WHL expanding by two teams

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This article was published 25/03/2025 (374 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Western Hockey League is set to grow again, adding a pair of franchises in British Columbia.

The league’s worst-kept secret was made official on Monday morning when it was announced the Penticton Vees will come on board next season, joining the B.C. Division and Western Conference for 2025-26, with a franchise in Chilliwack targeting the 2026-27 season.

The new clubs will give the league 18 Canadian franchises and six American teams.

“This is an exciting day, as the Western Hockey League takes its next step as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players,” WHL commissioner Dan Near said in a release. “Communities within B.C. produce talented young players from thriving grassroots hockey programs and we’re pleased to deliver WHL franchises to two important centres in the province – Penticton and Chilliwack.”

Both cities had been part of the independent BCHL, which left the Canadian Junior Hockey League in 2021 and Hockey Canada in 2023 to forge ahead on its own.

Brandon Wheat Kings owner Jared Jacobson, who was watching his team practice on Monday afternoon as it prepared for a first-round matchup with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, said the decision to welcome two new teams was made in good time.

“Everything has happened so fast,” Jacobson said. “It didn’t catch us off guard — it is a positive — but it definitely moved a lot faster than I’ve seen things move previously. I’m assuming it had a lot to do with the changing landscape in the game with the NCAA and everybody wanting to be in our league because it’s one of the best development leagues in North America.”

Brandon head coach and general manager Marty Murray said with a chuckle that the decision was made well above his pay grade.

“It’s a competitive league and I think the league is in a good place so they felt it was time to add a couple of teams,” Murray said. “We’re worrying about us because we have bigger fish to fry here but it was obviously a pretty big announcement.”

Penticton, which is located 62 kilometres south of Kelowna, plays in the South Okanagan Events Centre, which opened in 2008 and has a capacity of 5,000. The city has a population of nearly 37,000 people, with a metro population of 47,000.

Wheat Kings rookie defenceman Gio Pantelas of Victoria has extensive experience in the arena because he played at Penticton’s Okanagan Hockey Academy before moving up the road to the Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna.

“I’m actually really excited,” Pantelas said. “I watched a few Vees games when I lived there and it’s an amazing atmosphere. All the fans love it.

“When they move to the Dub they obviously won’t be as dominant as they were in the BCHL, but I still think the fans are going to love it. It’s going to be a lively crowd and I can’t wait to go there in two years.”

Hockey Canada has approved Penticton’s bid to join the WHL and return to sanctioned play.

The franchise will be owned and operated by Graham Fraser, with an ownership group that also includes Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele, former New York Rangers goalie Mike Richter and Penticton businessmen Joe Walters and Gord Kovacik.

Fred Harbinson will serve as president, general manager and head coach.

“We are excited to welcome Graham Fraser and the entire Penticton Vees ownership group, along with Fred Harbinson, to the WHL,” Near said. “Following productive conversations with BC Hockey and Hockey Canada, we collectively agree that the repatriation of the Penticton Vees is good for the game of hockey in Canada.”

Penticton will participate in an expansion draft on Wednesday, May 7 and also take part in the draft, the U.S. priority draft and the Canadian Hockey League’s import draft. The franchise currently has a 15-player list, which will expand to a normal 50-player list on May 7.

The expansion draft will have an impact on all 22 existing teams, including the Wheat Kings.

“We’re trying to finalize all the details there,” Murray said. “There will be some kind of dispersal draft but we’re waiting on details. We’ll see how it goes.”

For a team that believes it’s entering its window of contention, the thought of losing players two years in a row can’t be reassuring. But Jacobson said the team is in a good place.

“I think our asset pool is pretty deep, for sure,” Jacobson said. “It’s never easy losing somebody. I guess it will come down to Marty and the negotiations with the other GMs in the different markets that the league expanded to. I’m assuming hopefully we can make a reasonable deal that puts us in a good position for our cycle that we’re going through. Hopefully there are some negotiations there that everybody likes.”

The WHL has expanded four times in the 2000s, adding the Vancouver Giants in 2001, the Everett Silvertips in 2003, the Chilliwack Bruins in 2005 and the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2007. The Bruins subsequently relocated to Victoria in 2011 and became the Royals.

Chilliwack, which is east of Vancouver and has an estimated population of 107,000, was granted an expansion franchise in 2005 and played in the league for five seasons between 2006 and 2011.

The Chilliwack Coliseum, which opened in 2004, seats 5,000. The city is set to spend $3.7 million on upgrades on its facility, including enhancements to the scoreboard, lighting system, boards and other items.

The city won’t operate the team, however, with a franchise application process being launched shortly. Near and the executive committee will subsequently evaluate the submissions, with the goal of announcing a winning bid by the start of next season.

“I’ve played playoffs in Penticton,” Brandon forward Jordan Gavin of Surrey said. “It’s always a good rink and it’s always fun there. I’ve played a little bit in Chilliwack growing up. It’s definitely cool to see those guys get teams.”

When the league launched in the 1966-67 season it had seven teams, with the Regina Pats and Saskatoon Blades the only clubs still active.

The Wheat Kings joined the next season.

ICINGS: Brandon Wheat Kings forward Jaxon Jacobson was named the WHL’s rookie of the week after scoring once and adding four assists last week. It’s the third time the 16-year-old Brandonite has won the award. The only other player to win it three times this season was Keaton Verhoeff of the Victoria Royals

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