silvertips have formed an enduring rivalry with the nearby Seattle Thunderbirds. The two teams are close by and often play each other in the playoffs.
Player Development and NHL Draft Picks
The Everett Silvertips have had nine players selected in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft since the team's inception in 2003, with selections spanning from 2006 to 2025. These picks have contributed to the franchise's reputation as a developer of high-end talent, particularly on defense in recent years, and have helped elevate the team's visibility within the Western Hockey League and the broader hockey community.
Peter Mueller, the Silvertips' first-ever first-round selection, was chosen eighth overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in 2006 after a standout rookie season with Everett in 2005-06, where he recorded 78 points in 51 games.
Leland Irving, the Silvertips' inaugural first-round selection, was a standout goaltender during his two seasons with Everett from 2005 to 2007, posting a 2.74 goals-against average and helping the team reach the WHL playoffs in his rookie year. Selected 26th overall by the Calgary Flames, Irving transitioned to professional hockey, playing over 100 AHL games and briefly appearing in the NHL with the Flames in 2010, where he recorded a 3-2-1 record in six appearances.
Zach Hamill, drafted eighth overall by the Boston Bruins in 2007, was a cornerstone of the Silvertips from 2003 to 2008, amassing 312 points in 312 games and winning the WHL scoring title in 2007-08 with 109 points. As the franchise's all-time leading scorer at the time of his departure, Hamill's offensive prowess and leadership were instrumental in Everett's back-to-back WHL finals appearances in 2006 and 2007.
Ryan Murray's selection second overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2012 marked the highest draft position in Silvertips history and solidified Everett's status as a defensive talent pipeline.
Mirco Mueller, an import from Switzerland drafted 18th overall by the San Jose Sharks in 2013, arrived in Everett via the CHL Import Draft and immediately bolstered the defense in 2012-14, contributing 50 points and a plus-64 rating in 120 games while helping the team win the 2013 WHL regular-season crown.
Nikita Scherbak, selected 26th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2014, joined the Silvertips via trade from the Saskatoon Blades and played two seasons (2014-16), posting 148 points in 119 games as a skilled left winger.
Noah Juulsen, selected 26th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2015, spent three seasons with Everett (2013-2016), posting 84 points and 147 penalty minutes in 190 games as a steady, right-shooting defenseman. He served as team captain in 2015-16 and led the Silvertips to the WHL finals that year.
The most recent first-rounder, Carter Bear, was chosen 13th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 2025 after a breakout 2024-25 season with the Silvertips, where he led the team with 82 points (40 goals) in 56 games despite missing time due to injury. The 18-year-old left winger from British Columbia brings speed, skill, and scoring touch, drawing comparisons to dynamic NHL wingers.
Among forwards, several Silvertips alumni have achieved significant playing time and production in the NHL. Zach Hamill, a center drafted by the Boston Bruins, appeared in 50 games, recording 6 points. Jordan Schroeder, another center who played for the Minnesota Wild and other teams, amassed over 250 games and 72 points. Jujhar Khaira, a left winger primarily with the Edmonton Oilers, played 337 games, tallying 80 points.
Defensemen from the Silvertips have been particularly prominent, with several logging extensive NHL tenures.
Goaltenders from Everett have also made their mark, with two standing out for their NHL contributions. Calvin Pickard, who started with the Colorado Avalanche, has played over 100 games across several teams, posting a career .902 save percentage.
Retired Jersey Numbers
The Everett Silvertips retire jersey numbers infrequently, reserving the honor for individuals who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to the franchise's success and culture.
Love's jersey retirement ceremony occurred on November 22, 2019, prior to a home game at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington.
Here's a summary of the Everett Silvertips' division titles:
| Season | Achievement |
|---|---|
| 2003-04 | Division Title |
| 2005-06 | Division Title |
| 2006-07 | Division Title, Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy |
The Everett Silvertips have established themselves as a significant presence in the WHL, consistently developing talent and competing at a high level. Their history is marked by playoff appearances, division titles, and a strong connection with the Everett community.
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