2025 26 Junior Hockey Expansion Relocation Folding Thread

[Barclay Donaldson]

Referenced on another thread, but here’s the first news account suggesting Penticton is leaving the BCHL for the WHL. Includes a reference to a fee being paid by the Vees to the Kelowna Rockets.

https://theprovince.com/sports/hock...chl-to-join-whl-as-expansion-team-next-season

Lots of speculation that this is just the first shoe to drop, that Chilliwack may be next.

WHL awards expansion franchise to Penticton Vees, launches franchise application process for Chilliwack - Western Hockey League

The Western Hockey League announced today the awarding of an expansion franchise to the Penticton Vees for the 2025-26 WHL season along with the initiation of a franchise application process for the City of Chilliwack, to begin play in the 2026-27 WHL season.

chl.ca

As expected, Penticton has been awarded a WHL franchise. Chiliwack is expected to follow in 2026-27.

 

[MeHateHe]

WHL awards expansion franchise to Penticton Vees, launches franchise application process for Chilliwack - Western Hockey League

The Western Hockey League announced today the awarding of an expansion franchise to the Penticton Vees for the 2025-26 WHL season along with the initiation of a franchise application process for the City of Chilliwack, to begin play in the 2026-27 WHL season.

chl.ca

As expected, Penticton has been awarded a WHL franchise. Chiliwack is expected to follow in 2026-27.

The Penticton path is clear, because the WHL release explicitly says the Vees are dispersing their Junior A players and entering an expansion draft for the WHL players. But the release doesn't reference the Chiefs.

It's also interesting that the Chiefs have relinquished control of the Coliseum, leaving the City of Chilliwack to do the capital upgrades necessary in time for the 2026-27 season. While that means the club doesn't have to pay the cost, it also means that if it's the Chiefs taking on the WHL franchise, they won't have the full revenue stream after moving into the WHL. There's no other arena suitable for the BCHL - the Pacific Junior Hockey League's Jets play in Sardis, a rink that seats about 700.

Another news link to add with the tidbit that the Penticton BCHL franchise remains in play, with the team ownership looking to relocate it for next season. I don't know where in BC that would be. I know that northern Vancouver Island (Comox Valley or Campbell River) is a community large enough for a Junior A club, but I don't think either of those rinks are suitable at this point for a BCHL team. So maybe it's Bellingham again? Maybe they move up to Quesnel and undercut the KIJHL team? (That rink is also pretty small) or move to Nelson (again, small rink) to support the Cranbrook and Trail franchises.

'New chapter, new legacy': Penticton Vees celebrate moving up to the Western Hockey League - Penticton News

A news conference at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 24, 2025, is expected to confirm that the Penticton Vees will be joining the WHL.

www.castanet.net

 

[Boonk]

Saw this on the Steinbach Pistons IG and am starting to get curious if a possible inquiry and potential expansion to the USHL is in the works, especially with the new facility that just opened there. Its not big enough for the WHL, and is far too major for what the MJHL is here. Works perfect for the USHL and its facility requirements though, and closest team Fargo is a 3hr drive over the border and they are more or less aligned in the Central-Midwest geography of the league, far more than Muskegon and Youngstown who are both looking to bolt to the OHL asap.

I think Steinbach would be a terrific market and feasible addition to the USHL to offset the loss of those franchises further east and would give the league a solid footprint into Canada they havent had since Thunder Bay like 30yrs ago, and another legit Tier 1 junior organization and facility in Manitoba that is much needed. Just some thoughts that got my gears in this dome going, especially with how fast junior hockey is changing everywhere and these franchise expansions and teams relocating between leagues all happening at once.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

View attachment 1001519
Saw this on the Steinbach Pistons IG and am starting to get curious if a possible inquiry and potential expansion to the USHL is in the works, especially with the new facility that just opened there. Its not big enough for the WHL, and is far too major for what the MJHL is here. Works perfect for the USHL and its facility requirements though, and closest team Fargo is a 3hr drive over the border and they are more or less aligned in the Central-Midwest geography of the league, far more than Muskegon and Youngstown who are both looking to bolt to the OHL asap.

I think Steinbach would be a terrific market and feasible addition to the USHL to offset the loss of those franchises further east and would give the league a solid footprint into Canada they havent had since Thunder Bay like 30yrs ago, and another legit Tier 1 junior organization and facility in Manitoba that is much needed. Just some thoughts that got my gears in this dome going, especially with how fast junior hockey is changing everywhere and these franchise expansions and teams relocating between leagues all happening at once.

A couple of things....

Unless that guy is someone meaningful within the Steinbach Pistons organization, then he is just a random fan posting some wishful thoughts. If that is getting your gears going, you might want to filter through stuff differently. Steinbach is never going to join the USHL.

First off, the league doesn't want to expand. They've been very clear about it. They want to protect their product. They know the league exists with its current status because it hasn't been watered down by over expansion. And if they were to go and expand, Steinbach isn't going to move the needle. They're not going to expand into Canada, especially not another tiny market with a 2400 seat arena. It doesn't add anything to the league. In addition, the USHL is backed by USA Hockey who likes uniform rules for the USHL. Adding a Canadian team means roster exceptions based on the import rule. They're not going to go for it.

In addition, Fargo is already a travel outlier. They're not going to add travel outlier which is 3.5 hours from *another* travel outlier.

This is a thread about actual news. Instagram wishful thinking not surprisingly doesn't stand up to even the tiniest bit of rational reasoning. It is an absolute nothingburger...