Penticton and Chilliwack to the WHL

[DoyleG]

Agree on the BCHL schadenfreude thing... they couldn't have picked a shittier time to do what they did.

Except that one of the biggest boosters of the BCHL going indy is getting into the WHL.

 

[jetsmooseice]

Except that one of the biggest boosters of the BCHL going indy is getting into the WHL.

So they made a big mess and left it for the others to clean up as they bugger off to the dub? Yikes.

 

[TheCrease]

I think the BCHL will be fine. Penticton and Chilliwack are bigger than the BCHL needs to be and the CHL is now the top dog in juniors.

The BCHL has been pretty clear about their goals. The want to compete with the USHL, and recruit from all over North America. They will still be that, and will also get the disgruntled WHL guys that need playing time.

 

[Mototik]

I think the BCHL will be fine. Penticton and Chilliwack are bigger than the BCHL needs to be and the CHL is now the top dog in juniors.

The BCHL has been pretty clear about their goals. The want to compete with the USHL, and recruit from all over North America. They will still be that, and will also get the disgruntled WHL guys that need playing time.

The BCHL wants to compete with the USHL but now they have to compete with the CHL as well. The one benefit the BCHL does have is not having a draft.

However, it will be interesting to see how the future CHL drafts go now that the threat of going NCAA isn't as strong anymore.

 

[hockeykid87]

Curious to hear more about this. I'm really not sure how much "bigger" the CHL can grow. There aren't many more cities with facilities capable of hosting CHL teams I don't think.

 

[Juniorhockeyguru]

Central Division

Lethbridge Hurricanes
Edmonton Oil Kings
Calgary Hitmen
Okotoks Oilers
Sherwood Park Crusaders
Medicine Hat Tigers
Red Deer Rebels
Cranbrook Bucks

East Division

Brandon Wheat Kings
Swift Current Broncos
Prince Albert Raiders
Saskatoon Blades
Moose Jaw Warriors
Regina Pats
Estevan Bruins


BC Division

Kamloops Blazers
Kelowna Rockets
Vancouver Giants
Prince George Cougars
Victoria Royals
Penticton Vees
Chilliwack Chiefs
Nanaimo Clippers


US Division

Portland Winterhawks
Everett Silvertips
Spokane Chiefs
Wenatchee Wild
Seattle Thunderbirds
Tri-City Americans

 

[hockeykid87]

Sherwood Park and Okotoks don't have big enough arenas for the WHL. You're not going to get anything smaller than Swift Current. Prince Albert is building their new rink now, and it's going to be 4,500 capacity.

Nanaimo would need a totally new building to get a WHL team. They tried that in 2017 with a public vote and it was a resounding, 80% no. As much as the WHL would love to have a team there, and I'm sure the Royals would too, I don't think that's ever happening.

Estevan has a nice enough rink, but do they have the fan and sponsor support for a WHL team? HockeyDB says they're averaging 975 fans a game this season. You would think that would go up for significantly better hockey, but to be even close to sustainable you'd have to nearly triple it.

I really think Penticton and Chilliwack might be the only two cities in Western Canada that could support a WHL team in the near future.

 

[MeHateHe]

Nanaimo would need a totally new building to get a WHL team. They tried that in 2017 with a public vote and it was a resounding, 80% no. As much as the WHL would love to have a team there, and I'm sure the Royals would too, I don't think that's ever happening.

The best chance for Nanaimo is if the league bends now (seeing this as chance to drive a knife into the BCHL's heart once and for all) and allows them to come in and get established, while they bring forward a plan to get private capital to build a facility more in keeping with the league's needs. So, sort of like what happened in WInnipeg. It's risky - look how Winnipeg turned out - but unlike Winnipeg, there is a real need for a multi-purpose events centre of that size in the mid-Island. It's a long shot, but I could see an argument for it (I say go for it, because it's not my money!)

As for the rest of that post: hard pass. Cranbrook? Not again. If you're going to the Kootenays, it would make more sense to go to Trail, because you could market it to the entire west Kootenay region, but it's still a terrible bet. Sherwood Park and Okotoks? Sherwood Park drew 451 for a recent game and neither of those rinks are big enough.

A 29 team WHL? At some point it collapses under its own weight.