With February being the month of love, the Western Hockey League has found itself a new love in the form of the Penticton Vees. As per reports, it is expected that the Junior A British Columbia Hockey League’s Penticton Vees are set to join the WHL as early as the 2025–26 season.
Penticton Vees sit at the top of the BCHL currently
The Vees, a dominant team in the BCHL, look to make an immediate impact. Currently, the Western Canadian team boasts 22 players with Division 1 NCAA commitments while also sitting first in the BCHL with a 30–7–3 record. The top-ranked club also is currently aiming for a fourth finals appearance in four years, en route to a hopeful third championship in that span.
The exact details of the expansion cost are unknown but could be anywhere from $1M to $10M. Geographically, Penticton also sits 63 kilometers from Kelowna, which could add more intense rivalries to the already packed BC division of the WHL.
Adding Pentiction to the mix means that the BC division has six teams. The WHL’s Western Conference has a combined 12 compared to the 11 in the East. This coming conference imbalance could fuel future speculation around league expansion.
This also comes on the heels of speculation of future OHL expansion. Between the changes towards NCAA eligibility and now league expansion rumours, it is safe to say that the foundation of junior hockey in North America is changing.
A brief history of the Junior Vees
The Junior Vees were founded in 1961 as an original member of the BCHL’s predecessor, the Okanagan-Mainline Junior Hockey League, merging into what is now known as the British Columbia Hockey League in 1967. In the team’s history since 1967, the Vees have finished first in their British Columbia Interior Divison 24 times, including first-place finishes in the entire BCHL nine times since the 2006–07 season.
These results have also produced a league-leading 14 BCHL championships during this span.
In recent history, they have won BCHL championships in both the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons while finishing runner-up last season. They are on track for another deep run this postseason as well, led by future University of Nebraska-Omaha forward Ryden Evers.
Historically, the Vees have produced close to 60 NHL Alumni, including the likes of Brett Hull, Ray Ferraro, Joe Murphy, Duncan Keith, and Paul Kariya. Even current Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving is an alum.
The Vees have produced a significant number of NHL prospects recently, with nine NHL draftees in the past three seasons. This total includes Calgary Flames prospects like Cade Littler and Aydar Suniev. The Vees also lay claim to the only first-round NHL pick from the BCHL, in the form of Carolina Hurricanes 2023 first-rounder Bradley Nadeau.
It’s safe to say they have the history, the pedigree, and the developmental results to make a name for themselves in the CHL. Are there any other teams in Junior A leagues that you would like to see join the CHL? Let us know in the comments.
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