Last week, the Lethbridge Hurricanes Hockey Club announced they’ve acquired 2005-born import defenceman Vojtech Port from the Moose Jaw Warriors in exchange for 2006-born defenceman Ryder Ellis, a second-round draft pick in 2027 and a third-round draft pick in the 2025 Western Hockey League Prospects Draft.
Nineteen-year-old Port was originally drafted by the Red Deer Rebels in the first-round (49th overall) in the 2022 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft. The Jihlava, Czechia product was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the sixth-round (161st overall) in the 2023 National Hockey League Entry Draft.
In his career, Port has skated in 109 regular season games with the Rebels, Edmonton Oil Kings and Warriors amassing 35 points, along with 41 penalty minutes.
Hurricanes General Manager Peter Anholt says Port is a big, right-shot defenceman who brings championship experience and is an NHL-drafted player. “It gives our coaches some more versatility on the right side. We also think Vojtech could be a really good overage player for us next season too.”
Port has recorded three assists along with eight penalty minutes in 19 games this season. Port collected 15 points, along with 17 penalty minutes in 42 regular-season games last year – split between the Oil Kings and Warriors. He added four assists in 20 post-season games en route to Moose Jaw’s first WHL championship before recording two points in four Memorial Cup contests.
Internationally, Port has represented Czechia at both the U17 and U20 levels. Over the last two seasons, he has totalled two points in 12 games for the U20 Czechia team in World Junior selection camp exhibition tournaments competition. He also appeared in nine games at the U17 level in 2022.
Port was named to Team Czechia for the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship before suffering a pre-tournament injury that kept him from competing in the tournament in Sweden and is expected to once again represent Czechia at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa.
Ellis, 18, was undrafted in the WHL Prospects Draft and signed by the Hurricanes in March. The Meadow Lake, SK product has appeared in 15 games this season going pointless with 17 penalty minutes and a minus-1 rating. He appeared in 43 games last year with the Battlefords Stars U18 team, where he served as an assistant captain. Ellis collected 10 points, along with 105 penalty minutes.
“Ryder has improved a lot in such a short amount of time,” adds Anholt. “We really don’t like having to move a good young defenceman, but you have to give up quality to get quality and we think this move really improves our team for this season and next.”
